Dating a Metro Man (22 page)

Talia sighed as she toyed with the collar of his T-shirt. They hadn’t even touched skin yet. She barely knew the man and yet they had already made love once. But his jaw was relaxed and his eyes were kind as they studied her in the growing dark of her new living room. She didn’t feel a shred of regret. All she felt was grateful.

“You’re in big trouble for admitting that to me,” Talia said, tracing fingertips up to his mouth, and over his careful, but not too careful lips. “I have a few moves of my own. Since I speak many languages, I can make a man think he’s with a different woman every time.”

Allen groaned. He felt himself twitching and getting hard again, wanting her again. “Are you going to date me? Say yes, please.”

Talia nodded as she embraced him. “I’m going to do a whole lot more than that, but sure—let’s start with dating. Some of what I have in mind isn’t as tame as what we did tonight. I like a lot of variety too.”

Allen groaned again. “On second thought, let’s skip the preliminaries. Just marry me so I can be with you every night,” he said, tucking his head between her neck and shoulder. “I’ll carry boxes for you and teach Mason to be as strong as me. I’ll do anything you want.”

“Mr. Stedman, we hardly know each other. I am an excellent wife, but still—some decorum must be maintained in every courtship. What if I can’t keep up with you? What if you get bored with me? There is our age difference to consider.” Talia started giggling as Allen shook his head against her shoulder. “Well, it could happen. We are still strangers, you know.”

“Just remember six months from now when you finally say yes that I asked you to marry me the first day I knew you,” Allen told her. “The only downside is that Carter is never going to let me forget that he found the perfect woman for me.”

“You? I signed a bloody contract with the man. I’m supposed to be making him two million dollars. Now that I’m shagging you, no telling what the man is going to expect,” Talia teased. “Once you accept an incentive from an employer, there’s really no turning back.”

“I think I like being your incentive. Are you English?” Allen asked, laughing at the words she used. “I’ve never
shagged
before. I like the way it sounds though.”

“Looking like you do? Like hell,” Talia said, laughing. “You know too much for me to ever believe you haven’t had your fair share of sex. And yes, I’m from England, but haven’t been there in ages. I only sound like it now and again. Really I’m a mutt. I lived in Boston most of my life. My parents live in London and Boston. I guess I keep the language because of them.”

“Talia,” Allen said, leaning up on one elbow. “I like you. I really would like to date you. I like your children also.”

“I like you, too, Allen Stedman,” Talia said. “Come back Friday night and we’ll order in Chinese food. Then when the kids go to bed I can practice my dialects on you. I have to make some phone calls to China next week.”

“Okay. Maybe I can correct your diction,” Allen suggested, teasing again.

“You speak Chinese?” Talia asked, surprised.

“No, I only speak French. My mother taught it to me. It’s almost solely responsible for my
shagging
experience,” Allen joked, raising up and kissing her lips once more. “I was talking about something else, trying to tease you. Now I need to go quickly before I forget that we’re still strangers.”

“Oh.
Diction.
Yes, come back and correct me anytime,” Talia sighed as he climbed over her and off the couch. “Why do I feel like I’ve always known you? Is that just good sex? I had no idea how much I had missed it.”

Allen stopped as he stood, shocked. “I’m sorry for whatever happened to you in your life that kept a lovely, loving woman like you from having all the sex she wants and needs.”

“See—that niceness of yours. It makes me doubly-glad about what happened tonight. I should be ashamed of what I did with someone practically a stranger. Instead, I’m already thinking it’s too many days until Friday,” Talia told him honestly.

Allen reached down a hand and helped her to stand up. “Come. Lock the door behind me.”

Talia weaved on weakened legs, but laughed again when Allen steadied her.

“I’m fine. Totally normal now, except for the brilliant bliss going on all over me,” Talia said, padding softly behind him to the door.

Allen opened the door, but turned back to her before he left. “I
assolutely
can’t wait until Friday. I know there is supposed to be some decorum about all this, but—“

Talia’s hot mouth on his shut down the rest of what he was going to say. All he could think about was coming back to her the first chance he got.

