Free Always (New Adult Erotic Romance) (The Tryst Series #3) by Marie York Page B

stared at the gorgeous man in front of me. Fortunately, I quickly recovered. “Jaxon,” I said, and damn it for being breathier than I’d hoped. “I…you…hi,” I stuttered.
    “You two know each other?” Gary asked with an amused laugh.
    “You could say that,” Jaxon replied, wiping his hands on a dish towel.
    Gary rested his elbows on the bar, his chin on his hands, watching us like a damn circus act.
    “Gary, go find something to do,” Jaxon said, his dark intense gaze never leaving mine. I was frozen in place, unable to look away, to break the ridiculous hold he had on me.
    I swallowed down the desire to go to him, remembering he left me naked and alone in a hotel room just a month ago. Still, the battle raged inside of me because, despite the simple fact that I was nothing more than sex to him, I couldn’t seem to let him go.
    It figured that, out of all the bars in the area, I chose the only one that Jaxon Reed was in. Fuck me.
    “Gary, now!” Jaxon growled.
    Gary held his hands up, backing away, and then vanished into the back again.
    Jaxon and I stood there, staring at each other, neither one of us saying a word. I didn’t want him to know how his leaving ripped me to shreds. How I cried the entire time I packed my bags when I realized he wasn’t coming back. The sadness that wracked my body as I pulled the hotel door shut, and got in that cab.
    So, I cleared my throat, and acted like nothing happened. “I don’t know if you’ve spoken to Cole, but I moved to Michigan.”
    Jaxon scratched at the five o’clock shadow on his chin. “I haven’t since he got back from his honeymoon.”
    I offered up a smile before continuing. “I’m just going to get right to the point. I need a job. I remember Dee saying this place was the best. So, I’m here if you’re looking for someone. And if not, maybe you can speak to the owner.”
    Jaxon grinned, and I looked down at the floor, noticing how they looked like they were just refinished. The dots began to connect in my mind. Jaxon stayed at the hotel because his floors were being refinished. He wasn’t just the manager here. Baile was his.
    “You own this place, don’t you?” I asked. “You know what. I’m going to go somewhere else.” The thought of seeing Jaxon day in and day out seemed liked a form of torture. On our last night together, I actually thought that maybe, somehow, he was ready to give things a shot. That us together somehow made sense to him like it did to me. But, he left and the reality was, I couldn’t handle any more rejection from him. So, before he could say no, I turned on my heel, and headed to the door.
    “Lyla,” he called out to me, and dammit if his voice didn’t cause me to go weak in the knees. I stopped, but couldn’t find the strength to glance back at him.
    His warm strong hand rested on my shoulder, igniting sparks of heat up my neck, and down my arms. “Where are you going?” he asked against my ear, his breath like a warm caress.
    “I…” His mouthwatering scent engulfed me, and words lost their way in my throat. His hard chest pressed into my back, and I balled my hands into fists to keep from reaching behind me, and running them over his abs.
    “Can you start tonight?” he asked.
    “Yes!” Overcome with excitement, I turned around and hugged him. I didn’t realize how big of a mistake that was until he was pressed up against me. Touching him was like an electric shock to my system. It kicked my senses into high gear and I wanted more. His arms stayed at his side, as I slowly, and with much embarrassment, released my hold on his neck. “Sorry,” I muttered. “Yes, I can start tonight. What time?”
    “Be here at five.”
    “Five. You got it. And thank you.”
    He nodded. Afraid if I didn’t leave right then and there, I’d make a fool of myself, and ask why he left me again, so I nodded back and hurried to the door.
    “Lyla,” he called out, and as if his voice was my pause button, I