Free Smitten by Lacey Weatherford

sorry to drag you all the way out here, but I couldn't take it any longer.”
    “ I miss you too. How much longer do we have to do this?” I wrapped my arms around his waist squeezing him tightly, not wanting to let go. It felt so good to be back in his arms.
    “ I don't know—I wish I could tell you, but I won't be able to stay here long.” He released me and stepped away with a longing look in his eyes, before he ducked his head under the hood and started looking at the engine. “Stand over here with me and pretend you're watching.”
    I did as he asked, wondering what was going on.
    “Just in case I was followed here, we need to make this look believable. Do you have your phone on you?”
    “ I do,” I replied, pulling it out of my pocket.
    “ Great. I need you to send me a text asking for help with your car.”
    “ Give me your number again then, I deleted it with your texts.”
    He rattled it off to me, and I quickly added it to my phone contacts.
    “Russ said you’re going by Hunter Wilder again, is that correct?”
    He reached out and jiggled a hose while he studied it. “That's right. It should be easy for you to remember, don't you think?” He glanced over at me and winked casually brushing his hand over mine as he set it down and linked our little fingers together.
    “ Yeah, that might be true, but it’ll also make it harder for me later.” I smiled at him.
    “ I can see how that might happen, but whatever you do, don't start calling me anything else now.” He gave a short laugh and glanced back down at the engine before straightening. “Come into the store with me.”
    “ What are we going to do?”
    “ We’re going to get something to clean your jumper cables. You’re going to be one of those helpless women whose car isn't running right, to find out it was only dirty cables.”
    “ Ah, so I'm a stupid damsel in distress.”
    “ Yeah something like that.” He laughed. “Sorry.”
    He opened the door for me and we walked into the store toward one of the aisles. I followed and watched while he appeared to study and look at different items. It was so nice to see him in person again. I dr ank in the sight of him, afraid to blink for fear he’d disappear before my eyes.
    “ So what’s been going on with you? Can you tell me anything?”
    “ No, not really. This is a dangerous group of people. I don't want you getting involved with them.”
    “ You can’t drop things like that in my lap, Hunter, and expect me to be okay with it. Do you know how many sleepless nights I've spent worrying about you, wondering if you were okay, or if you were shot in an alley somewhere? I need a bit more to go on, something that’ll help put my mind at ease.” I crossed my arms as I looked at him intently.
    He gave a short chuckle. “Are you always this demanding?”
    “ Only when it comes to you and your safety. I take that very seriously, and after what happened with Clay, I want to make sure there isn't a repeat performance.”
    Hunter glanced around again before grasping my hand and squeezing it slightly. He pulled me around the end of the aisle toward the back of the store , gathered me into his arms, and held me tightly. It felt so good to be there again.
    “ Cami, I'm so sorry to put you in this situation. You know if I could change it, I would. In fact, I begged not to be sent on this assignment. There was no one else to go. All you need to know is that I'm doing okay. No one has attempted to harm me, and I don’t plan on giving them any reason to. Chris is involved in this case as well and watching out for me. I know it’s still risky, but I'm doing my best to stay safe. I promise.”
    I hugged him tighter, never wanting to let him go again. “I just miss you. I want you back to myself.”
    He gently kissed the top of my head. “I want that too, Goody. More than you could possibly know.”
    He held me for a few seconds longer before he released me and stepped away, continuing to look over