His weakness the bff pac.., p.1
His Weakness (The BFF Pact Book 1), page 1
His Weakness
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The BFF Pact
Cassi Hart
Published by: Cheeky Publishing LLC
First Edition
Copyright © 2023 Cassi Hart– All rights Reserved.
All rights reserved. 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 the copyright owner. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication / use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners. For any permission requests email cassi@cassihartromance.com
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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Contents:
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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Epilogue
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About the Author
Chapter 1
Melody
The third basket of bread lands on my side of the table, and the server pauses next to me.
“Ready to order yet?” he asks, and when I find the strength to look up, there’s pity in his gaze.
“I’m sure he’ll be here in a few minutes,” I say.
“Of course,” he agrees, though neither of us believe it at this point.
I send a furious text to my best friend, Annie, who’s actually been enjoying a meal by herself a few tables over.
I think we need to call it. Mission failure.
Just a few more minutes! she texts back.
This is more important to her, since it was her idea to observe a blind date in action. She set it up for me through a friend of a friend and refused to learn anything more than the basics about this guy. His name starts with a D, though I can’t remember what it is, and he is tall with dark hair and blue eyes. That’s it. No introductory profile where I can find out his hobbies and profession, no social media I can stalk to see what his exes look like. I barely even know what he looks like! We have to get to know each other through conversation, in person, like in the old days. Annie thinks it’s going to get her a bunch of accolades in her psych class, and I have to admit, I was intrigued by the concept.
Until tonight, when I found myself sitting alone at a table for two for over an hour and dodging the sympathetic looks of the waitstaff.
I scroll back through Annie’s messages, drooling at the pictures she sent me of her meal. I should have bailed already and joined her because I’m starving on top of being irritated, and if I’m honest, my feelings are a little hurt at being stood up.
Truth be told, I was looking forward to this. Not just to helping my lifelong bestie, but also because, deep down, I thought maybe this would work. Dating apps aren’t doing anything for me, and the people I work with are all older and already married. Bars are way too scary and competitive for an introvert like me.
I was foolishly hoping this mystery date would somehow be magical, and I’d finally find a man to give my heart to. I’m a hopeless romantic, according to Annie, which is why she begged me to help her with her blind date project in the first place instead of going on the date herself.
But it obviously was not meant to be. I’ve spent over an hour nibbling on bread, alone. After what has to be the fifth sad smile from a passing server, I decide I am over it. I order a car to take me home just as Annie sends me a pic of an apple tarte with a scoop of ice cream on it.
I give up, I text her.
Sorry it was such a waste of time. Come and help me eat this, she responds immediately.
Normally, I’d jump on such an offer, but I just want to go home, eat peanut butter out of the jar, and try not to spend the rest of the weekend moping over this. It was silly to get my hopes up, and I don’t want to take my bad mood out on Annie, who I know is probably just as disappointed.
I already have a driver waiting, I text back. Don’t be sorry, you can interview me tomorrow for my feelings on being stood up.
I straighten the snug black dress I bought just for this occasion and hurry out, so she doesn’t waste her delicious dessert to run after me. She whips around, her short dark bob bouncing against her shoulders, and waves at me, her small, elfin face scrunched up in a silent apology. I force a big grin and keep moving toward the exit. Since she knows me better than anyone, she understands that I don’t want to talk about it and turns back to her food with a rueful smile.
The app tells me my car is waiting, and I see a black sedan that seems to match its description sitting at the curb near the valet station. The driver looks impatient, and I get a fresh surge of irritation—at men in general and at being rushed after waiting around for so long. I scramble into the backseat and keep my eyes glued to my phone, so he doesn’t try to start a conversation. But he doesn’t go anywhere.
“Parkview Apartments by the river,” I huff, even though he should already have my destination from the app. “Is there a problem?”
I finally look up to see him staring at me in the rearview mirror. I’m suddenly powerless to do anything but stare right back, my mind swept free of all negative emotions while I take him in. He’s got movie star good looks, piercing, midnight blue eyes that show a hint of confusion as they look me over in a way that makes me feel warm, even though his air conditioning is blasting. His dark hair slightly curls at the ends, which is my personal kryptonite, and his full lips turn up in a smirk, revealing a dimple that turns his chiseled, rugged face irresistibly adorable.
“Do you think I’m your driver?” he asks.
I cast a look around his car, suddenly noticing the rich leather interior and state-of-the-art sound system. I also notice he’s wearing a designer suit, for goodness’ sake. My cheeks heat as I realize I jumped into a random stranger’s car. He bursts out laughing, a deep, throaty sound that makes me want to curl up and get comfortable when I should be throwing open the door and fleeing.
