I Choose You Page 3

  “Oh, ahhh, I’m sorry. I can’t.”

  Kent blinked, trying to hide his surprise.

  “No problem.” He pulled his arm back from behind her and straightened in his seat. He picked up his beer and turned to say something to Rich.

  Nicole felt her stomach drop with disappointment. If Kent was so turned off by her not wanting to go home with him tonight, what would he think about her not wanting to have sex before marriage? She knew the answer; he wouldn’t want anything to do with her. He was a sexy, single guy, who literally could have sex with any woman that he wanted. Why would he waste his time dating someone like her?

  She took a swift drink of her Gin and Tonic, then excused herself to go to the restroom, before she embarrassed herself further.

  When Nicole left the table, Roni reached over and punched her brother in the arm.

  “Hey,” Kent exclaimed, “What’d you do that for?”

  “What’d you say to her, you jerk?” Roni asked angrily.

  “Nothin’. Shit, Roni.”

  “It wasn’t nothin’. She looked upset.”

  “God, Roni, this is the last thing I want to discuss with my sister. She’s not into me, alright. All I did was ask if she wanted to get out of here.” Kent managed to look indignant and slightly embarrassed.

  “Jeez, Kent. She’s not some floozy who you can just pick up for a one night stand.” Roni said accusingly.

  “I didn’t mean it to come out like that, okay. I like her; I just wanted to get some time alone with her.” Kent explained. “If she’s not into it, whatever, I’ll find someone who is.”

  “Don’t be such a tool,” Roni chastised her brother as she stood up. “Like I said, Nicole’s not like these other girls. If you want to “hang out” with her, why don’t you act like a grown-up and ask her out on a date? You guys are so immature.”

  She picked up her purse and Nicole’s, then walked away without a further word for either of them.

  “Hey,” Rich piped in. “What did I do?”

  “Don’t worry about it, Man, my sister gets a little nuts sometimes. What do you say we pick up some beer and hang out at my house? I bet some of the guys would be game to come over for a poker game after closing.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Rich responded.

  They left some money on the table for Kara, then went to ask Pete if he wanted in on a game of poker.

  Chapter Five

  Kent woke to the sound of his phone buzzing. He whipped an arm out from under the strewn sheet and searched in vain for the annoying device.

  Just when he started to drift off, the incessant buzzing started again.

  He sat up angrily, his hand coming up to cradle his pounding head.

  “Shit.”

  He may have played a little too much poker, and drank a few too many black and tans, the night before.

  When his feet hit the floor, he swore under his breath when his heel made contact with his phone. When he felt the vibration under his foot, he grimaced and reached down to pick it up.

  He gingerly opened one eye and flinched at the pain that seemed to radiate from his head.

  How many shots had they done?

  He was finally able to focus enough to look at his phone so he could see who the ass-pain that had been texting him all morning was…

  He should have known, Roni.

  Looked like she had been nagging him via text since early that morning.

  “Nic is upset at your behavior last night… You’d better MAN UP...”

  She had sent the same text twenty times in the last three hours.

  Psycho.

  He threw his phone down on the bed, then went to get some aspirin and a little “hair of the dog.”

  Two hours later Kent was standing in front of Roni and Nicole’s apartment, headache free, holding a bunch of flowers and wondering if he really wanted to get this invested in a girl right now.

  His six foot frame had him taking up most of the space in the narrow hallway. He paused before knocking, debating internally with himself.

  He felt bad about offending her, and he really did want to get to know her better, but was he sending the wrong message by showing up on her doorstep, with daisies, to ask her on a date? Was he really interested in dating right now?

  An image of Nicole flashed in his mind.

  Yes, she was blonde, beautiful, and had a killer body, but she also had a wonderful innocence about her. A sweetness… And when she smiled, his heart seemed to shift in his chest.

  That image alone should have sent warning bells off in his head; but instead, he raised his hand and knocked loudly.

  “Where’s the fire?” Roni asked when she opened the door. “Jeez, Kent, it sounded like you were bustin’ down the door.”

  “Is Nic here?” Kent asked quickly, hoping to bypass his sister and get the groveling over with.

  He should have known better.

  Roni leaned against the doorjamb and grinned up at him, leaving him no choice but to continue to stand there awkwardly in the hall.

  “Oh, you’re here to see, Nic, huh?” Roni teased. “Did you get my texts?”

  Kent rolled his eyes at her and said, “Yeah, all nine-hundred of them.” Then he put his hand up and easily moved her out of his way.

  He walked inside and looked around their living space.

  “Is she here?” He asked Roni, turning back to her as she closed the door.

  “Yeah,” Roni replied as she went back to the couch and turned the volume on the TV up. “She’s in her room. Don’t disappoint me, Bro.”

  Kent decided to ignore her taunt, instead walking over to the closed door and raising his fist to knock again.

  “Come in,” Nicole called from inside her room.

  Kent took a deep breath and opened the door. He stepped inside and shut the door quietly behind him, watching Nicole with every move he made.

  She sat in the corner of her room at a small wooden desk. She was facing her laptop and typing furiously. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and she had on running shorts and a Nike t-shirt.

