Bøker av Layla Dorine

Walker Remington hates the holiday season. He didn't always feel that way, but tragedy has a way of changing things and making a man bitter. Carols, lights, the sight of people with their packages and bags all tip him over into Bah Humbug mode, that is, until Ajay comes along. With his piercings and wildly colored hair, he is everything Walker is not. Young, fun-loving, and on the hunt for a Daddy, something Walker has been before, and longs to be again, if only he'll stop sabotaging every chance he's offered.A street musician longing to hit it big someday, Ajay McKerran sets up on corners all over the city, playing his guitar and bringing joy to people, especially with the carols he sings. When a chance meeting lands him a gig playing at a dinner club for kink-minded individuals, he never imagined it would land him in a space where he could safely explore things he's long desired. But is Walker the right Daddy for him or will the man prove to be as cold as the Baltimore winter Ajay ventures out to play in?

When a Secret Santa matchup sends Ryu to the wrong Daddy, will it be a pleasant surprise for both of them or will grumpy Kissmass Daddy Hank prove why he's been alone for over a year?The moment Hank lay eyes on the basket outside his door he figured someone down at the club was playing a joke on him. The boy was adorable but certainly not meant for him. Learning who Ryu was meant for changed everything though, and suddenly the man who wasn't interested in the package on his doorstep was loudly declaring Ryu his.Never in his wildest dreams did he think that simple statement would change his bleak holiday season into one of hope and love.

Last year, days after Rocktoberfest, the band Damaged Saints were onstage when a pyro accident burned their drummer and seriously injured their singer when he was hit with flying bits of burning shrapnel resulting in damage to his voice that has left him unable to continue on as the band's singer.He's their new manager though, and thanks to a friend from another band, they've got a lead on a new singer. Jagger is smokin' hot, charismatic as hell, and so far as they've been able to tell, has very little in the way of inhibitions, which makes him the perfect fit for their rather snarky, salacious crew. There is just one problem: Jagger has only ever sung with cover bands and never on a large scale or even at a venue larger than a small-town waterfront festival. He's used to having less than four feet to move around in, which doesn't translate well when you've got a whole big stage to fill. With less than a month to see if he's got some hidden moves they can draw out of him, they're looking to use any means at their disposal and maybe even discover if Jagger is the perfect fit for them off the stage too.Damaged Saints is a book in the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see who hits the stage next? Hot rockstars and the men who love them, what more could you ask for? Kick back and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!

Bastian has never belonged to anyone, and he doesn't expect a bit of pet training and an event at a pretty resort to change that. In fact, the only reason he came at all is that his best friend, Chauncy, was too shy to come on his own. Chauncy has dreams of becoming the perfect pet for some special person, while Bastian couldn't imagine ever allowing anyone to change him. He loves who he is and is proud to be a little rough around the edges and a teensy bit wild. That's not saying he doesn't want a keeper; he just has no interest in a master who wants to bend him to his will.Jarrod is the gentle, give them their heads and let them run with it type. As the pony master, he's developed a soft hand and tends to coax rather than make demands. He's never seriously looked at a pet that wasn't a pony though, and Bastian, in his cute, fuzzy and form-fitting ferret suit, is about as far from being a pony as one can get. Yet when Jarrod spies him summersault off the back of a bench and hit the ground running, he's intrigued. He hasn't spied this particular pet moving in and out of the training rooms, nor has he seen him hanging around with any of the other trainees. Of course, he can't be everywhere, so there's a pretty good chance he's missed him, but now that he's had a glimpse, he knows he'll never forget that stunning face or lithe athleticism. Unfortunately for him, Bastian does an immediate about-face when he hears the word master and makes himself next to impossible for Jarrod to find.He's determined though, especially when he learns that Bastian comes down to the lobby before sunrise every morning, reading until light brightens the sky enough for him to make his daily run. Step one, be there on the trail to join him. Step two, rethink step one upon discovering that he can't keep up. What about an early morning picnic; a simple breakfast for two and a little conversation? That could work, right? Will Bastian take the time to learn that Jarrod is only firm when it comes to his pet's needs and well-being, or will he rush past him in his hurry to fling himself off the next obstacle, and perhaps miss out on the one trainer perfectly suited to him?

