Author Anonymous_ A True Story - E.K. Blair Page 0,19

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. There’s a difference.

ALEC107: I can respect that. Most women who get on this site usually put everything out there without regard for their safety. I like that you’re protecting yourself. But I can’t help but wonder what you look like. It doesn’t seem fair since I’m sure you’ve already looked at my profile picture.

ANONYMOUS: You mean your fake photo?

ALEC107: Fake?

ANONYMOUS: There’s no way that’s you.

ALEC107: And why is that?

ANONYMOUS: Because that guy in the photo is hot and pretty normal looking.

ALEC107: And what am I? Abnormal because I have different sexual preferences than you do?

ANONYMOUS: I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry. That sounded extremely judgmental and that wasn’t what I meant.

ALEC107: What is normal? Are you normal?

ANONYMOUS: No. It’s just that . . . I don’t know. I guess I have you stereotyped, if I’m being completely honest. In fact, you’re easy to talk to, which I didn’t expect. Again, preconceived perception and all. I didn’t mean to offend you.

ALEC107: I appreciate your honesty. You admitted to being vanilla, which is far from my world, but just because we are different doesn’t mean one of us is normal and the other abnormal.

ANONYMOUS: I agree.

I stew in my foot-in-mouth moment, and after a long pause, he finally messages back.

ALEC107: So . . . you think I’m hot?

Oh, God. I can’t believe I said that. But for all I know, it could still be a fake picture.

ANONYMOUS: No. I said the guy in the photo was hot. How do I know that’s even you?

Another long pause.

ANONYMOUS: Are you there?

No response. After another minute passes, I’m about to exit out of the chat room when I see he’s sent a file that I need to download.

ALEC107: Open it.

I click on the file icon, and as soon as it downloads, a photo appears on my screen of the same guy that’s in his profile picture. But, he proves himself to be legit as he’s