Catching Orion


Sloane Kennedy - 2018
    Please make sure you haven't already purchased this story as part of that anthology unless your intent is to own two copies of the story. There is no new content.RyanDressed appropriately for quiet night at home? Check.Spoiled, needy cat present? Check.Gorgeous, mysterious stranger randomly showing up at my door claiming to have a date with me? Wait... what?Knox is exactly the kind of guy my ugly past has taught me to avoid, but when the heavily tattooed biker shows up at my door with flowers and a gentle touch, I'm kind of a goner. But agreeing to the blind date I knew nothing about is just the start of a crazy night of ogres, onions, wine and dangly bits.Way too many dangly bits.KnoxI knew letting myself get set up on a blind date was a bad idea, but I can't deny that there's a little part of me that really wants to find Mr. Right. Especially after having been with Mr. Wrong for so long. And everything about Orion "Ryan" Abernathy screams right. But when the cute, young social worker has no idea who I am or what I'm talking about, I know we've both been set up.I fully expect my chance at finding out if Ryan is my Mr. Right to go up in smoke, but when he agrees to go out with me, I'm certain not even the hint of a haunted past can come between us.Problem is, it's not his past that comes between us, but a whole lot of naked old man.Leave it to me to manage to finally find Mr. Right only to scare him off when our first date goes oh so wrong.Or does it?**Please note that this story was previously part of an anthology so it was intended (and required) to be a certain length. Although it is a complete story with an HEA, if you don't care for short stories, Ryan and Knox's tale may not be for you.This story was formerly titled "Atlanta" and was part of the Heart 2 Heart Vol. 2 Charity Anthology. There have been no changes to the content of the story.**

Vanilla Clouds


Roe Horvat - 2018
     His sex life has been nonexistent for some time, though. After a particularly bad hookup, he keeps mostly to himself. That leaves chocolate. Luckily, he works surrounded by the most delicious, extravagant produce in Gothenburg. Beside his job at the chocolaterie, his main source of excitement is his online friend, Magnus, whom he stubbornly refuses to meet in person. A customer turns up at the chocolaterie one day—tall, shy, and charming. He could be just the right man. If Michał can step out of his overly safe shell, there might be not only chocolate, but sex, too. Maybe chocolate-flavored sex. And if he’s lucky, maybe even love. Warning: This book contains explicit scenes, adult language, and obscene amounts of chocolate.

Out of the Rain


Renae Kaye - 2015
    Finding a stranger crying in her backyard was a new one. Little did he know that rescuing Elijah out of the rain was going to change his life. Elijah is too young, too good looking, and too bruised for Mitch to consider falling in love with. But Elijah is soon in his house, in his bed, and in his heart. At thirty-eight, Mitch has a lot of experience with life. Elijah is only twenty-three and just starting out. Mitch’s bedroom skills enrapture Elijah. Mitch just hopes it will be enough to make Elijah want to stay.

The Other Side of the Roses


R. Cooper - 2017
    Caring for people is what Sami does. Unfortunately, putting his loved ones first is also part of the reason Sami is single. As accepting as his parents are, he isn’t sure how they’d react if he brought home a boyfriend. So he spends more time than he should dreaming of what might be, and fighting with his younger sister over the perfect sunny spot on the couch. Which is probably why the perfect potential boyfriend chooses that moment to move in across the street. There’s just one problem—his new neighbor isn’t really new. He’s the son of the woman Sami’s mother has had a feud with for years. Toby and Sami grew up together but were never allowed to say more than a few words to each other despite Sami’s repeated efforts. Quiet, serious Toby was Sami’s first and biggest crush, and everyone knew it—a big part of their reason their mothers didn’t get along. Toby’s mother went as far as planting dozens of thorny rose bushes around her house to ensure Sami couldn’t even see Toby anymore. But Toby’s mother is long gone, and Toby has no interest in reviving the feud. If anything, he seems determined to end it. Finding out why, and if it has anything to do with the way he looks at Sami, means Sami will have to raise the issue with his family—and dare to step beyond the wall of roses that kept him out all those years ago.

Top Priority


Cara Dee - 2019
    They would date, play, build something that was just for them, and share a future together. In a perfect world, Colt Carter would get through his next deployment and then move closer to DC where he could create at least a semblance of a personal life. He wanted something outside of the Air Force, something kinky, something worth leaving everything behind for eventually. For years, he’d kept his inner Sadist and Daddy Dom locked up, only letting him out to play on rare occasions. In a perfect world… In reality, Lucas and Colt met each other. Top Priority is the first novella in The Game Series, a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, two things are certain. This is not a perfect world, and life never turns out the way you planned.

The 51st Thursday


Mercy Celeste - 2012
    Lost, alone, battered, and broken Shelby finds comfort in the local bar called Deacon’s Place. Week after week, he finds himself drawn to Deacon’s for the beer, for the atmosphere, for the solace and for Deacon himself. Deacon can no longer deny the desire he feels for the man he calls Thursday. When Deacon wants something Deacon is a hard man to resist. The problem is, Deacon never planned to lose his heart. Especially to a man who could be destroyed by an unexpected night of forbidden passion.

