Page 8 of Hard Rock Heat

"I know it's not an armchair." He lifted his sparkling eyes to mine. "You just told me it's atable."

My breath hitched, caught by a mesmerizing green. The corner of Damon's lips tilted into a smirk. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't make words escape mymouth.

He looked back down at his phone, dismissing me. That broke the spell. I inhaled a shakybreath.

"It's a seven thousand dollar tablet," I managed to say. "Get.Off."

He ignored me for several moments while I fumed. Damon had three seconds before I physically hauled him away. One.Two.

He hopped off. I darted over to make sure it was unharmed, running my hands over the smooth surface. No cracks, thankgod.

"What would make you think something that looks like a gigantic smartphone would be a good place to sit?" Iasked.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch, sweetheart," hereplied.

I struggled to tame my inner rage monster. I couldn't help snapping. "You're not allowed to think about mypanties."

"No? Can I think about what'sunderneath?"

My cheeks flushed. "Go back to the dining hall,Damon."

"Nah. It's more fun outhere."

"How is it fun? There's nothing to do. All the vendors are gone. Everyone's insideeating."

"Noteveryone."

"I told you, you're not allowed to flirt with myintern."

"I wasn't talking about yourintern."

His stare pierced through me. I pressed my lips together, ignoring my flaming cheeks. "Go sit with your brother and stop making a nuisance ofyourself."

"I don't want to sit next toIan."

"Whynot?"

He stared at me silently for a few moments before shrugging, a deceptively casualgesture.

"Too sappy. My brother and your sister are in that gross honeymoon stage. Makes menauseous."

"Oh." I understood. I was happy for Hope, but I couldn't wait until the infatuation phase wore off. I supposed it made sense Damon would feel the same way. "I get that. I can try and sit you somewhere else." Although why he had even come in the first place was a mystery. Teasing me couldn't have possibly been more fun than partying with groupies, or whatever it was Damon did in his freetime.

"Nah." He shoved his phone into his pocket. "I'll suck it up. Besides, there's free drinks in the dining hall,yeah?"

As I had thought, the only thing the rock star cared about was thebooze.

I waved my hand. "Go nuts. It's all on the sponsor'sdime."

"I don't see you with adrink."

"I can't. I'mworking."

"Maybe you should bend the rules a little. A drink might make you loosenup."

"I'm plentyloose."

Hesmirked.