Chapter 2
“Cross your arms over your chest, tilt your head more to the left, and look at me and not at the camera,” Lacy instructed from where she stood just to Rebecca’s left. “Pretend you’re trying to figure out what your Little is doing.”
She knew she was overstepping the bounds of being a good photographer’s assistant, but she could also tell the photos her cousin-in-law were taking were the same run of the mill photos everyone took. She might sell one or two, but there was no spark or sizzle in anything they’d done so far.
Drake made the adjustments and added the tiniest smirk of a smile. Though he was confused by the Little girl’s suggested changes in position, he also approved of them. Too bad her cousin didn’t have her eye.
“That was perfect, Drake. I think we have enough of this cowboy look. How about you change into the baseball uniform next. Excuse me, I’ll be right back,” Rebecca said as her phone began rang. She handed Lacy her camera and walked out of the room.
“Could you do me a favor before you change clothes?” Lacy asked once she was sure Rebecca would be gone for a few minutes.
“Sure. What do you need?”
“I’d like to try something, if you don’t mind.
Could you untuck and unbutton your shirt, part it a little and put your hands on your hips?
” She waited until he had performed the requested changes.
Putting Rebecca’s camera on the table, she pulled hers out of her backpack and quickly made sure it was charged and ready to go.
“Now look perturbed, like you’re on the verge of losing your temper with your Little.
Yes, just like that. Maybe put your hands on your hips and make yourself big. ”
As he shifted into character, Lacy lifted her camera to her eye and began shooting. “Now rub your hands together like you’re warming them up for a spanking. Perfect.”
She clicked off another dozen frames before pulling the camera away from her face. “Thank you.”
Drake nodded. “You’ve got a good eye. Are you a photographer as well?”
“No,” Lacy said, dropping her face and surreptitiously checking her watch.
“I’m just a rabid romance reader. I know what I like to see on the cover and thought we could try that last look.
And I’d suggest you get back into your clothes instead of the other costume.
You’re supposed to be downstairs for dinner in about five minutes. ”
Drake glanced at the clock across the room and nodded. “You’re right. Thanks for keeping an eye on the time.”
Lacy began breaking down the backdrop they’d set up for today’s shoot while Drake took his clothes into the hotel room’s bathroom to change. Pulling the backdrop of the stand, she cried out when the frame separated and the cloth fell down on top of her.
“You need a Daddy,” Drake said, pulling the tarp off of her as she tried to fight her way out from under the heavy canvas.
“If you only knew,” Lacy muttered as she stood up and began to fold the material so it would fit back into the duffle bag it had come out of.
“Knew what?” Drake asked as he moved to the other side of the wide canvas and helped her fold it up.
Lacy shook her head. “Nothing.”
The last thing she needed was to embarrass herself by sharing her life with this man. He was a star, an idol to thousands, and would never be interested in a nobody like her.
With his help, they had the backdrop folded up and slid into its duffle bag in minutes.
“You need to go,” she said. “They’ll be expecting you.”
“You’ll be joining us?” Drake said, grabbing his bag of clothes and heading for the door.
“I’ll be there as soon as I finish here. I’m starving.”
Once she was alone, she took a moment to stop and catch her breath before breaking down the stand that held the backdrop up.
She would have to change her panties before going downstairs.
Just being in the same room as the handsome older model flustered and aroused her, though she would never dare admit it to anyone.
She knew from doing research on the man that Drake Snow was more than twenty years her senior, but that didn’t matter to her. He was sexy with a capital S-E-X and she had to work hard to keep from throwing herself at his feet and begging him to fuck her into the floor.
Though Drake hurried to his room and then downstairs to the ballroom, his mind remained on the fourth floor where he knew Lacy was struggling to pack up the equipment they’d used alone.
He had agreed to pose for Rebecca at the last minute, and could already tell he would not be working with her again.
At least, not unless he could be sure that Lacy was there directing the session.
Or maybe he would try to talk the two women to change positions, so Lacy was behind the camera and Rebecca was holding lights, packing and unpacking equipment, and shlepping bags.
Somehow he doubted the photographer would agree to such a request.
As the elevator stopped on the ground floor, Drake took a deep breath and forced the corners of his mouth into a smile. He released the breath and prepared himself for whatever the next few hours would bring.
“There you are, Drake,” one of the organizers said as she grabbed his arm and pulled him along. “We thought you might have gotten kidnapped by some of these naughty, naughty readers.”
“Sorry, the photoshoot ran a little long,” he said, hoping he sounded apologetic and not put out that he’d had to leave Lacy alone upstairs.
The more time he spent with her, the more certain he was that Lacy Grey was a Little. And he could tell she really needed a Daddy to help her stay on target with her own needs, wants, and desires, and not just worry about her cousin’s, even though she was acting as the woman’s assistant.
But that was something he would think about later.
Right now he had readers, authors, and other industry professionals to dazzle with smiles, hugs, and talent as a master of events for the evening’s dinner and party.
He only hoped he was able to find a few minutes to spend with Lacy, preferably alone and uninterrupted long enough to ask her to meet him for breakfast.
Taking a breath, he added some pep to his step as he entered the ballroom where women, and a handful of men, waited. He hurried through the tables to the stage at the front of the room and flipped the microphone on.
“Good evening, ladies … and gentlemen,” he started. “Welcome to the 2025 Books and More convention. I’m your model host, Drake Snow.”
He had to pause for nearly a minute as the audience applauded, whooped and hollered. The alcohol must have already been flowing. Thankfully, the attendees were staying in the hotel, so they wouldn’t be driving when the evening ended.
Slipping into the persona he used at all of these appearances, he introduced the organizers, the sponsoring authors and publishing companies, and went through the list of announcements the organizer had given him.
He watched Lacy slip in and take a seat at one of the back tables that only had a few people sitting at them.
Finishing up the announcements, he turned the microphone over to the hotel representative and stepped down from the stage.
The two authors who had sponsored him waved to him and pointed to the empty seat between them.
With a smile and a nod, he joined them, after circling their table and introducing himself to each of the other women sitting with them.
Though he tried to keep an eye on Lacy, after visiting the buffet for dinner, he lost sight of her, and did not see her again before he excused himself from the party hours later and headed to his room, exhausted both physically and emotionally.