Now (New Adult Erotic Romance) (The Tryst Series Book 2) (4 page)

The next morning I couldn’t get out of the hotel fast enough. The last thing I wanted was to run into Jaxon. After being left completely unsatisfied, I didn’t think it’d be safe to be near him. I was afraid I might attack him and beg for him to fuck me. So with the little dignity I had, I got dressed and waited for Dee in the parking lot.

Ten minutes later, she pulled up and I jumped into her car. Her black hair was in its usual waves and her skin was absolutely flawless.

“Someone’s in a rush this morning,” she said, flashing a curious eye in my direction.

“Well duh,” I said. “It’s my best friend’s bachelorette day I’m excited.” So maybe it was a lie, but I really didn’t feel like spending my morning talking about Jaxon. Thoughts of him already consumed my night. Besides today wasn’t about him or me, it was about Dee.

“Me too,” Dee exclaimed. “I’ve been dying for a massage for weeks. “My sisters and cousin are going to meet us at the spa. They just got in this morning, so I told them to take their time.”

Dee’s two sisters were a blast. Rebecca and Faith had visited us many times throughout our four years of college. They were always the first to show up to a party and the last to leave. I made a mental note to stay hydrated and filled with carbs or I’d never be able to keep up with them that night.

“So how was your night?” Dee asked and I could hear the probing tone in her voice. A simple it was fine wasn’t going to do.

“Good. Went back to my room, watched a movie and fell asleep,” I said, hoping it was enough to satisfy her curiosity.

“So you and Jaxon went your separate ways?”

“We did. He got a call when we were heading upstairs and he had to leave. We said goodbye and that was it.”

“Well that’s boring.”

“Sorry my life couldn’t be a little more entertaining for you,” I joked.

“I was really hoping for some hot sex stories.”

Me too. Unfortunately the only hot sex story I had was between myself and a vision of Jaxon. Pretty pathetic actually.

Dee parked in front of the spa and we headed inside. The smell of lavender lingered in the air and soft music played overhead. A relaxing day was exactly what I needed.

I followed the woman into the back room where I stripped down and laid on a massage bed. She came in and worked the tension out of my neck and back, and for the first time since I landed in Michigan, I didn’t feel like I was wound so tight I was about to snap.

After the massage I was brought into another room for a mani/pedi where I met up with Dee and her family. I could hear them before I ever entered the room and when I finally stepped inside the volume went up another ten notches.

“Lyla, you bitch!” Faith yelled and tossed her muscular arms around me. “We were wondering where you were.”

“Hiding from you crazy bitches,” I joked and Faith swiveled her head at me then burst out laughing.

“We are crazy.”

“And bitches,” Rebecca said, pushing her way past Faith and greeting me with a hug. “Missed you girl.”

“Missed you too,” I said.

“You remember, my cousin, Tanisha, right?” Dee asked from a pedicure chair.

“Of course. I do good to see you,” I said and since I was giving out hugs, I gave out another.

We all settled into our chairs and Rebecca pulled out a bottle of champagne. “Let’s get this party started.”

“It’s ten in the morning,” Dee said.

“I know. It’s late. We gotta get a move on this.”

She popped the cork and poured the champagne into red solo cups. She handed me a plastic cup and I took it. “Keeping it classy?” I asked.

“You know it.”

When we all had cups in our hands we raised them for a toast.

“To keeping it classy,” Rebecca said.

“To keeping it classy,” we all said in unison.

***

Three bottles of champagne, an eyebrow waxing, a facial, and a manicure and pedicure later we went back to Dee’s place to get dressed for the night. Rebecca looked fierce in her leopard print tight knit dress as did Faith in her black jumpsuit with the cutout back. The only thing holding the top up was a string tied in a single knot.

Tanisha was a little more modest in her skinny jeans and a sparkly gold sleeveless top. I went somewhere in the middle with a hot pink satin skirt and a black tank top. We looked hot. And when Dee stepped out in a white dress that looked like it was tailored for her body we all whistled at her.

Tanisha drove us in Dee’s car, but Cole promised if Tanisha wanted to drink a little more and we needed a ride home he’d come and get us. He was a good man and I was so happy for Dee.

“First shot is on me,” Rebecca said, holding up a fifty dollar bill as we pulled into the parking lot of the bar.

“Second is on me,” Faith declared as she got out of the car.

“Remember, I’m getting married tomorrow. Take it easy on me,” Dee pleaded.

“Luckily it’s not a morning wedding,” I offered and kissed her on the cheek as I past her on my way into the bar.

Our first shot was a red headed slut, followed by a lemon drop. From there the shots kept coming. We danced and laughed and made friends with the bartender, Gerry.

