On Dublin Street

~10~





I didn’t go to Braden’s picnic.

Well, I did, but I didn’t.

Flabbergasted by his transformation back into shmexy ‘Cab Braden’ who couldn’t take his eyes off of me, I didn’t know what to make of it in all my confusion. And yes, in all my scaredy-pantishness! So I took the coward’s way out and roped Rhian into helping me–while also lying to her about why–out of the situation without making it seem like I wanted to get out of the situation…

Saturday rolled by and it was a surprisingly hot day, and The Meadows – a large park on the other side of the city by the university – was crowded with sunbathers and people playing sports. Braden had managed to grab a spot in the shade. Adam, Jenny, Ed and Braden were already there as Ellie and I approached, the sounds of laughter, kids shouting, and dogs barking creating a happy soundtrack to the scene. It was a perfect day, and the atmosphere in The Meadows was electric with contentedness. For a minute I wished I was staying.

“Uh…” I gazed down at the two hampers Braden had brought. They were so elaborate I wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d stolen them out of a Fortnum & Mason’s display. “You call this a picnic?”

Braden had stood up when we approached, hugging Ellie into his side and gesturing proudly to the hampers sitting on a beautiful chenille blanket. Now he looked confused. “Yes.” he frowned at me. “What would you call it?”

“A five star restaurant on grass.”

The corner of his lip curled up in wry amusement. “I had the staff at the restaurant make them up.”

“And what restaurant would that be again? The five star one?”

“I think she’s making fun of you and all your money, Braden.” Ellie grinned at him. “It is a bit much.”

He made a noise of disgruntlement. “It’s a bloody picnic. Sit. Eat. Shut up.”

She giggled and flopped down beside Adam who wrapped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her into his side. “Nice to see you, Els.”

“Yeah, you too.” She smiled at him but pulled away a little, causing me to raise an eyebrow. What was up with that?

“Well?”

I looked up at Braden to find him holding a hand out to me, unmasked heat in his eyes.

And Rhian saved me with perfect timing.

My cell rang and I made an apologetic face as I pulled it out of my pocket. “Rhian, hey.” I turned and took a few steps away, not chancing that they might hear her on the other end of the line.

“I have an emergency,” she replied in a monotone. “Abort the picnic.”

“Oh, no, you’re kidding.” I played along, sounding all mothering and soothing. “Are you okay?”

“Bloody hell, Joss, I thought you could lie?” Rhian grumbled. “You’re speaking like an alien who’s heard of the human concept of ‘being concerned’ but doesn’t know how to execute it.”

I grit my teeth, ignoring her. “Sure, I can talk. Just a sec.” I took a moment, trying to exude ‘human concern’ as I turned back to Braden and the gang. I had a feeling I was scowling more than frowning, but whatever. “I’m sorry, guys, but I have to take a rain check.”

Ellie sat up, worried. “Is everything okay? Do you need me to come?”

“No, I’m okay. Rhian just really needs someone to talk to. It can’t wait. Sorry.” I chanced a glance at Braden and found he wasn’t just watching me. He was studying me. Suspiciously. My eyes dropped quickly. “See you later.” I walked away to their calls of goodbye and stuck the phone back up to my ear. “I was being concerned,” I grouched at Rhian.

“Anyone who knows you, knows that’s not how you sound when you’re concerned.”

“Well, luckily, they don’t know me.” Or not… Braden was sure looking at me funny.

“So you really don’t like this Ed guy?”

I winced, remembering my lie. In an effort not to get into the whole Braden thing with Rhian, I’d lied and said that Ellie’s friend Jenna’s fiancé Ed was a bigot and I didn’t want to be around him, but I also didn’t want to hurt Ellie’s feelings by saying no to the picnic. I felt bad about maligning Ed, but I didn’t think it mattered too much since I wasn’t expecting him and Rhian to ever meet.

“Nope, I don’t.”

“You know I’m not buying it, right?”

I almost stumbled. “Buying what?”

