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"So, is it true you’re banging Braden Carmichael?" Jo asked loudly as I poured ht rinned sympathetically as he took his drink "Why don’t you say that a little louder, Jo? I don’t think the people in the back heard you"

"Alistair caught theestively as he reached past me for a bottle of Bailey’s "Said he was practically in your knickers"

Alistair had a big ed indifferently at the two of them and took my next customer’s order

"Oh come on," Jo complained "I had noring the flash of anger I felt at that, I shot her a cold smile "You can have him when I’m done"

Jo’swith him?"

Apparently so, although the sleeping thing hadn’t originally been part of the deal The son-of-a-bitch had snuck that in I raised an eyebrow at et into the details

Her face fell "You’re not going to dish the dirt?"

I shook my head and leaned over the bar to take another order

"Kin ah hae a mahjito, Jack in Coke, a boatil eh Millers… aw aye in eh Stace wahnted a Cos in a bar for four years in Scotland had givennot only the thicker accents, but the drunk, thicker accents

In translation: Can I have a mojito, Jack and Coke, a bottle of Millers… oh yes and uh Stace wanted a Cose for the Millers

"Is he good?" Jo was suddenly in hed wearily and brushed past her to startcalled down the bar "Or can we still shag?"

"What do you mean still?" I scoffed

"Is that a no?"

"That’s a hell no"

"Oh coed "I’ve heard he’s an ‘effin stallion in the sack, but that’s second hand gossip Give ive you first finger?" I flipped her off Yeah, I know, not theto bug me

Jo scowled "You’re no bloody fun"

"Guess I’m not"

The atmosphere at the bar was nowhere near as war, Craig didn’t seem to kno to act around moody me, and I ell, et theout of my mind, and if I was honest with myself, I was irritated and uneasy at the fact that I was actually looking forward to seeing Braden toet into this arrangement with hi me time to relax into it

It helped that Ellie was cool about the whole thing I guess I didn’t knohat to expect froht there would be more disapproval than there was

She’d walked into the apartment earlier that day to find me at my laptop I’d discussed my idea to write a contemporary novel based loosely on ood idea Therapeutic even However, I’d yet to start it--fear gripping ainst the keys to begin Writing it wouldup all the memories, and I didn’t know if I could handle the inevitable panic attacks The good doctor said the idea was to get to a point where the ht the writing ht be a nice way to ease ed to write the first page I was staring at that incredulously, astonished that I’d actually put words dohen Ellie got horinned knowingly at reet her "So… how are you?"

I wasn’t one to get easily embarrassed, but I have to admit it was a little aard to know Ellie knew I had had sex with her brother Ito be too weird for you?"

"You and Braden dating?" She shook her head, her eyes bright "No way I think it’s great"

Uh oh I clearedBraden didn’t want to lie to her "Actually, Ellie, we’re not really dating It’s "

Ellie seemed surprised "You mean like friends with benefits?"

Actually, I prefer the terh "Pretty much"