Page 41 of Hard Rock Deceit

And there he went again, pinpointing myfeelings.

"—But you took me by surprise, too," he continued. "This thing between us… it was unexpected, to say theleast."

"So you don't often go randomly picking up women at artgalleries?"

"No," was allhesaid.

With his arms wrapped around my waist, he turned his attention to thenightsky.

"How long until sunrise, do you think?" heasked.

"A couple hours,maybe."

"I showed you how to play guitar. Why don't you show me how to take photos?" His lips tilted into a wry smile. "Proper photos I mean. Not just quick snaps with myphone."

"It usually involves crawling into weird spaces and crouching down in the dirt to get the right angle. You sure you're upforthat?"

He grimaced. I laughed and squeezed him, my arms around hischest.

"Why don't we stick to cityscapes for your firstlesson?"

As I explained the various parts of my camera, explained the settings and how they affected each photo, a sort of wonder took hold insideofme.

This man, gorgeous, talented, famous, had followed me up to the roof of a decaying building and was now hanging on myeveryword.

My heart warmed, melting in my chest. August was showing an interest in my art. Real interest. It had nothing to do with the job he'd hired me for. He wanted to know more about me, more about my work, for no other reason than he wascurious.

Setting the camera aside, lessons over for the time being, I pressed my lips to his again, desperately. August seemed content to let me set the pace, letting our lips come together and part slowly, again andagain.

We breathed heavily into each other's mouths. I became impatient, wanting to deepen the kiss, but he kept inching back, teasing me. With a growl of frustration, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and tugged him close. Our bodies pressed together, his front firm against the softness of my chest. I molded against him as he slipped his tongue into my mouth, exploringthoroughly.

One warm palm cupped the back of my head, threading fingers through dark strands. That hand began wandering, massaging the back of my neck, sliding down between my shoulders, tracing a line to the small of my back. His firm touch urged me closer, until our hips bumpedtogether.

I felt the beginnings of a hardening length against me. It filled out further with every kiss, every caress. I gasped a quick breath into his mouth in surprise. I hadn't expected August to be as caught up in the moment as I was. I rolled my hips experimentally, pressing down. He let out a small groan into my lips. With a hand on my hip, he guided me closer, showing me his desire. His desireforme.

His thumb rubbed the hollow of my hip. Shivers wracked my body as the motion sent pleasure straight to the pulsing core between my legs. I was aching and throbbing and he'd barely touched me. When we finally met each other skin to skin, I'd probably explode at theseams.

That gave mepause.

I was thinkingwhen.Notif.

August pulled back slightly, noticing my distraction. My lips tingled, slick and glossy from our kiss. His thumb continued rubbing those small, sensualcircles.

"What is it?" he murmured intomylips.

"Hey! Youthere!"

With a start, I whipped around. I could just barely make out the vague outline of a portly man holding aflashlight.

"Security guard," I hissed. The heat inside me extinguished instantly, a cold dreadreplacingit.

August's gazed flicked over my shoulder. Hegrinned.

"Time to make our escape, youdelinquent."

Hand in hand, we ran back down the rickety fire escape, the stairs clattering and shaking inturns.

As we ran away from the building and into the streets, I knew onething.