Bounty Hunter, psychic, snake shifter. Darian has all but been banished from his family for his visions, for his lineage, and for the way he lives his life. But when he meets Zaiden, he's left wondering if his visions might be the least of his worries.While searching for their missing sibling, Zaiden and his sister, Kaandhal come across the last pure-blooded psy-clairvoyant of their kind. Unfortunately for them, Darian has no idea what he truly is and isn't much interested in learning or helping them locate their brother, Zxex.A bounty hunter by trade, who's been all but banished from his family due to his visions, Darian's a bit cynical about his ability to be of any assistance, nevertheless, Zaiden brings him back to their home Rhumba, where Darian discovers that very little is what it seems.With plots unfolding all around them and discoveries about his heritage leaving Darian reeling, he is left with the choice of whether to embrace who and what he is or spend every moment with them as a prisoner on the fringes of their society.Add in a pesky little bond that only seems to grow the more time he and Zaiden spend together, and several factions looking to gain possession of him and Darian is left wondering if his visions just might be the least of his troubles.

The last place Nash wanted to break down was South Mississippi. With his extreme heat sensitivity and one scorching Mississippi summer, he had every intention of passing through the state as quickly as possible. Too bad his bike had other ideas, leaving him stranded on the side of the road in a rather desperate predicament until a tow truck driver happened by and offered him a hand. Jude knew his brother would be pissed at him for being late, but there was no way he could pass by the sun-sick rider and not offer a helping hand. When it turned out fixing the bike wasn't going to be cheap or quick, he and his reluctant brother, Justice found themselves with a houseguest full of sarcastic wit and a bunch of surprises. The last thing Justice thought they needed to do was to lend a helping hand to a stranger when it seemed like their entire world was crashing down, thanks to their uncle Les and a lean Justice hadn't found out about until it was almost too late. But he can't deny that Nash is pleasant to look at, and when the sparks start to fly between them, it's too stunning to turn down. Besides, soon as the bike is fixed, Nash will be riding out of his life forever, so what harm would giving in be? But sweltering beneath the heat of that Mississippi summer sun is a secret just itching to get out, and when it does, it just might change all their lives forever.

Luka knows he screwed up the night he tried to help Raine. He always gets things wrong-one of many reasons he steers clear of the rest of the pack. Besides, he doesn't deserve the fellowship of other wolves, not with how badly he failed when it mattered most.Rand has seen a great deal during his time as pack physician, both good and bad. Helping others is his life's calling, so when a wolf shows up with bitemarks from an altercation with another wolf, he's quick to treat, but when he learns the name of the wolf bleeding on his clinic floor, he's quick to judge, too. Too bad he fails to take the time to learn the whole story.Speaking of stories, there's one Slade has refused to listen to for years-so much so, he's relegated himself to the borderlands to avoid having anything to do with those who caused the tragedy that cost him his twin and the vengeance he knows will damn him for life if he carries it out.A series of decisions, good and bad, brings the lives of these three wolves crashing together. In Comet Lake, that's called fate. The spark of a chance. Now it's up to them to put stubbornness aside, stop answering questions with questions, and pause in their self-loathing long enough to listen to one another, put their pasts behind them, and learn how to love.

