Best Laid Plans

by Abbie Zanders

  It was a smart move on her part—not revealing what she’d heard, reserving judgment. And she was looking at him in such a way that made him want to tell her something and hope he wasn’t shooting himself in the foot.

  “Our guy Smoke became friends with a local woman, Sam Appelhoff.”

  “Yeah, I know Sam. She used to work at Santori’s Café before it burned down, and before that, her grandparents had a bakery down on Second Street.”

  He nodded. “That’s the one. Well, she was having some ... issues, and the police weren’t taking them seriously. Smoke did take them seriously, and that caused some friction.”

  It was the truth. A very succinct, scrubbed, grossly understated version of the truth, but the truth nonetheless. Mile marker posts reflected in the headlights for several beats until she realized he wasn’t going to offer any more than that.

  “That’s it?”

  Heff shrugged, neither confirming nor denying her statement. It wasn’t, not by a long shot, but what and how much he revealed would depend on her reaction to what he had shared.

  She quietly processed that for several minutes before she said, “There are those who think you guys are the ones stirring up trouble. That things were fine before Matt returned.”

  “They’d be wrong.”

  “Then, tell me. Please. I want to understand what’s happening here.”

  He sighed. He didn’t give a rat’s ass about what most people thought because they would believe what they wanted to believe regardless of the truth. But Sandy wasn’t most people, and he did care about what she thought.

  Did he dare tell her what had really happened?

  After a brief internal debate, he gave her the CliffsNotes version.

  He told her about the man who’d been stalking Sam, about the fire, about the kidnapping. He glossed over some parts, remaining intentionally vague on some of the more extreme measures they’d taken to rescue Sam and eliminate the problem, but Sandy got the gist. If they were going to continue down this path, she had a right to know what she was getting into.

  She listened carefully, nodding occasionally, inhaling sharply at some of the things he’d revealed.

  “I had no idea,” she murmured when he finished, her expression sympathetic and suitably somber. “Did Smoke really handcuff Lenny and Joe together and take their cruiser?”

  “Yes, but only because they hadn’t left him much choice. By that point, he knew Sam was in danger, and nothing was going to stop him from getting to her.”

  “Hmm.”

  Heff glanced her way, saw her lips quirking.

  “Lenny failed to mention that part. No wonder they’ve got it out for you. You hit them where it really hurts—their pride.”

  “It is what it is. If we’d waited for them to get their heads out of their asses, we never would have gotten to Sam in time.”

  She nodded, her expression somber again. “I heard she’s living at the Sanctuary now.”

  “She is,” Heff confirmed. “Sam and Smoke, they’re the real deal.”

  “So, you’re not a total boys’ club?” she teased.

  “No.” He chuckled. “In fact, Sam’s heading up the whole kitchen and dining room reno. With her experience running the café and working in her grandparents’ bakery, she knows her stuff. We’re lucky to have her.”

  “Sounds like she’s lucky to have you guys too.”

  Heff didn’t know what to say to that, so he said nothing.

  “Thank you,” Sandy said, “for trusting me enough to tell me all that.” She punctuated the statement with a featherlight touch on his arm, one that he felt keenly.

  “You’re welcome.”

  She removed her hand and sat back. “I’m sure it comes as no surprise that the PD’s version is quite different.”

  “No, no surprise.”

  “Yet none of you are disputing it. Why? Don’t you want people to know the truth?”

  “We know the truth; that’s all that matters. And sometimes, ignorance is bliss. People want to believe they’re safe and that any bad stuff that happens isn’t the fault of their own elected and appointed officials. If it helps them sleep at night, more power to them.” He smiled ruefully. “I envy them that. I wish I didn’t know half the shit I do.”

  Unwilling to travel any farther on that particular sharing highway, he changed the subject. “Enough about us. Tell me about you.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  Everything. “Let’s start simple. Have you always lived in Sumneyville?”

  “Yep. In fact, I grew up in the same house I live in now.”

  “Wow. That’s remarkably ... consistent.”

  She laughed. “That’s one way to put it.”

  He paused, wondering how much she would share with him about what had happened. She’d already confirmed she was planning on blowing town in one of their earlier conversations, so he figured it wasn’t totally outside the realm of acceptable conversation. He knew the gist from Tori and Brian, but he was more interested in what Sandy was willing to say on the subject.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t strike me as the live in the same small town until you die type.”

  “No offense taken. And you’re right. I’m not.”

  “Then, why do you stay?” he asked, genuinely curious. “I mean, I’m glad you did. Very glad. But why not spread your wings and fly a little?”

  She looked down at her hands, her smile fading. “I was just about to actually. I’d finally finished my degree and had a job lined up in New York, a place to live, everything. I quit my jobs, had everything packed and ready to go.”

  “What happened?”

  She shrugged. “Things changed.”

  What changed was, her POS father left her autistic half-brother on her doorstep and never looked back. Heff wondered if her father had known she was on the cusp of starting a new life.

  A new life. Something exciting. Something different. Another piece of the puzzle fell into place. “That’s why you had me go to the motel instead of taking you home, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” she confirmed. “I was spreading my wings, as you said. Doing something I wanted to do instead of what I was supposed to do, believing that it wouldn’t matter if someone found out because I wouldn’t be around to face the consequences.”

