Dating a Metro Man (20 page)

The phone rang in his jacket pocket, buzzing silently against Jenna’s breast that was pressed against the same spot. She kissed him again as it continued to buzz between their bodies. “Lauren informed me there are a lot better places to put a portable vibrator. She offered to share her secrets with me. I’m sure it applies to guys too.”

Seth laughed and hugged her closer. They sat quietly for a minute, and then his phone rang again. She kissed him, surprised to find herself wanting for the first time in months to be as genuinely supportive to Seth as he was being to her.

“Take the call. I’ll set up our picnic here on the hearth. I think I have some rug samples we can sit on to keep the sheetrock dust off your pants.” She rose from his lap and walked to the area that would house the kitchen. Not finding what she wanted there, she strode back through the great room and on to the other end of the house toward the master.

Seth didn’t take his eyes from her as he talked on the phone. She looked damn good walking around in the impressive house she’d built.

“Talia! Good to hear from you. Are you and the kids settling in okay? I’m sorry I haven’t been by to visit again. Oh, you liked him? Glad to hear it. Bringing pizza, huh?” Seth laughed, listening to her stories of Allen and Mason discussing him today. He laughed and smiled broadly. “My cousin and his wife have offered to host a welcome bash for you in a couple of weeks. They have a great place on the edge of town. Yes. Bring the children. Okay. Talk to you in a day or so.”

He slid the phone back into his jacket and rose to follow Jenna’s trail down the hall where he’d watched her disappear. Spinning around in the massive area of the master bedroom, he admired the wall sconces which would flank a king size bed. Then he swiveled to the doorway of a master bath where he could see the beginnings of a large, tiled steam shower. Jenna’s tastes in everything suited him perfectly, and he wanted to share that fact with her.

If he could only find her.

He wandered until he found Jenna inside a room that could have easily been a small bedroom, except that the walls were lined with cherry shelving and racks for hanging clothes. In the center of the room was a large dresser with drawers on both sides and a tie rack on one end. A leather bench still in its wrapper was on the other side.

“This room is flat amazing,” Seth said in wonder.

“I think this and the fireplace are my favorite things in this house,” Jenna said, bending back to her task. “Oh, here they are.” She stood up finally, lifting and brandishing two carpet pieces in the air.

“The master bathroom looks amazing too,” Seth told her. “Is that a steam shower?”

“Yes. One day I’ll build a house this nice for you. You work hard Seth. You deserve a wonderful house. Then you can fill the closet with SydneyB suits. Ben will be jealous,” Jenna said, grinning.

“It’s interesting to see what you like and what you have chosen. I wouldn’t have made all these same decisions, but the final outcome is damn impressive. I can’t wait to see it finished now.” Seth reached out a hand to her and she took it as they walked back to the great room. “This place feels as big as Gallagher’s house.”

“It is as big,” Jenna said. “I was exploring the day of Lauren’s product launch when you followed me. There were a lot of great features in his house that I liked. I guess you could say this house is sort of an amalgamation of other houses. I just combined them in a more modern way.”

“I think you’re in line for a magazine cover. The entrance alone is enough for that, I would think,” Seth said, setting the food out on the hearth. “So I don’t cook, but I got take-out from a catering place. The entrée should still be hot.”

“It’s better than the bowl of cereal I’ve had every night for the last week,” Jenna said honestly.

Seth looked at her with deep concern. “No wonder you’re so tired. You’re not eating right.”

“Well, I am tonight,” Jenna said, shrugging. “Let me enjoy this moment without guilt. I’m going to pretend this is my first meal in my new house. Thinking of this place as mine is a fantasy that I let myself indulge in now and again. You’re welcome to join me in it.”

Seth swallowed hard as the first bite he took had some trouble going down. “You have no idea how much knowing that makes me want this for you. I am definitely in metro man mode tonight. I want to take care of you so bad that I ache with it. It’s as bad as wanting you sexually.”

Jenna laughed and dug into her food with both enthusiasm and sincere enjoyment. “Better watch that tendency around me. Growing up a spoiled only child of two indulging parents, I’m completely an opportunist,” she warned. “I will get used to this treatment and be petulant when I don’t get it.”

