Trenton's Terms
Authors: Kelley Nyrae
Tease Publishing LLC
www.teasepublishingllc.com
Copyright ©2008 by kelley nyrae
First published in 2008, 2008
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Tease Dark Tarot: Trenton's Terms
A Tease Publishing Book/E book
Copyright© 2007 Kelley Nyrae
ISBN: 978-1-934678-54-1
Cover Artist: Stella Price
Interior text design: Stacee Sierra
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
Tease Publishing LLC
www.teasepublishingllc.com
PO BOX 234
Swansboro, North Carolina 28584-0234
Tease Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.
To my close friend, and fantastic writer, Anne Rainey. Thank you for being there when I need to vent and for sharing your knowledge so freely. I'm so happy to share this journey with you.
Thank you to Tempest and my sister Jessica for your Tarot help. I really appreciate it. Big thanks also to Amy, the worlds best critique partner!
"Sid, come in here a sec.” Abby held her tarot cards nervously while shuffling the deck. She'd given Sidney countless readings in the past. Hell, readings were her thing, they were what she did. So, why was she so nervous about this one?
It had to be something major. The overwhelming urge to read her best friend's cards came on too strong, too sudden for it to mean anything else. She only hoped it would be something good. It
had
to be something good. Sid deserved it.
"What's up?” Sidney asked walking into Abby's dining room, joining her at the table.
"Shuffle.” Abby handed the cards to her friend. “You need a reading.” She didn't mix words. Never had. Luckily she had a friend like Sidney who knew that about her and loved her for it.
Without questioning her, Sid started shuffling the deck while Abby sat watching. She was eager to see what would come up. A few shuffles later she stopped, handing the cards back to her.
"I think we can do a simple three card layout. There's something you need to know I just don't know what it is."
A nervous glimmer sparked in Sid's eyes but Abby ignored it laying three cards on the table signifying past, present and future. The past card was completely ignored. Neither woman could take their eyes off the present day and future cards: The Emperor and The Lovers.
Abby watched the look on her friend's face pass through fear before landing in a zone that made Abby want to laugh and cry at the same time. Fear and confusion shown in her eyes, but Abby wasn't worried. Suddenly, she had a much clearer picture of what lay in her best friend's future.
"Looks like someone new will be making their way into your life, Sid. You better get ready, girl. You're in for the ride of your life."
The Hotel lounge started to clear out while Sidney Clark sat nursing her ice water. Her best friend Abby left hours before to go out with a few of their friends from the psychic fair. For some reason she hadn't felt like going out with the girls. It didn't feel right. The quietness of the lounge called her name after the hectic day they'd had and she had to listen.
The psychic fairs were always great for business. Sidney packed up some of the books, crystals, and other knickknacks she sold in her shop, The Mystic Boutique, while Abby brought along her Tarot cards and reading table. They piled in Abby's old mini van and made the four hour drive up to Portland. Even though it was only for a weekend they always had a blast. Abby gave her readings while Sidney sold odds and ends to the shoppers.
After their day at the fair they always spent the night on the town taking advantage of the clubs and hot spots the city had to offer. Things that just weren't a part of the small town life they lived in River City. Today, for the first time since they'd started driving up for the psychic fairs, Sidney didn't go out. She couldn't say why, but for some reason she couldn't make herself leave the lounge for anything.
Now here it was ten-thirty PM and she was still nursing an ice water alone.
Maybe I should have gone out with everyone else.
Twirling her blonde curls around her finger Sidney glanced toward the door contemplating heading up to her room. All thoughts stopped as a gorgeous, raven-haired god walked into the lounge.
He was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. His hair was trimmed short around the most chiseled facial features of any man to ever cross her path. The man was tall, standing about six foot three inches. He wore black slacks and a white button up shirt. His tie was loose around his neck with the sleeves on his shirt rolled up to his elbows.
He so wasn't her type but for the life of her she couldn't look away. He stood there like he owned the place. Strength and confidence rolled off him in waves she could almost see, but definitely felt. Whoever this man was, he commanded attention. There was only a small amount of people still littering the lounge but they'd all noticed when he walked into the room, their eyes locked on him.
Sidney felt herself become dizzy. Realizing she held her breath she let the air release from her lungs slowly before reaching for her glass to take a drink. As she set the glass down on the table her mystery man glanced toward her, his ice blue eyes locking on hers intensely. Without so much as a second thought he ambled toward her in long, quick, determined strides.
Oh God, it's him.
She knew it before he reached her table. This was the Emperor Abby warned her about in her last reading.
"Are you here alone?” his deep baritone voice asked. He didn't wait for an answer but began to pull out the chair across from her and sat down. The smug look on his face dared her to try and send him away. Little did he know Sidney didn't back down to dares very easily.
"Yes and I'd like to keep it that way.” The lie rolled easily off her tongue. Sure she wanted him here, but she'd never say that to him. His eyes told her he already thought highly of himself. Not that he wasn't worthy. He was very worthy, but walking god or not, no way would she let him walk all over her.
