Contents
Also By Lauren Blakely
Prologue
1. Arden
2. Gabe
3. Arden
4. Arden
5. Gabe
6. Gabe
7. Arden
8. Arden
9. Gabe
10. Arden
11. Gabe
12. Arden
13. Arden
14. Gabe
15. Gabe
16. Gabe
17. Arden
18. Gabe
19. Arden
20. Arden
21. Arden
22. Arden
23. Arden
24. Arden
25. Gabe
26. Gabe
27. Gabe
28. Arden
29. Gabe
30. Arden
31. Arden
32. Arden
33. Gabe
34. Arden
35. Gabe
36. Arden
37. Gabe
38. Arden
39. Gabe
40. Arden
41. Gabe
42. Arden
43. Gabe
44. Arden
45. Arden
46. Arden
Epilogue
Another Epilogue
Also by Lauren Blakely
Contact
Best Laid Plans
Lauren Blakely
Copyright © 2019 by Lauren Blakely
LaurenBlakely.com
Cover Design by © Helen Williams, photo by Rafa Catala
First Edition Book
* * *
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. This ebook is licensed for your personal use only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Also By Lauren Blakely
Big Rock Series
* * *
Big Rock
Mister O
Well Hung
Full Package
Joy Ride
Hard Wood
* * *
One Love Series dual-POV Standalones
The Sexy One
The Only One
The Hot One
* * *
Sports Romance
Most Valuable Playboy
Most Likely to Score
* * *
Standalones
* * *
The Knocked Up Plan
Stud Finder
The V Card
Wanderlust
Come As You Are
Part-Time Lover
The Real Deal
Unbreak My Heart
The Break Up Album
21 Stolen Kisses
Out of Bounds
Unzipped
Birthday Suit
Best Laid Plans
The Feel Good Factor
The Dating Proposal
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Never Have I Ever
Instant Gratification
* * *
The Heartbreakers Series
Once Upon a Real Good Time
Once Upon a Sure Thing
Once Upon a Wild Fling
* * *
The Caught Up in Love Series
Caught Up In Us
Pretending He’s Mine
Playing With Her Heart
* * *
Stars In Their Eyes Duet
My Charming Rival
My Sexy Rival
* * *
The No Regrets Series
The Thrill of It
The Start of Us
Every Second With You
* * *
The Seductive Nights Series
First Night (Julia and Clay, prequel novella)
Night After Night (Julia and Clay, book one)
After This Night (Julia and Clay, book two)
One More Night (Julia and Clay, book three)
A Wildly Seductive Night (Julia and Clay novella, book 3.5)
* * *
The Joy Delivered Duet
Nights With Him (A standalone novel about Michelle and Jack)
Forbidden Nights (A standalone novel about Nate and Casey)
* * *
The Sinful Nights Series
Sweet Sinful Nights
Sinful Desire
Sinful Longing
Sinful Love
* * *
The Fighting Fire Series
Burn For Me (Smith and Jamie)
Melt for Him (Megan and Becker)
Consumed By You (Travis and Cara)
* * *
The Jewel Series
A two-book sexy contemporary romance series
The Sapphire Affair
The Sapphire Heist
Prologue
Arden
I’m most definitely a planner, but I never planned to be a good girl.
Honestly, I didn’t even think twice about good girls versus naughty ones. I always figured with sex and love, you could have it all.
That’s what we’re taught as women, right?
You can be prim and proper during the day and wild and daring at night. Or the other way around. Whatever floats your banana boat.
But somehow over the years, I inadvertently landed on the “nice” half of the divide, so squarely in the good-girl camp I’m practically the poster child of oh-so-sweet, and I can’t seem to get a crack at the other side.
Only, I keep peeking over the fence, peering, wondering.
What if the grass is greener? What if I’m missing out on something better in the bedroom and, by extension, something better in life and love?
There’s only one way to find out.
Ask.
The trouble is, when it -comes time to woman up and make a request for what I want to try at the ice cream stand of sexual flavors and favors, I wind up with so much more than I bargained for.
More than I’m ready for . . .
