The man is a magician, who's forgotten everything, even his name. As the two wait for the supply boat to come and take him away from the island, Cole finds himself falling in love.He doesn't think the beautiful blond man could ever return his feelings. But everything is not as it appears—including the man's past. And someone might just want him dead.

    He no longer has the energy to deal with mean classmates, inner doubt, and fear of familial rejection, so he takes a razor to his wrist. When he wakes up in the hospital, Shiloh meets Travis Kahn, the EMT who saved him and didn’t leave his side.Travis is handsome, smart, and funny—the type of guy Shiloh would never be brave enough to approach. But his near-death experience has an unusual side effect: the life that flashed before his eyes wasn’t the one he had already lived, but rather the one he could live. With visions of a future by Travis’s side, Shiloh will find the strength to confront his fears and build a life worth fighting for.Word Count: 18,388Edition: 2ndA story from the Dreamspinner Press 2013 Advent Calendar collection Heartwarming.

    Modern-day renegades and futuristic rebels are just as ripe for adventure and plunder. No matter the time, place, or circumstances, bad boys steal affection as often as they salvage treasure, and in these stories of romance, a rogue's black heart always conceals a center of gold. Stories included: Captain Merric by Rebecca CohenRough Trade by Cooper WestTouched by the West Wind by Ellen HolidayThe Winds of Change by Maggie LeeMy Hand in Yours by Emily MoretonGhost of Jupiter by Jana DenardoThe Golden Galleon by K.R. FosterObjectivity by K.J. JohnsonWorth the Price by Cornelia GreyPeter and the Lost Boys by Juan KenobiOfficer and a Gentleman Pirate by E.S. DouglasOn the Wings of Lir by Riley ShaneFrom a Simmer to a Burn by B. SnowIrish Red by MJ O'SheaBlack John by Piper Vaughn

    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.

    Feeling supremely unworthy and desperate to get a life—even an imaginary one—Kit embarks on a self-improvement campaign featuring DVD fitness guru, Danny Fit. In the meantime, Jesse has begun a subtle campaign of his own, one designed to bring Kit out of his DVD dream world and into Jesse's arms. Jesse isn't perfect—he's no Danny Fit—but he hopes that the kind, funny man who has been looking at him so soulfully since his first day at work has what it takes to be everything Jesse has always wanted.

    He is the quintessential elf, smart, handsome, charming, and everyone in Santa’s Village wants him. Lon is no exception. He’s hopelessly in love with Rom, but how can he hope to get Rom’s attention? Even if he is now one of the reindeer handlers, he’s still just a plain, ordinary elf, and painfully shy to boot.Then there’s Wod. As Dancer, he’s both Rom’s second in command and Rom’s best friend. He, too, is devilishly handsome but in a darker and, truth be told, slightly frightening way. At least, he makes Lon’s heart race and his tongue tie in knots.When Wod unexpectedly offers to help Lon gain Rom’s attention, Lon is completely confused. To make matters worse, Wod is clear that he’d love to play with Lon himself.Lon is used to the sexual freedom in Santa’s Village but he craves something more meaningful. He wants a real relationship. So what does he do? Keep pining for Rom or play Wod's special brand of reindeer games?

