Hot Flash

The test of any relationship is whether someone will stick around when times get tough. Mark has middle-level Alzheimer's. There are long periods of time he cannot account for. Often he can't remember the names of everyday objects, or even of people. This is both unsettling and irritating. He spends a good deal of his time in a comfortable armchair by the window, looking out at the back yard. But there is a man in the house with him. Mark doesn't feel threatened by his presence. Just perplexed. Who is he? What is he doing there? All Mark knows is that he is handsome and has the most beautiful blue eyes he has ever seen. There are moments when he thinks he remembers who the man is, but as time marches on and the disease ravages his brain, he becomes less and less sure. Perhaps it isn't even a man.

Where does a princess go for advice? In the kingdom of Rosewood, the answer's simple: ask the honey witch. Ursula has grown up knowing she'll inherit the throne, and she's devoted to her land and her people. But she wonders about her future, whether she'll be happy, and whether she'll marry for love. Beautiful earth-witch Esmerelda promises answers, divined in magical honey ... and one smile from her has always made Ursula's heart race. Esme has loved Ursula silently for years, despite knowing a common earth-witch can't hope to marry a princess, especially one so generous and passionate and worthy of a royal marriage. But when Ursula comes to her with a question about love, Esme can't resist introducing her princess to the sweetest magic of desire ... and some even sweeter uses for enchanted honey.

Nineteen-year-old Dom and Toby are in summer school, on the verge of failing again, fearing they won't graduate high school until they're twenty. Desperate for a passing grade, they hire eighteen-year-old Sam to tutor them. They recently discovered him on a kink app, and can't wait to get better acquainted. Dom and Toby have fooled around in the past, but they're both tops in search of a bottom. From what they've seen on the app, Sam might be willing to do more than just tutor them this summer.

Wade and Neal have always been friends. Just friends. They grew up together. Wade has always disliked Neal's choice in boyfriends, though he never analyzes why, and when the latest turns out to be a cheating jerk, it's Wade to the rescue. Neal has always had a thing for his best friend, but Wade doesn't show any interest in being anything other than friends. This time Neal thought he'd picked the perfect guy as a substitute for who he really wanted only to be proven wrong again. When his best friend rescues him from a bad situation, Neal decides to take a chance to finally get Wade.

Loving Ruben Pacheco is easy. He's sweet, he's supportive, he keeps the bills paid and plenty of food on the table. Loving living with Ruben's parents presents more of a challenge. They're critical, overbearing, and openly rooting for Gabe to go home so Ruben might crawl back into the closet. Gabe's in love, but he's getting annoyed. Ruben's great and all, but is he worth all the hassle?

Beware of Groom'thulu. Ethan won't let anything spoil his wedding to love-of-his-life Caleb; not the complications of a Pagan wedding, not the snarky attitudes of his relatives. But when tragedy strikes Orlando mere weeks before the wedding day, Ethan is reminded how unkind the world can be. Portland, Oregon, is a far more open-minded place than Florida, but there's nothing to stop a crazed conservative maniac from hearing about the gayest Paganest wedding of the year and making that a target. Despite his fears, Ethan knows he must press on, because it's Pride season, damnit, and no one is putting Groom'thulu back in the closet.

Funerals are hard, particularly if all you remember about the deceased is the abuse, the hate-filled words. Max isn't happy to have to come home when his abusive father dies. But he's surprised when Alastair, the night nurse who cared for his father, looked deep into his eyes and handed him a note. Could Alastair change Max's despair to love, old and new? Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

After a long day at the office, all Eliot Travers wants is a much needed nap before dinner. Which his husband Ben is supposed to make. But when he gets home, Ben is playing a game on his phone and Eliot doesn't smell anything cooking in the kitchen. As Eliot's temper starts to rise, he wants to know what exactly Ben's been doing all day long. Ben tells him to look on the table by the stairs, where Eliot finds a note he missed when he came in. A note that reads The Reasons Why I Love YOU.A second note on the steps leads upstairs. Then Eliot finds a third, and a fourth.

Nine months ago, Tommy, a nurse, and Jared, a fire fighter met at by accident, literally. Their relationship is red hot from the start, and Tommy can hardly believe how lucky he is. But after nine months together, Tommy has a big fight and doesn't talk to Jared for two days. Is it over? Tommy was never really sure he was the hot fireman's type anyway, especially when Jared has been stingy with declarations of love. But when they finally reconnect, Jared makes it clear he only wants to come home to Tommy. Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

Sequel to The Nutcracker. P is for Penne Alla Vodka and Garth Morgan and Tony Luciano are determined not to let the horrors of the Pulse nightclub shootings prevent them from celebrating their eighteen-month anniversary with the next dish on their A-Z list of pasta dishes. Garth knows he'll be eating ziti on his wedding day, but before then he has one other important question to ask Tony, one that affects not just his life but also that of Adam, Garth's ten-year-old son. Will dessert be as sweet as Garth hopes, or will Tony's answer leave a bad taste in his mouth?

Rocco and Ridley from David Connor's Christmas story Iced Out and Sawyer from E.F. Mulder's holiday tale Angel Wings and Bullets are finally recognized for their heroic acts. Along with Sawyer's new boyfriend Bart, they meet up with a much younger couple who not only give them valuable relationship advice, but also show them how heroes come in all different incarnations. Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

I never rethought my decision to move halfway across the country to be with the most amazing woman I ever met. It was true love. She and I went through a lot together. We juggled a house, two businesses, and three kids. Sitting down for a quick lunch at the Food Court to reminisce brings up all sorts of memories from the past two decades. Then we turn our thoughts to the future.

