The kind of day he loves, even if the looming New Year's Eve leaves him feeling nostalgic and a little lonely. But then the last person he ever expected to see walks through the door of his shop, and Sherlock realizes that some things don't fade with time, but grow stronger.

    It’s December in Perth, Australia and it’s stinking hot. He's lonely, he’s homesick, and it really doesn’t feel like Christmas. The one bright point is his cute disaster of a co-worker, Travis, except Levi can’t figure out why Travis keeps running away whenever Levi talks to him. Working at Booze Barn over the Christmas period is hell, but at least Travis has maple-syrup flavored eye candy Levi to brighten his days—except Levi’s miserable. To cure Levi’s homesickness, Travis comes up with a brilliant plan. After all, how hard can it be to recreate a Canadian Christmas in the cool room? One thing’s for sure—between cranky customers, fake snow, and a deflating reindeer, this Christmas Eve is going to make for a cool story one day.

    His design business has been quiet all year, but in December, it always picks up – and this year, he really needs the money. Trouble is, they cut off his internet in November, so now he needs to spend all day in a coffee shop if he wants to get any work done. Shame about having to buy coffee to keep himself in business. He can barely afford it. Cue Stef Tucker. Stef is a barista with an optimistic mind and an eye for troubled souls. Seeing Misha struggle, he’s kind enough to cover a few cups of coffee for him per day. At first, Misha feels inclined to point out that he’s not gay – that if this is flirting, then it’s not going to get anywhere. But the more time they spend together, the more Misha realizes that Stef just has a good heart… and that he might have spoken too soon when he said it’d never happen. Can Misha get himself together before Stef gives in and goes back to Jake, the pragmatic ex-boyfriend who canned him last Christmas? Can Stef’s generosity hold out until Misha’s standing back on his own two feet? Only one thing’s for sure – baby, it’s cold outside, and they’re going to need to give it everything they’ve got to stay warm this Christmas. This story is approximately 30,000 words.

    The Faradays have supported Alex through his struggles with being bipolar. He loves them as he loves nothing else, but this year, his excitement for the holiday has less to do with the family as a whole and more to do with their youngest son, Everett.Everett is Alex’s best friend and the love of his life, but for years, Alex has been consumed by the idea that he is a burden on the family, and worried that someone as amazing as Everett would never truly want a man constantly on guard against his own mind. But last Christmas, with his career doing well, and his life as stable as it likely will ever be, Alex finally let himself respond to Everett’s open adoration—with one condition. A year without seeing Everett to be sure he can stand on his own without Everett’s ready support. Alex needs to know that he can, for his own sake and for Everett’s, because he has already failed once, and it nearly destroyed them both.There will never be a time when Alex is perfect. But this is as close as it gets, and he is tired of waiting. This Christmas, all he can hope for is that Everett still wants him, and that he can be brave enough to keep his promise.

    From the By Degrees Universe meet Christian and Remy, close friends who may be destined to be something else…Christian Murphy is out, proud and very often loud.Remy Benoit is an equal opportunity flirt, but he swearsguys are not his thing.Different lifestyles had never interfered with their closefriendship, but after too much alcohol and almost kissingunder the mistletoe a year ago they’ve started to drift apart.A special holiday event brings the men together, and thistime around they might have to acknowledge that mutualadmiration and respect are not the only things making themseek each other out.

    Grief, guilt, and PTSD have ruled his life since a terrible crime tore his world apart last year, and he’s dreading a holiday visit with the family he simultaneously needs and resents. Then someone from his past shows up and rattles that shaky foundation right out from under him. First a war nearly destroyed Jeremy Kelley, then his family threw him out when he needed them the most. Now he’s barely holding on emotionally. He spends his last dollar to get to Chicago and prays his former best friend won’t leave him out in the cold. Neil and Jeremy spend the holidays with Neil’s family in their hometown of Omaha. They struggle to deal with families, flashbacks… and feelings that haven’t even begun to fade since their last failed attempt at more than friends. As they try to repair their fractured psyches and rebuild damaged bridges, they rely on each other more than ever, but they can’t deny the mutual attraction that’s existed since before they were both emotionally battered and scarred. If they couldn’t make it work back then, how in the world can they pull it off now? This book was previously published and has been lightly revised.

    For Eric and Zeke, the steamy kiss they share with her is an amusing interlude on a sunny, summer day, but when the three of them meet again at the art museum, attraction turns into passion. Zeke and Eric realize their feelings for each other are just as potent as their desire for Carrie.Will they risk everything and choose love? Will Carrie be willing to take that leap with them when loving two men means goodbye to her safe, conventional existence?

