Diane (The Town of Pearl 6)

“He’ll be here when you close up. He was hoping that you could join us for dinner,” Lucas added.

She knew she needed to tell them about New York and doing the show. Hell, she needed to tell them about the pictures that were posted online and the offers of modeling jobs.

“It’s going to be a crazy week for me. I’m not sure I’ll have much time for dinner or even lunch like this.”

“What do you mean?” Lucas asked. She turned to look at him as she wiped her mouth with the napkin and leaned back slightly.

“There are some things we need to talk about.” She wrung her hands together and felt the anxiety. There was a lot going through her mind here. She liked them. She wanted to be honest about her feelings for them but also her desires and dreams. After lying in bed last night and talking to her sister, Amanda, and even Elvira this morning, she realized that she wanted to give the photo shoot in New York a shot. She didn’t want to have any regrets.

“Hey, talk to us now. Let us know what’s going on. If we want this relationship to work, then we need to be open about things,” Drake told her.

She stood up and both men turned in their seats to face her.

“I know you really don’t know me, and that’s the point of today, and other days.” She smiled. Both men nodded in agreement.

“I’ve always been very shy, and have never really exerted too much of myself into anything. It’s hard to explain. It’s like nothing has ever reached deep in here.” She pressed her hand against her chest over her heart. Drake and Lucas squinted at her with such serious expressions. She knew they understood that feeling. Heck, she saw the lost, lonely look in Lucas’s eyes more often than not.

“I want to feel important, loved, and appreciated.”

“Aw, baby, we want to give you all those things,” Drake told her as he reached out and took her hand. He pulled her between him and Lucas, and both men placed a hand on her waist. She covered their hands with hers, absorbing the feel of their manliness, and the warmth of their touch. She felt so comfortable with them. Heck, she cared for them so much already.

“I’m scared. Of a lot of things. But lately, I’ve been feeling like life is passing me by and I don’t even matter.”

“What? How could you? God, baby, you’re beautiful and sweet, and such a kind person,” Lucas told her and she smiled. He released his hand and reached out to press her palm against his cheek.

“Thank you. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and well, actually, you guys and Mark kind of encourage me.”

“Encourage you?” Drake asked.

She smiled. “I don’t want to have any regrets. I want to take some chances. Some big and some small, but still chances on things that I’ve resisted or have always been too scared, too lacking in self-confidence to do.”

“Like what?” Lucas asked.

“Like letting go, with you guys and Mark.” She felt Drake run the palm of his hand up and down her thigh and hip. She felt the tingling between her thighs and her pussy react to their touch.

“That makes us very happy,” Drake said.

“There’s more.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She hadn’t made the final decision until now, until feeling the safety and connection with Drake and Lucas.

“Diane?” Drake whispered. She opened her eyes and looked at them.

“I’m going to do that photo shoot in New York for the catalogue.”

Both men looked downright upset, but neither said a word. She pulled her lip between her teeth and waited.

“In the sexy lingerie?” Drake asked. She felt her cheeks warm and she started shaking just thinking about doing it. But she needed to. She needed to stop freaking out because when she did, she realized that she enjoyed feeling beautiful. Nothing ever made her feel that way.

“And some other things, too, like dresses for the fall, and whatever, but mostly lingerie.”

Drake pulled her against him as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed his head just below her bosom. She felt his hands move under her dress as he rubbed her thighs.

“Drake?” She said his name and ran her hands over his head. She glanced at Lucas who looked pissed off as he stood up and paced a moment.

She placed her hands against Drake’s cheeks as she felt his hands grip under her ass. She was completely aroused by the feel of him touching her there. She held his face between her palms and stared down into his deep blue eyes.

“Drake, talk to me.”

“I don’t know what to say or how to react. I’m afraid if I say the wrong thing, you’ll get upset and think I’m fucking crazy.”