Dating A Metro Man

by Donna McDonald

  “My mother made me buy new clothes,” Jenna said, knowing she sounded a bit like a pouting twelve year old.

  “Well, it’s a very nice dress,” Seth told her, taking in every nuance of her appearance. “The shoes are sexy as hell. You can wear them to bed next time.”

  “Don’t get too used to seeing me in girl stuff. Being this womanly isn’t easy for me. It seems to always turn into slutty instead of glamorous. Just so you how serious I am though, I’m not wearing any underwear,” Jenna replied, liking the way sweat beaded on Seth’s forehead almost immediately.

  “Marry me,” Seth ordered. “I’m not going to bother asking this time around. Consider it a damn demand, and let’s fight about it. And when I win this round, I’m going to want the wedding to be soon. Don’t think I’m going to give you time to change your mind when your mood shifts. I know better than that.”

  Jenna sniffed. Damn it. She was going to cry. “Just like that? I thought we were done, Seth. You said we were and I believed you. I thought you were never going to talk to me again,” she said.

  “I changed my mind about talking, but I’m not touching you until I get the answer I want,” Seth said, crossing his own arms and giving up all plans he had for a peaceful life.

  “I guess I can understand that. So here it is—I love you. I’ve always loved you. I—I was afraid to talk about marrying you when you asked me the first time, and I’m still afraid. But I’ve decided not to let my fear of being hurt stop me,” Jenna said softly. “Just know if you ever start to ignore me too much, I’m going to give you hell until you pay attention.”

  Seth took in steadying breaths, in and out, in and out. Was she saying yes? It was hard to tell with Jenna.

  “I know you love me. You tell me all the time with your body. Once you even said the words in your sleep,” Seth told her, more confident sounding than he actually was about her. Usually he never knew where he stood with Jenna. He had just taught himself to live with the insecurity.

  Jenna closed her eyes, willing herself to just tell Seth exactly how she felt—to risk it all—commit and let the rest work itself out as they went along. They would build their life together, one compromise at a time as they debated everything under the sun.

  “Well, I’m not asleep now,” Jenna said firmly, forcing her eyes to open and her gaze to focus on his. “And I know how I feel. I love you, Seth Carter.”

  “Good. Progress at last,” Seth said, his heart beating in his ears. “Now say you’ll marry me, Jenna Ranger. Be my wife.”

  Jenna nodded yes and closed her eyes. “Okay,” she said.

  “No, too wimpy an answer. Try again,” Seth said firmly, shaking his head, biting his lip not laugh the frustration on her face. “Marry me, Jenna Ranger. Have my children. Make love to me every night. Keep giving me a reason to throw my cell phone in the floor. I need you, but I want it all.”

  “I need you too. So—yes,” Jenna said, her arms uncrossing, tears running down her cheeks.

  Seth hands went to Jenna’s face then, his thumbs wiping the tears away as fast as they fell. “I’ve been waiting forever to hear you say yes to me,” Seth said, his voice breaking.

  “Yes, Seth Carter. I will marry you. I will be your wife,” Jenna said, sobbing her agreement, grateful that he hadn’t changed his mind about her after all.

  “I hope like hell you were being truthful about your underwear,” Seth said, laughing harshly against her mouth. “We’re consummating this agreement right now before you change your mind.”

  Jenna was openly crying now. Seth’s mouth was hot and on hers again. She was back in his arms. He was shedding his pants and pulling her down onto him, sliding home. The relief of being connected again was so profound they both just held tight to make sure it was real.

  “I was coming after you again. I was mad and hurt, but I wasn’t giving up,” Seth said quietly, his voice rough with emotion and lust.

  “Thank God,” Jenna said. “I’m trying to become a nice person, but at the rate I’m going, it’s going to take years. In the meantime, I need a man as stubborn as me. ”

  “I know what you need, and I’m more than happy to give it you,” Seth said, smiling. “I’m the one, Jenna.”

  “Yes. You’re the one. You’ve always been the one,” Jenna agreed, rocking in his lap, happy again for another chance. She was going to be smart about it this time.

