Guilt for walking away unscathed...and for secretly loving Simon's partner, Wade. Unable to bear the pain, Dylan left the Lazy G ranch to rebuild his life elsewhere.A year later he reluctantly responds to his sister's plea to come home, where he finds the Lazy G falling apart. And so is Wade. Wade has stopped caring about the ranch, about everything that should matter most to him.Though there's more ranch work than one man can possibly handle, Dylan throws himself into the task. Wondering how he's going to find the strength to pull Wade out of the fog of grief when his own is still as raw as a fresh wound. Wondering when Wade will finally see that his second chance for happiness is standing right in front of him.

    It’s also the only thing he remembers of the night that led to him waking up half naked in a revealing elf costume next to an equally half-naked Santa. Killian Connolly is a loner. Even with his tight-knit work family, he tends to stick to the fringe of the group. So, when he wakes up next to a tiny, furious half-dressed elf, who accuses him of taking his virginity and cheating on a spouse he doesn’t have, Connolly is both bewitched and confused. A snow-storm, a marriage neither remember, and an attraction too powerful to resist all lead to the hottest, sweetest, twenty-four hours of both of their lives. Can a drunken mistake between a virgin and a two-time divorcee be the happily-ever-after neither saw coming?

    Brick grew up in an orphanage himself, but that isn’t the only thing bothering him about the contract on Robin Marvington’s life. The details don’t add up, and it’s looking more and more like someone has set Robin up. As Brick investigates, Robin brings some much-needed cheer into his life, the light in Robin’s soul reaching something in Brick’s dark one. But all of that will end if they can’t find the person who wants Robin dead.A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar package "Sleigh Ride".

    The world became a different place when they met that day on the dock.

    Weary and jaded, the vampire still indulges in memories of childhood Christmases in Naples. He lingers in shadow, spying on mortals as they enjoy the holiday. When Taviano spots a handsome young man in Boston loaded down with presents and about to be mugged, he can’t help but intervene. Soon he’s talking to joyous, naïve, strong-willed and funny Paul, a short-order cook who raised funds to buy Christmas presents for LGBTQ children. Before he knows what’s happened, Taviano is wrapped up in Paul’s arms and then in his scheme to get the presents delivered by Christmas morning. A vampire turned into a Christmas elf… What could go wrong?Vampire Claus is a 30,000-word standalone gay romance about a lonely vampire and a fearless mortal with no instinct for self-preservation. A heartwarming ending, no cliffhanger, and a young man who discovers he has a thing for fangs. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?

    Twelve blind dates. Finding his special someone will take a Christmas miracle.  Aiden would rather eat an entire fruitcake than face his ex and his ex’s new boyfriend at their company holiday party — especially by himself. So when his best friend suggests he find some arm candy, Aiden reluctantly agrees to a few blind dates.Aiden doesn’t expect a dozen perfect matches, but one disastrous night after another is killing his Christmas spirit, and time is running out. There has to be a special guy out there Aiden can kiss under the mistletoe. Right? The Twelve Dates of Christmas is a 31,000-word MM romance featuring five horny singles, four garlic cheese fries, three IPAs, two naked trees, and a jingle bell head injury. This feel-good story is filled with humor, heart, and a happy ever after perfect for the holidays.

    He is the quintessential elf, smart, handsome, charming, and everyone in Santa’s Village wants him. Lon is no exception. He’s hopelessly in love with Rom, but how can he hope to get Rom’s attention? Even if he is now one of the reindeer handlers, he’s still just a plain, ordinary elf, and painfully shy to boot.Then there’s Wod. As Dancer, he’s both Rom’s second in command and Rom’s best friend. He, too, is devilishly handsome but in a darker and, truth be told, slightly frightening way. At least, he makes Lon’s heart race and his tongue tie in knots.When Wod unexpectedly offers to help Lon gain Rom’s attention, Lon is completely confused. To make matters worse, Wod is clear that he’d love to play with Lon himself.Lon is used to the sexual freedom in Santa’s Village but he craves something more meaningful. He wants a real relationship. So what does he do? Keep pining for Rom or play Wod's special brand of reindeer games?

    City of Love, my ass. Now I’m sitting here in this café near the Eiffel Tower, sipping the cheapest coffee they had on the menu, heartbroken and unsure of my next steps.Without a place to live, no job, not much money left in the bank, and speaking only a little French, I guess it’s time to put my tail between my legs and head back home to Bumfuck, Idaho.Unless…Photo Description: The Eiffel Tower looms in the background as two men kiss in the foreground of the black and white image.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" 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.

    His pants are down around the tops of his thighs, giving us a view of his tighty-whitey encased backside.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.

    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.

    For Aaron Forester, it’s a gay-friendly buffer between himself and the rest of the world. After being outed in high school and bullied to the point of violence, his family uprooted their lives and relocated to the small hamlet. He’s moved on from all that and now owns a popular café in the bustling shopping district. But after twenty years of happy living, Aaron’s past creeps up on him in the most unexpected way. Brad Collins only has one regret and he’s carried it with him since he was a teenager. When he moves to Heartsville and gets set up on a blind date with the most adorable, engaging man he’s met in a long time, he couldn’t be happier. But Brad didn’t expect the guy to be the person he outed in high school—who he’s now falling in love with. Aaron and Brad hit it off instantly—in and out of the bedroom. But after a long overdue apology and a small serving of resentment, is their fledgling relationship worth another shot?

    Having lived so many years without a family to share the holidays with, he’s determined to rebuild traditions with his fiancé, Val. However, Val’s ideal Christmas doesn’t align with Andrew’s. Not only do the men come from two different worlds, but they live thousands of miles apart. During a disastrous trip to Toronto to visit Val for the holidays, Andrew meets Xavier, a caring and thoughtful man who only wants to help Andrew out of a bad situation and get him where he’s supposed to be for Christmas. Xavier grew up in a loving home filled with a holiday spirit that reminds Andrew of his childhood. Reflecting on life and love, Andrew realizes how mismatched he and Val truly are and wonders if this is the life he’s destined to live. Perhaps being alone is better than settling for someone who doesn’t make him happy. Except, no one should be alone at Christmas, so when Xavier finds out Andrew’s plan to travel home alone after ending his relationship with Val, he has a different agenda. Maybe it’s time Andrew gets a taste of the Christmas he knows in his heart. 45,000 words

    When the pair journey to Indianapolis to spend Christmas Eve with Merle and her family, will an ex-hitman learn the true meaning of Christmas? Or just get drunk on eggnog?

    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.

    Weaver - Josh's Christmas Angel Valynda King - Christmas in Hawaii Christopher John - Two for Hooking Francis Gideon - Mistletoe and YouTube Allan Jay - Christmas Angel Aisling Mancy - Joyeux Noel Gary Hendrickson - Our Best Christmas Hollis Shiloh - The Christmas Mansion Tom Alexander - Ivy Park AJ Henderson - Christmas Reunion Abigail Winters - Love Delayed JC Wallace - Waiting for Snow