Page 63 of Hard Rock Fling

Too late.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ihadn't tartedmyself up for the concert, but I had at least put on a cute dress I'd borrowed from Faith. It was short, it was tight and it was sexy. I figured that was good enough.

The whole time I got dressed I couldn't help wonder what was the point. Nothing I did was going to make Ian fall for me.

But I didn't want him to fall for me, anyway. We weren't ever going to be anything serious. I'd known that going in. I'd hadn't wanted that. I hadn't wanted any strings. Hadn't planned on getting attached.

I snorted to myself. So much for that.

When I arrived at the concert venue I flashed my ever-present staff badge at the bouncers and was nodded through to the backstage.

I found Ian talking with an assistant, holding his guitar in one hand. He was smiling at her, his head tilted to the side. She was practically swooning. He said something I couldn't hear and she nodded fervently, rushing away to do his bidding. He smirked and slung his guitar over his shoulder.

I tried to ignore the ache in my heart.

Ian noticed me, his eyes lighting up. He headed straight toward me. I braced myself for whatever flirtatious words he was going to say. I got ready to steel my heart against it.

Surprisingly, Ian didn't immediately run and tease me, or flirt with me or put his hands on me.

"This concert is going to fucking rock!" he said with a mad grin. "The fans have been cheering our name for a solid twenty minutes straight already." His eyes twinkled with an almost manic glee. "Can't wait to get on stage."

"What's got you so pumped up?"

"We're going to try out some of our new songs. I can't wait to hear what the audience thinks."

"Are you going to try yours and Damon's song?"

Ian's mouth turned down at the corners, almost seeming to deflate. I immediately regretted asking about it, wondering if it was a sore point.

"Nah." He faked casual shrug. "It's not one hundred percent ready yet. Noah's song is going to rock though." He glanced around the backstage before turning back to whisper. "Honestly, it's such a sappy song I think all the girls in the audience are going to burst into tears."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Damon gets pissy at Noah's emotional stuff. Says we want the girls thinking we're sexy rock stars, not some sort ofsensitive artiste."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"I thought you were into the rock star god thing? All leather pants and eyeliner, not acoustic guitar and crooning love songs."

"I can enjoy both."

Ian gave me an odd look. "You really like that kind of thing?"

Why do you care what I like?A small, snide voice inside me said.After all, we're just a fling. I mean nothing to you.

I pushed aside the pain in my chest.

"I was thinking I might go down to the pit," I told Ian. "Experience the concert firsthand like a real fan, not just watching from backstage."

"And get crushed by a mob of fans? Good luck."

"I am a fan. I'm used to it."

"But you're not a fan anymore. You're working with rock stars, now. You should get to enjoy the perks, like watching backstage without getting trampled on in a mosh pit."

My phone pinged. I suppressed a sigh.