. . a faggot? A queer? A sissy? About a dozen more words meandered through my brain, every word I’d ever heard from my friends, from adults, from TV. Was that who I was now? Were those words me now?"While most gay men grow up living in the closet until they are brave enough to step out and be themselves, Adam Shepherd experiences the opposite. After living almost all of his young life out and gay, he goes into the closet, willingly, in order to have the career and life he wants and needs. He thinks he can handle it, but he soon discovers how much he has truly given up.Chase Michaels was always there for Adam, a substitute “big-brother” and true friend in his growing up years. Adam has always harbored a secret involving Chase, but it conflicts with the closet he now lives in as an adult. When the pressure becomes too much, Adam chooses to stay in his closet . . . but at what cost? And can he change things before it’s too late?Original Prompt:Dear Author,I've missed him so much and I'd hoped he be there when I came home. I just didn't want to expect too much. After so many years of being just friends, we became more and then I got my orders. Before we could start anything, it felt like everything was over. But he came, he's here! I just couldn't contain myself and ran right into his arms.Can someone please tell me how these two began, how they survived apart and what's next? :)Photo Description: Military homecoming: Marine dressed in fatigues greets his civilian lover with a passionate embrace, arms and legs wrapped around him, as they kiss passionately, framed by a large, vibrant American Flag behind them.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.Read the story here or find it in Love Is Always Write: Volume 6.

    But first he needs time, time to get his life back in order and time to get over is lost love. But learning to live alone again is nearly impossible with his well-meaning relatives treating him like a poor helpless blind guy.When Alan Stuart befriends Phillip DiMartino's grieving partner, the last thing he expects is to discover hidden lies and infidelity. Guilty over his attraction to the still-grieving man, Alan resolves to stay silent. But the truth has a way of coming out, and soon a dead man's secrets bring about more heartbreak than Alan could have imagined.Although both men vow to keep their distance, staying away is easier said than done, even when it's Too Soon For Love.91,000 words~

    Very sweet.This story also available in print in the anthology Ever After: The Collected Short Works of Marie Sexton.

    Because anything two can do, three can do better. Now the trio must work together to recover a grieving widow's stolen insurance money, and the thief is...her not-so-dead husband.

    He loves his job as a fireman, he's got an ocean view, and he has a great bunch of friends. He figured there's not much reason to change until he meets Tucker, a paramedic who works his shift. Tucker might even be worth breaking the don't ask, don't tell policy at work, might just be worth coming out for. Trouble threatens to tear the two apart, though, when Chance is injured, which takes a toll on all of his relationships, most importantly the one he had developed with Tucker. In fact, it shatters everything they've worked so hard for. Can Chance and Tucker rebuild their lives, coming back together to be better than ever?

    One night he almost gets caught. Now he has only seconds to decide if he should stay or run from the most erotic encounter of his life—and maybe a chance at love again.This story includes m/m/m sexual content and was originally published via the author's website.Contemporary EroticShort Storyincludes m/m/m sexual content16 pages (in PDF)Word Count: 6,000Author’s NoteThis story was inspired by the Alanis Morissette song “Your House” where she walks into her former lover’s house, puts on his robe, listens to his music, and lies in his bed, all while he’s seeing someone else. I wanted to write a story with a similar theme, but give it a romantic twist. “The Break In” is the result of that personal challenge.

    Rode with stories by Lee Benoit, Misa Izanaki, Kiernan Kelly, Syd McGinley, Sean Michael, G.R. Richards, Tracy Rowan, BG Thomas and G.S. Wiley.Cherry popping is back! In this follow up to our popular Cherry anthology, we bring you another nine hot and sweet stories focusing on first times. Whether it's a future Top realizing he's really a Dom and not sub at all, or best friends discovering they're in love with each other, whether it's new lovers or established couples trying something out of the ordinary, these stories are sure to delight.Sweet and tender live side by side with wild and desperate, needy next to wanton. Each story brings you a new cherry to pop in a different way. Don't miss any of these Cherry on Top stories.Stories include:Going Home Again by Kiernan KellyA Better Fate than Wisdom by Lee BenoitGreen Carnations by G.S. WileyStairway to Evan by G.R. RichardsThe Bad Boyfriend Club and How I Left It by Tracy RowanThe Ivory Dungeon by Syd McGinleyMy Best Friend by BG ThomasCooking Lesson by Miza IzanakiSweet Cherry, A Hammer Story by Sean Michael

    Garrett has no choice but to come out of his shell when Justin and his co-worker tease him up onto the stage for a live demonstration. That might have been that, just a one-off job but Garrett takes advantage of follow-up fact checking for his article to get to know Justin better... and it leads to an unexpected friendship and flirtation that just might grow into something more.

