Stuck on You


Anna Birmingham - 2012
    I don't know what his problem is but I intend to find out...tonight I will get my revenge.Photo Description: A smiling, dark-haired young man, wearing a t-shirt and baggy basketball shorts, is completely covered from the neck down in pale mud. He is standing in a patch of green rushes, and behind him is a sandstone cliff.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 9.

Metronomy


Suki Fleet - 2014
    But, what I am sure of is that I’m going to need some help getting out of it.There’s only one man that can come to rescue me from this trouble. Problem is, should he save the day, I might find myself in an even more precarious situation. I can’t seem to keep my hands off him… and in this day and age? That should spell nothing but danger and disaster…Photo Description: A man in simple leather coat stands in what could be a crowded arena, a noose is around his neck as if he is about to be hung. His expression is defiant as he looks off to the side— he will not be beaten by this— but he also looks a little resigned, as if he knows this is it for him. There is a blood stain on his tunic, near his shoulder.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.

Ten Year H-Itch


Pelaam - 2013
    The stresses of daily life have gotten in the way and put a strain on our relationship. We don’t seem to spend the time or energy on our relationship like we should. Help us to find the spark we once had.Photo Description:The black and white photo shows two men, but only the man closest to the camera is in focus. He sits in bed, propped up on pillows, staring pensively at the camera. In the background, his partner reclines on the far edge of the same bed. His hand reaches for his lover’s nipple as he watches the other man intently.Story Info:Genre: contemporaryTags: established couple, light bdsm, teacher, medical personnel, hurt/comfortWord count: 6,307This 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.

Hidden Amongst Stars


Nicole Dennis - 2011
    One of these things is not like the other. Stealing every chance together they can. Staving off broken hearts as long as possible. One believes in love; one is afraid to.Photo Description: In nostalgic black-and-white, two men with eyes closed share a private moment against the side of an in-ground pool. One man, head on his arms, displays the classic features, dark hair, and muscles of a studio star. Behind him the second man presses close, cheek on his neck, holding tight.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 2.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, HollywoodWord Count: 4,432

Riding for a Fall


R.L. Ferguson - 2011
    Hot days and sultry, sexy nights. So, who's this guy got in his barn?Photo Description: In the dark doorway of a barn stands a burly, muscular man, wearing only a white stetson and buckskin pants. His hands pull the pants open and low on his hips, exposing his hairy torso down to the curls at his groin. A straw juts from his mouth, and his eyes are intent under the brim of his hat.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: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, cowboys, friends-to-lovers, reunited, first-love, HFNWarnings: implied homophobia (as a regional issue)Word Count: 10,167

Beneath Your Wings


Cleon Lee - 2011
    But it seems that their relationship is not as secret as they thought. One night, everything changes, and they must face their greatest enemy in order to protect their love. Original Prompt:Dear Author,These two lived a life a quiet denial, but what choice did they have? They aren't even the same species and everyone knew they couldn't be together. I don't know their whole story, one of them is something, one of them is... something else. For a long time they denied themselves out of fear of what their friends and family might thing or say, but then one night everything changes and they knew they couldn't keep their love "in the closet" any more.Please, can someone tell me their whole story?Photo Description: A dimly lit photo from the neck up of two men in their twenties. The man in front is slightly more tan. His neck is arched, exposing the left side, while sweat beads on his skin. His lover stands behind him, lightly grasping his left shoulder while breathing onto his neck.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 online or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 2.__________Genre: paranormalTags: gay m/m, wings, angel/demon, sacrifice, angst, fluff, soul-matesWord Count: 8,613

The Lion and the Crow


Eli Easton - 2013
     Sir Christian Brandon was raised in a household where he was hated for his unusual beauty and for his parentage. Being smaller than his six brutish half-brothers, he learned to survive by using his wits and his gift for strategy, earning him the nickname the Crow. Sir William Corbett, a large and fierce warrior known as the Lion, has pushed his unnatural desires down all his life. He’s determined to live up to his own ideal of a gallant knight. When he takes up a quest to rescue his sister from her abusive lord of a husband, he’s forced to enlist the help of Sir Christian. It’s a partnership that will test every strand of his moral fiber, and, eventually, his understanding of the meaning of duty, honor, and love.