And with so much more to lose than I ever expected.
Guess I’m about to learn if it’s better to be naughty or to be nice.
1
Arden
A year ago
* * *
You can never go wrong with cheese.
Or crackers, for that matter.
Add in grapes, hummus, olives, Marcona almonds, and strawberries, and you’re good to go.
Plus, wine. Because . . . wine.
As I tug the corners of a red-and-white checkered blanket neatly across the grass, I’m 100 percent pleased with the spread.
Wicker picnic basket with adorable handles? Check.
Tasty food and treats? Check.
And the woman he wants? Double check.
Plus, I’m wearing his favorite outfit.
Well, Dav
id probably prefers me in heels and lingerie, on account of being male and all. But I’m surrounded by bushes, bugs, and trees, and you can’t wear heels on a hiking trail.
If I did, I’d be a complete nitwit.
Generally, I try to avoid nitwittery, partial or complete.
And I try to embrace looking pretty for my man. That’s why I’m sporting a dress, since he likes dresses and the easy access they afford. This summery blue number with white polka dots has a cute breast-hugging bodice and a skirt that’s the right length. Navy-blue Converse sneakers complete the casual but cute look.
Picnic couture, I like to call it.
A platoon of butterflies flaps around in my chest, but I don’t let them wind me up or worry me. Taking a deep, calming breath, I remind myself that I have fantastic plans to take our relationship to the next level, and I have a good feeling David wants the same. He’s given me every indication we’re on the same page.
How could he not want to move in together?
We’re simpatico, like mornings and coffee, movies and popcorn.
Moving in together is the next step on the path to “I do.” Today, I plan to let him know that’s what I envision for us—sharing a place, sharing a life, and eventually sharing a name.
One step at a time, but the first one starts with something along the lines of:
Would you like to move in with me because I picked up those coffee filters you like so much and I’d be happy to make you a cup of joe every morning?
I already have the filters on the kitchen counter, ready for his coffee-loving heart.
Checking my phone for the time, I bounce on my toes in excitement. He’ll be here any minute.
I whistle a short tune.
Fine, he’ll be here in one more minute.
I peek inside the basket once more. A perfect spread for a Sunday lunch here along Silver Phoenix Lake, the water reflecting the bright sun and the birds chirping in the trees.
Another minute ticks by, and I smooth my hand along my skirt and double-check the wineglasses. The crisp sauvignon blanc I picked out is delish for today’s festivities. I happen to be fantastic at wine pairings, and I know this one is ideal.
I stand, crunch across the twigs and grass to the trail, and peer down the path.
No sign of David.
No matter. He’ll be here soon. I return to the blanket. I shield my eyes as I look to the sky, reminding myself to enjoy the view, to savor the great outdoors.
I do that for fifteen stinking minutes.
I try not to get wound up. It’s entirely possible he received a call from the hospital. That happens, and I’m used to it. I’m a good ER resident’s girlfriend.
I check my phone. Odd. There’s no message from him. But if there’d been an emergency, he probably wouldn’t have had time to call me. And really, don’t we all want a society where doctors are focused on saving lives rather than alerting their women of their whereabouts?
But he is off today, and there’s also this cheese.
I don’t want it out all day, especially since I already sliced it.
I should send him a text. What if he has the location wrong? I check the message I sent him yesterday, where I asked him to meet me in this little nook of the woods, a few feet off the trail, then tap out a quick text.
* * *
Hey, handsome. Can’t wait to see you! Just wanted to make sure—
* * *
I stop typing when I hear footsteps, and my heart runs in circles.
“Hey, Arden.”
I smile giddily. He’s here at last, walking past the tree, and when my eyes land on his handsome face, his dark hair, his eyes that I know so well, I chide myself for worrying.
Of course he’s here. The fact that he’s been a little busy, a little distant lately means nothing. I pop up and practically run to him, throwing my arms around his neck.
He’s stiff at first then hugs me back. “Sorry I’m late. I was at the gym.”
What?
He was at the ever-loving gym?
