Chapter 51

"Great rehearsal." Dylan said as they were walking to their cars. "Are you nervous about Friday?"

"I am a little." Pearl replied. "I just feel like we are who we are, and even though I know we have a lot of talent, I guess it just seems very surreal, you know? Like it's not really happening." Pearl looked down and put her hands in her pockets, leaning against her car. "How do you feel?" She asked Dylan.

"I feel great about having someone take my writing and playing seriously. It's all I've ever really known. Music. Poetry. Books. Words from other people have kind of been the voice I never had most of my life. And now, I might get to return the favor. It's humbling, really." Dylan said, walking over to her, leaning on her car beside her. "I don't think many can relate, though, to what I have to say."

"What do you mean?" Pearl asked.

"I don't think anyone has ever had anyone like you as a muse. I feel very fortunate to feel for you the way I do. It's the kind of thing you just can't relate to unless you've felt it." Dylan said, looking at her.

"Wow. I, um, I've never really considered myself that. And I don't know what to..." Pearl began.

Interrupting her, he took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. He kissed her, his face, pained, his eyes shut tightly, like he was in agony, had been in agony, until that moment. His mouth consumed hers, hungrily taking her breath. "Dylan, I..." and she pulled back. She put her hand on her mouth as they both stood there, chests heaving and eyes locked. Her heart was pounding. He looked away from her, ran his hand through his hair, wiped his mouth and turned to his car. He looked back at her before he opened the door and smiled, a look that meant what words would never be able to say. He loved her fiercely. Why did he have to be so fucking complicated? Why did he have to be so, so Dylan? For a moment, it crossed her mind, that if he would just stop playing games and be a real man about all of this, her choice would be made without question. But he wasn't close to being ready. Maybe he never would be. And she was a woman running on little time and even even less hope. Hope was a dangerous thing for her to have, especially when there were two grown men ready and waiting. He was running out of time. She got into her car and drove to David's house.

"Hey there." David said as he greeted her. He looked like a god in his collared green shirt, unbuttoned at the top and dress pants. His smile, with his full lips and dimples was something that could make any woman's body flutter.

"Hey there, back." Pearl said. He hugged her and invited her in. He walked her to his kitchen where she could see he was cooking, and it smelled wonderful. "I figured you wouldn't have time for dinner so I took the liberty of making something for us. Hope that's ok?" David said and he finished chopping the tomatoes for the salad. "Glass of white wine?" He offered. "Yes, thank you." She just sat and watched him, this tall, lean, muscular man. She could see his body move under his tight shirt, his sleeves rolled. He prepared her plate of what appeared to be chicken piccata, moving and cutting and adding things. Her mind drifted. She thought of Rhys. He was the stereotypical, dark haired, actor type. Cute face and clear, wide eyes. Fun. Funny. Light. Dylan was pure poetic sensitivity. He built things and knew cars yet he could quote Oscar Wilde at the drop of a hat, verbatim. But David...David was a walking Armani cologne ad, he was a Michelangelo sculpture with a Harvard brain and a richly male sexual prowess. The embodiment of the perfect man. She knew for sure that letting him go wasn't an option at this present time.

"Well, how is it?" He asked. "It's great. Really great. You're an amazing cook!" Pearl said, obviously surprised. "I can be useful sometimes." David smiled back.

They talked about work and Pearl's band. The song she was currently working on. She listened to him talk about his friends that were coming into town again the following week. The woman he had dinner with. He said he wanted her to meet them. After dinner, she helped him clean up and they made their way to his living room. She loved the feel of it. The warmth. She sat beside him on the most comfortable couch she had ever been on. It felt like clouds. "This couch feels like it's stuffed with feathers." Pearl said, patting it. "That's because it is." David said, a slight chuckle. "This whole sectional is down?" Pearl asked. She hadn't come from money and was embarrassed at her naivety. "Yes. Glad you like it." He smiled.

"Pearl, I want to talk to you." He said, his face becoming more serious. "Ok, shoot." Pearl said, bouncing on and patting the couch a little more.

