Chapter 12
Lucky
My hands shook as I angled my iPad against the stack of books on my desk and stepped back, assessing the frame. You could see my face, shoulders, and not much else. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the flutter in my stomach.
Why had I agreed to be on the Aimee Position? I blew out a breath. This would be great. A huge opportunity to grow my following.
The confrontation with Bode had me on edge. My cheeks flushed as I imagined the guys jerking off to my drawings, looking at them together. Fantasizing about more. Fuck.
Before I could settle my nerves, a video call notification popped up on my screen. I took a deep, calming breath before accepting it. Aimee Hale popped up on my screen. She had bright eyes, wavy blonde hair, and a kind smile.
“Oh my god, hi!” Aimee bounced in her chair. “It’s just so good to put a face to a name after our chats. Or a pseudonym as it were.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too.”
“Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview!”
“Thanks for emailing me about it, I really appreciate it.” I cringed at how formal I sounded. “I’ve started listening to your podcast, and I’m already a big fan.”
She beamed. “A friend showed me one of your comics a few months ago, and I became addicted. I love it all; the drama, the sexy storylines, and the filthy drawings. Anyway, any questions about the process before we get started?”
“This is an audio recording?” I peered nervously at the camera.
“Yes. I like to talk to guests face-to-face so we can see each other while we talk. It’s just so much warmer, you know? But this interview will be exclusive to the audio podcast.”
I nodded, pushing down my nerves. “That works for me. I appreciate your understanding.”
“Do you have a name you want me to call you? Devi, or do you prefer DeviDraws?”
“Devi works.” A little of the tension in my shoulders relaxed. “Thank you. My real name is Lucky. Sorry, I don’t know why I blurted that out. I don’t share my drawings with anyone in my real life.” Except for Bode and Wade, apparently. My stomach churned.
“No worries. I’ve loved getting to know you, Lucky. I feel like we have so much in common. If you were anywhere near Denver, I’d say we should meet for lunch!”
“That’d be fun.” Elkhead wasn’t that far from Denver, but I wasn’t really sure if I’d want to hang out with Aimee in person or not.
She tapped at her keyboard. “Okay, I’m going to start recording audio now. We’ll warm up with some small talk and questions and see where the conversation takes us. I’ll edit things down, so don’t worry at all about awkward pauses.” With that, Aimee launched into her podcast intro.
“Welcome back to The Aimee Position, where we talk about all things sex, love, and relationships. I’m your host, Aimee Hale, and today I’m thrilled to have with me the artist behind DeviDraws. She creates some of the most stunning, sensual, and empowering erotic art I’ve seen.”
“Thanks for having me.”
“For listeners who aren’t familiar, DeviDraws creates beautifully detailed comics and illustrations that center on bold, dominant women exploring their sexuality with some very willing partners.” Aimee’s enthusiasm was genuine and infectious. “Do you draw from real experiences?”
I laughed. “Not really. My only experience in the BDSM lifestyle was a complete disaster, so I’m afraid I’m limited to fantasies.”
“Oh, but things seem so real! This last series, especially. The characters, Brady and Wyatt, have such personality.”
I blushed. “Oh god. I don’t know!” Her words had brought me straight back to the confrontation with Bode downstairs. What would happen when Wade got home?
“Oh, I sense something juicy here,” Aimee said, leaning in. “Something you said in our chat made me think those boys in your comics are based on real guys. Is that true?”
I groaned. “Yes. But the truth is so embarrassing.”
“Oh, come on. How bad can it be?”
“Okay, well. Brady and Wyatt are based on my roommates, and it’s so obvious. They look the same, they talk the same. Even their names start with the same first letters.”
“This is even better than I anticipated. But don’t be embarrassed, we’ve all made bad decisions when hot guys are in play.”
“No, it gets worse. Way worse. I just found out that they know about the comics.”
“Oh fuck, they’re so into it, aren't they?”
I dropped my head to my desk, and Aimee laughed, delighted.
“I think I have my answer. Don’t draw your roommates sucking each other’s cocks unless you want your roommates to offer to suck each other’s cocks for you. Am I right?”
I stuck my tongue out at her, rolling with it. “Maybe you should edit this part out.”
“Why? This is amazing! My listeners are going to want all of the updates. Perhaps we’ll schedule you to come back in December so we can get all the juicy details.” I could see why Aimee was so good as a podcaster. There was something about her that just made the entire story come pouring out of me.
“Okay. Well, yeah, I found out one of my roommates found out, and he has been a subscriber for a while. And he told the other roommate.”
“No. And they both love it?”
“It seems so. And I don’t know if I should be furious that they’ve been lying to me or… turned on.”
“Maybe if you told me exactly what turned you on, I could help you decide.”
I cleared my throat, fiddling with the sleeve of my hoodie for a moment before admitting the truth. “They commissioned a special request illustration featuring the characters based on them.”
“What kind of illustration?”
“A very spicy one of the two of them kissing. Naked. And they wanted the domme character in it, too. Directing things.”
“Holy shit, girl! They are so into you as a domme, and they’re having fantasies about each other?
This is life mirroring art!”“So you wouldn’t be mad?
” “Maybe a little, but like… sexy mad. What would Lara the domme do? She’d probably cancel this interview and go edge them until they proved they were very repentant. ”
I laughed. “You’re nuts.”
“Don’t blame me. Lara is your character, not mine!”
