The dim glow of the tattoo parlor’s neon sign flickered against the rain-streaked windows, casting a sultry crimson hue over the black leather chairs. The air smelled of antiseptic and ink, thick with the hum of the needle gun and the low thrum of bass-heavy music pulsing from the speakers. Catherine sat first, her long legs crossed, her fingers drumming impatiently against the armrest. She wore a tight black tank top tha...

The dim, pulsing glow of neon lights bathed the entrance of Velvet Touch, the city’s most infamous gentlemen’s club, where the air smelled of cheap cologne, spilled whiskey, and the thick, musky scent of arousal. Inside, the bass of the music thrummed through the floorboards, vibrating up through the soles of high heels and polished dress shoes alike. The stage was a shrine to sin, its black lacquered surface reflecting t...

“I will. Maybe you want to bring the car nearer the rear of the tree so you can see us better, but whatever you think you see, do stay in the car. Hugh is nervous enough as it is, and as I have mentioned, I want to go all the way with him.” “Short of fucking.” “Yes, John, short of fucking.” With that, as she waited, her husband moved his car. Due to the street light, it was brighter at the rear of the tree than expected,...

Some habits are so ingrained in people that you could easily label them as compulsions. I was halfway through my routine when she arrived—slightly flustered, barely exchanging looks, smiles, or words with anyone. Determined. Still, it was enough for me to observe her. And hate the ponytail trapping her hair in that rushed, messy way. Rich, deep burgundy with stupidly exhilarating reddish-purple undertones. The kind of hai...

John knew that it was time to share one more piece of information. He didn't know whether his wife would like it, be worried about it, or simply want to go home—game over! “What do you mean, Hugh is going to pop over?” Janet asked, alarmed… She then added a little sharply, “Explain!” “Okay,” John replied, his hands coming up defensively. “When I mentioned to Mark about the Bushel Pub, he told me that a couple of years ago...

Ryan wandered the downtown shops with twenty-three dollars in his pocket, searching for his mother's birthday gift. The money felt inadequate—like their relationship had become in recent days. His mom had developed a bitchy attitude ever since he started working. But she was still his mother, and he still loved her. Ryan was just out of high school and had a job at the local gym. The pay was poor, but he got to use all th...

It was a typically sizzling Spanish summer day in June. The intense heat was dissipating as late afternoon approached, bringing relief to my fatigued body as I wove through a dense forest on my way to a remote beach I had spotted on Google Maps. It was my second day of backpacking solo down the south coast towards Valencia. I’d spent the previous week partying hard at a festival with a group of friends from back home in E...

Janet had tried not to show it to her husband, John, but she felt frustrated with life, frustrated sexually, and frustrated that her youth was slipping away. For some time, these feelings had been bubbling away in her inner core, their rise to the surface triggered by an event that happened a few weeks ago. ***** As Janet and her daughter entered the newsagents, she noticed a neatly pinned advertisement among the free ads...

It was early Saturday morning, and I was catching a bus into town to work in a retail shop. I was in my teens and permanently horny. I got off the bus in town and started the short walk to the retail shop, and was about to pass a public toilet, when I decided to pop in for a quick wank. The town was quiet, with a few people around, but mainly quiet since the shops weren't due to open for another half hour or so. In my min...