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I've been doing a Christmas in July series for a few years now and always hope to feature holiday stories that I have recently re-read but once again, time had other plans. For my Christmas in July 2025 series, I'm featuring another 20 of my favorite Christmas set LGBT reads. I say "Christmas set" because some may not really be holiday-centric but set, at least in part, during the holiday season and for me that is all it takes to be a Christmas read(and yes, I'm in the "Die Hard is a Christmas Movie" camp😉). If by chance, I've had opportunity in the past to re-read or re-listen, I've included the original and the most recent re-read review. As always, the purchase links are current as of posting but if they no longer work for a dozen different reasons, be sure to check out the author's website/social media sites for the latest links. There are genres of all kinds here, whether you are a holiday lover or perhaps you just want to read something set in cooler weather on a long hot summer night, either way there is something for everyone here.
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Santa No. 5 by Clare London
Summary:No one looks good in a borrowed Santa suit. Especially in a police line-up.
Jacob Carter is struggling as the new sergeant of the village police station. There’s been a rash of Christmas gift thefts, his staff are bemused by his bossy city ways and, in return, he’s having trouble adapting to their more relaxed approach to community policing. Let alone the fact that everyone seems happy to get involved in everyone else’s diverse and often controversial lives.
He’s having even more trouble believing Nick Hollybush is a heartless criminal, despite the result of a bizarre line-up, and all the practical evidence mounting up. Especially with Nick’s sparkling eyes, the shy smile in Jacob’s direction, and their obvious chemistry.
How on earth is Jacob going to juggle the duties of a copper against the romantic desires of an ordinary man—and still keep the village’s Christmas celebrations safe?
Author Note: this story was originally included in the limited edition charity anthology "Kind Hearts at Christmas".
Original Review December 2023:
This holiday short by Clare London in one word: FUN! Small village coppers dealing with small village crime needing Santa suits for a line-up screams CUTE MEET potential. London did not fail, Jacob and Nick have a brilliant cute meet that you just know will be told in family circles for years to come.
Jacob trying to settle into a new village as the newest and head copper, Nick trying to overcome his family's bad news name, of course they are going to be drawn to each other. I'll admit the little(or not so little) crime spree that brought about the cute meet scenario I was pretty sure just what was going on but that didn't make discovering the answer any less enjoyable.
That all sounded a bit cryptic but as you know I don't do spoilers so that's the best you're going to get out of me plot-wise. I do want to say that Santa No. 5 is deliciously fun gem and a perfect way to kick off my Christmas Reads of 2023.
Summary:
Stealing Hearts #2
Stealing Hearts #2
Some hearts are made to be mended.
Zac Alvarez never expected to start his life over at forty-five, but his recent divorce means doing just that. Luckily, his career as a nurse in Boston keeps him busy and he has friends who understand Zac’s need to be as careful with his heart as he is with his diet.
Acting on a whim one fall afternoon, Zac buys lunch from a food truck and meets Aiden Marinelli, a bold young chef who is taking the city’s food scene in new directions. Aiden is only thirty, a fact that doesn’t sit well with Zac, but both the chef and his food prove impossible to resist.
An attachment forms between the two men and, as the winter holidays draw near, Zac begins to emerge from the protective shell he’s built around himself. A chance encounter with his ex-husband shakes Zac’s newfound confidence, however, and he pushes Aiden away, unaware how deeply the act will hurt them both until it is too late.
Now, Zac must decide if he is brave enough to go after what he wants and mend not only Aiden’s heart but his own.
Zac Alvarez never expected to start his life over at forty-five, but his recent divorce means doing just that. Luckily, his career as a nurse in Boston keeps him busy and he has friends who understand Zac’s need to be as careful with his heart as he is with his diet.
Acting on a whim one fall afternoon, Zac buys lunch from a food truck and meets Aiden Marinelli, a bold young chef who is taking the city’s food scene in new directions. Aiden is only thirty, a fact that doesn’t sit well with Zac, but both the chef and his food prove impossible to resist.
