I’ve never done anything like this before. Hell, I’m NAKED! I’ve never even kissed and I’m sitting here nekkid? That damn Phil! It’s his fault. He said that I would have the best time. Yeah, right. Phil and I had been best friends since kindergarten. We did everything together. He always had my back and looked out for me. Phil was a joker, the cool jock, and straight. I was (still am) the shy one. My head was always in a book. Yeah, that’s me in the glasses with a bowl of cereal for a loin cloth. Thank the gods for cool glasses these days, yeah? Even when I got up the courage to tell Phil that I was gay, he didn’t hate me for that. He wanted me to be happy. He told me that he always knew and said, “What took you so long to tell me?” He accepted me. All the fretting I’d done over telling him, geez. Phil got sick last January. I was with him till his last day at the hospice. Damn, I miss him so much. We (he) planned this trip two years ago on a whim…on a dare really. Phil had dared me to venture out in life. What? Like I didn’t already have one? He laughed at that and said that work and books were not the only things in life for a cool teddy bear. Coulda fooled me. Teddy bear? He wanted to help me come out of my shell. He got some travel brochures for Gay resorts. Yup, that’s how Phil rolled, coz he thought I’d never do it. We looked them over, and guess which one he picked? You got it…the nekkid, clothing NOT optional resort. Coming out of your shell, my ass! I was terrified! I didn’t show it then and laughed it off. But oh god, when I got home…. So here I sit. My first morning here… in my birthday suit for chrissake…along with every guy here. Shit, what am I doing? I met the guy sitting across from me this morning standing in the food line. Guess where my bowl was? He introduced himself and asked if we could sit together for breakfast. Courage, courage, I said yes. Ahhhhhh! What am I supposed to do now? Everything is all new! How am I going to get through the rest of this trip?! Help!!!Photo Description: Two burly, middle-aged, naked men sit in wooden chairs, eating at a tiny round table. The slightly younger, smoother man with a dark crew-cut holds his bowl up and gazes across at the other's bowed greying head. The second man stares down through wire-framed glasses at his bowl, held strategically over his groin, his feet awkwardly curled over each other.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: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, bears, nudists, first time, fluff, holiday romance, coming out, humorWord Count: 2,997

    Since we were supposed to be rivals and everyone expected us to fight, we just did it. But then we met under completely unexpected circumstances and realized that neither of us is the prick we thought the other one was. Eventually, we became friends and now I cannot imagine a life without him. Just a few people know that we only fight for publicity now and actually like each other very much.But during our last “fight” something went awfully wrong. He grabbed me in front of the cameras and kissed me! And I liked it! Now, everyone asks me if we are gay or if that was some kind of prank. But I really don’t know! I need to talk to him but he doesn’t react to my phone calls. The only thing I know is that I don’t want to lose him.Photo Description: Two men stand whisper-close, one second from a kiss.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.

    But that doesn’t mean he has the confidence to make a move on the gorgeous young blond who just breezed in to the Blue Dragon Bar. Fate will play its hand, anyway. Finding the same young blond beaten to the edge of death, terrified of a hospital, Sebastian has to choose - walk away, or try to save a life.This one chance encounter will lead Sebastian into a web of danger. Who is the enemy and who is a friend? Who will he trust when everyone has a reason to lie? How far will he go, and what will it cost, to do the right thing?Original Prompt:Dear Author,I'm so out of my league with this one I have no idea what the hell I'm doing. I watched him walk into that bathroom. How could I not notice him? Just look at him. He's fucking beautiful. I didn't see him come back out, but I was trying to play it cool, ya know? I thought maybe he'd left when after 30 minutes I didn't see him in the bar anywhere. Shrugging it off, figuring he's probably a good 10 years too young for me anyway, I went to the bathroom and saw him again. Only this time he was a broken, bloody heap on the floor in the last stall. Shit! I rushed over to him, felt for a pulse and tried to assess the damage. I'm just a retired Navy medic, not a doctor but when I roused him, he started screaming and pleading with me not to take him to the hospital. Said they'd kill him if they found him and they'd be sure and look there first. So I picked him up, carried him out and brought him home. He's so badly beaten. I think they kicked him half to death. I have to examine him, but he's so scared. I'm not sure if he's been raped or not but how do I get him to trust me enough to even check? Please help me put this beautiful, battered boy back together again.Photo Description: A bleached-blond young man with a sculpted body is sitting half-naked and curled over his own knees. His eyes are closed, and his head is down. He looks tired and scared.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.Download the story, read it online or find it in Love Is Always Write: Volume 11 - Bonus Volume.__________Genre: contemporary, thriller. Tags: medical personnel; military men; first time; hurt/comfort; slow burn; unresolved sexual tensionWarnings: descriptions of post-violent-attack first aid and medical care; non-graphic discussions of off-screen sexual assault; gun violence (non-sexual). Word count: 70,085

