Sawyer Malone hasn't had it easy either since joining the Scorpions. While paying back a personal debt for his club seems gratifying on the surface, he ends up sacrificing way more than he bargained for.When Mal recognizes that Sawyer is struggling, he offers him needed support. Something about the man's quiet strength stirs deeply inside him. Sawyer knows he shouldn't rely on the solace Mal provides, but he's been the only ray of light in an otherwise bleak few months. So after a tender moment passes between the men, they simply chalk it up to their newfound friendship.Besides, no one will ever measure up to Mal's former old lady and Sawyer's just been through his own tragic ordeal. But when they're thrust together for a weekend event involving both of their clubs, they can no longer deny their attraction. Except time-honored loyalties and hard-fought tradition will not only force them to risk their standing--but also gamble with their hearts.Here's the reading order of this series (five books): THE DARKEST FLAME THE FAINTEST SPARKTHE DEEPEST BLUETHE HARDEST FALLTHE SWEETEST GOODBYE

     Building a future… Knee deep in wedding preparations, Hawke and Tate are celebrating something even more important – Matty’s final round of chemotherapy treatment. As they anxiously await confirmation that their son is finally in remission, both men strive to give their little boy a normal life including a new house, playdates with Matty’s new best friend, Leo, and a new support system of men and women who are starting to seem a lot like family. An important question to ask… Meanwhile, Mav is looking to make things official with Eli despite the young man’s busy schedule with medical school. But before he can ask the man of his dreams that very important question, he has to get past Eli’s family first, including a posse of two overprotective fathers, several intrusive uncles and a little girl who just wants to brush Mav’s hair! Figuring it all out… With Memphis, Brennan and Tristan settling into their newfound relationship and our favorite threesome from New York visiting for the wedding, there are plenty of chances for old friends to connect and new bonds to be formed. The best kind of chaos… And of course, what wedding wouldn’t be complete without a little drama including some white hot sexual tension between a not so old grandfather and a certain cocky bodyguard? Add in some more Barrettis, a couple of precocious kids, several dogs, one spoiled cat and a gaggle of new, hot alpha men and you’ve got the perfect storm for a holiday that only the Protectors could pull off! *Includes a special bonus scene at the end of the book! **NOTE: THIS IS NOT A STANDALONE STORY - It features previous characters from all of the "Protectors" series books.*** Book 1 - Absolution (M/M/M) Book 2 - Salvation (M/M) Book 3 - Retribution (M/M) Book 4 - Forsaken (M/M) Book 5 - Vengeance (M/M/M)

    So she enlists her father's best friend, the straight and unattached Curtis. Gavin has a Christmas wish, too, and Curtis setting him up on disastrous dates isn't part of it! Meanwhile, Curtis finds life becoming complicated as he tries to please Bianca, make Gavin happy, and fend off his own unexpected mixed feelings. Will anyone's wish come true?

    And Dominic Ballard wants to gag. A hard break-up made Dominic disgusted with love and relationships. So, when that stupid holiday called Valentine’s Day rolls around, he’d rather do anything but join the masses celebrating. When a fellow co-worker dressed as Cupid delivers a Valentine from a secret admirer, Dominic announces to the entire office what he thinks about all that lovey-dovey stuff. Casper Marello has a crush. On his boss. There is no way he’d ever act on it because dating your boss? That’s a big fat no-no in the employee handbook. But what harm could it be to invite Dominic out to dinner with Cas and his best friend on Valentine’s Day? Even if that boss just proclaimed his undying hatred for the emotion called love. It’s only a friend thing, right? When dawn arrives, the two men wake-up, cuddled in the same bed. Naked. Swearing it was a one-time thing thanks to too much wine, they go their separate ways, with Dominic determined the relationship remain strictly friend zoned. Except, they can’t keep their hands off each other and the office heats up behind closed doors. Dominic finds himself unable to walk away from Casper as the walls around his heart melt. And Casper’s crush blooms into something much deeper than he ever expected. Will Dominic and Casper fall to Cupid’s arrow or will they miss their chance to discover a love that can last for always?

    His roommate and best friend, Daniel, is one of the most popular guys on the wrestling team. When a power outage during a winter storm forces them to get closer than ever before just to survive the night, their relationship changes forever. Neither are gay but the physical chemistry they have is undeniable. Unfortunately, Daniel's issues at home might be too severe for them to overcome.

