Page 59 of Hard Rock Deceit

"Nah." I scooted closer until I was sitting in his lap, my legs on either side of his hips. I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I think you'reperfect."

"I know." There wasn't a hint of modesty in his voice, but the smile playing on his lips told me he was half-teasing. He pulled back. "I want to take yousomewhere."

My heartquickened.

"Like a date?" Iasked.

"Sure. Let's call it a date. But bring yourcamera."

August snuck out of my room for a shower and change of clothes before the other guys got up. Rock stars tended to sleepuntilnoon.

The concert wasn't until that evening so we had the whole day toourselves.

August wouldn't tell me where we were going the entire taxi ride out of the city. We drove until we reached the outskirtsoftown.

The taxi pulled up to a rusted gate. August opened the car door and let me go first, holding my cameraforme.

I blinked behind my glasses as I looked through the wide-spaced metal bars blocking theentranceto…

"Is this anamusementpark?"

"An abandoned amusement park," August replied. "Not exactly dinner and a movie, but I thought it mightbefun."

A sense of glee filled my chest, not only at the chance to take cool photos in a new setting, but at August's thoughtfulness for taking me here on a date. He was right. It wasn't dinner and a movie. It was so much betterthanthat.

"I'm sure the rides don't work anymore," Ipointedout.

"Roller coasters areoverrated."

August took my hand and led me around the fenced-off perimeter. About a quarter of the way around there was a gap in the fence. I examined it. It looked like someone had taken bolt-cutterstoit.

"Did you come here early and break in justforme?"

"I found this place on one of those urban explorer websites you talkedabout."

He'd done his research. This place was deserted and decrepit and absolutely amazing. The emptiness was creepy in a childish sort of way, like how clowns are creepy when you'reyoung.

I ran up to a motionless, moss-covered carousel. Some of the wooden horses had fallen to the ground, cracked and chipped. A few stillstoodtall.

I jostled one vigorously to test how sturdy it was and hopped on. Wrapping my arms around the horse's neck and kicking its ribs with my heels, I laughed out loud. It was like being a little kidagain.

A bright flash surprised me. August was lowering the camera in his hands. His eyessparkled.

"I should be taking your picture," I said. "You're the one who's supposed to be in front of the camera,notme."

"You're too cute not to capture thismoment."

I flushed at theendearment.

"Come over and ridewithme."

Instead of getting on his own horse, he climbed up on mine, settling behind me, his arms around my waist and his hips tucked firmly against mybackside.

"Giddy-up," he said,amused.

"You'd make a goodcowboy."

"Is that what you're into?" he said, before faking a western drawl. "You want a good ol' fashioned cowboy to make you hislittlelady?"