Koda is an artist, a bit of a recluse, and not well-versed in social situations. Shy and a bit reserved, he sees an opportunity to break away from routine, and his trailer park home, when he spies a poster advertising a trial hosted by a college psychology department.Titled A Social Experiment, the project pairs total strangers up to live together for a year either in groups of two or three. During that time, they are to record their experiences while performing a series of tasks outlined in the trial plan. It seemed simple enough until Koda found himself overwhelmed on moving-in day, leading him to get off on the wrong foot with new housemate Kenji.All of his life, Kenji excelled at Tae Kwon Do, competing from a young age and quickly moving up in the ranks. His hard work and rigorous daily routine earned him accolades in regional and national-level competitions. As a second-degree black belt, he'd hoped to earn the opportunity to try out for the US Olympic team, only to have an accident cost him his chance at competing, as well as his left arm. Now, three years after his accident, he's made a new life for himself, and while he still harbors bitterness over the loss of his dream, he's hoping this experiment will be just the thing he needs to help him take that last leap back to living independently.It's a rocky road, gelling with one another, and dealing with each's insecurities and triggers, but as each day ticks past, one question remains: where will they go when the experiment comes to an end?

Rocker Jesse Winters just wants to be left alone. If he could melt into oblivion, he would bid farewell to the wild child of rock n' roll so many have dubbed him in recent months. Truth is, there was never anything reckless, wild, or even deliberate about most of the things that had happened on Wild Child's last tour, but had anyone cared to listen? No! Which was precisely why he was sitting in a cabin high up in the Colorado mountains, hoping the incoming blizzard would bury him forever.Ryker Jorgensen left the VA hospital with a bunch of prescriptions and pamphlets on how to deal with reentering the civilian world, not that he's in any hurry to do so. His nightmares still keep him up at night, and every new limitation he discovers gives him more reason to believe that he's hopelessly useless now. Better to drive up to his cousin's cabin and lick his wounds. Come spring, maybe, he'd look into being around people, if only for long enough to make the kind of money he'd need to buy his own secluded place.The last thing he ever expected to see was the man whose face had been plastered in his footlocker and his dreams for the better part of the past six years, but Jesse Winters is nothing like he imagined. When trying to leave Ryker out in the storm doesn't work, Jesse resorts to ignoring him. But two wounded souls trapped in a snowed-in cabin have little choice but to reach out for one another when emotions get frayed. His only hope is that Jesse will trust him enough to let him drag him back from the edge before he's just another burned-out star in the legacy that is rock n' roll.

Lucky Strike McAllister isn't very lucky. In fact, he isn't much of anything most days, to hear his MC tell it. Since the death of his father from cancer and the suicide of his pops, he's done nothing but find ways to get into trouble. He's talented with an airbrush gun and an amazing artist when he sets his mind to it, but more often than not, the things Lucky sets his mind to are pretty self-destructive.When Thorn and his partner Cain, are forced to fish Lucky out of the ocean on a chilly fall night, both men decide he needs a keeper and who better than them to keep Lucky from destroying himself? Too bad Lucky can't see that they're trying to help. Bitter and lashing out, he does everything he can to sabotage the only chance he's ever been given at truly belonging to someone.Will Lucky be able to put aside his anger long enough to get to know the two men who have taken such an intense interest in him, or will he run from them, his club and everything he's ever known, and burn the last of his luck in the process?

It was supposed to be a quick trip to another pack's territory. Just long enough to second his brother when Tobias faced the challenges that had been thrown his way when a poorly thought-out decision led to a series of chaotic and unfortunate events. Like everything else in his life, nothing turned out the way Lucien had planned. A confrontation in council chambers nearly costs him his tail and earns him a couple of bondmarks on his wrists. It's scary, considering all the secrets he keeps. Good thing for him, his mates are hiding just as much as he is.Considered a prince of the north, Arctic wolf JD has spent years trying to make a difference, helping displaced and stolen wolves find their way back home. It sucks to discover that rather than praying for a miracle, some families are directly responsible for the misfortune of the wolves they should have fought to protect. That's okay, their failure is JD's strength, and he prides himself on fighting for those who can't fight for themselves.Speaking of fighting, Brooks Hagan has been putting his life on the line for other wolves for over twenty years. He's tired, his wolf and his body are weary and what he needs most is some downtime and tender loving care. Unfortunately, there is a threat to their pack worse even than the Red River Outlaws they've recently defeated. Bears. But whether they are actively attempting to take over Comet Lake, or the unwitting pawns in another's game is still up for debate. Until that's settled, Brooks can't spend the kind of bonding time with his mates that he'd like to. Instead, the three of them spend their days brainstorming ways they can help save the pack at Comet Lake.

