Tom was at his desk, studying a report displayed on his screen, when a quiet knock sounded on the office door. "Come in," he called without looking up. He could tell it was Charlotte by the way she silently entered the room. His assistant, a small, slender woman in her mid-twenties, often escaped notice. "Do you mind if I close this?" she asked in that soft tone which sometimes annoyed him, but more often than not soothed...

Jim woke to the delicious smell of breakfast, the sound of an espresso machine, and the feel of warm smooth skin pressed against him on both sides. He opened his eyes and saw it was Chan-Juan spooned in front of him. Lifting his head he saw she was still tangled with Caihong, both sleeping soundly, both still radiating joy in their sleep from the knowledge they were both pregnant with his twins. They were the last two he...

After my topless exhibition of the night before, I slept fitfully. My dreams were elusive but filled with images of being naked in front of crowds of people. I woke up early and sat in the semi-dark with a glass of water, a headache and doubts about what I was doing. Eventually I worked up enough enthusiasm for a scalding-hot shower, and after that I felt better. I came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and opened th...

She rushes into the cubicle in the bustling office restroom, her heart hammering with a potent mix of excitement and guilt. She knows it's reckless, indulgent even, but the craving is too strong to ignore. The memory of her lover's touch, the way he makes her body convulse with pleasure, overwhelms her senses. Slamming the door shut, she yanks her leggings down, the fabric catching on her heels. Impatience wins: she leave...

Soulful, earthy, pianissimo. For millennia, the loose vibrations of lips on a far-off didgeridoo have filled the wide-open spaces of this ancient land—their land—with a hymn of praise for creation itself. Always was, always will be. Mimicked animal sounds—kookaburras, dingoes, kangaroos—blend with the notes of humanity and rise from the ruddy sun-baked dirt to welcome the sun. Nowadays, squatting in Australia's Red Centre...

Andrew lies sprawled on Jake’s couch, the soft fabric digging into his bare back as he stares at the TV screen, half-drunk and completely relaxed. The party earlier had been a blur of loud music, laughter, and too many shots of tequila. Jake, his best friend, had insisted he stay the night, and Andrew hadn’t argued. Now, wearing nothing but his boxers, he’s halfway through some action movie he’s not really paying attentio...

"Room 237." I reached across the counter to take the keycard from the concierge with a polite half-smile. It was the best I could muster under the circumstances. I hated travelling enough, but the added stress of business trips left me all but enthusiastic for the week ahead. Had I known my boss would assign me as the lead on all dealings with this client, I would have kicked the file to someone else. Only I could have fo...

“Friday was great!” Elliot exclaimed, cornering me in our first-period English class Monday morning. “We loved being able to hang out with another gay couple.” Bo and I had gone on our first double date with Elliot and Jason the previous Friday. “Yeah,” I agreed. “We liked it, too.” “What did you two do after the movie?” he asked. “We have a special place where we can do whatever we want,” I accidentally admitted. “I wish...

Rachel chewed absently at her salad. As much as the sweetness of the raspberry vinaigrette usually filled her mouth, it might as well have been dust from under the couch for all the taste she could draw from it. “Are you enjoying your dinner?” “It’s fine, honey.” She swallowed, remembering her next line, “Have you seen my phone? I haven’t been able to find it since I got home.” “Not in your purse, is it?” Bertie reached o...