Six months ago, Angie Cross had a fantasy she never thought would come true. Now she's the happiest she's ever been with two men she adores. But Charlie and Justin are being secretive, and Angie really wants to know what's going on. Knowing her lovers, it's likely something to do with their anniversary, and depending on what it is, she may end up killing them in the end or falling deeper in love. What's a girl to do? Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

Coco, a struggling entrepreneur who bakes her way through business, falls for her gorgeous and ever so practical accountant, Rose. Coco hides her longing though because, as her mom always says, how could anyone be serious about such an unaccomplished "second best" like Coco? When faced with a last-minute impossible wedding cake order, Coco seizes the make-or-break challenge and sets to work. Hours later, lonely, discouraged, and close to failure, Coco aches for Rose's practical advice and alluring presence. When Rose arrives to save the cake, can Coco abandon her doubts and grasp her one chance to whip up a recipe that includes them both in the mix? Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

Together forever, no matter what life throws at us. It's a phrase used from the moment two people realize it's true love, and it was no different for Steve and Hank. That instant spark when they first touch. The lingering tingle of their first kiss. Their family and friends told them the odds were against them, but they never questioned their love. They built their life from that love. Stacking memories up brick by brick to house and protect what they cherished most -- each other. But one day Steve wakes up and Hank is gone. Now he must learn to move on without his one true love. People say time heals all wounds, but does it really? Can time ever mend a shattered heart? Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

Max Futé lost his license to practice medicine when he assisted someone he loved to die. His only chance of working again is to join up with Prinzip, an anti-terrorist organization in Paris. He manages to subvert the madmen running Prinzip and save numerous lives. Among those is WBIS agent Charles Browne, with whom he falls in love. When the organization is taken down and they're rescued, Max is brought to the US to work for the WBIS. Browne invites Max to move in with him, and the little French doctor thinks all his dreams have come true. Unfortunately, Browne is a commitment-phobe, and sees Max as nothing more than a convenient body. Will Max stay with him? Or will he cut his losses and find someone who will love him as he deserves? Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

When Caleb sees the man across the bar, he knows without a doubt exactly what he wants. Jake is beautiful and commanding, and the attraction sparks between them. Going home with Jake is an easy decision, and what follows is exactly what Caleb wants. And needs. A little something new to spice things up.

After serving as the best man at his father Tim's wedding to his long-time partner, Craig Pearson, twenty-year-old college student Nick Wattley is visiting San Diego to celebrate the couple's first wedding anniversary. But the mood in the Wattley-Pearson household is anything but festive due to a disagreement between the couple over a seemingly innocent anniversary gift. Can Nick help his father and stepfather get their relationship back on track?

Dan and Steve, two ships passing in the night, so to speak, find each other and a lucky penny before heading into a private airline-club room. Their encounter is brief yet intense, the attraction off the charts, but the lay, like the layover they're both on, is all too short for either of their liking. Fate, plus a little bit of luck, brought them together, but will they ever dock at the same port again? Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

Darrin Houghton, Broadway dancer, and Brad Grabosky, NFL football player, are engaged. However, Brad is reluctant to announce a date for the wedding. His excuse – he doesn't want to be the poster child for gay rights in the NFL. Darrin is getting discouraged, wondering if he and Brad are ever going to actually hear wedding bells. Darrin and the cast of his current musical are to perform on a float in the NYC pride parade. He asks Brad if he plans on coming to the parade. Brad says he's sorry, but he has an important team meeting to attend. Downhearted, Darrin heads to the parade alone. Just as he's about to get up on the float, a commotion breaks out. Darrin turns; what he sees takes his breath away.

Though Bret has been in love with Andreas since they were in college, he swore nobody would ever find out. Andreas doesn't do relationships, and the last thing Bret wanted was to make things awkward within their group of friends. Now, two of their quartet are getting married. On what is supposed to be a final nostalgic fling, Bret and Andreas come face to face without the others. Will they walk away, or will Bret finally have the nerve to tell Andreas how he truly feels? Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

The men from Wild Ride and The Perfect Tree are back! After a long day of working on the ranch, Forrest Kettrick is looking forward to a relaxing evening with his husband Mica. Thinking along the same wavelength, Mica ushers Forrest out back to the waiting pickup truck. He has a loving surprise in store for Forrest, a quiet dinner for two under a twinkling blanket of stars.

Jason never had the greatest relationship with his mother in a family of seven children, but he always counted on her acceptance of his sexuality. Which he received, if rather coldly. Years passed between them never quite mending the rift between them. After his mother's death, Jason contemplates their relationship on a plane to Connecticut with his husband Manny. What does her gift to them mean for their future?

Chris Buckner hasn't seen or heard from Nick Stewart in a decade. When Nick returns to town, Chris isn't sure what to think. He certainly doesn't know if having dinner with his former friend is a good idea, but what does he have to lose? Nick Stewart has kept a secret for many years, and now he's ready to come clean. But how will the one man who really deserves to hear it react? Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

What does a lonely sheriff do when all his friends are no longer single? Nicholas "Bulldog" McMurtry might prefer being footloose, but underneath it all, he longs for companionship in a way he can understand. When Russ Soames gives Bulldog a night to remember, the sheriff isn't sure if his fancy-free notions are worth the loss of someone who could become special. Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

When Emily Stevenson returns home for her brother's wedding, she's surprised at how little her hometown has changed in the twenty years she's been gone. Before she heads to her parents' house, she stops at Waffle House for a bite to eat. There she runs into Jenna McAllister, her former best friend in school whom she hasn't seen in years. Jenna stirs up emotions Emily hasn't felt in quite a while, and not just of friendship, either. But is she the only one? Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.