Paul was the six-year-old boy who kissed him after Patrick helped find his mom in a mall full of Christmas shoppers, the teenager who showed him kindness at Christmas when Patrick needed it most, and the lover who has shared his life after a chance meeting, three Christmases ago.When Paul holds out the faded scrap of paper, Patrick feels his carefully constructed world crumble around him. Will Paul still love him even knowing the secrets he has kept hidden? In the glow of the Christmas lights, Patrick has to face his innermost fears with the man who has always been his whole world.

    Some are complicated. Some are simple. But for eighteen-year-old Jalen Marten, none are easy. Jalen has managed to stay invisible for his entire high school career. He has a small group of friends, and it’s enough for him. He doesn’t want or crave attention from his peers. All Jalen wants is to survive high school.Austin Suter is the hot, talented tennis player who has the entire school bowing at his feet. Girls routinely throw themselves at him, and boys like Jalen stay the hell out of his way. Austin is destined for greatness on the world stage of professional tennis.The kiss between them wasn’t supposed to happen. Falling in love definitely hadn’t been part of Jalen's plan.And when Austin turns pro, Jalen begins to realize that the choices he makes will affect Austin’s life. One wrong choice and Austin’s career could be over before it really begins. Jalen is not sure where he fits, or even if he fits at all in Austin’s life. But the more complicated things become, the less the idea of being apart appeals. Love should simplify things, not complicate them.

    He should be happy, but behind the facade lies a man conflicted and exhausted by the pressure placed on him by his ill mother, his agent and society. His life is not his own, and all he wants to do is escape.Indian Premier League cricketer Ajay Singh can’t believe how bad his university roommate Rajan looks when he spots his picture in the paper. They had parted on bad terms. Still, he’s moved to offer Rajan his support by renewing their friendship.But friendship was not all they shared back then. Though Ajay is out,Rajan isn’t willing to give up his carefully cultivated Bollywood image to be with him publicly. And with very little privacy, it won’t take long for someone to find out they are more than friends.Their renewed secret affair is fraught with difficulties as they deal with the death of Rajan’s mother, the secret of Rajan’s till-now absent father, a jealous friend, intrusive social media, and threatening notes from someone who seems to know all about their private lives...It’s a bit of a sticky wicket they find themselves in. Will it be too late when both men finally realise that they’ll need to compromise, or they stand to lose everything?

    He’s also a police officer living in a small-minded northern New Brunswick town where being gay could spell the end of his career. When an impending snowstorm threatens to strand his best friend and policing partner, David, Jason offers up his spare room for the night--a move that reveals Jason’s secret, and changes their friendship and lives forever.David Richard isn’t gay--at least he doesn’t think he is. He knows he loves his best friend, and he admits to feelings that had started after a tragic accident almost a year before. When David acts on these feelings, it doesn’t go well, leaving both men alone and hurt. Jason, however, doesn’t think twice about stepping in and rescuing David’s children when their mother abandons them. The move brings David and Jason back together, but Jason’s past rears its ugly head and they both have to make difficult decisions that are sometimes best left up to fate.

    But Declan and Quinn have plans for these two desperate shifters. Sit back and enjoy Lynn Tyler’s latest short story in the bestselling Pack Mates series, Date Night. Shannon’s getting desperate. Between teething, colds, and night shifts, he and Gray haven’t been together in weeks. Hell, he’s pretty sure Gray’s three nieces are working together to make sure he never gets any loving from Gray again. But it’s Declan and Quinn to the rescue and Shannon suddenly finds himself in a hotel room with an equally desperate mate. Content Notes: Hot, Anal Intercourse, Anal Play, Paranormal, Shifters, Contemporary, GLBT, MM

    This story was originally part of the Hostage print anthology.

    Once there, he finds that not even the beauty of the island can fill the hole in his heart. Broke and spent in nearly every way imaginable, Niall wants out of the lonely, miserable, guilt-ridden life he's carved out for himself.When Ethan Bettencourt, a wealthy tech guru, shows up in British Virgin Islands looking to purchase a second home, he gives Niall hope that he can move on. Both men fall hard and fast, but Niall finds piloting his yacht in the midst of a hurricane is nothing compared to weathering life's simple misunderstandings. As their troubles come between them, Niall is left to wonder if he and Ethan are over before they've begun.

