No matter what happened next, his life would never be the same…Photo Description: A naked man stands with his back to the viewer, a plain white floor beneath his feet. Ahead of him, a pair of large black doors are ajar, revealing a glimpse of bright light. The man’s shoulders are slightly hunched and his head is bowed; he appears hesitant to face whatever fate awaits him through the doors.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.

    They share a gorgeous house in Antwerp, go out with their friends every weekend, and count down the days to their dream wedding. But their happy ending is shattered one late night, and just like that, Ollie is left bereft and alone.The months that follow are long and dark, but slowly Ollie emerges from his grief. He even braves the waters of online dating, though deep down he doesn’t believe he can find that connection again. He doesn’t think to look for love right in front of him: his bisexual friend Thomas, the gentle giant with a kind heart and sad eyes who’s wanted him all along.When Thomas suddenly discovers he has a son who needs him, he’s ill prepared. Ollie opens up his house—Sam’s house—and lets them in. Ollie doesn’t know what scares him more: the responsibility of caring for a baby, or the way Thomas is steadily winning his heart. It will take all the courage he has to discover whether or not fairy tales can happen for real.

    

    When a new friendship leads to a secret opportunity, one more dangerous than ever before, Jim agrees to step in front of the camera but finds himself baring much more than his skin.A twisting historical romance set in the fog of Victorian London, Captured Shadows follows the path of love, blackmail and obsession to a devastating climax.

    Staying with his father’s former boss, Stephen Davis, provides a distraction from his mess of a life, and a face that continues to haunt him. Soon though, awkward interactions with Stephen, and strange happenings in the night, begin to rattle Inver who is unaware his handsome host intends to make him pay for the sins of his father.It’s 1995 and cocky womanizer Stephen has returned to the family farm to inherit a responsibility that was never meant to be his. Feeling bored and trapped he develops an unlikely friendship with social outcast Shaun Munro. As lines between mates are crossed, Stephen begins to question what he stands for. The true spirit of their friendship betrays those around them, leading to severe consequences in a town rife with secrets, and forces Stephen to choose which path in life to take.

    In the small town of Moline, Virginia, folks struggle to survive, relying on hybrid seed sent by the faraway Departmet of Reintroduction and Agriculture and their own faith in God and hard work. But when a mated pair of dragons starts hunting the countryside, stealing sheep, and attacking children, the townsfolk quickly learn that they don't have the weapons or the skills to fight off such predators.David Anderson is a farmer's son who has explored the world through books. When he meets the new healer in town, Callan Landers, he doesn't quite know what to make of the strange warmth stealing over him. It's not until he surprises Callan with another man-and both men are promptly arrested for sodomy-that David finally realizes the truth about his own feelings.When David and Callan stumble over a secret in a nearby abandoned town, their personal problems fade before government politics and corruption that threaten lives. It seems the dragons aren't the worst dangers facing Moline.

    Tan has survived three years in camp, but he’s at the limit of what he can endure, even with the help of his best friend, Austin. When a massive meteor shower creates complete chaos at the camp, Austin and Tan see a chance to escape and they take it. On a whim, they decide to bring Mack with them, a newbie at camp who seems to know more about survival than anyone. But when the meteor shower turns out to be much more and they discover aliens have landed on Earth with war on their agenda, their escape becomes a hell of a lot more dangerous. All of a sudden, they’re not only hiding from their own government, but from alien forces as well. Their only chance is to reach the border to find freedom. But without power and food, and with every man for himself, how will they survive? While the world around them burns, all they have are each other. Ignite is the first book in the Ignite series, which mixes dystopian elements with sci-fi and a slow burn MMM romance. The first book will end in a cliffhanger, so no HEA or HFN, but we’ll get there eventually. Rest assured: none of the main characters will die in this series. Please mind the trigger warnings in the front of the book.