It seems like my humiliation at being stood up wasn’t quite complete, until now.
Chapter 2
Daniel
The valet was taking his sweet time to get my keys when someone pops into the back of my car. I’m about to tell them off when I turn to see a vision in a black dress that leaves just enough to the imagination to get my blood racing. She looks down at her phone, but I catch a glimpse of flushed cheeks before her long, silky auburn hair tumbles over her smooth shoulders and blocks my view. I really don’t have time for this, but I’m stunned speechless by her as I wait for her to realize her mistake.
She huffs impatiently and snaps out an address, finally deigning to look up at me.
“Do you think I’m your driver?” I ask, holding back a laugh.
God, she’s gorgeous, a mix of haughty, regal beauty and youthful innocence. I almost wish I was her driver, and for a crazy second, consider taking her to her destination. But I’m already late. My brother, David, begged me to be his wingman tonight after he’d gotten roped into a blind date by a friend of his. He’d tasked me with dining at the bar, ready to jump in with an escape plan if the date went badly. Normally, dining alone on a Friday night would be the last thing I’d agree to, but the prospect of seeing my unflappable, confident brother caught in an awkward situation was too good to pass up. As the older brother by exactly eleven months, I take my responsibility to mercilessly tease him seriously.
Her green eyes widen, and the deep forest hue pops against her quickly reddening cheeks. Okay, now she gets it. With a gasp, her lush lips fall open. I turn in the driver’s seat to face her. My eyes are drawn down her slender throat to an enticing hint of cleavage. My fingers twitch, wanting to edge her neckline further down to reveal more of those satiny tits. Miles of long, bare legs stretch out from her short skirt. Who was she having dinner with? Lucky bastard. And why isn’t he driving her home? Stupid bastard. She’s red as a beet, and I hurry to assure her she doesn’t have to apologize.
“Look, it’s no problem. Hell, I’d take you where you want to go, if I wasn’t already a little late.” I stick my hand into the back seat with a smile. “I’m Daniel, by the way.” Maybe she’ll be free for drinks later because I definitely want to see more of this woman.
Her eyes flash fire, and she ignores my hand. She’s suddenly furious instead of embarrassed and unleashes that fury on me.
“A little late? I’m Melody, by the way, and I waited for over an hour for you.” She shakes her head, and her pretty face softens from the snarl she just gave me. I’m amused by her rapid change in demeanor. She’s a wild one, it seems. “This is a bizarre twist that I ended up in your
She ends on an exasperated chuckle, and I laugh along with her as I try to unravel what she’s saying. So, some idiot stood her up, and she thinks I’m him? I wish I was. But I’d never let such a woman slip through my fingers. I’m completely charmed by her as she waits for my explanation.
Crazily enough, I want to make it up to her, even though I did nothing wrong. “I’m truly sorry,” I say, sending another mental apology to my brother that he’s on his own for the evening. Surely, a man who fights fires for a living can handle a blind date. “I got stuck in a meeting that could mean millions for my family’s company.” Yes, I’m trying to impress her, but her plump lower lip sticks out, as if she’s not going to give me another chance. Or in my case, a first one.
“I was more worried you were in an accident,” she says, then sighs. “I guess you didn’t have my number to let me know.”
“That’s right!” I jump at that and wave away the approaching valet, who’s finally remembered his job. “Believe me, I would never purposely disappoint someone as gorgeous as you. Let me take you somewhere else since you probably don’t want to go back in there. I know just the place.”
She leans toward the door but then smiles shyly. I keep my eyes locked with hers in the rearview mirror and grin when she pulls her seatbelt on. I don’t waste a minute pulling away from the curb.
“I hope I don’t regret giving you a second chance,” she says with another flash of fire in her eyes.
My own blood is running hot in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. “Oh, don’t you worry about that, sweetheart,” I say. “Neither one of us is going to regret tonight.”
Chapter 3
Melody
Wow, just wow. Maybe this night will be magical after all? He seems honest in his regret about being so late, and now we’re pulling into the valet lane at a swanky wine bar that has a long line of well-dressed people snaking around the corner. Since I’m normally in old jeans and a t-shirt at the animal shelter I manage, I don’t exactly feel at home in this slinky black dress, but I try to stay confident as Daniel jumps out of the car, tosses his keys to the valet, then opens the back door for me like I’m royalty.
I already know he’s handsome from the shoulders up, but now that I’m faced with all of him outside of the car, I sway on my feet a little. He’s over six feet of solid muscle wrapped in that expensive suit of his. He runs his fingers through his wavy mop of hair and grins down at me, placing his hand lightly on my waist. I’m overly aware of the heat and gentle pressure of his palm, my cheeks burning and blood racing with anticipation as he guides me toward the door—right past everyone standing in line.