  “Wait,” Seth said, stilling her all too talented hips. “We don’t last long in this position. I have one more thing to say first.”

  “What?” Jenna said, frustrated. She was close, so close. “Say it fast then and stop making me wait.”

  “This is worth waiting for and then we’ll celebrate,” Seth said laughing.

  He fished something out his jacket pocket. “Hold out your hand.” When she did, Seth put a set of keys into it.

  “You get the originals. I made a copy for myself.”

  Jenna stared at them in disbelief, immediately recognizing them. “Where—where did you get these?”

  He rocked up into her then, pulling down hard on her hips and holding on, trying to distract her so she’d take the news well. “They’re the keys to a house my future wife built for me—for us. You should see it. It’s the most amazing house in the world. I can’t wait to live in it with her. The fireplace is a freaking work of art.”

  Jenna’s hand curled around the keys. He was the client. Seth was the client. The house she built was for Seth. The amazing house she had poured her creativity into by the buckets was now going to be hers. Her hands tightened painfully around the keys.

  “I love you, Jenna,” Seth said. “Every surprise won’t be this big. You’re just going to have to forgive me for keeping something like this from you. I had good reasons.”

  Jenna pounded on his shoulders with the keys in her hand. And then she cried, not little tears, but rolling sobs that began in her gut and forced their way up through her on their way out.

  “Oh, don’t do that—I can’t stand to hear you cry. It makes me ill. It was supposed to make you happy, not sad. I wanted to help you make your dreams come true, but knew you needed to do it on your own. I thought maybe if you managed to have that much faith in your work, then you’d figure out how to have that much faith in us,” Seth told her. “Now stop crying, and make love with me. Help me out here. You know it takes both of us to do this right.”

  Still crying, Jenna moved her hips on his and they rocked together until the world turned golden around them, and they found relief from their desire at last. But when it was done, neither of them wanted to break the connection.

  “I’m sorry about a lot of things, but mostly that I haven’t asked about your work. Who’s Talia Martin?” Jenna asked quietly.

  “She’s a woman I hired who just made me three point five million dollars tonight. Oh, and I think Stedman is in love with her,” Seth said. “Wait until you meet Talia’s children. Her son is the smartest kid I’ve ever met.”

  “I saw the baby with Allen. There was a ton of material wrapped around him, and he was carrying her in it like a baby kangaroo,” Jenna said, easing back to where she could look at Seth’s face. “I probably look like hell. People are going to know I had a meltdown.”

  Seth inspected her face and turned her chin. “Yeah. Pretty much. Your makeup is ruined by crying, and I messed up your hair pretty bad when I was kissing you. Maybe we should just stay here in your room having makeup sex until everyone goes home.”

  Jenna laughed. “We can make up more later. Right now I want to go tell Mama and Casey that we’re getting married. I love my wedding present.” She opened her palm to look at the keys which were still clutched in it.

  “Oh yeah—married. Wait. I got caught up in the makeup sex and forgot,” Seth said, patting his pockets. “Give me your hand.”

  “Why?” Jenna asked, pulling her left hand back in case Seth tried to take the keys from her.

  “I’m not taking back the keys. Those are yours to keep f
orever. I told you I have another set. You are so stubborn. Give me your damn hand,” Seth ordered, laughing and pulling her left hand into his.

  He slid a diamond solitaire on it that gleamed in the light.

  “Are you rich?” Jenna asked. “First the house and now a ring. I don’t care about the money. It’s just embarrassing to be the only one who doesn’t know anything about your business. I’m sorry I haven’t been more interested.”

  “Financially, I’m solvent. It’s taken me several years, but I finally got there. But in every other way—yes, I’m the richest man I know,” Seth said, cupping her hips in his hands. “I’m finally getting to marry the woman of my dreams.”

  “Well, I can think of at least one way I can add to your portfolio. We’ll probably need to make a five year plan to get it done,” Jenna said, sliding off his lap at last.

