Tumbleweed


S.A. Meade - 2012
    He didn't know that I was watching his strong and raw movements from the porch of his ranch house. Everyone in town said he was a mystery but I knew, in that moment when he was locked in this powerful dance with the big sorrel, that I had come home.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 10.

Decadence


Lissa Kasey - 2011
    Seiran Rou has more issues than just a phobia of commitment. A recent rash of attacks and harassment at school has left him withdrawn and edgy.Making a cake for his mother was never really about making Tanaka Rou happy, and Seiran wears his heart on his sleeve as he tries, yet again, to please her. But Gabe has an idea how to put a much needed smile on Sei’s sweet face. Starting with “helping” make the frosting and showing Sei that pastry can be more than a little decadent...

Hue, Tint and Shade


Jordan Castillo Price - 2010
    An online exchange leads to a meeting with a psychic who assures Tommy that his naturally subdued aura is to blame for his timidity. Blue and violet tones are out, and shades of yellow and red are in!Of course it's a bunch of baloney, and to make it worse, the intimidating shop clerk overheard the whole conversation.Just when it seems like Tommy's life can’t get any more dreary, a colorful character drops out of the sky. Nathan's so vivid, he seems to good to be true. Is he?Novelette, approximately 40-50 pages or 14,000 wordsPetit MortsIndulge your sweet tooth with five deliciously weird tales by Josh Lanyon and Jordan Castillo Price!A storefront. You've never noticed it before. It's small, unassuming, and yet there's something about it that draws your eye. And the aroma drifting out, rich and dark, so enticing. How could you have overlooked it? It must be new.So why does it look like it's been there for ages? And the chocolatier behind the counter...certainly you'd remember him.#1: Hue, Tint and Shade by Jordan Castillo PriceYellow is as yellow does.#2: Slings and Arrows by Josh LanyonIt's a fine line between "secret admirer" and "stalker". #3: Moolah and Moonshine by Jordan Castillo PriceIf you ever go to France, watch out for those ticklers.#4: Other People's Weddings by Josh LanyonPulling off the perfect wedding can be murder.#5: Spanish Fly Guy by Jordan Castillo PriceI held my nose I closed my eyes...I took a drink.

If One Dream Should Fall and Break


Angel Martinez - 2011
    They've just unexpectedly reunited in this small town diner somewhere in the Northeast. Based on this picture it looks like their accidental meeting is turning into something more than just childhood best friends running into each other later in life.Please give these cute boys a happy ever after ending.Photo Description: Two young men face each other and kiss gently in the booth of a teal-colored diner. In front of the sunlit, white venetian blinds, the dirty blonde's right hand and the raven-haired youth's left hand cross to hold each other at the neck, thumbs caressing cheeks. 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.Read the story here or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 2.__________Genre: science fictionTags: gay m/m, reunited, interspecies, in the closet, friends to loversWord Count: 9,446

Love You So Hard


Tara Lain - 2013
    He was wearing that damn T-shirt and now I can't get it out of my head. I'm thirty-two years old and have never topped in my life. Guys seem to think I have a sign on my forehead that says “bottom only”. The one time I asked, it didn't go well. But now it seems I see this kid, he's twenty if he's a day, everywhere, and that T-shirt text is burned in my brain. I wonder...Can be any genre you like, and as explicit as you like. I'm not too fussy, but a first time top should be fun.Photo Description: The slim, taut torso of a young man from neck to hips wearing a T-shirt that says “I Would Bottom You So Hard”Genre:contemporaryTags:first time top, age gap, gaining self-worth, bottom you so hard, younger teacher/older student, beautiful boyWord count:20,237This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" 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.

Entangled


Lex Valentine - 2012
    One rainy night, Taylor turns up soaking wet on Daren’s doorstep with a confession hovering on his lips. The confession changes both their lives.Original Prompt:Dear Author,A rainy night brought him to me. Now, he sits nude, (wrapped in the smallest blanket I found) nursing a brandy and telling me his life story. Which I'm not really listening to, since I'm busy planning the way to make this straight buddy bend for me—or vice versa, I really don't care, as long as we end up tangled and satisfied. Please, don't think I'm a selfish jerk, because my crush on him is epic.Photo Description: A close-up of a man with long curly hair standing in the rain.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 3.

Smoky Glimpses


Nicole Forcine - 2013
    The photographer knocks on the main character’s apartment door to request shooting some photos from the apartment balcony. The MC follows the photographer out to the balcony and sees [the setting described in the photo description above].Photo Description: Eight hunky, half-dressed firemen of assorted nationalities and hair color stand in a parking lot, all looking up at the camera, which is obviously positioned at an elevation well above the group. It looks like the cover for a sexy firefighter calendar, with an attractive bald fireman in the front middle spot. The caption reads “Please excuse me while I light my house on fire.”This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" 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.