Tanisha finally joined in and I sent a text to Cole letting him know we were going to need him to get home.

We all squished in for a picture and Gerry counted down to three before snapping it. We celebrated with another shot.

I was still wincing off the shot of whatever that was when Rebecca asked, “Lyla, truth or dare?”

“What are we twelve?”

“Oh this could be fun!” Dee cheered and who was I to disappoint the bride to be.

“Dare,” I answered.

“I dare you to kiss the next person who walks through that door.”

“That’s ridiculous,” I stated.

Rebecca smiled. “Or you could do another shot. What about a shot of 151?”

It was already getting increasingly hard to keep my balance, and I had lost count of how many shots I had actually done, so I knew that was a worse dare. Without a second thought, I turned toward the door and wrapped my arms around the first guy. He wouldn’t be my first choice, but I ignored that and pressed my lips to his.

He tasted of beer and cigarettes, but a dare was a dare. His hand snaked around my waist and squeezed me tight against his soft stomach. Whistles sounded around us and I pulled away about to say thank you when my gaze locked on familiar dark eyes.

Jaxon.

His stare was darker than usual. It wasn’t shadowed by passion and desire it was more wild and vicious than that. It was anger and disgust.

I pushed off the guy about to go over to Jaxon and explain how it was just a dare, but why should I? We weren’t a thing. He left me high and dry last night and even though I was avoiding him, he still never even attempted a call.

The guys hand curled around my arm and yanked me back to him. “Hey, sugar, don’t be leaving just yet,” he said.

“Thanks,” I said. “But it was just a dare. Thanks for being a good sport.”

“It could be more than a dare.”

“No, really it was just a dare. I’m going to go back to my girlfriends now.”

“I think you want to stay right here.”

His fingers tightened their grip and his other hand smoothed down my back. Of course I picked the one drunken asshole that couldn’t accept it and move on.

I was drunk and wasn’t thinking clearly. My body froze in shock as his chubby hand grabbed a handful of my ass. Then before I could break free from the ice holding me in place, the guy was pulled off of me and Jaxon’s fist implanted in his face. Jaxon didn’t even flinch or flex his fingers.

I gasped as the guy slumped to the floor. The veins in Jaxon’s arms bulged. A bunch of the guys’ buddies came out of the woodwork and surrounded us. Cole joined Jaxon in the center, resting his hand on his shoulder. The anger I could see coursing through his body calmed as he turned and noticed the other guys. Jaxon smiled and he and Cole looked as if they were about to take down as many guys as they could when two security guards, each the size of a house, pushed their way to the middle.

One grabbed Mr. Touchy who was nursing a bloody nose and tossed him outside while the other guard and Gerry rounded up the guys’ friends and escorted them out.

Jaxon’s hand rested on my shoulder and I glanced up into those beautiful eyes. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I think so.”

I was wondering why no one escorted Jaxon out when one of the security guards came up to him and patted him on the back.

“My man. I see you out for the first time ever and you’re already causing trouble. No wonder you stick to your own place,” the guard said.

“Sorry about that, Paulie.”

“No problem. Not the first time that guy and his crew have been kicked out of here. Let me buy you a drink.”

Jaxon pressed his hand to my lower back. “Next time. We were just leaving.”

“Next time it is,” Paulie said and disappeared into the crowd.

Jaxon urged me to the back of the bar.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“Home,” he said.

“I don’t have a home,” I mumbled then smacked a hand over my mouth, cursing at myself for being so stupid.

He stopped walking and gripped my shoulders. “What are you talking about?”

The truth was on the tip of my tongue but I swallowed it down. There was no way in hell I was about to admit to Jaxon that I was three months behind on my rent and about to be evicted. I couldn’t even bring myself to tell Dee. So I lied. “I don’t have a home here, I meant.”

“Hotel, home whatever. Your night’s over.”

“What about the girls?” I asked.

“Cole has them. You’ll see them in the morning.”

“I want to say goodbye,” I pouted, but Jaxon did not look amused. I wiggled out of his hold and found Dee and the others.

“Holy shit, girl,” Rebecca said as I approached. “That was some crazy shit. And who is that tall drink of sexy who rescued you?”

“That,” I said and pointed behind me to where Jaxon stood cross armed and irked. “Is Jaxon.”

“Where have you been hiding him?” Faith asked.

I twirled my finger around in front of them. The alcohol suddenly kicking into overdrive in my system. “I have not been hiding him. He fucked me once and left. He’s been hiding himself.”

“Well you found him now. Make the best of it,” Rebecca said and kissed me on the cheek.

