Athletic Aesthetic: An Erotic Anthology of Sporting Prowess

Five long-form stories comprise this anthology from across the pond. First up is Lisa Fox's "Rigorous Training," in which gymnast Christy embarks on a mission to persuade the legendary hermit Kyle Weston to train her for her comeback. Hidden from the public eye for over ten years, Kyle is far from the grizzled has-been Christy is expecting—she is instead greeted by a gorgeous young man with an intense training technique and a keen awareness of her mounting lust. By the end of their sessions, both athletes are rewarded, in more ways than one. Emerald's "Doubleheader" is a tale of lovers reunited. Relegated to a corporate (albeit impressive) position as vice president and CFO of a baseball team, owing to the lack of women's major league baseball, Rita is shaken up by the reappearance of Chad Tomlinsen, major league star and former flame, who nearly swept her into a very different life years ago. Though Rita swore never to sleep with any of her players, her reunion with Chad and rookie Evan's longtime crush encourage her to bend the rules. Vanessa Wu's odd yet determined narrator sets her sights on an attractive racing fanatic in "Monococque." The two form an instant connection aboard a ten-hour flight from London to Shanghai, leading her to engage in a number of risky pursuits to score tickets to Shanghai's big race. Luckily, the two finally meet again and fulfill their dreams of raunchy, racing-related sexual exploits, complete with Formula One double entendres. In Lexie Bay's "Playing with the Big Boys," Grace knows she needs to lock down notable client Jay Morgan to be respected by her male peers. She also knows his soft spot is golf, so she plans to gain some experience by teeing off with three of the hottest, most conceited men from her office. When things go better than planned, leading to private "lessons" from all three, Grace celebrates with a private party for her new boy toys. The final contribution, Malin James's "The Master," is a departure from its peers, unique in its dark tone and depiction of M/M sex scenes. Although the mysterious fencing expert Alin Dalca disappeared more than 50 years ago, rumors abound that he still trains athletes to perfection as "The Master." Lured by the promise of greatness, Tom Granger finds himself in a Romanian chalet with three other male contestants, an enchantingly aloof female instructor, and more sexual temptation than he can contemplate. When the men learn that their training will consist mainly of "moderate pain" and total submission, Tom is more than ready to play to win.