Forever Under a Rainbow


Posy Roberts - 2014
    That’s all he’s comfortable claiming at first, even if he’s more than willing to experiment sexually with men to find out what being not straight means in practice. Several horrid dates leave him feeling frustrated, so he retreats to a familiar online gay forum for support. There, he runs across Stone Moore, whose profile says he’s only interested in friendship. After hours of easy conversation, Stone agrees to go on a date. During their amazing evening together, Bridger shares that he’s new to dating men. This seems to throw Stone off, yet the date ends with a steamy kiss. When Stone later tells Bridger the time isn’t right for them, Bridger is hurt and confused. He realizes he must’ve come off as bi-curious, naïve, and insecure. Bridger knows he needs to feel comfortable in this new skin of his and that he won’t find love until he’s more at ease. Bridger isn’t thrilled to remain in Stone’s friend zone but contents himself with their late night chats and goes out with other men, which both strengthens and disheartens him. His dissatisfying dates reinforce what he already knows: he won’t find anyone else as amazing as Stone. Eventually, he’s bold enough to ask Stone out on another date. Will they date again? Have they found their soul mates, or will they each discover something about the other that causes them to go their separate ways?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. Photo Description: Two men walk hand in hand along a trail. It’s obvious one man knows the way through the field of native grasses, and the man who is a half step behind trusts his partner but might be apprehensive about the situation or where he’s being led. They appear to be talking in intimate tones. They touch from fingers to forearms as they head toward the horizon.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.

Swept Away


Sloan Parker - 2011
    He's stuck in a stifling courtroom with the air conditioning on the fritz during the worst heat wave in years, and the judge has denied his latest motion. He just wants to spend a quiet night celebrating with his partner, Mike, on their fifteenth anniversary. But Mike has a surprise in mind this year. A surprise that may be more than Eddie imagined possible.

An Oral Fixation


Piper Vaughn - 2012
    In fact he could tell you right down to the very minute. He and Cooper have never been anything but friends, though, and as seems to be his luck, whenever he’s considered trying to make a move, either he or Cooper have been otherwise involved. Now that’s all about to change. Spring break is here, and for the first time in years they’re both single. Quinn thinks his time has finally come, his chance to put his plan to seduce Cooper to the test, but things don’t go quite the way he plans.Original Prompt: Dear Author,I feel like these two have a lot of fun together, but they're just friends. Until this licking game turns into something more. Right after this moment, I bet there's a really hot look and a whole lotta sexual tension.Photo Description: A young man in a tank top is smiling, eyes closed, while another young man in a backward hat licks his right cheek.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 online.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, college; public sex acts; friends-to-lovers; road trip; dirty talk; oral sex; geeks/nerds; snowballingWord Count: 9,748

Hunting Under Covers


Aimee Brissay - 2014
    It is a product of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group Scavenger Hunt challenge and features original stories from some excellent authors. The Scavenger Hunt challenge is an event where readers find books that fit a criterion (like having a green cover or a title starting with “D”) and then find specific items within the pages of these books to add up to as many points as possible (for example, “twin bed” = +2 points). This challenge was a helluva lotta, fun and so we thought we share by creating the ultimate 2013 Goodreads Scavenger Hunt book.This book was lovingly put together as a baby gift for Katie, our tireless leader, who recently had her first baby and is probably just now realizing what “busy mom” really means. Congratulations Katie!We’ve listed the items you need to find in the front of the book. Happy Hunting (Under Covers).Publisher’s Note: This book is intended for adult audiences. It contains sexually explicit scenes between two or more men, violence, and language which may be considered offensive by some readers.

His True Nature


Silvia Violet - 2012
    Instead of being embraced, he’s condemned and insulted. Wanting to escape, he buys a camper on a whim and takes a three month sabbatical. He plans to spend the summer in the Nantahala Forest fishing, hiking, and camping despite being far less than adept in the great outdoors. His mishaps catch the attention of a sexy forest ranger who leaves Dan wondering whether Parker’s interested in friendship or something more.

Tears of the Sea


Marguerite Labbe - 2011
    But they belong to other people and nothing more can ever be between them – he’s accepted that. So David doesn’t understand why suddenly Liam is acting so strange, talking about the sea, a love and a past David knows never happened and nonsense about myth and magic.His best friend has either lost his mind or there is something more going on…all David has to do is decide if he’s brave enough to find out which it is. But, if the answer is scarier than even the vast waters of the ocean, does he dare risk it all for what might be nothing more than a delusion on Liam’s part?David has only a few more hours to make his choice and either accept the unbelievable as truth or lose everything…including Liam and what might be his only chance at the life he was meant to have.Original Prompt:Dear Author,This is David, tied up at midnight on a sultry midsummer's eve.Is he magickally bound by his Fae lover; or is his vampire boyfriend playing a joke? Or is it his Master just having a normal evening indoors?Whichever; but I hope David enjoys the outcome.Photo Description: Almost-liquid blue light pools over the arched-back naked body of a bound and blindfolded man. Supported only by the back of the wooden chair under his shoulders, he waits in stillness. His head tilts back, neck stretched, roped hands hanging, body tense under a perfect web of white kinbaku bindings.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 2 or Don't Read in the Closet: GayRomLit Retreat 2011 Special Edition.__________Genre: paranormal, fairytalesTags: gay m/m, Shibari bondage, unethical use of magic, clothes cutting, memory stealing,Themes: fairytales and mythsWord Count: 16,432

The Ivory Prison


Myka Ramos - 2012
    Born in a mysterious facility, he knows he's not human, but an experiment with a purpose that no one is willing to reveal. His life is a routine and an hourglass of when he will disappear. He has no hopes, no dreams, until one day someone new interrupts that routine. Someone like him, someone free, and it changes everything.

Making a Little Wrong into Something Right


L.L. Bucknor - 2013
    I’ve never seen him look like that. I’ve never seen him look at ME like that! And never in a million years did I think he’d be kissing ME! What is going on!Photo Description: Two shirtless men are writhing on top of one another on a hardwood floor. Personal effects seem scattered around in the men’s anxiousness to be with one another. The guy on the bottom has a massive tattoo spanning his rib cage and the guy on top seems to be in raptures.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" 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.