Take This Man

These 16 erotic short stories, all set in a contemporary America that’s slowly getting used to same-sex marriages, feature committed male lovers keeping their romantic feelings alive, often in playful, thoughtful, and inventive ways. A number of the stories capture milestone moments, such as marriage proposals, wedding days, reunions after long absences, and compromises leading to deeper affection. Others address familiar challenges that come with long-term relationships. T.R. Verten’s “Strangers for the Night” and Jameson Dash’s “Table for Three” show couples spicing up their love lives with roleplay and ménage à trois, respectively. Both Brent Archer’s “A Ride Home” and Michael Bracken’s “Blue Heart” reflect on memories of first meetings segueing into loving appreciations of aging bodies. Plakcy’s own “A Riviera Wedding” explores some of the political ramifications of same-sex marriage: “You know how I feel... Marriage is for straight people.” Each story contains plenty of explicit lovemaking, with tender kisses galore. (June)