He’d blame his past if he wasn’t trying so hard to avoid it.When his family’s farmhouse burns to the ground, he’s summoned to identify a body found in the ashes. Jason returns to Hancock, Michigan, and reunites with a childhood friend, small town vet Henry McCavanaugh. After fifteen years apart, their rekindled friendship soon develops into much more. But Jason’s baggage threatens their blossoming romance, and he leaves town unannounced to escape his feelings—and Henry’s feelings for him. He has learned the hard way if something seems too good to be true, it’s best to run for the hills. Jason stress-bakes more confections than he knows what to do with before wondering if he’s running in the wrong direction.

    Then, life as he knew it, changed.Six months ago, he became his mother's sole caretaker when her cancer returned. With his constant absence from home, his relationship ends leaving him alone in one of the most emotionally draining points in his life. When his mother passes, he is lonely and loses his zest for life.With his emotions and life in turmoil, Devon decides it's time to make a change. Leaving the city life behind and taking a job in a small town in Montana, was just what the doctor ordered. Then, he meets the hunky ranch foreman, Greg Elliot.Greg has lived most of his life on a ranch. Living in a small town didn't offer many prospects for a relationship, until he meets the new veterinarian in town.While they try to resist the obvious mutual attraction, a fateful call during the night changes it all.What is a city boy to do when a small town cowboy ropes him in?

    Letting Nicky do his thinking for him is a lifelong habit. So is hiding the fact that he’s gay. Then Nicky buys a Hong Kong rent-boy to expand the mob's escort business and Eben's life gets a lot more complicated.Forced into prostitution, Song Xiu is an unsentimental survivor. He takes his pleasures where he can and leaves his clients weak in the knees. Xiu knows he's hot for Eben's powerful body, but it’s more than that. Eben's kind face and gentle touch give Xiu a strange feeling that no amount of sex or drugs can banish. Is this what people call love?Eben is instantly attracted to Xiu's erotic beauty, but it's the sweet young man beneath the glossy surface that he falls for. When he learns Xiu's story, he begins to wonder if Nicky is really the hero he grew up worshipping, or something else entirely.An unguarded moment leads to a passionate encounter that rips away all of Xiu and Eben’s illusions. Suddenly the answers to their questions become alarmingly clear. They have one last chance to rescue each other from their broken lives, but only if they can survive Nicky's retribution.

    Or, at least since the first day of kindergarten, when he stole my Lego's, then shared his cookies with me when he realized he'd made me cry.He was my best friend. The first person I came out to. My entire support system in high school when no one would come near me for feel of catching "gay cooties" or AIDS.He's the guy I gave my virginity to. The guy who taught me to fuck. The guy who taught me to be safe. He doesn't know it, but he's also the guy who taught me to make love.I'm the guy he goes home with when there's no better prospect at the club.It was never supposed to be serious. I knew that, I even wanted that. I'm the one who broke the rules.So, dear author, how do I watch him go home night after night with the pretty boy - or man - du jour, when all I want is for him to come home with ME, and to stay?Photo Description: Two young men lie in a tangle of white sheets. The nearer man is asleep facing us, arms wrapped around his pillow. Behind him, his lover watches him, lean naked body braced up on one elbow, his dark eyes fixed on his lover's still form, his mouth just slightly curved up in affection.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 4.__________Genre: Tags: gay m/m, Word Count:

    In the eyes of the Army they are just two mates who are close. But from the revelation of personal secrets, ensuing hatred and aggression, through terror and danger, to loyalty, triumphant strength and courage, grows their own realisation of what they are: comrades first and foremost, but something else too, something more significant. The two Royal Engineers, Sgt Tom Warren and SSgt Alex Turner, learn to understand the real meaning of loyalty and strength. Their fight for survival cuts through all the discipline and rules, to tie them together in a unique bond of companionship and trust.

    Realising he feels the same way, Graham has to journey across the US to tell Will he loves him, too. But with little money and travelling in a strange country, the way to Will is not an easy one.

