That's all Barry Richards wants for Christmas. Desperate for a traditional holiday, he creates a profile on "GetaDate.com," in hopes of finding the perfect man in a matter of weeks. One date after another goes sour, while all around him friends are falling in love, and Barry starts to lose faith.The first snow falls and the world fills with seasonal cheer, all except for Barry, for whom time is running out. Facing the prospect of a lonely holiday, he tries just once more to make The Match Before Christmas.

    “Freed” for his own good, he’s doing his best to follow through on promises made. But he’s struggling, there’s no doubt about it. That is, until he suddenly finds himself in a place he least expected. Beau is an independent man, answering to no one but himself. If he’s lonely, it’s a small price to pay. That is, until a beautiful, lost young man stumbles into his bar on Valentine’s Day. He can’t turn him away. The boy needs him. Or is it the other way around?

    He could pretty much have any man he wanted. I walked away because I deserved better.Now our paths have crossed again. He has the world at his feet. It’s a tempting thought to throw away my lifetime of ideals for a single night with him.Do I still have the strength to walk away?Do I even want to?Photo Description: Two men lie naked in bed. One is on his stomach, with his head out of the frame, the other strokes a hesitant hand down his lover’s back.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" 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.

    Tait’s more than interested, but he’s sworn off coworkers. Can Jude market himself as an employee benefit?Also available here.

    They’re engaged, and their wedding is guaranteed to be a spectacle no event will ever top. So why are they hunkered down in a quiet corner of the Acker mansion, restless and edgy while they wait out the holidays?When Baz suggests a road trip with Walter and Kelly to Las Vegas, it sounds like an ideal escape, but it turns out Vegas only amplifies their unease. Elijah can’t slough off the self-hating his parents programmed into him, and he worries how that will affect his marriage. Baz, crippled en route because of too much time spent in the car without rest, must face the truth that his wealth and influence can’t always counteract the limits his disability will put on his—and Elijah’s—life.With help from their friends, a wily poker player, a take-no-prisoners drag queen, and a smooth-talking casino owner, they face the truth that happiness is a state of mind, not a destination where they book a stay. What happens in Vegas won’t stay in Vegas—it will follow them all the way down the aisle.This novella was written for and by the request of Heidi’s Patreon readers. It is suggested but not required that you read at least Lonely Hearts before reading this book.

    But doing the boss is out of the question.Gresh wants more from Lane than his ability to handle livestock, he wants it all. Lane won’t give him the time of day so he forces the issue, setting up a date that Lane believes to be a business meeting. Alone together, Lane and Gresh ignite in a flash of passion.Just when it feels like there could be something more between Lane and Gresh, the new doctor in town, Riley, sets his sights on Lane. Riley chases hard after him, insinuating himself in Lane’s life, highlighting Gresh’s faults. But Gresh won’t give up without a fight. Will Lane and Gresh be able to survive the intrusion, or will Riley be the one walking away with Lane's heart?Texas Rough is the first book in Sara York’s Texas series. Texas Hard and Texas Twist are next in line. Get ready to get your cowboy on and go for a rough ride.

    They’ve been through everything together—childhood adventures in their New Orleans uptown neighborhood, Lane’s stuttering, Matt’s alcoholic father, high school angst, and "coming out" in college. All through the years, they’d shared secrets and, using the powerful pinky swear, vowed to keep every one of them. But neither Lane nor Matt ever told each other his biggest secret—that they were in love with each other. For Lane, Matt was everything he wasn’t—gorgeous, sexy and outgoing. He had a different boyfriend every week, and Lane couldn’t get a date, let alone the man of his dreams. For Matt, he could never measure up to Lane, never be good enough for the man who set his heart on fire. Neither wanted to risk the deep friendship they shared to find out if the other felt more. Yet after one night of incredible drunken passion, Lane woke up to find Matt gone and a note saying he was sorry and not much more. Four years later and half a country separated, one fateful storm, Hurricane Katrina, brings the old friends together again. But four years is a long time, and Lane’s grown up, matured, more sure of himself than ever. When Matt rushes home from the West Coast to find the friend he loved and fled, he discovers not just the man he left behind, but a man who knows what he wants—a best friend and a lover who won’t run, who’ll stay forever. Now, it’s up to Matt to make the pinky swear...

