At the sound of her soft chuckle Trent lifted to roll onto the mattress, pulling her onto his chest. "I was thinking the same about you."
Her fingers slid down his chest and encircled his flaccid penis. "Do you think he'll wake up anytime soon?"
Without waiting for a response her tongue circled his nipple and Trent closed his eyes. "Keep going, he might." For the first time in what seemed forever, he lay back and gave himself over, somehow knowing she did not care about his money or social standing. He was hers for the taking; there was no fear she’d try to impress him in an effort to get something from him. So different.
Her hands massaged his skin, moving over his chest down his stomach, heated lips taking up where they deserted. Sensations layered one over the other as she descended down his body, nipping, kissing and licking him, the entire time she spoke softly. "You're a beautiful man, Trent."
Her mouth took in his now hardened flesh. The pillow behind his head fluffed against his ears when he threw his head into it, he grunted, holding back wanting it to continue as long as possible. Her fingers wrapped around his base as she worked him in and out of her mouth and with the other hand she cupped his sack squeezing it gently. She kept moving, the steady pace and the sounds of her suckling pushing him close to losing control. "Ride me," he grunted not wanting to come yet.
He lifted his head and watched his penis slide from between her plush lips and they curved up knowingly. "With pleasure."
She straddled Trent facing away giving him the vantage point of her well-formed ass and held his length up and slid onto it. Trent groaned and forced himself to remain still. Once fully seated in her, she rose and lowered continuing the pace she'd started. Their moves became more rapid and erratic and Trent grabbed her hips and pushed her forward to mount her from behind. Only moans and mewls came from her, incoherent words that he understood--the language of being lost in rapture.
"That's it, come for me, Amy Leigh." Trent reached around her and stroked her only a few times and she screamed out his name sending him to climax with her.
They sat on the couch and ate fried rice and egg rolls, the only thing their addled minds could think of to order. Amy Leigh wore his t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants and he wore boxers. They'd remained in bed making out after the second bout of sex until they'd made love once again. When she finally got out of bed and pronounced she was starving, it was close to ten at night.
"We need to talk," Amy Leigh looked at him over her white box. "Did you get the prenup?"
"Yes, I gave it to my lawyer." Trent's gut tightened. Had he been wrong about her? Was this the moment she'd ask him for money or some sort of settlement?
"Good, I read it over twice and made some changes on it."
"What changes?" His food lost its appeal and he sat back waiting for her answer.
"Didn't you read it?" she asked. Her mouth open and eyebrows raised. "Seriously, you should have seen it, Trent, I lined out a bunch of stuff and initialed it."
"I trust my lawyer to review it and get back to me. I forwarded the signed copy you sent to him. He and I haven't had a chance to talk yet." His lawyer left a message to call him, but Trent had been too preoccupied with a delay on office furniture to get back to him. "What did you change?" He crossed his arms and waited for her reply.
"You know the part giving me a certain amount of money if we get a divorce within a year?"
"Yes." His reply was curt. "What about it?"
"Well, I think it's crazy. Trent, I don't know what kind of lawyer you have, but if you get a divorce from whomever you marry within even a few years, then she shouldn't get squat. It's your money, your family's." She huffed at him then narrowed her eyes. "Duh, no wonder women marry rich guys, it's easier than winning the lotto."
"You changed the amount then?"
Amy Leigh nodded. "Yep, to zero." She reached for an egg roll and took a bite. "Not that it matters. I know you only did it so your parents wouldn’t stress out, well, and I suppose since you don't really know me, it was a smart move. Besides, we're getting an annulment, so it's neither here nor there. If I were you, I'd talk to that lawyer about throwing your money away. Aren't you hungry?" She eyed his box of fried rice. "Eat. I need your energy later." She giggled and he could not help but grin back at her.
It did matter; she would have received a certain amount even for an annulment just to keep her from suing him later. "You're so different from anyone I've ever dated."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Not at all." If she only knew how refreshing she was and how much he was beginning to dread when their time would end and she'd return to life in her small town away from him. "Not at all, Amy Leigh from Pine Oak, Montana."
