Six


Tara Spears - 2013
    Suddenly Angelo finds himself alone with a newborn daughter to raise, and no explanation as to why Todd left him, or the daughter he had so desperately wanted.Between his daughter, and his career as a kindergarten teacher, Angel doesn’t have time for anything else, let alone a relationship. When the handsome, auburn-haired Marcus walks into his kindergarten classroom toting his daughter, Angel isn’t looking for a boyfriend. He has enough on his plate raising a thirteen month old daughter, and keeping his class in line.Only Marcus doesn’t seem to know the meaning of the word no, and soon worms his way into all facets of Angel's life, turning everything sideways. In a twist of fate, the reason for Todd’s betrayal becomes clear, and Angel finds himself with a new outlook on his own life. But can he really expect Marcus to stay?This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" 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.

Her Two Dads


Ariel Tachna - 2010
    Sri had agreed to provide the sperm to make Jill's dream of motherhood come true, but he'd never expected to have to make decisions for a baby girl. He intends to place her with an adoptive family, but once he sees her, Sri can't bring himself to do it, so now he's struggling to learn how to deal with a newborn. His housemate and friend, Jaime Frias, volunteers to help, never guessing he'll fall in love with both the baby and Sri. Everything seems perfect until a visit from Social Services sends Sri into a tailspin, feeling like he has to choose between his daughter and a relationship with the man he's coming to love.

Tougher To Love


Diana DeRicci - 2012
    His only sister is murdered, leaving him as the sole family to his 14 year-old niece. As an uncle, he’d been there for them, but he is clueless when it comes to actually seeing to Terra’s wellbeing. Muddling through, they become closer, healing together through the trauma, and slowly begin to feel like family.Ian has a deep secret though. Not even Terra’s mother knew, and when Caleb is the officer to deliver a freezing and terrified niece to his door, that secret is in jeopardy of being blown sky-high.

Never The Perfect Moment


K-lee Klein - 2014
    But when his best friend and partner on the police force, Chrys Delos, is shot in a raid gone bad, it’s one of the worst moments of Bryan’s life.Bryan’s been secretly in love with Chrys for years, and the shooting is a wake-up call that it might be time to tell Chrys the truth. The problem is, Bryan’s never been with a man before, so in addition to worrying about Chrys’ injuries, he’s an indecisive wreck over the future.But with the help of two unlikely matchmakers, Bryan knows it’s time to find the courage, and the perfect moment, to tell Chrys exactly how he feels...

The Nothingness of Ben


Brad Boney - 2012
    His life is perfect until he gets a phone call that brings it all crashing down: a car accident takes his parents, and now he must return to Austin to raise three teenage brothers he barely knows.During the funeral, Ben meets Travis Atwood, the redneck neighbor with a huge heart. Their relationship initially runs hot and cold, from contentious to flirtatious, but when the weight of responsibility starts wearing on Ben, he turns to Travis, and the pressure shapes their friendship into something that feels a lot like love. Ben thinks he’s found a way to have his old life, his new life, and Travis too, but love isn’t always easy. Will he learn to recognize that sometimes the worst thing imaginable can lead him to the place he was meant to be?

Brainy and the Beast


J.M. Cartwright - 2013
    How does he control his attraction to this brash, sexy mechanic?Nick owns his own classic car garage, and he is more than willing to hit it with the brainy, seriously hot, Henry. What he doesn't need is the aggro that comes with feelings. But since his 14yo nephew, Grant, has come to live with him, he's been dealing with aggravation every day. And now his dad lives with him, too. A dad who doesn't mind commenting on Nick's lame parenting skills.With Henry turning his crank in a big way, and Nick enjoying not being in charge for a change, things heat up pretty fast. They're actually dating, with dinner and everything, before he knows it. And the after-dinner drinks at Henry's gorgeous house have Nick wiping the sweat from his brow.But Henry and Grant don't get along; Nick isn't sure he wants a relationship at all, and Nick's dad, Big Mike, has an opinion on everything.How's a guy to have fun on the weekends - even during the week, for crying out loud - with all the family baggage hanging around?

Love Comes Silently


Andrew Grey - 2012
    Doing it alone is overwhelming—especially when that loved one is a child. But ever since Ken Brighton’s partner left him, Ken has spent his days at the hospital with his daughter, Hanna, hoping for a miracle. Maybe the mysterious care packages that appear for Hanna don’t qualify, but they bring a spark of hope into his and Hanna’s tired life—and so does Ken’s neighbor, former singer Patrick Flaherty. For two years Patrick hasn’t been able to focus on anything but the life he should have had. An injury robbed him of his voice, and the idea of introducing himself to new people intimidates him. But over the past months, he’s watched as his neighbor nursed his sick child, and once he meets Ken, Patrick starts to crave a life with him—a life he isn't sure he can have. Ken doesn’t realize he’s fallen in love until the doctors send Hanna home, saying there’s nothing more they can do: Hanna will either recover or succumb. Ken’s heart is set on a new beginning—with both Patrick and Hanna. But Patrick's silence leaves Ken wondering what Patrick wants.

Inestimable Blessings


Amanda Young - 2010
    He has a small circle of close friends, a career he loves, and a baby on the way via a surrogate. Mr. Right is nowhere to be found, but Lee isn’t about to let that little tidbit rain on his parade. He’s more than willing to thrust his other needs aside and focus on fulfilling his lifelong dream of being a father.With his love life in the gutter, Lee turns to fantasies of his hunky neighbor, Finn Alexander. His daydreaming is merely a harmless diversion until Finn comes to Lee’s rescue on a dark and stormy night.To Lee’s surprise, the chemistry they shared in his imagination is nothing compared to the real thing. Finn is as hot between the sheets as Lee always envisioned. Better still, they get along famously outside the bedroom. The only things standing in the way of Lee having it all are the bundle of joy due any minute and Finn’s apparent aversion to children.

