The Better Choice

by Modglin, Kiersten

  “No,” she said. “I do like fish, I’m just still getting used to all the options New York has.”

  He nodded, sliding his chair around so he was sitting beside her rather than across from her. He leaned in, flipping the pages of her menu. “Here, they have a sampler. You can try everything they serve. Smaller portions, of course, but then you’ll get a feel for what you truly like so you’ll know next time we’re here.”

  “Next time?” she asked, incredibly aware of how close he was.

  “Yeah,” he told her, turning his head to face her. “At least, I hope there’ll be a next time.”

  She brushed a piece of hair from her face. “I hope so, too,” she said quietly, welcoming the warm smile that grew on his lips. She couldn’t deny he was handsome. His perfectly proportioned face, short pompadour hair, and whitened teeth would make him the perfect candidate for a Calvin Klein photoshoot. And she had him all to herself for the evening.

  Granted, she couldn’t have guessed what made him interested in her. She was still dressed in her server’s uniform, reeking of food, with very little makeup on, and her brown hair tossed back into a clip. She wasn’t exactly the picture of beauty on a good day, but today was far from good.

  “So, what do you say?” he asked. “Do you want to try it all?”

  “It’s super expensive,” she said, her eyes widening as she noticed the price.

  “Don’t worry about that,” he said, patting her hand and taking the menu from her. “Whatever you want tonight…it’s yours.”

  * * *

  When the dinner was done, Asher paid their tab and led her out the door. Her belly was full of lobster—her new favorite—and salmon, plus a cheesy biscuit that was to die for.

  “You good?” he asked, watching her as she rubbed her belly in a trance-like state.

  She moved her hand from her stomach instantly, letting out a laugh. “Sorry. Yeah, I’m good. That was…amazing.”

  He smiled. “I’m glad you liked it. I’ll tell my friend.”

  “I can’t believe someone your age owns a restaurant like that.”

  “How old do you think I am?” he asked.

  She squinted her eyes at him. “Not much older than me. I’d say…early twenties?”

  He nodded. “I’m twenty-seven. Evan’s twenty-eight. What about you?”

  “Twenty-two,” she said simply. “And I have nothing in my life figured out, in case you were wondering. Certainly not to the point that I could open up a restaurant in New York City. That’s…incredible.” He watched her in amazement, and she suddenly realized how crazy she must sound. “Sorry. I just…I’m impressed.”

  “No need to apologize, though I do hope Evan’s not trying to steal my girl,” he said, reaching for her hand.

  “Oh, I’m your girl now?”

  “For tonight, you are,” he said, pulling her to walk in the opposite direction. “And maybe tomorrow, too.”

  “Well, I’m sorry for talking so much about Evan,” she said softly, noting the playful look on his face. He was teasing, but she honestly couldn’t blame him if he were upset. Who wanted to go on a date and have their date dote on someone else the whole time? “So, what do you do, Asher?”

  “I’m afraid it’s not nearly so impressive,” he told her. “I’m in advertising. Which, I know, sounds cool, but honestly it’s just paper pushing all day.”

  She squeezed his hand. “That’s very cool.”

  He glanced at her, his eyebrows raised and he let out a sarcastic laugh. “Thanks, Mom,” he joked. He looked back ahead of them. “No, it’s pretty alright, ya know? I mean, it pays the bills and it can be kind of fun.”

  She nodded. “Better than catering, right?”

  “No wonder you were so impressed by the restaurant. You must love to cook,” he said, as if that were just dawning on him.

  “I love to bake,” she corrected. “But, this will do for now. Truth be told, I have no idea what I want to do long term, but the company was hiring and I just went for it. I’m new to the city, so I needed something to keep the bills paid while I look for a new place and try to get my life somewhat together.”

  “Where are you from?” he asked.

  “Texas.”

  “Ahh,” he said, wagging a finger at her. “I knew that was a Southern accent.”

  She feigned a pout. “And I was trying so hard to hide it.”