"You sure about that, Sugar? I think it would be much more fun if I joined you."
Oh yeah. He was right about that.
Sidney's reading started running though her mind. The Emperor card, meeting someone new, doing something out of the ordinary, having a little fun, isn't that what Abby said? Hell, she could handle having a little bit of fun. Who was she to argue with the cards?
"One drink,” Sidney said to him before sipping the last of the water in her glass.
"We'll see,” was his only reply as he cocked his head in the direction of the waitress. She didn't need to be asked twice. The brunette raced over to their table obviously eager to wait on him. “Scotch, on the rocks.” He ordered before both the waitress and her mystery man looked over at Sidney waiting for her to order as well.
"I'll just take another ice water.” All she needed was alcohol tonight. She felt her body awakening to this man in just the ninety seconds since she'd seen him. An ache formed in her belly and traveled slightly south. Her body craved him. No doubt a couple drinks would send her right over the edge to doing something she'd regret.
Mr. Blue eyes leaned in toward her. As his eyes caressed her body, goose bumps pebbled on her skin.
"Are you sure you don't want anything with more of a kick, Sugar?"
Shaking herself free from the trance he had her in, Sidney turned towards the waitress. “An ice water.” Sidney leaned backwards in her chair to bring more space between them. She winked to her table mate before turning to the waitress again, “with a lemon wedge on the side."
The waitress stalked away with heavy steps. She obviously thought she was crazy for not engaging in a little bit of alcoholic drink with the man sitting across from her. Just one look from him told her she didn't need anything to drink to fold to this man. She couldn't let that happen.
A smooth, sexy laugh snapped her attention back toward the man sitting across from her. “Lemon wasn't quite the kind of kick I was talking about but now I'm thinking you might have been on the right track anyway. If you have anything with alcohol my plans for tonight would be shot to hell. I don't take advantage of a woman who has been drinking."
Oh man this guy is cocky.
“What makes you think I'm interested in whatever you have planned?"
He returned the wink she'd sent him minutes before. “You're interested, Sugar. You're just too strong-willed to admit it."
Yep, she was definitely interested. She felt her breasts tingle. Her body betrayed her. Sid never had a one night stand in her life. Well, not on purpose at least. Right now her body begged her to do it, to give into what she knew she couldn't do. That didn't sit well.
"So sure of yourself are you?"
"Yes."
Okay. He definitely didn't lack any self-confidence. Cocky men so weren't her thing but he had her body blazing with desire anyway.
She opened her lips to send him away, but her mouth had a mind of its own. “What's your name?”
Damn it. Why did I ask that?
He cocked his brows smugly before replying, “Questions from the woman who isn't interested?"
"I was just making conversation since its obvious you don't plan on leaving my table any time soon."
He obviously decided to play along by answering her question. One look told her he knew she was lying just as much as she did. “Trenton Stone. Do I get to ask questions too?"
"Sure,” Sidney replied hoping the loud beat of her heart couldn't be heard across the table.
"Okay. Tit for tat. What's your name?"
"Sidney,” she blurted out. “Sidney Clark."
"What do you do for a living, Sidney?"
Oh God. The way her name rolled off his tongue made her come close to a swoon. Sidney didn't swoon.
"I own a shop called, Mystic Boutique with my best friend, Abby. I sell books, crystals, Tarot cards, that kind of thing, and Abby does readings.” Depending on his reply Sid would either ditch their conversation right now and head up to her room, or she'd play his game for a little bit longer, see where it might take them.
Most people gave her a look like she was crazy when she told them about Mystic Boutique. People always scoffed at what they didn't understand. As long as they didn't look down on her for it, Sid didn't care if it was their thing or not. Not everyone was into it, but she didn't like to be judged for her shop either.
"I have to admit I don't know a lot about that kind of thing, but I think it's respectable that you're out there doing something you love."
Most men laughed at the idea of Mystic Boutique. Or they wanted to pretend she didn't do what she did. If it was possible he became even more attractive than he already was. Fear pooled in her stomach. She didn't want to like him but she did. “How do you know I love what I do?
"It's in your voice, the way it fluctuates when you mentioned your shop. That and the gleam in your eye."
Wow, she hadn't expected that answer. “Are you a psychologist or something?"
"Nope,” he answered simply.
"Okay then, tit for tat, Trenton."
"I'm a graphic designer.” He didn't go into anymore details with her before asking, “What are you in town for?"
Another test. Sid couldn't wait to see how he replied to this one. “Psychic fair."
Trenton didn't flinch. “I bet that's great business for you and your friend."
Sid didn't know how to reply. She'd never met someone like Trenton before and he overwhelmed her. Suit and tie kind of men usually didn't respect the kind of shop she owned. He seemed so different than anyone she'd ever known. “What are you in town for?"
