Hide and Seek: Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exibitionists

Sometimes a sexually arousing or a sexually fulfilling experience does not necessarily have to involve physical contact with another person. This is the premise behind the erotica anthology Hide And Seek: Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exhibitionists, in which the characters in the scenarios that enfold find sexual fulfillment and release from viewing others in the throes of sexual passion (be it with an attractive partner or with a vibrator). The characters take pleasure in each other, not through sexual intercourse, but simply through sight. This premise makes the set-ups and plots of these stories differ from typical erotica fare.

Talented erotica writer Rachel Kramer Bussel one again lends her editorial eye to Cleis Press for this anthology, selecting steamy, well written, and well-developed erotic stories that all fit under the broad umbrella of voyeurism and exhibitionism. While the title made me initially assume that the stories within this anthology would be specifically voyeuristic, the stories in this collection actually cover the gamut, with voyeurism leading to arousal for couples, friends, neighbors, and total strangers. As is the case with most erotic works put out by Cleis Press the stories within this anthology are all smoothly composed, with enough character and plot development to satisfy more cerebral readers.

Among the tales I found to be most scintillating within this anthology were “A Girl, Two Guys, and a Sex Toy,” by Kristina Wright. As one would perhaps conjecture from the story’s obvious title, the plot does indeed involve a woman, two men, and a large dildo. A lovelorn woman heals her wounds when she finds herself in bed with her two male best friends. However, instead of engaging in the expected ménage a trois scenario one would anticipate, she instead pleasures herself with the aforementioned sex toy, soaking in the fact that she is able to arouse two men.

In Teresa Noelle Roberts’ story “Visual Memory,” an artist finds artistic inspiration by recalling past voyeuristic memories, and laments upon how they transformed her own perception of sexuality. Roberts’ writing in the story is often poetic and rich with detail and character introspection, making it literary enough to surpass the erotica genre.

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