An attachment forms between the two men and, as the winter holidays draw near, Zac begins to emerge from the protective shell he’s built around himself. A chance encounter with his ex-husband shakes Zac’s newfound confidence, however, and he pushes Aiden away, unaware how deeply the act will hurt them both until it is too late.
Now, Zac must decide if he is brave enough to go after what he wants and mend not only Aiden’s heart but his own.
Healing Hearts is a 37K age gap friends-to-lovers novella. In it you’ll find a Nurse Specialist who can’t remember the last time he wasn’t on a diet, a brash young chef whose charm is even more tempting than the dishes he cooks, and all the food trucks and holiday sparkle you need. HEA assured.
Original Review December 2019:
I just want to say that I want to wrap Zac up in layers of bubblewrap, two or three soft plushy blankets, and a huge Mama Bear hug until he sees that he is perfect as he is but then he wouldn't learn that through experience and sometimes we have to have the doubts run through our brains to make us see what's really important about ourselves. Aiden is just a delight. We all need an Aiden in our lives to keep us focused and positive. That's not to say Aiden doesn't have his moments of fear and doubts but his energy level and positive nature is awe inspiring.
Healing Hearts is about learning to open up and letting people in, that when a relationship ends life doesn't end then and there too. Zac was betrayed and heartbroken in one of the worst ways possible and when his husband left, doubt came knocking. The doubts and fears Zac have are entirely understandable and though some of us might think considering the situation he'd be "jumping back in" quicker but healing has no time limit so I completely got where Zac's head was at.
K Evan Coles has written another great holiday novella that makes you think, makes you smile, and makes you cheer for the friendship and possibly more between Zac and Aiden. Just the perfect blending of sweet, savory, and salty to make this a holiday gem not to be missed.
RATING:
I just want to say that I want to wrap Zac up in layers of bubblewrap, two or three soft plushy blankets, and a huge Mama Bear hug until he sees that he is perfect as he is but then he wouldn't learn that through experience and sometimes we have to have the doubts run through our brains to make us see what's really important about ourselves. Aiden is just a delight. We all need an Aiden in our lives to keep us focused and positive. That's not to say Aiden doesn't have his moments of fear and doubts but his energy level and positive nature is awe inspiring.
Healing Hearts is about learning to open up and letting people in, that when a relationship ends life doesn't end then and there too. Zac was betrayed and heartbroken in one of the worst ways possible and when his husband left, doubt came knocking. The doubts and fears Zac have are entirely understandable and though some of us might think considering the situation he'd be "jumping back in" quicker but healing has no time limit so I completely got where Zac's head was at.
K Evan Coles has written another great holiday novella that makes you think, makes you smile, and makes you cheer for the friendship and possibly more between Zac and Aiden. Just the perfect blending of sweet, savory, and salty to make this a holiday gem not to be missed.
Blame it on Mistletoe by Eli Easton
When physics grad student Fielding Monroe and skirt-chaser and football player Mick Colman become college housemates, they’re both in for a whole new education. Mick looks out for the absent-minded genius, and he helps Fielding clean up his appearance and discover all the silly pleasures his strict upbringing as a child prodigy denied him. They become best friends.
It’s all well and good until they run into a cheerleader who calls Mick the ‘best kisser on campus.’ Fielding has never been kissed, and he decides Mick and only Mick can teach him how it’s done. After all, the physics department’s Christmas party is coming up with its dreaded mistletoe. Fielding wants to impress his peers and look cool for once in his life. The thing about Fielding is, once he locks onto an idea, it’s almost impossible to get him to change his mind. And he just doesn't understand why his straight best friend would have a problem providing a little demonstration.
Mick knows kissing is a dangerous game. If he gives in, it would take a miracle for the thing not to turn into a disaster. Then again, if the kissing lessons get out of hand they can always blame it on the mistletoe.
Original Review January 2015:
Fielding is the epitome of geekdom and he's an absolute perfect fit for Mick. Even though this is really a pretty cliche geek/jock, or in Mick's case ex-jock, this story had me from the beginning. Cliche or not, I couldn't put it down once I started and even though it is only the second story I read by Eli Easton, it has me wanting to check out the author's other works. I say "cliche" and for some that might immediately be a turnoff and sometimes that can be true, but in this case I mean it as a compliment. Being able to turn an often used plot and make it a must read, especially in novella form, takes real talent.
