Page 50 of Hard Rock Heat
"I think I can manage a change of clothes without your help," Iretorted.
As exasperating as it was, I was grateful that casual clothes were okay for wherever he was taking me. I wore heels and pencil skirts all day for work. Putting on a pair of well worn jeans and a comfy t-shirt was arelief.
I did make sure to choose my dark denim skinny jeans and a form fitting top. I still wanted to look good and well put together, afterall.
When I stepped out of my bedroom, I was rewarded with an impressedwhistle.
"If you make a comment about my ass or my boobs, I'm kicking you out," Iwarned.
"I was just going to say you look as lovely in casual clothes as you do in your librarian skirts," hesaid.
"It's called professional office attire," Icountered.
"Either way, you rock both looks," he saidappreciatively.
Pleased, I let him lead me out the door and into his waiting Cobra Jet. I slid into the passenger seat after he held the door open for me. That delicious leather scent filled my nostrils again. Something deep and rich, like raw leather. Something uniquelyDamon.
I inhaled a quick lungful as Damon walked around to the other side of the car. I didn't want him to catch me smelling his car, like he always caught me staring at hisarms.
As we drove through the city, I pestered Damon with questions about where we were going, but he refused to say. I began to get suspicious when a brightly lit Ferris wheel appeared in the distance. My suspicions were confirmed when we pulled into a large parking lot just outside a festivalfairgrounds.
"You're taking me to a carnival?" I asked. "Planning on winning me a stuffedanimal?"
He turned to me with a glint in his eyes. "Sweetness, I'm going to win you every stuffedanimal."
"Big words." I shook my head ruefully. "A carnival. You really are a fourteen year old boyinside."
A huge grin spread across his face. "It's not just anycarnival."
"No?"
"It's a haunted Halloween carnival." The glee in his voice wasunmistakable.
I laughed. "Is this your version of going to a horror film? You want me to scream and cower so you can put your arms around me and make amove?"
He smirked. "I just want to see you shriek and lose your cool foronce."
"Not gonnahappen."
"We'llsee."
With a sense of determination, I turned my attention to the festival grounds. There were the standard rides you saw at any fair, but everything was Halloween themed. Pumpkins, spider cobwebs and bats featured predominantly. The concession stands sold orange and black popcorn. I didn't want to know how they managed that. Some sort of odd flavor coating, no doubt. Instead of carnival music, they blasted spooky haunted house noises, with moaning ghosts, clanking chains and witchescackling.
I'd never been a huge fan of Halloween, but I had to admit, the elaborate production they'd set up looked prettyfun.
"Where to first?" I asked as we walked through the entrance gates. They were guarded by a pair of black-cloaked vampires with bloodyfangs.
"You mentioned something about wanting a stuffed animal?" heasked.
"I didn't say I wanted a stuffed animal," I began to protest, but Damon was already in game mode. He took my hand in his and wasoff.
As he marched from stall to stall, his thumb rubbed back and forth along the back of my hand. A small shiver went though me. It had nothing to do with the cool evening breeze. I looked at our conjoined hands as he guided me through the crowd. His palm was large and warm, and engulfed mine. My own slim fingers looked so small and delicate in comparison to his strong, callousedones.
"This one here," Damon declared, coming to a stop in front of a brightly lit stall manned by a bored lookinggirl.
We were in front a small circular pool of water with floating plastic pumpkins easily bobbing their way around. Toy fishing poles with comically large hooks were leaning against the gamestall.
"The duck fishing game?" I asked. "This is the one you want toplay?"