"Maybe that's why we aren't dating. I'm not your type."
"Oh, you're definitely my type." He was gratified by her happy smile.
"What do you do here in Laurel?" she asked digging back into the rice.
"I have a company that assesses ranches and figures out how they can do more for their money. We also provide equipment and teach ranchers to make their business more productive. I am also coming up with a patent in my spare time for a new flame proof material." He shrugged.“I majored in chemistry in college.”
Amy Leigh leaned forward. "Will it help firemen?"
"As a matter of fact, they are the main ones who will benefit from it." Trent relaxed. He enjoyed talking about his work. "From what tests showed, a man was able to walk into a blaze and come out barely breaking a sweat."
Her mood became somber; her eyes fell to her lap. "That’s great. I hope they are able to get it for every fireman, they should all have it."
Trent cupped her face and lifted it. "What's wrong?"
"My Daddy died as a results of burn injuries. He was a volunteer fireman in Pine Oak."
"I'm sorry."
Her smile reassured him. "It was a long time ago. I was only five." Her face brightened. "I have an idea. I'd like a fire suit if you ever can get one made."
"Whatever for, Amy Leigh?"
"So I can go to hell and visit some of my relatives." She burst out laughing and he joined her.
"You're crazy." He laughed. "Tell me about your career."
She lifted her glass of water. "I am an event planner. Right now my mother, aunt, and I own Party On, it's small but does brisk business in our area. I want to grow the business. I've been saving up for it. Thanks to my daddy's life insurance, which Mom saved for me, I paid outright for my small house and the Jeep. So my expenses are pretty low. We own the small office in Pine Oak outright. Anyway, I'd like to expand to a larger city, maybe this place?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him. "Maybe you can introduce me to your highfalutin' friends."
"I'm not sure I have those." He smiled at her. "If I can, I will help you of course."
"Yay!" Amy Leigh threw her arms around his neck and knocked him back onto the couch. Her plush body covering his. "Thank you. You're my hero." He ignored the strange pang in his chest at her gratitude for something so small.
They kissed for a few minutes, then her head rested on his chest.
Trent slid his hand down her back. "Do you have a name in mind for this venture of yours yet?"
"I'm considering ‘Party All The Time,’ but it's too long."
"How about ‘Party Crashers’?" He chuckled.
"No, I like ‘Party Pooper’ better," Amy Leigh retorted.
They continued throwing ridiculous names back and forth until their voices became groggy with sleep, neither wanting to admit the night was at a close.
"Come on, party girl, let's get you to bed," Trent told her as he pulled her from the couch.
"My room is over there." Amy Leigh mumbled and attempted to head the opposite way when they got down the hall.
"No way are you sleeping that far from me."
Chapter Nine
If she was impressed by Trent’s house, his parent’s ranch blew her away.They drove under a large gate archway with the word’s Blue Sky Ranc
h across in ironwork down a long well maintained road. Land on both sides of the road was plush with horses grazing, their tales swishing side to side. She spotted a herd of goats on the opposite side and wondered if the family ever ate them. They were too cute to eat in her opinion.
The immense log house spoke of generations belonging to the elite of Billings. From the wrap around porches on all three floors, to the flourishing ferns hanging from black iron baskets, it was beautiful. The manicured side garden included a small fountain with a fat boy holding some sort of bowl that spilled water. The trickling sound would have been soothing, if not for the thundering of Amy Leigh's heartbeat and the lack of air when she attempted to swallow through the dread. Trepidation filled every part of her body and Amy Leigh took another deep breath in a futile attempt to keep from shaking.
Warmth from Trent's hand on the small of her back, which was meant to either reassure her, or keep her from turning tail and running back to his car helped only a bit. "You look beautiful," he whispered in her ear. "Everything will be fine." Ah, so it was to keep her from running then.
