Books Tagged With format - short stories

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Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: "Every single thing I do for you... will always be as close to forever as I can get." Following the events that sent them crashing into one another's arms in Awakening in Sapphire, Aaron and Morgan are back. Carving out their own little slice of forever in Etna City alongside their magical found family, the heroes of Once & Forever Kings return in this collection of short stories full of cozy moments and spicy encounters. With ten tales out of Camelot and Etna, Between Once & Forever tells of first times, holiday celebrations, a trip to the beach—and sets the stage for book two, Veiled in Argent, with Aaron's very first heist. This short story collection is a companion to the Once & Forever Kings series and is not intended to be read as a standalone, nor does it need to be read to fully enjoy the following books.

Word Count: Click here to reveal23000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Four short stories from the world of the Undead Canadian series, including two previously unpublished works!

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Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Fruitcake is the laughingstock of the holiday season. But can it be an aphrodisiac instead? Motorcycle mechanic Sam McGuire is surprised to find a gaily wrapped box on his doorstep with a piece of fruitcake accompanying an invitation to a holiday party. Wondering if he’ll fit in, Sam attends the party—mostly to get more of the fruitcake he falls in love with—and meets Jay Merriweather, his new neighbor. The lure of Jay’s big family and its holiday tradition of enjoying Grandma’s fruitcake hook Sam, as does the sexy man himself. But Sam can't imagine why handsome, college-educated Jay would want someone like him, who was raised in a children’s home and barely graduated high school. Maybe the magic of the holiday season can help two men who seem so different come together like the ingredients in a well-made fruitcake.

Word Count: Click here to reveal8000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Ash isn’t exactly filled with the Christmas spirit. He left Texas after being outed by an ex, and isn’t in the mood for family holidays. When one of his neighbors shows up out of the blue insisting that Christmas decorations are mandatory per their lease, he rolls and goes along with it as long as he doesn’t personally have to do anything. The fact that the guy filled with “cheer” is the most attractive man he’s seen in his new hometown has nothing to do with it. He does agree to dinner, though. Will the determined ghost get her way and make this an unforgettable Christmas for Ash and Tristan?

Word Count: Click here to reveal43000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealDemisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Three of E.J. Russell’s short and sweet opposites-attract holiday rom-coms together in one collection! The Probability of Mistletoe An awkward geek on a mission, a determined extrovert with a plan, interfering female relatives of various sizes, and a statistically improbable amount of mistletoe. When software engineer Keith Trainor decides to start his own company, he knows exactly who he wants as his partner: Parker Mulvaney, his best friend from high school. But in the ten years since graduation, their contact has dwindled to nothing, and it’s all Keith’s fault. If he hadn’t tried to kiss Parker under the mistletoe at the winter formal their senior year, Parker wouldn’t have bolted. At their ten-year reunion, Keith intends to do everything in his geeky power to make amends. Parker should have known that scheduling the reunion the day before Christmas Eve was a recipe for a headache of monster proportions. But when Keith sends a text that he’ll be attending, the evening doesn’t look so bleak. Can an unnecessary makeover, a nostalgic breakfast, an abortive shopping trip, and dance invitations with only a 50 percent success rate culminate in a long-overdue first kiss? An Everyday Hero A fish-out-of-water geek (who still manages to get a bit soggy), a stand-up blue-collar guy (who can't see his own worth), unexpected additions to the holiday festivities (some less welcome than others), and more than one serious discussion about the true meaning of the word hero. When Adam Tyler's sister announced she was pregnant, Adam decided to move from Portland, Oregon, to Phoenix, Arizona, to fully embrace the uncle experience. However, he didn't count on the move being delayed until three days before Christmas--and three days before his sister's due date. And he definitely didn't count on finding a scorpion in his bedroom. Cue the panicked calls to exterminators. Garrett Strong doesn't consider himself at all remarkable--his ex certainly didn't think so--and Garrett's pest-control business is circling the drain. Although Adam is his first new client in months, that isn't the only reason Garrett goes above and beyond for him. He feels a real connection to the younger man and intends to do everything in his power to make sure Adam feels safe and welcome in Phoenix--venomous intruders notwithstanding. A Swants Soiree Crafting catastrophes, suggestive sweaters, and an awkward introvert who meets his extroverted match. Software engineer Brent Levine has always struggled with the life part of work-life balance, but to hold on to his new job, he’ll have to embrace his employer’s dreaded “staff enrichment” events. This year’s annual ugly holiday sweater party will strain his ambition to remain inconspicuous: everyone has to wear their sweaters upside down and converted into pants—aka “swants.” At six foot eight, Brent has a hard enough time finding clothes that fit him the right way up. And while he’s an ace at coding, when it comes to handcrafts, he’s definitely at the far left end of the bell curve. Luckily he encounters seriously cute theater costumer Jonathan at the Goodwill Outlet. Jonathan offers Brent both an acceptably ugly sweater and his expertise in swants conversion. Attraction sparks on Brent’s side, but how can Jonathan be interested in a nerdy geek like him?

