Best laid schemes, p.1
Best Laid Schemes, page 1
Best Laid Schemes
A NEW ENGLAND ROMANCE
AVERY SAMSON
Copyright © 2022 by Avery Samson
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Editor: My Brother’s Editor
Cover Designer: Rachel Webb
Cover Photo: FXQuadro/Shutterstock.com
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men,
Gang aft agley.
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promise joy!
(To a Mouse)
ROBERT BURNS
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
Fact or Fiction
Also by Avery Samson
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Chapter One
Dean looked at the door for what felt like the tenth time in the last half hour, wondering what was taking Jerry so long. He didn’t even want to be here. He wanted to be at home with his feet propped up on the coffee table and the newest mystery, drinking a beer.
But Jerry had stuck his head in the door of his office as Dean was packing up for the day, asking if he wanted to meet later for a beer at one of the local bars. So here he sat. Jerry was running late though, and Dean wondered how long he had to sit here at Donnelly’s before he could walk home.
Pulling his phone out of his pocket, Dean checked for a text, missed phone call, or anything saying Jerry wasn’t coming. Nothing. With a sigh, he dropped the phone back in his front pocket before taking another drag from his beer.
When he set his glass down, he was shocked to find a woman sitting between his legs on the barstool next to him. Taking a better look, he decided she was rather cute with her long dark hair and button nose.
“Were you saving this seat for someone? I just grabbed the first empty one I could find, but I’m happy to move when your friend gets here,” she said, swinging around to face him.
Scratch cute, this woman was gorgeous. Her one eyebrow rose in question as she smiled at him. Dean felt his cock twitch and quickly sat up.
“Oh, uh. Sorry.” He spun his legs back around under the bar. He had been sitting sideways so he could see the door without thinking about how much room his long legs had taken up.
“No. I mean, yes.” Now he was just stammering like an idiot.
“No, I can’t sit here? Yes, you have a friend coming? I’m going to need a full sentence,” she said, flashing him a brilliant smile.
“Sorry. I had a colleague who was supposed to meet me, but I think I’ve been stood up. I didn’t realize I was hogging so much space,” he answered.
She laughed a deep throaty laugh and suddenly he had a full-blown hard-on. Great, he would have to stay here even longer.
“Well, that is a lot of leg to fold up under the bar. My name is Samantha, by the way, but my friends call me Sam.” Sam reached out a hand, taking Dean’s in her warm grip.
Dean stared at how his hand seemed to dwarf hers until he heard her laugh again.
“Dean,” he blurted out, quickly releasing her hand.
He mentally rolled his eyes. How did he manage to win high-profile cases but couldn’t seem to stop acting like a teenage boy around this woman? He had met her less than five minutes ago, but here he was sporting a colossal woody and trying not to giggle uncontrollably. It was even possible that his glasses had fogged up.
“Please tell me you have a Chevy Impala sitting in the back alley. If so, I think the universe is trying to tell us something.”
He knitted his eyebrows together in confusion, trying to figure out what she was talking about when the bartender walked over.
“Refill?” he asked, setting down another beer in front of Dean with a smirk before turning to Sam. “You know I don’t serve underage coeds, Sam.”
Dean started sputtering into his beer that he had just taken a big swig of. It would have been a full-on spit take if he had already had a mouthful, instead it sounded like he smoked five packs a day. Without missing a beat, Sam whacked him on the back several times until he caught his breath.
“You do too, Parker. You’re just still mad you didn’t catch my fake ID that time. But look, I’m official now.”
Dean watched as Sam pulled her driver’s license out of her purse, handing it over to the bartender.
“Officially twenty-one today.”
Parker studied it for a few minutes before returning it to her.
“Fine, but I’m only letting you stay because I like you,” Parker said with a wink.
“You love me and you know it,” she said, flirting back.
Dean sat in silence watching the exchange, realizing this woman was way out of his league. There was no way he could ever compete with the charming, ponytailed, tattooed bartender.
He was okay with that though. He had been coming to this bar ever since he had moved into his apartment two years ago. Parker was a good guy, so he held no grudge against him getting the girl.
“What do you want then, birthday girl?” Parker asked.
Sam spun on her stool, facing Dean so quickly he almost choked on his beer again.
“What do you think I should have to celebrate officially making it to twenty-one?” she asked him with a flourish.
“Umm,” he managed to get out. He caught the grin Parker gave him, but he still couldn’t regain his balance enough to answer. She would think there was definitely something wrong with him if he didn’t come up with something, anything, soon.
“I think maybe something in a shot glass for sure,” he managed to get out. “Tequila? But none of that cheap crap.” Dean looked at the shelf behind the bar for several minutes until he saw what he was after. “How long has that bottle of Espolon been sitting on the top shelf?”