As soon as they stepped foot onto the broad porch, the huge front doors swung open. Amy Leigh expected a maid or a butler, but instead a curvy woman dressed in pink pants and a pink and green sleeveless blouse stepped out. Her white sandals clacked on the wooden boards. She clasped her hands in front of her chest and smiled broadly. "Finally you're here. I've been pacing so much your father went to the TV room and closed the door."
The woman held her face up to accept Trent's kiss on her cheek and then looked to Amy Leigh. She recognized the woman’s golden hazel eyes. They were just like Trent's. "Hello, Amy Leigh, I'm Hillary Baxter. It's so nice to finally meet you."
When Trent's mother hugged her, Amy Leigh's eyes welled up and she wanted to melt into the pretty lady and confess the truth. She blinked to ensure dry eyes when his mother pulled away.
Hillary Baxter smiled brightly. "You certainly are beautiful."
"Th...thank you." Amy Leigh smiled feeling better. "You're sweet. I just love the house, it's breathtaking."
"Thank you, dear. Oh goodness, please come in. I didn't mean to keep you out here. I was just so excited to meet you."
Hillary Baxter commandeered Amy Leigh’s arm and pulled her along as Trent followed behind with their overnight bags. Amy Leigh looked over her shoulder and he winked at her. They had bopped like bunnies for two nights and still her heart quickened at his crooked smile. As if reading her mind, his eyes shot down to her butt and she stumbled forward.
"You have to be careful," Mrs. Baxter told her. "These floors are over a hundred years old. They are not as smooth as you're probably used to."
Amy Leigh smiled at Trent's mother. "The floors in my cottage are old pine. I buffed and refinished them myself. They're pretty much uneven too, but nowhere as smooth as these." She looked down. "Your floors are amazing."
"Really?" The older woman studied the dark oak floors with pride. "I did the same thing to these, much to my husband's annoyance. I wanted to do it myself. It was hard work but well worth it."
"You did all this?" Amy Leigh asked her with genuine awe. "No way."
"Mother, Amy Leigh, these bags are pretty heavy," Trent interrupted. "As much as I hate to interrupt your floor talk, can you tell me which room we're to stay in, Mother?"
"Oh goodness, sorry, son." His mother chuckled and pointed to a wide stairwell. "Your old room, the green room, is prepared for you."
The rooms were named. Amy Leigh swallowed and watched Trent go up the stairs. "Want me to help you, honey?"
He shook his head and continued up. Both women looked after him. Finally Amy Leigh looked to her temporary mother-in-law. "I hear there's a big party planned for your birthday tomorrow night. Is there anything I can do to help? I plan parties for a living."
"I'm surprised you haven't resigned. You don't have to work any longer, you know." The deep voice startled Amy Leigh who turned to an older version of Trent. Trevor Baxter's disapproving gaze met hers and the shakes returned.
Mrs. Baxter moved to his side and looked up at him, seeming to send him a silent message. "Amy Leigh this is my husband, Trevor. Honey?"
The last thing he looked like was a ‘honey’. His sharp eyes bore into hers, no doubt as an attempt to intimidate. If he only knew he had nothing on her stalker ex, who could stare down a pissed off bull. Amy Leigh maintained eye contact until her right eye began to twitch. Damn contacts.
"Nice to meet you, Amy Leigh. Welcome to the family." Trevor Baxter held out his hand, it was as cold as his demeanor.
Her hand was engulfed in his larger one as he squeezed it. Amy Leigh could only smile at him. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Baxter."
He did not ask her to refer to him by his first name so she supposed "Dad" was out of the question.
They moved to a room that she figured to be some sort of conversation space and sat. A woman walked in with a tray of tall glasses filled with lemonade and placed them on a center table. She spoke in quiet tones to Mrs. Baxter. Amy Leigh watched with interest because she'd never seen a housekeeper and mistress interact before. She chewed on her bottom lip. Thank goodness she would not stay married to Trent. There was no way she could ever be so refined.
"Are you taking notes for when you set up household?" Trent's fathers’ comment was like ice water poured over her. Thankfully, Trent entering the room saved her from making a snappy retort.