Summary:
Can Gabriel show Jesse that a real Christmas is more than parties and plastic trees and that taking a chance on love can wipe away even the worst of memories?
For world-renowned photojournalist Jesse Connor, Christmas is a stark reminder of last year’s misery when his banker boyfriend embezzled and mishandled millions of dollars of client money, and left Jesse with unmanageable debt. The ring he’d bought to propose was the first item he had to sell, and it wouldn’t be the last thing.
With this December fast approaching, he tells his agent he’ll take an assignment to get out of the city, but he pictured Tahiti, not wintery Eden Vale, Vermont. He’d signed the contract, there was no way out, and he was trapped in a town cut off by snow. Not only that, but the entire town population of only a thousand souls was determined on dragging him kicking and screaming into Christmas, led by the sexy teacher-handyman-hotel owner, Gabriel.
Gabriel has lived his entire life in the mountains, in a place awarded Best Christmas Town, 2011. A teacher at the elementary school, he shows others that the season of goodwill unites community, family, and that love resides in everyone’s heart.
When Jesse arrives in town, lacking even an ounce of Christmas spirit, Gabriel immediately sees through his defenses and bonds with him. Despite the barriers that Jesse throws up, Gabriel is determined to show the deeply sad man what a real Christmas can be. And, who knows, after that, maybe get him to stay in Eden Vale for longer than just a few snowy weeks.
Talk about understanding why someone would hate Christmas! Jesse has the one of the worst Christmas Eve's anyone can imagine and yet he's still trying to survive. Watching him get "revived" with the Christmas spirit as well as the possibility of his heart thawing out, is heartwarming and beautifully written by one of my favorite authors.
RATING:
Summary:
The Kings: A Treemendous Christmas #1
Escape to a Winter Wonderland with CEO and billionaire Colton Connolly as he embarks on a shenanigan-filled journey in search of the idyllic white Christmas he's always craved. Inspired by the enchantment of his favorite holiday movies, Colton surprises his beloved husband and their found family with a trip to the captivating mountain town of Winterhaven.
However, beneath the twinkling lights, unexpected trouble awaits. A miscommunication leaves the town in dire straits, threatening to steal away the magic of Christmas. Determined to save the day, Colton rallies his family, ready to overcome any obstacle and ensure that Christmas in Winterhaven is nothing short of perfect.
Join Colton, Ace, and the Four Kings Security family as they embark on a quest to rescue Winterhaven from its frosty woes. Will they succeed in delivering the most unforgettable Christmas imaginable, or will this charming town lose its cherished festivities forever?
* This holiday series is a spin-off from the Four Kings Security Universe. It's recommended that you read the Four Kings Security series, as well as The Kings: Wild Cards series before reading this series as these are established characters who have previously had their own books. The shenanigans begin with Love in Spades, Four Kings Security, Book 1 (Colton and Ace's book).
Original Review December 2024:
I'm not going to say I forgot how much I loved Ace, Colton, and the whole Four Kings gang because it wouldn't be true. I remember it all, all the zaniness, the chemistry, the friendships, the found family, and of course the love.
I'll admit that I read the original Four Kings stories when they were released but sadly I got away from the spinoffs when the pandemic and lockdown really screwed with my reading mojo. Late this summer my mojo finally started to return so I've already got the spinoffs on my 2024 Reading Bucket List. I mention this because not all the couples were known to me but that hasn't stifled any enjoyment so far of The Kings: A Treemendous Christmas holiday series. Love the tweaking of "tremendous" in the series title BTW, so very Ace and his brothers-in-arms quotage area😉.
So onto Not So Silent Night.
Honestly, I'm not going to say too much about the story so that I don't accidentally spoil anyone's personal discovery of The Kings and Boyfriend Collective holiday destination vacation. I will say that I can't think of a better holiday scenario for this group of friends and lovers that have become family.