Bad Daddy


C.S. Joyce - 2019
    I’m a good boy. I do well in school and after this summer my plan was to start college and escape my boring life. All I had to do was just get through the holidays working at the auto shop. But that was before Sonny showed up. Leather-wearing, danger-loving, Sonny. I’m obsessed. The way his hands move, caressing and gliding over tools and car parts; how his thighs straddle his motorbike as it roars into the shop each morning; and how he looks at me—because Sonny sees right through me, burning me with his raw heat. I was prepared to spend a summer pining after him. Like most eighteen-year olds do over a crush. But then he had to go and send me that link. The one that had me staring, in shock, as I watched him… How can I forget what I’ve seen? And how do I fight this desire within me—the one that craves a bad Daddy? Bad Daddy is Part One in the Trying Kink serial. If you like Daddy kink, exhibitionism, and voyeurism, then this story is for you.

Leaning Into Love


Lane Hayes - 2017
    He’s part owner of a highly successful tech firm, he has a supportive family and a great group of close friends. But something is missing. Or maybe he’s reacting to his business partner and ex’s wedding news. He knows his former lover is making a big mistake but he also knows it’s time to move on. And hopefully avoid falling for another friend.Zane Richards is an avid sailor and surfer with a laid-back approach to life. He firmly believes there’s a time and place for everything if you’re willing to take a chance. Like letting his best friend know he’s interested in being much more than friends. Eric has always been half in love with Zane but going from friends to lovers isn’t an easy sell for someone protecting his heart. Eric will have to decide if he’s willing to risk it all by leaning into love.THIS EDITION INCLUDES BONUS CHAPTER

Conversation Hearts


Avon Gale - 2016
    Either way, the two have enough chemistry—in and out of bed—that Levi isn’t sure one night with Sinjin will be enough.And a message left in candy suggests the feeling is mutual.

Surrender


Fiona Cole - 2020
    So why did he give excuse after excuse to not set a date to say our "I dos"?Why wasn't he my husband yet?I didn't know, but by the end of the night, I was going to find out. No matter what tactics I had to use. Even if they were dirty. Especially if they were dirty.

Always You


K.M. Neuhold - 2018
    But this year it isn’t just any school year ending, it’s our college graduation, and I’ve decided there’s no time like the present to finally tell my best friends the truth I’ve kept from them for years. What I care most about is how my best friend, Dante, will feel. Not that I think he’ll return the ridiculous feelings I’ve been harboring for him, but a guy can hope, right? When a leaky ceiling drives Dante from his own bed into mine, the night might end up getting a lot more interesting than I expected. This is a steamy short story (~11k words) featuring first times, finally requited love, and late-night shenanigans.

Quid Pro Quo


L.A. Witt - 2013
    But business is slow in the run-up to Christmas, when businessmen and bankers are too busy bickering over bonuses to rent themselves a little high-class action. Though Jared’s wallet finds the downtime unnerving, the rest of him rather enjoys the opportunity it gives him to admire Tristan, an old hand in the club whose reputation usually sees him well-booked. Jared has been crushing on Tristan for months – he’s no more immune to Tristan’s cockiness and confidence than the johns, and those are just Tristan’s inner qualities. Just as Jared’s about to chat Tristan up, a businessman asks for something a little different: he wants to book them both. They agree – and Jared finds himself going from crush to mind-bending lust as he’s made the pawn in a sexual power game. Tristan shows him how a pro handles a john while delivering the top-shelf sex for which the Market Garden is so rightly renowned. This 10,000-word short story was previously published.

Arctic Fire


Keira Andrews - 2014
    While the last place he wants to go is the Arctic, at least the routine mission gets him out from behind his new desk. But he starts off on the wrong foot with the Canadian Ranger guiding him across the forbidding and dangerous land, and Jack would rather be anywhere than sharing a tent with Sergeant Kin Carsen.The Arctic is in Kin's blood, and he can't seem to leave the tundra behind. He wishes he could live openly as a gay man, but the North isn't as accepting as the rest of Canada. Although he's lonely, he loves his responsibility as a Ranger, patrolling the vast land he knows so well. But he's on unfamiliar ground with Jack, and when they're stranded alone by a blizzard, unexpected desire begins to burn. Soon they're in a struggle to survive, and all these strangers have is each other.Note: This gay romance features emotional repression, hurt/comfort, adventure on the tundra, and love where you least expect it. Arctic Fire first appeared in the military bundle Unconditional Surrender in 2014.

Battle Buddy


S.J.D. Peterson - 2012
    Tucker is gay but not ready to be open about it, and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell seems like a convenient way to avoid dealing with his sexuality.The army suits Tucker; he does well from the beginning. Then, during boot camp, he’s assigned a “battle buddy,” Owen Bradford. Owen is a walking, talking wet dream with no concept of personal space. Tucker only survives the constant temptation by venting to his diary.Two years later, Tucker—now in the Army Ranger program—is paired up with Owen once again. Getting through training while ignoring the sexual tension between him and his battle buddy might be the biggest test of Tucker’s military career.

Loser Takes All


Kora Knight - 2014
    But just as the evening hits its peak, things get up-ended fast. Ditched by his drunken, trolling friends, Tad winds up getting hustled by three jocks playing poker. Now he’s forced to pay his dues in the most outlandish of ways: accepting a couple broken bones or spending an hour with his victors’ favorite flogger, Scott. But the tantalizing torture quickly proves to be the least of Tad’s worries… and the kickoff to a night of raw, shocking lust. Experience the graphic, minute-by-minute account of that hour spent at the hands of Tad’s insatiable tormentor. Addicting chemistry lights the stage as Scott ignites Tad’s reluctant desires into a frenzy of forbidden need.