    Tom Berriman isn’t looking forward to Christmas. The only decorations he appreciates are the attractive pair of legs belonging to the electrician working on the emergency room ceiling. When the electrician comes crashing down and requires treatment for electric shock, Tom’s mortified to realize the legs belong to a guy he most definitely wasn’t friends with at school.But newly hunky widower Vince seems willing to bury the hatchet—and Tom starts to think maybe the holiday won’t be so lonely after all!

    This can be read as a stand alone story. However, it might be more enjoyable if you read WILD first. Trigger Warning: Christmas music, trees, presents, and all around holiday cheer. It’s been almost two years since Keegan and August escaped the Alaskan wilderness, and they finally get to celebrate their very first Christmas together. But their plans of peace and quiet get turned upside down when Santa leaves more than just presents under the tree.

    He goes to parent/teacher events, and he makes packed lunches, so he definitely didn’t mean to forget about Christmas. He just hasn’t celebrated it since he left home under a cloud years ago.Put on the spot, Jason makes the snap decision to take Mallory to see where he and her father spent their Christmases as kids. The last thing he expects is to run into Tommy, his ex—ex-best friend, ex-boyfriend—who is still living in town… and working as a sheriff’s deputy.It’s hard to avoid someone in a small town—and maybe Jason doesn’t want to. He got Mallory a Christmas, and maybe now it’s time to get himself a Christmas boyfriend. But first, he owes Tommy some explanations.

    He never meant to fall for the hottest guy in school...or any guy at all for that matter. But he did.Alex Stewart is in love. He took one look at the adorable skater boy with the big lost eyes and was gone.They're both happier than they've ever been, but can their fragile new love survive?

    Even with his caring nature, he's met by kids' tears and frustrations. Just when he thinks the day is a total loss, he meets a little who needs a special wish from Santa. Spencer is a sweetheart with a good life, a good job, and good friends who look after him and allow him to explore his little side. But he's missing a very important piece of himself - a Daddy to love and care for him. While Christmas shopping with his best friend, he sees a Santa just waiting to hear everyone's Christmas wishes. He can't wait to climb onto Santa's lap and whisper his heart's desire. This insta-love age play romance has lots of sweet feels, a dash of steam, and zero angst! It's a short, feel-good Christmas story to get you into the holiday spirit!

    It's a good thing she's got plenty of knowledge and grit, because as the only female trainer in the league, she has to work twice as hard to win the players' respect. The last thing on earth she would do is date one of them. Twelve-year hockey veteran Garrick LeBlanc isn't ready to hang up his skates, particularly since he hasn't figured out what the hell he's planning to do next. He needs the new trainer to keep him fit to play, and she's got the skills to do it. Too bad he lost his mind and hit on her the day they met. Now she hates his guts and he's made an art of ignoring her. When the team is put up for sale, Garrick and Savannah have to work together to save their jobs and their team. Somewhere along the way, they discover Garrick isn't just a hockey player, Savannah isn't only passionate about her work, and just maybe they've got more in common than they thought.

    Two lonely men, destined for each other—if only they knew it.Alfie Carter grew up in New Milton, caring for his sick father and keeping their auto repair shop on its feet. He’s touchy about his poor education and doesn’t take kindly to snide remarks from the town’s prickly bookstore owner—no matter how cute he looks in his skinny jeans. Left to run the family business alone, Alfie spends his lonely evenings indulging his secret passion for classic fiction and chatting online with witty, romantic ‘LLB’ as they fall in love over literature.Leo Novak’s new life as owner of Bayside Books is floundering. And he could do without the town’s gorgeous, moody mechanic holding a grudge against him after an unfortunate—and totally not his fault— encounter last Christmas. Still reeling from a bad breakup and struggling to make friends in New Milton, Leo seeks comfort in his blossoming online romance with thoughtful, bookish ‘Camaro89’. But as the holidays approach, ‘LLB’ and ‘Camaro89’ are planning to meet, and realities are about to collide… This novella is approximately 39,000 words and comes with a HEA guaranteed.

    He meets a gentle, insecure magician named Gene, who's come to work on the crumbling mansion's moldings. He doesn't expect to fall in love.Note: This story first appeared in "Christmas Delights," a collection of Male/Male gay romance stories set in and around the Christmas season.Length: 9,615 words Heat level: sweetThemes: Christmas, magic, gay romance, sweet romance, historical fantasy