MM Small Town Romance
by

Two broken men. One chance at love. A connection neither can deny. And a claiming they both need.
Cooper Jackson served his country honorably; he came home damaged but determined. In the blink of an eye, he went from soldier to bartender, back home slinging drinks at his family’s bar. He expects quiet, solitude, the same bar regulars he’s known since childhood, and for his grandfather to be all up in his business. What he doesn’t expect is to be dumbstruck when the mountain-man version of Adonis, aka Gage Holloway, walks into his bar. And he certainly doesn’t expect their obvious instant connection. But when Gage denies that connection and all but ignores him, Cooper makes it his mission to tame this surly mountain man. And as a former Army Ranger, Cooper is no stranger to difficult missions… or difficult men.
Gage Holloway moved to Fire Mountain to escape his past—the job he never wanted, the family that never understood him, and the crushing guilt and grief of his former life. He ruins everything (and everyone) he touches, so now he just wants to be left alone where he can’t hurt anyone else. He nurses a drink at the local bar most nights sat alone in a secluded booth, so he can feel like he’s still part of the world without actually engaging it. He was fine on his own until a blond-haired, brown-eyed temptation in the form of the most beautiful man he’s ever seen upends his carefully-crafted, solitary existence. But there’s a reason Gage avoids human connection, and he’s not about to let Cooper Jackson make him forget… even if that’s the one thing his heart most wants.
Genres:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 4
Romantic Content: 5
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Gay
Protagonist 1 Age: 26-35
Protagonist 2 Age: 26-35
Tropes: Coming Out Later in Life, Hurt / Comfort
Word Count: 34190
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Same Universe / Various Characters
“Cooper? What the hell? Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to sneak up on a man with an axe? I could have killed you. “
I shook my head at him. “Nah, you wouldn’t have. Despite the fact that you’re putting out some serious sexy-serial-killer vibes right now, you’d never kill me. I’m too adorable to kill.” Then I hit him with my best sexy smirk before smiling widely at him, making sure to pop a dimple. Never underestimate the power of the dimple!
Gage just shook his head in frustration and looked up to the sky like he was asking for patience from some higher power. Or maybe he was thanking them for me and my adorable dimple. It was a toss-up really which it was. Sighing again, he said, “What are you doing here, Cooper? And how did you even know where I lived?”
READ MORE“Oh, I didn’t. I was walking down the trail from my volunteer shift at the fire lookout tower when I spotted you over here chopping wood… shirtless. And I gotta say, that dude on TikTok has nothing on you, sir.”
He looked utterly and adorably confused. “What are you going on about? A dude on TikTok? I honestly have no fucking idea what you’re even talking about.”
“Come on, you know, the dude on TikTok who’s always splitting huge chunks of wood? It’s his whole brand. People go crazy for it. I have to admit, it is pretty sexy. I think you’ve got him beat, though.”
He just stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “Oooooh,” I say full of excitement, “you should post a shirtless picture of yourself with that axe thrown over your shoulder like that on your website. I bet your sales would skyrocket!”
“No. Just no,” he said with a finality to his words before shaking his head once more. “Again, Cooper, why are you here?”
Smiling, I told him, “I just wanted to see you, that’s all.” Then I made a show of looking him up and down before adding, “I didn’t expect to see quite so much of you, but I’m certainly not complaining.”
He rolled his eyes at me, then turned and walked towards his house.
“Where are you going?” I all but whined, more than a little disappointed.
Without looking back, he threw back over his shoulder, “I’m going to get a shirt.”
COLLAPSE