With a smirk at Dean, the bartender shook his head. “Leave it to you to find the best bottle of tequila we have.”
“Well, a man needs at least one skill in life,” Dean said as the bartender turned to go find the bottle, laughing. After sitting in silence for a few minutes, Dean finally turned to Sam. “Why do I need an Impala?”
“Really?” she asked, staring at him in disbelief. “Sam and Dean,” she said, motioning between them. “Supernatural? No? Nothing?” She laughed when he continued to look at her in confusion. “Do you live under a rock?”
“I’m beginning to think so.”
“Here you go,” Parker said, cutting in. He placed two shot glasses on the bar in front of them. Pouring the first shot into the glasses, he winked at Dean before turning to wait on a customer at the other end of the bar.
Sliding her hand along Dean’s leg, she spun him toward her until he was sitting on the barstool with his legs pressed against the outside of hers.
“So, here’s to turning twenty-one,” Sam said, raising her glass.
Picking up his own shot glass, he clinked it against hers. “To turning twenty-one,” he answered.
In one swift movement, they both tossed the tequila back, swallowing it in one go. Setting his glass back on the table, he had a moment to watch her. It was like watching porn in slow motion.
First, she returned her glass to the bar while licking the tequila off of her lush lips as she scrunched up her nose. Then she leaned toward him as she turned to hold up two fingers to Parker, pulling her blouse open slightly, giving him a quick view of a black lace bra hiding all but the top of one perfectly tanned breast. Finally, she turned back toward him with light caramel-colored eyes twinkling, hitting him with a brilliant smile.
That was the moment Dean knew he was in serious trouble.
“Another?” she asked him as Parker walked back over with the bottle.
“Sure,” he answered.
By the third shot, Dean could swear he felt the tequila in his veins. By the fifth, he wasn’t even positive that the beautiful tipsy woman next to him wasn’t a mirage. She had been chatting away, telling him about school, her apartment (which sounded like a dump) and why none of her friends were available to celebrate with her. Dean was almost certain he wouldn’t remember any of this in the morning.
“Okay, you two. I’m cutting you off for the night. Dean, can you get home on your own?” Parker knew he lived in a high-rise a block away, so he usually just walked to the bar.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Dean slurred slightly. He wasn’t a lightweight, but that had been a lot of tequila on top of the beer he drank earlier. “I’ll have an entire block to sober up.”
“How about you, Sam? Did you drive?” the bartender asked Sam with a tender scowl.
“Parker, have you ever seen me drive here? I g
“Come on. I’ll help you get a ride before walking home. Thanks, Parker,” Dean said, retrieving his credit card from the bartender. Easing off his stool, he stood swaying for a few minutes before smiling.
“I’m good,” he said to a wary Parker with feigned confidence. He just hoped he made it home without passing out somewhere along the way.
Sliding an arm around Sam’s waist, he helped her off her stool. When she swayed, he slid his other arm around her, pressing her back to his chest until she steadied.
With a laugh, Parker waved goodbye to him. “Good luck with that,” the bartender called out to Dean as they made their shaky way through the bar. By the time they got outside, Sam had moved next to Dean, clinging to his arm like a lifeline.
“I hope they’ll give me a ride this drunk,” Sam said, laughing. “Don’t think I’m going to throw up though, so that’s a plus.” Turning loose of Dean, she turned until she was looking at him. “Thank you for a good birthday, Dean. Life has been exhausting lately, so it was nice to just let loose for a while.”
He looked at her for a few minutes with concern, wondering what could be so exhausting for such a stunningly beautiful woman.
“Do you want to walk to my building with me? Sober up some before catching a ride home. It’s not far away.”
With a smile, she wrapped her arm back around his before motioning forward.
“So…” he said tentatively, “what has brought someone with so much life to the point of exhaustion?”
“Ugh, are you sure you want to know?” she asked, rolling her eyes.
Dean suddenly changed his mind. She wasn’t just stunning, she was fucking adorably perfect.
“Absolutely. Let me hear what has you so stressed out that you’d spend the evening drinking tequila with someone like me,” he said.
“Like you?” she asked, looking quizzically at him. “What’s wrong with you? Oh damn, I knew it! This is where you lead me to your lair and I’m made into a skin suit, right?”
“God, I hope not! I’m not even sure how to skin someone, much less sew.”
Sam threw her head back in laughter, almost pulling both of them off their feet.
“No, I just meant you could have left with Parker. He seemed interested.”
“Parker? The bartender?” she asked, still laughing. “No way. I like that bar. There’s no way I’m going to hunt for another one after going down on the bartender. That would just be a mess. Nope. Besides, he has his eye on a friend of mine, he just won’t admit it.”
