After all, girls love a sensitive guy, and what's more sensitive than dedicating your life to selling yarn and ... stuff? (Okay, so maybe it'd be a good idea to actually learn what one sells at an arts 'n crafts store.) But things don't go exactly according to plan. Coworker #1 is Cora: tiny, much-pierced, and way too fierce to screw with in any sense. Coworker #2 is Kristy: blonde, bubbly, unattainable perfection. And Coworker #3 is, well, Arthur. It goes without saying that he’s not an option. Right?… Right?Yeah, Howie’s life just got straight up confusing.Pun intended.

    He doesn’t need anything else in life, except maybe a significant other to cuddle with after a long day. But recent heartbreak has left Nor salty, and he’s not in the mood for anything, Christmas included. Then Eugene Montgomery walks into Turtle R&R, claiming to have found a clutch of eggs in distress. Nor is smitten with the tourist at first sight, and at the suggestion of his screwball colleagues, indulges in some no-strings-attached fun. Nor and Eugene are quick to get along, happily enjoy each other’s company, and take in the island’s unique holiday pleasures together. But Nor would never leave his turtles, not for any man. So when his rebound fling turns into strong romantic feelings for Eugene, it’ll take a Christmas miracle to keep the two together forever in Key West.

    He recovers from bitter disappointment and gradually life returns to a regular rhythm. Safe and predictable. Every day he gains confidence, but with health comes boredom. From the window ledge, he watches people outside and wishes he could be like them. There's another side to Luke. Underneath his bed are five hidden pairs of jeans with matching Dr Martens: yellow, purple, striped, green and tartan. Some days he feels the itch to get them out. Nope. Those days are gone. One day, an amazing thing happens. Dynamic blog artist Formaldehyde Bob comes to town with an exhibition of light and dark! Luke has crushed on him since being fifteen, idolising the man and his unusual creations. Something about the art calls to Luke like nothing else, makes him believe there might after all be someone out there who thinks in the same way. A soul mate. A bird with a similar song. No. Luke isn't going to go and see Formaldehyde Bob. He isn't. Because he's happy with his monotonous lot and doesn't want to see hope sliding down a mountain of sand. Will Luke take a chance and visit Formaldehyde Bob? Can the jeans ever be worn again? Does grumpy Barbara ever smile? And the most important question: is there any magic left in the world? Find out in this snowy tale of young love in the most unexpected places. Content warning: references to self-harm, mental illness.

    But the pressure of being an out trans man in the workplace quickly sucks the joy out of things, as does Seth, the humorless campaign strategist who watches his every move.Soon, the only upside to the job is that Seth has a painful crush on their painfully straight boss, and Kieran has a front row seat to the drama. But when Seth proves to be as respectful and supportive as he is prickly, Kieran develops an awkward crush of his own—one which Seth is far too prim and proper to ever reciprocate.

    He lives alone, works in a comic book shop, and has a crush on his coworker he can't seem to act on. Like an old comic book, his life's colors have started to fade. Everything brightens when Vince's long-lost friend Griff appears on his doorstep in the middle of a blizzard. They were roommates in college, so close back then that Griff's girlfriend called them "lifebuddies" -- but Vince's love for Griff had ended the friendship, he thought, forever. They haven't spoken in years. Why has Griff shown up again? And, more importantly, can Vince handle his return?Vince and Griff are two twentysomethings struggling to find their places in the world and in each other's lives. This is a story of friendship and love, both unrequited and requited, and of learning how to fly through the post-college void, which just might hold more than a cranberry hush.

    Back in Cherry Creek with his boyfriend, Luke, Cameron wrangles everyone who means anything to the family into town, ready to celebrate. Joined by their loved ones, Cameron sets to righting his relationship with Eddie and planning the wedding of Eddie and Charlie's dreams. But as it often happens, emotions run high, and words from the past resurface, leaving Cameron doubting his future with Luke. Thankfully, his brothers and their boyfriends rally to his side, and when all is said and done, maybe two couples will end the day with rings on their fingers. --- A Very Messy Motel Brothers Wedding is a short story that takes us back to Cherry Creek for one last hurrah before saying goodbye. A Very Messy Motel Wedding is best enjoyed after reading the entire Room for Love series, and it gets back into the heads of your favorite Motel men and their partners for the wedding to end all weddings.

    Meanwhile, the gorgeous and successful Carter Wardlaw is shocked to discover his secret crush on the IT guy might not be as one-sided as he thought.This 5k short includes workplace romance themes, meddling besties, Instagram posts gone wrong, and the very real aftermath of a certain someone becoming downright twitterpated.

    Cautious, reserved and staid, however, all crowd around him like best friends. Still, he gets by -- or at least he gets by up until his fiancée dumps him at the altar. Out of spite, he takes a solo honeymoon to Thailand, where he can pretend to be someone better than himself for a little while. In meeting Nate, a fellow traveler, Emory slowly discovers how to stop pretending.Word Count: 58,561 (approx.)