  “What are you talking about?” Seth asked, laughing. “Since when are you in favor of a five year plan.”

  “Since I decided a few moments ago to marry a successful entrepreneur and have his children. I figured we’d space the kids apart a little bit,” Jenna said.

  “Perfect. Talia can give us lessons, and we’ll get Allen to show us how to tie the baby wrap thing,” Seth said, teasing. “If Steadman can pack a baby and still look masculine, I figure I can pull it off as well.”

  “Our children are probably not going to be very nice,” Jenna said, closing her eyes. “Stubborn and persistent. Let’s hope they get some recessive genes.”

  “I don’t care how difficult they are. I still want them,” Seth said, grinning at her worried expression. “I want my happily ever after.”

  “Fine. We’ll start practicing tonight. First though, I’m going to try to repair my appearance, and then I want to meet the new woman in your life,” Jenna said.

  “She only makes money for me. Talia’s in Allen’s life more than mine. I hooked them up as kind of as a joke, but I actually think Steadman fell in love with her the first time they met,” Seth said, standing and fixing his clothes. “How bad are my pants wrinkled?’

  Jenna laughed and rolled her eyes. “They look fine. I thought your pants didn’t matter to you when you were in bed with me?”

  “Well, no—I mean, I wouldn’t care if we were home. Stedman is already going to take one look at my face and know what just happened between us. I was hoping my wrinkled pants wouldn’t announce it to everyone else,” Seth said easily, watching as Jenna dabbed at her eyes and fixed her hair in the bathroom.

  Jenna frowned at her reflection. She looked like she’d been crying for days, but at least her clothes and hair were mostly okay. It was going to be hell trying to keep her appearance up enough not to embarrass her husband.

  “So do I look good enough to face your business crowd, Mr. Metro Man?” Jenna asked, when she saw Seth studying her closely.

  Seth moved from where he was leaning on the bathroom door jam and crowded Jenna against the sink like he wanted to. He was never holding back with this woman again.

  “You look like you’re finally mine,” Seth told her, bending to gently touch his lips to hers.

  He ended up kissing her hard and staking his claim again instead.

  Epilogue

  At long last, it was finally going to happen.

  Having helped plan most of it, Jenna had been looking forward to the perfect wedding for months. Now she couldn’t believe she was spending the first third of the allotted time for the ceremony wrapped around the toilet throwing up.

  “Seth, you don’t have to wait for me,” Jenna said through the stall door. “Go on, and I’ll meet you in there. The sickness is passing now. I’ll be fine in a couple more minutes.”

  “Jenna, I’m not leaving the mother of my child on her knees in a strange bathroom unless I’m with her,” Seth teased, hoping to cheer her up so she could at least marginally enjoy this day. “When you’re finished, I have some cold wet towels for you.”

  Jenna braced herself on the toilet seat and pushed herself into a standing position. Logically, she knew many women were sick all the time with their first child, but it was impossible not to feel sorry for herself when she was the one going through it. Lauren had rarely complained. Jenna was made differently.

  She flushed one last time and pushed open the stall door.

  “I hate being sick. The medicine helps, but doesn’t get rid of all of it. Every time I get a little stressed, I spew. I don’t want to do this anymore.”

  Seth was laughing when she exited, but his humor faded quickly when he saw how wiped Jenna looked.

  “Honey, I’m truly sorry. I would do this part for you if I could,” he said, seriously meaning it. Jenna was not a person who suffered anything in silence, but Seth felt she had a right to complain loudly about this.

  “After making me this sick for three full months, this baby better be like Kendra and sleep all night,” Jenna said fiercely, taking the towels from Seth and putting them on her face. She pulled them down and groaned when she heard the strains of the wedding march begin. “And now they’re starting the wedding without us. That’s just great.”

  Seth was openly laughing at the look of utter disgust on her face.

  “Good thing I’m feeling like a cave man today,” he said, bending and scooping Jenna up into his arms.

  “Don’t carry me,” she complained. “I’m too heavy.”