“Ah, okay. Sure, sure.” Dean stopped in front of a set of doors complete with a doorman. He was still trying to wrestle with the chances of convincing Sam up to his condo when the doorman called his name, jarring him out of his reverie. “Well, this is my building,”
“This is nice,” Sam said, looking up.
Dean grabbed her, pulling her against him before she could tip over backward. When she was stable, he took a step back, moving his hands to her hips. Looking at him with big eyes, she laughed.
“I think I’m still a little tipsy,” she said.
“Yeah, I still don’t know if you’ll be allowed in someone’s car. You want to come up for some coffee?” Dean asked quickly before losing his nerve. “Just enough so I don’t have to worry about you making it home?” He watched as Sam stood perfectly still, thinking over his offer. “Promise I won’t make a skin suit out of you.”
“Fine, Mr. Winchester, lead away.”
Dean looked at her in confusion but just shrugged it off, turning them toward the door. With a friendly hello to the doorman, he led her to the elevator. Reaching his floor, he opened his condo, ushering her in.
Dean walked to the kitchen to start some coffee as Sam walked around his condo. It wasn’t too extravagant, nothing in this city was, but it was nice. It had a large open living area, gourmet kitchen, and two large bedrooms. It was more than enough space for him.
“This is nice, Dean. I would never have thought a psycho would keep a pink bunny on his couch, though,” she said, holding up a floppy stuffed animal. “Very kinky.”
“What?” he asked, placing a cup of coffee on the kitchen island in front of one of the stools. Reaching into his fridge, he pulled out cream, dumping a splash in his own coffee before setting it in front of hers. Adding the sugar bowl next to the cream, he looked up to find Sam standing with a smirk on her face, shaking a ridiculous-looking rabbit at him.
“Oh, that’s what she was talking about,” he said half to himself. When Sam raised an eyebrow in question at him, he quickly added, “My niece must have left it here yesterday when they were visiting.”
“Um-huh. Sure,” Sam said, tossing it back onto the couch. Walking over, she slid onto the stool, picking up the coffee in both hands. “You don’t have to explain your stuffed animal kinks to me. We just met, remember?” she said, laughing when she saw Dean turn red.
“I-I don’t have any kinks,” he stammered. “I don’t think so anyway. None have ever been pointed out.” Well, he hadn’t thought he could get any more awkward, but there it was.
“Relax, Mr. Winchester, I’m just giving you shit.”
“You know that’s not even close to my last name, right?”
Setting down her coffee, Sam laughed hard.
“This really has been fun, Dean,” she said with a smile. “I should probably head home. I already feel more sober.”
“Oh, okay. Let me walk you downstairs.” Dean grabbed the cream, putting it back in the fridge before setting their cups in the sink.
“No need. I think I’m capable of hitting the button for the lobby and your doorman will let me wait inside until my ride arrives.”
“I don’t mind…”
Sam held up her hand, waving it slightly to stop him. When he opened the door for her, she stopped to study him. He knew he wasn’t the firm six-pack abs types that most women preferred, but he tried to keep in decent shape.
She slowly ran her eyes down his body, making his stomach quiver. Men’s stomachs don’t quiver, do they? That’s a woman thing, right? Before he could think too much more about it, she leaned over and brushed her lips against his cheek.
“Thanks for tonight, Dean.” Turning, she pulled the door closed before he could think of a response.
“Holy fuck, Dean. Could you not think of anything to say?” he asked himself, leaning against the door. “Happy birthday? Can I call you? Please let me fuck your brains out? Anything?” With a shake of his head, he pushed off the door to walk to the bathroom when there was a knock at the door.
“Hopefully she forgot something and I can have another try,” he mumbled to himself, opening the door.
“Hi,” Sam said.
“Hi?” he answered right before she launched herself at him.
Their mouths crashed together as he pulled her against him with a growl. Reaching blindly behind her, he slammed the door shut, backing her against it. Their tongues battled for control and he felt a moan building from deep inside.
He pulled back and slid the glasses off his face. He had had the stupid things since elementary school and they were forever getting in the way. Without taking his eyes from her, he tossed them on the table by the door.
He unhooked the cuff links at his wrist and bent when she began to pull his shirt over his head. He tossed the cuff links at his glasses hearing them miss and bounce across the floor.
Dean slid a hand into her silky hair and pulled her head to the side so he could kiss down her neck. Sliding her blouse off her shoulder, he nipped at the sensitive spot where her neck met her collarbone.
Raising her arms above her head, he quickly pulled her shirt off before reaching behind her to unhook her bra. He heard a snarl exit his mouth when it slid off her shoulders, revealing a perfect set of breasts. Without hesitation, he bent to pull one in his mouth, sucking on her taut nipple until she moaned.
