Bankruptcy, a bigoted sibling, and a back-breaking accident have all left him with little money and less faith in the universe.His last-ditch effort at peace is the small lakeside property where he is building a tiny house from recycled materials. If he can get it livable before the cold sets in, maybe he’ll be okay. Hopefully Cullen, the foreman on the construction site next door, won’t notice Eugene pilfering discarded materials from his dumpster.When Cullen stops by to talk to Eugene, he’s sure the gig is up—but all Cullen wants is a date. Can two things go right in Eugene’s life? At first it seems possible. Projects on Eugene’s house are getting completed by what he dubs “construction elves” while he’s off site. But like Eugene predicted, his good fortune can’t last, and soon he has a tough choice to make: give up his home… or the man of his dreams.

    Few who venture in ever return, and those that do rarely come back all the way. The leopards in this forest have a protector who walks the worlds between leopard and man, but who calls the leopard kin and the human only enemy. When a frightened boy escapes from the latest hunting party to feel the protector's wrath, he tracks the boy down, determined to leave no survivors. But when he comes fact-to-face with the exotic, defenseless boy, he cannot bring himself to end that life. Instead, what he has reviled for years becomes his constant companion. That is, until the humans dare to set foot in his forest once more.Original Prompt: Dear Author,Hmmm, I can almost taste him on the wind now. He's so close. I've been tracking him for days, his scent is driving me wild for the last few miles. He's good, damn good – but I'm better. Photo Description: A leopard walking alongside a body of water with a jungle/forest surrounding it.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.Also read the story here or find it in Love Is Always Write: Volume 5.

    The walking wounded. These are the stories of ordinary people.

    1. A dry fruit consisting of an edible kernel or meat enclosed in a woody or leathery shell. 2. Slang, Vulgar a testis.Cream [kreem] noun. 1. A soft solid or thick liquid containing medicaments or other specific ingredients, applied externally for a therapeutic, or cosmetic purpose. 2. Slang, Vulgar to have an orgasm.Toby Madison is coming into his mating phase, and is leaking pheromones all over the place. He is about to find out what happens to bad little wolves, in the best possible way. Cliff Bullen is more than ready to place his mark on the man he has always wanted as his mate with a little help from a bottle of nut cream.Warning:Warning, this title contains the following: explicit male/male sex and graphic language."

    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.

    An old friend shows up in town to stay and they have decisions to make about some big plans for their future. Spend a little more time in Bellingwood during the holidays and see what everyone is up to. Rebecca and Andrew have a party to attend, Polly has yet another rescue. It's just one more week in that little world we all love.

    He has a real mischievous streak when it comes to firing those arrows of his, but lately he’s been feeling lonely creating so much love but getting none in return. Give Dashiel a run for his money with a little tease all of his own and let him see how it feels to experience the shot of a cupid’s arrow for himself.Photo Description: A dark-haired, shirtless man with defined abs leans against a waist-high white wall. He wears black low-rise jeans and knee-high leather boots. A compound bow in his right hand rests on his hip. His left arm is bent over his head, hand grabbing the string.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.Read the story here or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 1.__________Genre: fantasyTags: gay m/m, long-lost-friends-to-lovers, sexy-immortals/gods, coming-out-in-love, f**k-me-bootsWord Count: 10,116

    Bears are real men with real bodies—and that doesn’t always mean a perfect six-pack or an immaculately smooth chest. With bears, it can mean more man to love. The men in this anthology are chubs, cubs, grizzlies, pandas, polar bears, and more—all looking for a connection. And beneath their burly physiques are hearts of gold. Explore the bear scene and beyond with these big, hairy guys and the men who find them irresistibly sexy.