This first entry shines more focus on Ace and Colton but all the characters are there and they each bring their own brand of quirky. OMG the squirrels! Some couples lose a little of their luster as time goes by but not these guys and certainly not Ace and Colton, I think the chemistry that brought the pair together has only grown and radiates even more brightly.
I can't review Not So Silent Night without mentioning the squirrels, referenced above. Ace fears very few things other than losing Colton and his brothers-in-arms and the found family they are . . . EXCEPT for little furry woodland creatures, i.e. squirrels in this story. Hey I get it, squirrels are EVIL! Three years ago they not only chewed through the wires on my Christmas lights, they actually tried to carry off some of the sockets and bulbs like they do the black walnuts out of my neighbor's tree. Just evil! But Ace? Well I'll just leave it at this: I'll never unsee the big burly former military and current security expert in the oversized tree he was attempting to decide on for the family Xmas tree flailing away trying to defend himself from the squirrel attack(in his opinion) as they perched on his head. That scene alone made my day and the constant teasing from his friends is priceless.
As I mentioned in the beginning I only read the original Four Kings stories so not every character is familiar to me, I don't think you need to know their original journeys to enjoy these holiday treats(I've only read the first 2 so far as the last 2 have yet to be released😉) but I believe a few references and looks between characters would make a more complete picture had I read The Kings: Wild Cards but I was never lost. Definitely a win-win to get you in the holiday mood.
Santa No. 5 by Clare London
No one looks good in a Santa suit. It come with the Christmas costume territory, like green elf tights and knobbly reindeer antlers. You look either drunk or dissolute, and the scarlet doesn’t flatter anyone’s colouring. But Number 5 is striking. Very striking. My gaze slides up slowly from his scuffed black boots to where his hands hang half-clenched into fists at his sides. Now exposed in full Santa regalia, I can see he’s lean rather than skinny—the thick, black Santa belt is notched on one of the last holes—and the hat sits clumsily on his curls. He stands with slightly hunched shoulders, downcast eyes, and that plump mouth…
Plump? I tear my gaze from his lips, clear my throat, and instruct Mrs Summers. “Please take a good look at each man, ma’am. Make sure you look at all of them, and take your time. I must alert you that the suspect may not actually be in this line-up. But he also may be. Then let us know if you recognise one of these men as the one who was going through your bag outside the chemist.”
Mrs Summers gives a dissatisfied huff, but steps closer to the mirror and starts peering at the men.
PC Green is posing, there’s no other word for it. He’s flexing his biceps and glancing coyly up through his lashes, like he’s a starlet on the Oscars’ red carpet. The sandwich shop guys are making stupid faces at each other. Jerry from IT looks, worryingly, very guilty about something. I’ll check my anti-virus software is up to date when I get back to my desk.
Rafe winks in my direction again. My breakfast bacon bap turns in my stomach, but Mrs Summers seems to think he’s winking at her and her pink cheeks say she likes it. My gaze is drawn irresistibly back to Number 5.
Wide, blue eyes lift up and hold my gaze. His look softens with some appeal or other.
It’s not possible; he can’t see me through the mirror, that’s why it’s called one-way, right? What’s even more impossible is the shiver that goes down my spine again, and the unmistakeable tug of excitement in my groin. I’m allowed to appreciate a good-looking man, of course I am. I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t. But this is neither the time nor the place. It’s no secret to my staff—and therefore, most of Kingsmere—that I’m gay, but I don’t know if he is. He could easily misjudge any kind of interest from me.
And, for God’s sake! He’s our suspect. The alleged handbag thief, and maybe, potentially, the housebreaker. Because would small, easy-going Kingsmere really have two thieves in action at the same time? Admittedly, the town is busy with Christmas shoppers, their bags and houses full of new gifts and gadgets, a huge temptation for criminals. But there have been no clues, no witnesses to any of the break-ins so far. And then this guy was caught on camera with his hand in Mrs Summers’ bag.
He gives me a sad little smile and his gaze drops back to the floor. I’ve never seen a man look less criminal in my life.
