He thinks he’s too awkward to live, maybe a little too shy and, very much to his frustration, simply ‘all knees and elbows’. A walking disaster zone. Tripping up stairs or running into glass doors, that kinda thing. And he’s got the biggest crush on his roommate’s older brother, Tabby, who seems to be completely out of his league. Not only is Tabby beautiful, he’s also elegant and confident, kindhearted and sort of just ‘perfect’.Tabby knows what he wants out of life, always had, and much to his parents disappointment, he continues pursuing the things that make him happy instead of pleasing them. He lives by mottos such as:‘Choose kindness and laugh often’, and ‘Do small things with great love’.When a tragedy strikes, Tabby realizes that life is more fragile than he ever wanted to admit. While he knows what he wants, Tabby isn’t fearless. The thought of losing his newfound friendship with Harlie terrifies him, but imagining all the wonderful things he’s missing out on, if he keeps chickening out, is even more painful.Perhaps he could talk Harlie into a spontaneous road trip… See if he can overcome his fears?And if fate is kind enough, he might get a chance at something very, very special.* * * Dear Author,My roommate’s brother is visiting again and sleeping on our couch. I tiptoe around and pray I don’t run into anything or cause a clatter that would wake him. All knees and elbows, that’s me— while he’s all strength and grace. Looking at him, I can’t help my wistful sigh. He’s beautiful, but that’s not it. It’s his gentle smiles and kindness. Unlike everyone else, he doesn’t treat me like I’m one stumble away from being declared a walking disaster zone.Unfortunately, he also treats me like a kid brother. He ruffles my hair and calls me ‘kiddo’. I wish I wasn’t so awkward. I wish I was sexy so he’d want me the way I want him. I wish I was the one he dreamed about as he slept on the couch.Photo Description: The photograph shows a black-and-white close-up of the face of a pretty, young man. His eyes are closed, and he appears to be sleeping, content.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.

    Every day he walks his dog in the woods nearby, never suspecting that someone who is completely smitten is watching. The watcher is Alex Shaw, and he too works from home, designing logic and crossword puzzles. Alex’s options are limited: he’s too shy to approach Luke and his wheelchair won’t let him follow into the woods. His solution? Secret messages for Luke in the crosswords he writes for the local paper. When Luke decodes them, romance begins, but then they face greater puzzles, like Alex’s interfering sister and what commitment to a man in a wheelchair really takes. And, most puzzling of all, how do you know if love is real?

    Re-released in August 2020 under the combined title "Off-Balance".

    With the encouragement of his friends and a nudge from the newest member of Jacob's small circle, he agrees to sign up for a film based photography class.Elijah Fall, a widowed photography teacher, is exactly the man to bring Jacob back to life. But, while Jacob may have found the man of his dreams, will Elijah, someone who has lost everything once, be willing to risk his heart again?

    Perfect.Preston Weaver’s life runs on a set schedule. From Friday night at 6:00 p.m. to Monday morning at approximately 7:45 a.m. he is Preston Weaver. One-third of a modern-day parenting unit of three children. Responsible. Fun-loving. He takes care of his three children: Cassandra, Rachel, and Solomon alone on the weekends to give his other two parenting partners, Zora and Demetri, a break. During the weekend, Preston wears “Daddy” clothes. He sleeps in “Daddy” clothes. At least on the outside.But at 7:45 a.m. on Monday, Preston stops being “Daddy” and becomes “boy,” and all it takes is a text message from his Sir, Reginald Van-Moreno.Did you miss me this weekend?With a flash, Preston becomes the submissive he was always meant to be. The submissive he loves being. And while he knows the people in his life would never understand his need to not only submit, but his yearning, his love, and his craving for wearing lingerie and being restrained, the bite of pain, and the rest of the kink he’s into, they don’t need to understand or accept it. Preston is really great at keeping the two parts of his life completely separate.Until he’s not.When a faulty elevator leads to Preston and Reginald, Mr. Perfect, taking advantage of a situation, and that leads to both parts of Preston’s life colliding, he’ll have to come to terms with mixing the personal with the even more personal.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. Photo Description: Two men lying naked on the bed facing the ceiling, in the midst of having sex. One lying on top of the other, but the picture is only of their lower halves. The man on top has his legs straight up, wearing a pair of pantyhose, black garters with red ribbons, and black patent stilettoes which are crossed at the ankles, being thoroughly fucked by the man on the bottom whose legs are spread-eagled.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.

