The BFD (A Big Deal Romantic Comedy Book 1) Read online

  While the guys and I talked shop, I kept my eyes on Rori, watching where she went when the song was over. Someone had requested what I called the Titanic song, so when it started playing, I thought it’d be the perfect time to ask her to dance because I had Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” up next, so I could dance two slow songs in a row with her.

  “Hey, you think you can man this thing for a couple songs?” I asked the guys.

  “Sure!” Jeff said, stepping behind the turntable.

  “I’ve got the next song set up, so it should be good,” I informed them. “Gonna go slow dance with Rori.”

  “We’ve got this. Go get your girl, dude,” Mike said, shooing me away.

  Making my way around the floor, I was stopped by several people telling me how impressed they were with how well the dance was going and that next year we should do a 50s theme or big-hair metal theme, and so on. By the time I made it to Rori, the song was halfway over, damn it.

  I knew she’d seen me coming when her eyes got big, but then she took a deep breath, said something to Mara who turned and smiled at me, and I watched Rori gain her composure, her back going straight as if she expected an argument. Jesus.

  “Hi,” I said when I made it to her.

  “Hi.”

  “Ice Ice Baby!” Mara yelled with a giggle.

  “That’s me,” I said grinning. “Uh, nice cones.”

  “Thanks!” She turned to Rori. “I’m gonna head out, okay?”

  Rori nodded and told her to be careful, then with a wave goodbye, Mara left.

  “You look amazing,” I leaned down and said so she could hear me.

  She smiled up at me. “Thanks! You do too!”

  “I put in a request on the next song just for you. I dedicated it to you,” I admitted. “So, with that being said, would you dance with me?”

  “Of course,” she said smiling and taking my hand, let me lead her onto the floor.

  With her right hand in my left and her left hand on my right shoulder and my right arm wrapped around her waist, I began moving us to the ending strains of the song as some chick belting out about her heart going on.

  “What song did you dedicate to me?” she questioned.

  “You’ll see. It’s coming up after this one.”

  “All right, ladies and gents, this one goes out to Rori from The B-F-D!” Jeff said into the mic.

  I grinned down at her, but my smile didn’t stay long because unexpectedly, Sir Mix-a-Lot started singing about liking big butts.

  “’The fuck,” I mumbled.

  Rori wrinkled her brow. “That’s the song you dedicated to me?”

  “No!” I said, knowing she was gonna tell me to get lost.

  But then she burst out laughing.

  “This is the best song ever!” she affirmed, giggling like crazy.

  I huffed out a laugh because this was all kinds of screwed up.

  The song stopped abruptly and Mike announced, “Sorry about that, folks! Hit the wrong button! That was not the song The B-F-D chose for his girl!” Everyone laughed. “Now, let’s hope ‘You Can’t Touch This’ doesn’t accidentally start playing next, or you’d probably better call it a night, Castle.”

  There was more chuckling from the crowd, the correct song came on and Mike held his hands up and made a face letting me know he was sorry about his mistake. I jerked my chin up, letting him know it wasn’t a big deal.

  “I love this song,” Rori said, smiling up at me as we swayed to it. “This was sweet of you, Calder.”

  Yes! She was using my name instead of calling me Castle like everyone else. Something must’ve happened because she was as chill as could be right now. Or…

  “Are you drunk?” I asked.

  She laughed. “No. Why do you ask?”

  “I want you to know I’m sorry about everything, Rori,” I suddenly apologized.

  “It’s okay. I’m sorry, too. I wasn’t very nice to you.”

  She was different, more confident and I liked this side of her. Before, she’d come off as nervous and anxious when I was around, and I was glad to see she was more comfortable.

  “I dropped the lawsuit the next day. My lawyer hadn’t even filed it, so it was just a cheap ploy,” I revealed.

  She pulled her head back. “Cheap ploy?”

  I nodded sheepishly. “To get you to go out with me.”

  “Well, I would’ve sued me too,” she said with a chuckle. Then she shook her head. “I was rude. I’m sorry.”

