Trenton's Terms (4 page)

"Since you don't know how to do your job, we'll seat ourselves. I'd appreciate it if you stayed away from us for the rest of the evening.” Trenton reached over and grabbed two menus from the stand and started weaving his way through the tables toward the back door. Sidney followed along without putting up a fight.

"Excuse me.” Trenton stopped the waitress outside. “You hostess didn't seem to want to bring us to our seats so I took it upon myself. Can you direct us to a seat?"

"Mandy has a hair up her butt again huh, Sid?” The waitress said.

Damn, he'd forgotten everyone in this town knew each other. It was so foreign to him. He only had a couple friends who he let close enough to know anything about him. He damn sure didn't know all the waitresses and hostesses in his local restaurants.

"You know how she gets. The mouth is just looking for gossip to spread around."

"I hear ya. Go ahead and have a seat you two and I'll be over to get your drink orders in a minute."

Trenton led Sidney to the small square table at the far edge of the outside dining area. The air began to cool and a slight wind blew across the river towards them. They had small heating poles placed around the dining area along with a few dim lights. The atmosphere felt much more romantic than he had planned, but comfortable all the same.

Holding her chair out for her, he placed the long sleeved shirt he'd grabbed out of the rental car around her. “Sorry it's not much, but it should keep the edge off."

Sidney looked surprised by his generosity but recovered quickly and took the seat he offered to her. “Thanks."

"Not a problem.” Trenton sat in the chair across from her. She still looked upset and that bothered him. “If you don't give me a smile, Sugar, I'm going to have to give you something to smile about.” And he knew he could. He knew she knew he could, but she wouldn't want to admit it to him. In some ways she was just as proud as he was. Who'd have known that would be such a turn on?

"What makes you think you could give me a reason to smile?” she asked her sassiness returning. A slight wind blew a curl in her face. Trenton itched to reach out and put it behind her ear but she did the honors before he had the chance.

"We both know I could make you smile. Make you scream, writhe, cry, burst into a million different pieces from pleasure.” Her cheeks turned crimson with his words and damn if he didn't start to harden. “I can't wait for that last part, Sidney. Its going to be so much fun watching you come undone."

He watched her shift in her chair, her eyes widening with his words. She looked so sweet and innocent. From the two kisses they shared he knew better than to think Sidney Clark innocent. Inside her burned a passionate fire that he couldn't wait to ignite. “No snappy comeback Ms. Clark?” he mocked.

A look of relief crept across her face as the waitress they'd spoken to earlier stepped up to the table.

"Saved by the bell,” he said the words not caring if the waitress heard.

"Excuse me?” she asked.

"Nothing,” Sidney told her. “I need something with a little kick in it tonight, Sally. What drink do you suggest?"

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Sidney ordered a sex on the beach at Sally's suggestion. She didn't drink often so she had no idea what she was in for. Trenton's sexy words had her feeling a little bit frisky, feeling like she wanted to live on the edge. To her surprise, Trenton ordered an iced tea before Sally slipped away to get their drinks.

Damn the man knew how to get her hormones up and running. Men in River City didn't talk to her like he did. It made her feel sexy and carefree. Should she let herself feel that way? In the end she'd still be the same ole Sid. The one who wanted more out of sex than just a hot time between the sheets. A small town girl who could never hold onto a man like Trenton. Hell, she didn't even know if she wanted too. They still didn't know very much about each other.

Like he read her mind, Trenton asked, “Have you lived here long?"

Sidney laughed. “Yeah. Twenty eight years to be exact."

"Really,” he looked perplexed. “How do you do it?"

"What do you mean? This is my home. I love it here.” And she did. Sure there were your downfalls, Mandy the mouth being one of them. Everyone always knew everyone else's business, secrets spread like wildfires, and there wasn't a lot to do, but it was still home.

"I don't do the whole small town thing. Seems like the same ole thing everyday. You see the same faces and places. Your business isn't your own. People look at me like I'm a two headed monster around here. Not that I care."