    An award-winning start on the Broadway stage led him to the silver screens of Hollywood, where his star began to rise, and his heart fell hard for professional baseball sensation, Manuel Guzman. But there was no script for living out loud with the man of his dreams in the world of 1964. Then Richard disappeared without a trace. Forty years later, Michael Spencer discovered a journal in his grandmother's attic that would change his life forever, and quite possibly, solve the mysterious disappearance of Richard Lewis Bancroft. Original Prompt:Dear Author,They met while vacationing on a tropical beach, can their summertime romance last?Photo Description: Two very muscular, tanned men are naked on the beach. One is lying down, his left knee bent, his head (to the right) in the lap of his lover. The dark-haired, kneeling lover is leaning over him, hands to either side of his shoulders, about to kiss him upside-down.Download the story, read it here or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 2 or Don't Read in the Closet: GayRomLit Retreat 2011 Special Edition. __________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, family secrets, lies, angst, HEA, intolerance, sacrifice, romance, emotionalWord Count: 31,889

    He’s watched over the last few months as his partner’s health got worse and worse. Logan doesn’t eat. He doesn’t sleep. And Baxter can’t begin to figure out what to do with the terror he sees in Logan’s eyes.Finally convincing Logan to go on vacation, Baxter is committed to using the time wisely. He knows Logan loves him; he’s not worried about anything like that. But something is going on and he’s determined to get to the bottom of whatever it is. He’s got to find out what secrets Logan is harboring before it does irreparable damage and Baxter loses the most important thing in his life. But when Logan begs Baxter to go to a hotel without him and Baxter refuses, he gets his wish. It isn’t anything Baxter is prepared to face, though, and when he finds his own life hanging in the balance, love is put to the ultimate test.Dear Author,I love him so much and I hate to watch as he slowly drives himself to the point of exhaustion. Being a lawyer is a stressful job, I get that, but in most cases he just forgets to eat. My cooking can easy fix the problem; after all, he is not dating a chief of 2 star restaurant for nothing. This time is different. He barely eats or sleeps, and if he manages to fall under he wakes up screaming. When asked about it, he constantly says “I’m fine, sweetheart”. But I can’t help but worry. He was always loving and supportive. When I hit a rock bottom, he helped me get through it. So now is my turn. The last straw was when he got into a full bloody panic attack right in front of me. Now every time I close my eyes, I still see his face so frightened and vulnerable. After insisting and pleading, he finally agreed to go on long overdue vacation. Maybe a change of scenery will help calm his mind and, if I am very optimistic, finally trust me enough to tell me what caused all of it.Photo Description: Two men are on a beach, one carrying the other. Both are barefoot, in shorts and T-shirts, the one face we can see is happy and smiling.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.

    Nothing in life was guaranteed-perfect, especially not guys... and most definitely not guys in the immediate vicinity of tiny O'Leary, New York. And then sexy Navy SEAL Ash Martin walked into Cal's bakery, and made him wonder if fate might have cooked up something sweet for him after all. Their connection was immediate, all-consuming, and definitely not vanilla... but could their perfect date last for more than just a night, or even a season? Note: This is a 23k word SHORT STORY that first appeared in the Heart2Heart anthology as “The Baker and the SEAL." It has been slightly expanded.

    Rescue just isn’t going to happen. He’s now Cal Smith, a bartender of all things— but the situation could be worse.Out from under the pressure of regulations, he has a chance to explore the emotions he’s always kept tightly controlled. Ryan Cameron, the man who offered him shelter and a job when he needed it most, once held up the chance to be more than friends— and now that Cal’s sure he’s staying, it’s time to take him up on it. Maybe they can see if the lust and desire ricocheting between them is the start of something more.But Ryan’s lingering grief over the death of his husband five years before— and an unexpected visitor— might steal their future before they have a chance to build it together.