  “Stop apologizing. We’ve forgiven each other, so we can start fresh now, okay?”

  She smiled and nodded then rested her head against my chest which took me off guard. I was now the anxious one, going rigid for a moment. But I finally stopped acting like a pussy and relaxed, trying to remember the last time I’d been nervous around a woman.

  I’d say that’d probably be never.

  Wait. I take that back.

  The team hired a woman doctor to do our physicals last year, and when she’d told me to bend over and cough, I admit I’d been a wee bit tense.

  Those nerves were understandable, but this? The way I felt around Rori as she lay her head against me was new territory. Then when she pulled back after the song was over and asked if she could help me take requests for the rest of the evening, I gave up trying to pinpoint it.

  Note to self: ask Carson about it later. Second note to self: promise her some of Rori’s cinnamon rolls only if she promised not to make fun of you.

  Chapter 14

  What Roark said to me last night woke me up, and I knew I was on my way to becoming myself again.

  Halle-friggin-lujah.

  After getting home from Mom and Dad’s, I did some more soul-searching wondering when I’d given over my autonomy to Noah or at what point I’d begun putting so much into what he thought of me. I wished I could go back to that moment and stop myself, but I doubted it had happened at one single time. It was probably gradual and I hadn’t even realized what I’d been doing.

  It also wasn’t anything Noah had done intentionally. It wasn’t like he was emotionally abusive or anything; he just wasn’t who he was trying to be. Therefore, he’d been unhappy, and I think I’d sensed that and in trying to make him happy, I’d thrown all of me into making our relationship work. And that’s when I’d lost myself.

  Roark was right saying that’s why I’d been so reluctant to date again. I was terrified of losing more of me. I made a note to myself to make his favorite, lemon pudding crème puffs, tomorrow and have them delivered to his office.

  Now that I’d opened my eyes, I saw Calder for what he was, a nice guy who was obviously interested in me, and that didn’t scare me even the least bit. Funny how much a day can make a difference. Or a conversation with your big brother.

  I’d told Mara the next morning at work about Roark and my talk. She’d squealed, she’d been so happy. Then she’d cried because she hadn’t thought of it first and said she could’ve saved me months of heartache.

  After work, I followed her to her apartment where we planned to dress as Madonna pre-cone boobs and Madonna with cone boobs. We both looked great, I thought so anyway, and we’d taken off for the dance. Going inside, I’d handed the check I’d written, combining both Mara’s and my donations, to a man I was pretty sure was Calder’s father, but I didn’t say anything. Mara and I posed for the pictures that were being taken for the newspaper then we went in to “bust a move.”

  Of course, I’d seen Calder DJ’ing, and I’d waited to feel the panic I was used to, but it never came. When I told Mara, she did her best Ace Ventura impression saying, “Roark has exorcised the demons!” making me crack up.

  So now that you’re all caught up on that stuff, we can move forward!

  I’d danced with Calder, and it felt normal. It felt good. I’d rested my head against his chest and it felt right.

  After our dance, I’d gone with him to the DJ booth and helped him for the rest of the night, taking request
s and covering when he took a bathroom break. And I’d had a blast. We’d laughed at the requests: “Ghostbusters,” “Dancing on the Ceiling,” “The Safety Dance,” what? and some guy wearing what looked like a flower pot had come up requesting a song called “Whip It,” so yeah. Just before the dance was over, I’d snuck in “Ice Ice Baby” just for him and he’d danced with me, and he was good!

  Then it was midnight and everyone was leaving.

  “I guess I should’ve asked earlier, but can you give me a ride home?” I asked him.

  He chuckled. “Of course. But it’s just gonna cost you.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “What?”

  “A kiss.”

  I sighed dramatically, and said, “Okay, but I won’t like it.”

  He snorted. “We’ll see about that.”

  At my apartment building, I was tempted to ask him up but knew I’d jump his sexy ass, so I didn’t.

  “I had fun tonight,” I said as we sat in his truck.

  “Yeah, I did too.” He looked at me. “You seemed…different.”

