Evan Murray is working hard to get back to as close to normal as he can after the death of his husband. An attempt on his life shatters the hard-won peace he has achieved. Meeting Ian, one of the detectives sent to handle his case, Evan finds himself feeling something he didn t expect to feel for any other man again-attraction. Evan doesn t believe anyone wants to hurt him, yet with each new attempt, he realises he might be in more danger than he expects. Although he might be in danger, he won t let the unknown person control his life. As he gets to know more about Ian, Evan finds himself drawn to this man who is working to find the one out to kill him. Evan doesn t want to be just another case. There is so much more he needs from Ian...things that include being more up close, personal, and wicked. Ian Walsh finds his professional detachment shattered by his latest case. Evan s optimism in the face of everything, and his guilelessness, makes for an interesting puzzle. His stubbornness, on the other hand, aggravates Ian. Yet he can t help but be captivated. Keeping Evan at a distance has become a problem. The lines between case and personal are blurred, but Ian is powerless to stop what is happening. With each new attempt made on Evan, they are baffled by the randomness of it. Ian will not let anything happen to this man who has captured him with his wicked intentions."

    Shy, geeky Kayden likes birdwatching and has an unsavoury past. He’s really not Mason’s type, so Mason can’t explain why the chemistry between them soon rages out of control.But any relationship is doomed. Kayden’s a wanted man and Mason can’t risk the witness’ life by getting close. Can they find a way to be together, despite the federal red tape and danger surrounding them?Reader Advisory: This book contains themes of past drug abuse and dealing, rape, prostitution and attempted murder.

    The son of a powerful mobster, his father has determined that its now time for him to take his place in the family. Giovanni is prepared to kill the son of a rival mobster from a room across from his hotel. But what he sees distracts him, and rather than pull the trigger, he finds himself indulging in personal fantasies, fantasies he dares not have.Amador runs his family’s construction company. Vega Construction is legit and it’s about the only business that is. He has done his best to avoid being dragged into his father’s criminal activities and done his best to hide his secret sexual desires. He is not thrilled to find himself on the Biachi hit list or to discover that the man sent to kill him now knows his secret.Giovanni and Amador will have no choice but to come together in an explosive way, both in the bedroom and out, as they desperately try to find a way out of the trap they find themselves ensnared in. Is there a way out, and if there is, will it be together?

    What if they aren't meant to be? His worries flare into outright panic when Blayne is critically injured, and Roeder knows he'll soon have his answer: The gods will ultimately decide if their love will endure.

    It was fate, after all, since they were the same age and shared the same birthday. It hadn’t mattered that Noah lived in a sunny world where he spent his days wandering the Colorado mountains with his doting, artist father, while Phoenix hailed from the outskirts of town, where he lived with a dad who drank more than he worked and who ruled their house with a brutal temper. When the two boys were together, life was perfect, and neither of them could imagine being parted. But the spring before their sixteenth birthday, tragedy struck, robbing Noah of the father he’d adored. Shortly afterward, Phoenix began to withdraw, holding Noah at arm’s length, missing school…and then one day he just disappeared. Devastated by those events, Noah’s further shaken when, without warning, his emotionally detached mother moves them across the country, cutting Noah’s final tie to everything he’d once loved. Twelve years later, Noah returns to La Paz, Colorado. He’s tired, emotionally battered, and looking for a fresh start, or maybe a restart of the life that had so long ago been derailed. But with painful memories haunting every corner, he begins to doubt his decision. Without his father, and especially without Phoenix, whom he can now admit was so much more to him than just a friend, his childhood town feels barren, absent of the connections that had once made it home. But then, when he least expects it, Noah discovers something that shakes his world. He finds that truths aren’t always what they seem, quaint small towns can hide the darkest of secrets, and some heartaches run so deep only the strongest, most steadfast of loves can heal them.

    The problem is that he's not very good at it. Every time he tries to be evil, he winds up screwing up and doing good instead. The old adage of 'every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings' is true in this world, and Piggy keeps earning wings he doesn't want by doing these accidental good deeds. Then he has to go skulking back to the Boss to fess up and get the wings removed.To make matters, worse, he's pretty sure that now he's falling in love. Can Piggy keep the wings off his back and keep up with his new man?

    The Gigantic Inflatable Snowman. We thought that ‘Frosty’ would lead to our demise. That 20-foot monstrosity had me questioning our decision to move into this seemingly quiet neighborhood on a cul-de-sac. Was I ever wrong. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made. This book is dedicated to the memories and life-changing events that took place during our stay on Altamont Court. The people, the traditions, the holidays and the celebrations of life and love are all captured within these pages. Take a journey with me and read about the mayhem and mishaps that come into play when you mix together a potpourri of characters that live within a stone’s throw of each other. Take an eco-friendly, high-strung type A neighbor, a demanding Italian Matriarch, men who are the embodiment of the words “More Power,” a troop of loving and mischievous kids and mix in two gay men who are hell-bent on making a home out of a charming half-million-dollar fixer upper and you have the residents of Altamont Court. My name is Trent and Ken is my partner. This is our journey and our way of giving thanks to those who shared it along the way. Whether you are a weekend warrior who can't wait to get his hands around the next "improvement project", a stiletto-wearing Texas woman who wields a gun in flawless makeup, or a queen from the city who eagerly awaits the next big sales event at Neiman Marcus - this memoir is for you. Pour a drink, sit back, relax and enjoy - and if you don't, then the words of a truly classy character and dear friend come to mind, "What the F&%$’s wrong with you?" Yes, it's that kind of party - bless our hearts.trentpines@gmail.comwww.trentpines.com

