After being laid off and facing eviction, he’s eager to make a fresh start. When a friend mentions an opportunity in Sin City, he packs up and heads west. Unfortunately, plans run awry when his truck breaks down a little more than halfway there and he’s stranded in the cold with no money, nowhere to stay, and no way to get to Vegas. ‘Tis the season, but not for Merrick Holland, who loves being a part of the community in the small town of Rowley Bridge. Christmas has been a little tainted since his father died three years ago, and when people start to deck the halls, he withdraws. When Merrick finds a man asleep inside his bakery one morning, rather than call the police, Merrick makes him a cup of coffee, and after hearing his story offers him a job and a place to stay. The two men strike up an unlikely friendship, but with Christmas only three weeks away, could a little holiday magic bring them together?

    With only three days to Christmas, he doesn't want to be alone. He wants a place to belong, wants people around him who won't look down on him. He might not find all that at his mother's place, but at least it's better than being alone in the city. If he can make it there, that is.Tristan is looking forward to a quiet night in front of the TV, but instead, he has to save an idiot in designer clothes from freezing to death in his forest. Tristan tries not to notice the man's good looks, just like he has tried not to notice any man's good looks for the last seven years. He knows where relationships go and is far better off living alone, with his dog, in his cabin.Aiden is driving Tristan mad with his bratty comments and irresponsible ways, and Aiden is going crazy from Tristan's judgmental attitude. Luckily, in a few days, the weather will clear up, and the two men won't have to be together any longer. But will a few steamy nights with the grumpy lumberjack change Aiden's mind about wanting to leave? And will Tristan still want to go back to his peaceful, predictable life without fear of getting his heart broken?

    You can imagine how surprised we were when we first met in person. How confused I was about my feeling for him. I was already in love with the person behind the character, but I had never been attracted to a man before.Can you tell the story of how we became that happy couple in the picture?Photo Description: Two men, in their early twenties, lean towards each other for a kiss. Both smiling, they have their eyes shut. One boy has tousled hair, an earring and an upper ear piercing. He’s wearing a bright turquoise T-shirt while the other has neater hair and is wearing a checked shirt. Their hands are held, and a gaming controller nestles between them. A computer screen with a game playing on it is visible in the background.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.

    Food. Family. Returns.In this short story, Kenneth moonlights part time at SaverPlus to earn enough money to buy himself a state of the art computer system. He just wants to do his job and go home. But a sexy blond customer is looking for service, and he won't take no for an answer.(short story, 2800 words)

    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.

    He’d take the honeymoon alone, but his non-refundable tickets are for a newlyweds-only cruise. Brad needs a spouse to get on that ship, so he asks his best man (and best friend) for a quickie Vegas wedding. Now they both can have the time of their lives in the Caribbean. Best man Cameron Hines has never been able to say no to Brad’s hare-brained schemes, but this one takes the cake! The truth is, Cameron would be happy to be Brad’s husband - for a lifetime. But pining after a straight man is the road to heartbreak. Better to go play in the sun with his best friend and resign himself to ending the charade once they return to their regularly scheduled lives. Brad knows he’s not gay, but he’s not entirely straight either. Playing the happy honeymooning couple with another man is the perfect opportunity for some sexual experimentation. It’s just a shipboard fling—it won’t wreck a friendship as strong as theirs. Or will it? Can the salt sea air and island cruise magic transform this sham marriage into the type of happily-ever-after that comes with knowing that “Today I married my best friend”? Honeymoon Hoax is a standalone gay romance with a HEA ending.

    It was Jesse's first holiday alone, away from home. Devin didn't have much of a home to go back to. They found a way to make the season brighter, together.Four years ago, Jesse brought Devin to his parents' house and came out to them. It wasn't all roses, but his family came around, and Devin has spent each holiday with the Calhouns since then. Jesse really loves sharing Christmas with his family, and sharing his family with Devin.So he isn't prepared to hear his mom say, “I don't want Devin to come to the house for Christmas Eve this year.” Suddenly it's not smooth sailing, keeping peace with the family he was born with.

    Along with the half dozen or so novels he's started, only to abandon mid-way through, his love life could be best described as a series of drive-bys. Boone has spent the past week staying at a ski lodge in the tiny mountain town of Summit City. He's been using his time alone to write while waiting for his boyfriend to join him for their anniversary. What happens to Boone when he winds up dumped on the eve of his one-year anniversary and ends up at a bar having one too many cocktails? Wade Walker.previously published in the anthology Melting the Slopes

    This can be read as a stand alone story. However, it might be more enjoyable if you read WILD first. Trigger Warning: Christmas music, trees, presents, and all around holiday cheer. It’s been almost two years since Keegan and August escaped the Alaskan wilderness, and they finally get to celebrate their very first Christmas together. But their plans of peace and quiet get turned upside down when Santa leaves more than just presents under the tree.