    Intent on setting up a happy, stable life for them, he vows not to allow his past to intervene with their future. That is until Jared, the boy who had broken his heart all those years ago, returns to his life a full grown man who knows exactly what he wants...Seth. Jared Stewart thought he had lost his only chance to be with Seth after a series of misunderstandings and mistakes. When Seth finally comes home and back into Jared’s life, Jared vows to do anything it takes to keep him there. However, while Jared and Seth grow closer, they discover that not everyone is so happy for them. Will they be finally able to make a life for themselves together? Or will they be torn apart again, by people they thought they could trust?

    Barely scraping by, Robert does what he has to in order to provide for Jack and Emma, even skipping a few meals here and there. A new VP joins the plant where he works, and always-been-straight Robert’s life is complicated when he is drawn to the man.Ethan Russell is the epitome of strength and confidence, and it seems everywhere Robert goes—and anytime he needs a strong shoulder to lean on—Ethan is there. Not even certain Ethan's attention is anything more than charity, Robert begins to struggle with his attraction to the handsome executive, who is part guardian angel and part sex god.When tragedy strikes the family, Robert realizes he needs to be with Ethan, who's away on business. Emotionally wrecked, Robert returns to his empty home. His life, his family, and his future are up the air, and Ethan may be the only chance he has for everlasting happiness.

    But when they both arrive at the store at the same moment, the proprietor tells them to figure out between themselves who gets the bed. Elliot and Shawn decide to hold a contest: winner buys bed.And so the competitions begin, from selling charity tickets to cleaning out stables, and interpersonal tension and burgeoning attraction mount as the days until Christmas pass. But who deserves the gift more: Elliot, who can afford the expensive gift for his casual sex partner, or Shawn, who can barely cover rent, and the mysterious man he’s head-over-heels for?

    Enigma isn't like anyone Brandon's met before. He's unpredictable, volatile and... well, downright weird! To make matters worse, the gorgeous Enigma isn't at all impressed with Brandon and is unafraid to crush the man's ego at every opportunity. For the first time in his life, Brandon has to work hard to win the guy. Will Brandon agree to Enigma's left of center, bizarre requests, or is the player about to get played?

    Trip Watson is gorgeous and gregarious and everything Chris doesn’t need right now. But none of that seems to matter when Trip finds out what Andrew did to him. Appalled by Andrew’s callous treatment, Trip announces the best way to get over the break-up – and to rub Andrew’s face in it – is to go to Italy as planned and spend the next three weeks having the time of his life. With Trip.Mutual lust drives them together. Andrew could very well push them apart. Especially if the truth about Trip’s relationship with him ever comes to light.

    He's trying to get on with his life, build a life for his children. Former Homicide Detective Matt Haight is a ladies’ man, all sex/no commitment. He's depressed, having a midlife crisis, and not sure where his life is headed.The two find friendship in the bottom of a shared bottle. When the friendship turns to love, it shakes two straight men to the core and flips their lives inside out. Kids, families, careers that are not gay-friendly -- can all the love in the world overcome the obstacles to faith and fidelity?

    When he meets Mick, a mercenary and a hitter, he feels an immediate attraction. But Mick reneges on a bet they’ve made, leaving Blue pissed and confused.When they meet again a year later, Blue’s in terrible danger after having walked into the middle of one of Mick’s jobs. Mick saves him, and although the two men have fallen for one another, they have no idea how to handle that kind of intimacy that's been forced on them. But when Mick goes missing on a job, Blue’s the one to go after him, determined to save the man he loves no matter the cost.

    His wife is cold, his children are distant, and he’s desperate for one night of self-indulgence. One night of real pleasure. So he heads to notorious Brixton Park seeking a prostitute, so divorced from his own needs, he isn’t even sure of his type. A Rent BoyJames Campbell is one trick away from life on the street. Trapped in the world’s oldest profession, he long ago gave up on breaking free. When he sees Michael on a bench in Brixton Park, he doesn’t take no for an answer. James knows he can provide all the pleasure an unhappy, repressed man needs.Something DifferentThat first night leads to an affair so deep, so honest and challenging, neither Michael nor James can predict its end. Each tryst brings them a little closer, sampling every kind of pleasure until nothing is off the table. Not even love… Trigger warning: child sexual abuse.Warning: this is an erotic m/m romance. The book contains frank language, adult situations and graphic sex.Note: the author would like to thank the talented and incredibly kind Rebecca Emin for her assistance with the second edition. All correct references to modern life in London belong to her. All errors, alas,belong to me.