  He chuckled. “How long have you been in New York?”

  “Not long,” she said.

  “Are you planning to stay?”

  “Funny enough, I like it here. I never pictured myself as a city girl, and I’m still not entirely convinced, but there’s something freeing about being here, isn’t there? Like…I feel so invisible. It’s kind of exciting.”

  He stopped, pulling her under the awning of a building. “It’s exciting to be invisible?” he asked, turning her so that she faced him.

  She nodded, pressing her lips together. “Kind of. Does that sound crazy? I’m from a small town and, well, everyone knows you there. Going to Wal-Mart without makeup on is like…front page news. Everyone knows everything you do, and it’s suffocating. Sometimes I just want to be able to live my life without people judging me, ya know?”

  He raised an eyebrow when she huffed out a final breath. “What’s a Wal-Mart?” he asked.

  She released an exasperated laugh, her laughter releasing her from the pressure she’d been under for so long. For a moment, she couldn’t seem to contain herself, which only made him laugh along. Whatever they were laughing at, it wasn’t truly as funny as the fact that they couldn’t seem to contain their laughter.

  After a moment, she finally calmed down, patting his chest with her palm. “You are such a city boy.”

  “Born and raised,” he told her. “So, I wouldn’t know much about small towns, but I know a lot about trying to live your life without judgement. I think that’s something everyone wants, no matter their zip code.”

  “Maybe so…” she said, trailing off.

  “So, how about we go up to my place and make some decisions that we could easily be judged for tomorrow?” he asked, running a finger along her arm.

  “I…um.” She bit her lip. She hadn’t slept with a man since she broke up with Danny, and as much as she was attracted to Asher, she couldn’t deny the fact that sleeping with someone new was terrifying. And she wished she’d had more preparation.

  “You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he assured her, his voice low. His expression was sincere as he spoke again. “I just don’t want this night to be over.”

  “You live here?” she asked, staring at the doorman just beyond the door. He was giving them complete privacy, not bothering to turn his head in their direction at all. All around them, people were walking past, carrying on conversations that were entirely their own. No one noticed them. No one paid them any attention. Invisible. It felt so good.

  Who cared what she did? Who cared if she slept with a man that was practically a stranger? Every choice she made was entirely her own. She’d never known that kind of freedom.

  “I do,” he told her.

  “Okay,” she said finally, her decision made.

  “Okay?” he asked, his lips grazing hers cautiously.

  She opened her mouth, allowing the kiss to happen as it sent chills down her spine. When he pulled away, his eyes were drunk with desire and she said the word that she’d been dying to say. “Okay.” For the first time in her life, making a decision based solely on what she wanted…was okay.

  Chapter Five

  Blythe woke up to the feeling of a kiss being placed on her forehead. The previous night was a blur of kisses and tangled sheets, and she wasn’t sure how to feel about her impulsiveness with someone who was basically a stranger. She opened her eyes slowly, staring at the handsome sight across the pillow from her. He was propped up on his elbow, brushing a piece of hair from her eyes.

  “Good morning,” he said, his voice throaty from sleep. He
traced a finger across her arm lovingly.

  “Good morning,” she said happily, burying her face in the pillow. “What time is it?” she asked.

  “Almost ten,” he told her. “I would’ve let you sleep, but your phone has been going off.”

  She rolled over, checking the message on her screen. “It’s my boss.” She groaned, pulling the blanket up to cover her bare breasts as she moved the phone toward her. “Giving me the address for my shift tonight.”

  He nodded. “Did you sleep well?”

  “I did, actually.”

  “Why do you sound surprised?” He raised a brow, staring at her with his honey-brown eyes.

  “Because I don’t usually sleep well with so much noise going on outside. I’ve only actually slept in New York City one other time, and it took me forever to fall asleep.”

