What could possibly go wrong? Part of The Real Story Safe Sex Project. http://brenthartinger.com/therealstory/

    Dealing with drug dealers, hookers, and mentally ill suspects on a daily basis is his stock and trade. He once loved his job with the LAPD but three years ago, he put his trust in the wrong man and he’s been paying the price ever since. Refusing to work with a partner after the first one nearly killed him, Pope is jaded, still hurting, and hanging onto the career he once adored by a thread. Homeland Security Investigator Felix Jbarra is a fresh-faced young agent with a bright future in the DHS ahead of him. Deeply closeted, Felix hides his sexual orientation from his huge Catholic family which brings him terrible guilt and grief. One night in a back-room nightclub encounter, he connects with a man who inexplicably makes him want to confess everything. Assigned to help shut down an elusive child sex trafficking ring, Felix instinctively knows he’ll need turn to the more experienced detective for help if he and his partner want to crack this case. In the first book of the brand new Thin Blue Line series, join Felix and Pope in this exciting adventure as their worlds collide on the mean streets and in between the sheets… Thin Blue contains a sneak peek at Order & Anarchy (The Thin Blue Line series Book 2) ** Please Note** If you’ve read the Death and Destruction series, Lincoln Snow, McBride M. McCallahan, Jarrett Evans-Wolfe, and Thayne Evans-Wolfe also play ongoing roles in this new series. Never fear, Jarrett probably won’t be base jumping off any more buildings… probably.

    In my first month away from home, enjoying newfound independence on my college campus, I was brutally raped by a stranger. I had barely begun my homosexual exploration, kissing and some hand jobs, with a few men who were also experimenting, when it happened 7 years ago. I have not been able to enjoy sexual relations with another man ever since. It has affected every one of my romantic relationships and I am sick and tired of being alone and afraid. I have decided to ask my best friend, a man I first met in junior high and trust with every part of my being, to help me overcome my fear of intimacy and sex. Yes, he is straight, but his love for me is strong and he suffers along with me when my fears arise. My hope is that he can help me, taking baby steps, enjoy the wonders of sex by touching me and loving me. I know that it will hurt when our intimate time together is over, but I’m not going to think about that right now. I need the overwhelming dread and fear of other men stricken from my mind before I can worry about anything else.Photo Description: Two men, short dark hair, no tattoos, shown from the waist up only. They appear to be naked and are clasped in a tight embrace. No faces are shown.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story. This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

    A throng of sugar-frenzied kids might be enough to send this uptight photographer back into the darkroom permanently. Inappropriate thoughts about his far-too-attractive—and far-too-young—assistant aren’t helping fight that urge to hide, either.For Noah Hawkins, adulting is a snap. Too bad relationships aren’t. With his business temporarily closed for repairs, he’s happy to help his sister out of a jam, even if the costume he’s given to wear borders on obscene. Constantly being mistaken for a teenager is no treat either, especially when he discovers his temporary new co-worker is sexy as hell and 15 years his senior.Can Noah convince Jamison that age is just a number? Or will Jamison resist the gift Santa seems to be handing him on a platter?

    With his family grown and his husband Zack having decided to become a middle-aged clichA(c) and marry his secretary, Chris Thayer is about to discover that starting life over at 48 is just as complicated, frustrating and thrilling as the first time around. After relocating to the North Carolina beach community of Emerald Isle, Chris finds a new appreciation of his role as the heart of the home to his grown children and becomes involved in the patchwork lives of his neighbors. To his unending surprise, he also finds himself the object of a new man's affections, a rowdy jack-of-all-trades with an unnervingly direct stare. In the same quiet, understated manner that he demonstrated in his critically acclaimed first novel, "Metes and Bounds," Jay Quinn gives the traditional Southern novel a decidedly untraditional twist.Jay Quinn is the founding editor and executive editor of Haworth Press's Southern Tier Editions. He is the author of "Metes and Bounds" and "The Mentor" and has edited "Rebel Yell: Stories by Contemporary Southern Gay Authors." He lives in south Florida.

