Hopes and Fears


Rowan Speedwell - 2010
    The only real relationship he's ever been in was with the subject of his best-selling book, "Caged," a young man held hostage for five years. Unfortunately, it was entirely one-sided, since Zach was already involved with someone else.So the last thing Brian expects when he goes in for treatment for an injured knee is to develop feelings for his physical therapist. But Jerry seems intent on either avoiding Brian or demanding more than he is willing to give, and Brian doesn’t know if he has the courage to face his past to forge a future.

Counting Fence Posts


Kelly Jensen - 2016
    Henry Auttenberg likes numbers—it’s his job—but he isn’t going to count them all, even if the view outside the rental car is less confounding than the driver, his attractive but oh so obnoxious colleague, Marcus Winnamore. It’s Christmas Eve, and Henry would much rather be home with his family. When the blizzard that grounded their flight forces them off the road, however, he’s stuck with Marc until the storm passes—or a plow digs them out.As the temperature outside plummets, the atmosphere inside the car slowly heats up. Henry learns the true reason for Marc’s chilly distance—he’s not exactly straight… maybe… and he’s been fantasizing about Henry’s mouth, among other things. Confession laid out, Marc is all for sharing body heat… and more. Henry isn’t interested in being an experiment, but as the night and cold deepen, he could be convinced to balance certain risk against uncertain reward.

His Christmas Sweater


C.M. Valencourt - 2018
    From November 1st to New Year’s Eve, his world is nothing but ugly sweaters, peppermint mochas, and Mariah Carey holiday singles.Jacob is a bit of a grinch. Since he’s gotten older, Christmas has never really been what he imagined. The closest he usually gets to festivities is an occasional bottle of peppermint schnapps.When Owen’s journey to his parents’ house for their famous Christmas celebration gets cut short by the worst blizzard central Colorado has seen in years, he finds himself seeking shelter at the small roadside inn that Jacob manages. With Christmas rapidly approaching, Owen sets out to bring some holiday cheer to the hotel and its grumpy manager. Will Jacob be able to let Owen in before roads clear and Owen drives away forever?

Rebound


Eden Finley - 2018
    After my last disastrous relationship with a close friend, you'd think I'd learn my lesson and choose someone else for a rebound. Someone I don't have a solid friendship with. I should definitely stay away from Wyatt. But when have I ever listened to logic?WYATTI’d long forgotten my college crush on Aron. He was never a possibility, having friend-zoned me from the beginning. But now he’s drunk and looking for a rebound. It’d totally ruin our almost decade-long friendship. I have to say no and be the bigger person … right?**Rebound is a 17,000 word short story that belongs to the Fake Boyfriend series but does not contain a fake boyfriend trope. While it can be read as a standalone, it’s recommended to be read in companion with the series.**

Bianca's Plan


B.G. Thomas - 2012
    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?

An Open Window


Rick R. Reed - 2017
    One Christmas Eve that changes the courses of both their lives.Henry’s homeless and only wants a warm place to sleep on the coldest night of the year. A forgotten open window in a darkened house entices Henry inside with the promise of warmth and comfort. He knows it’s wrong, but he promises himself he’ll be out before the owner wakes on Christmas morning. Except he oversleeps and the homeowner, Jim, discovers a bearded stranger sawing logs under his dining room table. When the shock and the drama that ensues dies down, Henry and Jim discover that they might have found, quite unexpectedly, the Christmas miracle they’d both been longing for—love and home.

The Manny


Sara Bell - 2009
    He's flat broke, his dead lover's parents are suing him again and his asshat landlord A.J. Boyd is evicting him from his bike shop, the one constant in Tate's life. He's starting to think things will never look up when sees an ad in the paper for a night and weekend nanny. So what if the guy who's doing the hiring is none other than A.J. himself, or if A.J. makes Tate's blood heat with something other than anger? After having his wife dump him because she claimed a bisexual man could never be faithful, A.J. Boyd has stopped being surprised when life throws him curve balls. Stopped being surprised, that is, until he finds out his ex-wife has died and left him with a six-week old daughter he didn't even know he had. Now he's sleep-deprived, scared stiff, and ready to do something really stupid, like hire the stubborn, infuriating, cocky Tate. And if the tension between them's hot enough to restart the Chicago fire, well, so be it.