    That’s too much time to spend with the last guy I want to see, but I don’t have any other options. We might not get along, but we’re adults now, and I won’t let my sister down.Ben and I have history, and it’s not the kind of history I can forgive. But this new Ben isn’t the jerk I remember, and that makes it even harder to ignore how hot he’s gotten. It’s almost enough to make me forget what he did—almost.He was a player back then, and for all I know, he’s probably gotten worse with age. He’s still my nemesis, and it’ll take more than those smoldering eyes to get me to trust him.Old rivalries don’t burn out—they simmer.BEN:I’ve changed, but Caden’s grudge hasn’t.When my cousin asks me to give a stranger a ride across the country, I figure a friend of his is a friend of mine. But when I recognize the handsome stranger as Caden, I realize I’m about to be trapped on a road trip with a guy who’s hated me since high school.What happened between us is more complicated than he thinks, but he doesn’t know that. The damage was done a long time ago. Still, that doesn’t stop me from imagining what his body would feel like under mine. With him this close to me, it’s impossible not to wonder.I don’t need a relationship, especially with the problems I’m facing at the youth center I run. But when it comes to trouble, Caden might be the only guy I can turn to—if this road trip doesn’t kill us.My heart’s in the hands of my worst enemy.Note to readers: This is a standalone MM romance.

    His grades sucked. Making friends? Out of the question thanks to his nervous breakdowns and unpredictable moods. Still, Vince thought when Maggie Atkins took him in, he might’ve finally found a place to get his life—and his issues—in order.But then Maggie keels over from a heart attack. Vince is homeless, alone, and the inheritance money isn't going to last long. A year ago, Vince watched a girl leap to her death off a bridge, and now he's starting to think she had the right idea.Vince stumbles across a website forum geared toward people considering suicide. There, he meets others with the same debate regarding the pros and cons of death: Casper, battling cancer, would rather off herself than slowly waste away. And there’s quiet, withdrawn Adam, who suspects if he died, his mom wouldn't even notice.As they gravitate toward each other, Vince searches for a reason to live while coping without Maggie's guidance, coming to terms with Casper's imminent death, and falling in love with a boy who doesn't plan on sticking around.

    As an out and proud pastor, he provides a safe place for LGBTQ Christians to gather and worship, and as a recovering addict, he counsels those pursuing sobriety. Ollie’s life is fulfilling but also a little lonely. He may not have a hard time meeting men, but he does have a hard time getting them to stick around once they discover his vocation. Archie White is a former drag queen who hung up his stilettos to start an HIV transition home in the memory of someone he held near and dear to his heart. All work and no play has made Archie a very dull man, but he thinks his luck is about to change when a friend introduces him to a dark-eyed stranger. That is until he learns the man is a pastor. Archie detests anything to do with religion, and for very good reasons. Archie’s gut tells him to run, and Ollie’s heart tells him to pursue. What can a pastor and a sometimes-queen possibly have in common? A desire to find unconditional love with someone who truly sees them. What happens next is the poignant, sweet, and sexy journey for two resilient hearts. Ollie and Archie’s halos might be battered and a little tarnished, but they’re definitely not broken. Broken Halos is a charming story with heart, heat, and humor. Warning: these characters and their quirky sidekicks may take up permanent residence in your heart, so proceed with caution. Each book in the Queen City Rogues series can be read as part of the series or as a standalone novel. This book contains sexually explicit material and colorful language intended for adults 18 and older.

    Too ashamed to show his face in Manhattan again, Alex flees for his upstate hometown and vows never to plan another wedding again. When his best friend announces her engagement, she begs him to reconsider his decision. Torn between his duty as BFF and his newly acquired cynicism for love, Alex reluctantly agrees. Little does he know that by agreeing to do so, he’s also agreeing to work with his high school bully, Hank Morrison. Once a college football star heading for greatness, Hank Morrison now runs the inn he inherited from his aunt in the small town of Redwood. The problem is, his aunt’s beloved inn isn’t getting business and with the bank threatening repossession, Hank needs to come up with a way to acquire money fast. When his high school nemesis and first love interest, Alex shows up wanting to plan a wedding at the inn, he can’t turn down the kind of money on offer. Even if it means having to deal with the uptight wedding planner who always thought he was too good for him. Opposites in every way, Alex can't ever imagine hunky straight Hank ever being anything to him. Until he finds out Hank isn't so straight after all. Especially after all those years he made his life hell. Tensions run high between the pair as they're forced into close proximity due to their working relationship. It also means that they can't help getting to know each other and when they find out they aren't as different as they once thought, things become complicated.