    He thought getting away from New York for a few days would be good for him, but he didn't expect to see the first person he'd ever fallen in love with. Jake Pierson gave his heart to Charlie when he was barely fifteen years old. As best friends, Jake believed he and Charlie would be together forever, but when Charlie took the easier path in life, Jake was left to deal with a future without the man he loved. Jake knew tricking Charlie into performing at a conference he'd helped organise was low-handed, but he had a promise to keep and a future to build. 'Convention Confusion' by Amber Kell Dressing up as a girl can sometimes win you the man of your dreams.Billy Ferris has adored Jennvian Fellows comics since he read the first edition. When the chance to meet the illustrator comes up he accepts his friends help to dress as his favourite character, space pirate female Kixie. Little does he know that Jenn not only prefers men but is looking for the mate of his dreams to take back to his home world. Will Billy be able to show his true self and capture the man of his not so pure dreams. 'Ninja Cupcakes' by T.A. ChaseEthan's special talents and cupcakes bring him the love of his life.Ethan Gallagher loves to bake, and his cupcakes are known throughout his area as being the best. When he agrees to do the desserts for a sci-fi convention his brother is putting on, Ethan gets a chance to realise his biggest fantasy. One of the panelists is Callum MacLaughlin, a man Ethan's been lusting after since they'd met four years ago. Ethan discovers Callum will be there, and he decides it's time to make his move on the astrophysicist. With the help of some special cupcakes, Ethan makes not only his dream come true, but the hopes of his brother and his best friend as well.'Operation: Get Spencer' by Jambrea Jo JonesEven if superpowers were real Benjamin still might not get his man.Benjamin and Spencer are spending the day at Comi Con. Spencer is a comic geek and Benjamin would follow him anywhere.The only problem? Spencer thinks Benjamin is straight and Benjamin just realized he is in love with his best friend. Is a day enough for Benjamin to convince Spencer that his love is more powerful than a locomotive and that it hit him faster than a speeding bullet? Tune in to find out if Benjamin saves the day. 'Fan-Tastic' by Stephani HechtEverybody knows the best lovers are geeks.It's time again for the annual Comic Book and Horror Convention. Normally, Deke liked to avoid these things. While he may be a well known actor, he wasn't hunky or a beefcake and he was always overlooked. In fact, most people like to call him 'the geek of geeks'. But, the producers of his popular TV series don't care and they order Deke to go. So, while he knows he won't have any fun he has no choice but to attend. Blake harboured a crush on Deke even before the other man became famous. When he finds out that Deke will be at the convention, Blake knows he has to attend as well. Since he is trying to promote his own comic, Blake decides that he can mix a little business with his fun. To Blake's dismay, not only does Deke not remember him, but the actor refuses to believe that Blake could have any romantic feelings for a geek. Blake decides that he can't let this opportunity slip through his fingers, though. He may have given up on Deke all those years ago, but not this time. Will Blake be able to convince Deke to give him a chance? Or will the final credits roll before they find love? 'Rough Awakening' by Devon RhodesWhen Mario sets out to find a roommate for the convention, little does he know he'll end up finding much more.Is there anything worse than learning you have to share a hotel room with your ex boyfriend and his new love? Mario has to scramble to find someone else to share with and ends up reconnecting with a sexy acquaintance...in more ways than one. Jordan remembers Mario from two conventions ago and goes along with his need to find a roommate. Sparks fly between them from their first phone call and everything looks more than promising for a very memorable convention. But when two tops tango, which one is guaranteed the lead? It ends up being a rough awakening for one of these alpha athletes...

    Keeping his lies separated is all that's keeping him alive, and it's a job that grows harder by the day—especially with the unexpected complications of the alpha he's investigating.The PI and the Rockstar by K-lee Klein— Mason is a detective. He’s not flashy or hip and he doesn’t have an office conducive to entertaining wealthy clients. But when made-of-money Durango and his gum-snapping daughter hire him to do surveillance on a popular rockstar named Jade Jonathan Lee, Mason’s business world collides with his personal life, and the result is a mystery that must be solved.Glamour by Holly Rinna-White—When his little brother is kidnapped, Jason hires Eric, PI and long-time crush, to find him, terrified of what will happen if people learn his brother is unregistered psychic. But when Jason is kidnapped as well, he learns he and his brother are not the only ones keeping secrets.The Virginia Gentleman by Alison Bailey—When the Virginia Gentleman rides into town, it's a sure bet that trouble ain't far behind. He's quick on the draw, feared by all, and one sad little group of train robbers is about to find out why it's never wise to bet on trouble.The Royal Inquisitor by Megan Derr—Esmour is one the best Inquisitor's in the kingdom, but the penance bracelets on his wrist serve as constant reminder that once he was not a master of deception, but a victim. To solve his latest case, he must work alongside the liar who changed his life, and the love he learned too late was never real.Regarding the Detective's Companion by E.E. Ottoman—Jamie is desperate: he has no money, rent is coming due, and if he does do something soon he'll be forced back into a life of charity and pity. So when he is brought a case, Jamie takes it—even if it will mean lying to his client, manipulating the suspect and propelling himself into the middle of a plot involving murder and political intrigue.The Demon Bride by Isabella Carter—One dead body left at the door is more than enough, but after three are left on the stoop of his father's agency and no one else is willing to investigate, Quinton decides he'll just have to solve the mystery himself.Too Dangerous by Sasha L. Miller—Shi is good at what he does, no matter what his stupid ex thought. Danger comes with the territory, especially when that territory includes a special license to do select work for the government. But when the government needs him to fix something that defeated even their most elite, Shi learns that some situations are too much even for him.

