Page 5 of Various Intentions

“Well, Jesus. That’s a first.” I snorted.

“Very funny. Can you meet me tomorrow?”

“Well, I have to work…”

“You get a lunch, don’t you?”

“But I have marking to do.”

“Oh, come on. I’ll buy you lunch.”

“Well, in that case.”

“I’ll come to your office. See you around noon.”

“Sure. See you. Bye.” There was no point arguing. I’d end up agreeing anyway.

Matteo brought in the tea and placed it on the coffee table.

“What did Daphne want?”

I stared at the phone, wondering that myself.

“Well, I’m not sure. Wanted to know how Taylor reacted to his gift. But she’s making me meet her for lunch tomorrow for some reason.”

Daphne was my longtime friend who worked as a professional Domme, had introduced me to Vincent and reamed out my ex-boyfriend after he’d started dicking me around. I loved her so much and would do anything for her, such as letting her set up a sex dungeon in my basement for almost a month the previous year.

Daphne had a flair for the dramatic and intense, even outside of her lucrative business.

Matteo, who had been a member of our rather unconventional relationship for a good eight months now, had gotten a promotion at his job. He was now a senior-level market researcher for a well-known software company. That kept him busy during the regular work week, but his evenings and weekends remained free so that he could come home, cook dinner for us and help with domestic chores.

Vincent, who had been a full-time domestic service person for me since we’d moved in together, received a regular wage on top of his room and board, as well as enjoyable bonuses from Matteo and me, so that we made quite the spectacular and functional family unit.

Taylor, who added to the overall atmosphere with his dry wit and explicit humor, had thrived under our admittedly neglectful care. He was a young adult now and disappeared most evenings into his room or went out with his boyfriend and other peers. But when he did grace us with his presence, he was respectful and cheerful, and I wondered how we had lived without him. We knew it was only a matter of time before he moved out on his own, or in with Riley, but now that he had his own car to take back and forth, he seemed content to keep things as they were, which made me happy in an unexpected way.

I’d never wanted children, but falling into a vague parenting schema with Taylor had been so natural and organic that it didn’t seem strange at all and fulfilled me in some obscure way. I tried not to second-guess it.

* * * *

Daphne showed up early for our lunch date, peeking into my office like a student with a bad average.

“I see you there,” I said without looking up from the paper I was grading.

“Oh, hey, Nic. You look very professional.”

“I should hope so. This is my job.” I put the pen down and looked at her.

Daphne stood in the doorway to my office. She was dressed in an elegant gray wool wrap coat and heeled leather boots that reached her knees. Her chestnut hair was pulled back in a high ponytail and a pair of sunglasses was perched atop her head.

“You can come in and have a seat, you know.”

“Yeah, that’s okay. I’m having flashbacks to high school.” She thumbed over her shoulder. “Let’s go eat.”

“All right. Fine. I have to be back to teach a class at two.”

“I will have you back long before that,” she assured me, hooking her hand in my arm when I passed by.

“You look lovely, by the way,” I said.