  “Guess I wore you out then, huh?” he teased, kissing her square on the lips. She welcomed his kiss, despite the morning breath she knew she must have, feeling his body warm against hers as he slid over toward her. And what a nice body it was—chiseled and toned in all the right areas, yet not overly buff. It was obvious he took pride in himself, something Blythe had always found attractive. She was used to hardworking farmers, so six-pack abs and muscled arms tended to be her weakness.

  He surprised her by pulling away. “Do you want breakfast?” he asked.

  She rubbed her lips where his mouth had been. “Uh, sure,” she said. “I thought you were going for round two.” She winked.

  He kissed her lips again. “Can’t use up all my strength for later, now can I?”

  “Later? What’s later?” she asked as he climbed out of bed and slid on his boxers, giving her quite a show as she didn’t look away.

  “I’m taking you to a dinner party.”

  “A dinner party?” she asked. “For what?”

  “It’s a work thing,” he said. “You’ll have to blow off your work, though.” He leaned back down over the bed, trailing a kiss from her neck to her chest. “But I promise to make it worth your while.”

  She sucked in a breath, ignoring what he’d said as his tongue explored her skin. When he pulled away, she sat up, throwing her shirt over her shoulders and buttoning it without the bra. She pulled on her jeans afterward. “I don’t know if I can miss work. I’m brand new.”

  “Just tell them you’re sick. I’ll write them a stellar review from the party last night. And…if they fire you, I’ll find you a new job.”

  “You can’t just do that,” she argued, though there was little fight left to her voice.

  “And why not?” he asked, reaching for her hand as she walked around to his side of the bed.

  “Because…the world doesn’t work that way. You can’t have whatever you want just because you say so.”

  He winked. “I got you, didn’t I?”

  * * *

  After breakfast, Asher ordered clothes for her and had them delivered within an hour. The man was obviously used to getting whatever he wanted. She sent a quick text to her boss, explaining that she’d woken up sick, and followed Asher out the door without a second thought.

  The clothes he’d picked out fit well, and she felt much more comfortable than she had the night before in her uniform. He led her down the stairs of his apartment building, past the doorman from last night with a slight nod of acknowledgement, and onto the busy street. That was another thing Blythe had yet to get used to. No matter where you were or what time it was, New York was always busy. There were people everywhere all the time. She guessed she’d known it would be the case, but she hadn’t understood the magnitude of its busyness until she arrived. It was breathtaking the amount of people there were in the city, and in a way, it gave her the room she needed to breathe. No one was there to notice that she was outside with a man when she’d just called into work. No one would be reporting said news to her aunt or her boss because no one knew her there. Say what you will about large cities, but that alone was enough to keep her there.

  “Where are we going?” she asked loudly, as he pulled her across the busy street at a near-run.

  “We have to get you something to wear, don’t we?”

  “What do you call what I have on?” she asked, when they reached the other side of the street and she looked down at her outfit.

  “Yes, well, those are great for right now, but tonight is black tie.”

  She gasped. It all sounded so fancy. “Asher, I can’t keep letting you spend so much money on me. I’m starting to feel bad.”

  He rolled his eyes playfully. “I want to do it or I wouldn’t be, so don’t worry about it.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked. “I mean, I have a little bit of money. I could help some.”

  “This party is for me. When you take me to a fancy dinner party, you can pay for my tux, okay? Deal?”

  She stared at him, at the kindness behind his eyes that she hadn’t noticed before, the dimple in his chin, and the way he stared at her with such interest. He made her feel like the only girl on the crowded street, and that was something she’d never felt before. In Darlington, she was a choice only because the choices were so limited. In New York, the choices were endless, yet Asher had chosen her.

  “Deal,” she agreed, taking his hand as he held it out again. If she had the option, she would’ve stayed right there in his grip, and in his eye line, for as long as she possibly could.

  A few doors down, Asher pulled her into a dress shop. “This place is good. A few of the women I work with have ordered from here before. Take a look around.” He held out an arm. “Let me know what you like.”

