The formerly popular high school quarterback now works at a gas station in the middle of nowhere. The last thing he needs is meeting the guy he used to bully at school and seeing him all sorts of polished up. James is now the proud owner of an amazing silver Jaguar and a self-made millionaire. It seems that the day couldn’t get any worse for Mike, but James ‘Lovelace’ Austin might just turn out to be his golden ticket out of the job he hates.When James Austin meets Mike Miller, his high school crush and tormentor all in one, working at an old, dirty gas station, it feels as if the stars have finally aligned in his favor. He wants to finally get his revenge on the guy, but when Mike turns out to be gay, the whole afternoon takes a turn for the surreal. Instead of just humiliating Mike at his workplace, James decides to hire him for a weekend at a conference he’s attending. A hot guy by his side is the only accessory James needs to rub his success in the faces of his frenemies.Only problem is, a gay Mike Miller might be too much of a blast from the past than James ever expected. If James wants his nerdy heart safe from the hunky jock, he needs to keep Mike at arms length. The task would be a lot easier if Mike wasn’t unashamedly hitting on James. Or is it just James’s money Mike is after?Photo Description: Two men lie on a bed locked in a passionate embrace. Completely naked, oblivious to the world around them, they share something special, a bond they couldn’t possibly have with anyone else.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.

    Now Zenko Marks, and the man who owns his heart, Shaun Jacobson have been sent Stateside to recover.Hearts, flowers, and happy ever afters... right?Snort... nope... bullets, guns, and a terrorist where they least expect it is more their style.

    Because of pranks, indiscretions, and plain bad timing, his ability to work in New York's temples of haute cuisine is a thing of the past. When Toby's sister tells him he should look up an acquaintance whose restaurant -- Le Potiron --is failing, he doesn't have much choice.Pretty soon he's in bed, literally, with a cook who hates people, trying to save a restaurant that only the neighborhood mothers seem to love, and on the verge of another --possibly painful -- lesson or two about what it means to be successful.Evan hates everyone but Toby. Toby likes to stir things up. See what's on the menu at Le Potiron, in Stirring Up Trouble.

    His ex-boyfriend emptied the bank accounts and ran off with his personal trainer months earlier leaving John unable to pay his creditors. Now he’s forced to close the independent movie theater he runs. Now he’s going to have to close the movie theater he owns, a bad end to a bad year. Gay, single and closer to fifty than forty, John doesn’t see a lot of hope in his future. In the dark of night he wonders if staying afloat is worth the effort. Chance Allsop made a promise to his dying mother he hopes he doesn’t regret. Ten months after her death he’s finally in Skagit Washington, visiting the old movie theater where his parents met and fell in love decades ago. The whole thing seems like a lark until he lays eyes on the handsome owner. With his mother’s spirit at his back Chance fully intends to win John Hall’s heart.

    As a result, he mostly keeps to himself—makes it easier not to notice that no matter how he tries, people think he’s a know-it-all and a snob. Freewheeling urban gardener Milo Rios has worked hard to get where he is, and he’s passionate about his job at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He can get along with almost anyone, but no one has ever made him care enough to stick around. When Stefan and Milo meet on Milo’s tour of the Botanic Garden, it’s hatred at first clash. But hatred quickly turns to lust as Milo shows Stefan how exquisite it can feel to lose the control he’s clung to for so long. As Stefan’s mask begins to slip, Milo sees a deep vulnerability in the prim academic. Once he’s experienced Milo’s world, Stefan can admit that he wants more from life than professional success. If they can work together, Stefan and Milo just might be able to cultivate the future they both yearn for.This novella was previously published in the Exposed collection.