Two years ago, a fight with another wolf ruined Gabriel's chances to pursue Raine as his mate. When he gets an unexpected second chance, Gabriel vows to claim him this time. Unfortunately for him, Raine has different ideas.Raine is proud to be a lone wolf, a wild one, but he'll never be a mate. Not unless he can find a wolf who promises he'll never be part of a triad. Threesomes may be the norm, but Raine is not willing to share.Aiden is different too. Born with a club foot, he was barely tolerated by his pack. Rejected, alone, he ends up right in the path of Gabriel, whose entire focus is on finding someone else. Now they each have two bond marks, and Raine finds himself part of a triad he never wanted. Can Aiden and Gabriel prove to him that a wolf can love two mates equally, or will they lose him to the allure of the wild and a fear he cannot tame?

When Lucky moved to the Outer Banks to work in Thorn and Cain's surf shop and eventually fell in love with them, Cody lost himself in gambling to dull the ache of missing his best friend. The flashing lights of the casino, the feel of cards beneath his fingers, and the rough-smooth texture of poker chips all served to drag him deeper into an addiction he was slowly giving himself over to. It helps that he works security there, easy access, and an increasing reason not to go back home. The Rollin' Jokers are family, always would be, but there's an ache Cody can't fill with the roar of his machine and the wind in his hair. The best he can hope for is to dull it one bet at a time.Wreck owes a lot to the Rollin' Jokers MC, after all, his old man was a founding member. So, when the Joker's president asked for a favor, no way would he turn him down. Even if the favor meant playing babysitter to Mark's out-of-control son, Cody, who seemed to get a kick out of pushing buttons Wreck didn't know he had. Still, he has no intention of letting Mark down, and if that means teaching Cody some discipline, well then, there are plenty of ways he could make it fun…for them both.Only…Cody's got different ideas, and issues that are only just being brought to light. Add in bad boy Bellamy, the wandering nomad biker who happens to land on the same road Cody's cruising down, and Wreck finds his carefully ordered world turned upside-down. Now he's wrangling kittens, including a human-sized one hell-bent on making a home in Wreck's lap when he's not looking to scratch his eyes out…and Bellamy? Let's just say that's the mystery element in an equation Wreck's not certain he can solve.With the past closing in and the future uncertain, Wreck's desperate to find a way to protect Cody….from himself, from his demons, and from a past that's come back to haunt him.

An abandoned wolf with a rare disorder. The new pack doctor hell-bent on claiming the wolf meant to be his. A renegade wolf haunting the footsteps of the wolf whose bondmark he wears, and hates. The fates say these three belong together, like broken pieces of carnival glass just itching for a bit of glue, and the fates are never wrong, are they? Graham doesn't think so, but convincing Zane and Cormac of that might take words that were never covered in his anatomy books.A season. That's the longest Zane stays anywhere. When the snow thaws and the pass is clear, he and his band will limp out of town in their battered RV, leaving Graham and his bruised heart behind him, unless he can find a way to convince Zane to take a chance on something no one has ever taken the time to explain to him.Bond marks might be a desire of some wolves, but for Zane, they mean the end of the only family he's ever known. On stage, he's not the pup some angry wolf tossed out an open window into the scorching heat of desert sands, he's Z. Wild, charismatic, nymphomaniac lead singer of Howling Rain. His after-show activities are what put the bond marks on his wrists in the first place, much to the dismay of his band mates who fear that those other kinds of mates will be the end of the success they've found together.It's up to Graham to teach them all that compromise, and understanding are a big part of the mating process, and that their found families can be expanded to fit a couple more wolves. After all, the attraction is there, and in those soft, cuddly moments where Z fades and Zane emerges, all their little wolf wants is cuddles, warm blankets and lots of love.

