Diane [The Town of Pearl 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  “I saw that expression pass before your eyes, and then go to that confident expression you get when you’re determined to hide how you really feel.”

  She squinted her eyes at him.

  He looked at her lips and then back into her eyes. “You had that look on your face in Francine’s the other day when my brothers and I explained about getting to know you better, and that Mark bought all that lingerie for you.”

  She didn’t know if she should believe him, but every ounce of her gut instinct told her that Lucas wasn’t lying. Before she could answer, he was pulling her closer.

  “The getting to know one another starts now.” He touched his lips to hers and it was soft and gentle, yet just as highly explosive as Drake’s and Mark’s kisses.

  He pressed his tongue deeper and she kissed him back, exploring his mouth as they gently dueled for control. She started to caress her hand over his shoulder. She longed to run her fingers through his hair, but the sound of footsteps crossing into the kitchen from the other room had her pulling from Lucas’s lips. He ran his thumb along her bottom lip.

  “I could get used to those kisses, Diane. Real used to them.”

  * * * *

  Drake and Mark walked in on Lucas kissing Diane, and her sitting on his lap. They would make progress with her because the attraction was there. Now it was time to backpedal and make her see she meant something to him, and to Mark and Lucas, before the lingerie show.

  She started to get up off of Lucas’s lap when he stopped her.

  “Stay.” He caressed her cheek with his hand.

  She pressed her hand against his chest and shoulder and picked at the material. She didn’t look up at them.

  “I’m sorry about my reaction in the living room. I’m tired, I guess still a little shaky about the weekend. I was on guard after the show, because of the party, and all the people who were talking to me about the show. I guess I just couldn’t wait to get home and get back some normalcy. I know you guys want to get to know me, and I want to get to know each of you.”

  “That’s all we’re asking for,” Lucas told her. She nodded her head at Lucas and then looked at Mark and him.

  “So, what do you say to having lunch with us tomorrow? Maybe try this out again?” Drake asked.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She slid off Lucas’s lap and began to walk away, but Lucas pulled her back between his legs so she was now facing him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She shyly lowered her eyes and then looked at them.

  “Well, I don’t exactly know who in town saw the outtakes from the show on the local news stations. I was kind of thinking of lying low for a bit.” She wrung her hands together.

  Lucas covered her hands with his.

  “It will be fine. Everyone in town knows you and you’ll be with us,” Drake told her, joining them and standing behind Diane.

  “What if we bring lunch to you and sit out back, behind the boutique on the patio?” Lucas suggested.

  She smiled and nodded her head. Lucas smiled and so did Drake and Mark.

  “Then it’s settled. We’ll meet you tomorrow at noontime at the boutique with lunch,” Mark told her, and Drake still felt a bit unsure.

  He hoped that Diane would keep an open mind about this relationship. He also hoped that she could ease Mark’s mind about work and focus on completely retiring from the military and working for the government. As far as Lucas was concerned, Drake could already see that his brother cared for Diane. Maybe she’d be able to get him to open up his heart, instead of hiding behind his work, and remaining alone all the time.

  All Drake could do was wait and see.

  Chapter 6

  “Are you sure about this? I thought the point of meeting Diane for lunch was so that she can get to know us and we can get to know her?” Drake asked as he stared at Mark who was on the computer in the home office. Lucas was leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed.

  “I know, but we said we wanted her to feel comfortable with each of us. You two go ahead and have lunch with her. I’m onto something here and expecting a call from someone. It’s important.”

  “It’s about Brenda, isn’t it? I don’t get it. I mean I know that you had a thing with her, and that you worked together, but I thought the commander said he didn’t want you totally involved in the investigation?” Drake asked.

  Mark looked up from the computer screen, and Drake could tell he was in a serious state of mind. When his brother was involved with something, he went full throttle.

  “Just do this for me. Tell Diane I’ll see her when she’s closing up shop. Try to make plans for dinner tonight with her. As far as with this case, my commander only wants my minimal involvement. I’m willing to use my connections and resources to find out the truth about Brenda. Please understand why this is so important for me to do. I can’t give up on her. I just don’t believe that she’s somehow involved with the bad guys. It’s not like her. She’s missing, and this line of business things aren’t always as they seem. She wouldn’t give up on me if the scenario were reversed.”

  “It makes me wonder if your feelings for her weren’t stronger, or if you still have feelings for her.”

  “The hell I do. I told you, Drake, nothing was between us. We became friends. We shared our personal lives. I can’t drop this case without knowing the truth about what happened to her.”

