The Lucky in Love Collection Read online

  The Lucky in Love Collection

  Books 1-3 in the Lucky in Love Series

  Lauren Blakely

  Little Dog Press

  Contents

  Also by Lauren Blakely

  About

  The Lucky in Love Collection

  Best Laid Plans

  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

  The Feel Good Factor

  1. Derek

  2. Perri

  3. Derek

  4. Perri

  5. Derek

  6. Perri

  7. Derek

  8. Derek

  9. Perri

  10. Derek

  11. Perri

  12. Perri

  13. Derek

  14. Perri

  15. Perri

  16. Derek

  17. Derek

  18. Derek

  19. Perri

  20. Perri

  21. Perri

  22. Derek

  23. Derek

  24. Perri

  25. Derek

  26. Perri

  27. Derek

  28. Perri

  29. Derek

  30. Perri

  31. Derek

  32. Perri

  33. Derek

  34. Perri

  35. Derek

  36. Perri

  37. Derek

  38. Perri

  39. Derek

  40. Perri

  41. Derek

  Epilogue

  Another Epilogue

  Nobody Does It Better

  His Prologue

  Her Prologue

  1. Vanessa

  2. Vanessa

  3. Book Club Ladies Group Chat

  4. Shaw

  5. Shaw

  6. Shaw

  7. Shaw

  8. Vanessa

  9. Shaw

  10. Book Club Ladies Group Chat

  11. Vanessa

  12. Shaw

  13. Vanessa

  14. Shaw

  15. Derek

  16. Book Club Ladies Group Chat

  Epilogue

  Another Epilogue

  And One More Epilogue

  Also by Lauren Blakely

  Contact

  Copyright © 2020 by Lauren Blakely

  Cover Design by Helen Williams.

  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 contemporary romance 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 book is licensed for your personal use only. This book 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, especially if you enjoy sexy romance novels with alpha males. 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

  The Guys Who Got Away Series

  Dear Sexy Ex-Boyfriend

  The What If Guy

  Thanks for Last Night

  The Gift Series

  The Engagement Gift

  The Virgin Gift

  The Decadent Gift

  The Extravagant Series

  One Night Only

  One Exquisite Touch

  MM Standalone Novels

  A Guy Walks Into My Bar

  One Time Only

  The Heartbreakers Series

  Once Upon a Real Good Time

  Once Upon a Sure Thing

  Once Upon a Wild Fling

  Boyfriend Material

  Asking For a Friend

  Sex and Other Shiny Objects

  One Night Stand-In

  Lucky In Love Series

  Best Laid Plans

  The Feel Good Factor

  Nobody Does It Better

  Unzipped

  Always Satisfied Series

  Satisfaction Guaranteed

  Instant Gratification

  Overnight Service

  Never Have I Ever

  Special Delivery

  The Sexy Suit Series

  Lucky Suit

  Birthday Suit

  From Paris With Love

  Wanderlust

  Part-Time Lover

  One Love Series

  The Sexy One

  The Only One

  The Hot One

  The Knocked Up Plan

  Come As You Are

  Sports Romance

  Most Valuable Playboy

  Most Likely to Score

  Standalones

  Stud Finder

  The V Card

  The Real Deal

  Unbreak My Heart

  The Break-Up Album

  21 Stolen Kisses

  Out of Bounds

  The Caught Up in Love Series

  The Pretending Plot (previously called Pretending He’s Mine)

  The Dating Proposal

  The Second Chance Plan (previously called Caught Up In Us)

  The Private Rehearsal (previously called Playing With Her Heart)

  Seductive Nights Series

  Night After Night

  After This Night

  One More Night

  A Wildly Seductive Night

  About

  Best Laid Plans

  That time I had the brilliant idea to ask my good friend for lessons in sex-ploration…

  Awkward? Maybe. But how else is a good girl going to find out if she likes being naughty? I might be sweet as cherry pie, but I'm also bold and damn curious. And Gabe is charming, trustworthy, aces at seduction (or so I hear) and—bonus!— willing to give me lessons. But to guarantee it won’t ruin our frien
dship, I have some specific requirements for his instruction. I want these classes to be hypothetical more than hands-on. So what if he’s hella sexy? I can handle that, no problem.

  ***

  I have it bad for Arden. She's bright, brilliant, insanely fun, and I want to take her home and spend all night together—and then spend the day with her, too. When she asks for my help, I see my chance to win her sweet heart by showing her how much fun we can have getting spicy. Trouble is, she has a different idea of what “sex-ploration” should mean. Now I’m going to have to get really clever to win her over.

  Good thing I know exactly how to upend her best laid plans.

  The Feel Good Factor

  That inked bad boy who’s been striking sparks with me since he rode into town? Turns out he’s my new housemate, which adds up to a super-complicated living situation and chemistry so hot it should be illegal.

  I have a fantastic family, great best friends, a job I love…and now I’m up for a promotion to police sergeant. I need total focus—not a flirty, dirty, irresistible, tattooed hottie riding into my town on his motorcycle. Can I arrest him for being too good-looking? When he kisses me senseless in the back of a waffle truck, it’s criminal, the things he makes me think about hot syrup and melted butter. One order of hot, fluffy hookup to go, please.

  But the next time I see him, it’s not for our date with benefits. He’s the guy who just rented the room above my garage.

  I need the rent to pay my bills, not a man like Derek, who I soon discover to be strong, caring, generous, good with kids, and kind to puppies… If I’m not careful, he’ll be moving into my heart as well as my house.

  ***

  A no-strings-attached fling with the fiery redhead who revs my engine? Why, yes, that does sound like a delicious perk of my new job in this new town, thank you very much. I’m coming off a bad relationship, and I have zero interest in anything serious. I’ve got all the serious I need helping my sister take care of her three little kids while her husband is deployed.

  Except, surprise! Perri isn’t just my future fling. Turns out she’s my sexy, sassy landlord.

  A lease definitely counts as “strings attached,” and as much as I’d like to get tangled in her sheets, I can’t let myself get tangled up in a relationship.

  But as soon as we put the cuffs on our escapades, I learn over late-night conversations in the kitchen, that my landlord is so much more than the sexiest woman I’ve ever met– she has a quick mind and the biggest heart.

  Once I’m in, I’m all in. And to convince her that we should see where this goes, I plan on turning up the heat—and not just in the kitchen.

  Nobody Does It Better

  A red-hot forbidden romance! Indulge in this ultra sexy best friend's brother delight!

  Some women are just forbidden.

  Like—off the top of my head—MY SISTER’S LIFE-LONG BEST FRIEND.

  Sis has made it patently clear that Vanessa is hands-off, as in keep my ladies’ man paws far away from her clever, go-getter best friend who’s ready for the real deal. That should be an easy guideline to follow, except Vanessa is deliciously flirty, easy to talk to, and laughs at my jokes. Translation – my libido has been craving her many, many years. So many that we might have stolen a kiss or two.

  Can you say pent-up, crazy, raw desire?

  That’s exactly what we’re both feeling when the storm of the century hits and it’s 10 inches of snow with Vanessa and me trapped in a cabin all night long…

  The trouble is—Vanessa isn’t interested in my playboy ways, and I have one night to convince her that I’m the real deal.

  The Lucky in Love Collection

  By Lauren Blakely

  Want to be the first to learn of sales, new releases, preorders and special freebies? Sign up for my VIP mailing list here!

  Best Laid Plans

  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, David 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.

  Well, every indication, bar asking me himself, but the number of times he’s remarked on how helpful it would be to have a toothbrush, deodorant, and the farm-fresh eggs he likes for breakfast at my place are indication enough.

  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.