With a nod at the doorman, we breeze into the cool, dark bar and are given a secluded booth in the back. A small crystal chandelier casts a romantic light on the handwritten menus, but all I can focus on is Daniel.
“The house martini is good,” he says, glancing up and then frowning. “Tell me you ate while you…” he pauses, not wanting to remind me how long I languished alone in the restaurant.
“Except for way too much pity bread, no,” I say. My stomach is gnawing at itself, partly from butterflies, but mostly because of pure hunger.
He calls over the server and orders a few appetizers and our drinks. I get a tingle at his authoritative tone. The woman looks me over and asks for my ID, despite Daniel clearly being a regular patron here. He narrows his eyes at the waitress and opens his mouth like he is going to tell her off, but I quickly pull out my driver’s license. She’s only doing her job. She tells me happy birthday before passing it back to me and going to fill our order.
“Tell me it’s not your birthday too,” Daniel says, a pained look on his handsome face.
I shake my head. “I think she was being sarcastic. It was a month ago, but, uh, I did just turn twenty-one.” I pray that won’t be a dealbreaker. “I know we weren’t allowed to know anything about each other before we met, so…”
“If you don’t mind that I’m thirty-four, I don’t care at all that you’re twenty-one.”
His smooth voice washes over me, and I answer his smile with one of my own. I wonder if everything about him is smooth. Then I remember the long hour I spent waiting for him and force my face to stop giving away how hopeful I am about this date. He reaches for my hand and squeezes it gently.
“You’re just as pretty with a scowl, so you’re not really punishing me with that frown, but I am sorry for being late.”
We chat a little about his company, and I can’t help but be impressed and wonder why someone so important is still giving me the time of day. He doesn’t seem to think my job at the downtown animal shelter is as much of a waste of my life or my degree as my parents do, and I’m glad to hear he’s a dog lover because if he wasn’t, this date didn’t stand a chance, no matter how gorgeous he is.
A scrumptious cheese platter arrives, along with an assortment of pickles and veggies with an artichoke dip. I don’t know where to start, so he dips a carrot and holds it out for me. Feeling my cheeks heat up, I take the bite, watching his eyes go dark as he keeps them firmly trained on my mouth. My thighs press together under the table, and I shiver when he reaches over to wipe a drop off my lips. The feel of his thumb makes me squirm in my seat, and I want to crawl across the table to press my lips against his.
I haven’t even taken a sip of my martini yet. He is far more intoxicating than anything this bar has to offer. Instead, I take a big gulp of ice water. It does nothing to cool me off.
I keep waiting for the conversation to lag, but everything about him is fascinating, and the way he looks at me while I’m talking is something I could really get addicted to. He finishes his martini but then switches to beer. I’m not drinking anything after only a taste of the strong alcohol. He doesn’t make a stink about it like the last guy I’d gone out with would have. He was a frat boy who seemed to be actively trying to get me drunk and called me Mary at the end of the night instead of my actual name. Needless to say, he left the date disappointed.
Daniel makes me feel so comfortable, despite giving me nonstop goosebumps with every brush of his fingertips, that I end up telling him my greatest hope is to one day open a dog sanctuary of my own.
“There’s no reason why you shouldn’t do that,” he says. “That’s a noble dream to have.”
He’s the first person ever, even including Annie, who hasn’t encouraged me to set my sights on something more practical. As it is, working for a struggling, city funded shelter barely pays the bills. When I glance around and see the crowd has thinned out a lot, I realize how long we’ve been here, but the time has passed like little more than a few minutes.
His hand slides under the table and onto my knee, making me jump. A mischievous smile curls his lips. “So, Melody,” he says. Hearing my name in his rich, low voice draws me closer. “What do you think of our blind date?”
“Hmmm,” I say, matching his teasing tone so I don’t instantly blurt out that I’ve never had such an amazing time. “I do remember you said I wouldn’t regret giving you a second chance.”
His eyebrows shoot up, and he squeezes my knee before moving his fingers higher on my thigh. I can barely keep from moaning as a surge of lust courses through me. How can he be so tempting?
“My only regret is that the night is almost over. What do you say we keep things going?”
I nod breathlessly. Anything. I want anything he suggests. He tosses a thick wad of bills on the table and takes my hand, pulling me toward the door. The wait for the valet seems like an eternity until Daniel sweeps me into an embrace, his breath hot on my neck.
“First question,” he says, his hard body flush with mine. “Do you like surprises?”
“Yes,” I say, clinging onto his lapels and looking up into his eyes. All by themselves, my hands move to run my fingers through his hair, something I’ve been dying to do all night. It’s as soft as I imagined. “What’s the second question?”