Disasterology 101


Taylor V. Donovan - 2013
    A house he worked hard for, a loving wife, and three beautiful children. But it wasn't until his marriage ended that he realized what the void he'd felt almost all his life meant. Coming out as a gay man at thirty-six is not an easy feat, but he is determined to be true to his heart. Meeting a man who shares his values, and is good with his children would be a bonus, but when the guy arrives in a uniquely wrapped package, and has very specific handling instructions, Kevin needs to decide if he's up for that kind of love.Obsessed with order and symmetry, and a paralyzing fear of germs, Cedric Haughton-Disley has lived with isolation and loneliness as long as he can remember. Desperate to be normal, he makes some much-needed changes in his life. If he can commit to his treatment, he might very well be able to procure some quality of life... even if that's all he can get, as finding love and having a relationship are only possible in Cedric's wildest dreams. But when a chance encounter leaves Cedric wishing for more, he decides to take a leap of faith, and pursue the guy he wants.Together the two men make an unlikely match. Cedric needs organization, and Kevin represents chaos. In order to stay together they both need to compromise, but will they be able to deal with Cedric's issues and the potential disaster, or let it break them apart?

Something for Santa


A.K.M. Miles - 2010
    One job is playing Santa at Martin's Department Store. On a break he's alone and lamenting the lack of love in his life and that no one really sees him. A small voice tells him that he sees him. Derek looks down to find an elf beside him. Said elf is in need and Derek helps him out, not knowing that he is going to meet the man of his dreams.Max Martin is a busy man, CEO of all the Martin's empire, father to Michael, and in need of help in many areas. Derek steps up to the plate offering help in several of those areas, including one that Max wasn't aware of. He hadn't known how badly he needed someone to love him, to make his life whole. There is fun, laughter, romance, jealousy, revenge, heartache, fear, and it's Christmas, so, a happy ending.

The Last Thing He Needs


J.H. Knight - 2014
    Since he was fifteen years old, he's managed to keep the children fed and out of foster care. It takes up every ounce of his energy and the last thing he needs is romance complicating his life further. Rookie cop Bobby McAlister doesn't belong in Tommy’s harsh world, but Tommy can’t push him out. As their unlikely friendship turns into a tentative relationship, they weather the daily storm of Tommy’s life with a lot of laughs and more than a few arguments. Tommy isn't used to trusting outsiders, and he's never asked for help in his life. But when a tragedy strikes the O'Shea family and threatens everything he's fought for, he'll have to learn to do both to recover from the brutal hit.

My Only Home


Pepper Espinoza - 2007
    Deeply in the closet, Noah is horrified at his behavior, and terrified of what Lucas would think of him. He left the next morning without saying goodbye, and effectively cut off all ties. He returns five years later to help his father, and runs into his old best friend almost as soon as he reaches town. And nothing has changed. He still loves Lucas, and he still can't stand to meet the other man's eyes. Lucas has been through a lot in the past five years without his best friend's support. A marriage. A divorce. A child. Running his own business. He also remembers his one night with Noah with perfect clarity. For five years, he only wanted Noah to come home. But now that Noah is back, things have changed too much to ever be the same between them... Genres: Gay / Contemporary

The Little Things


Jay Northcote - 2013
     There are lots of things that brighten Joel’s life. His three-year-old daughter Evie is one. His close relationship with her mother, his best friend from university, is another. Joel’s boyfriend, Dan, adds spice to his child-free nights, and Joel is pretty happy with how things are. Then one cold and rainy night, everything changes. Joel’s life is turned upside down when he becomes a full-time dad to Evie, and his previously carefree relationship with Dan cracks under the strain. Meeting Liam, who acts as if getting hurt isn’t a foregone conclusion, shakes Joel to the core. Their attraction is mutual, and Liam makes no secret of how serious he is about Joel. But Joel is wary. He tells himself he’s keeping Liam at a distance for Evie’s sake, when really he’s protecting his own heart. Taking a chance on this new relationship with Liam may seem a small step—a little thing—but is it one Joel can take after losing so much already? Please note that although this edition has been re-edited for publication, there is no new or additional content.

The Virgin Manny


Amy Lane - 2017
    When Tino Robbins is roped into helping his sister deliver premade dinners when he should be studying for finals, he’s pretty sure it's the latter! But one delivery might change everything.Channing Lowell’s charmed life changes when his sister dies and leaves him her seven-year-old son. He’s committed to doing what's best for Sammy… but he’s going to need a lot of help. When Tino lands on his porch, Channing is determined to recruit him to Team Sammy.Tino plans to make his education count—even if that means avoiding a relationship—but as he falls harder and harder for his boss, he starts to wonder: Does he have to leave his newly forged family behind in order live his promising tomorrow?

Robert's VP


Lynn Hagen - 2012
    Barely scraping by, Robert does what he has to in order to provide for Jack and Emma, even skipping a few meals here and there. A new VP joins the plant where he works, and always-been-straight Robert’s life is complicated when he is drawn to the man.Ethan Russell is the epitome of strength and confidence, and it seems everywhere Robert goes—and anytime he needs a strong shoulder to lean on—Ethan is there. Not even certain Ethan's attention is anything more than charity, Robert begins to struggle with his attraction to the handsome executive, who is part guardian angel and part sex god.When tragedy strikes the family, Robert realizes he needs to be with Ethan, who's away on business. Emotionally wrecked, Robert returns to his empty home. His life, his family, and his future are up the air, and Ethan may be the only chance he has for everlasting happiness.