    Leo Tops Aries is a short, erotic follow-up to Leo Loves Aries (Signs of Love, #1).

    Growing up with a cold, unfeeling father and unstable mother has taught him exactly what he doesn’t want out of life or love. The troubled young man prefers a solitary life and is content to keep it that way until a campus emergency saddles him with an unwanted roommate.Popular, wholesome, straight Nick Thompson is far more temptation than Eric’s prepared for, but Nick’s warm, easygoing manner gradually cracks through Eric’s prickly protective shell.After Eric suffers a traumatic attack, their friendship gives way to an intense passion. Eric’s no stranger to casual sex, but what he feels for Nick is something deeper, and more fragile.Independent Eric doesn't know the first thing about being in a relationship, much less with a lover who can't even admit he's gay. But conservative Nick can't seem to find his way out of his own personal closet. 'Rock', meet 'Hard-Place'.

    All he wants besides a passing grade is a chance to make amends with the man he loved and hurt while they were deployed together three years ago.Pain, guilt, and bitterness aren’t the only lingering feelings, though, and even if three years is enough to melt the ice between them, they’ve already risked their careers for each other once. Can Justin convince Chris that what they once had is worth putting careers and hearts on the line again?

    Where I come from no one welcomes you to the neighborhood, no one knocks on your door and brings you cookies, no one fixes your truck out of the goodness of his heart, no one even looks you in the eye for fuck’s sake.But I’ll admit, I like it here.I like the fresh air and the quiet and I really like my neighbor— the one in the tight jeans with the great ass under my truck.Sure, he’s too damned friendly, too damned helpful and too damned honest to be real.But fuck it, I like him, actually… I more than like him and that’s the problem…Photo Description: The photo shows a man lying on his stomach under a car, possibly a truck. We can only see him from his waist down, but he’s shirtless and he has dirty jeans and boots on. There’s a screwdriver on the ground next to him. The man is outside, in the background there are trees and the sun is shining.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" 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.

    Please help me get out of this mess I’ve made!Photo Description: The photo is of a young man wearing a T-shirt with the caption “Life is short & so is your penis.”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.

    When he finally gets his chance to talk to him, Mateo’s response, or lack thereof, is enough to have Elias vowing to never make such a fool of himself again, not for any guy, no matter how hot.But then the flowers start arriving. Every day, each with a special meaning, a story to tell him – a secret admirer who has a way with words even though Elias doesn’t even know who he is.When Elias finds himself in over his head late one night and Mateo comes to his rescue, can Elias learn to stop expecting pretty words and start listening to his heart instead? Original Prompt:Dear Author,This young guy is a shy florist. [picture 1]His dream is to build up a courage to ask out the sexy mechanic who works across the street. A mechanic who wears EYELINER that drives our florist crazy. He just doesn't know what to do! He doesn't even know if the sexy mechanic knows he's alive.Wearing this kind of t-shirt (below) is a bit too blatant, isn't it? *grin*. [picture 2]Well, if you can help him to get his HEA, you will make my florist's summer.Photo Description: [picture 1] A lithe, dark-haired man hugs a bouquet of white lilies to his bare chest, face tilted to the flowers until one silky petal lies against his chin. The curve of his muscled arm, and the wistful look on his face, suggest it is not flowers he imagines in his embrace. [picture 2] A young man wearing a white t-shirt with the phrase ‘I love boys in eyeliner'.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.Download the story at Author's website [pdf format], read it online or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 4.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, flowers, public sex, hot men in eyeliner, guy next door, blue-collarWarnings: mild assaultWord Count: 9,853