"Pearl, I want to talk to you about us. I don't have any expectations, which I've said before, but I'm going to say this because it's been in my mind. Please don't feel that you need to do anything or agree to anything right now."

Pearl straightened up and looked at him. This sounded serious. Had his father talked to him?

"I know you've been seeing Rhys. And I don't know about what else goes on in your life when I am not around. And it's none of my business. I know I asked you to think about us and give us a shot and I've been thinking about that."

David didn't fidget. He didn't waiver, ever. He was calm and direct. He looked into her eyes, purposefully. She remained quiet, letting him continue. "Pearl, I want to be exclusive with you. I don't want to share you with another man. Not anymore. I want you to be mine. I want you, all of you. And I want to give you the same. I want us to be together. Truly together. No one else. I have been driving myself mad thinking about you being in someone else's arms. Having another man...as close to you...as I have been. I'm ready to give myself completely to you, I have been actually. I love you. I've been in love with you since we started working together. Since the first time I saw you. You are the one, Pearl."

Pearl listened to him. She knew something like this would come. Or that he'd just end up being a foment of her imagination and disappear. He was perfect. Kind. Sexy. Intelligent. Strong. She felt safe with him. Yet even as he said the words that any woman in her place would die to hear, she still felt torn. She needed to process it and talk to Rhys. And Dylan. It was time to start having these talks. To start searching within herself for her own truth. "I need a little time, David. Is that ok? Can we talk about this when I get back from New York?"

"Of course." He replied. He seemed a little sad about her response but she wasn't going to lie to him. Not about this. If she was going to truly give herself to him or anyone, it was going to be right and all the way. She couldn't make that decision right now. And she was self aware enough to know that. She looked at him, and took his hands into hers. "I feel like the luckiest woman alive knowing that a man like you could feel this way about me." And she kissed him. He returned her kiss, feverishly. Grabbing her and pulling her toward him. "God I've needed you. I've been mad with wanting you. I can't be away from you." David breathed into her neck and pulled her into him, closer. "I feel so pulled to you, David. I feel so alive and on fire near you. I want you. I want you inside of me." Pearl said. And with that, David lifted her up off the couch and pulled her shirt over her head. He took her pants down and looked into her eyes, unbuttoning his shirt. She was wrought with want. Need. This beautiful man wanted her. Wanted to be hers. Only hers. She thought her heart was going to beat out of her chest. He laid her back on the couch and kissed her, harder now. Moving his hands along her side and between her legs. "God, you're dripping for me, I can't wait any longer, I need to be inside you." He whispered as he moved her panties to the side and entered her with a forceful thrust. He moaned and she gasped. It was hard and painful but exquisite. He relentlessly continued pounding into her, moving her farther into the couch. He slowed and lifted her legs, pulling her up and close to him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. He moved deep inside of her, hitting her wall and making her cry out. He cradled her as he thrust himself into her, deeper and harder. She could feel tears streaming down her face as she begged him to keep going. "You're going to make me cum." She cried out. And with that, his movement became more controlled and deliberate. He pulled her more towards him as he thrusted against his pull. "Tell me, Pearl. Tell me how I make you feel. How hard I make you cum." He growled, pumping himself as deep into her as he possibly could. "I can feel all of you. Inside me. You feel so good. God, you make me cum so hard. You fuck me so good, David." And she could feel her body responding and her climax washing over her. David could feel it, too. She felt his body begin to tighten, "I'm going to cum. I'm going to fill you up, deep inside of you. Feel me cum, Pearl. Feel me inside of you." And she felt him pulse his seed into her. Hot and filling and deep. She came again, instantly. She felt her body milk his cock, grabbing and pulsating with him. "Goddamn, what you do to me. I have never felt anything like this before in my life." David said, still pulsing into her. He looked into her eyes. "I'm yours. I'm all yours. And I don't want to belong to anyone else, for the rest of my life." He said. He stayed inside of her, on top of her, kissing her and running his hands along her body. "You're beautiful." She said, looking up at him as they lay naked, still connected and catching their breath. "You are everything." And she meant it. He really was.