Coming home was supposed to be the end of something, until Mikal barreled into his life….and he wasn't alone.For Devin McKay, music has been his lover, his drug, and his best friend for as long as he can remember, but there was always something he denied himself while he pursued it. Now that his band has broken up and he's returned to his hometown of Stoney Brook, he's settled into a new, somewhat drunken routine, while he tries to get accustomed to this new phase in his life. The last thing he expected was an old friend to send a troubled young musician his way.Mikal needs help, or rather, his best friend, Moon, needs help getting over the blinding bouts of stage fright that have been plaguing him for the last year. He'll do anything to get to the root of Moon's issues, even follow along with the unorthodox methods Devin prescribes for them. After all, Devin was a success in the industry, while Mikal and Moon have been struggling to get a foot in the door.They aren't the only ones struggling. Moon's longtime friend with benefits, Derrick, spends most days rudderless and pretending to be okay. There are things he needs that Moon tries desperately to give him, but Moon has needs too. All their pieces have jagged edges, but with a little twisting and turning, and a lot of songs, they might discover a way they can all fit.

Cas' ferret suit is a patchwork collection of stitched-together fur, but he's earnest, honest, and just wants to prove that he can be a good pet.Mouse is a pet, he's a kitty with a fantastic Daddy and they've been looking for someone to join them in their playtime and perhaps even a whole lot more. Meeting Cas offers a wealth of possibilities. The more time they spend together, the more they bond. But will an arsonist bring all their plans crashing down around them before they ever have the chance to see them realized?

Takashi never imagined that a simple call to an escort service would result in meeting Zander. What started out as a date to the winter gala at his office, morphed into a series of paid dates that offer him several unique opportunities to get to know the handsome, enigmatic escort.Zander hates feeling like an ornament. After four years he's ready for a new occupation. Unfortunately, he isn't skilled enough for any job that would pay him the money he needs to make to support himself and his family. So, he stays with Mateo's agency and keeps on taking clients, refusing to call them dates because that's too personal.Until Takashi.Now they're both trying to make the best of the brief moments they have together, blurring the lines more and more with every passing night. Takashi wants more. Zander wants to give it to him, but only after he gets the rest of his life worked out. The only problem is, he has no idea how.

Born moments before his parents crashed landed on Earth, Jason was raised in foster care. As soon as he was old enough, he packed his backpack and hit the road. Just him and his bike.Now a jaded young man, living above a roadhouse diner and bar with several other misfits, he struggles to understand friendships, relationships, and the bonds of family.Unbeknownst to Jason, other refugees from the planet Altiss also made it safely to Earth. After discovering Jason living as a human, they seek to safeguard him and his fledgling abilities.As Jason's powers begin to manifest, his mate arrives on earth looking to claim him. Ano ki stalks Jason, adding to the intensity of his new magic as seeks to gain Jason's trust.Fearing they will be dragged back to the planet they fled, the refugees prepare to do battle. In Jason, they believe they may have what is needed to tip the scales in their favor.Left with no choice but to accept his heritage and learn to fight, Jason struggles with some harsh lessons about love and trust amidst a backdrop of battle and betrayal.