    But running the family Christmas tree farm has worn down his love for the happiest season of all, and lately Mel's been wondering what if he'd said yes to a ticket out of town with millionaire Bryce Campion three years ago. Bryce isn't used to people saying no to him, and he can't forget Mel or their brief but sizzling affair. He might not have been offering forever, but Bryce can't understand a guy as sexy and smart as Mel choosing to stay rooted on the family farm over enjoying the high life with him. He's determined to make Mel see what he's missed out on the first chance he gets. 27,000 words

    Ever since he saw Wes, the boy with sorrowful eyes, Garnet felt an undeniable kinship. Over the years, he's watched that boy grow into a man, and now he's determined to give Wes a Christmas he'll never forget. If only Garnet had thought to test his father's sleigh before leaving…Orphaned as a child, Wes spends every Christmas alone at his cabin. When he's woken by a suspicious boom and finds a wrecked sleigh and an unconscious elf, he doesn't know how to react. Wes isn't fanciful. He doesn't give much credence to the stories about Santa Claus and flying reindeer. But a part of him wants desperately to believe when Garnet promises forever, even if life has taught him that no one ever stays…

    Giving in is both dangerous and satisfying, though never in the ways one expects. While these enticements offer a vast range of benefits and boons, the cost is a soul and the devil expects his due. Sometimes suave and charming or calculating and cruel, these devils have schemes and desires of their own. They can be creatures to run away from… or toward.Join the most unique and celebrated authors of LGBT urban fantasy and paranormal fiction for a fast-paced and unpredictable ride, from a city on the other side of reality, to a world suspended in dusk, to a twisted version of the 1960s and 70s.Meet devils in top hats and waistcoats, a defrocked motorcycle-riding priest, and a genderfluid antihero—among many more. Full of humor, romance, horror, action, intrigue, and magic, these stories have one common element….They’re one hell of a good time.

    Owen is disconcerted to realize he's still attracted to Caleb Black but refuses to pursue him. Caleb left him once, and Owen's not going down that road again.Caleb is ready for a second chance with Owen and gets it when fate and the matchmaking McKenzies conspire to strand the two men in a rustic cabin during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. Can Caleb convince Owen to rekindle their romance so they can stop spending their holidays apart?Nine Lights Over Edinburgh By Harper FoxDetective Inspector James McBride is riding high on the belief that he's about to bust a human-trafficking ring. But just five days before Christmas, his unorthodox methods catch up with him and his world comes crashing down.McBride tries to concentrate on his new day job as security for the visiting Israeli ambassador. He even starts to feel a renewed sense of self-worth when the leader of the Israeli team, the aristocratic Tobias Leitner, takes a bullet for him in the line of duty. But he can't forget the trafficking case, especially when his investigations result in the kidnapping of his own daughter! McBride has no one to turn to for help-no one, except Toby.Can these two very different men work together to bring about a holiday miracle-and heal one another's heart in the process?I Heard Him Exclaim By Z.A. MaxfieldWho Likes a Skinny Santa?Steve Adams's heart hasn't been in the Christmas spirit ever since doctors put a stent in it and ordered him to clean up his act. No longer filling out his Santa suit or allowed to make merry, he's forgoing the holidays this year and heading to Vegas to indulge in the few vices left to him: gambling and anonymous sex.His road trip takes a detour when he encounters Chandler Tracey, who's just inherited guardianship of his five-year-old niece. Overwhelmed, Chandler's on his way to deliver Poppy to his parents. But fate has other plans and, after car trouble, Chandler and Poppy accept a ride home with Steve. Though the heat between the two men is obvious, they put it on simmer while they band together to make Poppy's Christmas as perfect as possible.Steve soon comes to believe that while Chandler is the right person to look after Poppy, someone needs to look after Chandler. Fortunately, Steve knows just the man for the job.Icecapade By Josh LanyonOn the eve of the new millennium, diamond thief Noel Snow seduced FBI special agent Robert Cuffe, then fled into the dawn. Now a successful novelist, Noel uses his capers as fodder for his books, and has modeled his hero's nemesis (and potential love interest) on Cuffe. Though he leaves Robert a drunken phone message every New Year's Eve, Noel hasn't seen or heard from him in a decade.So he's thrilled when his former lover shows up at his upstate farm one Christmas Eve. Elation quickly turns to alarm when Robert accuses Noel of being responsible for a recent rash of diamond heists. Robert is all business and as cold as ice: it seems his only interest in Noel is to put him behind bars.Innocent of the crimes, and still as attracted as ever to the oh-so-serious lawman, Noel plans a second seduction-providing he can stay out of jail long enough!

