Kinky Confessions

“Good and good. Busy with school, projects, the usual. I’m working on…”

I told her about my Japanese building and Christy’s Kanagawa series.

Then we talked about her life for a while. She and Erin were still getting along, Dad was flying as much as he could (to pay for the new plane), and she was thinking about repotting her houseplants.

“Maybe you can get Erin to help you,” I said.

“Maybe. We’ll see.”

“I’ll help if she won’t.”

“No, you’re busy with school and your own life.”

“I’m never too busy for you, Mom.”

“Aren’t you sweet.”

“I do need to get off the phone, though. Sorry. I have to finish my elevation drawings and start on my watercolors.”

“I’m proud of you, honey.”

“Thanks, Mom. That means a lot. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

We said goodbye and hung up. I bounced off the bed and headed up to my studio, where I settled on my comfortable new drafting stool and looked over my drawings. I was determined to beat Gracie for first in our class.

Unfortunately, she was just as talented and worked just as hard. But she

worked alone, while I had a secret weapon, a wellspring of talent named Christy.

I smiled and picked up one of her sketches. She left them for me like little love notes. This one was of me sitting at my drafting table like I was at the moment. She’d signed it with her chop, a little stylized “CMC.” I crossed it out and redrew it as a “CMH” instead. Then I pinned it to the wall above my desk with the others. She’d see it eventually, and it would make her smile.

Wren set out two crystal vases after dinner on Monday evening. She fussed over their placement on the dining room table, in case Trip or I had somehow forgotten that the next day was Valentine’s Day.

I toyed with the idea of asking what the vases were for, but Christy read me perfectly. She set her hand on mine and gave me a stern little headshake. I returned it with my best “Who, me?” expression and kept my mouth shut.

Household harmony prevailed.

The next day Trip and I spent a small fortune on roses. We both thought it was a bit of a waste, especially since the bouquets were triple the regular price, but we knew better than to return home empty-handed. The girls acted suitably surprised.

“Thank you,” Wren said to Trip as he bent for a kiss. “I have just the spot for them.”

“Really?” I said under my breath. “I’d’ve never known.”

“Be nice,” Christy whispered. Then she smiled as if I hadn’t said anything. “Thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful. I have something special for you, but it’s for later.”

“Trip, sweetheart,” Wren said, “will you fix drinks while I put the finishing touches on dinner?”

“You got it, babe.”

In usual Wren fashion, dinner was a sumptuous experience: quail stuffed with figs and prosciutto, mushroom risotto, and pan-roasted Brussels sprouts.

“Don’t worry, my love,” she said as she set a quail on Christy’s plate, “I made a special stuffing for you. Sautéed shiitake mushrooms instead of prosciutto.”

“Sorry for the trouble,” Christy said.

“No trouble at all. I enjoy experimenting with you.”

“I thought that was my job,” I quipped. “Oh, wait… I’m supposed to experiment on her. Never mind.”

Christy rolled her eyes but then lowered them and smiled.

“That isn’t all you’re supposed to do,” Wren said with a pointed look.

Christy cleared her throat and pretended to straighten her silverware.

“You promised,” she said, deceptively mild.

Wren didn’t get chastised very often, and her reaction was so quick that I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. Trip watched with his own well-hidden amusement. Then he shot me a grin and changed the subject by lifting his wineglass.

“What should we toast to?”

“To our future happiness,” I said, “with the most intelligent, talented, ambitious women we know.”

“You forgot beautiful and sexy.”

“Hear, hear!”

Wren thanked me with a little nod, and Christy beamed. We clinked our glasses and drank.

The food was delicious and the conversation steered clear of Christy’s and my sex life, much to her relief. Wren was on her best behavior until after we finished dessert and a bottle of rosé champagne. Then she and Trip said an early goodnight.

She kissed my cheek and whispered, “Just do it already. This weekend.”

She gave me another quick peck and pulled back with a guileless smile for Christy’s benefit.

They headed upstairs, and I put my arm around Christy. She waited until they were out of earshot.

“Did she—?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Ugh!” She stomped her foot. “I’m going to wring her neck.”

“Eh, she is the way she is, and we can’t change her. In many ways, she’s super-considerate, like your dinner tonight. In other ways…”

“She’s a nosy, meddling, sex-crazed pain in the you-know-what. That’s what she is.”

“She’s also your girlfriend,” I chuckled.

“Sometimes I wonder why.”

“Because you love her.”

“Don’t use logic against me.”

“Note to self…,” I teased. “Now, tell me about this surprise you have for me.”