Traditionally, rejecting a mate means walking away. It's a simple thing, really, painless, except for frayed emotions and a bit of friction between families. In the history of Comet Lake, it's never led to the level of bloodshed that comes when Emery's mate, Tobias, decides he doesn't want him. Not only are feelings hurt, but Emery's life is left hanging by a thread and Onyx, the mate he finds on the same day his other rejects him, emerges from the encounter pissed off and looking for revenge.He'll have to wait though.Things are brewing around Comet Lake. Things the pack has never had to deal with. There are wolves on their land that don't belong there. Scents and footprints in the forest that don't match any enrolled members of their pack. Intruders. Unseen invaders who slink between trees and watch from the shadows.In addition, the Howling Devils have returned. The motorcycle club, which Onyx has long belonged to, was formed two decades before to protect the Comet Lake pack, only now it's grown into something more. A family ready to settle in and do what family does. Stay. These loyal outlaws, brave and strong, are so unlike the outlaw club that Emery once belonged to he's got no way to relate.Too bad the wolves around them believe otherwise, insisting that the fates brought Emery and Tobias to Comet Lake to help unravel truth and lies, if they can get past their own history. Unfortunately, the only thing they see it as is punishment for being who they were born to be. Can they move past the legacy of hatred and violence that threatens to reclaim them and if so, are they each destined to become an Outlaw Redeemed?

Building a new pride is backbreaking work, especially in an unpredictable territory where lack of rain leads to wildfires and drought. For brothers Pike and Nathan, this is the opportunity to build a pride house and harem of their own, though the last thing they expect is the fates to send them three very different lions who might not be able to get along.

Identical in appearance, twins Winter and Tripp are as different as night and day when it comes to everything but the music they've spent the bulk of their lifetimes composing. Now they've attained the fame they always hoped for, and it's as empty and meaningless as the remains of route 66, and about as broken too. Would help if Winter could see it. Tripp's sure he'll lose his shit completely the next time some random groupie leaps on the hood of his car and begs to take a selfie, but to Winter, every night is a party, he lives for the crazy hookups, lives for the crazy, period.Another place they differ.Tripp would kill for one season to slow down. Just three months where he and Zakk could melt into obscurity and be whomever they wanted, together. Only Zakk's band, Tattered Angel, is on fire too and it's starting to seem like the music he's always loved is hell-bent on keeping him from exploring love of a different kind. Last year's Rocktoberfest was an amazing triumph, this year, it's starting to feel like the road to the desert is burning him alive.Would be so easy to slip off across the sand, melt into a dune on the back of some strange, psychedelic serpent, never to be heard from again. If only there was a way to ensure Zakk took that last ride with him.

Sabre never had any intentions of becoming the teacher's pet. In fact, most of his school years have been spent trying to avoid attention. The scar that mars his cheek has made him wary of strangers, their questions and prying eyes leave him feeling exposed in ways he's uncomfortable with. Accustomed to blending in, he lurks around the shadows in the back of classrooms, turning in exemplary work but rarely taking part in discussions.Professor Locklear's Native lit class is different though. Sabre's interest in the subject matter, coupled with a dedicated scholar's need to turn in the best work possible, leads him to seek out a more advanced reading list, much to the delight of Professor Locklear. When he comes across Sabre reading material beyond even the advanced list, Professor Locklear invites him on a field trip to a nearby village. Along the way, he learns more than just the knowledge contained in the books. He learns about trust and discovers that there are others out there just like him- shapeshifters.What he believed was an individual anomaly turned out to be something beyond legend and lore, a whole different culture he'd never known existed. The only way he can move forward is to let his shields down long enough to trust the man whose conversations he's come to enjoy, but to do that, he'll have to stop distancing himself from everyone.

Going home had never felt so wrong. When Derrick received the phone call informing him of his mother's death, it felt like the bottom had dropped out of his entire world. Gone was every hope and ideal he'd left home with, replaced with the bitter realization that he'd run out of time, run out of plans, and was desperately close to running out of give-a-damn.It doesn't help to come face to face with his older brother, Ray, who'd spent much of his childhood either ignoring him, ditching him, or complaining about his very existence. It's enough to send him right back on the road again, or at least, it would have been, were it not for a house, a cat named Slash, and Mason, his best friend-with-benefits, now the head librarian in town and hot as sin. It was hard enough leaving Mace in the first place, but a second time, well, he didn't think he had it in him to be so heartless. Twelve years ago, he'd slipped away under the cover of darkness, without even a single goodbye. Now, standing on the edge of night, looking down at the tiny town he'd fled, Derrick is left with one burning question: Can the door to the past ever be closed enough to allow space for the future?

