It sucks you into a narrowly focused world and leaves you blind as a bat to other things...~*~ Extended Version (13,000 words--short story)~*~

    Running the ranch keeps me too busy to be lonely but at night, when I’m lying in bed waiting for exhaustion to take me, I can admit I wish there was someone there beside me. Then you pranced into my life in response to a housekeeper wanted ad I posted online. You are nothing I expected and everything I need. My opposite in every way, your softness to my strength, your sass to my gruff, and yet we just fit. I’m stubborn and set in my ways, but I know I can be your happy ever after if you give me a chance. How do I convince you to be mine?Photo Description: A cowboy stands alone in a grassy field, a saddle dangling from his grip by the saddle horn. He stands comfortably, feet apart and shoulders wide. He is looking down, his dark hat obscuring his face and throwing shadows over one shoulder. He is bare-chested, sporting an impressive upper body physique; he is wearing only belted jeans and boots. A river, some brush, and a wooden fence can be seen in the distance.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.

    Dave has made the most perfect plans for his first Valentine’s Day with Nicholas … but of course that’s when Sod’s Law kicks in, and everything that can go wrong does go wrong.NotesWith gratitude to the friend who edited, to Manifold Press who believed, and of course to the wonderful folk at Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews who kindly supported.With apologies to dear Keats, from whom I borrowed the title (adapting the idea behind it).And with thanks to trigga on iStockPhoto.com for the cover image.Happy Valentine’s Day!3500 words

    They were wrong. Three months have passed since Jack walked out of the home they shared, and Henry had been too stupid to take back the hurtful things he'd said. Both assured by their respective parents the other would not be present at Henry's mother's annual Christmas gathering, they attend. Finding they have been duped into seeing each other, Henry realizes that this may be his only chance to try and make things right. But will he be able to convince Jack to come home?Links to all six chapters are here here.

    Enter Zane Wilde, an older lover who refuses to let Aidan withdraw into the darkness of his soul. With sexual mastery, Zane pulls Aidan into a new light of touch and sensation, taking the blinded man to new heights of sensual experience.Zane’s wanderlust never lets him stay in one place for long enough to let his heart be captured. He’s unprepared for the passion Aidan brings back into his life, or the choices now facing him. Zane’s wild gypsy blood is simmering, forcing them both to choose in matters of the heart.

    Convinced his lack of dominance sent his sub away, Mal has spent two years blaming himself for what happened. But when his best friend finally convinces him to go back to the local dungeon, Mal’s grateful. Especially when he wins beautiful, submissive, firmly closeted Kyle Bingham in a charity slave auction.College grad Kyle hasn’t earned enough to move out of the loft his conservative, homophobic parents bought, much less to buy any of the other things still in their name. When he’s won at auction by the hot, amazing Mal, he’s shocked that anyone would want him. No one else seemed to—not his parents, his former Doms, or any of his disastrous dates.But Mal does want him and Kyle lets his guard down, only to be outed to his parents. With his world crashing down, he must find a way to trust Mal—and their developing relationship—or risk losing everything.

    Since his father's death, Rase has been living like the old man was still alive, keeping up appearances with his trophy wife and appropriately luxurious house. Which is when Rase meets Gabriel. Gabriel loses his temper during his first meeting with Rase and lashes out, which unleashes Rase's carefully hidden submissive and masochistic tendencies. His encounter with Gabriel snaps Rase out of his sleepwalking life, and he sets about remaking his world in his own way. Rase isn't the only one shaken by their encounter, though. Can he convince Gabriel to give their relationship a chance?

    He likes his men big and hairy. Daddy complex and craving was filling his days until he met his dream bear but good things and men never goes alone and he got his bonus bears to have hot gay sex with them.

    It's just taking pictures, right? Wrong. While Nick has never questioned what kind of man he is or what he truly wants in life, working for Damian during a BDSM photo shoot opens his eyes to all sorts of sexual possibilities, and many of them include the handsome Mr. Wolfe.Damian has serious doubts about getting involved with a younger man who knows nothing about the BDSM lifestyle, but Nick's adventurous and humorous approach to new experiences is far too alluring to resist. Although he knows it might be a mistake, Damian takes Nick into his life.Flirting on the edges of control, submission, and pain excites Nick more than he would have ever dreamed possible. With Damian, Nick learns about his own deeply hidden desires and finds out that relinquishing control doesn't make him weak, having someone else in control of his sexual pleasure simply heightens it. And the reverse is true for Damian: Control turns him on. So they set out to explore these sensual boundaries together, neither expecting to find love along the way.

