Ever since his black nail polish high school days, Thomas Schultz has seemed like a carefree, uninhibited wild child, in stark contrast to Simon’s shy, cautious nature. Now, from behind the safety of his hotel bar, Simon must watch, distracted, as Thomas becomes a shirtless rock star for every wedding reception they work. But when Thomas slips him the key to his hotel room, Simon enters a world where the fine line between hate and attraction becomes blurred, and finds more than he ever knew he wanted. In the social upheaval of the 1980s, love is no picnic. The AIDS epidemic has reshaped the way people think about sex, and the discontent of Generation X drowns out any love songs. Despite the uncertain times, Simon finds himself falling in love. But when Thomas’s band makes it big, the simple act of keeping in touch across the silent miles becomes an obstacle all its own.

    If you want to go by car, the driving distance between Oslo and London is 1732.79 km. If you ride your car with an average speed of 112 kilometres/hour (70 miles/h), travel time will be 15 hours 28 minutes.Adam Vik Solheim should not be in London. He’s not supposed to be anywhere near the British capital, because Adam Vik Solheim, age 19, is supposed to be on a beach in Bali. He is supposed to be on the first stop on an Asian backpacking trip of a lifetime. That was the plan. That is where he is supposed to be. Not here. Alone in a weird house in a strange city, being paid to look after some troubled 17-year-old.Felix Haugland has to survive the final 3 weeks of school. Make it through 21 more days of hell. Then he is going to hide out in his room for the rest of the summer until he can figure out how to get his life back on track. Find a school far far away, where he can start over and not make mistakes.He doesn't need a flipping babysitter. He just doesn't. His life is messed up enough as it is. This is a New Adult story and is set in the UK where the age of consent is 16. Triggerwarnings: Severe bullying and mature content.

    Voyeurism aside, there's nothing sexier than a beautiful body running, jumping, swimming, rowing, and a couple dozen other activities. Who wouldn't take the chance to enjoy the spectacle?But the Olympics are more than just a chance to watch athletes at the peak of physical perfection. Every competitor at the Games has a story behind why they run or jump or swim, and why they compete. How they got to the Games, and what they sacrificed along the way to make the cut. To spectators, they may perform superhuman feats, but each and every one is human in the same way we all are.In this collection of stories, you'll find there's a lot more to competing at Olympic level than being the best in one's field. Expectations and pressures from family, friends, coaches and country add up, and sometimes it's only the love of the right man who can make the effort worth it. And sometimes, love is more important than going for gold.Including: Hot Shots by Michael P. ThomasInto the Deep by Nico JayeThe Quad by Kelly RandLightning in a Bottle by Sarah MadisonSwimming the Distance by Annabeth AlbertShoot for the Gold by Whitley GrayAn Olympic Goal by K-lee KleinTumbling Dreams by Kaje HarperWord count: 117,000

    These two men who have spent a life in love, from the very first date arranged by Henry’s sister, through the rocky times they worked to make ends meet, and into their twilight years.NOTE: This story appears in the following anthologies — Best Gay Romance 2008 (Cleis Press) and Best Gay Stories 2009 (Lethe Press).

    In other words, he’s lonely. His first instinct is to relieve his anxiety through uncomplicated sex—until he meets a man so far out of his league and experience that he stumbles for the first time. Police volunteer Sebastian Sumner may be deaf, but his spirit, openness, and sense of humor give him the strength to get through anything—even the emotional defenses of Jordan Waters. But it’s his own family history that poses the biggest challenge. Can he learn to trust Jordan with his heart, or will his upbringing blind him to the sounds of love?

    Shunning attention, Andy lives a quiet and lonely existence on his pig farm in Yorkshire. His peace is threatened when his friends take him to the city for his birthday. They buy him a kiss from Luke Wales, a twink porn star.Overwhelmed and needing some air, Andy escapes outside. Luke finds him there. They talk and Andy begins to relax. It's cold and Andy gives Luke his combat jacket. However Roger, Luke's boyfriend appears and the momentary connection is lost.Weeks later, recently separated from Roger, Luke is back in the north of England. He decides to pay Andy a visit, using the excuse of returning the man's jacket. A snow storm forces the two men to spend time together, and a tentative friendship begins.Neither man is convinced they are worthy of the other. It takes time, plus the encouragement of friends and Andy's teenage nephew, Craig, to convince the reluctant couple that what exists on the surface only tells part of the story. Andy's scars and Luke's past employment shouldn't stand in the way of them exploring what each feels for the other.

    The one time Kane threw caution to the wind, he was left with a wired jaw and a tracheostomy. He can’t take much more hurt. But with his attacker’s promise to return, Kane lives in a constant state of fear, and with the ever-present paramedic, arousal.Garrett Young struggles with the question of his sexuality, unable to get Kane out of his mind even as he fights against the demise of his long-time engagement with his girlfriend Amanda. Every day is complicated by his ongoing battle with PTSD and alcoholism, compounded by his fear for Kane’s life.

