“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. “Th
e 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.
“Fuck 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 fucking him?”
“None of your business!”
He made a low, irate sound under his breath and tugged on my arms. “Considering I want to fuck you, it is my business. And considering you definitely want to be fucked 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 fuck 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 fuck 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 fuck, 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 fuckity, fuckity, fuck fuck fuck! 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.”
On Dublin Street Page 12