“I hope you had the best workout ever, then,” I say, keeping my tone chipper, even though inside I’m thinking that’s rude with a capital R. But I have things to do and plans for us, so I move on. “And I’m glad you made it. I have a picnic lunch with all your favorites.” I jut out my hip then whisper, “Including me. It’s private here too. We can eat and chat and maybe more . . .” A flush spreads across my cheeks as my voice trails off in invitation. The suggestion feels a little risqué to me, but I’d like to try a little risqué-ness. I’ve never had sex outdoors, and I honestly wouldn’t mind trying something new. I shiver at the thought.
David looks away, scratching his jaw. “Yeah, that’s the thing, Arden.”
“What’s the thing?” My pitch rises as worry shoots up in me. His tone is saying something before his words do, and that something isn’t what I want to hear.
He sighs, smiles sympathetically, and then fingers a strand of my blonde hair. “You’re so sweet. Seriously. You’re like the nicest girl I’ve ever met.”
There’s a but coming. A big fat but.
I swallow past the stone in my throat. “Nice is good, right?” I sound as if I’m white-knuckling a steering wheel so I don’t drive a car off the side of the road.
David leans closer, lets go of my hair, and drops his voice like he’s prepping to say something grave to a patient. “But I like naughty better, so I don’t think this is going to work out.”
The earth slips beneath me. The sky falls. My plans crater. This was not on my schedule for today.
Especially since he has no idea how much I’d be interested in trying something new in bed. But he’s never asked.
“You never said you liked naughty better,” I point out as my stomach twists and hurt claws its way up my throat.
He shakes his head, making sure I don’t miss his meaning as he points from him to me. “I shouldn’t have to say it. Naughty should come naturally.”
“What? You shouldn’t have to say it? How else would I know what you wanted?”
He laughs gently. “Even if I said it, it doesn’t matter. You’re too good. It’s your natural state. You don’t have a naughty bone in your body.”
“Oh, I do. I definitely have several.” He’s wrong. He’s so wrong. All my naughty bones are just waiting to be used.
“You’re so adorable. That’s why I don’t think you and I will work out.”
Of course we can work. All we have to do is talk. Maybe he’s been working too hard in the ER. Maybe he’s stress-tired. Surely that must be it.
I place a hand on his chest. “We can talk about this. Work this out. Try all sorts of new things in the bedroom, or even here. This is the first time you’ve mentioned it, but I’m up for it. I was literally thinking about other uses for this blanket before you showed up. I know we haven’t had sex outdoors, but we should try new things in the bedroom and out of the bedroom.” I take a deep breath and go for it. “After all, I love you and I want you to move in with me. Isn’t that where we are headed?”
Not exactly how I planned to ask him, but clearly I have to launch the parachute quickly and try to save our plane from tumbling out of the sky.
He smiles even more sympathetically, quite possibly full of abject pity for me. This isn’t going to end how I want it to at all. I am the biggest fool in the land.
“Look at you. So good to me up until the end. That’s why it took me so long to say this. Because you treat me like a king, and you’re so damn sweet. It almost makes me want to stay.” He sighs. “But you’re too vanilla.” He pats my head like I’m a pet, and evidently I’m the Maltese he’s not taking home from the pound instead of the chocolate lab he really wants.
I jerk my head away from him. “Don
’t pat me like a dog.”
“I was just trying to be nice.”
“Oh, don’t even use that word with me right now. ‘Nice,’” I hiss, even as tears threaten my throat, clogging my voice.
He ignores me, gesturing to the picnic spread. “Food looks good. Can I grab some cheese and crackers before I go? I do love Gouda.”
Shock slams into me, radiating to every pore. I can’t even speak or scream—no, you can’t have the Gouda, you jackass—because I’m so floored by his callous request.
The hungry jerk takes my silence as a yes and helps himself, bending to grab a few slices of cheese from the basket and a couple of crackers. My eyes burn with tears, and I want to smack his impromptu snack out of his hand, but I can’t because my blood has turned sluggish.
David turns to go, and I’m in quicksand, unable to move or speak. As his footsteps fade, something new replaces the shock.