Page 15 of Hard Rock Fling

She was interrupted when a voice spoke up from behind me.

"Tell me more."

My heart jumped as I whirled around. The members of Darkest Days stood outside the door.

August, founder of the band, main composer, producer, and universally acknowledged musical genius, stared at me with piercing eyes. I gulped under that intense gaze.

Should I be flattered or nervous?

I flicked my eyes to the rest of the band. Noah's expression was aloof as always, but Cameron's interest was piqued.

Ian and Damon both had a playful quirk to their lips. The Twins wore dark sunglasses, but Ian's face brightened up when he saw me. Damon looked slightly annoyed. The difference was almost imperceptible.

The memory of Ian's almost-kiss nearly made me whimper. I coughed to cover it.

"You said you had a new idea for our concept?" August prompted.

I fought to make my voice work. After a shaky start, I made myself coherent.

"I don't know how much you heard, but Feral Silence's new album has themes similar to yours. I know your songs are set in stone, but the concept we use for the marketing can be re-worked. Instead of sex and love, the theme could be the rise and fall of a relationship. From early love to passionate conflict and painful parting to bitter heartbreak. Each member of the band can represent one stage of the relationship."

"How'd you come up with that?" Cameron's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. At least one member of the band liked my idea.

"I thought about the meaning of the album, and the feelings you were trying to put into the songs. When I tried to come up with how each band member might fit into that, it came to me all at once."

"You only gave four stages," Ian and Damon said at the same time. "There's five of us." They tilted their heads in unison.

"You two are both the conflict stage. One is the passionate fighting, one is the—" I cleared my throat and tried not to stutter, "—the passionate makeup sex. Like a yin-yang sort of thing."

"And which one is which?" they both said.

I nearly blushed at Ian's seductive smirk. Before I could answer, Janet interrupted.

"Thank you very much for your input, Hope, but that's enough wasting time. We have a meeting in a few minutes."

They weren't going to listen to my idea. I wanted to melt into an embarrassed puddle on the floor. I also wanted to throw my hands up in frustration.

"I like it."

I blinked at August in surprise.

"Do you always keep this up to date on industry trends?" he asked.

"I try to."

"Hope is an intern in the Product Development department," Janet said dismissively.

"I've got a degree in Fine Arts," I blurted out. I regretted it the moment the words left my lips. They wouldn't care what I went to school for.

"An artist, huh?" Ian said.

"You the creative type?" Damon continued.

"Spend your days painting masterpieces?"

"Gonna be the next Picasso?"

"Should we be getting your autograph?"