    They both do what they love, they both have anyone they want, and neither one of them is tied down. Then Jed meets Eli Marshall, and his nice quiet life as a pilot and hobby farm owner goes to hell in a handbasket. Eli is a smoke jumper, a man who parachutes into wildfires for a living. Too bad he's not ready to jump into Jed's bed as easily as he does a burning forest. Eli frustrates Jed as much as he arouses. Standoffish and prickly, Eli makes it hard to get to know him, but Jed is determined. And he always gets what he wants. Meanwhile, younger brother Ross is following in his big brother's footsteps in more ways than one. An Army paratrooper, Ross is making a name for himself at jump school. Though he's always been fond of women, it's Kevin O'Donnell who really makes him hot, makes Ross start thinking of forever type things as soon as they meet in the middle of a barroom brawl. Wild as the Colorado landscape they both love, Ross and Jed live hard, love harder, and fight often. Can they make it work with men as stubborn and independent as they are?

    It takes a hunky Dom to show him just what he’s been missing.After Kyle’s partner of five years leaves him for another man on the night of their housewarming party, the shy, early-thirties carpenter needs to do a major reassessment of his life in addition to raising some serious cash. With no one to help him pay the lease on his Los Angeles condo, he worries how he’ll survive. His best friend sets up a meeting with one of the Doms and partners at Kiss of Leather, a gay BDSM club being built as a premier destination for those who want the best of the best.Master Gavin not only wants the best—he demands it. When he meets Kyle, he assumes that part of the builder’s reticence to share anything personal with him must be due to his experiences with an abusive former Master. Not one to back down from a challenge, Gavin determines to break through the walls surrounding the beautiful man he can’t get out of his mind. He’s hopeful that once he convinces Kyle to sign an initial contract, Kyle might be the first sub to open up his heart.Misunderstandings and accusations almost destroy everything between them before they have a real chance to begin. However, the true obstacle becomes not only whether Kyle will embrace BDSM as a lifestyle, but also whether he can handle a full-time D/s relationship with a big, bad, scary Dom who’s as sexy as hell.

    A suitable one of course, and his father has provided a list. All he has to do is choose – after all, any of the prospective brides would jump at the chance to snag the eligible bachelor, he’s wealthy and comes from the right kind of family.So why is he finding it so hard? He shouldn’t care – after all, it’s just a society marriage. Right?“How soon?”Shy songwriter Nial is reeling over the news. Jake has been his best friend since forever, and his roommate for years. The fact that he’s secretly in love with the man doesn’t help either. Now his life is being ripped to shreds, not to mention his heart.“I want to have one last crazy weekend.”When Jake suggests a pre-bachelor party in Las Vegas, can Nial make it through the trip without breaking? But when Jake insists on being Nial’s “wingman” on the search for hot, available guys…can Nial finally let go and succumb to the moment?Last Chance in Vegas is a steamy, stand-alone MM romance novella of 22000 words with no cheating, a HEA ending, and no cliffhanger.

    Bailey’s had enough upheaval in her short life, and Cory doesn't want her to get attached to a “friend” who won't be sticking around. Even so, Cory finds himself continuing to let Ken into his life, but a one-night-stand gone serial isn’t what Cory wants, and so he makes The List: his requirements for the perfect partner.Helping out during a difficult time, Ken finds himself being pulled into the family unit despite Cory’s previous emotional distance. He hopes he's finally breaking through, on the verge of convincing Cory to make their relationship more than a casual one. Then, while helping Bailey write to Santa, he finds Cory's list and takes it as his cue to bow out—just when Cory needs him the most.

    Can these college roommates fall in love without going out of bounds? Beaten and heartbroken, Jesse Cole is placed in a new dorm room after his last roommate attacked him. Just wanting to be left alone to heal in peace, he's shocked when tall, dark and dangerous-looking Nick Moretti walks in.Nick doesn't have time to tiptoe around his new roommate—he's too busy working in order to pay for school. But something about Jesse brings out his protective instincts. As their cautious friendship grows and becomes loaded with sexual tension, he wants to make Jesse comfortable.Enter the perfect plan: a line of tape down the center of the room. Boundaries established.But as innocent movie nights become hours-long temptation marathons, and whispered chats from across the room delve into straight-up dirty territory, crossing the line has never been so satisfying.

    What I don't expect is my new employer to tick all my boxes. There's one pretty huge problem though, and I'm not talking about the awkward reaction in my pants whenever I'm near the man. The man of my dreams is straight, but heck if I can't get him out of my mind or out of my dreams. As my boss's curiosity grows and the sexual chemistry between us too fierce to ignore, our connection becomes so much deeper than just physical. It's time to consider if our love story is one that will last forever.

    Good friends with privileges. But they haven't been together in years. When Grey puts pen to paper and writes Paul a letter, he half expects it to be ignored. But Paul writes back and their old flame is rekindled. Or is it? Has too much water gone under the bridge or can Grey and Paul reconnect and deal with the issues that took them in different directions after college? Tune into this epistolary romance and find out!