I’d ask him to tell me more, but he’s got a fetish for self-denial, and if I push I might not get to touch him at all. That’s the last thing I want.The thing is, I don’t have to listen to him. What we do together, it’s completely voluntary and pretty undefined. We set up a meeting, he gives me directions, I obey. He’s not paying me, not coercing me, and he knows if he tried to do either I’d be gone. We didn’t meet in a club; it’s remarkable that we met at all, when we live in two very different worlds. He likes to look, to touch, but he almost never gets off. I like the feeling of his eyes on me, I like doing all the things he says, but I want more. How do I push the boundaries when I barely know what they are?Photo Description: A handsome young man, wearing only tight boxer-briefs pulled slightly down to bare his buttocks, stands at a window, hands flat on the glass, his well-defined muscles on display. It’s early in the morning, overcast, but the man’s not looking outside, he’s facing the camera. His expression betrays many emotions, a shy wariness, annoyance, a touch of hurt, and perhaps a little anger. He’s stunning. You can’t look away. That expression beguiles— what does it mean?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.

    But growing up gay in the Bible belt of west Michigan was difficult, and unlike Matt, he wasn’t brave enough to face the prejudice head-on. Especially when his family told him over and over that he wouldn’t be able to attend college without a scholarship.Back in high school, he worried that coming out would get him kicked off the baseball team or make recruiters reluctant to scout him. Eventually, Matt broke up with him when he couldn’t handle being Chris’s secret boyfriend any longer, but college has given them a second chance — if Chris has the courage to take it.When a terrible injury puts Chris's baseball scholarship in jeopardy, it reminds Chris of all the reasons he stayed in the closet to begin with, and his ultra-masculine father's expectations and thoughtless homophobia aren't helping. Baseball has always been Chris's hope for the future, but now that dream could cost him Matt's love.

    Tomorrow he’ll be disgusted all over again at what he’s done. What he’s allowed to be done to him. More than that… what he’s begged for.And the worst part? He’s so stupid in love with the man he just keeps coming back for more. Because of this moment. This one, right here, when he can believe that he’s loved in return, even if it is only for the night.See, it’s not the acts they engage in that shame him. It’s not the bondage or the submission or the mind-blowing sex— he finds his strength there. It’s his weakness for the man himself that’s destroying him. Because tomorrow he’ll be gone again.He can’t go on like this. He tells himself that every time, swears this time will be the last. He needs for there to be a tomorrow, and a next day, and a next day— for them, together. Not just another tomorrow of loss and heartache and picking up the pieces.But he can’t tell him that… can he?Photo Description: A young guy lies cuffed to a table. Exposed, debauched… and completely vulnerable.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.

    We grew up in the same mid-sized conservative town in the south, but it took music and distance to bring us from acquaintances to this moment. How did we get here from there?Photo Description: Black-and-white photo of two men laughing together; one is leaning on the other’s shoulder.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.

    Lip gloss, eyeliner, eye shadow, nail polish? Back in the small town where I grew up, a boy would have never dared to dress like him. When an assignment to create a video news segment from one of our professors places us both in the same group, personalities clash, and what started as fascination on my part turns into instant dislike, which he seems to immediately return. He's smart, quick-thinking, creative…but also snarky, moody, defensive, and basically the complete physical opposite of every guy I've ever been attracted to. And yet, despite the fact that I think he needs an attitude adjustment, and he thinks I'm just a backward country hick, I've quickly come to realize that sometimes the line between love and hate really is paper thin.P.S. An HEA would definitely be preferred to an HFN ending. Photo Description: Two young men stare at each other through a chain-link fence. They are holding hands through it; one has nail polish and lip gloss.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 it online or find it in Love Is Always Write: Volume 11 - Bonus Volume.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: first love; college; coming out; gay-for-you; enemies to loversWarnings: noneWord Count: 68,123

    I hope it’s okay to be so vague, but I would thoroughly enjoy a piece that embodies the heart of the song. Bonus points for any scenes involving dancing at a club or sports. Additionally, I would love to see some of these flaws perhaps being one of the characters denial, perhaps even involving the fact that he may have a girlfriend/wife when he feels attraction to the other?[Lyrics for the song Flaws are written of Dan Smith of Bastille]Photo Description: There are two men on a bed. One man lies on his back. His eyes are closed and one arm is held up over his head. The other man, who has a well-trimmed beard and a rosebud tattoo on his chest, leans over him, as though he is about to kiss him.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.

    The last thing he expects is to fall head over heels for his gorgeous partner. Friendly but distant, Aiden keeps him at arm's length, and Tyler knows his feelings are hopelessly one-sided. But as the Games begin, Tyler learns nothing is certain until the final dive.Dear Author,I could look at him all day. But sometimes, when he thinks I’m not looking, he seems so sad…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.