Dare gets lost in music only he can hear. Since childhood, it would roll through his mind, soft at first, then loud, drowning out everything until the rest of the world melted away. When he comes back to himself he has notes and lyrics, the base of the songs his band plays all over the city. But some days he finds himself wondering what good it is talent when the rest of his life is such a mess. His music is his passion but it interferes with simple things, like learning to drive or cooking a meal without catastrophe. All Sionn has ever wanted was Dare's attention, his full attention, and that won't happen as long as he continues having his 'musical dreams' so the stubborn keyboard player is determined to keep his attraction a secret. Too bad it's impossible to keep anything secret when you live with your three best friends. When Sionn's temper reaches a breaking point following another near disaster in the kitchen, he sets Dare on a question to 'fix' himself in the hopes of gaining the love of the man he adores. But fate has a funny way of twisting things up and 'normal' is just a state of mind, isn't it? While Dare struggles to change everything he believes is wrong with himself, secrets are revealed, loyalties and relationships are tested, and the band is offered the chance of a lifetime. Can they pull themselves together fast enough to take advantage of it, or will Dare's quest to be 'normal' unravel all of their lives?

Since the moment he picked up his first guitar, Dez Conway dreamed of being a Rockstar. A multi-talented musician with the ability to play the electric violin, electric cello, and even the bass, he'd be an asset to any group of musicians, if only the bands who'd hired him over the years had truly thought that way. Instead, he's singing for the dishes in an upscale restaurant, bitter, pissed off and unwilling to entertain the offer to replace the frontman of the world-famous Deviant Angels. After all, why the hell would they be any different than the guys who'd kicked him to the curb in the past? Only…they're not the Deviant Angels. Their longtime frontman took the name with him when he left, along with their hopes of getting back on the road again and playing the music they love. Of course, a talented musician like Dez could change all that for them, if they can convince him that this time, his dreams of rock stardom, and love, can come true.

Asher Logan is a bartender and a pretty wicked guitar player when he isn't wrecking his hands fighting in a cage. With a past he keeps hoping to outrun, Asher's been on a downward spiral for longer than he can remember. When his sister-in-law leaves Rory, his eight-year-old nephew, in his care, Asher is forced into two things he's never been good at: sobriety and responsibility. As he struggles to care for Rory, his own life begins to unravel. When Asher's brother, Alex, turns up, presenting as a woman and announcing that her new name is Alexia, it further complicates matters, as does the arrival of his new neighbor, Conner. Both, in their own way, compel Asher to look at his own closely guarded views on sexuality. When the siblings' older brother, Cole, reacts violently to Alexia, Asher is placed squarely in the middle of a family conflict which compels him to confront who he pretends to be versus who he really is. Asher must choose who to trust and who to finally walk away from.

Retiring from the sport he loved had never been part of Crow's five-year plan. Unfortunately, the head injuries he's amassed over years of Mixed Martial arts fighting have left him little choice but to throw in the towel and begin a new, shaky road towards…what? He's got no clue, that's for sure. In fact, the only thing he's certain of is that living a few short blocks from the gym is not the way to put the sport behind him, not when he still hasn't told any of his friends or training partners exactly why it is he suddenly decided to hang up his gloves. Moving is the only option that comes to mind, and what better place to retreat to than the beauty of the Vermont wilderness he loved visiting in his younger days? After all, he still has family there, and it's far removed from the sport he's struggling to walk away from. Speaking of walking away. Ever since he found proof of his late husband's infidelity, Jaylon's been wishing the man had abandoned him long before his illness stole his life. At least then he wouldn't be torn between fury and mourning, wondering what he'd done to drive away the man he'd loved. He's way too old to be starting over, or at least, that's what he tells himself before Crowley "Crow" Davies pulls up to the cabin Jaylon was renting out, a beautiful hitchhiker in tow. Now he's got one eye on Crow and one on Owen, a budding new dynamic forming between them, but will it all come crashing down when Crow's best friend, Jesse, shows up, looking to reconnect? A former fighter who left the sport two years before, he's been friends with benefits with Crowley since before either stepped foot in a cage to fight. The chemistry between the sheets is smokin' hot, but there's always been something missing, something the two never could put their fingers on. Can the inclusion of Owen and Jaylon provide the pieces they've always needed, or will someone find themselves left out in the cold?