  I smiled. “Yeah. I feel different.”

  “Something happen?”

  I shrugged not wanting to get too deeply into it just then. “My brother Roark talked to me about some things and I’ll just say he opened my eyes.”

  Calder nodded. “Good. I liked how you were tonight. You seemed so…relaxed.”

  I chuckled. “I am.”

  “Are you free tomorrow night?”

  I thought for a moment not remembering if I was supposed to go to dinner at Mara’s or at any of my brothers’ places, then realized my night was wide open. “Yep. Totally free.”

  “How about tomorrow afternoon?” he questioned.

  “I’m free all day.”

  “How about lunch then a Capitals game?”

  “That sounds fun,” I stated.

  “Good, I’ll pick you up around noon?”

  “I’ll be ready!”

  “We’re stalling, aren’t we?” he pointed out and I cracked up.

  “Yeah, I think we are,” I said, giggling.

  “God. Let’s just get it over with,” he said, acting as if kissing me was a chore and making me laugh more.

  Then leaning into me, he brushed his hand underneath my hair to the back of my neck and pulled me closer. Then his lips were on mine and it was amazing. His lips were soft and sensuous and the kiss was hot and deep. We kept going and somehow, I ended up straddling him in his lap, his hands on my thighs and my short Madonna skirt threatening to expose my lady bits.

  He pulled back from our kiss and looked up at me. “Hi.”

  I smiled. “Hi.”

  We dove right in again, lips smashing together, hands everywhere, groans and moans abundant, and when I unwittingly ground my core against him, feeling that he was hard, I knew we had to stop.

  Pulling back, I gasped, “Oh, my God. The windows!”

  “Foggy windows mean you liked that kiss.” He smirked.

  I smirked right back. “Or that you’re a mouth-breather.”

  He barked out a laugh and I loved seeing it. My God, he was beautiful.

  Looking at the windows again, so fogged I couldn’t even see outside, I whispered, “Told you I wouldn’t like it.”

  He came up and gave me a short but sweet kiss and said, “That wet spot on my leg says different.”

  My insides went wild hearing that, my womb dipping and clenching up. “Calder,” I breathed, pretty sure I’d flooded his leg.

  “Fucking hell,” he answered, crushing his mouth to mine again, one hand going to the back of my head as he kissed me roughly, his other hand moving under my skirt where his fingers found my clit and rolled it.

  Holy shit. I’d never been more turned on in my life, and an orgasm slammed through me from out of nowhere making me cry out into his mouth as we kissed.

  Taking his lips from mine, he looked up to see me breathing hard, still straddling him, and growled, “Never seen anything so goddamn beautiful, Rori.”

  “Calder, stop saying sweet things because you’re gonna make me come again,” I said between breaths.

  “Fuck,” he murmured.

  Then lifting me off him, he sat me back on my seat and turning off his truck engine, he got out and walked around to my door opening it and helping me out. He held my hand as we went inside, but neither of us said a word.

  At my apartment door, I asked, “Do you want to come in?”

  His face went hard, he closed his eyes and I thought he was mad, but when he opened his eyes again and said, “It’s taking everything I have to tell you no,” I knew he was trying to be a gentleman.

  I decided to go with it, thinking, Why rush things now?

  “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow?” I said.

  “Yeah. I need your number.”

  He unlocked his phone and handed it to me where I added myself as a contact. I only got distracted one time—or five—at his hard cock pressing against his jeans zipper. When he’d told the radio guys he had the big dick part down, he wasn’t kidding.

  God help me.

  I handed him back his phone then he gave me a quick kiss.

  “Goodnight, Rori,” he said.

  “’Night, Calder,” I answered, biting my lip as I closed my door and heard him groan. I looked out of the peephole once inside and saw him rub a hand over his face, looking like he was in pain, before he turned to go.

  I went to my bedroom to change out of my Madonna getup and was just about to step into the shower when my phone rang.

  “What are you doing?” Calder asked.

  “I was just about to shower.”