“Hell, woman. I need to go before I drag you back to the couch to try my move without clothes. Take care of yourself,” Allen said roughly, leaning in to kiss her one last time.

“
Assolutely
,” Talia assured him, letting his tongue invade her mouth, shivering as one of his hands cupped her breast as he kissed her. That was another thing they hadn’t done.

Allen practically ran down the sidewalk to his car in order to escape his urge to stay forever with the bewitching, sexy-as-hell Talia Martin.

On Thursday, Alexa walked from her office briskly heading to the marketing conference room before she left for her lunch with Casey. When she got to the desk in the front, she put on the brakes and stopped in front of Allen, who was typing a letter for her.

“Allen? You look very different this week. Why is that?” Alexa asked, narrowing her gaze as she studied the pink climbing his neck to his face.

“I got a haircut,” Allen said easily, trying to distract her.

“No, that’s not it,” Alexa said, laughing. “You’re relaxed and smiling—every day. Who’s the woman?”

“What—what woman?” he asked, lifting his chin and staring at Alexa. Could she really tell from just looking at him?

When the door to the office opened, Allen almost sighed in relief at the reprieve the visitor offered from Alexa’s scrutiny. It lasted about two seconds until the tall, light brown woman walked through the door and smiled at him in pleasure. Talia Martin was dressed in a suit that fit her well and made her look like a more worldly version of business Barbie. Allen stood and stared, his gaze taking in all of her, and his heart leaping out of his chest at the way she was looking at him.

Alexa laughed as her gaze took in both of them smiling at each other like they’d won the lottery.

“Allen? Was there a lunch appointment on my calendar that I forgot today?” she asked coyly.

Allen finally tore his gaze away from Talia back to Alexa. “No. Alexa, this is my friend, Talia Martin. Talia, this is my employer—Alexa Ranger.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Martin. Allen and I were just discussing you,” Alexa jokingly informed the smiling woman, her gaze now unabashedly taking her in. “You are amazingly beautiful. Have you ever done any modeling?”

“Modeling?” Talia said, laughing at the gorgeous older woman, hoping she looked as good when she aged. “As in clothes? No, not me. I’m a mother of two. I don’t have the body for it, but thank you for the lovely compliment.”

“Like hell you don’t,” Allen said firmly, then blushed when both women swung their gazes in his direction. “I mean. You have obviously kept yourself in shape, Talia.”

Talia smiled at him for the compliment and dipped her head, fighting a blush. She had come to try to talk Allen into lunch because she couldn’t wait one more day to see him. It was an unexpected treat to hear what he thought about her body.

Alexa laughed at Allen’s now obvious intimate knowledge of the gorgeous woman. “Well, you can trust Allen’s opinion, Ms. Martin. He’s got quite the eye for a perfect female body. He’s brought me several new lingerie models since he’s come to work for me.”

Talia lifted an eyebrow. “Lingerie models, eh? Allen brings you new ones. Fascinating.”

The flush Allen had been fighting completely took over. The door opened again, and Allen let out a breath when he saw the Marines had arrived to save him.

Casey walked in, taking in the beautiful women and Allen’s flushed face. He walked to his wife and kissed her cheek.

“Hi. Are you teasing Allen again? He’s looking ready to bolt any second. You promised me you were going to stop that,” Casey said, admonishing her.

“I am perfectly innocent of any shenanigans today, darling. This is Talia Martin. She appears to be a friend of Allen’s,” Alexa said, eyes twinkling. “She’s the reason for his blush, not me.”

Casey put out his hand to Talia. “Casey Carter. Pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Martin. My crew will be out to see you next week and get that security system installed for you.”

Allen cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s gaze to him again. He sighed heavily, growing more and more resigned to his new relationship with Talia becoming gossip fodder at the company before the day was done.

“Actually, I’m doing the installation myself this weekend, Casey.” Allen stated, and met Casey’s amused gaze with his own daring one.

“Oh, right. Forgot about you mentioning that,” Casey lied smoothly, shifting his still laughing gaze to Talia Martin. “So are you settling in well? Seth treating you okay?”

“You’re Seth’s cousin. The one who raised him,” Talia stated, figuring it out and smiling broadly. “You did well, sir. Seth is a very nice man. He speaks very highly of you.”

