On Dublin Street (19 page)

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.”