  “No. I wish you were. You’ve lost weight and it’s worrying me. When you can eat again, I’m going to feed you until you get big enough to fill up the great room in our house,” Seth told her.

  He elbowed the handicap accessibility panel which opened the bathroom door automatically. Seth carried Jenna into the main vestibule of the church. Seeing the back pew was completely empty, he sat on the bench seat, and slipped off Jenna’s shoes so her feet could rest on the seat beside them.

  “Seth,” Jenna whispered, wanting to protest the fact she was sitting in his lap in a church, but was silenced by his finger over her lips.

  “Ssssh. . .they’ve already started,” Seth whispered. “Lean your head back on my shoulder and watch. Doesn’t Talia look great?”

  Too weak to argue, Jenna did as she was told, promising herself that her bossy husband was not always going to have things his way. She might be suffering now, but her starring role in the whole baby production business would be ending in a few months. Jenna patted her small baby belly and smiled about how much fun she was going to have watching Seth learn to be the perfect stay-home dad.

  “Do you, Allen Whitaker Stedman, take Talia Renee Walker Martin to be your wedded wife? To love, honor, and cherish her, so long as you both shall live?” the minister asked.

  Before Allen could answer the question, a short blond spitfire wearing most of a baby harness streaked down the aisle heading straight for her brother as fast as her legs would carry her.

  “Mason,” Allen said in warning, looking down at the shortest and youngest best man in history. Kendra had managed to knock Mason down the first time she’d charged him, and now endlessly tried to do it over and over again.

  “I see her,” Mason said, resigned, stepping out to embrace being the target he knew he was for his crazy sister.

  In the black suit Allen helped make and fit to him, Mason bent his knees a little and centered his stance like he was preparing for a fight. The heavy ankle weights sitting on his braces at least made him feel like he could handle what was about to happen. His sister squealed and flung herself at him, only to bounce backward off him in shock.

  “Hey! It worked!” Mason announced loudly, looking up for confirmation and seeing Allen’s smile and nod.

  “You’re getting stronger all the time,” Allen told him, reaching down and picking up the stunned toddler by the back of her harness before she could do her kamikaze impression on her brother again.

  Allen held Kendra dangling in the air in front of his face and stared at her until her loud squeal of protest faded to nothing. The rapt audience laughed at
the family drama being played out while they waited to see what would happen next.

  “Kendra, couldn’t you have waited until I finished marrying your mother before wreaking havoc? We’re only a few minutes away, monkey,” Allen told her.

  Kendra blew a raspberry with her tongue at him, grabbed Allen’s face with both hands, and put her open mouth on his. Allen laughed, his mouth sputtering under the wet sloppy kiss while the church broke up in hysterical laughter.

  Her grandfather finally got out of the middle of the pew with the other end of the baby harness hanging from his hand. Fighting to remove the grin on his face, Henry walked slowly to one of the best men he’d ever met. He certainly didn’t want anything to stop Allen Stedman from marrying his daughter.

  “Sorry, Allen, I think Kendra’s picking the bloody clasp,” Henry said, letting what was left of his English accent become pronounced for the benefit of the crowd, making Allen laugh out loud as he handed Kendra over to him. He took the girl, who threw her arms around him and gave him a sloppy wet kiss as well.

  “Is it time for the rings now?” Mason asked, sighing heavily as his grandfather carried Kendra away.

  Allen sighed and smiled at the eager boy. “Not yet. Almost. You can get them out if you want. Never hurts to be ready.”

  He turned back to his bride, who was practically biting her bottom lip off struggling not to burst into unrestrained laughter over him and the kids. There was so much laughter in his life now that Allen couldn’t even imagine going one day without it. Less chaos would be nice, but he’d take that too if it meant he got to keep the rest of what he had found with them.

  “Where were we?” Allen asked Talia. “I lost my place.”

  “Just say I do, son,” the minister advised.

  “Okay. I do. Of course, I do,” Allen said, hearing giggling and snickering throughout the crowd.

  The minister repeated the question, addressing it this time to Talia, who nodded, still fighting the laughter.