Eight short contemporary stories celebrating gay love in its many forms. From falling in love for the first time to mending a broken relationship to spending a lifetime shared, each of the stories in this collection offer a glimpse into the lives of gay men who live and love together. While a few of these stories are available in anthologies, they are collected here for the first time. Contains the stories: Afflicted: It's hard to understand why some people feel the need to hurt themselves, especially when they seem to have everything they need or want out of life. So how do you help someone bent on a path of self-destruction? And what can you possibly do when it's someone you love? Caught Off Base: Ange Echevarria takes an instant liking to the young hitchhiker he picks up who reminds him of an old friend. Unfortunately, so does his friend, Lamar. Why can’t Ange keep this one for himself? Henry and Jim: These two men 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. His Song: Dane is destined for greatness, his boyfriend Krish just knows it, but first he needs to break into the local music scene. When local musician Randy Blake asks Dane to stop by for a private jam session, Dane is ecstatic. But it seems Blake has something other than music on his mind. Krish doesn't trust Blake, but a more pressing question, though, is can he trust Dane? Love in the Library: Johnny's job at the campus library isn't as glamorous as it sounds. In fact, when the wheels of the returns cart get stuck in the gap between the floor and the elevator, he's ready to just quit right there. But a stranger's kindness leads to chance encounter that improves Johnny's whole semester. Maybe: Josh blames himself for the strained relationship he has with his ex-lover, DeMar. Just when he thinks they’re through, DeMar shows up and wants a second chance, but Josh isn’t so sure DeMar’s the one to blame for their break-up. Can they somehow find what it was they had together in the beginning before they lose it all? Skaterboy: CJ is a skateboarder who can’t hold a job now that he's officially “grown up.” He lives with his lover, Richard, who wears a suit and tie to the office every day. Together they make an unlikely pair. This Christmas: A new take on a familiar holiday classic. Ned Matthews is a college student haunted by his last boyfriend’s infidelity. Ned would rather wallow in self-pity than spend Christmas with Bobby, even though they’re the only two students on campus for the holiday. Can Bobby show Ned the holiday is better with someone to love?

Chapter 18