“Seth is his own person. I can’t take credit for much of anything except his determination. I did drill persistence into him when he was a teenager, which is why he pursued you so hard,” Casey said easily. “And please call me Casey. Alexa and I are delighted to be hosting your welcome party next week. We’re looking forward to meeting your children.”

“Oh,
you’re
Seth’s new right hand,” Alexa said, Allen’s unexpected connection to the woman momentarily forgotten. “Silly me. And to think I was trying to hire you to model lingerie. It would be fun for you, but not a great use of a mind like yours. Seth has been bragging about your talents and hiring you away from your former company.”

“Seth made me an excellent business offer with some incentives that were absolutely impossible to refuse,” Talia said truthfully, smiling as Allen rolled his eyes and turned his back to the three to them, suddenly pretending to be very busy.

“Would it be okay if I brought some extra guests along? I have some family in town visiting,” Talia said. She looked at Allen, her gaze communicating that she’d explain when they were alone. He nodded once to let her know he understood.

Casey and Alex watched the silent communication with growing interest. There were only a few conditions that created that type of connection between a couple. They exchanged a glance that said they were both thinking the same thing about what had caused it in this case.

“Bring whoever you want,” Casey said easily. He looked at his wife. “Ready for lunch? I thought we’d walk to that deli you love down the street.”

“Yes. I’m starved,” Alexa told him, slipping her hand in her husband’s. “Allen, this would be a good time for you to take lunch too. I’ll probably be gone a while. Casey and I have some things to talk about. Take your time getting back.”

Alexa winked at him when Talia looked at him with curiosity in her gaze. Allen sighed.

“Talia. That’s an interesting name for an interesting woman,” Alexa said, extending her hand to the woman again. “Looking forward to getting to know you better.”

“Likewise,” Talia said, smiling and shaking Alexa’s hand.

Talia watched until the office door had closed behind the older couple before turning a questioning gaze back to Allen. “Lingerie models? You work for a lingerie company and see women in their underwear all day?”

Allen walked around the desk to her. “It’s not as cushy as it sounds. Models are such prima donnas about it. Most of them insist on wearing robes despite how much you beg.”

Talia snorted at his answer. “Why aren’t you using your moves on them? I assure you getting them out of their robes would not be a problem if you did.”

Allen lifted her long hair with both his hands and pulled it down her shoulders to the front of her, letting his large knuckles graze her breasts through her lightweight suit. When she shuddered against his hands, Allen leaned into her and kissed her fiercely, his tongue dancing along hers. Her hands went to his waist and he stepped into her, thrilled when she gripped him tighter.

“Allen, do you know when—oh God, sorry. My bad. I’ll just—check back later,” Jeannine said, walking quickly back the way she’d come.

Allen released Talia, his frustrated groan audible to both of them. “Great. I just seriously frenched you in front of the biggest gossip that works here. I may have to resign after today.”

Talia’s hands came up to grab Allen’s hands that were still knuckled against the front of her. If he palmed her breasts, she was going to attack the man in his office even if the woman came back to watch.

“I can actually feel my normal sense of decorum going straight out the window every time you put your hands on me,” Talia told him softly. “My parents are in town. The good news is I have a sitter. The bad news is that they’re here for at least two weeks.”

“I have an apartment with a roommate. He brings women home all the time. I usually stay late at the gym when he’s entertaining. It’s not the best of situations, but I do have my own room,” Allen said, making himself remove his hands from her. “On the other hand, Alexa’s office floor is available right now. I know it has a door that locks. Casey locks it all the time when he goes in there.”

Talia laughed as his hands caught hers. “They look really happy together.

“Want to go to lunch? I’m meeting Seth this afternoon at his attorney’s office to finalize the contract and do some other paperwork. I went over it fairly closely and didn’t see anything I didn’t like. You weren’t in it—in case you were wondering.”

“Oh, I’m in it,” Allen said. He walked around to his desk and tapped the keyboard to lock his screen. Then he walked back to take Talia’s hand again. “Just in case you didn’t get my innuendo, I’m planning to be in more than just your contract.”