Page 32 of Hard Rock Deceit

He knew I'd walked in on him. He had to haveknown.

Moaning in despair, I banged my head against themirror.

My only small consolation was that he didn't know how long I'd stood there gapingathim.

After chastising myself, I turned my focus towards getting ready for the day. He hadn't said anything. Maybe I could get through this without dying ofhumiliation.

When I was freshly showered and dressed, I peeked out the bathroom door. August was sitting on one of the living room area armchairs, a book in hand. He looked up when Isteppedout.

"Have you got everything packed?" heasked.

"Justabout."

I held my breath. He didn't say anything else. I let it out, relieved, and went about putting my things back in mysuitcase.

I was concentrating on folding my extra shirts, trying to ignore August's presence in the room. I jumped with a start when his large palm came to rest on the small ofmyback.

"Did you make a note in your app?" heasked.

Every muscle locked up. I clenched my shirt in myhands.

"What do you mean?" Istammered.

He leaned down, lips touchingmyear.

"When you walked in on me showering. Did you make a note of whatyoufelt?"

The amusement in his voice made me tremble with embarrassment. The heated undertones made me tremble for an entirely differentreason.

"I'm sorry," I let out a shaky breath. "I was half asleep and didn't realize you were in there and I didn't see anything, Iswear."

August shifted until he was in front of me. I loweredmygaze.

"It's alright if you did." A wicked delight colored his tone. "I wouldn't have mindedatall."

"You wouldn't have minded a total stranger walking in on you nakedwhileyou—?"

I cut myself off with a squeak, a hand clapping over my mouthautomatically.

"You're not astranger."

With a gentle finger under my chin, he lifted my head up, the way he had the previousnight.

"You're Cassie Blake. You're a lovely young women who I've gotten to know quite well. You're a woman I'd like to get to know evenmoreof."

"Walking in on someone naked really isn't the way most people get to know eachother."

"Shall we start with thebasics,then?"

"Basics?"

August went to sit on the edge of the nearest bed, letting me recover from his closeproximity.

"My name is August Summers. I'm the drummer for Darkest Days. My favorite color is red. My favorite food is sour candy. My favorite book isThe Giverby Lois Lowry. I like cats morethandogs."

He raised an eyebrow and gestured to me. "Yourturn."

"You really want to know all thatstuff?"