“You talk about Ellie all the time, Joss. I think I can safely say I understand enough about the woman to know she wouldn’t be friends with a f*ckin’ bigot. Like I said, you can’t lie for shit.”

Huh! That was so not true! “I can lie. I am a damn good liar!”

“Oh that’s right, yell that out while you’re still walking away from them.”

Shit. I glanced around to make sure I’d put enough distance between us. I had. My heart slowed. “You’re a pain in the ass,” I grumbled, forgetting she’d just done me a favor.

She made a pfftt noise. “You’re the one who lied to me. Seriously, what’s going on?”

I sighed. “Can this be one of those things we don’t talk about?”

“No.”

“Please, Rhian.”

“Have you spoken to your therapist about it?”

I frowned, wondering why she’d ask that. “No…”

“Fine.” She sighed heavily. “I won’t ask about it, as long as you promise to talk to your therapist about it. And you may lie, but I know you would never break a promise.”

“Rhian-”

“Promise.”

I shook my head. “It’s not therapy-worthy.”

“If it was worth lying to me about, then it’s therapy-worthy. Sort your shit out, Joss, and promise.”

“Fine,” I agreed, but only because I knew it was Rhian’s grumpy way of being a good friend.





***





Dr. Pritchard had flowers on her desk. I smiled. She had taken note.

“You lied so you wouldn’t have to spend time with Braden?”

I squirmed, wishing Rhian hadn’t held me to my promise. “Yup.”

“Before, when I asked you if you were attracted to Braden you said ‘I was’. Past tense. Were you telling the truth?”

No. “Maybe not.”

“So you are attracted to him?”

Oh what the hell… “I’ve never been attracted to anyone as much as I’m attracted to him.”

The good doctor gave me a wry smile. “Okay. But you’re avoiding him even though he’s made it perfectly clear that he’s interested in you. Are you afraid of him, Joss?”

Honestly? “Yes.”

“You have no intention of having any kind of relationship with him?”

“Were you not here when I told you about my past with guys?”

“That’s not the same thing. For a start, you know Braden.”

“I don’t want anything to do with him, alright.”

“You’ve just told me you’re extremely attracted to this man. When you talk about him, it’s clear to me you like him, so, no. I wouldn’t say you’re alright—you don’t want to want to have anything to do with him.”

“Same thing.”

“No it’s not. Why are you afraid of him, Joss?”

“I don’t know,” I retorted, pissed off with the topic and with Rhian for making me discuss it. “I just know that I don’t want to start anything with him.”

“Why not?”

Jesus C, sometimes it was like talking to a brick wall with this woman. “It would mess things up. With Ellie, with me, with him. No.”

She tilted her head to the side, her expression blank. She was good at this. “Joss, maybe it’s time to stop thinking fifty steps in front of you and just let things play out naturally.”

“The last time I did that I woke up in bed with two strange guys and no panties.”

“I told you that’s not the same thing. You’re not the same person, and Braden is not some stranger. I’m not telling you or asking you to do anything you don’t want to do, concerning Braden or otherwise. But I am suggesting you stop predicting the future and take each day as it comes. Not forever, not even for a few months. Try it for a few days, a few weeks even. I know it might be scary, but just… try.”





***





As I had been for the last few weeks I was working Saturday’s now at Club 39. Ellie had gotten home earlier around dinner time, stuffed full from the picnic, and quite willing to just sit with me while I shoveled down some food before I needed to get ready for my shift.

“So, is everything okay with Rhian?” she asked, a little furrow forming between her eyebrows.

Guilt lodged in my throat. I hadn’t felt too awful lying to Braden since his three-sixty back into predatory hottie with wicked eyes and a f*ck-me smile was the sole reason I’d had to resort to lying in the first place. But lying to Ellie was a totally different ballgame and it made more than a little uneasy.

I mumbled around a mouthful of pasta, nodding and avoiding her eyes, hoping she’d get that I didn’t want to talk about it.

At her answering silence I glanced up and found her watching me curiously. I swallowed. “What?”