He just proved her point about him without even knowing it. No way could she let herself be with this man. All he wanted was to win his prize and be on his way. She wouldn't be any man's prize. Not in the way he looked for at least.

"All of that is true but you aren't looking at the positives, just the negatives. I have great friends who I have known my whole life. If someone needs help, the whole town pitches in and does what they can for each other. People smile when you walk by. The grocer knows what you want the second you step up to the counter, that kind of thing. You can't beat it."

He looked to be deep in thought for a moment. His brows creased, his eyes had a far off expression. She thought just maybe he was really thinking about what she had to say. So many people she'd met looked down at small town life. Like they were missing so much because of the lives they chose to live. For some reason she didn't want Trenton to feel that way. His opinion mattered to her.

"That might be the kind of life you enjoy, Sugar, but it isn't for me."

He said the words, but they didn't ring true to her ears.
Wishful thinking, Sid. You have the hot's for him so your looking for hope where there isn't any.
She felt a connection with him that she didn't understand. Part of it was physical, but deep in her soul she knew there was more. What, she didn't know. Her heart wanted to explore the connection, but her brain thought better of it.

"Whatever you say, Stone. Since this isn't the life for you why don't you enlighten me? What is the kind of life that is for you?"

"Exactly the kind of life I live. Working for myself, not having anyone to answer to. If I feel like going somewhere, I go. I don't want anyone to answer to. I like to go out, have a good time, meet new and interesting people, that kind of thing."

"So basically, no one close to you? No one to care about you? Nothing too serious?"

He winked at her before saying, “don't make it sound so bad, Sidney. Nothing holds me back. I like to have what I want when I want it, the way I live my life, I'm free to do that. It works for me."

"You know what I think?” Sidney asked before taking a sip of her Sex on the beach. “I think you're fooling yourself. If you think that will make you happy for the long run, you're crazy."

"Is that so? When did you get to know me so well?"

"I don't. Call it women's intuition, but I don't think you're as big and bad as you want people to think you are.” She felt her words were true. Was she playing herself? Believing what she wanted so that she could give in to his wishes?

He leaned in towards her talking in a whisper. “Why don't we call the rest of this dinner off and go to my hotel room. I'll show you how bad I can be."

He had to let her know how it was. She fooled herself if she thought he was anything different than what he was, a man looking to have a good time. With her. That's all. There would be no grand declarations of love, nor promises of a future. He couldn't imagine living with one woman for the rest of his life. And while he enjoyed the relaxed pace of River City, it wasn't anything he planned to get used to. He'd get bored, go stir crazy in a place like this.

"I can be very bad, Sidney. I like it that way and you'll like it too. I can promise you that and nothing else.” The look in her eyes made him want to stop talking. She looked disappointed and for the first time in his life he cared what someone else thought about him, but if he stopped, if he didn't let her know how it was, he ran the risk of hurting her.

Sure they didn't know each other well enough for feelings to be involved right now, but he couldn't risk it. He liked to play the field, but leaving a trail of broken hearted women wasn't his thing. They all knew the score up front.

"I want you, I plan to have you, but that's all. I can offer you nothing but a night or two of extreme pleasure. There are no hidden meanings or feelings behind anything I say. I'm a straight shooter."

God the words sounded harsh even to his own ears, but they were true. He kept his eyes locked on Sidney's as she took in what he said. She took another couple drinks before she finally spoke.

"I wasn't asking for grand declarations as you put it, Stone. Just making an observation.” She took her last drink before setting her glass back on the table. “Plus, I won't be sleeping with you anyway so you just wasted a good speech for nothing."

"You guys looked deep in conversation so I gave you a little bit of extra time,” Sally the waitress said as she walked up to their table. “Are you ready to order yet or do you need more time?"

Trenton eyed Sidney as she calmly ordered the special of the night. He quietly thanked God when she ordered an ice tea as well instead of another drink. He wanted her to have a clear head tonight. If she'd had another drink any possibility of spending the night with her would be shot.