Word Count: Click here to reveal3540 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Transgender (Click here to hide)

Summary: When Aron creates a classified ad online hoping to find romance, he knows he'll probably end up with a one night stand. So when Graham shows up at their agreed meeting place with a ring mark on his finger and wants to go straight to a hotel, Aron is not surprised. However, things are rarely as they seem and Aron is about to make a connection he never anticipated, while finding love in a place he never thought to look...

Word Count: Click here to reveal14900 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Detective Andreas Ruffner is less than thrilled when his husband and partner, Detective Darren Corliss, announces they’ll be cat-sitting for a couple of weeks. He’s even less pleased when he realizes the cat in question is a large grumpy thing with razor-sharp claws and no regard for personal space. When Darren deploys the puppy dog eyes, though, Andreas is powerless to say no, so they’re on kitty detail… and despite his best efforts, Andreas is a sucker for the critter shedding all over his apartment and stealing his husband’s affection. It’s only for two weeks. Plenty of time for the cat to get on his nerves, but not nearly enough for her to trick him into falling in love with her. Right? This 15,000 word short story is Bad Behavior book 6, and is best read after Protective Behavior.

Word Count: Click here to reveal5618 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Gavin and Matthew just want to get home to enjoy Christmas Eve in their safe, warm apartment. Should they walk or take a cab? But will either option do the trick when Victor, suffering from his holiday blahs, is determined to undermine this happy twosome at every turn? Years ago, Victor made the unfortunate mistake of coming out to his family on Christmas. Why couldn’t he have picked a random summer day? Can Victor’s husband Bryan pull him out of his gloomy mood in order to give the popular Gavin and Matthew the merry Christmas they deserve? Keywords: writer with holiday blahs/blues killing off characters...or not, Christmas, fun sweaters, short story, supportive family

Word Count: Click here to reveal51,180 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealLesbian (Click here to hide)

Summary: Elvis impersonators, art-fueled lust, forbidden longings, hot women, unexpected love, rekindled flames, magic, all these and more populate the pages of DESIRE. Meet thieves and goddesses, activists and actors, ex-spies and tourists in this spicy collection of 11 tales of sensual lesbian erotica by author Emily L. Byrne. Table of Contents: Viva Las Vegas The Further Adventures of Miss Scarlet Summer Stock Spoonbridge and Cherry An Evening in Estelí A Room with a View Treehugger Diplomacy The Old Spies Club Heart’s Thief The Goddess Within

Word Count: Click here to reveal7440 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Brett, one of the few survivors of Sandman’s Dream, infecting most of humanity, is secretly in love with his best friend, Ivan. When Ivan becomes infected, will Brett be forced to abandon him to the Dream, or will he fight for one he loves?

Word Count: Click here to reveal26000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Hate and fear live in a package only love can unwrap. Liam Lamech buried Valerian, the vampire he recognized as his mate, next to Hell’s gate nearly two thousand years ago. When the vampire king frees the vile creature, Liam determines not to give in to the strongest emotion a vampire can experience -- the pull of an eternal mate. Liam can’t kill Valerian, yet he vows never to love him. Still, he’ll protect the undead man with his own life. Valerian detests the memory of his days as a Roman emperor, though not nearly as much as he hates Liam, the vampire God chose as his mate. Aware they were meant to spend eternity together, the monster buried Valerian so close to Satan that a piece of his soul still burns. Even though Liam is one of the vampire king’s most revered warriors, Valerian vows to make the bastard pay!

Word Count: Click here to reveal15207 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Can Sami and Joakim’s relationship survive accusations of cheating, a thrown wineglass, and eight months of silence? Hurtful words and a thrown wineglass in a fit of jealousy tear Sami and Joakim apart; fiery tempers and stubbornness keep them from making up. But then, after eight months without a single word, just as Sami is about to make the first move, Joakim shows up, eager to make things right. Can they overcome accusations of cheating and eight months of silence? Are conversations, confessions, and planning for the future enough? Will the love they still share conquer all?

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Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Dar loved his career... until he did his job too well. Dar Riley never imagined his expertise as a dry stone waller would lead to a dead-end job he can’t escape. He plods through the days with little to look forward to. A stone placed just so. A bath when he gets home. The stranger in the electric blue suit who compliments Dar’s work is Pierre Catalan, owner of a multi-planet transportation empire—a polished, powerful man Dar considers way out of his league. When bad news blindsides Pierre, he lowers his guard, and Dar steps in with an executive decision of his own. Attraction intensifies a clash of wills into the possibility of something more—but without answers for impossible situations, love will die off-world before it can begin. Executive Decision is a speculative fiction romance set in an alternate reality, a standalone short story with an HEA.