    When John and Isaac become faculty advisors for the school's literary magazine, their professional relationship evolves. Despite the strict code of conduct forbidding faculty fraternization, they delve into a secret affair—until Simon arrives.Isaac's violent ex threatens not only their careers, but also John's life. His PTSD triggered, John must come to terms with that bloody day on College Green while Isaac must accept the heartbreak his secrets have wrought. ***WE STILL LIVE is a standalone M/M friends-to-lovers romance featuring detailed adult content, graphic violence, hurt/comfort, and mental illness.***

    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.

    What he doesn’t have is a partner to share it with—a fact that’s never bothered him much. But the romantic in him isn’t entirely dead. When a moment of weakness finds him with a contact to a high-class escort specializing in fulfilling fantasies, Micah asks for only one thing: Show me what it’s like to feel loved.

    No one compared to the large man and never would. A decade later, Brent, Troy’s father, falls ill and he needs to take over the business for a while. Interacting Day in and day out with sexy Win is a cruel punishment. Winston Sanchez hadn’t done a thing right in his life, except interviewing for a handyman job for Brent Canter. He loved his job, but an attraction to Troy Canter complicates things. As Troy ran the business while Brent fights cancer, it has thrown the man right in his lap. When an unexpected development in the package of a four-year-old daughter throws Win into a panic, Troy comes to the rescue. Can a man who doesn’t think he’s worth much let go enough to open himself to the love of a man who thinks he’s worth everything?

    That's why entering in The Right Note TV contest is the biggest opportunity he'll ever get. After everything he's been through with the boyfriend (now ex) from hell, he will not risk losing himself ever again, especially over a guy.Judah has almost hit rock bottom. His dream to make it as a singer and musician is all but dead. Added to that, he's broke and he's about to outwear his welcome with his friends. Taking part in The Right Note is his last chance, but he cannot afford to show who he really is at the risk of permanently alienating his conservative family.Denver doesn't want to be drawn to Judah, 'cause the guy spells trouble in every way. But the heart wants what it wants, and Denver seems unable to say no, even when Judah keeps switching from hot to cold on him.When Judah meets Denver, he knows he's in deep, deep trouble. He fights the attraction with everything he's got, but Denver draws him in like the sun. Being with him comes at a price, however, and it's not just jeopardizing winning the contest. When Denver's ex stirs up trouble, Judah has to make a decision. Is Denver worth putting everything on the line for?The Time of My Life is a steamy stand-alone MM romance with a sweet HEA. Please note trigger warnings for domestic abuse and rape.

    But when the weekend is over, he walks away, reminding himself that he lives a deeply closeted life for painful, compelling reasons. He keeps his secrets, his heart, and the cause of his crippled arm to himself, but almost immediately he bitterly regrets leaving Kevin. Months later, while Tom serves as reluctant assistant director for his school's production of Rent, he fears that the show's same-sex love angle will somehow out him. Protests against the play begin, one of the student actors is harassed, and during a parents' meeting, Tom encounters Kevin again. This time Tom can't fight the attraction between them, and he and Kevin begin a tentative relationship. Within Rent's message of acceptance and support, and as local churches oppose the play, Tom struggles to find the strength to admit one man into his heart.

    He lived the perfect life with the perfect family before the dark truth came spilling out. Now his dad’s in prison, and after Hunter explodes at school, accidentally hitting a teacher, his mom has him committed. Hunter doesn’t belong at Better Days. He needs to be stronger, not sent to a well-dressed loony bin. If he’d been better, less selfish, he would have realized something was going on under his own roof. No amount of psychoanalyzing and group therapy can change the past.But among the bullies, fights, and bad cafeteria food, Hunter meets a group of friends: anxiety-ridden Casey, wild and exciting Rosie, recovering bulimic Bethany, and Stray, a self-harmer who doesn’t think he belongs anywhere. Around this group of misfits, Hunter doesn’t feel so alone and angry anymore.Still, as he’s making friends and falling in love with Stray, the guilt is always there. If Hunter can’t open up and find a way to deal with what happened, he might fall victim to his mental illness—and he won’t be the only casualty.

    When he attempted to escape his abusive, zealot father, he found himself on the streets, making a living the only way he knew how, the victim of more violent men—one of whom orchestrates a series of vicious attacks that leave Jeb deaf. Now that he’s aged beyond his latest client’s interest, Jeb knows he needs to escape his risky lifestyle before it’s too late. Seeing one last chance for himself, he earns a GED and enrolls in college. Freddy Williams enjoys a life that couldn’t be more different from what Jeb has survived. He loves sports, being a personal trainer, and hanging out with friends. The son of deaf parents, Freddy is an outspoken advocate of the Deaf community and works as an interpreter at his college. When he meets Jeb at the bookstore, he’s struck by how attractive he is, and as they get to know each other, he finds Jeb’s good heart just as appealing. By the time he learns of Jeb’s past, it’s only a few steps behind them, and Freddy must make a choice between school and his familiar routine and protecting the man he’s falling in love with.Content warning: Child prostitution, pedophilia, on-page rape, physical abuse and mental trauma.