Seth leaned over and licked a line of pasta sauce from her bottom lip. “Get used to it. I intend to get better at it. It’s a win-win for both us. I want to keep you.”

“Seth, I—I,” Jenna stopped trying to talk, because she no idea what to say. She had no idea what she wanted long term from him. She hadn’t been able to contemplate it without a getting a massive headache.

Seeing the conflicted emotions warring in her gaze, Seth gave her an out this time and dropped the subject.

“Is your food still hot?” he asked, watching her nod.

“It’s delicious,” Jenna replied honestly. “Did you bring dessert?”

“Chocolate mousse with raspberries,” he said, wanting to laugh when she sighed.

“I may have to call a taxi to take me home, unless—unless you want to come spend the night again, and drop me off in the morning.”

Seth let the suggestion hang in the air between them while he savored it, her, and the food. “I’d love to spend the night. It will be the first time we actually just sleep together.”

Jenna leaned over for a kiss. “Think we’ll make it?”

“I promise to try,” Seth told her, grinning. “Maybe we’ll do a shower together and wash each other’s backs. We’ll just carry the nurturing theme through the rest of the evening.”

Jenna rolled her eyes and laughed.

“I like cheese,” Mason announced, taking another healthy bite out of his pizza slice.

“Me too,” Allen said. “You and I have a lot in common.”

“What else do I like?” Mason asked, having fun with the game. He liked the big guy with the nice eyes. He was funny.

“Let’s see. Do you like your mother?” Allen asked, tilting his head as he bit into another slice of pizza.

Mason laughed. “Yes,” he answered cautiously, sneaking a look at his mother to see her smiling at him.

“Well that’s another thing we have in common,” Allen told him easily. “I like your mother too.”

And he did.

Allen looked at Talia, who had fed the baby and rocked her to sleep as efficiently as most women put their shoes on. If anyone had told him that he’d be this incredibly attracted to a single mother of two, he’d have said they were crazy.

But he was attracted.

He watched Talia bite her lip to keep from laughing at his flirty comment as she stood and walked to the baby’s room to lay her daughter down. Allen wanted to bite her lip too. In fact, he was already wondering how long it would be until she let him.

“Will you tuck me in?” Mason asked. “You don’t have to carry me. I can walk.”

“I’ve never tucked anyone in before. What would I have to do?” Allen asked him, keeping his gaze on Mason’s to listen closely to the boy’s answer.

“I know. I can
teach
you,” Mason suggested, pleased with himself for having the idea.

“Allen, you can go in and say goodnight once Mason has finished his bathroom routine, which will include brushing teeth. Right, Mason?” Talia interjected, walking back into the room.

“Yes. I will brush my teeth.
Assolutely
,” Mason said.

“
Absolutely
,” his mother corrected, fighting back the giggle of mirth made worse by the grinning giant who seemed to be enjoying every minute of her son’s company. Talia was jealous and trying really hard not to be. It was rare for Mason to take a liking to a man so quickly.

Seeing Allen cover his mouth with his hand and unsuccessfully hold back a laugh, Mason felt elated that the man thought he was funny. He smiled at his mother, who smiled back.

“May I go get ready for bed now?” Mason asked.

“Yes,” Talia answered. “Use toothpaste this time.”

Mason nodded, climbed down from the chair, and walked as quickly as his braces would let him down the hall toward his bedroom.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh at his mispronunciation. Mason is just so earnest in everything he says,” Allen said, letting his humor show.

“Mason has a large vocabulary for a child his age, but his diction needs some more work,” Talia said lightly, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

Allen got up from the table and walked to stand in front of Talia Martin. He was very pleased when she held her ground and didn’t move away as he purposely invaded her personal space.

Talia was both mother extraordinaire and exotic goddess from his point of view. He wanted to get to know her.

“You know—I happen to have a large vocabulary myself. Maybe we can get together sometime and have a long discussion so I can prove it to you,” Allen told her, holding her gaze as the smile lines crinkled beside her eyes. “Lady, you are incredibly beautiful when you smile. You’ve got the kind of face poets write about.”

Talia stopped smiling to stare at Allen in shock. She’d never heard such heartfelt praise in her entire life. “Thank you. Sorry for my reaction. Been a while since I heard a personal compliment.”