    But his world turned into a nightmare when a suicide bomber destroyed Clark's career. It's been a long road to recovery, littered with surgery, alcohol, and secrets, but Clark finally has peace. His bar, Glow, is the place to be in the city of New Amsterdam, the son of the mayor employs Clark as a confidential information man, and Clark's side venture as part-owner of a BDSM club is quite the profitable release. Clark's life is a good one, so long as no one gets too close.Then a man walks into Glow who will forever change Clark's rules and reality. Thinking Professor Daniel Germain is just another handsome face ripe for Clark's kind of good time, Clark puts on his smoothest moves. When the professor turns him down, Clark goes on the hunt, and what he discovers shows him that even the deepest wounds can be healed by submitting to love.

    Trapped in the sticky fine print of an ironclad contract that forbids him from revealing his very-much-single status until the season finale of his reality show airs, he calls an elite male escort service that caters to the rich and desperate.Accustomed to servicing his often less than savory clients at more upscale locales, twenty-six-year-old Toby Carmichael is surprised when his handler sends him to a run-down motel off I-55. But “surprise” doesn’t come close to describing the shock that rocks his system when a delightful stuttering mess covered in tattoos and nearly ten years his senior stumbles into the room—and right into his heart.For the first time since Toby was forced into the life of prostitution, a kiss sparks a desire that has nothing to do with money and everything to do with genuine chemistry and the faintest beginnings of something so much more. But Toby’s dark past and troubled present make it impossible to see a future with Landon. And when the truth comes to light, a horrified and helpless Landon is determined to save Toby at all costs.Content Warnings: Some content in He Owns My Heart may be triggering for some readers, due to the depiction of traumatic topics or other subjects or themes that may be difficult to read. Content warnings include the following:• A main character with childhood history of physical and verbal abuse by a parental figure—discussed by character as an adult, nothing depicted on page.• Homophobia from a close family member of a main character.• Discussion of previous self-harm/cutting behaviors by an adult survivor—presence of physical scars and mental ramifications discussed.• A main character involved in prostitution with dub-con/non-con aspects—all interactions between the main characters contain full consent and there are no graphic on-page depictions. More graphic experiences are alluded to via inner monologue narrative.• A main character involved as a victim in human trafficking associated with the illegal drug trade.• Consensual Domination/submission relationship between the main characters—including light bondage, tease and denial, edging, the use of toys, and mild pain play (i.e. slapping and predicament bondage).• Depiction of moderate on-page violence between main characters and antagonists—no blood depicted.• Depiction of stalking activities by an ex-partner of a main character.• Consumption of alcohol by main characters and side characters.• Graphic portrayals of consensual penetrative cis male/cis male sex with condom usage. Oral sex scenes without use of condom shown with first instance occurring prior to reader’s knowledge of previous health check by both parties with both parties fully aware of the other’s health status before oral sex occurred.As always, if any of these topics could potentially impact your mental health or wellbeing, please consider skipping this read. Your emotional and mental safety are always the top priority.

    To be a Docile is to forget, to disappear, to hide inside your body from the horrors of your service. To be a Docile is to sell yourself to pay your parents' debts and buy your children's future.Elisha Wilder’s family has been ruined by debt, handed down to them from previous generations. His mother never recovered from the Dociline she took during her term as a Docile, so when Elisha decides to try and erase the family’s debt himself, he swears he will never take the drug that took his mother from him. Too bad his contract has been purchased by Alexander Bishop III, whose ultra-rich family is the brains (and money) behind Dociline and the entire Office of Debt Resolution. When Elisha refuses Dociline, Alex refuses to believe that his family’s crowning achievement could have any negative side effects—and is determined to turn Elisha into the perfect Docile without it.

    What they find is a race of humanoids who are sentient, but as emotionless and serene as the plants and placid lakes they tend. B, captain of the mission, doesn't believe that the "Silvers" are intelligent, and lets his crew experiment on them. But then he bonds with Imms, who seems different from the others-interested in learning, intrigued by human feelings. And B realizes that capturing, studying, and killing this planet's natives has done incalculable damage.When a fire aboard B's ship kills most of the crew and endangers Imms, B decides to take him back to Earth. But the simplicity of the Silver Planet doesn't follow them. Imms learns the full spectrum of human emotions, including a love B is frightened to return, and a mistrust of the bureaucracy that wants to treat Imms like a test subject, even if they have to eliminate B to do it.(Note: This is a revised second edition, originally published elsewhere.)