The Ivory Prison


Myka Ramos - 2012
    Born in a mysterious facility, he knows he's not human, but an experiment with a purpose that no one is willing to reveal. His life is a routine and an hourglass of when he will disappear. He has no hopes, no dreams, until one day someone new interrupts that routine. Someone like him, someone free, and it changes everything.

The Christmas Mansion


Hollis Shiloh - 2013
    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

Head Over Heels


Sunne Manello - 2013
    …Perhaps they are lovers, partners… but the man in the back is also a Dom and the man in suspenders is his sub and needs some “attention” from his Dom…Photo Description: Although it’s in color, the photograph has an old-fashioned feel. Two short-haired men recline together, visible from the waist up. Both wear collared shirts with no ties, and their sleeves are rolled up. The young man in the foreground wears suspenders, his eyes are half shut and he has a peaceful expression. The slightly older man cradling him wears a waistcoat. He looks with nearly closed eyes and a loving expression at the man in his arms.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.

Open Arms and Open Eyes


Michelle K. Grant - 2013
    I didn’t even know he had a YouTube channel. He’s never told me he makes videos. He obviously wants to remain anonymous because he’s using a fake name. I only watched two of them. Even so, I feel like a total creeper. He’s not real great at talking about serious stuff, at least not to me, so it was really weird watching him open up in those videos. In one of them, he talked about me. It was nice, but I don’t think he meant for me to ever see it. A couple of the titles really have me wondering about things… Should I watch them? I know he’d be embarrassed if he knew I knew. I don’t know what to do.Photo Description: A young man with warm brown eyes and shaggy, tousled brown hair looks seriously into the camera before pulling his long bangs back to reveal “I Love You” written in symbols on his forehead. His face breaks into a huge open smile as his secret is revealed.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.

Love is Always Write: Volume Four


Megan DerrAndi Lea - 2012
    They are a product of the Love Is Always Write promotion sponsored by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group and are published as a free gift to you.What Is Love Is Always Write?The Goodreads M/M Romance Group invited members to choose a photo and pen a letter or story prompt asking for a short M/M romance story inspired by the image; authors from the group were encouraged to select a letter or story prompt and write an original tale. The result was an outpouring of creativity that shone a spotlight on the special bond between M/M romance writers and the people who love what they do. Nearly 150 stories were submitted and published as a ten volume set – as well as an additional special bonus volume with three novel-length stories – titled Love Is Always Write; this edition is Volume Four. Whether you are an avid M/M romance reader or new to the genre, you are in for a delicious treat.Stories in Volume 4: GOODBYE PHILLIP – Summer Devon (contemporary/baby)HALCYON CATS – Derekica Snake (paranormal/shifters)HALF-BAKED PROMISES – Erica Pike (contemporary/small-town)A HARD DAZED KNIGHT – J.J. Cassidy (contemporary/enemies-to-lovers)HARD RIDE – Danni Keane (contemporary/age gap)HEART OF SLATE – Trinity Lee (contemporary/gay for you)HEARTSTRINGS – Jessa Ryan (contemporary/musician) THE HEARTY BOYS – Andi Lea (contemporary/chef)HELPFUL PAWS – Elyse Night (contemporary/pets) HI, HONEY – Natalie Logue (contemporary/action) HIDING MARIAH – Cheryl Dyson (contemporary/humorous) THE HIGH KING’S GOLDEN TONGUE – Megan Derr (fantasy/royalty) HIS TRUE NATURE – Silvia Violet (contemporary/camping)HOW I LOST IT ON PLANET X – Gabbo De La Parra (sci-fi/enemies-to-lovers)I WON’T LET GO – Anna Lee (contemporary/zookeepers)Words of Caution The stories in this collection are sexually explicit and intended for adult readers. Some stories 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.