“I mean, yeah. But what if it’s all better in fantasy than reality? And I can’t walk in there and just start ordering them to do stuff.”
“Why not? They’ve shown they’re into it.”
“I don’t know… what if…” I trailed off, not sure how to explain myself.
“I’m sensing some fear. Is that why you draw under a pseudonym? Afraid of truly opening up?”
“I mean, maybe. But also, I’m an engineer, and I love my day job. I don’t think my colleagues need to know I spend my evenings drawing explicit content.”
“I love the duality of that. Your daytime career nurtures your intellect, your side gig gives you time to explore sexuality, eroticism, and your womanhood.”
“The pseudonym is more than that, though. It gives me the freedom to explore things I’m curious about without worrying what people might think. Including my roommates.”
“But you don’t need to wonder what they think anymore, do you? They’re into it! What is there to be afraid of?”
“Everything, Aimee. Everything,” I said. “I know you are part of a successful throuple, but you must know that’s not the norm. I don’t want to blow up my life and my friendships just for a chance that something might work.”
“I understand more than you think. It was tough for me to put myself out there, too.”
“Really? You?”
“I know I seem like I have it all together, but we’ve all been there. The first leap into something new and different is tough. So, DeviDraws, what are you going to do about it?”
“If we’re being honest, I’m probably too nervous to do much of anything. My one and only BDSM club experience was a complete disaster.”
“So much gossip I don’t know which question to ask!”
“Suffice it to say pain sluts do not want you apologizing after every hit with the flogger.” I smirked at her. “And with the roommates? I don’t know what’ll happen, but we’re supposed to have a talk after this taping.”
“So you’ll be keeping me updated, right?”
“Perhaps.” I tried for mysterious, then burst out laughing. “Fine, probably. Who else am I going to tell about this insanity?”
“I’ll be waiting. Maybe we can even film a little follow-up interview.
Now I really want to take some time and talk about DeviDraws and your art.
I have to say, the way you’ve rendered the guys really speaks to me and to my own personal relationship.
Lara’s joy at seeing her two lovers finally connect is just incredible.
Your older work was erotic, but as you explore this throuple, things take a much deeper and more passionate turn. ”
I swallowed hard, remembering what had inspired that scene. Wade and Bode in the kitchen, chatting and laughing, growing closer. “I guess there’s beauty in imagining seeing people you care about find joy in each other.”
“Absolutely. That concept really resonates in your latest series. In my own relationship, watching Rhett and Troy discover each other was confusing and messy and so fucking beautiful. Maybe that’s why I connected with your characters so deeply.” Aimee smiled dreamily.
“I’m glad that people do. For a long time, I felt really alone in the things I found sexy. Guys I dated never seemed to want any of it.”
“Believe me, you’re not. You just haven’t connected with the right people. Was that what inspired you to start your comics?”
As the conversation deepened, and I shared my history as a manga fan, I became more comfortable, discussing my inspiration and process.
And I could easily see why Aimee’s podcast was so successful; she had a way about her that seemed to pull information out of me, like I was confiding in my closest friend, not recording intimate things broadcast to thousands.
The more we talked, the more I wanted to maintain my connection with her. Here was a woman comfortable in her sexuality, not afraid to explore new things.
An impulse hit me before I could think too hard about it. “I’d love to create a commission piece for you, with you, Rhett, and Troy.”
Aimee’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? That would be incredible!”
“Consider it a thank you for this interview and for your podcast. It’s helped me feel less alone in my interests.”
“I am absolutely taking you up on that offer. My boys will be thrilled. Oh, we could frame it!” Aimee grinned.
“Noted. Keep it non-explicit.”
She gave me a cheeky smile. “Who says I wouldn’t frame an erotic portrait? Mmm, right over our bed, even.”
Oh god, what had I done? My cheeks were so hot they felt sunburned. “I suppose.”
She burst out laughing. “I love that you’re so modest, but your artwork is beyond filthy. It’s a lesson to all my listeners, isn’t it? So many of us feel alone in our desires, but you never know who might have a sexy secret life.”
I smiled. “I guess you really don’t. Well, except for my best friend, she has a very obvious forearm kink.”
Aimee burst out laughing. “I’d love to meet her some day and find out more. And thank you so much for joining us. Remember guys, you can find DeviDraws online through Patreon and Instagram. And trust me, the subscription is worth every penny.”
As Aimee wrapped up the podcast outro, I felt a strange mix of exhilaration and embarrassment.
It was unexpectedly freeing to talk so openly about what was going on with Bode and Wade, and I realized maybe I just needed friends like Aimee in my life.
People who made the embarrassing things feel normal and okay.
“That was flawless,” Aimee said after stopping the recording. “Thank you so much. I’ll send you the episode before it goes live in case you want to edit anything out.”
“What about the part at the beginning?”
“Honestly? It was a lot of fun, but if it makes you uncomfortable to have it in the podcast, I can edit it out. But do me a favor? Give me a chance to edit it first. Maybe when you hear what I hear, you’ll feel differently.”
“I can do that.” I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “And I meant what I said about the commission. Send over a photo if you like.”
“Oh, I will. And good luck with your boys.”
I closed the video call and fell back against my chair, exhaling. My heart was still racing from the interview, from the strange thrill of talking about my secret art. I stood and stretched, my back cracking after sitting hunched over for so long, staring at the door.
I needed a minute before confronting Wade and Bode. But maybe Aimee was right. Maybe I needed to chase this.