    Even with no place to live and no job prospects, Sean is determined to not just show Gavin what a real home and holiday is like, but to keep them off the streets for good and build a future together.

    Book 1. "When he kisses me, I feel like I’m home. Like I’ve found something I’ve been looking for my entire life.” When a huge investor says his company is interested in funding Clay's latest project he's thrilled. At least he is until he realizes the investor not only believes Clay is gay but wants him to bring his boyfriend along on a Valentine’s Day ski weekend to pitch the project to the rest of the board. When Trevor’s best friend Cassie tells him she can’t find anyone to go on a ski weekend with Valentine’s Inc.‘s newest client he agrees to go. After all, he owes Cassie big time and her job as the matchmaking services branch manager means a lot to her. Plus, it won’t hurt him to pretend to be a straight guys boyfriend for a weekend if it gets him a free ski trip, right? Trevor is the perfect boyfriend, and it isn’t long before the lines between pretend and real blur causing Clay to wonder if maybe he isn’t quite as straight as he always assumed he was. Neither man is sure what is real and what’s for show, but one thing Trevor knows is that when Clay kisses him it doesn’t feel pretend at all; when he kisses him it feels like he means it.

    And now that he’s in college, it’s finally his turn to shine.Asher’s relationship advice column in the school newspaper is his strongest matchmaking instrument, especially when it comes to helping hopeless romantics find their soulmates.But like every heroic quest, there are a few bumps in the road and dragons to slay.There’s a damsel in distress Asher’s best friend thinks is a psychopath, a handsome prince Asher can’t stop drooling over, and a huge, mysterious roommate Asher can’t help but pester.It doesn’t matter though. Nothing will stop Asher when it comes to helping people find their true love.He’s absolutely positive everything will work out in the end.Because love is always like a fairy tale…right?* * *The main romance arc spans across all three novellas. When Red Cried Wolf contains little romance but sets up for the rest of the series.—When Red Cried Wolf is a slow-burn romance with over-the-top characters, fairy tale references, ridiculous texts, and eventually, a happy ever after.

    But running the family Christmas tree farm has worn down his love for the happiest season of all, and lately Mel's been wondering what if he'd said yes to a ticket out of town with millionaire Bryce Campion three years ago. Bryce isn't used to people saying no to him, and he can't forget Mel or their brief but sizzling affair. He might not have been offering forever, but Bryce can't understand a guy as sexy and smart as Mel choosing to stay rooted on the family farm over enjoying the high life with him. He's determined to make Mel see what he's missed out on the first chance he gets. 27,000 words

    He's desperate but time, like his options, is running out.Rory Kincaid is scared he won't last another night sleeping rough on London's frozen, snowbound streets. With all the homeless shelters full, Rory seeks refuge in the first empty doorway he stumbles across.Finding Rory shivering in the sub-zero temperatures, Jack can no more send him away than kick a puppy out into the cold. A shower, shave and hot drink later, the grubby street kid is transformed into a beautiful young man.As the attraction between them grows, so does a plan that will get Jack out of the mess he's in and give Rory a warm, safe home for Christmas. Sweet and adorable, Rory will make a great fake boyfriend for the festive season - the problem is, neither Jack nor Rory is sure where make-believe ends and truth begins.Warning: this 37k novella contains a camp Christmas tree, a drag queen Christmas fairy called Doris, way too many jugs of eggnog, a closet posh boy, and the sweetest Kiss Before Christmas ever.

    He hoped time and distance would lessen the unrequited affection he felt, but all it did was make him miss Joel more. Home for the holidays, Casey hopes they might find a way to be friends again. But Joel’s frosty reception reminds Casey of just how hard he had to fight to be Joel’s friend in the first place. It’s going to take a Christmas miracle to get past that cool façade again. Joel isn’t as straight as Casey believes, and his years of pining for Casey have left him hurting and alone, caring for his abusive father and struggling to get by. Unable to trust anyone except his rescue dog—and with no reason to believe Casey is interested in him for more than a holiday fling—Joel’s icy heart might shatter before it can thaw. Can Casey and Joel’s love overcome mistrust, parental rejection, class differences, and four long years apart?Mr. Frosty Pants is a stand-alone, Christmas gay romance by Leta Blake featuring a virgin hero, childhood friends-to-lovers, second chance romance, and romantically steamy scenes.