    A furry, lost friend. A last request.When you’re at war, there’s always the risk of never making it home. Of losing friends and team mates. For Graham Knowles, losing his brother to one last mission is the ultimate loss. But instead of drowning in grief, there’s a last request. Find Jake.Being the accountant for his uncle’s no kill shelter, Wyatt Daniels has seen more than his fair share of animals processed and placed in new homes. But when a beautiful German Shepard with soulful eyes and more smarts than most people comes through, well, he can’t resist. He takes the sweet boy home.Finally tracking down Jake, Graham gets more than his furry friend back. He meets the man of his dreams. Wyatt feels the connection too. However, his track record with men is rocky at best. Undaunted, Graham promises to go slow despite wanting Wyatt so bad, his teeth ache.Unfortunately, not all are happy that Wyatt and Graham are dating. And when Wyatt is kidnapped, Graham has to use every skill at his disposal to get him back. Even at the risk of losing his new job working for Uncle Sam.

    Intrigued, Cooper offers him one night, figuring the "love" will burn out after sex, but it goes far better than either expect. Lucas's chance comes when an accident leaves Cooper stuck and hurting at home. Lucas does his best to take care of him while hoping Cooper will fall in love with him in return, and Cooper discovers the idea of having Lucas in his life isn't that crazy after all."Over the Road"Truck driver Elliot Cochran meets "McLean" while talking on the CB and strikes up an unusual friendship comprised of short telephoned rants and long overnight discussions. One evening, McLean tells Elliot he needs to lighten up and go find some companionship, and so Elliot meets Jimmy Vaughan and has one of the best nights in his life. Before long Elliot faces a decision about sharing his life and building a future: Does he choose to love McLean, the best friend he's never met, or Jimmy, the man who thrills him beyond belief?

    It was fate, after all, since they were the same age and shared the same birthday. It hadn’t mattered that Noah lived in a sunny world where he spent his days wandering the Colorado mountains with his doting, artist father, while Phoenix hailed from the outskirts of town, where he lived with a dad who drank more than he worked and who ruled their house with a brutal temper. When the two boys were together, life was perfect, and neither of them could imagine being parted. But the spring before their sixteenth birthday, tragedy struck, robbing Noah of the father he’d adored. Shortly afterward, Phoenix began to withdraw, holding Noah at arm’s length, missing school…and then one day he just disappeared. Devastated by those events, Noah’s further shaken when, without warning, his emotionally detached mother moves them across the country, cutting Noah’s final tie to everything he’d once loved. Twelve years later, Noah returns to La Paz, Colorado. He’s tired, emotionally battered, and looking for a fresh start, or maybe a restart of the life that had so long ago been derailed. But with painful memories haunting every corner, he begins to doubt his decision. Without his father, and especially without Phoenix, whom he can now admit was so much more to him than just a friend, his childhood town feels barren, absent of the connections that had once made it home. But then, when he least expects it, Noah discovers something that shakes his world. He finds that truths aren’t always what they seem, quaint small towns can hide the darkest of secrets, and some heartaches run so deep only the strongest, most steadfast of loves can heal them.

    For him, learning to walk again is accompanied by trying to find a purpose in life. A job with the local landscaper, however, planting flowers and getting dirty, helps Bran rebuild his confidence, and meeting music teacher Donald Frost opens possibilities for a future Bran never imagined.Getting kicked out of his religious, ultra-conservative family at the age of sixteen, Don worked hard to be more than his parents condemned him to be. He teaches music at the local high school and sings at his uncle’s church, satisfied that his life is the best it can be. Then Bran comes home, and Don decides it’s time to grab his own happiness.When the two men meet, it’s instant attraction, changing their lives forever...Genres: Gay / Contemporary

    He decides to spruce it up as a spring project and gift to Wes for the way Wes has helped Mal’s life blossom in the months since they met. Keeping the work a secret from Wes isn’t easy, but the payoff will be a moment they’ll both remember for a long time to come.