    Evan Ruiz is a straight college student hiding a life-changing secret: against all odds, he has fallen desperately in love with his gay roommate and best friend, Tom. Evan has only ever dated women, but Tom stumbled into his life with everything he ever wanted in a partner: he is sweet, caring, and beautiful like an Old Master’s painting. After a period of denial and confusion, Evan finally accepts an unexpected reality: he is in love with his best friend, and cannot run anymore. But how can he tell Tom in a way that won’t complicate their friendship beyond repair? That’s when he hatches a plan that backfires spectacularly. Desperate for advice, Evan writes an anonymous love confession and plea for help on Reddit that starts getting shared – and then goes viral. Since the piece holds more than enough identifying characteristics to reveal the truth, Evan knows he must either confess his love to Tom or risk him finding out via social media, which could ruin everything. Backed against a wall, Evan decides that when Tom returns from his family’s annual holiday trip on New Year’s Eve, he will sit down and profess his love and tell his story, starting from the first day onward. And as the clock strikes closer to midnight, Evan learns Tom is hiding a secret of his own, too… But will their New Year’s Eve be remembered as a messy goodbye, or a sparkly new beginning?

    They’re both hard-working tradesmen, both love weekends away fishing, both gay, but have never been single at the same time. Until now.What is supposed to be a weekend away fishing with a group of mates, changes at the last minute when friends bail out in an attempt to give Cal and Troy some alone time.With more than just hooks on the line, can these two see what’s been right in front of them the whole time?The Perfect Catch is a short story about falling for your best friend hook, line, and sinker.A 20K short story which was part of the It Was Always You anthology.

    He’s working toward a degree in a field he loves and even managed to score one of the coveted singles in the nicest upperclassmen dorm. There’s only one problem. Daniel. The guy whose single is attached to the other side of the connecting bathroom. The mess Alvaro could maybe ignore. The wet towels, balled up socks, and bottles and bottles of bubble bath. It’s the singing he can’t take. Every night it’s the same. Daniel takes a bubble bath and murders another of Alvaro’s favorite songs. One night, Alvaro stomps into the bathroom, ready to halt the mangling of another musical memory. But his feet fly up and his head smacks down. Daniel hops to the rescue in all his wet, bubble-covered glory, and a relationship begins that will continue to set Alvaro reeling. Until now, Alvaro’s life has been heading in the right direction. But can an attraction this strong—even to a guy who doesn’t organize his socks—be all wrong?Wrong Direction is a sweet and sexy novella with lots of clumsy mishaps, cute dates, and deep thoughts about life’s multiple directions.

    He's the lead character in Brent Hartinger's Lambda Award-winning Russel Middlebrook Series. And he's also the star of Geography Club, the book that started it all and has now been adapted as a feature film co-starring Scott Bakula and Ana Gasteyer.But now Russel is facing his biggest challenge yet: getting tested for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Along the way, he learns a few things about safe sex and how to protect himself and others from the disease.Be forewarned: this story uses explicit language and is sexually graphic. But it also might tell you a few things you didn't know.This free short story is part of The Real Story Safe Sex Project, an-all volunteer organization created by Brent Hartinger dedicated to using entertainment and popular culture to spread the word about HIV/AIDS and safe sex to gay and bi male teens and twentysomethings. For more information: http://brenthartinger.com/therealstory

    Caring for people is what Sami does. Unfortunately, putting his loved ones first is also part of the reason Sami is single. As accepting as his parents are, he isn’t sure how they’d react if he brought home a boyfriend. So he spends more time than he should dreaming of what might be, and fighting with his younger sister over the perfect sunny spot on the couch. Which is probably why the perfect potential boyfriend chooses that moment to move in across the street. There’s just one problem—his new neighbor isn’t really new. He’s the son of the woman Sami’s mother has had a feud with for years. Toby and Sami grew up together but were never allowed to say more than a few words to each other despite Sami’s repeated efforts. Quiet, serious Toby was Sami’s first and biggest crush, and everyone knew it—a big part of their reason their mothers didn’t get along. Toby’s mother went as far as planting dozens of thorny rose bushes around her house to ensure Sami couldn’t even see Toby anymore. But Toby’s mother is long gone, and Toby has no interest in reviving the feud. If anything, he seems determined to end it. Finding out why, and if it has anything to do with the way he looks at Sami, means Sami will have to raise the issue with his family—and dare to step beyond the wall of roses that kept him out all those years ago.

    I’m not like obsessed or addicted or anything. It’s just a game. Anyway, there was this girl in my guild who I really liked because she was funny and nerdy and a great healer. Of course, my mates thought it was hilarious I was into someone I’d met online. And they thought it was even more hilarious when she turned out to be a boy IRL. But the joke’s on them because I still really like him. And now that we’re together, it’s going pretty well. Except sometimes I think Kit—that’s his name, sorry I didn’t mention that—spends way too much time in HoL. I know he has friends in the guild, but he has me now, and my friends, and everyone knows people you meet online aren’t real. I mean. Not Kit. Kit's real. Obviously. Oh, I’m Drew, by the way. This is sort of my story. About how I messed up some stuff and figured out some stuff. And fell in love and stuff.

    A Christmas with friends. A chance to mend a broken heart. Steve Hayes is spending Christmas break away with a group of friends. He's determined to put his two-timing ex-boyfriend in the past and enjoy his week away. Steve is equally terrified and happily surprised to find that Corey Oh, the guy he’s been admiring from afar, has been invited along too. But Steve knows there's no way someone as wonderful as Corey, who could have any man he wanted, would be interested in him. Can a misadventure with a Christmas pudding help Steve's dreams come true?