Only Her Best Friend - Cami Checketts Page 0,21

shoulders and wiping along the top then slowly working her way down. Did all men have ridged muscle like this along their backs? As she worked her way down to his tapered waist, she felt almost indecent finishing along the band at the top of his shorts. She was going to have to pray for strength and probably pray for forgiveness for wayward feelings. Her dad wasn’t a hellfire kind of preacher. He was very loving and understanding, but still he’d taught her what thoughts were inappropriate before marriage. She was pretty sure she was having those thoughts.

“Done,” she managed to squeak out.

Cruz turned slowly around, giving her a smoldering glance with his blue eyes that wasn’t helping her wayward thoughts at all. “Thank you,” he said in a deep, husky voice. “You did a perfect job.” He extended the bag of wipes again. “Do you want to do my chest as well?”

Meredith’s breath stuttered, and she put a hand to her heart and begged, “Oh, saints above, help me now.”

Cruz grinned happily at her as if her desperate prayer was funny.

She needed him out of here right now. She planted her hands on his chest, momentarily distracted from her purpose by how mind-boggling those well-defined pec muscles felt under her palms. Praying for strength, she shoved at him. “Get out of here, now!”

Cruz lifted his hands and backed up. “I’m going. I’m going.” He winked as he stepped onto the porch.

“It’s not funny, Cruz,” she tossed at him.

“Come on. It was a little funny.”

“Goodnight, Cruz.”

“Goodnight, beautiful Meredith.”

She had no choice. She slammed the door in his face again. And once again she heard his deep chuckle reverberate through. Meredith stalked through her living area and into her master suite. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, read her scriptures, and prayed and prayed and prayed. A warm, peaceful feeling came over her. She hadn’t done anything wrong, and though Cruz seemed to be enjoying mindlessly flirting with her, he was only being a friend by watching over her. If she had to continually fight a surge of disappointment that he couldn’t be more than a friend, the Lord would help her.

She settled into her comfortable bed but heard movement outside her window. She usually loved to have her windows open, especially at night, but since the kidnapping, hearing the vehicles driving up and someone walking around outside her bedroom at night, she’d kept them closed while she slept.

Gently sliding the window up, she heard the movement cease and then Cruz’s voice, “Hey, beautiful. Are you going to keep that open to make sure I stay safe?”

It was dark inside and outside the house, so she couldn’t see more than his outline, and she didn’t think he could see her. It was sweetly intimate to have him close while she was heading to bed. The wood, plaster, and paint provided a nice safe border between them, so she wouldn’t be able to throw herself at that beautiful chest of his.

“Thanks for being here, Cruz,” she said, rather than rise to his teasing.

“Of course. I’ll always watch out for you, Meredith.”

Meredith’s neck tightened. She loved his words, but she knew they weren’t true. Even if he wasn’t a shameless player and a flirt, his busy career took him around the world. He wasn’t going to settle down in his hometown and watch over her. She and his family hadn’t been enough of a draw to keep him here twelve years ago. What made her think anything could change? She had to constantly remind herself of the stories Josh had told her about Cruz and all the women she’d seen him with online. He would break her heart when he ditched her for a better model. He wasn’t for her, no matter how much she wished he could be.

When she didn’t respond, he said, “Are you going to run or hike in the morning?”

“I’d like to go,” she admitted. “I missed my hike this morning.”

“Can I come with you? For … safety?”

She smiled. Even though whoever walked outside her window at night unnerved her, they had never hurt her, and she prayed she was safe in her valley. Iris’ new boyfriend was some kind of super spy and had promised them he’d keep their valley safe. She’d take Cruz’s offer though. It would be nice to hike without clutching her pepper spray, and she wanted more time with him. No matter how bad it might hurt when he left again.

“Sure. See you