Ellie shrugged. “Just… when Braden was walking me home he said he thought maybe… that maybe you were lying about the call from Rhian so you could avoid the picnic.”

Jesus C, he had such an ego on him!

Never mind that he was right.

I guffawed. “What? Because of him?”

She shrugged again. “Was he right?”

More avoiding her eyes. “Nope.”

“Well, just so you know, I get the impression he’s planning something.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

She sighed leaning back in her chair. “With Braden you never know. I’ve just learned to recognize the signs. I know my brother better than he thinks I know him. You’re under his skin, Joss. I’m actually impressed he’s been so patient. Although, that probably means he’s planning on doing whatever it takes to get you.”

I was surprised, and couldn’t pretend I wasn’t. I sat back, momentarily abandoning my food. “Under his skin? Whatever it takes?”

“As much as my brother’s sex life makes me squeamish, I sometimes can’t avoid hearing about it, and what I hear is that Braden always gets what he wants.”

I snorted. “Please, Ellie, you think I’m what he wants? I’m not exactly his type. Jocelyn Butler doesn’t come in Supermodel.”

Ellie looked adorably confused. “You’re kidding right?”

“Um… about what?”

“You.” She pointed at me indignantly. “You’re seriously hot, Joss. Okay, you don’t look like the pretty coat hangers Braden usually goes for, but you have those amazing eyes, that throaty sex-phone voice, a cup-size I’d die for, and this broody, standoffishness that’s completely at odds with the seriously cool and funny person you are. Believe me, I’ve heard the guys talking. You’re different, and guys being guys, they can’t help seeing that as a challenge. You’re hot.”

I was stunned that’s what I was.

Was that really how these people saw me? Embarrassed, I picked up my fork, mumbling, ‘whatever’.

I could feel my roommate’s smile without even looking up. “You need a mirror.”

I shrugged.

Then Ellie grew quiet and I found myself raising my gaze to make sure she was alright. She wasn’t smiling now. “No matter how much he denies it, Braden’s interested in you, Joss. He asks me about you a lot, which he’s never done before with anyone else and, believe me I’ve lost at least three friends he serial-dated out of my life. I don’t tell him much-

You told him about my family.

-because you don’t say much, so of course he’s even more intrigued. And like I said, Braden usually gets what he wants.”

“Please,” I huffed, “Give me a little more credit. I don’t just fall into a hot guy’s bed because he’s used to getting what he wants. Guess what? I’m used to getting what I want too. And what I want is not to fall into his bed.”

But it was like Ellie hadn’t even heard me. “If you don’t manage to resist, just be careful with him, okay. He’s been treated badly before, and I don’t want to see that happen again.”

Wide-eyed, I heard my fork clatter to my plate after my fingers dropped it of their own accord. They were in shock, as was the rest of me. “Wait. Are you worried about me hurting him?”

She smiled apologetically. “You’re a good person, which makes the fact that you don’t trust anyone, really hard for the people who care about you. And Braden, when he cares about someone, has to know everything so he can cover all the bases and protect them. He has to be a guy people can trust. It’s just who he is. If he started something with you, he’d only be hurt when you refuse to let him in.”

I only sort of took that in. Mostly, I just kept hearing ‘you’re a good person, which makes the fact that you don’t trust anyone, really hard for the people who care about you.’

“Am I hurting you, Ellie?” I didn’t want to admit how scared I was for her answer.

She exhaled heavily, seeming to weigh her words. “At first I was. But knowing that you don’t mean to hurt me helps. Do I wish you’d trust me more? Yes. Am I going to push it? No.” She stood up. “Just know that if you ever do decide to trust me, I’m here. And you can tell me anything.”

I felt my throat close up and I could only nod. In an effort to expel the moment, Ellie grinned down at me. “I’m going out tonight with Braden and Adam. I was kind of cool with Adam today. It pissed him off.”

Hmm, what are you up to, young lady? “Are you playing games with him?”