The Proof Is In The Pudding


Nic Starr - 2015
    A Christmas with friends. A chance to mend a broken heart. Steve Hayes is spending Christmas break away with a group of friends. He's determined to put his two-timing ex-boyfriend in the past and enjoy his week away. Steve is equally terrified and happily surprised to find that Corey Oh, the guy he’s been admiring from afar, has been invited along too. But Steve knows there's no way someone as wonderful as Corey, who could have any man he wanted, would be interested in him. Can a misadventure with a Christmas pudding help Steve's dreams come true?

His Needs


Kris T. Bethke - 2016
    Since he has no family, Travis was absorbed into his best friend, Joe’s, and he considers them as good as his own. Everyone except Joe’s brother Noah. Travis has been in love with the younger man for much of his life, but he’s always kept his distance.As an ER nurse, Noah is a caretaker by nature. When his brother’s best friend is hurt, he’s happy to help Travis while he heals. He’s only ever allowed himself to think of Travis as the next best thing to an older brother, but by the light of the Christmas tree, Noah finally sees Travis’s true feelings. And in that moment, everything changes.When faced with opposition and a Christmas nothing like they imagined, will their hopes for the future be enough to carry them through?

The Key to his Heart for Christmas


Rebecca James - 2019
    Knowing the town's only shelter is full to capacity, and being a firm believer in helping others, Dane stops and offers the man a warm place to stay. Sayer Mills has learned the hard way not to be too trusting, yet something tells him he can trust the handsome firefighter who kindly offers him shelter from the elements. The young widower has sequestered himself in his cottage in the woods with only his huge dog for companionship, and Sayer finds himself wanting to bring a little joy into the house in return for Dane's kindness. With mutual attraction growing between the two men, Dane wonders if he can convince his house guest to stay longer than the holidays, and Sayer second guesses his plan to head to the next town. The Key to his Heart for Christmas is 21k of holiday sweetness mixed with the passion you've come to expect from a Rebecca James MM romance. This novella was originally published by JMS Books under the title Love Lost, Love Found. Upon regaining rights, the author reworked the story, doubling it in length, although the names of the characters and basic premise remain the same as the original version.

Boy Toys


A.E. Wasp - 2017
     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.

Yours For The Holiday


D.J. Jamison - 2017
    Jason Hendricks has always treated him like a little brother to tease and taunt, all the more embarrassing because Remy has secretly crushed on the jerk since puberty. But when Jason confides he's bisexual, Remy realizes the crush he loves to hate could be the perfect rebound.Jason has always found Remy appealing. He didn't handle his attraction well when he was younger, but now Remy's a grown man and Jason's no longer afraid of his feelings. Some playful flirtation sounds like a great way to spend Thanksgiving break, but he's not prepared for Remy's newfound sex appeal or his decision to make Jason his rebound fling. Jason doesn't want to risk fallout with a family that's always been there for him, but he's not sure he can resist.When the two part ways, they don't plan to stay in touch, but soon they're texting, trading sexy pictures and helping each other cope with family drama. Remy agrees to be his for the holiday, continuing their secret fling over Christmas, but Jason knows that won't be enough. He'll have to find the courage to be open and honest with his best friend -- and the whole Wells family -- if he wants a chance at love in the new year.

Putting Out Fires


Marie Sexton - 2011
    He's determined to make this Valentine's Day special, but nothing is going to turn out the way Matt plans.

Life After Joe


Harper Fox - 2010
    Six months of too many missed shifts at the hospital, too much booze, too many men. Matt knows he's on the verge of losing everything, but he's finding it hard to care. Then Matt meets Aaron. He's gorgeous, intelligent and apparently not interested in being picked up. Still, even after seeing Matt at his worst, he doesn't turn away. Aaron's kindness and respect have Matt almost believing he's worth it-and that there could be life after Joe. But his newfound happiness is threatened when Matt begins to suspect Aaron is hiding something, or someone...

A Christmas Hex


Jordan L. Hawk - 2016
    Everyone views wolf familiars like himself as dangerous beasts, unable to rein in their savage impulses. He’s resigned himself to his fate—or so he thinks, until he meets the dashing Augustus Cao. His witch. Gus is on the trail of a gang of thieves, and Roland holds an important clue. Even though they can never bond, Roland can’t pass up the opportunity to spend a night with his witch. Can Roland conceal his secret, while helping Gus catch the thieves? Or will the handsome detective be the one to steal his heart? Short story: 15,475 words