The Curve Ball

Copyright 2012 by J.S. Scott

THE CURVE BALL (Big Girls And Bad Boys: A BBW Erotic Romance)

Maggie Jones knew the moment she saw her best friend Lisa marching toward her pasty shop that Lisa was going to need a favor. They had known each other since grade school and she recognized Lisa's determined stride that left her bobbed auburn hair swaying, her eyes flashing with specific purpose. She was definitely on a mission.

Maggie sighed as she resigned herself to spending another Friday evening doing Lisa a favor. It's not that she really minded. She didn't exactly have men beating down her door for a date and she would probably otherwise spend the evening in her apartment with the television and her two other friends--Ben and Jerry. Her other option was to experiment with new recipes--which was just as bad for her as Ben and Jerry. She had to sample every recipe to make sure they were good enough to sell in her shop.

Lisa opened the door and Maggie flinched as it slammed behind her. She needed to get that fixed. The door opened too hard and closed with an equal amount of pressure. She should be used to it by now since it had been doing that since last week, but it still startled her every single time.

"I need a favor, Mags. Please don't say no." No "hi" or "hello?" Straight to the point. Maggie knew that wasn't a good sign.

"What is it?" Actually, Maggie was curious. Lisa look flustered.

"Well...you know that the charity ball is tonight. I needed one more female." Lisa's tone was cajoling and pleading.

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Oh...hell no, Lisa."

Maggie refused to give in to this one. It was a mystery ball for singles where women and men were matched at random. If they had the same numbers, they were paired for dinner and the ball. There was no way Maggie was participating. Whatever man got her matching number would demand his money back.

"Come on, Mags. It's not about the date, it's about raising money for kids. It's all for fun and the children, but any guy that gets your number would be lucky."

Oh, Lord. Now Lisa was trying to butter her up. "Absolutely not, Lisa." Maggie tried to give Lisa her most adamant it's-not-happening look.

"Please, Maggie. I already have your number. I put you in because I needed another female. I bought your ticket myself. Some guy is already holding the same number. You can't stand him up and leave him without a dinner companion." Lisa gave her a petulant look.

Maggie was flabbergasted. "You know I never go to this ball. Why would you do that?"

"I'm sorry, Mags. I was desperate. The numbers weren't even. I made a mistake and sold one too many male tickets. I was worried I would get in trouble." Lisa looked concerned and her reply was breathless. Her position with the charity organization was a paid one and her only source of income. She was the local director.

Damn it! Lisa was putting her in a terrible situation. Could she really refuse? Maggie didn't want her to get in trouble for this...but she sure as hell didn't want to attend some singles ball either. "Can't you just take the number yourself." She squirmed, trying desperately to find a way out of this.

"Not allowed." Lisa shrugged. "I'm working the event."

"I don't have anything to wear." A lame excuse, but true. Maggie didn't own an appropriate dress for a fancy affair like this one.

Lisa grinned and plopped a bag she had been carrying from the floor to the counter. Maggie hadn't noticed it. Her friend was a shopper and was usually carrying a bag or two whenever she was walking downtown. "Everything you need is there." Lisa waved at the big bag as she placed it on the counter. "Your invitation is on the top. It has your number on it."

"I hate you, you know?" She growled at Lisa as she stashed the bag under the counter.

Lisa flashed her a cocky grin. "I know. Just try to get over it by six o'clock tonight." More seriously she finished, "I owe you, Maggie."

Maggie put her hands on her ample hips as she glared at her friend. "You already owe me."

Maggie almost smiled at Lisa's cheeky grin. "I owe you another favor then. Don't worry Mags, I plan on returning the favors."

Maggie did smile then. Lisa was good friend that was always there for her. "What time can I leave the ball."

"Why? Will your carriage turn into a pumpkin at midnight?," Lisa remarked dryly.

Maggie sighed. "I just wanted to know how long I have to stay."

"Did it ever occur to you that you might end up having a good time?," Lisa asked, her tone exasperated.

"Nope." Maggie answered with a humorless laugh. It was an event that was sure to bring humiliation and discomfort. She didn't expect to have a good time. It would be about as fun as a visit to the dentist and she wanted it over with as soon as possible.

"You can leave whenever you want to, Mags. Just stay for dinner and at least part of the ball." She continued enthusiastically as she headed to the door. "There will be lots of great single guys there. I'm hoping you’ll end up dancing the night away with the man of your dreams." Lisa scurried out the door"Probably trying to escape before I can change my mind," Maggie grumbled to herself, flinching as the door slammed. If Lisa hadn't left Maggie might have found another excuse.