    Instead of wallowing, he’s decided to make the most of a family vacation to Costa Rica by hooking up with the first hot guy available. Trouble is, he has no clue how to go about doing that.Luckily, he runs into someone with a little more experience. But when the moments of lust turn into something more, Simon isn’t so sure he’ll be able to return to his old relationship. And there’s no way to hold onto this new one, either, as thousands of miles will separate them in only a few short weeks. Either way, he’ll have to learn to let go.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.

    I never partied and I always earned perfect grades. Then I went to college straight out of high school and earned my degree. I always do whatever is asked of me, I take care of everyone now, including my parents. I’m twenty-five and I’m so busy taking care of everybody else’s lives I have no time for one of my own. My social life consists of my rescue beagle and two cats, but one night a friend from work made me go with him to a party where I meet Kyle. He’s covered in tattoos and piercings, and he’s the bad boy of my every fantasy, the type of guy I’m absolutely not supposed to want. Or at least that’s the way he appears. And he seems to be looking at me just as much too. Please tell me how we got to this point, how I was able to see this sight in front of me, and how he made me fall in love with him.Photo Description: A man naps on his back on a daybed, a floral sheet pulled up to mid-chest. His right arm is curled around a white bull terrier, whose head and paw rest over the large winged tattoo on the man’s chest. A smartphone is clutched in the man’s right hand. His ears, nipples and right nostril are pierced. Tattoos can be seen on his upper chest, shoulder, and all down his left arm.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" 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.

    Although his coach is confident he has a successful career ahead of him, Brandon's not so sure. What if he doesn’t make it? What will he have to fall back on? He wishes he were smarter. He looks at his friend's roommate and thinks he’d give anything for that confidence and those brains. Because brains and confidence? That’s sexy! If only he could get Corey to notice him, come up with a plan that would appeal to Corey's inner geek… Corey's program of study and academic standing are sure to land him a good job in his chosen career field: cryptology. Those popular kids? They think that because he’s a “geek” he’s missing out on life, but they’re wrong. He’s got his eye on the prize and doesn’t need the distractions of a social life. So why is he having such a hard time ignoring his roommate's flirty friend?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.

    Edmund has been in love with Mack for almost as long. Things finally seem to be shifting between the two until Edmund ruins everything for the sake of petty infighting with his family. Can Edmund prove to Mack that he is more important than all of that or will he loose Mack forever?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.

    Or rather, his father has the problem, but since he's gambled away everything that was rightfully Jasen's, it's become his problem, too. With no money and no skills to earn a living, his best bet for getting away from his father is to present himself for marriage at Court in the Draelands, the kingdom at the center of the Allied Realms. Jasen's courtly manners aren't the most refined (to say the least), but he hopes he's still capable of attracting at least a minor lord.He isn't looking to cause a scandal, but that's exactly what happens when he immediately attracts the attention of both a powerful dragon and King Rilvor himself. The King serves as the mystical link between the magic of the dragons and humankind; since the death of his wife two years before, magic in the Allied Realms has suffered. He must take a spouse this year, and the fight for his favor has gotten downright vicious.No one, including Jasen himself, thinks he's a proper match for the king. But the growing affection between them can't be denied. Jasen loves Rilvor, but he's petrified about becoming lord consort to a king. Unfortunately, the two can't be separated, and Jasen must decide if true love is worth all the trouble. Consorting With Dragons has been nominated for three awards at the M/M Romance Group's 2014 Member's Choice Awards:Best DebutBest FantasyBest Love's Landscapes StoryThis story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" 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.

    When he gets a job overseas, Abram feels that he has to follow his lover, but he still harbors doubts of his own worthiness. Those doubts come to a head during the long flight to begin their new lives. How far is Abram willing to go to keep Beau to himself? Sometimes in matters of the heart, you just have to dive in and sink or swim.Original Prompt:Dear Author,I will leave the story up to you. What ever gets your creative juices going is fine with me. These men just need a story.Photo Description: A close-up photo of the faces of two dark-haired, scruffy, shirtless young men in a field of red wildflowers. They are lying down in opposite directions. One's head rests on the other's chest, the other's head pillowed on a bent arm to look at the viewer.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, read it here or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 3 or Don't Read in the Closet: GayRomLit Retreat 2011 Special Edition.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, established couples, travel, new beginnings, mile-high, first-person, HEAWord Count: 13,815