    These two have been best friends since forever to hear them tell it. The blonde has been in love with the dark headed one since as long as he can remember. The dark headed one has only recently become open to the idea of a relationship with his bestfriend because he's tired of denying himself what he wants most in life. How did they meet, what's happened to them, what does everyone think? This is a story line that has been done many times over, so is there any way that you can put a twist on this or give it some new and fresh take so it's not the "same-ol-same-ol"? Anyone up for a challenge? ;o)Just so you know... I REALLY REALLY like angst.Photo Description: Two naked, muscular men stand front to back, mostly facing the viewer. The tattooed man in front has his eyes closed and his head tilted back onto his lover's left shoulder. From behind, the other leans his head around to nibble on an ear, hands splayed over his lover's stomach.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: contemporary Tags: gay m/m, friends to lovers, tattoosWord Count: 8,663

    The formerly popular high school quarterback now works at a gas station in the middle of nowhere. The last thing he needs is meeting the guy he used to bully at school and seeing him all sorts of polished up. James is now the proud owner of an amazing silver Jaguar and a self-made millionaire. It seems that the day couldn’t get any worse for Mike, but James ‘Lovelace’ Austin might just turn out to be his golden ticket out of the job he hates.When James Austin meets Mike Miller, his high school crush and tormentor all in one, working at an old, dirty gas station, it feels as if the stars have finally aligned in his favor. He wants to finally get his revenge on the guy, but when Mike turns out to be gay, the whole afternoon takes a turn for the surreal. Instead of just humiliating Mike at his workplace, James decides to hire him for a weekend at a conference he’s attending. A hot guy by his side is the only accessory James needs to rub his success in the faces of his frenemies.Only problem is, a gay Mike Miller might be too much of a blast from the past than James ever expected. If James wants his nerdy heart safe from the hunky jock, he needs to keep Mike at arms length. The task would be a lot easier if Mike wasn’t unashamedly hitting on James. Or is it just James’s money Mike is after?Photo Description: Two men lie on a bed locked in a passionate embrace. Completely naked, oblivious to the world around them, they share something special, a bond they couldn’t possibly have with anyone else.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.

    Watching his friend go off with women time and again is slowly killing Tucker, and he has to make the tough decision to move away after graduation from the man he loves to avoid further heartbreak. What Tucker doesn't know is that Cameron has other plans for the two of them...Dear Author,My name is Tucker. See these two, they are Kurt and Blaine from Glee and I am a total Gleek. Their love is so perfect except it isn’t real. It’s just a TV show.My best friend says I should stop obsessing over fictional characters. That maybe if I opened my eyes and looked around I would discover a love of my own. But what does he know? He’s hot and has tons of girls chasing him. He’s totally straight. Or is he?Photo Description: Blaine and Kurt, characters from the television show Glee, are kissing each other.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.

    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.

    I’m thinking Kinsey three or four. This would also explain his extreme dislike of the shy Dr Simon (who we now know was played by a gay man).I’d love to see a post Serenity, space opera treatment of someone like Jayne’s self-realization. Now what would be his type… hmmm… what man would finally drive him wild enough to face up to his repressed desires. It should include all of the attendant emotional turmoil (inside monologue) of someone with his low IQ and high survival instincts, and yet include the outside language of someone who was trained to say as much with as few words as possible. This man has depth, but the waters are pretty murky.Anyone take the challenge?Photo Description: The original request included a promotional shot of Jayne Cobb, a character from Firefly. He is gruff with a face shadowed by stubble, and he is crouched and holding a gun. The request wanted “a man deep in the closet, striving to be hyper-masculine, and completely misogynistic, simply to hide his attraction to men.”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 intended to meet him at all, but here he was laughing his ass off at my miserable state. My first spoken words to him were nasty and reflected poorly on me. But he wasn’t much better, laughing at another’s misfortune. By the time I learned the reason behind his strange laugh, he had given me a glimpse of his true self, and I could only hope I would prove myself worthy of his love.Dear Author,“I cannot believe how badly my day has gone what with the rain and the mud. To top off this craptastic day, my roommate invited some friends over. The guy I have been crushing on took one look at me and laughed his pretty ass off. I really want this day to be over.”This poor boy. Do you think you can make his day better?Photo Description: A well-built young man with longish brown hair stares sideways at the viewer. His hair is wet and hanging over his eyes. His face and naked chest are splattered with mud. He does not look happy, in fact he looks furious.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.

    When he met Drea, he hoped she might be the one. But when he felt more chemistry with her gay cousin Zach, Ryan felt more confused and terrified than he had in his life. He wasn't gay but he wanted to be with Zach. How could it possibly work?

    The most pressing is a text message that says: "God, my ass hurts. I can't even sit down properly. Cheers to you. Coffee @ 1?"