Healing Hearts by K Evan Coles
“Hey, Doc! What can I get you?”
Zac stuffed his phone in his pocket. “Sorry. You caught me napping,” he said.
“I’d say I caught you texting.”
A young man in a black t-shirt and matching bandana tied over his head smiled at Zac from the food truck’s window while people worked in the space behind him. “Have you decided what you’d like to order?”
“Oh! Yes, I have.” Zac’s cheeks grew warm, and he reached for the glasses in his breast pocket. “Two orders of the pasta with cheese and pepper. I’m a nurse, by the way, not a doctor.”
“Those blue scrubs get me every time. Y’know, some of my favorite people are nurses,” the food truck guy said before he called out over his shoulder. “Cacio e pepe, two!” He turned back to Zac. “The pasta is spaghetti today, in case you were interested. Anything else?”
“Err, yes. A house salad.”
“Only one?”
“I have one already,” Zac said and motioned to his bag.
The food truck guy nodded once, then turned his attention to the order. Zac watched as he portioned field greens and whisked dressing, but really, Zac was more interested in watching the food truck guy himself. He was striking with creamy skin and smiling eyes, his bone structure and features strong and elegant. Intricate tattoos stretched from under the right sleeve of his t-shirt to a few inches below the elbow, including a thick equality symbol on his inner forearm. He glanced up at Zac, and the way the right side of his mouth curled up made Zac want to smile back. For a second, Zac forgot about the message from Edward and that his legs and feet were tired from being on shift.
“Thanks, Em,” the food truck guy said as another member of the crew set two steaming take-out containers on the counter. “These look great, if I say so myself.”
Producing a narrow blade grater and a small block of what Zac guessed was parmesan, he garnished the hot noodles with pale curls of cheese then finished the dish with several turns from a beat-up pepper grinder. The luscious aromas that rose in the air woke Zac’s forgotten hunger, and he found himself looking forward to eating much more than usual.
“Don’t wait too long to eat these,” the food truck guy said. He closed the tops of the brown cardboard boxes and the inked designs moved on his arm. “The sooner you tuck in, the better.”
“No worries there.” Zac handed over his debit card.
“I packed extra salad dressing for you, by the way.”
“You did?” Zac had to smile. “Well, thank you. Is that your way of saying your salad dressing is better than mine?”
“Nope.” The corners of the food truck guy’s eyes crinkled with his grin. “It’s my way of saying you should try my dressing, though, because you won’t be sorry that you did.”
Zac laughed. Despite the cocky words, the food truck guy’s tone was sincere. “That good, huh?”
“That good. Just like everything we make on this truck.” He handed a brown paper bag and Zac’s card through the window. “Buon appetito.”
The food truck guy wet his lips with a quick dart of his tongue, and Zac stared for a moment before he caught himself. Cheeks hot again, he turned to go.
“You come back tomorrow and let me know what you think of the spaghetti!” the guy called after him, and damn if that didn’t make Zac’s steps a little lighter.
Zac stuffed his phone in his pocket. “Sorry. You caught me napping,” he said.
“I’d say I caught you texting.”
A young man in a black t-shirt and matching bandana tied over his head smiled at Zac from the food truck’s window while people worked in the space behind him. “Have you decided what you’d like to order?”
“Oh! Yes, I have.” Zac’s cheeks grew warm, and he reached for the glasses in his breast pocket. “Two orders of the pasta with cheese and pepper. I’m a nurse, by the way, not a doctor.”
“Those blue scrubs get me every time. Y’know, some of my favorite people are nurses,” the food truck guy said before he called out over his shoulder. “Cacio e pepe, two!” He turned back to Zac. “The pasta is spaghetti today, in case you were interested. Anything else?”
“Err, yes. A house salad.”
“Only one?”
“I have one already,” Zac said and motioned to his bag.