    But when he receives a wrong-number text confirming the details of a date, he does what any considerate person would—he goes to meet them and explain why they've been stood up. Asher Wescott hadn't expected his blind date to go well, because when do they ever? Henry shows up instead, and things are suddenly looking up. Socially awkward and attached to his routines, Henry is nevertheless one of the most charming and kind men Asher has met in a long time. Too bad he's not Henry's type. An accidental date, an impulsive kiss, and a few conflicted feelings later, can Asher get Henry to see the world—and him—in a different light?

    He hopes to sell everything and use the money to start over in Canada, far away from his abusive ex-boyfriend. It’s a daunting task, and Cole has no idea where to start. Luckily for him, the local antique store owner, Jeremy Collins, volunteers his services in sorting the hoard. Their professional relationship soon evolves into a personal one, but Cole must overcome his past and his anxiety before he can accept a new man in his life or the possibility of a happy future.

    When he finally gives in and gives up, an angel pulls him from the filthy ground of a back alley.Mitchell isn't in the market for a new boy, but he can’t bear to stand by and watch Owen's demise from the sidelines. He finds more than a companion in the older man when he takes him under his wing, and makes it his mission to show Owen it’s never too late to teach an old dog some new tricks.Original Prompt:Dear Author,I'm an older sub who has lost my Dom (you tell us why). Could this younger man with the killer eyebrows be my new love? I feel so lost and vulnerable. Can I trust this new lover? Is this man the one who will provide me with comfort and stability?Picture Description: Two naked, wet, soapy men, one older, one younger, hold each other in the shower, faces turned toward the viewer. The younger, dark-haired man has both arms wrapped around his lover's neck. The silver fox has his left hand at his lover's waist, his right cupping his lover's ass.Download the story, read it online or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 2.__________Genre: contemporary slave fictionTags: gay m/m, d/s, kink, light BDSMWord Count: 9,109

    They were close friends for a long time, but life just got in the way and their competitive careers and busy lives meant they somehow fell out of touch. They never forgot about each other, and they have both been waiting for this moment for years.I’d like to see an emotional reunion, maybe a hint of hurt/comfort in there somewhere if you can fit it in, but most of all just a whole lot of love (I’m a hopeless romantic!).Photo Description: The black and white photograph shows a bed, from directly above, with two young men all the way over to the right side, visible from the waist up. Their torsos are bare. They lie facing one another, and their embrace is tender and loving more than it is passionate.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.

    After graduating from art school Nate left the Midwest for sunny Southern California, not quite sure what he hoped to find. It was almost certainly not falling in love with another man. His whole world and assumptions about himself begin to slowly turn upside down on one hot summer day. Seeking respite from the heat and his loneliness at Venice Beach he has a chance encounter with a handsome blond surfer. Jez is friendly, easygoing, and just a little bit mysterious. Openly gay, Jez offers Nate a place to stay, and the two men become fast friends. Nate makes new friends, adjusts to his new life, but his unbidden attraction to Jez keeps growing. In their moments of closeness Nate realizes that he wants Jez more than just a friend, but it might be too late. To make Jez his, Nate has to face not only his own fears and insecurities, but his mysterious mate has secrets of his own. Warning: Al fresco man-love, a scene-stealing old coot, and a relentless California sun.

    The kind of day he loves, even if the looming New Year's Eve leaves him feeling nostalgic and a little lonely. But then the last person he ever expected to see walks through the door of his shop, and Sherlock realizes that some things don't fade with time, but grow stronger.

    Sure, he's a successful lawyer with a nice car and a nice apartment, but his life is empty, and Tucker knows why. A decade ago, not ready to come out of the closet, he left Whit Jamison behind. Tucker's spent ten years pretending to be straight-ten years thinking about his mistakes. But all the time in the world couldn't prepare him for the reality of seeing Whit again. Whit's taller, more mature, more attractive than ever, and every bit as out and proud as he was ten years ago. Time hasn't changed the chemistry between them, and it looks like Tucker might get a second chance. All he has to do is brush aside the years of lies and embrace one powerful truth.

    No longer filling out his Santa suit or allowed to make merry, he's forgoing the holidays this year and heading to Vegas to indulge in the few vices left to him: gambling and anonymous sex.His road trip takes a detour when he encounters Chandler Tracey, who's just inherited guardianship of his five-year-old niece. Overwhelmed, Chandler's on his way to deliver Poppy to his parents. But fate has other plans and, after car trouble, Chandler and Poppy accept a ride home with Steve. Though the heat between the two men is obvious, they put it on simmer while they band together to make Poppy's Christmas as perfect as possible.Steve soon comes to believe that while Chandler is the right person to look after Poppy, someone needs to look after Chandler. Fortunately, Steve knows just the man for the job.