    Living on an aircraft carrier, surrounded by so many men in such close quarters, I worry that if my sexuality is known, most of them will subscribe to the narrow thinking that I am attracted to all of them. But there is one who has caught my eye and driven my senses into overload. The problem is that he is a fellow pilot. I don't want to cause any issues in our working environment, and I don't even know if he is gay, but I am drawn to him and cannot stop thinking about him. What I wouldn't give for a stolen night together, but I long for even more than that because I am attracted to his personality, sense of humor, and strength of character as much as I am attracted to his physicality.And then one day, his co-pilot gets sick, and I am told to fly with him. Will this time together possibly lead to something? I can't help but hope that it does.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.

    It’s been nine months since we found our surrogate. So much has happened in so little time. It should be happening anytime now; our baby coming into the world. I hated leaving him to handle this alone. I should be home in three months. The baby will be here and I can finally meet him/her. Please tell our story?Photo Description: A man, his broad, bare, and tattooed back facing the photographer, holds a small, sleeping newborn baby. Tiny hands and fingers stretch out across the man’s shoulders, almost clutching a set of dog tags that rest over the scripted, Old-English style inked word of “Family”.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" 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.

    He’s never told Jase how he feels, though. There were always other people in the way. Up until six months ago, Jase was shacked up with his cheating college boyfriend Marcus. Up until last night, Sean was engaged to the mother of his two-year old child, Cody. Cody may have been the result of a drunken one-night stand, but Sean would do anything for his son, including marry a woman he doesn’t love. But when Sean’s fiancée Lisa, calls him from her New York vacation to say that she’s left him and Cody for good, Sean calls Jase, the only person he knows who can get him though this. Now that they are both free, maybe it’s finally time for Sean to tell Jase how he really feels.Original Prompt:Dear Author,“I’m leaving, I’m tired of you, your family and that little brat. I had enough”“Little brat? That’s your son you are talking about, our son.”“I never wanted him anyway. I’m not the house wife type”One drunken night was all it took. I’ve never loved her, but I will die for my little boy.Now that she is out of my life, could I finally have the life I always wanted with the only one I’ve ever loved?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.Download the story at Smashwords, read it online or find it in Love Is Always Write: Volume 9.

    And it all gets even better when he shares the fun with his new best friend, Felix, even though Felix doesn't care about Aladdin. In fact, scrappy, foul-mouthed Felix doesn't care about anything much, except looking after the class snail, Bob, and playing with Beanie in the magic kingdom they create together. He might even like the kisses and cuddles Beanie gives him as they play, although he's not about to admit it.As they grow older and the affection shared between the two boys changes into something much deeper, so do Felix's fears that Beanie will leave him. But Beanie is determined to prove to Felix that he will love him forever, and what better way than recreating the magic kingdom they once shared?This short story can be downloaded for free as part of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group's 'Love Has No Boundaries' event, athttp://www.mmromancegroup.com/?p=28553

    . .​Ten hours ago, Jack Reardon completed the messiest case of his career. Lucky to get through it with his life and a promotion, all he wants to do is catch up on missed sleep. Which won’t happen thanks to a bothersome house-invasion from assassin extraordinaire, Ethan Blade—who is also the reason he almost lost his life and job . . .This Coda for "Where Death Meets the Devil" follows immediately after the ending of the novel and is best read afterwards as it does contain spoilers.

    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.***