She scowled. “Yesterday I discovered he’d warned off Nicholas when he wanted to ask me out. So yes. I am.”

“Whoa, hold up.” I pushed my entire plate back now, totally confused. I’d met Nicholas. He was one of Ellie’s friends who hung out at the apartment sometimes. He was also a tutor in her department. “Adam did what?”

“I made some crack yesterday about not having had a date in months and Nicholas said maybe I would have had a date if Adam would stop threatening prospective guys. I was completely confused so Nicholas explained. Nick was planning on asking me out months ago, and he went to Adam for advice on where to take me out.” Her jaw locked as she thought about it. “Instead of answering, he warned Nicholas off with bodily harm. Told him to stay away from me. No explanation. Just ‘stay away’.”

I laughed in disbelief. “And of course Adam’s built and Nicholas looks like the promotion guy for Twiglets so Nick backed down.”

“Exactly.”

“What the hell is Adam playing at?”

“That’s what I want to know. He’s messed with me, so I’m going to enjoy messing with him.”

I had to admit, I liked this side of Ellie. People thought they could walk all over her, but they were wrong. I grinned up at her. “So the cold shoulder, huh?”

She grinned cheekily back at me, looking very much like a devilish angel. “Full force tonight. I may even flirt with some random to see if that ruffles his feathers. Then I can ask him what the hell he’s playing at. He was the one who didn’t want to be anything more than friends.”

“Well, usually I don’t condone game-playing, but in this case he deserves it. I can’t believe he’s been warning off guys behind your back. I look forward to the next report, Miss Carmichael.”

Ellie laughed and hurried off to get ready for the evening, leaving me to finish dinner so I could jump in the shower before work.





***





Craig was on shift with me tonight along with Alistair, another bartender I’d worked with a few times before. The guys were in a fun mood and the bar was busy—with the two of them trying their hardest to make me laugh, minutes were passing quickly and I was having a great time. Our good mood fed into the atmosphere of the club, and people had begun crowding around the bar to sip their drinks and enjoy each other’s banter as well as mine and the guys’.

“I catch this cocktail,” Craig shouted down the bar to me, “And you finally give in and shag me tonight, Joss.”

The customers tittered and laughed while I grinned back at him, pouring two Jack Daniels and Coke for the girls in front of me. “No way, Tom Cruise.”

Craig had great reflexes. I would definitely lose that one.

“You’re breaking my heart, darlin.”

I waved him off, handing my customers their drinks and taking the money off of them.

“What about me, Joss?” Alistair shot me a come-hither smile, but I knew he was only kidding. Alistair was happily engaged to an Irish girl who studied at Napier University. Still he may be loyal, but he was as big a flirt as Craig.

“Hmm, I’ll think about it,” I teased back, loud enough for Craig to hear.

Craig groaned in pretend agony and pouted at the attractive girl he was serving. “She’s killing me.”

The girl giggled, her eyes bright on him. I rolled my eyes as Craig grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest. “Feel that. That’s my heart breaking.”

“Oh man!” I rolled my eyes, cringing. “Could you be any cheesier?”

“Of course I could.”

Alistair snorted. “Believe it or not, that’s one of his better lines.”

Craig whipped him across the head with a dish rag.

Sniggering, I passed Craig to get some rum, and stood up on tiptoe to press a kiss to his cheek. That gained him a few cheers and one boo from Alistair.

Acting like idiots, the next hour flew by, and the tips jar filled up fast. The place got even busier, so my focus was completely on work and on my colleagues. The fact that I felt his eyes on me then, said a lot…

…Feeling my skin prickle, I jerked my head up and gazed out over the crowd towards the entrance and my eyes skimmed over Adam and Ellie as they followed Braden into the bar; Braden, who was walking beside a tall brunette who had her hand clamped on his arm.

Our eyes caught and he didn’t even acknowledge me. Instead he dipped his head and whispered something in the brunette’s ear that made her giggle.

