All Comments on 'The Birthday Present'

Nice first submission, an academic variant on the 'away at a convention' theme. Those of us who have endured the 'lunchtime talks' at professional meetings will recognize the authenticity of the situation. Good buildup of tension.

Some things to consider for your next submission:

1. This sort of lustful one-time encounter requires that both parties want and need the other 'right now' and are willing to risk other aspects of their lives to satisfy that need. The reader is told of her needs, but not his. Her willingness to submit totally to a stranger in a strange land without more a bit more explanation moves the fantasy into near-complete suspension of disbelief. Erotica implicitly asks the reader to project him/herself into the storyline, so 'believability' --if achievable-- is a great asset.

2. The editing is so good that the occasional grammatical error stands out. Hair on men of a certain age is "prematurely gray" not "premature gray". (On women, it is silver and can be equally alluring!)

Overall, a very nice effort. Good luck on subsequent submissions.

What was the real birthday present? Let me guess. HIV? Herpes?Another STD? A forever guilty conscience? As a Professor of Romance Languages I was in her position at the table many times but I never let it lead me to her position in bed. My husband would never have known... but I would have known.