Only Her Best Friend - Cami Checketts Page 0,46

down at her, his blue eyes filled with sincerity. “But I’m a mess, Mer. We need to talk … about a lot of things.”

She didn’t believe for one second that he was a mess. She adored him and would talk about anything. “Things other than why I reward myself with time to google you?”

Cruz laughed. “Maybe, but I still want to know about that. If it won’t upset you,” he added quickly.

“Come on, Meredith.” Josh gave a disgruntled scream and threw his hands in the air. “How can you be so perfect and beautiful and as stupid as every other woman in the nation? He is just a playboy show-off!”

Meredith arched her eyebrows at him and looked up at Cruz. “No. He’s my playboy show-off.”

Cruz grinned. He gave her a swift kiss and looked to Josh. “I think it’s more than evident that you need to leave. Unless you want me to call Sheriff Greenwood and report that you trespassed on Meredith’s property and attacked me.” He arched an eyebrow.

Josh backed up. His face was twisted and ugly. “This isn’t over, Cruz. I’ll … leave you bad reviews.”

Cruz rolled his eyes. “Go for it.”

“You don’t care about your reputation?”

He scoffed. “If my reputation can’t survive a bitter loser like you spreading lies, then I deserve to go under. Now, are you leaving, or am I calling the sheriff? Or I could hit you some more. That was fun.”

Josh turned and stormed away, climbing into his rental car and spitting gravel at Cruz’s truck as he pulled out.

Meredith winced. “Sorry about your truck’s paint job.”

Cruz stared down at her as he wrapped his arms around her lower back. His eyes were filled with wonder. “It’s a rental, and I’ll happily pay for damages. How could I care about a truck when I have the most amazing and beautiful woman in the world in my arms? Did you really tell that idiot you loved me?”

“Yes.” She smiled. “Did you really tell that idiot you loved me?”

He nodded, but his smile tamped down. “I do, Mer. I have for years, but we really need to talk about some things.”

“We will.” She promised as she pulled his head down. “But first, we need to talk about this.”

He smiled as their lips met. Meredith forgot about any fatigue from a long day. She forgot about any worries. All that mattered was Cruz’s lips on hers and the happy, amazing truth. They loved each other.

Chapter Thirteen

Cruz and Meredith shared the leftovers from last night and then settled side by side on her couch to talk. Similar to last night, he’d hardly tasted the food, and he usually enjoyed every meal. He was nervous. How long had it been since he felt nervous? Even though his mom’s voice plagued him at inopportune moments, he had taught himself to be confident and assertive. He was such an expert in his field he rarely felt nerves anymore.

Meredith turned toward him, tucked one leg underneath, and took his hand in hers. She took a deep breath and said, “Okay, who goes first?”

He smiled and brought their clasped hands to his lips, tenderly kissing her knuckles. “I have a very serious question for later.” He winked at her and said under his breath, “Googling questions, but my goal tonight is not to get a door slammed in my face.”

She lifted her free hand. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m kind of a hot mess regarding you.”

He chuckled. “You’re definitely hot, but I think I take the award on being a mess.”

“You said that earlier, but I don’t know that I believe you.”

He pushed his hand through his hair. “Oh, you’ll believe me, if you really want to hear about the demon in my head.” He hated revealing this side of himself to her, but he might lose her forever if he didn’t share and put it behind them. He needed to do it now.

“I want to hear it.” She tilted her head to the side, and her curly, black hair spilled over her shoulder. Cruz found he couldn’t resist brushing it back over her shoulder like he’d longed to do. Then he got distracted by the smooth skin of her shoulder, and then he got distracted by her alluring peach scent, and then he focused on her perfect and full lips. It was all downhill, or rather uphill, from there. He lifted her onto his lap and proceeded to kiss her, reveling in the feel of her in his arms, her lips