Something unpleasant flipped my stomach over and I glanced quickly at Ellie. She was frowning at Braden and then scowling at Adam, brushing off his hand and striding off after Braden who had managed to convince some people sitting around a table to squeeze further along the leather couch so he, his mystery girl, Ellie and Adam could sit down.

Everyone slid onto the couch except Ellie who was now glaring daggers at them all. Adam said something to her. Ellie shook her head, looking extremely pissed off now, and Adam’s face darkened. Like a whip, his hand came out and wrapped around her arm, yanking her down beside him. She struggled to get away from him, but his arm slid around her waist, his hand on her hip—a seemingly casual gesture but his hold was clearly strong and whatever he whispered in her ear made her stop struggling.

It didn’t remove the stony look on her face.

Worried, my eyes drifted to Braden, but he hadn’t seen any of this. He was too busy chatting with the brunette.

Quickly, I turned away, completely unprepared for the rush of blood in my ears and the tightness in my chest.

I honestly didn’t know where I stood with this guy. One minute he was giving me ‘sex eyes’ and the next he wouldn’t even acknowledge my presence. Well, I wasn’t going to let him get to me. I served my customer and looked over at Alistair. “I’ve seen some friends. Can you guys handle the bar while I get them drinks?”

“Sure thing.”

Ignoring the butterflies in my belly, I headed out onto the floor, stupidly thanking my boss for the sexy tank top he made me wear. If I had to be a little bit sweaty and held up for comparison to the brunette in the shimmery shift dress, then at least I was going to do it knowing I made that tank look good.

As I approached, Ellie’s glacier expression melted and she smiled up at me, relieved to see me.

“Hey guys,” I announced myself loudly to be heard over the music. “Can I get you drinks?”

“Oh no need,” Adam told me with a smile, “Darren is getting us some.” He pointed behind me and I turned around to see a tall, clean-cut red-head waiting to push his way through the crowds to the bar.

I frowned in question. “Darren?”

“My husband.”

The answer came from the brunette and I looked over at her in surprise, my eyes washing over her sitting next to Braden, my brain trying to make the picture in front of me and what she had just said make sense. I caught Braden’s gaze and he gave me a cool smirk, like he knew I had assumed she was one of his Barbies. “This is Donna. She’s Darren’s wife. Darren is the manager of Fire.”

Oh.

Well I felt sheepish.

And then I caught Braden’s eye again and his smile deepened.

Ellie’s suspicions from earlier played around in my brain. Well, just so you know, I get the impression he’s planning something.

God damn him! He wanted me to think Donna was his date. He wanted to see relief spark in my eyes when I realized she wasn’t. And God damn me, because I’d given him it.

“Nice to meet you.” I nodded at her. “I’ll send your husband back over because he’ll be standing there forever. I’ll get your drinks order from him and bring it over.”

“Thanks, Joss.” Ellie smiled wanly up at me.

I frowned, hating to see her so uncomfortable. I reached out and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, noting Adam’s hand still clamped firmly on her hip. I shot him a look of warning over the top of Ellie’s head that made his brow pucker in confusion. Ignoring Braden and whatever game he was up to now, I sashayed back over to Darren, introduced myself and sent him back to the others once I had the drinks memorized.

“He’s back,” Craig said in my ear, leaning around me as he shook a cocktail mix.

“Who?”

“That guy that Jo was going on about for ages after he was in here.”

“Braden.” I nodded, looking up at him. I hadn’t realized how close he was standing, our faces inches apart. “Jo wanted to make him her next sugar daddy.”

“From the feel of the daggers embedded in my back, I’d say he was interested in being someone else’s sugar daddy.”

I pulled back, rolling my eyes. “I don’t need a sugar daddy, Craig.”

Craig shot a look back over at Braden. “He bothers me. Last time he was in here he stared at you like he owned you, and tonight is no different. Something going on with you two?”

“Not a thing. I told you—I don’t need a sugar daddy.”

