On Dublin Street The Bonus Material - Samantha Young Page 0,8

hot.”

Hmm.

“He’s a walking sexually transmitted disease,” Joss answered as she rubbed down the bar with a dishrag. Braden was gratified to realize she seemed to mean it but was still concerned by the bartender’s aggressive flirting. Was it making Joss uncomfortable at work?

“Does he always talk to you like that?” Braden asked.

“He doesn’t mean anything by it,” she assured him.

“Oh man, that break surely wasn’t ten minutes.” The interruption came in the form of a tall, gorgeous girl with long, straight strawberry blonde hair as she appeared in the doorway behind the bar. Braden’s eyes flicked over her as a silent exchange happened between her and Jocelyn—she smiled at Jocelyn and blew her a kiss. Catching sight of Braden, the tall blonde turned and leaned against the bar, her stunning green eyes shimmering happily in the light as she greedily drank him in. “And what do we have here?”

As Ellie introduced herself, the girl offered a polite greeting before eyeing Braden expectantly. He was used to her kind of forwardness, and with her tall, slender body and perfect face, she was also exactly his type.

Correction. Used to be his type.

Braden had no interest in her. His body didn’t even have any interest in her.

There was only one person he was interested in.

“Braden.” He nodded at the girl before turning his attention to Jocelyn. His gaze fell on her lips. He loved her plump mouth. It made him think of very, very bad things.

“Braden Carmichael?” the girl asked, interrupting his hot thoughts about Joss. He reluctantly turned to the newcomer and almost flinched.

Shit. She knew who he was. There may as well have been pound signs dancing in her irises. Not that Braden wasn’t used to it or even bothered by it. It was the way of the world. He just didn’t have time for it tonight and was in no mood to fend her off.

“Oh my God. You own Fire.”

“Fire?” Jocelyn asked. Her curious tone pleased Braden.

“The club on Victoria Street,” the girl supplied for him. “You know, just off the Grassmarket.” She smiled prettily at him. Braden was immune.

“I do,” he answered her non-question out of politeness, hoping his tone suggested more questions were not welcome. He checked his watch to emphasize his disinterest.

Apparently, it didn’t work. “I love that place,” she gushed, leaning over the bar to draw his attention to her pretty chest. “Maybe we could go together sometime? I’m Jo, by the way.” She giggled falsely and their eyes met. Braden saw a flicker of exhaustion in the back of hers. If anything could make a man cold, that was it. He didn’t know what Jo’s game was, that she’d flirt with him when she had little energy for it. ‘Gold digger’ seemed the most likely answer. ‘Trouble’ was the second. He had enough of the latter in the sexy American standing right next to her.

Braden nudged Ellie, wanting out of there even if it meant leaving Jocelyn but she was too busy talking to Adam to see the impatience written all over her brother’s face. Fuck.

“What do you say?” Jo persisted.

Braden’s only excuse was Holly and yet he found himself reluctant to remind Jocelyn of Holly’s existence. Watching his American’s reaction, he shrugged apologetically at Jo. “I have a girlfriend.”

“So leave her at home,” came Jo’s saucy reply.

Bloody hell.

“Ellie, didn’t you say you guys were meeting someone?” Jocelyn asked loudly, rescuing Braden from having to reply to Jo’s impudence.

“What?” Ellie asked, confused at being abruptly interrupted from her conversation with Adam.

Amusement and gratitude rushed through Braden as Jocelyn gave Ellie a pointed look.

Ellie’s gaze switched from Jocelyn to Jo and she immediately recognized the predatory look on the young women’s face. His sister nodded and shot him an apologetic look. “Oh yes, we better leave.”

“Don’t you—” thankfully he’d never know what Jo would ask because her male colleague yelled down the bar for her help. With one last wistful but weary look, Jo wandered down the bar to assist him.

“Sorry.” Ellie bit her lip in sympathy. Braden waved off her unnecessary apology and stepped back, gesturing for her to take the lead out of the club.

“Bye, Joss.” She waved at her flatmate, smiling brightly. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Braden recognized the affection in Ellie’s expression. She was already growing attached to the young American. He could only hope Jocelyn deserved her regard. More than anything, Braden wanted this woman to deserve it. For both his and Ellie’s sake. He wanted it so much, the