Word Count: Click here to reveal34613 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Jotham was one of the oldest of the paranormal world, and a dragon shifter. He had been one of the attending Councilmen for the mating Games, since its creations. It is a time, for most, to come and have some fun, play some games, and hopefully find their mate. However, for Jotham, it was the time of his worst nightmare. Someone had taken his daughter over a hundred years ago. Discovering that Councilman Troy, his supposed friend, was behind his daughter’s disappearance was something Jotham had a hard time dealing with. When he was first approached about the sinister actions of his fellow councilman, Jotham had not believed the men's accusations. Then Ricky, Ian, Joop, their mates, and family proved their words were true. Discovering his daughter had died was heartbreaking, but then he saw a picture in a file and knew the little girl looking back at him could only be one person...his granddaughter. Ricky and Ian convinced him that maybe one of the victims might be able to help them find the other captives. That is how he met his destiny.... his Q... his mate. Q had never really known a life outside the labs and captivity. So many people and no ability to communicate was terrifying. Then he saw the most beautiful sight in the world. His koala wanted to pounce and claim the man...but then he found out Jotham was a man of power and that type of person had only brought him fear and pain. Can Q push past his fear and help his mate find his granddaughter and others still being imprisoned? Can Q push his fear even harder aside and allow his dragon mate to claim him? Or will all be lost forever?

Word Count: Click here to reveal25698 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Questioning (Click here to hide)

Summary: The Mating Games gathering has arrived! Finding ones mate is not always easy. Not everyone's mate is always the same species and the Council knows this, so they designed a way for all types of shifters and other paranormals to come together. Have some fun, meet new people, and if you are one of the lucky ones....find your mate. Knowing that Councilman Troy is responsible for their friend's disappearance, and proving it, are two different things. However, Colby and Ian are just as determined to do that, as they are to figure out how to make their mating official. Discovering that the councilman is using endangered animal shifters for his own purposes, pushes Colby's saber toothed tiger and Ian's giant golden crowned flying fox to change their approach, but not their determination. The thing is, even with all they know, can they save Joop and the others and still prove that Coun-cilman Troy is behind it all or will the Councilman make these two a part of his experiments first?

Word Count: Click here to reveal15600 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Scott Dwyer meets hot, new fireman Adrian Campbell in an embarrassing incident one evening and can’t stop thinking about him. While bartending at the local hangout for Station 39, he sees Adrian with his colleagues about once a week. He thinks Adrian might be interested in him, too, but every time they find a chance to talk, something gets in their way. When rash of arson fires begins the same week Adrian starts at the station, the rumors fly about whether or not he is responsible for them. Things are heating up in town, but will they heat up between the two men as well? Will Fate ever allow them to be together?

Word Count: Click here to reveal13200 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: In Space, No One Can Hear You Sing … Grayson Eck's life is a drag, in all the best possible ways. He's perfectly happy working in the belt alone as a wildcatter, prospecting asteroids by … well, not exactly by day. At night, he transforms into the Inner System's most famous Valeriana Storm — a secret identity that even his closest friends and family don't know about. When someone tries to steal one of Greyson's mining scores, he has half a mind to just toss the guy off his rock and into open space. But that all changes when he discovers the stranger's identity — and that he knows Greyson's secret. Now he's being chased by a pirate, and has to decide what to do with the apparent thief while also putting on his show. What's a space drag queen to do?

Word Count: Click here to reveal8400 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealPansexual (Click here to hide)

Summary: Davi is the world’s greatest thief. Just ask him, and he will provide hours of tales as proof. So, naturally, when another thief boasts of a plan to rob the temple of Kai the Formless, god of thieves, Davi decides that this honor cannot go to anyone less worthy than himself. Especially since his lover was there during the boasting, and he was not going to be outdone in front of her, no matter how great the risk.

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Summary: Sun, sea and submission…a different kind of dream holiday. When Ben’s best friend’s appendix throws a wobbly, Ben has to holiday alone. He plucks up the courage to attend their planned mini BDSM break as a solo submissive, determined to have some fun, even if he doesn’t find the Dom of his dreams. When he meets handsome local beachcomber Rhys, Ben hopes holiday romance might turn into more—but Rhys isn’t quite what he seems and Ben has to reconcile his need to submit with his doubts about Rhys’ honesty.

Word Count: Click here to reveal32k (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: The life of rock star, Dorian Gray and his lover, award winning film director Scott Newland, has been filled with highs and lows. Their love has transcended drug addiction and insecurities, but will it survive another’s revenge against Dorian?   This story shows the progression of these two men from friends to lovers and a backstage look at what a rock star faces onstage and off. As David would say, “My Name is Dorian Gray and I’m here For Your Entertainment.”  PLEASE NOTE: This story deals with drug and alcohol addiction. If these are triggers for you please skip this one!