    Mick looks out for the absent-minded genius, and he helps Fielding clean up his appearance and discover all the silly pleasures his strict upbringing as a child prodigy denied him. They become best friends.It’s all well and good until they run into a cheerleader who calls Mick the ‘best kisser on campus.’ Fielding has never been kissed, and he decides Mick and only Mick can teach him how it’s done. After all, the physics department’s Christmas party is coming up with its dreaded mistletoe. Fielding wants to impress his peers and look cool for once in his life. The thing about Fielding is, once he locks onto an idea, it’s almost impossible to get him to change his mind. And he just doesn't understand why his straight best friend would have a problem providing a little demonstration.Mick knows kissing is a dangerous game. If he gives in, it would take a miracle for the thing not to turn into a disaster. Then again, if the kissing lessons get out of hand they can always blame it on the mistletoe.

    Clay knows he has to return home, even though it’s the last thing he wants to do. Some things back home are best left unremembered.Dell Warrington was Clay’s unrequited high school crush and the man he least wants to see. He’s everything Clay remembered and more, including the father of four-year-old Archie. But Dell hasn’t had it easy either, and not everything is as it seems.Clay sets out to save the farm and bring in the crops with Dell’s help. Old assumptions fall to the side as the two men reconnect, and the second chance that Clay never knew he wanted seems within his grasp. But Clay left the farm for a reason, and reconciliation with his stoic father won’t be easy. When his city life offers a new opportunity, he must decide whether to accept what he knows, or follow his heart.

    Closet Confession was previously released in the Night Shift Anthology.Dr. Derek Babineaux is intelligent, dedicated, and one of the best ER physicians in the fast-paced world of critical care at Tulane Medical in New Orleans. Always on top of his game, he's thrown off balance when the newest medical staff member finally unleashes his hidden desires.Justin Delacroix's job at the inner city's busiest hospital might be just what he needs to ease back into civilian life after a long stint in the military. High-performing shifts make working as a trauma nurse at TMC the perfect way to utilize his skills and quick reaction times. There's only one problem, his attraction for one sexy ER doctor is off the charts, but he has his reasons for not returning Dr. Baby's night shift advances. Or maybe he doesn't.

    He dresses like it's Casual Friday every day of the week.2. Everyone loves him, even though I'm pretty sure he doesn't actually get any work done. It's the smile, I think. Definitely the laugh.3. He's so relaxed, sometimes I can't even tell if he's awake. Or conscious.4. He doesn't respect my office space boundaries. Stay in your own office and stop messing with my stuff!Okay, the list is actually really long, but none of it matters because it's time for the annual Secret Santa exchange, and guess whose name I draw.Hunter freaking HollidayAnd he knows this because, I repeat, he won't stay out of my office and leave my things alone.Even though I didn't ask, he has no problem telling me exactly what he wants.Me. For one nightThe Holiday Hookup is an MM Christmas short story with high heat and low angst.

    A gift that will surprise him, and win his heart.A gift that just might be magic . . .(A contemporary gay romance story)

    Job? Gone. Marriage? Kaput. With nothing to keep him in Chicago, he’s headed home to Seattle to lick his wounds and start over. To his surprise, his high school best friend—the man he ghosted five years ago—swoops in to help him pick up the pieces.Justin Tucker still stings over Tyler vanishing, but when his old friend needs help, saying no is out of the question. Justin’s got a spare room, and he’ll do anything he can to help Tyler get back on his feet. As the guys find their way back to friendship, Justin’s old feelings find their way back to the surface. He long ago made peace with Tyler being straight, but that doesn’t make twenty years of longing any easier to bear. Now he’s wondering if he can really handle having the man of his dreams living under his roof and out of his reach.Except maybe Tyler isn’t as far out of reach as either man thinks…