  “Having sex with a woman you worked undercover with is not anything to take lightly,” Drake added with an attitude. He would be so pissed off at his brother if he became obsessed with finding out about Brenda. He needed to focus on Diane and all four of them.

  “First, we didn’t work together undercover. Second, it was sex, plain and simple. Third, I considered her a friend despite the fact that a romantic relationship didn’t work out between us. She felt the same. There are things about this case, about her missing that aren’t adding up. I can’t not try to find out what really happened to her. She wouldn’t give up on me. Not with the information the department is receiving through informants. It’s not adding up.”

  “What the hell, Mark? The commander, her commander, thinks she’s with that Persian guy. She committed treason. She chose him instead of her own country and her oath to the United States as an agent. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

  “You’re wrong!” Mark raised his voice, and Drake was shocked. He looked toward Lucas, who did what he did best, remained quiet and listened.

  “I’m sorry,” Mark began to say.

  “Fuck it. Do what you want. Keep letting the government, these people who nearly got you killed time and time again to control your life, and your future. Lucas and I are going after what we want. Diane. The woman we’re practically in love with already.”

  Drake headed toward the door and Lucas moved out of the way but then followed him out.

  * * * *

  Lucas walked with Drake toward the truck. They had already packed a basket with lunch to take to Diane in town.

  Drake slammed his hand down on the steering wheel.

  “Drake, you need to calm down. This is probably a good idea.”

  “How the fuck so, Lucas?”

  Drake started the ignition and placed the truck in drive. They headed down the dirt driveway and onto the long main road leading into town.

  “We each need to get to know her. She has to feel comfortable with us.”

  Drake looked at Lucas. “You’re right. I’m just pissed off at Mark. I want him to stop this shit and do like he planned. Quit the fucking secret jobs for the government and settle down. Every damn case he’s been involved in recently has been more and more dangerous. Hell, I thought we were going to lose him two months ago when he was stabbed. He finally realized that everything he wanted could be lost if he kept up this pace and doing this job.”

  “I was scared after that case, too. I think it frightened Mark when he got caught off guard and the guy who he thought was a trustworthy informant tu
rned out to set Mark up. We were lucky he didn’t die. But this is his profession. How many tours did we do in the military, and the special assignments we took on despite nearly dying? Retiring is his decision to make, not ours.”

  “Lucas, what the fuck?”

  Lucas looked out of the window and thought about how his own life and perception of things had changed since moving to Pearl and meeting Diane.

  “Maybe this will be his last case.”

  “I have a bad feeling about this. I feel like all our plans, all the things we talked about like falling in love and sharing the same woman, are going to turn to shit. I won’t let Diane get hurt. If Mark still has feelings for Brenda—”

  “He doesn’t. He told you that. But they did work together, he considered her a friend, and they did have sex. He’s got his reasons for getting involved with her case. Let him do what he does best. Who is to say that Mark is wrong about pursuing this investigating and getting concrete information to confirm Brenda’s involvement with treason and this terrorist asshole? Let him do his job. He cares for Diane. He’ll work it out like always.”

  Drake mumbled something just as they pulled into town. They were getting closer to the parking area across the street from the boutique when they saw the crowd.

  “What the hell is going on?” Lucas asked.

  “I don’t know, but I think we’re about to find out.”

  * * * *

  Diane, Melissa, and Amanda, who they’d called in to the boutique to help out, were crazy busy. People had been coming in since they opened up this morning. They wanted to get Diane’s autograph and purchase the lingerie she wore for the fashion show. Melissa was on the phone with Elvira, and Amanda was helping a group of ladies order specific items and sizes they wanted. Diane was assisting three men from town who were single and decided they wanted to ask her out on a date.

  She was declining their offers as the bell above the entry to the boutique rung again. She rolled her eyes and turned to see who it was and nearly gasped at seeing Drake and Lucas. One of the men she was talking to placed his hand on her waist as he leaned closer to whisper to her. Her eyes never left Lucas’s until the words the man said sunk in.

  “Darlin’, what do you say we grab us one of these sexy little outfits and you come along with us back to our place? We’ll have some lunch, and maybe you for dessert?”

  “Sorry, I already have a lunch date.”

  “With who?” he asked. But Lucas and Drake were right there, towering over the other three men.

  “Is there a problem here, Diane?” Drake asked.

  “Nope. These gentlemen were just leaving.”

  “Actually, we’re still looking.” The man gently ran his thumb down Diane’s arm.

  “There are a lot of things that interest us in this boutique,” the other one added.

  Lucas pulled Diane closer to him and stared at the three men.

  “Everything in this boutique is off-limits. Especially our woman. Take a hike,” he said.