    Instead he’s facing homelessness, thanks to the lover who’s just kicking him out of their posh digs. It’s not his first rejection—his father tossed him out at age sixteen—but Luke has no problem trading his favors for a home and security. Especially with rich, powerful, handsome men.Except now, with finals bearing down, there’s no time to be choosy. He needs a roof over his head and he needs it now. Even if it means settling temporarily for a geeky, less-than-well-off chemical engineer called Russell.Luke’s fully prepared to put out for the guy—because after all, in this world no one gets something for nothing. But Russell isn’t just a nerd; he’s an honourable nerd who wants to save himself for someone special.At first Luke is annoyed, but the more time he spends with Russell, the closer he comes to a devastating realization. He wants to be that someone special. Except he’s fallen for the one man he can’t seem to charm…

    In the ten years since he’s graduated, he’s opened a bookstore and made it his mission to bring diversity and inclusion to Silver Lake while working hard to maintain the small town charm that he loves so much. The only thing missing is someone to share his dreams - his once best friend, who left Calvin behind with a broken heart.   Jack Roberts has the life he’s always wanted. He left Silver Lake ten years ago for college in Boston and hasn’t looked back since. If it wasn’t for the occasional holiday trip to visit his parents, he’d happily forget all about that town and all the memories it holds, especially Calvin Berry, who despite trying, Jack’s never forgotten.   When Calvin and the other business owners in Silver Lake are on the verge of getting pushed out in favor of nameless corporations, Calvin knows he has to do something. He wants to turn Silver Lake around, and he needs as much help as he can get—even if that means asking for it from the man he used to call his best friend. Can Calvin and Jack get over the hurt from their past and take a second chance on each other? Will they be able to move forward and discover that despite the distance between them, their feelings for each other only grew stronger?

     I found my soulmate back in high school, when my next door neighbor wrote me a love note that changed my life -- a love note that promised me "always." But apparently "always" ain't all it's cracked up to be, because here I am, a mere eight years later, planning my soulmate's dream wedding -- the most romantic Valentine's Day wedding in O'Leary's history. The only problem? He's not marrying me. NOTE: This is a 20K SHORT STORY that was first available as part of a promotional giveaway. No new content has been added.

    After all, his family can’t be the only one who seasons their get-togethers with fighting, judgment, and guilt. Eric—his coworker and secret crush—has tried to convince him not to go for another round of family drama this year, but to no avail. It’s Christmas. Steve can’t just not go home. But when Eric tells a little white lie, Steve’s Christmases may never be the same again. This holiday short story is 8,500 words.

    Until it wasn't.Two years after surviving a brutal attack from members of his own unit, former Special Forces soldier Cruz de la Vega has found new purpose working for an underground vigilante group that offers justice when the law can't. When he's assigned to figure out who attacked a local gay rights activist, Cruz expects it to be just another job.But when it comes to protecting Elliot Wittier, he soon learns that the last thing he wants is for the intriguing young man to be just another job.At twenty-five years old, Elliot Wittier is well on his way to having the perfect life. As the head of a hugely successful investment firm and the founder of a prominent foundation, he should be on top of the world.But looks can be deceiving and Elliot knows how to play the game. With the fear of failing the two most important people in his life always at the forefront of his mind, Elliot keeps an iron-grip on the control that has served him so well in the past. But when a violent attack leaves him vulnerable, Elliot's carefully constructed world starts to fracture. As he struggles to keep the threat under wraps, he's thrown off guard when a gorgeous stranger takes an interest in him at a Halloween themed benefit. Throwing caution to the wind, Elliot decides to allow himself the freedom that being with the enigmatic Cruz de la Vega brings for just one night.But what happens when one night isn't enough? Or when the past catches up with the present? Can what two men found in each other in just twenty-four hours really last a lifetime?***Although it features several characters from my other books and is part of the "Protectors" world, Protecting Elliot is a stand-alone novella that can serve as a great way to get a feel for the Protectors/Barretti/Finding universe I've created. In regards to the timeline of events, Protecting Elliot occurs after Book 9 in my Protectors series, but it is not necessary to read any other books to enjoy this novella. I've specifically written this book to give new readers a chance to meet my guys and for loyal fans to check in with old favorites while still meeting a new couple.***