Page 64 of Hard Rock Heat

I think I still need time,I toldhim.

You have to know I would never hurt you,he wrote backinstantly.

I know,I wrote. Because I did know. That wasn't why I hesitated.But I still need to think thingsthrough.

The last thing I want to do is fuck things up betweenus.

My heart squeezed in my chest.I know that, too. You're a goodguy.

What happened to me being a jerkface?

I couldn't help but laugh a little.Good nightDamon.

Sweet dreams Faith,he wrote.Or naughty dreams. Whichever. But only if you dream about me. If you have sex dreams about some other guy I'm going to getjealous.

GOOD NIGHT DAMON, I wroteagain.

I put my phone on silent mode and set it aside. My dreams were full of tempting lips, cocky smirks and green eyes so deep I felt myself fall intothem.

When I woke up, I couldn't decide if the feeling of falling was thrilling orterrifying.

Chapter Twenty

"Ihad a great idea,"Jessiesaid.

I was at The Impact Youth Center again, working out some more details. The closer we got to the event date, the more nervous I became. There were still so many things to take careof.

Damon was recruiting his rock star friends, and Katherine was taking care of all the fan logistics. I was lucky Jessie was all on board with my event idea. It helped having someone on the youth side ofthings.

"You want to give some of the kids the VIP experience, right?" Jessie asked. "A while ago some volunteers and I put together this kind ofSchool of Rockthing, where we taught the kids music. A handful of them actually started their ownband."

"That's so cute," Isaid.

"They're pretty serious about it," Jessie said. "They get together and practice all the time. I think one of them has even started trying to write his own songs. Can you imagine how much fun those kids would have partying like rock stars? I really think it would help encourage them to stick with it," she said. "Show them what it might be like if they work hardenough."

"It sounds perfect," I toldher.

"How exactly will it all work?" Jessieasked.

"The kids will essentially get to party all night in the tour bus," I explained. "We'll have all the food and drinks they could want — non-alcoholic, of course," I said with a laugh. "We'll put in strobe lights so they can play music and dance like it's a club. We'll also have the big screen TV if they want to watch movies. We'll probably have a few guitars if they want to play around, as long as they'reresponsible…"

"They're good kids," Jessie assured me. "They won't give you any trouble. Well," she winced a little, "Kaylee's a bit of a handful. She's the youngest and has way too much energy for someone hersize."

"Don't worry," I said. "It's my job to deal with difficultpeople."

"Speak of the devil," Jessie said, looking over myshoulder.

I turned. Damon was walking through the frontdoors.

"Hey knucklehead," Jessie grinned. "You'relate."

I gave Damon a suspicious look. I hadn't known he'd planned on being heretoday.

I hadn't heard from Damon since our text conversation days ago. He'd respected my request for space. I'd spent most of that time thinking through my thoughts and feelings. I still hadn't come to any firmconclusions.

All I knew was that I missedhim.

"Hey Faith," he said, raising a hand in greeting cautiously, as if not quite sure what reception he'd get from me. He looked almost apprehensive. Was he worried how I'd react to seeing him after asking for some timeapart?