Taking a quick glance at the menu he ordered the biggest steak they had before handing the menu to their waitress. Sitting there he watched Sidney in silence. He had a lot of respect for her. More than anyone he'd met in a long time if not ever. She knew who she was, what she wanted. She didn't shake easily and when he did stir her up she calmed herself quickly.

Although he didn't understand her love of the small town she lived in, he respected it all the same. She knew where she belonged and defended it with all she had. Everything he learned about her made him want her more. She riled him like no other woman he'd ever met.

"So, where are you from, Trenton? I've been meaning to ask you that."

"Los Angeles,” he answered simply.

"I knew you were a big city boy. Born and raised?"

"No. I made my escape there when I was eighteen. I put myself through college, started my career and never looked back.” Almost never.

"Where'd you escape from?"

"A little town in Georgia. About the size of River City actually,” he could think of a lot of things he'd rather talk about than his past. The red head in Sidney's store said she'd want to get to know him better so that's what he'd do. Really he wanted to get to know her. Inside and out although that didn't sit too comfortably with him. But he was a fighter, strong and proud. A little bit of discomfort wouldn't send him running.

Something sparked in her eyes before she spoke again. It lit up her green depths and made him want to bask in that light.
What the fuck am I thinking? Bask in her light. I sound like a damn woman.

"Well I never would have thought. Trenton Stone is a small town boy at heart. I wondered where the Sugar kept coming from.” She took a drink of her ice tea. Sally the waitress was good. He hadn't seen her slip the drink on their table. As she set her glass down a bead of condensation dripped down her finger. He watched in awe as Sidney licked the droplet of water off her hand. His cock stirred. She didn't realize how sexy he found her.

Damn he needed to get some. It had been a few months. He didn't realize he itched so badly for female companionship until he ran into the curly haired, sweetheart.
It's not any female companionship you're wanting. It's her. There's something different about her.

Trenton pushed his insane thoughts aside. He didn't even know her. Even if he did he wasn't the type to settle down with a woman. Especially one who would want to tie him down in small town USA. “The words small and boy have no room in a sentence about me."

All of a sudden a burst of laughter erupted from deep within Sidney's body. Her breasts shook with her heavy laughter. The sounds were musical, beautiful. Had he ever heard anything as magical as Sidney's joy? It almost made him forget the fact that she was laughing at him. Almost.

"Something funny?” he asked. His voice came out irritated, but he didn't care.

A few seconds later she calmed herself enough to speak. “You,” she replied.

Hmm. Trenton didn't get called funny too often. He wasn't sure he liked it. “You plan to enlighten me on the joke?"

"The words small and boy have no room in a sentence about me,” she mocked. “You never give up do you?"

Part of him wanted to laugh himself. The line did sound a bit cheesy when she repeated it. But it was true. He knew it and she knew it too. Scooting his chair closer to hers Trenton grabbed her hand under the table and set it on the hard, long erection trying to burst free from his pants. He could see the shock in her eyes with is bold move, but she didn't pull away.

"I've never given up on anything in my life, Sidney. I don't plan to start now. Even if I wanted to, this would stop me.” He ground her hand against his shaft to prove his point, but also driving himself crazy in the process. For a minute she held herself still, letting him work himself with her petite hand. The table cloth covered their actions from anyone at nearby tables. She felt so good he wanted to lose it right there.

She ground her hand against him this time of her own accord. He'd never wanted anyone as bad as he did at this moment. A low, steady growl escaped his lips.

"Dinner is served.” Sally set a plate down in front of each of them oblivious to what she'd interrupted. Sidney yanked her hand away obviously just as startled by the other woman's arrival as he was. Maybe she wasn't such a good waitress after all.

Sid couldn't believe what just happened. If Sally hadn't come along it would have continued to happen too. His heat scorched her through his pants. And he was right, there was nothing small about Trenton Stone. He was all man beneath those blue jeans and she yearned to have him even more.