    Xavier Monastery was still an awe inspiring structure and Jason Bentley thought he'd found the perfect location for his newest resort. Yet once construction begins to bring the magnificent building back to its former glory, odd events begin to occur. While the death of a stonemason shakes Jason, he decides to continue anyway. Everything changes the night Jason's confronted by a nun covered in blood on the fourth floor. Staring into the haunting eyes of a ghost rocks Jason's emotions. Unsure of where to turn, Jason seeks the advice of the local Catholic Church.Deacon Ryan Christopher has decisions to make. While his mentor, Bishop Adler, presses him to commit fully to the church, Ryan has reservations. For years he's resisted his desire for male companionship and he can't take his vows until he makes a decision. Though struggling with personal issues, Ryan has also followed the events at St. Xavier in the papers. No stranger to things that go bump in the night, Ryan believes Jason and agrees to help him investigate the monastery.The spirits that haunt St. Xavier have waited decades for justice and revenge, but who will be the recipients of their hatred?

    Watch yourself, 'round the state park, 'cause we had a grizzly on the loose, just a bit ago. Our brave men and woman of the Boone County Sheriff's Department have everything under control. (Except maybe their own love lives!) But if find yourself needing a doctor, head on down to Rabbit Hash clinic, or St. Elizabeth's Hospital is just up the road a piece. We hope you enjoy your stay.

    Will Kansas City’s finest solve the case before the madman strikes again?Detective James Dixon is determined to track down the most recent serial killer terrorising the people of Kansas City. The chase leads him to the Last Chance Bar and Grille, where he meets and immediately falls for the sexy owner, Bryan Scott. But things at the bar aren’t exactly as they seem.No one there remembers seeing the latest victim the night before she was brutally murdered. So why do the clues keep pointing back to the Last Chance? When the attacks strike close to home, Dix and Bryan must work together to save the next victim and whatever chance they have for happiness.

    While on a trip to celebrate his recovery, he gets lost in the woods and meets an unusual wolf. When the animal turns out to be more than just a wolf, Reed is astonished and a little afraid.Werewolf Ethan Amhurst has been alone a long time. Finding Reed lost on his property seems to be a stroke of luck. He wants to show Reed that his scars don’t matter, but can there be any future for a werewolf and a scarred ex-model?

    So, when Jimmy sees an elderly man wearing a collar standing in the middle of the park and apparently in some sort of trouble, he approaches him and offers the guy his help.All isn’t as it first appears. Maybe it’s Jimmy whose about to get the help he needs.This short story was first published in Kim Dare’s newsletter in June 2011. The inspiration image was chosen by Chris of Stumbling Over Chaos website.

    When everything becomes too much he is taken home to hide, back to the small Irish town he grew up in and to the home he once shared with Rory.Rory Kendrick watches the news, sees every hour of the disaster unfold and somehow just knows that Lachlan was in the middle of it all. What he doesn’t know is that Lachlan will be forced to come back home to hide and to heal. Lachlan needs a friend, not a lover, but sometimes the lines are just too blurred to make any sense.

    is love still enough?

    He thinks he’s too awkward to live, maybe a little too shy and, very much to his frustration, simply ‘all knees and elbows’. A walking disaster zone. Tripping up stairs or running into glass doors, that kinda thing. And he’s got the biggest crush on his roommate’s older brother, Tabby, who seems to be completely out of his league. Not only is Tabby beautiful, he’s also elegant and confident, kindhearted and sort of just ‘perfect’.Tabby knows what he wants out of life, always had, and much to his parents disappointment, he continues pursuing the things that make him happy instead of pleasing them. He lives by mottos such as:‘Choose kindness and laugh often’, and ‘Do small things with great love’.When a tragedy strikes, Tabby realizes that life is more fragile than he ever wanted to admit. While he knows what he wants, Tabby isn’t fearless. The thought of losing his newfound friendship with Harlie terrifies him, but imagining all the wonderful things he’s missing out on, if he keeps chickening out, is even more painful.Perhaps he could talk Harlie into a spontaneous road trip… See if he can overcome his fears?And if fate is kind enough, he might get a chance at something very, very special.* * * Dear Author,My roommate’s brother is visiting again and sleeping on our couch. I tiptoe around and pray I don’t run into anything or cause a clatter that would wake him. All knees and elbows, that’s me— while he’s all strength and grace. Looking at him, I can’t help my wistful sigh. He’s beautiful, but that’s not it. It’s his gentle smiles and kindness. Unlike everyone else, he doesn’t treat me like I’m one stumble away from being declared a walking disaster zone.Unfortunately, he also treats me like a kid brother. He ruffles my hair and calls me ‘kiddo’. I wish I wasn’t so awkward. I wish I was sexy so he’d want me the way I want him. I wish I was the one he dreamed about as he slept on the couch.Photo Description: The photograph shows a black-and-white close-up of the face of a pretty, young man. His eyes are closed, and he appears to be sleeping, content.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" 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.