    It hasn’t been easy. The only bright spot in his recovery is not knowing exactly what happened for the two days he was held. Noah wants to keep it that way.Marcus Stuart has let fear of another broken heart keep him from attaining true happiness. Being dumped by his ex for money and position, Marcus has retreated from society. It’s a defense mechanism to protect not only his heart, but his sanity. The attraction between Marcus and Noah is electric, both wanting the other but afraid to grab their chance at happiness. Of course, Noah isn’t going to let fear have its way. And after a bumpy start, the two settle into a comfortable relationship.But the past has come back to haunt Noah. The man he thought put away for good has escaped. He wants revenge and will have it. No matter whom he has to kill to get it.

    Mark Mitchell's strategy for surviving is to emulate the mighty turtle: pull back inside his protective shell and keep a low profile to avoid trouble. And it works-nobody bothers him. Of course, nobody really knows him, either, even in a town so small it seems like everybody must know everyone else.Mark certainly knows Bill Cromwell, whom he meets officially when his father volunteers him for manual labor at the school. Bill is his polar opposite: outgoing, gregarious, athletic. But when a massive snowstorm traps the two boys together for three days, Mark learns that being popular doesn't mean you can't be bullied or abused-or gay-and that bullying doesn't stop at the school doors.Mark isn't na ve. He's seen the news reports of gay teen suicides, and he's determined not to become a statistic. But it's not himself he's worried about.

    Nothing rivals the sensation of being bound for Vincent’s pleasure…or so he thought. Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Domination/submission, male/male sexual practices.

    Jason Cooper, the firefighter who rescues him, can only think of what he’d like to do to Troy. Troy's lost everything and Jason wants to help him get his life back. With each passing day, Jason wants that life to include him. But he only has seven days until Troy's friends return from the trip to make Troy see that Jason is the man he's been looking for all along.Jason spends that time giving Troy the best vacation he's ever had, and in the process, wooing the man who has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Troy's having the time of his life, enjoying stepping out of his comfort zone, trying new things: like a little bondage, the hottest sex he’s ever had, and parasailing, and he’s game for more.When the week is up, Troy will find himself a new apartment…unless Jason can convince him to stay.

    An arctic wasteland is not my idea of a holiday destination. If I ever want to see my best friend again, however, it’s where I have to go. With shit-all to do, I didn’t think the holiday would bear repeating anytime soon... but I hadn’t expected Jonathan. He’s direct, rude, and I know I get on his nerves—but not enough for him not to jump into bed with me. It was supposed to just be a bit of fun to make time pass, but it turns into so much more. I’ve got a life to get back to though, and he’s got a business to run. This isn’t going to end well. How could it?

    As the contractor works on getting the project in on time he also has his sights set on building something with the owner. Leigh Masters is concerned the renovation of Masters Pages-his bookstore-will not be completed in time. He s losing his cool. A call to find the contractor he hired brings unexpected results. The man doing his project has run off. In his place Malcolm-his brother and the owner of the company-comes to see Leigh. The man makes Leigh feel off-kilter. He has his doubts about Malcolm s assurances that the job will be done on time. As the renovation progresses he finds it hard to resist the temptation of the man who is now in charge of renovating his bookstore. Malcolm knows what he s doing but Leigh wants to shake up his quiet, calm persona to see what he has hidden underneath. Malcolm Snipes has worked alongside his brothers to build Snipes Construction, their family owned business. He strives to maintain their reputation of providing excellent work, on-time projects and being professional. He s tired of picking up the messes of one of his irresponsible brothers. Except this time, the call he gets from an irate client brings him into the path of a man who is fascinating. This time, Malcolm won t mind taking over the renovation, since it means he can keep an eye on sharp-tongued and sexy Leigh Masters. This renovation is about to become very interesting as they each wonder what happens after the fall..."