I hugged Faith then Tanisha. Dee was slumped over on Cole’s shoulder, and I tapped her hand. She looked up and smiled a big drunk smile. “Lyla, I love you.”

“I love you,” I said. “Now go home before you get in trouble.”

“Shh. He can hear you.” Dee poked at Cole’s cheek and we both laughed.

“And your time is up,” Jaxon said, coming up behind me.

“He’s no fun,” I tried to whisper to Dee, but it came out a lot louder than I hoped.

“None at all,” he muttered. “You sure you got them all?” Jaxon asked Cole.

“Yup, just get Lyla back.” They shook hands and then Jaxon was steering me toward the back again.

“The door is over there.” I pointed over my shoulder to the front of the bar.

“We’re going out the back entrance in case those assholes are still out front.”

“Oh.”

Jaxon held the door for me as I stumbled through. His hand caught me before I went face first to the pavement. “Thanks for rescuing me.”

“I shouldn’t have had to. Why the hell were you kissing that guy anyway?”

“It was a dare.”

“And if they dared you to jump off a bridge would you?”

“You sound like an old guy.”

“No, I sound like a responsible adult.”

“And what, I don’t?”

“No, you sound like a misbehaved child.”

“I’ve been a bad girl,” I pouted. “Do you want to spank me?”

“Get in the damn car, Lyla.” Jaxon swung the passenger door open and wouldn’t even look at me.

I felt stupid and ashamed and I didn’t say another word as I crawled into the car. The door slammed behind me and I turned to the window so I didn’t have to look at him anymore.

His door closed and he started the car. I closed my eyes trying to will away the dizzy spells. That last shot was a really bad idea.

“Are you okay?” Jaxon asked after what felt like a never ending silence.

“Don’t act like you care,” I spat.

“I do care,” he said, resting his hand on my knee as he pulled into a space and killed the engine. 

I wanted to believe him. I did. But I couldn’t let one simple thing go.

“You left,” I said and somehow the look in his eyes told me he knew I wasn’t talking about last night.

“You left first.”

I was scared. I panicked. I had just ended one relationship and to jump into something else was ludicrous. But even still I didn’t just leave. “I left a note.”

“So did I.”

Frustration seeped into my veins. Just like always we were getting nowhere. “I tried calling you, but your phone was disconnected.”

“Forgot to pay the bill.”

“You know what, forget it,” I said and flung the door open. I got out and marched, as well as I could for a drunk in four inch heels, toward the hotel lobby.

“Lyla, wait.”

I twirled myself around. “Why? What’s the point? You’re never going to tell me where you went. Where you’ve been for the past two years. Why you’re in Michigan now and why you didn’t want me to know. I get it. Finally I get it. It was just sex. Nothing else. And because of that there’s no reason for me to know anything.”

“That’s not—”

I held my hand up and stood my ground. “It was a tryst. A one night stand. We got caught up in that last night, wanting to relive the moment. You just realized it before I did. But if sex is what you want…” I stepped toward him and glanced up through long lashes. “I’m okay with that.” I dragged my finger down his shirt, but before I could get anywhere he stopped my hand.

“No,” he said, but he might as well have slapped me across the face.

Sadness coursed through me and tears pricked at my eyes. I equated it to the alcohol and turned around before Jaxon could see any fallen tears.

With my head as high as I could hold it, I walked into the hotel, alone.

***

My stomach was queasy, but the sadness won out. I stumbled into the elevator and pressed the button for my floor. I held onto the back wall and tried to keep myself from collapsing into a drunken mess, but it only reminded me of Jaxon and how amazing his lips felt pressed to mine as he kissed me up against this very wall.

I fumbled in my bag for my keys and only dropped them twice. The back of my hand was as good as a tissue as I swiped the tears away.

The hallway looked impossibly long and I kicked off my heels as I made my way to my door. I put my key to the door, but couldn’t find the hole. All I wanted was to go collapse on my bed and put an end to this night, but this damn key was making it impossible.

A hand rested on mine and I tried to force the tears away before looking at Jaxon. He took the keys away from me and picked my bag up from the floor. He flipped the top open and fished out my key card.

“Oh yeah,” I muttered as he pushed the card into the slot and opened my door.

He reached down and picked up my shoes handing them to me.

“I didn’t want to have this conversation with you because I know you’re not going to remember any of it in the morning. Which is also why I’m not going to have sex with you.”

“That’s not true,” I argued.

He closed his eyes and it was if he was debating to finally let it all out or keep it hidden inside. “Despite what you may think, I do care. Probably too much. Goodnight, Lyla,” he said and kissed my forehead before disappearing into his own room.