Causing angst

Laura "Tegan" Gjovaag goes head to head with her uncomfortableness with depictions of casual sex in a review of How Beautiful the Ordinary:

I've got severely mixed feelings about [the anthology]. My conservative side is screaming that the depictions of sex are too blatant for teenagers, while the side of me that recognizes reality points out that kids know about sex already. And anything that will lead teens to a better understanding of themselves and others is probably a good thing...'A Dark Red Love Knot' by Margo Lanagan—The Highwayman is reimagined with a different motive for the ostler than love for the landlord's daughter. This is the first story that my conservative side screamed loudly about, as the ostler and a soldier share a moment.

This would be the moment:

He had me up and down and round about. I cannot tell you how glorious it was, or how confusing, my God. I could not tell, did he love me or hate me? For one moment he was savage at me behind with his claws in my hips and such oaths, such talk in my ears as I’d never heard uttered, saying what he was doing and what he would do, and what kind of filth was I. Then the next he was wound his hot nakedness all around mine, and drinking long drafts of kisses out of my mouth and saying Who are you and Where have you come from and No don’t answer. Be a mystery to me a lovely mystery my darling.

Or thereabouts. Squirming yet? :)