Craig’s eyes narrowed and he turned back to me, his face splitting into a mischievous smile. “Maybe I need a sugar momma.” And then he was kissing me, one hand wrapping around the back of my neck to keep me there while his tongue slipped into my mouth and his body pressed close. Shock kept me in my place and then the surprisingly nice feel of his lips on mine. Craig knew how to kiss, that was for sure. The catcalls and cheers broke through the moment and I pulled back, pressing a hand against his chest.

“Uh…” I blinked, trying to figure out what was going on. “What just happened?”

Craig winked at me. “Just pissing off Mr. Money over there and having a hot time doing it.”

I shook my head in disbelief and shoved him away, catching Alistair’s grin as Craig swaggered by him, obviously pleased with himself. As I returned to preparing my friends’ drinks I forced myself not to look up. I didn’t want to know if Craig was right about Braden. I didn’t want to acknowledge whatever feelings he might have for me and vice versa. But damn, it pleased me to know someone else had noticed his interest in me other than a hopeful, die-hard romantic like Ellie. At least I knew I wasn’t seeing things.

And wasn’t I just a confused bundle of hormones?

Putting the drinks on a tray, I stepped out of the bar and ignored a ‘hey, sweetheart’ from a customer who’d obviously caught the Craig Show, and dodged around people so I could get the drinks to Ellie & Co without spilling a drop.

“Here you go.” I put the tray on the table and started passing the drinks out.

“Uh, what was that?” Ellie asked me wide-eyed as she took her drink from me.

I don’t know what possessed me to think that playing dumb was the way to go. “What was what?”

Adam grunted. “The guy with his tongue down your throat?”

I couldn’t even look at Braden because I could feel his burning gaze… well… burning into me. I shrugged. “It’s just Craig.”

And then I fled before they could ask me anything more.

But Craig wasn’t happy with just sticking his tongue in my mouth. For the next forty minutes, he upped the flirting, kissing my neck, patting my ass, teasing me mercilessly with sex talk.

I guess not being more upset about him kissing me let him think he could. And the truth is, I didn’t do anything to make him think otherwise. I’d decided I wanted to send Braden a message.

We were not friends.

And we were never going to be anything more than not friends.

So we were… nothing.

“Break time, Joss!” Alistair swatted me on the behind with a dishrag as he came in off of his break.

I sighed. “I’m going to take that damn thing off you if you don’t stop using it as a weapon. Seriously, was that necessary?”

He grinned at me. “What? Would you have preferred my tongue in your mouth?”

“Funny.” I swung around on my toes and strolled out of the back of the bar and into the staff area. There was a small locker room with a couch, a candy machine and some magazines. A door to the right led into the manager’s office, but Su was only ever in every second weekend because she worked full-time during the week. When you closed Su’s door, the noise from the bar disappeared. Head buzzing, adrenaline pumping because of Braden and Craig, I slipped inside with a can of Coke and slumped against her desk.

Encouraging Craig was a bad idea. We’d always joked around but tonight he’d crossed the line and I’d let him, and it was all because Braden was messing with my head. I hated the punch to my gut when I thought Donna was his date. I hated that he knew I’d felt something. I hated that I suspected he’d orchestrated the whole thing.

I had to find a way to let him know once and for all that nothing was ever going to happen between us.

My eyes snapped up from their hook on the carpet when Su’s door opened, and I straightened, the butterflies in my stomach raging to life as Braden stepped inside and closed the door.

His eyes were calculating as they trained on my face, his features hard, clouded.

Braden looked pissed.

“What are you doing here?”

He didn’t answer and my eyes did that thing again… losing control, running down his body, taking in the stylish black crew-neck sweater and tailored black pants. The only accessory he wore was an expensive platinum sports watch. His understated style and the fact that he hadn’t shaved in a few days added up to a very hot package.

I felt that squeeze right in the bottom depths of my body and my jaw locked. Why did he have to turn me on so much? It wasn’t fair.

Covering, I took a swig of my soda. “Well?”

“I don’t like to share.”

