This story was originally part of the Hostage print anthology.

    Having no family but his 16-year-old sister, Savannah, and coming from the streets – The Phoenix club has become his home, the other boys his close-knit family. Abel doesn't trust the outside world and is content to remain within his safe haven. But when an overzealous customer sends Abel to the ER, he meets young, handsome Dr. Devlin Grant – and the instant attraction he feels for the man stirs up the nightmares of his past, causing him to resist his new feelings. Yet it becomes impossible to avoid the doctor when Savannah gets sick and ends up in his care. And just when his heart is ready to trust this new found love – Abel is confronted with a disturbing fact about the doctor that reaches deep into his past and his nightmares. An emotionally charged, sexy, heart-wrenching love story that will break your heart, then put it back together again. Warning: This book contains homosexual relations and crude language not suitable for readers below 17yo.

    Everything should be perfect - but there's a yawning emptiness in him, a loneliness that he can't quench - and wouldn't dare to try. Brad Cooper can't believe his luck when his new business lands one of the biggest gigs in town - providing security for the local hospital system. He's determined to oversee the team transitions personally; he's worked too hard to get his security business off the ground to have it flounder just because some new hire makes a mistake. He doesn't have time for a boyfriend - and he sure as hell doesn't have time for Dylan Mitchell, the older kid who'd made his life hell growing up. Dylan is just as surprised as Brad is to run into him at the hospital. He tries to apologize for his past mistakes, but Brad won't give him the time of day. When they are together, sparks fly - but not the good kind. They can't stand one another. But when suspicious things start to happen around McDuff Memorial, they'll have to learn to work together if they want to keep the hospital - and all the patients in it - safe and sound. But as Dylan and Brad find out, there’s only a thin line between love and hate. Will they discover how much they mean to one another before it’s too late? HATE/Love is a steamy, standalone gay romance novel, with a happily ever after ending and no cliffhangers.

    Now Allen is the owner of Sweet ‘n’ Sassy Cupcake Shop, a cute boutique downtown, where he invents delicious flavors like strawberry and French meringue. Between working long hours and making special orders, Allen barely has time to think.Then a hunky contractor walks into his shop looking for a treat. Allen and Byron Bannigan are total opposites, but they're perfect together—salty and sweet like Allen’s signature peanut butter and chocolate ganache cupcakes. But as Allen struggles to juggle his business and his boyfriend, he learns he can only handle so much. He may have to choose between the cupcakes in his store and the cupcake in his bed.

    That includes an epic bachelorette pub crawl, leading him to Portland’s most popular gay bar… and into Hunter Mitchell’s well-muscled arms. A one-night stand with a sexy soldier is the perfect way to ditch that pesky V-card and get himself in the mood for a weekend of flowers, cake, and nuptials.Hunter wants to blow off some steam before he stands up as his best friend’s best man. He's already married to his military career, not looking to settle down. He certainly doesn’t intend for the one guy he met (and, okay, got off with) in Oregon to be his counterpart in the wedding party. Or a virgin. Definitely wasn’t intending that. Luckily, they have the rest of the weekend for Hunter to show Randall what he's been missing.The more they’re thrown together by the wedding, the more Randall and Hunter grow together outside the bedroom… which is dangerous because there’s a lot more than 2500 miles standing between them and a happily-ever-after. If they want a future beyond their wedding weekend hookup, both must find the courage to take a chance on love.Length: approx. 38,000 words

    After coming out and experiencing a painful rejection from his parents and friends, Kurt feels as if he's lost everything that mattered. Then he connects with James Theard and his perspective on life and the truth found in love changes forever.Original Prompt:Dear Author,Where is this guy? What’s he looking at, I wonder? And is that guy down the hall watching him with longing? Maybe he’s been too shy to make his move before now. Maybe he’s trying to build up his courage. So, what do you think? Can you help the shy little guy get his happy ending?Photo Description: A slim, classic-featured boy in low-riding briefs leans against a wall, washed in dim blue and gold light. One graceful hand brushes his own bare chest, as he gazes forward. Behind him, down the hall, a shadowed dark-haired boy in shorts leans out of doorway watching in rapt attention.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 3.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, italics, dash and ellipsis point abuse, sappy romance, prose with a mild purple hue, non-explicit, college, athletes, oh, teh angst!, excessive blushing, locker room groping, public displays of adorable, sports, nosey strangers & swimming allusion pornWord Count: 12,663

    George McAllister knows better than to hook up with an untrained submissive. He doesn't have the patience to guide a novice through his first kinky experiences. His lovers know what they are doing and do what they are told. When he sees Eric dancing on top of a table in a kinky club, he assumes the beautiful young man is an experienced submissive. Then he sees the turquoise and leather on his neck and recognises it as a collar. Someone else already owns Eric. George has no choice but to walk away. Eric Jordan doesn't know much about kink and he has no idea why George is suddenly less than enthusiastic. But he knows what he wants and if he has to chase after George to get it, so be it. If George wants to believe the pretty bit of rock on his necklace means something kinky, that's fine. But Eric doesn't belong to anyone but himself and he won't give up possession of himself for one night in George's bed. An untrained submissive might not be what George wants, but he could be just what George needs.

    At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. But let’s get real. Walking the fake-it-til-you-make-it road to independence and self-respect isn’t easy. Especially since my mom’s a deadbeat alcoholic, and most of my family expects me to turn out just as worthless. Oh, and I’m close to losing my college swimming scholarship, so let’s add “dropout” to the list.My BFF has invited me to stay at her beach house on the shore of Lake Michigan. That’ll give me one summer to make money and figure out what I want to do with my life. So of course I decide to have an affair with my BFF’s married, closeted dad. Because that always works out.Now I’m homeless, friendless, jobless. Worthless. Just like my family expects, right? Except there’s this great guy, Jace, who sees it differently. He’s got it all together in ways I can only dream of—he’s hot, creative, insightful, understanding. He seems to think I don’t give myself enough credit. And if I don’t watch out, I may start to believe him.