    All words used to describe Dr. Micah Steinberg by the hospital staff for their next head of surgery. When a letter arrives from his grandmother’s friend at the assisted living facility, his orderly world tilts dangerously out of control. Josh Rosen had everything until it was revealed much of his world was a lie. Forced to re-evaluate his life, Josh gives up his career and returns home to New York City to care for his beloved grandmother. What Josh didn’t figure on was an attraction to a man who on the surface, appears to be exactly like the life Josh chose to leave behind.As Micah struggles with the reality of his grandmother’s illness, the bond these two share deepens, as Josh helps Micah heal, then open his heart. Micah discovers there is more to life than work, control and success. Josh is in deep but has yet to tell Micah who he really is.When the fight for the hospital’s head of surgery turns ugly, Josh’s past and present collide. Micah must let go of the past and accept who he is, if his life is going to move forward.Life is full of surprises, and as both Micah and Josh learn, love can happen whether you plan for it or not.

    Not this holiday. After his degree-seeking lover leaves humble blue-collar Ben, Ben spends the Yuletide miserable. He's not accustomed to being alone, not after seven years. Eventually Ben finds his lover's new address and sends him a greeting card asking when he'll come back home—only to learn in the returned correspondence that his card reached the wrong address and another man, Jason Prescott, by mistake.Jason is touched by Ben's appeal to his lover, and he and Ben spend months growing close as pen pals. Frequently exchanged correspondence turns into weekends spent together, but after learning Jason's working on his second master's degree and is even smarter than Ben's ex, Ben wonders if Jason will be able to love someone as ordinary as he is.

    French chef Luc Tessier is five-star successful. His cookery program on TV is rated as high as his restaurant, and casual flings are his specialty. The only stain on his toque is Daniel Sheridan, an English food critic who has made it his business to ruin Luc's reputation. The only way to clarify this particular pat of butter is to invite the critic to dine and bury the hatchet-preferably in Daniel's back. The moment he lays eyes on Daniel, however, Luc's thoughts turn from sauces to seduction. Daniel definitely finds Luc appetizing, but he plays it cool. He never wants to be anyone's toy, ever again. Yet in the face of Luc's relentless pursuit, he's finding it harder to keep the flamboyant chef at arm's length. A cooking competition on a remote Scottish island seems the perfect way to put some distance between them. Until Luc shows up to compete, determined to win not only the trophy, but Daniel's heart... Warning: Ingredients include two extremely hot men determined to come up with a whole new definition for "sizzling." Explicit use of food items could incite spontaneous nekkid food fights.

    After the tragic loss of his parents and sister, Rex has no interest in romance. He's respected in his community and regarded as one of Carlisle's most eligible bachelors, but he's accepted that his life isn't conducive to a romantic relationship, especially as a closeted gay man. Enter Josh Billings, a veterinary student who's serving an internship in town. Josh's deepest passion is helping animals. Romance is the furthest thing from his mind... until the night he meets taciturn, handsome Rex Payton. Chance and an after-hours dance conspire to forge an intimate connection neither man looked for-one neither man can ignore after the dance leads to a kiss. Suddenly romance isn't so insignificant, but it's also not without complications. For this relationship to work, Josh has to decide if he can cope with dating a single dad, Rex has to open his heart, and Ty has to learn to share his dad's affection.

    The war started in third grade, with a surprise punch to the face, and lasted until the summer after high school when Brooklyn and Dallas are stuck working at the same store. At night. Together. It should've been a recipe for disaster. But instead of outright combat, they slowly start to notice that not only do they not hate each other, but perhaps they have more in common than either of them knew. Soon, amidst unexpected laughter and camaraderie, Dallas realizes that maybe the guy who used to be his number one enemy could actually be his perfect match.Original Prompt:Dear Author,These beautiful boys have a story to tell. A story of firsts. The first stirrings of attraction, the first feelings of love, the first touch of another, the first forever...Please tell us their story so that their love may live on...Photo Description: A black/white photo of two naked teenage boys in a white bedroom. One sits on the bed facing right, leaning back into the other kneeling behind him. His lover's right hand is across his arm and chest. The left hand gently strokes his hardened penis as they both watch.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Hot Summer Days" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.Download the story, read it here or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Vol 1 or Don't Read in the Closet: GayRomLit Retreat 2011 Special Edition.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, virgins, first love, enemies-to-lovers, high school, summer romanceWord Count: 14,012