  Consequences. Those were something he knew a lot about. “And now?”

  “And now ... I’m stuck in Sumneyville for the foreseeable future, and I don’t think I really care about consequences as much anymore.”

  They drove the rest of the way in silence, contemplating what they’d shared. At least he was, and judging by the thoughtful look on her face, she was too.

  “Do you want help getting him inside?” Heff asked when Sandy gently roused Kevin to let him know they were home.

  Kevin wasn’t a huge kid, but physically moving him would be hard for someone Sandy’s size if he wasn’t being particularly cooperative. Every time Sandy touched him, Kevin shrugged her off and tried to go back to sleep.

  “Yes, please,” she said.

  Pleased that she was accepting his help, Heff said in a firm but kind tone, “Hey, bud. We’re home. Let’s get you inside, so you can sleep in your own bed, okay?”

  Kevin grumbled a little but allowed Heff to help him into the house and up to his room while Sandy directed the way.

  “Thank you,” Sandy said, escorting him to the door. “Kevin can be stubborn sometimes, but he listens to you.”

  “No problem.”

  She tilted her head and looked up at him with appreciation. “He really likes you.”

  When she looked at him like that, it did things to him. Sent off odd sensations in his chest that made it feel as if it were expanding and squeezing at the same time.

  He stepped closer and ran a finger lightly across her cheek. “And what about you, Sandy?”

  “I like you too.”

  He lowered his head and kissed her, just like he’d wan
ted to do all day. Her lips were soft, still holding a hint of the cotton candy she’d been nibbling on earlier. She moaned softly into his mouth, snaking her hands up around his neck and moving closer.

  One of his hands slipped under her silky hair and cupped the back of her neck. The other stroked down the length of her back, stopping when he reached her hip to pull her against him, as he craved the press of her warm, fragrant weight.

  What was it about this woman? One kiss from her was like throwing a lit match on a pile of kindling soaked with gasoline, instantly setting him ablaze.

  They made out like teenagers right there against the door until he felt her hands slipping under his shirt. With much effort, he broke the kiss. Her nails curled into his skin in protest.

  “Kevin is a very sound sleeper,” she whispered, nipping his bottom lip.

  He was breathing heavily, willing his thundering heart and aching cock to settle down as he leaned his forehead against hers. “Not tonight.”

  He nearly laughed at the pout she gave him. He might have, if he didn’t feel like he was close to exploding himself.

  “Just so we’re clear, I’m not happy about this,” she told him.

  “Believe me, I’m not either. There’s almost nothing I want more than to fuck you against this door right now and then carry you upstairs and spend the rest of the night doing it over and over until your body’s spent and you forget your own name.”

  She groaned because that was exactly what she wanted too. “Almost?”

  “Yeah, almost.” He kissed the top of her nose and stepped back.

  “What could you possibly want more?”

  The look in her eyes speared right through him, demanding he tell the truth. “This. You and me. Seeing where it can go. That’s what I want more.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Heff

  Walking away before he gave in to his caveman urges wasn’t easy, but it was the right thing to do. The look of pure heat in her eyes had nearly done him in. If he’d stayed any longer, he would have swept her into his arms, carried her into the nearest room with a lockable door, and taken care of both of them.

  Repeatedly.

  As much as he’d wanted to do just that, he needed to prove that he was serious about wanting more too. Making her come at every possible opportunity wasn’t going to do that. However, if she needed a reminder of the explosive chemistry between them, he’d man up in a heartbeat.

  He put the windows down and cranked up the air-conditioning, hoping the combination would help alleviate some of his discomfort. It did. Sort of. With each mile he got farther from Sandy’s place, the arousal below his waist lessened, but the desire in his chest didn’t.

  He liked her. Really liked her—and not just her body. He liked her wit and her intelligence and her big, compassionate heart.

  That was how he knew she was different. He’d been with a lot of women—not something he was particularly proud of, but true nonetheless—and no one had ever made him feel like this. Craving her laughter as much as her screams of pleasure. Wanting to coax a smile as easily as he could a climax.

  As he neared the turn-off for the Sanctuary, a vehicle going in the opposite direction appeared out of nowhere, forcing him to swerve onto the shoulder. Only his quick reflexes prevented him from going off the road completely.

  Where the hell had it come from? Had he been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn’t seen it until it was right there?

  No, he realized. He hadn’t seen it because it hadn’t had its lights on.

  Cursing, he yanked the wheel and pressed the pedal, spitting up gravel as he hung a U-ey and went after them. Heff sped down the mountain in pursuit, taking the curves at breakneck speed, pushing the SUV as fast as it could go without rolling over or losing control.

  He took his hands off the wheel only long enough to stab the hands-free call button.

  Church picked up after a single ring, his one-worded greeting expected and familiar. “Go.”

  “Have any perimeter alarms tripped tonight?”

  “Yeah, southeast quadrant. Smoke and Mad Dog are out there now, checking it out. How’d you know?”

  “Saw a black or dark blue late-model pickup coming out of the lower access road without their lights on. I’m in pursuit now, heading south toward town.”