    After the closeted college student has a drunken meltdown at his well-to-do family's Christmas party (involving a few bombshell confessions and some not-so-polite uses for the angel tree topper) he suddenly finds himself disowned and cut off from the family funds. Back in New York, Josh tries to put the hangover behind him as he prepares for a swanky art competition. Of course fate has other plans, and after crossing paths with a mysterious bad-boy named Luke, Josh begins to question everything he thought he knew about himself. Josh can't help but think that this unrefined biker (dreamy as he is) is the last thing his reputation needs right now. But when Luke drops a few bombshell confessions of his own and Josh is left to find out who his true friends are, the artist might just find that opposites attract. "A Lesson in Pride" is a steamy standalone novel with HEA and no cliffhanger.

    His father, the mayor, had cared more about re-election. Donny suddenly finds himself homeless, and on the street with a few dollars to his name. Face first in a gutter, after drowning his sorrows in cheap booze and cheaper sex, Donny is saved by Officer Peter Parker, a straight laced, by the book man who is everything that Donny wasn’t.At first, Donny tries to use him, just as he had used everyone else in his life, but he soon discovers that he has feelings for Peter. To win Peter’s love, Donny believes that he can change, that he can learn to be the man that Peter deserves. There are obstacles to his goal, though, life itself trying to trip him up and make him revert back to the selfish man that he used to be and a father who will stop at nothing to remove a son who is still too much of an embarrassment.

    I’ve been terrified of planes since my father died in a crash, but being next to Craig makes me feel brave enough to sit in the pilot’s seat.And when his hands brush mine, I know he’s not as straight as he claims.But as perfect as we are in bed, we’re a disaster in the air. I’ve never been a good student, but my flight anxiety combined with Craig’s no-nonsense attitude keeps ruining our lessons. And when my ex-boyfriend reappears at my door, I have to face a hard truth: winning the lotto doesn’t uncomplicate your love life.CRAIG:I didn’t mean to fall in love with my student. Lucas fits the bill for “eccentric rich guy”, determined to fly even though he’s terrified. He’s persistent, and he’s the first man whose courage I find almost as attractive as his beautiful hands and lips.Being together feels right, even from the beginning.Well, except in the cockpit. My serious teaching style clashes with his uneasiness in the air, and our progress is slow. What’s worse, his shady ex decides to show up on his doorstep. He claims he doesn’t want a handout, but my protective instincts are dialed high. I’ll keep him safe, if he’ll let me.This is the second book in the Lottery Winners series. It can be read as a standalone with no cliffhanger.

    . . a faggot? A queer? A sissy? About a dozen more words meandered through my brain, every word I’d ever heard from my friends, from adults, from TV. Was that who I was now? Were those words me now?"While most gay men grow up living in the closet until they are brave enough to step out and be themselves, Adam Shepherd experiences the opposite. After living almost all of his young life out and gay, he goes into the closet, willingly, in order to have the career and life he wants and needs. He thinks he can handle it, but he soon discovers how much he has truly given up.Chase Michaels was always there for Adam, a substitute “big-brother” and true friend in his growing up years. Adam has always harbored a secret involving Chase, but it conflicts with the closet he now lives in as an adult. When the pressure becomes too much, Adam chooses to stay in his closet . . . but at what cost? And can he change things before it’s too late?Original Prompt:Dear Author,I've missed him so much and I'd hoped he be there when I came home. I just didn't want to expect too much. After so many years of being just friends, we became more and then I got my orders. Before we could start anything, it felt like everything was over. But he came, he's here! I just couldn't contain myself and ran right into his arms.Can someone please tell me how these two began, how they survived apart and what's next? :)Photo Description: Military homecoming: Marine dressed in fatigues greets his civilian lover with a passionate embrace, arms and legs wrapped around him, as they kiss passionately, framed by a large, vibrant American Flag behind them.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 6.

    But when Mark goes to college in California rather than following Daniel to New York, he embarks on a decade-long search for independence, sexual confidence and love.When Mark lands a job in New York and crosses Daniel’s path, they slowly rebuild their fractured friendship through texts and emails. If they finally agree to see each other, will they be able to keep it platonic? Or will the spark of a long-lost love reignite just as Daniel accepts a job overseas?Platonic is a story of trials, growth, and knowing how to learn lessons from the past to build a future.

    Nothing in life was guaranteed-perfect, especially not guys... and most definitely not guys in the immediate vicinity of tiny O'Leary, New York. And then sexy Navy SEAL Ash Martin walked into Cal's bakery, and made him wonder if fate might have cooked up something sweet for him after all. Their connection was immediate, all-consuming, and definitely not vanilla... but could their perfect date last for more than just a night, or even a season? Note: This is a 23k word SHORT STORY that first appeared in the Heart2Heart anthology as “The Baker and the SEAL." It has been slightly expanded.

    But his past comes back in a big way when the stunning specimen of manhood he admires while in line at the movies turns out to be Eric Sparks. Fifteen years ago, Eric left the country with his military family, and their budding relationship met its end. Just out of the Marine Corps, Eric finds that his dormant feelings for Dean erupt when he once again holds the love he lost in his arms. But Dean is settled in his life, and Eric is starting over. Can love be given a second chance? Will life give them the opportunity denied all those years ago, or will it once again separate the two men?