Page 23 of Various Intentions

“Oh, Nic. My dear Charles is twenty-four. Much too young for me, don’t you know.”

“He’s perfect for you. Vincent’s twenty-five. Well, he’ll be twenty-six in a month. God, we’re all getting older,” I said.

“Perhaps you are.” Juno smirked. “I have decided to be thirty-three for the foreseeable future. What istime, after all? It’s only a human construct.”

I raised my brows. “I don’t think that’s actually true, Juno—”

They tossed their wavy, shoulder length hair. “Humor me, Nic. You usually do.”

“Fine.”

“At any rate, the two of them make a great pair. Vincent and Charles. I’m looking forward to the gallery show.”

“Me, too.”

“And where is Matteo this evening?”

“He’s upstairs lying down. He’s got a bad headache.”

“Poor man. I’m sure it’s not easy living in such a busy household.” Juno shook their head and clicked their tongue. “And Taylor?”

“Taylor is at Daphne’s, helping her with clients. Did you know he’s setting up an OnlyFans for her?”

“Is he? Such a little entrepreneur. I should ask him to help me with my website. It needs updating, and I don’t have the technical skills he does. That boy should get a degree in communications. I imagine there is a great demand for people with his skills.”

“He’s applied for the Social Work program at Algonquin. That’s where his interest lies.”

We glanced over as Vincent and Charles returned to the living room. Charles looked flushed, and Vincent seemed agitated.

“What’s wrong?” I asked him.

“Nothing.” Vincent flashed me a smile.

“I’m an idiot,” Charles blurted. “I wanted to touch it and”—his gaze flashed to Vincent—“I should have asked first. I’m so sorry.”

“Charles, it’s fine. I’m just…a bit uncomfortable now,” Vincent said.

I grinned. “Because you’re aroused, Vincent?”

He glared at me. “Maybe.”

“Don’t worry, my darling,” Juno said to Charles, tilting his chin up and gazing into Charles’ beautiful eyes. “Vincent will forgive you.”

Vincent waved them off. “There’s nothing to forgive. It’s not a big deal. But, just so you know, when you get hard in a cock cage, it’s not exactly comfortable.”

“But that’s part of its charm, isn’t it, Vincent?” I said, running a finger over the bulge in his sweats.

Vincent sighed and rested his forehead on my shoulder. “Yes,” he murmured.

“So?” Juno asked Charles. “What do you think? Can you handle having your privates locked away to serve me?”

“Probably. Vincent says it makes things easier. You know, that it’s harder to have”—Charles cleared his throat—“accidents.”

Juno laughed and clapped their hands together. “Well, any assistance in that department would be beneficial. Although I do so love to see you overcome.”

The way the two of them regarded each other at that moment reassured me that all was well between them. Juno was lucky that Charles was so forgiving and accommodating. Someone else might have gotten fed up with Juno’s dramatic and self-flagellating behavior and left. Perhaps theyweremeant for each other. Charles was the only one of Juno’s partners who’d lasted so long, and he seemed to thrive in Juno’s company.

After they’d left, I pulled Vincent close and kissed him sweetly on his divine lips. Then I tugged him across my lap and pulled the back of his sweatpants down so that I could see and touch his beautiful behind.