Their friendship seems like a dream come true—or perhaps just a dream, because no one else can see or hear James. Aaron stubbornly clings to his new friend, however, even when the friendship makes him an object of scorn and ridicule. No matter the years that pass, or the challenges they face, Aaron refuses to give up on his best friend—but life might just find a way to take James from him anyway.

    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 a silly little story written based off these prompts:Story elements: Haunted shower curtain, a pink stuffed parrot, a magic wand, bucket of chicken, a burnt Pop-Tart, and Batman. Main characters: One loves chicken, it is all he talks about. Other character wears an eyepatch because he thinks he’s a pirate.

    There's no snow in this damn city, he's lonely, and he can't even remember the last time he hooked up with a guy. Spending his precious Christmas break with the other single players on the team could be great, he guessed, but for one thing; Archie Simard.Lusting after the brother of your team captain is the worst idea in the history of bad ideas, Logan knows that. But when fate throws him and the temptation that is Archie together, it’s hard not to fall in love. This story was previously published in the Hockey Holiday Anthology

    David has known Jake Lourdes' name since he was fourteen years old.

    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.

    Now, vampires hold day jobs like everyone else, and Justus is no exception. The funny thing about living forever is that you still somehow have laundry and bills to deal with. Enter stage left: JD Cooper, Justus’s new employer. Supposedly, the man is a writing raconteur, known to craft a mean mystery. His skills excel on paper, but suck in reality because he’s one step away from hoarder level. Justus takes the job as his housekeeper, expecting eccentricity. Which he gets. And so much more. Tags: Vampires with day jobs, Justus has it rough, Cooper is a walking disaster, how self-indulgent should I make this, the answer is very, bite kink, book hoarding, this is the least angsty thing I’ve written all year, smother tested, editor approved (This was a short story originally published in the Working Stiffs anthology. With the anthology no longer published, I've chosen to re-release it as a 10k short.)

    Just imagine if you had a chance to meet him and all your fantasies started coming true. There's only one catch: Between you and your dream guy is his less-than-pleased boyfriend. They say that love conquers all, but can love conquer love?Like and Subscribe is a new short story by Jay Bell, the author of Something Like Summer.

     Featuring seven brand new novellas, each answering the question—what happens when the one meant for you was right there all along?

    They'll finish their EMT training course before the holidays and take the exam. When they pass—fingers crossed— he has plans for job hunting, but even when he teases or nags, Royce refuses to discuss anything beyond that looming test date. That has to be a red flag.Adric tries to be resigned to a bromance goodbye at Christmas. But when he and Royce end up in bed together, that changes everything. Doesn't it?

    On the surface, they couldn’t be more different. What the rest of the world doesn’t know is that tucked between basketball, classes, and hanging with friends are some of Isaiah’s favorite moments—just Liam and Isaiah in their room, watching documentaries or goofing off. Liam certainly never imagined Isaiah would become one of his favorite people, but their friendship was pretty much solidified the first time Isaiah saved Liam from a killer spider.When Isaiah discovers Liam is looking for a hookup to help him explore a secret kink, the idea of anyone touching Liam that way sparks a protective instinct Isaiah has never felt before. Then, Isaiah confesses that he’d like to be the one Liam experiments with, and Liam is completely bowled over—equal parts thrilled and wary of ruining their friendship.From the first sting of Isaiah’s palm, Liam’s fantasy finally comes to life. The more they explore together, the closer they become, uncovering feelings neither were willing to admit before. But outside the haven of their room, reality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Isaiah isn’t out, and worries about his college basketball career. And Liam won’t be someone’s secret, not after he promised himself he’d stop hiding and being afraid.Deciding how to navigate the world together will be the final exam they’ll need to ace.***PLEASE NOTE: For the first 90 days of this title’s publication, all sales and page reads will be donated to The LGBT Community Center of Cleveland and The LGBT Center of Raleigh.**Science and Jockstraps is part of a multi-author series of books that take place in the same fictional town. Each story can be read in any order. The connecting element in the Ace's Wild series is an adult store owned by Ace and Wilder. The main characters from each book will make at least one visit to Ace's Wild, where they'll buy a toy to use in their story! The only characters who crossover to each book are Ace and Wilder. And with various heat levels, there's sure to be something for everyone!

     Betrayed by first his body and then his girlfriend, Liam O’Reilly, assistant coach of the Seattle Thunder, is not having a very merry Christmas. So when a smoking hot hockey player in a Santa suit offers himself up like a present begging to be opened? Well, it’s a freaking Christmas miracle. If only the man in question wasn’t hockey’s own bad boy, Joey ‘the Looch’ Luciano, his best friend’s little brother and the same kid who used to trail behind Liam like a loud, mouthy shadow. Whatever. Wrong as it might seem, a one-time hookup with Joey is exactly what he needs to make the yuletide gay. By tomorrow, he’ll be back in Seattle, Joey will be in New York, and his troubles will be miles away. But as Christmas Eve becomes Christmas Day, Joey weaves his way past all Liam’s defenses, and Liam starts to see the sensitive, caring man behind the cocky smirk. When the last present is opened and the Christmas lights go dark, will Joey and Liam's night together be just another Christmas memory or can the holiday magic they made survive the pressures of the real world? Boy Toys is a heart-warming Christmas story featuring the inappropriate use of a Santa suit, sibling bribery, and ninety separate instances of the f-word.

     David's had a long day; being the local white witch and healer is a worthwhile occupation, but it's rarely an easy one. When he spies a stray kitten under his car, he figures he'll be able to rescue at least one living thing that night...

    Three years in, he has it all: he’s the starting tight end, team captain, and, according to ESPN, maybe the best college football player in the nation. But he’s been keeping a secret from everyone.Justin Swanscott has three certainties in his life: he’s gay, football is overrated, and he really, really doesn’t like cowboys. He should never have fallen into Wes’s open-range eyes or let his heart run wild when Wes gave him that shy little smile over summer. But he couldn’t stop himself.Everyone’s asking questions about Wes this season: How is he playing so well? Will Texas be undefeated this year? Will he take the team all the way to the national championship? What’s next for him?The truth? Wes isn’t dreaming about an NFL contract. His heart belongs to Justin, even though the world wants it to belong to football.Wes has stadiums packed with screaming fans, ESPN is all over him, and the NFL wants him badly. He’s living under a microscope, and the pressure keeps building as the team keeps winning. Everyone wants something from him, but all Wes wants is to love Justin.Something’s gotta give.

    What more could a gay NHL player want?If it weren't for Anton Hayes, my life would be perfect.Not that he affects my life in any way. At all. That would imply I care what the winger from Philly thinks of me.Which I don't.Not even a one-night stand with him can thaw his misplaced animosity toward me.He says I'm the one with the ego, but he can talk. He rivals me for most egotistical puck boy in the league.I hate him as much as he hates me. Even if I crave a repeat.ANTONWhen it comes to hockey, I'm all about the game.I've worked for years to be one of the best in the league, and l've done it without splashing my orientation all over the tabloids.My hockey image is one I've carefully cultivated, and after one night with Ezra Palaszczuk, I risk it all.He's cocky, obnoxious, and has an ego bigger than Massachusetts. And okay, maybe he's the sexiest man I've ever known.We'll never get along. Not when we sleep together. Not even when my possessive streak awakens.That doesn't stop us from falling into bed together over and over again.