29 stories
Chambelán Crush | Enamorada del Chambelán
Choreographing a quinceañera dance leads to feelings between the choreographer and her lead dancer
Qartaba Hot Springs | حمامات قرطبا
She discovered natural hot springs near Qartaba twenty years ago and kept them secret. He's the geologist who finds them—and her—by accident. In healing waters, they discover what they both need. 'Inti adfa min hal mayy' (أنتِ أدفى من هالميّ).
פרשת אלנבי | Allenby Affair
On gritty Allenby Street in Tel Aviv, a sex shop owner and a religious customer explore forbidden territories together.
תשוקה בגבול | Border Passion
An Israeli border officer and a Palestinian woman meet secretly at night, crossing borders that maps will never show.
The Underground Restaurant
Chef Rania runs a secret supper club in Ramallah—until food critic Karim arrives uninvited and demands a taste of everything she's hiding.
Reading Rapture
Librarian Makeda has always been quiet and reserved. But when regular patron James discovers her secret romance novel collection, she decides to show him that still waters run very, very deep.
The Halal Butcher's Daughter
He delivers meat to her father's shop in Whitechapel every Thursday. She counts the inventory. Their fingers brush over lamb chops. By month three, she's sneaking him into the back freezer—and neither of them are cold.
The Mosque Caretaker's Daughter
She grew up in the apartment above the mosque in Whitechapel. He's the new assistant her father hired. They shouldn't meet at night in the empty prayer hall. They do anyway.
Sunday Service
She's the pastor's wife. He's the new youth leader. What happens in the church basement is anything but holy.
The Barber Shop Confession
His barber shop in Tottenham is where Somali men come to talk. She's his best friend's little sister—grown up now, all curves and attitude—who keeps coming in for 'eyebrow threading.' The back room is soundproof.
The Gym Trainer's Secret
He trains Somali women at the women-only gym in Finsbury Park. She's the client who booked him for 6 AM sessions—hijabi, serious, and way too focused on his hands when he corrects her form. The steam room is private at that hour.
In-Laws
He married the daughter. But every holiday visit, it's the mother he can't stop thinking about. This Christmas, she stops pretending not to notice.
Sleepover
His best friend passes out by midnight. Her mom doesn't. When she finds him awake in the kitchen at 2 AM, she decides it's time to stop pretending she hasn't noticed him noticing her.
Since Fifteen
Twelve years of sneaking away at family reunions. Twelve years of pretending they're just close cousins. She signals. He follows. He always follows.
Mpenzi wa Baba
His father keeps a woman in a flat across town—everyone knows, no one speaks. When father falls ill, someone must deliver the monthly allowance. She's thick, lonely, and tired of waiting.
Mother of the Bride
He's the best man. She's the mother of the bride. The rehearsal dinner changes everything.
The Best Man's Mistake
He's the best man at his brother's wedding. She's the maid of honor—Somali, stunning, and off-limits because she's his brother's wife's best friend. One dance leads to a hotel room, and suddenly the wedding party has a secret that could ruin everything.
Every Sunday
It started at his wedding reception. Five years later, it hasn't stopped. Every Sunday, he visits for 'family dinner.' His wife helps in the kitchen. He helps her mother in the bedroom upstairs.
Ukumbi wa Siri
His father takes a second wife — younger, thicker, hungry for attention the old man can't provide. The new wife is given rooms in the far wing. The room becomes their secret.
Extra Credit
She's his professor. He's failing her class. Her office hours are about to get very... educational.
Through the Wall
He can hear everything through the thin apartment walls. His neighbor knows. She's been putting on a show.
The Promotion
His wife's mother is the CEO of his company. She's always been flirtatious at family dinners. When he's up for VP, she calls him to her office after hours. The promotion is his—if he earns it.
Past Due
He's three months behind on rent. His landlady has a proposal that doesn't involve money.
Caught
He's been staring at his best friend's mom for years. She's been watching him watch her. When they're finally alone, she decides it's time to stop pretending.
Back Home
He left for college a boy. He's back five years later—broke, jobless, sleeping in his old room. His stepmother hasn't forgotten what she saw the night before he left.
Thin Walls
The new neighbor in 4B hears everything through the walls. Every argument. Every silence. Every night he spends alone. She starts leaving notes. He starts leaving them back. Some conversations don't need words.
While He's Away
Dad leaves for a month. His new wife and her daughter have been waiting. By the time he returns, they've claimed what's theirs—and they're never giving it back.
Picha za Siri
He finds photos on a lost phone—the thick married neighbor in compromising positions. She'll do anything to keep them hidden. Anything. As many times as he wants. For as long as he wants.
The Calligrapher's Secret | سِرُّ الخَطَّاطِ
A master calligrapher encodes a forbidden message in his final masterpiece