    Each chapter in this minianthology updates readers on the lives of a couple and shares their reaction to the United States Supreme Court decision regarding DOMA.

    Being forced into the civilian world was bad enough, but being told he’s crazy is intolerable. No matter what the doctors or anyone else tells him, he knows a supposed ally was responsible for his injury, and that same man is determined to shut Jackson up for good.When Jackson sees a kayaker clinging to his boat from the balcony of his beach house, his instincts tell him something dire is about to happen. Jackson rescues the injured man and insists on hiding him until a former SEAL teammate arrives. As Jackson struggles with separating reality from soul-shattering flashbacks, the injured man’s compassion and growing trust tear down his barriers, and Jackson begins to wonder if his heart is as dead as he’d assumed.

    You will inherit nothing. If you marry but do not produce an heir, your shares will be divided among your siblings. If you do not wed by said date, you may if you should so choose to, keep your position with your grandfather’s company and draw a salary. You will also be entitled the corporate benefits program. Do you have any questions?...” I knew by the word marriage, that it meant in the conventional way, with the usual I do between a man and a woman in a church with all the bells and whistles. I wanted to say no, I should have said no, but like the fool I am I said yes.And now I’m trying to explain to everyone, why it is that I’m breaking Rebecca’s heart and I’ve been living a lie all my life. I’m still waiting for that bolt of lightning to strike me dead.Warning: M/M Romance, containing explicit language and sexual contentment recommended for readers 18+.

    He meets Peter Montgomery at the funeral. The American seems nice and captures Luka’s attention when he offers to help him with his English. Peter has spent most of his life believing he shot his father at age six, and his family uses his regret and overwhelming guilt to keep him under their proverbial thumbs. Peter does his best to make up for what he did by helping others, and agreeing to help Luka with his English yields something amazing when they hit it off. When Peter opens up to Luka about what happened when he was a child, Luka senses some holes in the story and suspects Peter needs some help, so he approaches the head of the psychology department at the college where he works. Neither expects to open a long-barricaded door to secrets, denial, and family manipulation.

    Jason’s interested, very interested, but he fears his partner’s reaction and the potential fallout if their superiors ever find out. He misread a fellow officer’s interest once and lost it all — his career, his friends, his family’s respect. This time around, he won’t be the one risking everything.Noah has always been curious about sex with another man, but his strict upbringing and life in law enforcement made it impossible to explore that side of his nature safely. When he and Jason get locked in a cabin by a well-meaning friend, Noah wants to sample the forbidden.Both men agree to a single afternoon of passion. Just to see.When they are released from the cabin, Jason wants to see where a relationship with Noah might lead. However, Noah is not ready to make such a radical lifestyle change — and he doesn’t think he’ll ever be ready to come out to friends and family.

    He must make sure Hunter is okay, and service dog Lucy could lend a helping paw.Firefighter Hunter Drake never expected to see Chris again. He thought he’d lost his best friend for good when Chris jilted Hunter’s sister at the altar. But right now Hunter needs to focus on his recovery. What he doesn’t understand is why Chris came back – and why he won’t leave.The two men get to reconnect, but spending so much time together leaves Hunter confused and uncertain, especially when Chris reveals he’s both bi and in love with him. Hunter’s not sure what to do about that last part.What Chris wants is for Hunter to forgive him.What Hunter needs is to stop living in denial.Yeah, as if it was ever going to be that easy… *Friends to lovers*Second chance*Small town going home*Hurt comfort*first time*O-F-Y

    But a large pink item of a personal nature, given as a joke, scuppers his plans and he misses his chance.Fellow housemate Rob is out and proud. He guesses Aaron is gay, and when he finds Aaron’s other secret concealed in his sock drawer, he takes it upon himself to help Aaron out with a little sexual experimentation.

    When one murder becomes two, he can't help but start connecting the dots, putting cases and clues together. He's not the only one, though. John Benchley, director of Special Investigative Services, a tiny government agency attached to Homeland Security which deals with darker realities, and his team are soon on the case, and they bring Evan and his special skills on board. Both bisexual, Evan and John find they are attracted to each other, even as they work together to solve this string of murders which keeps growing in scope. Their serial killer seems to be moving toward darker and darker deeds with every murder and ritual performed. Can John and Evan find solace in each other, even as murderous men and demonic forces threaten not only their own team, but the city as well?