I had lunch with a prostitute, her spouse, and a customer.

It's not every day that a lifestyle reporter gets the chance to dine with a sex worker, her husband, and her client. But there I was, standing on a crowded train, making my way to our lunch date. As I stepped off the tube, I couldn't help but curse the uncomfortable heels I had squeezed my feet into. I hurried over to an imposing grey building in London's east end, where a private members club was located.

A man in a perfectly tailored suit and slicked back hair held the heavy wooden doors open for me as I made my way to the reception desk. A gentleman in a neatly pressed jacket looked at me expectantly. I was there to meet Melissa Todd, Metro's On Call columnist, who shares stories of her work as a dominatrix, along with her client William* who is a member of the club. Oh, and Melissa's husband was there too.

I didn't disclose all of this to the man at the reception desk, though I couldn't help but wonder if he knew about the saucy secrets of the club's members. After being ushered up some plush green carpeted steps towards the bar, I was relieved that I had taken the stuffy dress code seriously. Everyone was dressed in buttoned-up suits and ties, and I didn't spot a single pair of jeans. The lack of diversity in the room also caught my attention, as it was filled with exclusively old white men who probably had never given a woman an orgasm.

Melissa and William were sitting in leather armchairs, sipping on some gin cocktails. With a shake of hands, all formalities slipped away. I was shocked to discover that there was no tension between Melissa's husband and her client, despite the unconventional situation. William leaned forward in his seat and began to tell me a humorous story about a man who had been caught shagging a sheep in Wales. As an 85-year-old, he found the story quite amusing, though I couldn't help but cringe at the thought of such a cruel act. He then shared how the man kept the sheep in place by putting its hind legs in his wellies. My nose scrunched up in disgust, and I couldn't believe that our conversation had quickly turned to such an x-rated and illegal topic. I expressed my disapproval, thinking fondly of the fluffy little lambs outside my family home.

Melissa's husband, Issac*, showed up in a nice suit with an ear piercing and perfect politeness. He shook hands with William, and I found it bizarre that he was so at ease with the fact that his wife of five years had seen another man's naked bottom. Oh, I should also mention that William likes to be spanked by Melissa – so hard that he bleeds. Despite this unusual dynamic, the three of them seemed to have a comfortable and harmonious relationship.

As William continued to share more about his kinks and preferences, I realized that I didn't feel uncomfortable or creeped out in his presence. In fact, I found him to be quite charismatic and fascinating. It was refreshing to meet an 85-year-old who was open about his sexuality and wanted to encourage others to do the same. His mother was a suffragette, and he had been involved in the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1967. Melissa, on the other hand, works as a dominatrix and canes multiple men and women for a living.

After finishing our drinks, we moved into the restaurant for our meal. As we chatted and enjoyed our food, William told us how he and Melissa had met and began indulging in his kinks. They were both mutual friends with Ariel Anderssen, a woman who had grown up in a strict religious household before turning to BDSM and masochism. William had contacted her to confess his kinks, as he felt that at 83 years old, he could finally explore them following the passing of his late wife. However, Ariel did not dominate men, so she arranged a lunch to introduce William to Melissa, who could fulfill his desires.

Over lunch, William also revealed that he and Melissa had recently introduced a safe word to their play, as he wanted her to cane him even harder. He shared that he loved a particular scene in her book where she made a man bleed, and he was eager to experience it for himself. Melissa joked that it took courage to press a pillow over the face of an old man she greatly admired. They also told me about their upcoming trip to a spanking convention in Texas, where Melissa's husband would also participate in spanking people with her.

As the afternoon went on, it became clear that Melissa and William had a deep love and respect for each other. Melissa's husband, who worked in the religious sector, had fully embraced her profession and was even willing to participate in her clients' desires. I couldn't help but admire their relationship and the maturity and security it took for them to navigate this unconventional dynamic.

Before saying our goodbyes, William took us on a short tour of the stately building. As we walked through the billiards room, Melissa and her partner laughed as they reminisced about a passionate rendezvous they had amongst the cues and balls. It was evident how much they enjoyed each other's company and how much Melissa's husband had embraced her work. By the time we said our goodbyes, I was two hours behind schedule and probably a bottle of wine deep. But it was all worth it, as I now have the perfect anecdote about the time I had lunch with a sex worker, her client, and her husband.

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