“Now I’m sorry. You should hear that every day of your life because it’s
assolutely
true,” Allen told her sincerely, teasing because his heart was starting to beat a rapid staccato in his chest from the way Talia was looking at him.

Talia’s mouth went dry at Allen’s teasing even as the opposite effect was happening elsewhere. The man was joking with her and turning her on. She straightened, licked her lips, and cleared her throat in order to drum up her best business voice.

“Well, I certainly believe you have a large vocabulary. You just look like the type. But how’s your diction, Mr. Stedman?”

Allen grinned so hard he thought his face was going to crack. “I’ll let you decide that for yourself sometime. If you’re interested in talking to me that long, that is.”

“I am
assolutely
interested,” Talia answered clearly, blinking at the sudden blaze of blue fire in Allen’s gaze warring with the humor there.

Laughing, Allen leaned forward, and put his lips on Talia Martin’s, surprising both of them with the boldness of the move. His tongue had just swept along her very lush bottom lip when Allen heard Mason call out from the bedroom that he was ready to be tucked in.

He pulled away from her mouth reluctantly.

“Excuse me. I have something I have to do. Can I get back to you on our discussion in a few minutes?” Allen asked. He lifted a few strands of silky black hair from her shoulder and stroked his fingers down it. “I like your hair down by the way. I’ve been wanting to get my hands in it since I got here.”

Knowing he was on dangerous ground indulging himself in one area when he wanted to indulge in a hell of a lot more, Allen let go of her hair and walked away.

“Allen?” Talia called, as he strode down the hall toward her son. “You may need to remind Mason to take his braces off. He’s not supposed to sleep in them. Sometimes he forgets. When you come back we’ll talk some more.”

Allen smiled, nodded, and walked down the hall.

*** *** ***

“Don’t make me do any more work. I’m just going to stand here in the hot water and hope I get clean,” Jenna said, closing her eyes in bliss as the hot water worked a miracle on her exhausted muscles. “I’m too tired to wash off.”

Seth laughed. He’d already washed himself, but put more of the fruity body wash on the washcloth he used. When he had a sufficient lather, Seth lifted one of Jenna’s hands to brace on his chest while he washed her arm. He sighed as he ran the washcloth over her breasts and the ends got perky when he did so.

Jenna opened her eyes at his sigh and snickered at the pained look on Seth’s face.

“Stop laughing and turn around,” Seth ordered, turning her when she just continued to laugh softly at him. “I can’t believe you’re laughing at me when I’m trying to be noble and take care of you. Your father and mother need to be punished for raising you with a complete lack of appreciation.”

Jenna groaned as Seth ran the washcloth over her back, to her waist, and did an even slower thorough job running over her rear.

“I’m not laughing because I’m enjoying your discomfort,” Jenna told him sincerely. “I’m not that heartless. I’m laughing at how hard it is to not think of sex with you sighing over me.”

She reached out to stroke his obvious reaction to her to prove her point.

“Now we’re both thinking how hard it is,” Seth complained, leaning into her strokes. “I love your hands on me. Have I ever told you that?”

“No. I don’t think you have, at least not in this particular way,” Jenna said, giggling, keeping her strokes long, but making them a little more aggressive.

Seth put his hands on her wet shoulders for balance since he was weaving on his feet because of what she was doing.

“I can tell you like this, and I so want to finish it. How close are you?” Jenna asked, closing her eyes in pleasure as she listened to Seth’s rapid breathing and the many tiny groans he couldn’t hold back. Seth was easy to read because he was so vocal in his response. It was one of the things she liked most about him as a lover.

“Don’t know—but please don’t stop yet,” Seth begged, stepping into the next stroke to get closer to her.

For once obeying him without comment, Jenna’s hand continued to move between them.

Seth could feel Jenna’s knuckles grazing his taut abdomen with each stroke. He bent his upper body and shoulders to minimize the distance down to her so he could kiss her temple and put his hands in her hair.

“Jenna, I—I—
oh God, baby
,” Seth said roughly, almost falling against her as the release he hadn’t even tried to slow from happening swept over him sooner than he’d anticipated.