My eyes flew to his and if it was possible, he looked angrier than ever. In this tiny room, Braden was huge and intimidating, and the comparison between our sizes more notable. He could crush me like a bug if he wanted to. “What?”

His eyes narrowed. “I said, I don’t like to share.”

I thought of Vicky. “That’s not what I’ve heard.”

“Let me rephrase.” He took a seething step toward me. “When it comes to you… I don’t like to share.”

There was no time to process that. One minute I was staring incredulously up at him, the next the soda can was hitting the floor and my ass was on the desk as Braden collided with me. The heat and strength of him overwhelmed me as his large hand gripped the back of my neck and his other tugged my left thigh up, allowing him to push in between my legs and position me over the desk. His mouth crashed down on mine and the desire my body had been harboring for him for weeks took control of me. I clung to him, my hands digging into his back, my legs climbing his hips as my lips parted on an exhalation of relief that allowed his tongue inside my mouth to tease mine. The smell of him, the taste of whisky on his tongue, the feel of his warm hands gripping me tight it… it all overpowered me and I made this throaty sound I couldn’t control.

His kiss wiped out any memory of Craig’s.

Braden’s hand tightened around my neck and he groaned, the vibration of it surging through me, skimming down my body like hands teasing my nipples, whispering across my belly and sliding home between my legs. His kiss grew harder, more demanding—long, drugging kisses that stole my breath. We were panting and pulling at each other’s mouths like we couldn’t get deep enough, my nails scoring into his sweater as I tried to urge him closer.

When I became aware of his erection digging into my stomach I was lost. My belly squeezed and I whimpered against his mouth, my panties drenched with arousal. The need grew hungrier as Braden’s hand slid up my waist, brushing my breast and coming to a stop at the wide strap of the tank top. He broke the kiss, pulling back only an inch to gaze into my eyes. His own were dark, his lashes lowered over them, his lips bruised. I felt two of his fingers slide under my strap and lower it, tugging the left side of my top down so my bra was visible. His gaze never left mine as he repeated the process with my bra strap.

Cool air hit my naked breast and my nipple puckered up invitingly. Braden’s eyes dropped to it and I felt his hand glide up to cup me. He caressed it, his thumb brushing over the nipple and I gasped as it tightened and shot a bolt of lust between my legs. He looked back at me. “You like that, babe?” he murmured, his eyes returning to my mouth. “Do you like my hands on you?”

Well… yeah!

“Or…” his head dipped and his lips brushed softly against mine. “Will any man’s do?”

It took a moment for those words to penetrate and when they did I squashed the hurt and drew back in anger, my arms falling from around him to yank my bra and top back up.

“F*ck you,” I snapped and tried to push by him only to have him press deeper into my legs, his hands grabbing hold of my wrists to stop the fists that were about to fly at him.

“What the hell was that out there?” he fumed at me, but was still definitely turned on, his hard-on digging into me, making my own body go to war with my head.

“None of your business, that’s what it was.”

“Are you f*cking him?”

“None of your business!”

He made a low, irate sound under his breath and tugged on my arms. “Considering I want to f*ck you, it is my business. And considering you definitely want to be f*cked by me, I think it’s in your best interest to answer me.”

“You are an arrogant, egotistical asshat, you know that!” I raged, determined this alpha male douchebag was not going to control me. “I wouldn’t have sex with you if you were the last man on earth!”

It wasn’t the most original comeback. I know that. And it was definitely the wrong thing to say.

With my hands still pinned Braden kissed me again, nipping angrily at my mouth, rubbing his hard cock against me in torment. My body keened and my lips fell open letting him in. I tried to put up a pretense of a struggle but my hormones were far more interested in getting laid than having control over the situation.

“Are you sleeping with him, Jocelyn?” he murmured sexily, his lips trailing lush kisses along my jaw.

“No,” I breathed.

“Do you want to sleep with him?”

“No.”

Vaguely I was aware of the grasp around my wrists disappearing and my hands – with a mind of their own – reached for purchase against Braden’s taut stomach.