    When he arrives at the house to move back in, the room is a mess and Heath is acting very strange: he's apologetic and bashful instead of the antagonistic jerk he usually is. Heath's personality switch catches Fleury off-guard in ways he doesn't want to examine. It's also too good to be true; Heath reverts to his old ways once the other team members arrive back at the house. After that, Heath runs hot and cold throughout the semester, swinging between flirty and frustrating.Then, at the first track meet of the outdoor season, Fleury makes a huge, stupid error that ends up in a twisted ankle and Heath taking his place as the anchor leg of the 'A' relay. It doesn't help matters that Heath is the only one who saw exactly what caused Fleury's accident.Fleury can't help but wonder which Heath will greet him when they return from the track meet. Will it be the rival gloating about his stupidity? Or will Heath surprise him with kindness? If he wants more than a cold shoulder, Fleury will have to take matters into his own hands.Original Prompt:Dear Author.I'm running warm up laps around the track when the shot put throwers start their practice throws. Ogling them distracts me enough that I veer off course into the hurdles. The end result is embarrassment, a sprained ankle, and losing my chance to participate in today's meet against our biggest rival. As a senior, I don't want to give up my spot, but I especially don't want to give it up to him.Since the start, we've been rivals on the track. We run the same distances and are competing with each other for spots at the starting block. But while I'm sure what relationship we have on the field, I'm less sure what we have off of it. Being forced to share a bedroom in a house with our other teammates doesn't help any. One day he's flaying me with sarcasm and the next he's gazing soulfully at me from across the room when he thinks I can't see. What's his problem? I can't figure him out. And what will happen tonight? Will he gloat about taking my spot, or surprise me by offering comfort just when I need it most?Photo Description: Two photos, each of a young man. One is tall, skinny, and pale-skinned with straight, platinum blonde, straw-like hair. He wears black skinny jeans and a tight black shirt with a V-neck and the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. The other guy is a few inches shorter, slightly more muscular and tanned, with wavy, brown hair. He wears black jeans and an open black leather vest, showing off his body.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is Always Write" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.Download the story, read it at the Author's website or here or find it in Love Is Always Write: Volume 2.

    Neither of them had even dreamt about cowboy beefcake Denver Rogers, but Adam’s pretty sure his nighttime fantasies are just getting started.

    Now, Dieter is calling on the services of a lawyer, Gerald Young, to determine whether his family’s legacy might be returned to him.Gerald doesn’t hold out much hope that the paintings will be returned, but Dieter’s earnestness speaks to him and he agrees to help. At first he concludes that while Dieter has a case, suing in Austria isn’t practical. But Gerald is a good lawyer, and as his feelings for Dieter develop, so does his determination to win the case. Together, Gerald and Dieter navigate research, hearings, and a dysfunctional family in the pursuit of fine art—and discover the art of love along the way.

    When I agreed to go to a party with him after the bar closed, I had no clue that this was the party.Jesus, he was so god damn sexy in the bar though. He had to be at least 5 years younger, perfect chiseled body. And when we kissed? Fuck! I couldn't keep my hands off of his tight ass. Damn I wanted that... well, look who's in the opposite position.Fuck! Oh well. Sigh. Fine. Suck me. Fuck me. Make me yours. I don't fucking care anymore. Hopefully, I can walk out of here in the morning without too many bruises. Shit, maybe I'll even ask him for his number when this is over, huh? I bet that will shock the shit out of him."Here's some more of what I'd like: The MC must be a rocker-like dude, long hair either shoulder length like in the pic or a little longer. Color doesn't matter. He can have tats, etc. But I'd like both guys to be men... no crying, whining -- unless MC is begging "deeper, harder". Some light BDSM, tying, spanking, pulling of hair. Names don't matter.Photo Description: Shirtless leather-clad blond rocker, bound on his knees in a black-padded room, in submissive position, leather thong laced around left upper arm.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is Always Write" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.Download the story, read it online or find it in Love Is Always Write: Volume 3.

    Kevin only likes girls.So... why does he keep thinking about her?Or him.Whatever.__________Status: completeWord count: 77,510