Growing up with a strictly religious father in a house with little joy, or love, left Grady Stoltz eager to get out. At the first opportunity that presented itself, they left home with a young man who swept them off their feet, used their preferred pronouns, and accepted that they were gender fluid and wished to shed the name Grady and all of the constraints of their former life. Dubbed Gemini, they never expected to return to that farm or the rural community they'd been raised in, but life took some unexpected turns, and they found themselves returning four years later. A little older, a little wiser, and the new owner of a house full of memories and regrets.Cleaning the place up is only the first step towards deciding if they wish to sell it, or if they wish to stay and try and make a life for themselves in a place they've never felt as if they belonged. Haunted by the memories of the father who could never accept them, the mother they lost at a young age, and their own shortcomings and failures, they are in a very dark place when Rogue arrives.Charismatic when performing in front of an audience, yet shy and vulnerable when faced with the prospect of being alone in a crowd, Rogue seeks shelter with Gemini on their middle of nowhere farm, hoping for a new beginning and a chance to see if the tiny spark that had flared between them once before, can be kindled into a roaring flame.Two battered souls, one tattered farmhouse, an old dog, a cranky chicken, several misspoken words, and one crazed ex-husband combine in an explosive combination of truth, lust, dreams, and vengeance. Will the force of it tear Gemini and Rogue apart, or will it leave them closer than they ever dared to hope?

Nicky dreamed of Cliffhangers, Suicide Cams and the Kiss of Death, wanting more than anything to make it to the professional motocross circuit and dazzle fans. His bike was his life, his world, especially after his boyfriend, Terry, dumped him for earning a sponsor when Terry couldn't. It's still devastating, being cheated on and cast aside by the only man he's ever loved, but there's little he can do about it now but go out there and win, if only to spite Terry. Enter Gray, and a chance meeting at a roadside diner that leaves Nicky with something more to focus on. As the sting of Terry's betrayal fades, Nicky finds himself drawn to Gray, returning to the diner in every free moment he can spare. It's almost perfect, but nothing ever lasts, not in Nicky's world, especially when Terry isn't done making him pay for his success. In the aftermath, Gray is left helping Nicky pick up the pieces, but nothing will ever be the same. Will Nicky be able to see beyond his dreams of twisting in the air and dangling from beneath his bike.... to learn that when you Race the Sky…gravity always wins?

Moving into his new apartment, Jax never expected to have to break up a fight between his new neighbors, resulting in a physical altercation and a visit from the cops. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that it would lead to him meeting Danny, the cute theater manager and playwright who lived next door. Unfortunately, his first impression of Danny and the way he'd cowered away in the fight with his ex, wasn't exactly a favorable one. Jax already has his own issues to deal with, between his past problems with his mother and the chain of men who've floated in and out of her life, his new job as a piercer in his sister's tattoo shop, and his struggles with an eating disorder; the last thing he plans to add to it is a relationship. Yet Danny isn't so easy to ignore and when they find themselves bonding after Danny shows him around town, and more when Jax offers to help with sets for his latest play, it becomes harder and harder for him to ignore the connection forming between them. As Jax's insecurities and food issues grow more and more out of control, he finds himself turning to Danny for help, rather than his longtime friends Callum and Max who live just downstairs. Danny's mix of patience, stubbornness, and tough love make it harder and harder for Jax to keep his distance, and somewhere in the course of their daily lives, they find themselves moving from being friends to being more.