Maggie blew out a hard breath, sending the curly blonde tendrils that had escaped her ponytail fluttering in the breeze. She tried to tuck them behind her ears, but they would soon escape. She started every day with her hair in a tight ponytail, but by the end of the day half of it was curling around her face.

She glanced up at the clock. Two o'clock. Her heart skipped a beat, wondering if
he
would show up today.

Jake Rawlins came in almost every day at this time. Although her business was almost entirely take out, she did have a few small tables for people that wanted to sit and enjoy a confection or coffee. Jake always stayed and chatted with her. Since this was her slowest time, she generally had time to talk.

As far as Maggie was concerned, Jake was the biggest hunk in town and the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. He was a huge guy that towered over her own five foot five height. With his own office for his contracting business was just a few doors down, she got the delight of seeing his gorgeous, muscular body and smiling face nearly every day. She was grateful that the man had a sweet tooth.

He had jokingly asked her out several times in the last year and she had turned him down with a nervous laugh. Really? Men like Jake probably flirted with any available woman and she definitely wasn’t his type. He was built, handsome, successful and one of the nicest guys she had ever met. She didn't think he was after a plus sized girl that ate more chocolate than she should.

Her mom had started the shop as a bakery thirty years ago. When Maggie had lost her mom five years ago to cancer she took over the shop, going to pastry and chocolatier school to perfect her skills. She loved nothing more than creating new pastries and being a chocolatier was her specialty. She could do anything from cupcakes to fancy pastries, but creating specialty chocolates was her passion. Really, it was the only passion she had in her life so she nurtured the ability. She hadn’t had a date in three years and didn’t try to do anything about her lonely state. It was safer to avoid intimacy than to end up hurt and still alone.
Better to just stay a lonely spinster chocolatier than to end up lonely with a broken heart.

She molded her hands over her size eighteen body. She was in her usual jeans and large t-shirt that she used to try to hide her jelly rolls. She had been a solid size eighteen since high school. At the age of twenty-six she was still the same size. Maggie’s bookcases at home were groaning with the weight of every new diet book that was published and she had tried every one. It just didn't work. She walked on her treadmill faithfully, but the scale reflected very little change.

How Jake could put away so much pastry and chocolate every day and still not have an ounce of fat on his body was a mystery to Maggie. It was actually pretty disgusting. She limited her intake and she still gained five pounds just from the smell.

It isn’t fair! If I was born to be a pastry chef and chocolatier I should have the metabolism to match my occupation!

Maggie walked into the back to the kitchen. She'd have to close early today to get to the ball on time. Four-thirty? That should give her enough time to run home and get ready.

By the time she tidied up her kitchen and went back up front, she noticed that she had a customer. Well...maybe it was a customer. All she could see was a large pair of shoulders and a rock hard male ass molded beautifully in a pair of jeans.

Jake.

He had a toolbox and several tools spread out on the floor in front of the door and was whistling softly as he worked a screwdriver with one strong arm. She watched, totally entranced, as his biceps flexed and moved. She nearly groaned as her eyes raked over his whole body. Her pussy clenched and her nipples hardened as she watched him work, silent so that she could enjoy the view. She was nearly panting from simply watching him. For a large man he had a grace and fluidity of motion that mesmerized her and filled her with longing.

How long had she liked Jake? From the first day she had met him? Probably so. He was a hard man not to like with his masculine good looks and incredible personality.

She leaned her elbows on the counter and propped her hands on her chin. Jake suddenly turned and his green eyes met her hazel gaze. She straightened quickly and wiped her mouth to make sure she hadn’t been drooling, hoping he hadn't noticed her salivating with lust.

"Hi, Maggie. How are you?" His greeting was cheerful and his smile made her heart accelerate.

She licked her lips nervously and smiled. "What in the world are you doing?"

"Fixing your door." He stood back and opened it easily, letting it close with a soft click. "It wasn't a big deal. I noticed it last week."

"What do I owe you? I was going to get it fixed anyway." She shifted from one foot to the other, trying to keep her tone professional.

"If you'd go out with me…we can call it even." He was putting tools away and closing his toolbox, so he wasn't looking at her, but his voice was low and husky.

She laughed, her nerves jumpy. She hated it when he said things like that. It made her tempted to accept to see what he would do. She was pretty sure he would find a way to cancel. "One of these days I'm going to

accept just to watch you panic," she told him in what she hoped was a teasing voice.

He dropped his toolbox on a chair and came to the counter. "If you accepted I would be overjoyed, Maggie."

He gave her an intense stare, his green eyes revealing nothing but sincerity. She had to look away. He was too close. Her nipples were still peaked and sensitive and her panties damp. She couldn't handle the way his eyes swept over her. The man was an expert at seductive looks, even when he didn't mean it.