  She looked amazing.

  Kent cleared his throat loudly, hoping to get her attention, but Nicole seemed oblivious to anything except whatever she was working on.

  He walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump and whip her head towards him.

  Her mouth formed a pretty O, and Kent noticed that she was wearing pink glasses.

  It took her a moment to process what was happening, and he could tell the moment that it registered.

  She flung her glasses onto the desk and rose quickly, hitting her hip on the desk as she did.

  “Shoot.” She yelled, rubbing her hip and looking at him warily. “Sorry, I didn’t realize it was you at the door.”

  “That’s alright,” Kent chuckled. “You okay?”

  Nicole nodded and took a step back, suddenly all too aware of the fact that she was alone, with Kent, in her bedroom.

  “What’s up?” She asked nervously.

  Kent gestured to the reading chair she had next to the window. “Do you mind if I sit?”

  Nicole shook her head no, then sat back down in her desk chair, seeking safety from the desk that stood between them.

  Kent started to sit, then realized that he was still holding the flowers.

  “Oh, I um… got these for you,” He said awkwardly as he thrust the bouquet towards her. He cursed himself for acting like a freaking schoolboy, but couldn’t help but feel happy at the look of pure pleasure that crossed her face as she accepted the daisies.

  “Thank you,” Nicole said softly, burying her face in the happy blossoms.

  “Sure,” Kent said absently, his body tightening swiftly as he looked at her. He backed up to grab a seat and told himself to just spit it out already.

  “Look,” he began, “the last couple times we’ve met up I’ve really made an ass of myself. First, that night at the bar when I man-handled you in front of Bree, then last n
ight. I acted the way I always act with girls I’m interested in, but I know that I need to treat you differently.”

  “What?” Nicole tried to deny what he was saying, while in the back of her mind, the fact that he’d said he was “interested” in her was making her insides go haywire. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it. You don’t have to treat me differently.”

  “I do, Nic. You aren’t just one of the girls that I usually pick up in the bar. I know you, I like you, and you’re my sister’s roommate. I should have treated you with more respect, and I apologize.”

  “I like you too, Kent, just the way you are. I don’t want you to think you have to act differently around me. I’m nothing special, honest.” Nicole said worried that he was already putting her in the friend zone, and that she would never get a chance with him.

  Kent stood abruptly and walked over to her, bending down and lifting her chin so that he was looking directly in her eyes.

  He wanted her to see that he was telling her the truth, and to make sure that she heard him.

  “You are special, Nic. You aren’t just looking for a good time, and you don’t deserve to be treated like you are. I swear that when I asked you to come to my place, I wasn’t expecting you to hop into my bed; I just wanted to get to know you better. I approached it totally wrong, and I don’t want to make that mistake again. I came by today to make amends, and to ask if you’d like to go out on a date with me.”

  Nicole blinked slowly, her brain working hard to catch up with her pounding heart.

  “Yes,” She said breathlessly, caught by the intensity of his grey eyes. “I’d like that.”

  Kent’s grin was swift and broad.

  “Great. When’s your next evening off?” He asked softly, his gaze dropping momentarily from her eyes to her lips, as he released his hold on her chin.

  “Um, Thursday,” She replied, licking her lips to moisten them. Her mouth had gone dry under his perusal.

  Kent stood upright, pausing to brush a disheveled lock of hair behind her ear before he turned to walk out of her room.

  He paused at the door and turned to her before exiting.

  “I’ll pick you up at six.” Kent promised with a smile, then he walked out, leaving Nicole sitting at her desk, smiling softly at the empty doorway.

  Chapter Six

  Nicole was so nervous, she felt like she might be sick. Her clothes were strewn across her bed, chair, and desk. She couldn’t find anything to wear on her date with Kent.

  Roni stood in the doorway, watching Nicole search frantically through her belongings, and couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped her.

  Nicole turned quickly at the sound; the look on her face betrayed her nerves.

  “It’s just Kent,” Roni assured her. “He won’t care what you’re wearing.”

  Nicole threw her hands up in the air in frustration.

  “I’ve seen the way he dresses, I know he cares… And besides, I care,” Nicole argued. “I want to look nice for our first real date.”

  “Nic, you look great in sweats. Plus, you have amazing clothes. I would kill for your wardrobe.” Roni walked in and started going through the clothes on the bed. “What are you thinking? A dress? Or maybe jeans and a cute top?”

  “I don’t know,” Nicole wailed as she threw herself atop her clothes and covered her eyes with her hands.

  Roni picked a pretty navy blue dress off of the pile and held it up. “This.”

  Nicole uncovered her eyes and peaked out at Roni.

  “You think?” She asked.

  “Yes. I love the tiny flowers and the neckline. I bet it looks great on you.” Roni held it out to her and nodded, encouraging Nicole to put it on.

  Once she put the dress on, it was easy to accessorize and finish getting ready. She just finished putting her makeup on when she heard Roni letting Kent in the apartment.

  Her stomach started to jump and dance at the sound of his voice on the other side of the wall.

  Nicole took one last look in the mirror and smiled. She couldn’t believe she was actually going on a date with Kent.