  “What are you wearing?” I started to reply when he interrupted saying, “Never mind! Don’t tell me. I barely made it into my seat as it is. I just got my dick to calm down. Don’t need a boner the entire time I drive home.”

  I laughed. “Good thinking.”

  “I had a really good time with you tonight.”

  “I did too, with you, of course,” I clarified.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, baby,” he said.

  “Bye, Calder,” I replied and we hung up.

  After showering and getting ready for bed, I noticed it was almost one-thirty when I finally lay down to sleep, and thanked my lucky stars I didn’t have to work in the morning.

  Just as I drifted off, my phone chimed. Grabbing it, I saw a text from who I assumed was Calder.

  Text Message—Sun, Jan 15, 1:32 a.m.

  Unknown: Goodnight, beautiful

  Text Message—Sun, Jan 15, 1:32 a.m.

  Me: Calder?

  Unknown: Yeah?

  Me: Just making sure! I don’t have your number in my phone yet

  I sat up and quickly added him as a contact.

  Calder: You have a lot of men text you goodnight?

  Me: LOL None

  Calder: Good. See you tomorrow, babe

  Me: Okay.

  Calder: Goodnight

  Me: Night <3

  I fell asleep shortly after.

  Chapter 15

  You know what? I’ve dated dozens of women. Dozens. And none of them ever made me feel the way I did about Rori. What was that? Why was that?

  When I got home from dropping her off, I made a fucking beeline to my shower where I jacked off, coming harder than I had in a long time. I did the same this morning with the same results. Goddamn, if I was coming this hard without her, I couldn’t even imagine it with her. Jesus.

  My phone rang at ten.

  “Hey, you have a good time last night?” I asked Carson.

  “The best! Although when we got home, Myles acted like a big baby when I tried taking his eyeliner off.”

  “Who was he again?”

  “Billie Joe Armstrong,” she answered.

  “Uh.”

  “Good lord. From Green Day. Don’t you listen to the radio?” she scolded.

  “Yeah, but just because I hear their songs doesn’t mean I know who the fuck they are.”r />
  “Some DJ you are,” she said with a chuckle. “So, you wanna come to lunch?”

  “I have a date.”

  “A date on a Sunday? Damn. Sundays are your sacred days. Game days,” she said with a deep voice mocking me.

  “We’re not playing right now.”

  “I know, but you’re Mr. OCD and can’t change anything. So I’m impressed. Who is she?”

  I cleared my throat knowing she was gonna get all excited and shit. “Rori Flannigan.”

  “Cinnamon Roll Queen?” she squealed. “Yes! You’re finally using the brain in that big bobblehead of yours.”

  “Speaking of, Jack called yesterday saying another ten boxes of them came in, so I’ll get a couple for Tinley and Sam,” I said.

  Jack had ordered 1000 bobbleheads that supposedly looked like me—if I had a big, wobbly head and a tiny body—last month and had sold them to the local gas stations, the proceeds of which went to KIDS Klub, and the stations had sold them to the public for two dollars apiece. According to Jack, all the stations sold out in four days and were asking for more. I’d told him to double it to 2000 this time, and we’d see how it went.

  “I want one too!” Carson begged.

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “You damn sure will if you want to see your niece and nephew ever again.” She laughed then asked, “Hey, what are you doing on your date?”

  “Lunch then a Capitals game.”

  “Oh, okay. I was gonna invite you all here, but you do you.”

  “I will,” I said chuckling.

  “You think she could be the one?”

  “Hanging up now. Love you, bye,” I said and hit “End.”

  That was the last thing I needed, to be questioned by my sister. I know I said I had questions to ask her, but I decided to wing it. This was confusing enough as it was then to have Carson trying to coach me through it all.

  “That’s high sticking!” Rori stood up and yelled, holding her hands up trying to get the ref’s attention.

  When she sat down, I asked, “So, you’re a big hockey fan?”

  “No. I’ve just heard my brothers yell that.”

  I burst out laughing, putting my arm around her and pulling her head over to kiss the side of it. “You’re a nut.”