I wait for him to message me back, I go back to his profile to read through his list of fetishes again, but he’s quick to reply.
ALEC107: What made you join this site? Looking for like-minded people? Looking for a play partner?
ANONYMOUS: A play partner?
ALEC107: You’re a submissive, correct?
I wonder if I should play along or just fess up to the fact that I’m simply a curious intruder.
ALEC107: Do you have any other fetishes?
Knowing he’ll probably bust me due to my lack of knowledge, I decide to go with the truth.
ANONYMOUS: Umm . . . actually, I’m not a submissive. And I don’t have any fetishes.
ALEC107: So why are you here?
ANONYMOUS: I don’t really know. Curious, I guess.
ALEC107: You do know that you could’ve simply selected “Vanilla” instead of “Submissive.” It’s an option.
I’m an idiot.
ANONYMOUS: Oh. Apparently I didn’t scroll down enough to see it was there. So, are you a dom?
ALEC107: No, doll. I’m not a Dom. And I can see you’re pretty green, because if I were a Dom, I would have your ass for not capitalizing the “D.”
ANONYMOUS: My ass? Doubtful. Can I ask you a question?
ALEC107: Sure.
ANONYMOUS: I looked at your list of fetishes on your profile, and assuming you aren’t randomly selecting choices like I did, what is “Munch?”
ALEC107: What do you think it is?
ANONYMOUS: Umm . . .
ALEC107: Don’t be shy.
ANONYMOUS: If I’m wrong, don’t laugh.
ALEC107: Promise.
ANONYMOUS: Ass eating?
I immediately cover my face with my hands and start laughing, wondering if I’m right.
ALEC107: No. Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not into “ass eating” as you call it. Have you ever tried it?
ANONYMOUS: OMG! NO! That’s so gross!
ALEC107: How do you know it’s gross if you’ve never tried it? You might like it.
ANONYMOUS: Have you tried it?
ALEC107: Yes.
ANONYMOUS: And?
ALEC107: As a receiver, it didn’t do much for me. As a giver, it got me hard to see how much pleasure she got from it.
His candid response takes me aback. I never talk about this stuff with anyone other than Brooke, but it’s always jokes and laughter. Nothing serious. I may write in a sexually straightforward way, but that’s make-believe. Plus, there’s safety in anonymity, and since I hide behind my pen name, I feel a sense of freedom.
ANONYMOUS: So, are you going to tell me what “munch” is?
ALEC107: It’s a small social gathering of friends who share some of the same fetishes. We meet for coffee or dinner. It’s low-pressure. You tend to see a lot of newbies, as yourself, at munch gatherings.
ANONYMOUS: I’m not a newbie.
ALEC107: No? I thought you said you were curious.
ANONYMOUS: I mean, I am. But only to broaden my knowledge, not to actually do anything.
ALEC107: Are you scared to try something new?
ANONYMOUS: No. It’s just not my thing.
ALEC107: How do you know? Don’t be so quick to think you know what you like and what you don’t like. Have you ever been spanked?
ANONYMOUS: That’s a pretty personal question.
ALEC107: I’ll go with something easy then . . . what’s your name?
ANONYMOUS: Tori.
“Shit!” I mutter to myself the moment I send the message and realize I probably shouldn’t have given him my real name.
ALEC107: Is that short for Victoria?
ANONYMOUS: Yes, but no one aside from my grandmother calls me that.
ALEC107: I’m surprised.
ANONYMOUS: Why?
ALEC107: It’s a beautiful name.
Is he flirting?
ANONYMOUS: So, Alec . . . what do you do for a job since it’s the middle of the day and you’re chatting online with a stranger.
ALEC107: I’m a partner at an advertising firm in the city. And you’re not a stranger, Victoria. I know you’re a 32-year-old who lives in Boston and isn’t into eating ass. We’re practically friends. ;)
ANONYMOUS: Well, if that’s your basis of a friendship . . . LOL!
ALEC107: And what is it that you do for work since you’re chatting online in the middle of the day too?
Finding no harm in telling him my job since Tori has no link to my pen name, I go ahead and reply.
ANONYMOUS: I’m a writer.
ALEC107: What kind of writer?
ANONYMOUS: An author. I write fiction, mainly romance.
ALEC107: Anything I would know?
ANONYMOUS: Maybe, maybe not.
ALEC107: Again, you’re being secretive.
ANONYMOUS: I’m being cautious. You see, I have different standards of friendship than you do, and to me, you’re a stranger. If I were to tell you what books I’ve written, you could easily Google me.
ALEC107: And you don’t want me to Google you? Why? Are you ugly?
ANONYMOUS: No. At least I don’t think I’m ugly. I’m just private. Not secretive . . . private.