Page 35 of Hard Rock Heat

"Oh really?" Damon said. "Didn't I hear something about you dating a certain no-good lunatic from one of those indiebands?"

Jessie flushed bright red. "I've got to get back to work," she told me, ignoring Damon. "But if you need anything just give me ashout."

"Will do," Isaid.

Jessie scurried offquickly.

Damon plucked the folder from my hands, ignoring my protest. "Pretty thorough," he said, flipping through thepapers.

"Give it." I tried to snatch it back but he held it out of reach. I growled. "You're sucha…"

Damon smirked and sidled up next to me. "Yes? What amI?"

I pressed my lips together and looked away, notanswering.

He pressed closer, crowding me. "You're so cute when you'reflustered."

I met his eyes, trying to exude fury, but my pink cheeks betrayed me. "I'mnot—"

Damon pressed a finger to my lips. I inhaled sharply, a tingle shooting straight from my mouth to mycore.

"Let's go get lunch," hesaid.

I blinked. "What?" My words were muffled by his finger. He removedit.

"We should talk over the details of our event," hesaid.

"That's what meetings are for," I said, voice tight andthready.

"Boring," he declared. "I'm in the mood for one of those disgusting greasy burgers with a thousand calories. You in? I'mbuying."

Damon, offering to buy melunch.

Could that be considered adate?

My heartraced.

Even if this was a date, that wouldn't mean we weredating.One lunch meantnothing.

Besides, one more afternoon spent in this man's company reminded me of all the million ways he got under my skin. He was annoying and persistent andexasperating.

But with the kind way he'd acted around that young boy, he'd also succeeded in chipping away the smallest piece of my hardened heart. As much as I wanted to smack him, Damon wasn't allbad.

"Unless you think those greasy burger joints are beneath you," he teased. "I suppose we can always go to one of those overpriced hipster cafes with ten dollar sandwiches stuffed with kale andtofu."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why does every word that come out of your mouth soundinsulting?"

"Maybe you're just toosensitive."

"I hateyou."

"No youdon't."

He put his arm around my shoulder, leading me to the frontdoor.

Despite all the warning bells going off in my head, this time I didn't push himaway.

Chapter Eleven