He locked gazes with his father and an entire conversation without speaking transpired between them. She didn't even attempt to interpret. Trent sat next to her, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. The solidity of his strong body secured her like an anchor. There was nothing she wanted more than to lean into him, close her eyes, and wake up back in his house.
The conversation remained superficial. Mostly Hillary Baxter asked questions about Amy Leigh’s life in Pine Oak, which made conversing easy since Amy Leigh was proud of her small hometown. The entire time Trent's father who she now dubbed Ice-Cold-Papa, remained aloof only answering when directly asked a question with a “yes,” “perhaps,” or “no.” More often it was “no.”
After Mr. Baxter excused himself to see about business dealings, she and Trent went with his mother to the back of the house.
A pool surrounded by lush plants and trees gave the impression of a resort. Muted tan umbrellas shaded matching lounge chairs on one side. On the other were several tall tables with shades of their own, which were framed with four chairs apiece. Soft music drifted through the air from unseen speakers. The only things missing were waiters in crisp white uniforms and a Tiki hut.
Trent invited her to sit at a table and Mrs. Baxter excused herself stating she had a quick phone call to make. Trent reached for Amy Leigh’s hand and brought it to his lips. His hazel eyes brighter in the sunlight met hers. "You're doing great."
It was still early afternoon, too early to escape to the bedroom pretending to be sleepy. Amy Leigh looked toward where his mother had disappeared. "I'm already exhausted, Trent, and we just got here." When he frowned and nodded she quickly added, "Your mother is amazing and this house is beautiful. I am just overwhelmed I suppose."
Trent stood and pulled her to stand. "Come here." His arms wrapped around her and she fell against his chest. "You're an amazing woman." He pulled her face up. "Just a couple of days. You can do that for me can't you?"
Hell, she would walk on burning coals for him at the moment. He was so damn great. The thought shook her. Not the walking on burning coals part but how strongly she felt about him. No. No. No. She could not fall for him. This was temporary. A game.
His lips pressed against hers and she was struck by how familiar they were now. "It's so strange." She didn't mean to mutter out loud. Damn.
"What's strange?" Mrs. Baxter asked looking at them with a wide smile.
Trent looked to Amy Leigh to answer, which made sense, but it still pissed her off he didn't think to cover for her. Amy
Leigh took a deep breath and decided to be honest. "How familiar Trent feels to me. I mean we've not known each other very long and yet, it's like..." He squeezed her hand and she smiled up at him. "Just ignore me, I'm being silly."
"Oh, no. You're just in love, honey. I see it. The way you are around each other is great. I've never seen Trent so infatuated." Trent's eyes widened and a soft blush covered his face. "And you, Amy Leigh, well you just glow when you look at him," his mother said with a sigh. "True love."
Amy Leigh swallowed and wondered how she could keep from glowing.
"Trent, I need to speak to you," Trevor Baxter called from the doorway. The moment was broken. In this case it was a good thing.
Chapter Ten
"Did you know she changed the prenuptial agreement?" His father swirled the scotch in his glass and watched the amber liquid. "What do you make of it?"
Not the time for this. Trent considered telling him they'd speak later, but his father was like a dog with a bone. He would not let go until it was gnawed to the marrow. "She told me it was ridiculous. If someone was married to me for a short period, then I shouldn't pay them any amount."
"It should make you wary. Although independent, she's by no means well to do. Her party planning business brings barely a hundred thousand a year, and she splits the profits with her mother and an aunt. Then..."
"You investigated her?" Trent stood and clenched his hands. "Dad, what the hell are you doing?"
"I'm looking out for you." His father's calm demeanor only infuriated him more.
"The fuck you are."
"Trent."
"No." He stalked to the desk and leaned over meeting his father's direct gaze. "If you can't trust me and want my resignation from any interest in Baxter Ranching, I’ll give it to you. You can give it all to one of my cousins for all I care."
"You care for her that much?"
"It's not just that, Dad, I want to live my own life. Make my own mistakes. If Amy Leigh and I don't work out, she gets nothing. If it's a chance she's willing to take, then so am I."
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