Bear Naked


J.L. Merrow - 2011
    I’ve never done anything like this before. Hell, I’m NAKED! I’ve never even kissed and I’m sitting here nekkid? That damn Phil! It’s his fault. He said that I would have the best time. Yeah, right. Phil and I had been best friends since kindergarten. We did everything together. He always had my back and looked out for me. Phil was a joker, the cool jock, and straight. I was (still am) the shy one. My head was always in a book. Yeah, that’s me in the glasses with a bowl of cereal for a loin cloth. Thank the gods for cool glasses these days, yeah? Even when I got up the courage to tell Phil that I was gay, he didn’t hate me for that. He wanted me to be happy. He told me that he always knew and said, “What took you so long to tell me?” He accepted me. All the fretting I’d done over telling him, geez. Phil got sick last January. I was with him till his last day at the hospice. Damn, I miss him so much. We (he) planned this trip two years ago on a whim…on a dare really. Phil had dared me to venture out in life. What? Like I didn’t already have one? He laughed at that and said that work and books were not the only things in life for a cool teddy bear. Coulda fooled me. Teddy bear? He wanted to help me come out of my shell. He got some travel brochures for Gay resorts. Yup, that’s how Phil rolled, coz he thought I’d never do it. We looked them over, and guess which one he picked? You got it…the nekkid, clothing NOT optional resort. Coming out of your shell, my ass! I was terrified! I didn’t show it then and laughed it off. But oh god, when I got home…. So here I sit. My first morning here… in my birthday suit for chrissake…along with every guy here. Shit, what am I doing? I met the guy sitting across from me this morning standing in the food line. Guess where my bowl was? He introduced himself and asked if we could sit together for breakfast. Courage, courage, I said yes. Ahhhhhh! What am I supposed to do now? Everything is all new! How am I going to get through the rest of this trip?! Help!!!Photo Description: Two burly, middle-aged, naked men sit in wooden chairs, eating at a tiny round table. The slightly younger, smoother man with a dark crew-cut holds his bowl up and gazes across at the other's bowed greying head. The second man stares down through wire-framed glasses at his bowl, held strategically over his groin, his feet awkwardly curled over each other.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 1.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, bears, nudists, first time, fluff, holiday romance, coming out, humorWord Count: 2,997

Permanent Exhibit: The Guardians


Megan Derr - 2011
    Would anyone like to tell me why these three boys are so very tired out and had to take a nap? :-)Looking forward to someone tackling a little m/m/m.Photo Description: Three tanned, toned, perfect young men lie sprawled and entangled, deep in sleep. Two lie on a white settee, while the third leans against it, head pillowed on them both. All are dark haired and even-featured. Two wear white briefs, one wears black. Hands negligently drape over shoulders and thighs as they dream together.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: fantasyTags: gay m/m, angels, muse, magicWord Count: 3,365

Freedom's Souvenir


Pia Veleno - 2011
    So when the dinner hostess sits him with a bubbly woman and her single, gay, and very sexy brother, Tad’s vacation started looking even better than expected.The crystal blue ocean doesn’t hold a candle to the hard abs and cocky smile of Nick Boden, but Tad has spent his entire adult life building up the walls of his closet, while Nick has never put anything but clothes in his. The ship is called Freedom, but will its message be heard on the open ocean.Original Prompt:Dear Author,Last summer, I went on a cruise, and one day while I was out roaming the ship, I saw this guy sitting and reading and he just looked so peaceful and content that I needed to take a photo. But when I got home, I saw the guy in the background who looks like he is spying on him... I wonder if they have a story to tell.Photo Description: A man relaxes in a lounge chair in nothing but swim trunks and shades. One arm reaches over his head, showing off strong abs. One knee bent, a book is propped on his thigh. In the distance, behind a support beam and tinted glass partition, a figure appears to be discreetly watching our reader.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 4.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, closet, vacation, meddling sister, lawyer, artistWord Count: 14,757