    Especially after a filthy postgame kiss leaves me wanting all the things I can’t have.What's the risk in playing dirty just one time?**A Note from Lauren to Readers,When I finished reading KD Casey's debut novel Unwritten Rules I was so impressed that I asked her to co-write a fun little scene with me between two baseball players. We'd both written baseball romances so this made perfect sense. We had such a great time with these characters that a short scene turned into a sexy, flirty, dirty standalone novella that we love. I hope you enjoy reading Dirty Slide as much as we enjoyed writing it!XoxoLaurenA Note from KD Casey to Readers,I was ecstatic when Lauren reached out to me about potentially collaborating on a story. I loved the Men of Summer series, and jumped at the opportunity to create a new baseball romance. What started as a short story soon grew with the characters (which is one of the joys of writing!). We truly had a blast writing this and hope you have the same reading!Play ball!KD

    Darcy Valentine not only protects and takes care of the motley mixed group of supernaturals and humans who’ve sought sanctuary within its walls, he also has to contend with ghosts with marital woes and his meddling, bossy mama.After a frustrated call to his favorite podcast—hosted by a man rumored to be a genie—and an accidental wish for his heart’s desire, Darcy meets his favorite author, Storm D’Arcy. Except, Storm isn’t exactly the kind of man he expected… or human. Storm is a vampire. A charming, gorgeous, blood-sucking monster. But then again, appearances can be deceiving.On the run to save his handi-capable sister from the vampires chasing them, Storm comes to Sanctuary to beg for protection. His only wish is for the pair to find a new home within its walls. The absolute last thing Storm’s looking for is a feisty human who’s armed with enough silver blades to kill him without blinking… and an even sharper tongue.Note: An earlier version of this was previously published in the Heart-2-Heart Paranormal Anthology as “A Caller From Austin” but the original has been completely re-edited with over 5k of new material added, including a new chapter and a different ending than the original story. This 20k novella is the prequel for a fun, new series coming next year. This book does not contain mpreg, but it does contain one slightly pudgy protector, twin fae sisters, and a never-ending first date.

    He’s fresh out of university as a video-game entrepreneur, and his new app could actually save lives. But burning the candle at both ends means missing out on the best parts of his own life—including his boyfriend, Liam. Liam Carroll works to live. His job as a bartender pays the rent—if not always the heating bill—and that’s plenty for now. But Robert’s workaholism reminds Liam his own life is going nowhere, and his own dreams are scaring the pants off him. To jolt them out of their ruts, Robert invents a new game: He and Liam are to take turns offering each other sexy new challenges with irresistible rewards. Of course, Robert gets more than he bargained for, as Liam takes their game in one surprising direction after another. Whether it’s in the bedroom, on the football pitch, or at the pub (or even the supermarket?), the things they learn about each other—and themselves—could change their lives forever. Play Hard is the feel-good, staying-in-love story the world needs right now! Note: This happier-ever-after novella features the main characters of Playing With Fire but can be read as a stand-alone story. Glasgow Lads series More Warriors are on the way! The series features a recurring cast of teammates, but each book contains its own stand-alone romance, so they can be read in any order. - Play On, Duncan & Brodie novella - Playing for Keeps, Fergus & John novel - Playing to Win, Colin & Andrew novel - Play It Safe, Fergus & John short story - Playing with Fire, Liam and Robert novel - Play Dead, Colin & Andrew short story - Playing in the Dark, Evan & Ben novel - Play Hard, Liam & Robert novella Glasgow Lads on Ice (spinoff/crossover series featuring curling): - Throwing Stones, Luca and Oliver novel - Second novel (title and release date TBA), 2019

    His design business has been quiet all year, but in December, it always picks up – and this year, he really needs the money. Trouble is, they cut off his internet in November, so now he needs to spend all day in a coffee shop if he wants to get any work done. Shame about having to buy coffee to keep himself in business. He can barely afford it. Cue Stef Tucker. Stef is a barista with an optimistic mind and an eye for troubled souls. Seeing Misha struggle, he’s kind enough to cover a few cups of coffee for him per day. At first, Misha feels inclined to point out that he’s not gay – that if this is flirting, then it’s not going to get anywhere. But the more time they spend together, the more Misha realizes that Stef just has a good heart… and that he might have spoken too soon when he said it’d never happen. Can Misha get himself together before Stef gives in and goes back to Jake, the pragmatic ex-boyfriend who canned him last Christmas? Can Stef’s generosity hold out until Misha’s standing back on his own two feet? Only one thing’s for sure – baby, it’s cold outside, and they’re going to need to give it everything they’ve got to stay warm this Christmas. This story is approximately 30,000 words.