Free Dating a Metro Man by Donna McDonald Page B

had been better than she knew, but it hadn’t mattered until the man beneath her had confirmed it. Her pleasure at the knowledge was going to her head fast and pushing her into wanting to do rash things—like curl up beside him and stay within reach of him.
    “Sex is not a competition,” she told him, still unwilling for him to know that it was just him who inspired her.
    “No. I guess sex isn’t a competition, but I had plans to give you more orgasms than you gave me. Now we’re even,” Seth said seriously. “I owe you.”
    “No, you don’t. We don’t owe each other anything,” Jenna said, pulling away and rolling out of bed to her feet before she could change her mind. “That’s one of the best things about our agreement.”
    Jenna dressed in record time, relenting to come back to bed to kiss Seth once more while he looked at her with heavy lidded eyes still full of appreciation. She appreciated him, too.
    “Come back anytime,” Seth said, his mouth warm on hers.
    “In a few days,” Jenna said, straightening, fighting the inclination she had to climb in beside him. Cuddling was not part of their agreement, and she liked what they had. It suited her. “Sleep.”
    “Text me when you get home. I can’t help wanting to know you’re safe. Blame Casey—he made me that way,” Seth told her, using his cousin as an excuse.
    “Okay,” Jenna said, sighing. “I’m not going to argue over a simple text. Good night, Seth.”
    “Good night,” he said, stroking her cheek before dropping his hand.
    Minutes later, he heard the distinct click of the front door latch locking into place and knew Jenna had truly gone. He stared wide-eyed and silent at the ceiling until he heard the phone vibrate on the nightstand some twenty minutes later. Seth looked the message and sighed.
    Home safe. Sleep now.
    He typed back quickly to make sure she would get his text.
    Thanks for texting. Good night.
    “I love you,” Seth said to the phone, tossing it back on the nightstand in frustration.
    The he closed his eyes and let the first relaxed sleep he’d had in a couple of years take him under.

Chapter 8
    Jenna was standing at her office window contemplating why in the last two weeks she hadn’t been able to wait more than two days to see Seth, when her boss knocked and came into her office.
    “Glad you’re in,” Todd Warren said, smiling smugly at his favorite architect. “It’s not every day I get to make someone’s dreams come true. Today is your lucky day.”
    Jenna laughed and walked back to her desk. “Why Todd, you sound almost giddy.”
    “Giddy— giddy ? Yeah, I guess that’s about right. We just got a new fat contract and you were the reason,” Todd said. “Client wants a six-hundred-thousand-dollar house and has allocated one hundred thousand dollars for the lot, which has to be substantial, have some ground around it. Beyond that his list of stipulations is fairly minor. He said to tell you to design the house you wanted to live in yourself and don’t be stingy with your dreams. Apparently, he’s checked out several things you have done and loves your style.”
    “His name isn’t Kaiser or Gallagher or—what’s Jim’s other name now? Simpson! It wasn’t Simpson, was it?” Jenna demanded, unable to believe a client had randomly selected her from the limited amount of other residential designing she had done.
    Her work for Todd was primarily commercial. She certainly wasn’t famous, but Jenna thought she did have a unique style that she’d been hoping would catch on in time.
    When she pulled herself out of her thoughts, Todd was shaking his head. “There is no name. Client wouldn’t identify himself. Deposit was sent electronically from a local bank, but through escrow. His attorney authorized it and will be authorizing all future draws against the work being done. Strange, sure, but the first check still cashed.”
    “So a mystery man or woman—” Jenna began.
    “Man,” Todd said