7 Erotic Short Stories to Read When the Mood Strikes

If you find yourself more aroused when reading words versus watching videos, erotic short stories may be the move for you. In addition to being a sexy alternative to watching porn, erotic short stories are perfect because they’re short, to the point, and descriptive enough that you can imagine the storyline however you want.

Of course, porn sites will always have their time and place, especially since some really cater to what women prefer to see in these films (ahem, more oral sex, less jackrabbit sex). But sometimes what you really want is a 15- to 25-minute read that just gets you perfectly in the mood, aroused, and on the verge of an incredible orgasm.

From kinky, degrading, and hardcore BDSM to sweet, loving romance, there’s an erotic short story for everyone and every desire. To help, we’ve compiled a list of the horniest and best erotic short stories that will bring your masturbation technique to a whole new level. And if you’re in the mood to add a little something more, feel free to check out these erotic reading sites or audio porn options, too. Enjoy!

The Best Erotic Short Stories

“The Visitor” by Bridget Bellecerise

This particular story starts with the narrator taking a bath and getting ready to masturbate, but as much as she tries to concentrate, she continues to get distracted by thoughts of a guy she seems to have a love/hate thing with. Lo and behold, guess who shows up at her door? In the erotic short story, the two proceed to have some really deliciously hot sex, and there’s some power-play dynamics in there too to spice it up even more. In a little more than 15 minutes, you can listen to the erotic short story for free on “The Bellesa Erotica Podcast” here.

“To Italy With Love” by Fiona Zedde

Let’s be honest: if you’re going to have a sizzling sexual experience that makes for a great erotic short story, Italy is the place to do it. What’s cool about this collection (there are three stories) is that there are also three levels of eroticism, so there’s something for everyone — especially those who prefer their characters to be lesbian or bi. There’s also a dash of humor in there, but not too much to take your head out of the game. For $14, you can buy “To Italy With Love and Other Stories” at most bookstores or on Amazon here.

“The Veiled Woman” by Anaïs Nin

This erotic short story includes it all: exhibitionism! Voyeurism! Women’s sexuality! Anonymous sex! For a brief description, one man asks another man to help him deal with a “difficult, neurotic woman,” and doing that means — at least in this story — having anonymous sex. Let me just say, the sex scene that unfolds is something else, for sure. It has a twist ending that you’ll have to find out on your own by reading it. “The Veiled Woman” is one of the 15 short stories in Nin’s anthology titled “Delta of Venus” ($14). You can also listen to it for free here.

“Comings and Goings” by Jayne Renault

If your kind of erotic short story involves two complete strangers going at it in an airport bathroom, then “Comings and Goings” by Jayne Renault is for you. As the narrator says early on in the story, she doesn’t avidly use dating apps, but since she’s at an airport with time to spare, she figures she’ll give it another go. Lucky for her, she matches with someone else who also has time to spare at the airport, and that’s exactly what these two women do. It’s one of the steamiest vulva-on-vulva actions you’ll listen to. And because we’re talking about two people who really know their way around a clit, it’s even hotter. This is another story that can be listened to for free on “The Bellesa Erotica Podcast” here.

“My Pleasure” by Anessa Adeusi

Nipple play, anyone? Although that’s not the only thing going on in this erotic short story, it’s nice to see nipples getting the love and attention they deserve. In “My Pleasure,” listeners are introduced to Kara and Dean and their unbridled sexual urges for each other. Undies are ripped, orgasms are denied, and if you love to read about big cocks, this is also the story for you. It’s pretty dirty (in the best way possible), and can be read for free on the She Does the City website here.

“Fearless” by Anne Stagg

During this 22-minute erotic short story, Maddie is given the chance to proudly and honestly embrace her kinky side with someone she’s met on a kinky website. As much as it’s a really hot erotic story, it also teaches a very important lesson about living your most authentic life. It can be listened to for free on “The Bellesa Erotica Podcast” right here — just note it’s part of a four-part series, so make sure you listen to all of them.

“Appetizer” by Sommer Marsden

If you talk to anyone who knows quite a bit about erotic short stories, they’re bound to mention “Appetizer” by Sommer Marsden. Like a lot of the greatest erotic stories, it’s not just about one type of sex act or kink. In “Appetizer,” there’s cuckolding, voyeurism, a threesome, P-in-V penetration, and an epic oral-sex scene. You can find this story in “The Sexy Librarian’s Big Book of Erotica” ($25), but there are also free excerpts of it online here.

Amanda Chatel is an experienced sexual wellness journalist and PS contributor.