  Diane thought they were going to argue or fight, but the look in Lucas’s eyes must have warned the men that they were in trouble, because they immediately headed out of the boutique.

  That was when Diane realized that most of the other people who were looking had already headed out.

  “Well, now we know how to get rid of customers real fast when we’re overwhelmed,” Melissa said and then chuckled as she walked behind the counter to sit down.

  “I’ve never seen the place like this. I wonder if it has to do with those pictures on the Internet of you?” Amanda said toward Diane. Diane widened her eyes and tried to walk away from Lucas but the man snagged her around the waist.

  “What pictures on the Internet?” Drake asked before Lucas could.

  “Diane, honey, why don’t you take that lunch date you were going to have with Drake and Lucas? Hey, where is Mark?” Melissa asked.

  “Working. He’ll come by later to pick Diane up for dinner,” Drake added.

  “Dinner?” Diane asked.

  “We’ll talk about it over lunch,” Drake said, and then they ushered her through the boutique. She glanced at Melissa and could see the regretful expression on her face and on Amanda’s. There went keeping the photos of her in lingerie out of the discussion with Drake and Lucas.

  Before Diane could take a seat at the table where Drake placed the picnic basket, Lucas pulled her into his arms.

  He placed his hand against her cheek and stared down into her eyes.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. She hadn’t expected that. She expected the third degree on the photos online, and perhaps a bit of anger and jealousy at the way the three men tried to come on to her, but not his concern.

  She didn’t know how to answer him considering that her thoughts were so scattered. She literally was moving nonstop since she arrived at the boutique. The only reason why she knew about the photos online was because Elvira called her.

  It was only lunchtime and she was exhausted.

  She laid her head against Lucas’s chest and hugged him.

  He in return caressed her back and her hair, and then Drake joined them. She felt him close in behind her and place one hand on her hip while he used the other to caress her back.

  “It’s been this crazy busy since you opened?” Drake asked, and she nodded her head and then pulled back.

  “I don’t understand why. I mean I get why a lot of the locals want to come in and look at the new lingerie line by Monique Parrinni, but not the guys.” She paused as she said the words. Lucas looked pissed, but it was Drake who grabbed her hips and turned her toward him.

  He placed his one hand on her shoulder and the other he kept on her waist.

  “Guys like the ones who we just saw bothering you have been coming in all morning?”

  “Well, not too many,” she said, turning away and out of his hold.

  Drake grabbed her hand to stop her before she sat down.

  “Not too many?” he questioned.

  “Can we stop talking about it and just enjoy lunch? I was looking forward to this all morning. I need a break.”

  Drake looked at Lucas and Lucas still remained straight-faced as he walked closer to the table and took a seat. Diane sat down next and Drake started to take out the lunch they prepared when he stopped what he was doing.

  Diane turned to look up at him as he straddled the seat, still standing, looking down into her eyes. He reached out and cupped her face between his hands, then lowered his mouth to hers.

  As their lips touched, she closed her eyes and absorbed how safe and protected she felt being here with them. Drake explored her mouth as he lowered to the seat. She felt Lucas’s hand move under her skirt, over her thigh, and she jerked, only for Drake to hold her firmer as he explored her mouth deeply.

  She was moaning into Drake’s mouth when she heard Lucas’s voice and felt his hand move between her crossed legs.

  “Your skin is so soft.”

  Her heart was pounding in her chest, her pussy felt swollen and needy and here she was about to let Lucas touch her so intimately. Was she losing her mind?

  Drake pulled softly from her lips as he moved his hand down and over her thigh. “You smell so good. I missed you,” he told her as he held her gaze.

  “I think I need you to slow down,” she said, voice quivering. Drake smiled and Lucas moved his hand from her inner thigh to her hand. She turned toward him as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. He smiled, and it was the first time she saw such an expression, such openness from Lucas.

  “Are you hungry? We brought a few different things.”

  “I’m starving. Thank you,” she said as Drake sat on the seat the right way and helped them to pull out some small sandwiches and salads.

  “So, where’s Mark?” she asked before she took a bite of a turkey on whole wheat sandwich.

  Lucas looked down at the sandwich and she turned to look at Drake. He seemed concerned.

  “Is Mark okay?
Is everything all right?” she asked.

  “He’s working. He wanted to be here, but he couldn’t,” Drake said, still appearing angry. She couldn’t help but wonder whether or not Mark still was interested in her. It was in that moment when she asked herself the question that she felt the disappointment. She liked Mark, just as she liked Drake and Lucas. Could he have been turned off by what happened this past weekend and the lingerie show?

  “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.