“Do you want me to f*ck you?” he growled in my ear.

I shuddered hungrily. Yes!

Instead of telling the truth, I shook my head, trying to maintain some kind of control.

And then his hand was cupping me between the legs, two fingers rubbing hard against the seam of my jeans. Excitement flooded me in a torrent of shivers. “Oh God…” I moaned, trying to press closer.

His lips brushed mine and I reached for something deeper, something wetter, but Braden pulled back. “Do you want me to f*ck you?”

Anger exploded over me and I snapped my eyes open to glare at him. “What the hell do you think?”

I tugged his head down, our lips crashing together as I pulled out of him what I wanted. His arms encircled my waist, pressing our bodies together as our mouths fed hungrily on each other. Impatience raged between us, and Braden’s strong hands slid their way down my back and under my butt, lifting me easily. My body understood what he wanted and my legs automatically wrapped around his waist as he turned around and took two steps to press me against the wall, his erection rubbing against the v of my jeans as his hips thrust into me. Satisfaction and need slammed through me and I gasped against his mouth, silently begging for more.

“Oh f*ck, sorry!” Alistair’s startled voice penetrated the fog and I jerked back from Braden, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I tried to catch my breath.

I gazed at Alistair in horror as reality returned.

What. The. Hell.

Oh f*ckity, f*ckity, f*ck f*ck f*ck! I sucked at self-control! “Shit,” I breathed out.

Alistair’s confused gaze flew between me and Braden before coming back to me. “Break’s over.”

I swallowed past the panicked and sexually aroused lump in my throat. “I’ll be right out.”

As soon as he was gone, I felt the room close in on me. I was still wrapped around Braden. I unwrapped my legs, and Braden lowered me to the ground. As soon as my feet were stable, I pressed a hand to his chest, pushing him back. “I need to get back to work.”

Gentle fingers grasped my chin and forced my gaze up to his. His expression was granite, determined, controlled… and completely at odds with his swollen mouth and mussed up hair. “We need to talk.”

About my complete lack of control and willpower? “I don’t have time right now.”

“Then I’ll come over tomorrow night.”

“Braden-”

His grip on my chin tightened, quieting me. “I’ll come over tomorrow night.”

This was not happening. How could I let this happen? “Braden, I don’t want anything to happen between us.”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Tell that to your damp knickers, babe.”

I narrowed my eyes on him. “You are such a dick.”

He grinned widely and leaned down to brush a soft kiss across my lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I grabbed a hold of his sweater, stopping him from leaving. “Braden, I mean it!”

Chuckling, he patiently uncurled my fingers from his sweater and stepped back. “I have a proposition. I’ll come over tomorrow to discuss it.”

Argh! Was he deaf? “Braden-”

“Good night, Jocelyn.”

“Braden-”

“Oh.” He turned back to me at the door and his expression hardened. “I’ll be waiting until the end of the shift to put you and Ellie in a taxi. I see you flirting with that wanker again and I’ll knock his teeth out.”

And then poof! He was gone.

I took stock a moment, unable to believe what I’d just allowed to happen. But my lips were throbbing from those desperate kisses, my cheeks burning from the scrape of his two-day beard, my heart racing and my panties (or knickers) definitely wet.

Worse… I was still so freaking turned on I had half a mind to shut the door and finish what he’d started myself.

Tomorrow this had to end. If Braden could so completely take me over like that, there was no way I could go any further with this.

Maybe I should move out.

My chest ached at the thought of leaving Ellie and the apartment on Dublin Street. No! I could do this. I could put the arrogant jackhole in his place.

I nodded, standing up on my feet only to wobble a little.

I rolled my eyes. Why the hell did he have to be the human version of a sexually charged nuclear weapon? Grumbling, I put myself back together as much as I could, and headed out to the bar, ignoring Alistair’s quizzical looks, Braden’s burning gaze and Craig’s attempts at flirting.

I liked Craig’s teeth where they were, thank you very much.