  She took a deep breath and opened her door. Kent and Roni were talking in the kitchen; he turned at the sound of her approach, and smiled broadly at her.

  “Wow,” he exclaimed, looking her up and down with appreciation. “You look beautiful.”

  He walked out of the kitchen to take her hand. She couldn’t help but melt a bit when he brought it to his lips.

  “Thank you,” Nicole replied softly.

  “Oh, Lordy.” Roni stated.

  They both ignored her as Kent guided Nicole to the door, by placing his hand at the small of her back.

  “See you later,” Kent said to his sister as they left.

  “Don’t stay out too late,” Roni called after them with a chuckle.

  As they slid into Kent’s truck he said, “I hope you like barbecue.”

  Nicole turned to look at his handsome profile with a smile.

  “I am from Texas.”

  Kent chuckled at that and pulled away from the apartment.

  Nicole realized that neither Roni nor Kent had ever mentioned where they were from, so she figured it was the perfect time to ask.

  “I grew up in Dallas, where are you from?” She prompted.

  Kent didn’t reply right away, but debated with himself about how much he was willing to reveal. He didn’t usually talk to people about his family. Not even Bree knew about his upbringing that was knowledge shared by him and Roni alone.

  “Detroit,” he said finally.

  “Really?” She asked, surprised. “I never would have guessed. I’ve never been, do you miss it?”

  Kent bit back a bitter laugh, instead shaking his head.

  “No.” He realized how abrupt he must sound, so he tried to shift the conversation to Nicole. “How about you? Do you miss Dallas?”

  Nicole looked out the window, realizing that Kent didn’t know anything about her. She had discussed her past with Briana and with Roni, but this was her first real conversation with Kent. She knew she would have to tell him everything eventually, if she hoped to have any sort of a real relationship, but she wanted to keep it light tonight.

  “No, I’m happy here,” she replied.

  “Me too,” he admitted. “I never planned to settle down here, and have been putting my resume out, but I have to admit this town is growing on me.”

  “Are you applying at newspapers, or are you looking for a different line of work?”

  “Newspapers. I ‘ve applied to all of the big city papers, but it’s a rough time to get hired in journalism right now.”

  Nicole’s stomach dropped at the thought of Kent getting hired on somewhere else and moving away, but she didn’t say anything

  Kent pulled into a parking spot and turned to her. “Have you ever been here?”

  Nicole looked at the barbecue joint and shook her head. “I’ve heard its good, though.”

  “Let’s go find out,” Kent said, and they got out of the car.

  Once they had ordered and picked up their food, Kent led her out the back door, and Nicole was surprised at the set up outside.

  A stage took up the entire backside of the property, with a dance floor in front of it, and picnic tables filling in the rest of the space. There was another bar outside, and the place was decorated with old signs and bar paraphernalia.

  There was a band warming up onstage.

  Nicole couldn’t help the pleasure that coursed through her, and smiled widely at Kent as she joined him at a table.

  “This is amazing.” She exclaimed.

  “Yeah,” he replied. “I’ve heard it was great and always wanted to come, but never had a chance to before tonight.”

  They sat down and began to tear into the meals before them: pulled pork, brisket, creamed corn, corn bread, and macaroni and cheese.

  “So, you never said what you went to school for. Are you applying for jobs?” Kent asked her in between bites.

/>   She didn’t want to go into her whole backstory on their first date, so she just said, “I majored in English. I haven’t been applying anywhere yet.”

  Kent nodded as he worked on his corn on the cob. “Do you know what you want to do next?”

  Nicole looked at him shyly as she picked up her corn bread. “Actually, I’m a writer.” She looked down at her hands. This was the first time she’d ever told anyone what her dream was and was afraid of what reaction she would see on his face.

  “Really?” He asked simply, a small smile on his face. “Well, it looks like we have something in common.”

  Nicole looked up at him quickly, took in his smile, and returned a brilliant one of her own.

  They sat in a comfortable silence as they ate, then Kent looked down and Nicole’s plate and realized that she was keeping up with his gusto.

  He used a wet nap to clean his fingers and gazed at her with appreciation in his eyes. “I love that you actually eat.”

  Nicole stopped savoring her corn bread long enough to look up at him with a puzzled smile. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, I love to eat, and it makes me happy to see that you do too. I was worried that you would want to just order a salad or something.”

  Nicole laughed and admitted, “Sometimes I like to eat salad, but I love to eat too, and there is nothing I enjoy more than Texas barbecue.”

  They grinned at each other, then Kent reached over to get some sauce off of Nicole’s face, and her grin disappeared, her eyes glazing over at his touch. When he put the same finger into his mouth and licked the sauce off of his finger, her mouth closed and she found it hard to breath.

  Kent looked at her intently as he tasted the sauce, then smiled seductively at her, “Dance with me.”

  Nicole smiled absently and took the hand he offered.

  When they got on the dance floor, they fell easily into the two-step, Kent leading Nicole around the dance floor as if they had been dancing together forever.

  Nicole allowed herself to just enjoy dancing with Kent. They looked into each other’s eyes as they moved, and she felt her body warm under Kent’s gaze.