    It polices relations between the earthly realm and those beyond this world, enforcing immigration laws, the transfers of magical artifacts, and crimes against humanity.The agents who work for the NATO Irregular Affairs Division can’t tell anyone what they do, or how hard they work to keep us safe. It brings a colorful collection of men together:Agent Henry Falk, the undead bum. Agent Keith Curry, former carnivore chef turned vegetarian; Agent Rake, Babylonian demon with a penchant for easy living; and Agent Silas August, uncompromising jerk.Four cities, four mysteries, four times the romance. Is your security clearance high enough to read on?

    His business is failing, his cottage is falling apart and following his very public argument with café owner Rob Armstrong, he’s become a social outcast.Cam needs to get away from his troubles and when his sister buys him a ticket to the biggest Hogmanay party in Glasgow, he can’t leave Inverbechie quick enough. But when events conspire to strand him in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm, not only is he liable to miss the party, he’ll also have to ask his nemesis, Rob, for help.Out by Harper FoxCan a stranger unlock the courage and passion in a young man’s captive heart?It’s Christmas at Edinburgh’s magnificent Barlinney Hotel, and chief housekeeper Cosmo Grant is in charge of the festivities. He’s already got his hands full when handsome Ren Vaudrey checks in.It soon turns out that Ren is an undercover cop. Cosmo wants to help him, but unless he can do it within the Barlinney’s walls, Cosmo is stuck. A victim of crippling agoraphobia, he’s been a prisoner in this gilded cage for over a year. Cosmo gathers all his courage to do the right thing by Ren and Sam—and as a glittering Christmas Eve descends on the city, finds himself confronting his very darkest fears.Waiting for Winter by LB Gregg Some mistakes are worth repeating.Luke always thought he and Winter were the perfect couple—until the day Winter announced he was taking a new job and they were uprooting and headed for Germany. No discussion. No debate. For the first time in his life, Winter miscalculated. Badly. Now Luke is trying his best to move on with his life, but Winter is back in town and he’s set on digging their relationship out of the deep freeze.Baby, It's Cold by Josh Lanyon Or maybe it's the flu. Breaking up is hard to do -- especially around the holidays.Talk about Kitchen Nightmares! TV Chef Rocky and Foodie blogger Jesse have been pals forever, so it should have been the most natural thing in the world to move their relationship to the next level. Instead, it turned out to be a disaster. But Christmas is the season of love, and someone's cooking up a sweet surprise...

    Maxfield, and Josh Lanyon's Until We Meet Once More make up this contemporary anthology. Fifteen percent of the sales of Because of the Brave sold at the Aspen Mountain Press website will be donated to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network between release and September 11th!  Perrenial favorites, Laura Baumbach, Josh Lanyon and Z.A. Maxfield contributed to the anthology Because of the Brave.  This collection honors the men who've served in the military and labored with the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.  In Laura Baumbach's Designated Target a soldier returns to his commander's hometown to tell his brother the truth about what happened in the field.  Josh Lanyon's Until We Meet Once More pits a Naval Academy graduate against the Taliban and his own repressed past.  Finally in Z.A. Maxfield's Jumping Off Places a soldier returns home to be with his dying mother and finds more than he bargained for in the place he'd hoped to never see again.