  Somehow he seemed to make even the most innocent of sentences provocative. “Okay,” she said, staring around. She walked toward a mannequin dressed in a simple, black dress, running her fingers over the fabric. She had no idea what size she would need—most of her dresses were sized with letters, not numbers.

  “Oh, no.” A voice came from her side. She looked up to see a perky saleswoman with stark black hair approaching her. “That dress isn’t right for you,” she said, her voice polite though her words stung. “Pretty brown hair with just a perfect hint of red like you’ve got—we need a fiery dress to match a fiery woman.” She winked at her, taking her arm and leading her across the room. She cast a friendly glance over her shoulder toward Asher, making Blythe wonder if they knew each other.

  “Okay,” Blythe said hesitantly. Asher took a seat in an oversized, white chair, seeming to be enjoying the view as the woman led her toward a mannequin wearing a floor-length red gown. The neckline was cut close to where she assumed her belly button would land; it had her blushing at the mere thought of wearing it. Her mother would’ve had a fit.

  “How about this one?” the woman asked. “With a red lip, too, this would really help you to stand out.”

  “Oh, I don’t know…” Blythe said softly, running her fingers over the fabric. It was a beautiful dress, there was no denying that. Whoever wore it would certainly have all the attention on her, but did she want that? She’d never been comfortable with being the center of attention.

  “Would you like to try it on?” she offered. “Trust me, you and this dress…” She made an ‘okay’ symbol with her forefinger and thumb. “He won’t know what hit him.”

  Blythe smiled, looking back over her shoulder to where Asher was watching and waiting. He smiled at her, sending warmth throughout her body. “Okay,” she said before she allowed herself to second-guess it. “I’ll try it on.”

  “Perfect,” the sales woman squealed. “Now, let me look at you.” She placed a fist under her chin as her eyes trailed over Blythe’s body. “You’re…what? A size twelve, maybe?”

  “Maybe,” Blythe said nervously. “I don’t really know.”

  “No problem,” the woman assured her. “Here.” She grabbed two dresses from the rack. “We’ll try a twelve and a ten, and if these don’t work, we’ll come back for more.” With that, she whisked her away toward a dressing room, and Blythe
tried to enjoy the morning in whoever’s life she’d somehow ended up, while it lasted.

  * * *

  When Blythe walked out of the dressing room, sucked into the size twelve, she looked around the room for him. At first, she didn’t see him, surprised that he’d left the chair. Had this all been a prank? Was he trying to ditch her?

  For just that moment, her heart lurched and she felt sure she was going to be sick. Within a minute, she laid eyes on him. He was standing at the opposite side of the room, talking with one of the saleswomen. When he saw her, his expression grew ashen and he walked away from the woman quickly, his eyes locked on her.

  “Whoa,” he said as he grew near.

  She looked down over the red fabric, trying to pretend she didn’t feel like a movie star on the red carpet. It was the most beautiful piece of clothing she’d ever worn. “You like it?” she asked, not meeting his eye.

  He cleared his throat. “It’s…um…it’s—”

  “I can try on something else,” she said quickly.

  “It’s perfect,” he told her, reaching down to take her hand. “You look beautiful.”

  She looked up at him then, her heart racing. In the middle of the store, surrounded by random onlookers, he leaned toward her, unaware of or simply unfazed by the people that would see them. His lips met hers, one hand cupping her scalp as she melted into his kiss. He was warm and familiar, a kiss she hadn’t known she could miss so much in the half hour since she’d last experienced it.

  When he pulled away, he looked at the saleswoman over Blythe’s shoulder. Blythe ran a finger over her lips as she heard him speak. “We’ll take it.”

  * * *

  That evening, Blythe opened the bedroom door and walked out to the living room where Asher was waiting. He stood immediately upon seeing her. “You look…incredible,” he told her. She’d chosen to wear her hair clipped to one side with curls throughout, a style she’d seen in some of her favorite magazines but never attempted herself. So, she was glad when he seemed to like it. He twirled his finger through the tendril of hair she’d left out near her ear. “Red is definitely your color.”