  “Got it. Let me know what you find.”

  “Will do.”

  Heff disconnected the call and pressed down on the accelerator. Once or twice, he got close enough to see the flash of taillights ahead, but then they disappeared again before he could make out the plate.

  He made it all the way back into town without closing the distance between them.

  Heff cruised the streets, looking for something, anything, even though he knew it was a long shot. He’d only caught a flash of the vehicle in his headlights, enough to know that it was a dark, late-model pickup splotched with mud and with only the right taillight working.

  Unfortunately, that described more than half the rides in Sumneyville.

  Without a make, model, or license plate to go on, he was forced to temporarily admit defeat and drove back up to the Sanctuary. Unsurprisingly, the rest of the guys were awake and huddled around a flat screen in the war room.

  Church looked up as he entered the room.

  Heff shook his head. “Whoever he is, he’s a hell of a driver, and he knows the roads like the back of his hand.”

  “Fits with what we’ve already surmised,” Cage said. “Male with local ties and an unidentified bug up his ass.”

  “Get anything on camera?”

  “Nothing useful. The motion lights went on a split second after he tripped the perimeter alarm.” Cage pressed a button on the keyboard and pointed at the screen.

  Heff watched as a man-shaped black smudge threw his arm up against the burst of light, turned tail, and ran.

  “I’m thinking maybe we should install some night-vision surveillance a little farther out,” Doc commented, leaning forward on his crutches. “That way, by the time they hit the trips, we’ll already have them on candid camera.”

  Church nodded. “Do it.”

  “I’ll call our new friends down in Pine Ridge and see what they’ve got first thing in the morning.”

  “Grab some shut-eye. I don’t think we’ll be seeing any more excitement tonight.”

  “Well, except maybe Smoke.” Doc grinned. “Sam will be so glad to see him in one piece, she’ll—”

  Without breaking stride, Smoke reached out and shoved Doc, forcing him into a wall. “I don’t care if you are on crutches. Disrespect Sam again, and you’ll need a wheelchair to get around.”

  Doc laughed, regaining his balance and rubbing his chest. “My bad. You know we’re all just jealous, right?”

  Smoke grunted, but there was reluctant amusement in his eyes too. He knew he was a lucky bastard.

  Heff went back to the trailer he shared with Mad Dog and spent the next several hours staring up at the ceiling. Dare he hope that he could find that kind of happiness?

  A dull ache cut through his chest right about the same time an image of Sandy plastered itself front and center in his mind’s eye. It was a nice thought but probably not in the cards. The timing sucked. Yeah, they had incredible chemistry, and she’d agreed to spend time with his sorry ass, but he recognized it for what it was—making the best of her current situation.

  He’d seen the wanderlust in her eyes. Felt the subtle vibration of excitement radiating from her when she talked about leaving Sumneyville. If it wasn’t for her POS father, she’d have been long gone.

  He turned onto his side and punched his pillow. He knew in his heart that she wasn’t going to be around for long. Her star was on the rise. Things would work out. She’d get her chance, and when she did, he’d smile, wish her luck, and walk away.

  The trick was, making the most of the time they had without letting himself care too much.

  Unfortunately, he thought, it might already be too lat
e for that.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Sandy

  Lenny knocked once on the screen door, alerting her to his presence before opening it and walking into her kitchen without waiting for an invitation. That breach in common manners forewarned Sandy that he’d already worked his boxers into a twist.

  “Do you not have an ounce of self-preservation instinct?”

  Sandy sipped her coffee and pretended as if she didn’t know what he was talking about. “Good morning to you too. And the lock on the screen door has never worked, you know that. But no worries. I live next to a cop.”

  He scowled. “Cute.”

  She lifted her mug. “Want some?”

  Lenny nodded with a single jerk of his head and sat down at the kitchen table, selecting the seat farthest away from Kevin. Kevin didn’t acknowledge him, concentrating on his Cheerios and peanut butter as he rocked back and forth and hummed softly to the music playing quietly through his earbuds.

  Sandy wished she could do the same. The look on Lenny’s face told her he was gearing up for one of his lectures.

  She put a mug of fresh, hot coffee in front of him, topped off her own, and sat down.

  “Start talking, Sandy.”

  Whether it was his words or the dark tone of his voice, Kevin went still.

  Sandy gave Lenny a warning glance. “Not the time, my friend.”

  Lenny clamped his lips together and said nothing more. Once Kevin finished his breakfast, Sandy suggested that he go into the living room and draw a picture for Heff to thank him for taking them to the farm show.

  Lenny’s expression turned even darker. Once Kevin was out of the room, he wasted no time in continuing.

  “That guy’s bad news. We’ve discussed this.”

  “No, you’ve fed me some vague, unsubstantiated bullshit that contradicts everything I’ve seen with my own two eyes.”

  “What exactly have you seen?”

  A sexy, wonderful, kind, generous man. “He’s good to Kevin.”

  “He’s just using him to get to you. Can’t you see that?”

  She laughed in disbelief. “For what possible purpose? My vast wealth? My supermodel stardom? A thirst for the power I hold in the palm of my hand?”