The food truck guy nodded once, then turned his attention to the order. Zac watched as he portioned field greens and whisked dressing, but really, Zac was more interested in watching the food truck guy himself. He was striking with creamy skin and smiling eyes, his bone structure and features strong and elegant. Intricate tattoos stretched from under the right sleeve of his t-shirt to a few inches below the elbow, including a thick equality symbol on his inner forearm. He glanced up at Zac, and the way the right side of his mouth curled up made Zac want to smile back. For a second, Zac forgot about the message from Edward and that his legs and feet were tired from being on shift.
“Thanks, Em,” the food truck guy said as another member of the crew set two steaming take-out containers on the counter. “These look great, if I say so myself.”
Producing a narrow blade grater and a small block of what Zac guessed was parmesan, he garnished the hot noodles with pale curls of cheese then finished the dish with several turns from a beat-up pepper grinder. The luscious aromas that rose in the air woke Zac’s forgotten hunger, and he found himself looking forward to eating much more than usual.
“Don’t wait too long to eat these,” the food truck guy said. He closed the tops of the brown cardboard boxes and the inked designs moved on his arm. “The sooner you tuck in, the better.”
“No worries there.” Zac handed over his debit card.
“I packed extra salad dressing for you, by the way.”
“You did?” Zac had to smile. “Well, thank you. Is that your way of saying your salad dressing is better than mine?”
“Nope.” The corners of the food truck guy’s eyes crinkled with his grin. “It’s my way of saying you should try my dressing, though, because you won’t be sorry that you did.”
Zac laughed. Despite the cocky words, the food truck guy’s tone was sincere. “That good, huh?”
“That good. Just like everything we make on this truck.” He handed a brown paper bag and Zac’s card through the window. “Buon appetito.”
The food truck guy wet his lips with a quick dart of his tongue, and Zac stared for a moment before he caught himself. Cheeks hot again, he turned to go.
“You come back tomorrow and let me know what you think of the spaghetti!” the guy called after him, and damn if that didn’t make Zac’s steps a little lighter.
Blame it on Mistletoe by Eli Easton
CHAPTER 1
“OH, look!” Fielding said. “They have a new latte flavor—‘Santa’s Death by Peppermint.’ I’m getting that.”
It was the second of December and we were waiting in line at The Coffee Clatch. The campus coffee joint was bedecked and bedazzled with holiday spirit including colored mini-lights, tiny, fuzzy Santa hats on all the espresso machine handles, and displays of giant holiday cookies. Great. Fielding would be bouncing off the walls on a sugar high all month long.
“Do you have any idea how many calories are probably in that latte?” I asked. It was more or less a hypothetical question.
“Lots and lots,” Fielding answered enthusiastically. “Oooh! Cookies!-”
I was about to get more serious about my anti-sugar lecture when someone pressed into my back. By the feel of the soft curves along my spine that someone was female. Normally that would have been a good thing, but I wasn’t seeing anyone at the moment, and I didn’t care to be groped in a coffee shop while trying to talk my best friend. More to the point, before I’d had my morning pick-me-up. A little annoyed, I turned to see who it was.
A slim blonde in blue eye shadow and a tight pink sweater smiled up at me. She put her hand on my arm.
“Hey, Mick,” she gushed. “Long time no see.”
I recognized her, despite the lack of a perky red and white uniform. It was Regina, a Cornell football cheerleader. Had we ever messed around? I had to actually think about it. But no, we hadn’t. Regina had been into Dylan McDermont when I was on the team. But the appreciative look in her eyes made it clear that Dylan was now buried in the Cemetery of Abandoned Interests. Probably right next to subtlety.
“Hey, Regina. Uh… this is my housemate, Fielding.”
“Hello,” Fielding said.
Regina gave Fielding a quick once over and a polite hello before she turned her attention back to lucky me.
“I can’t believe you quit the team!” Regina put on a cute little pout. “The girls were just chatting the other day about how much we miss seeing your fine ass out on the field.”
What do you say to something like that? Why yes, I do have a fine ass, thanks for noticing? or Maybe you and my ass can work out another arrangement?
I went with, “I decided I needed to focus on my studies.”
“Well, you are missed! I was hoping to get to know you better. In fact, the girls were just talking about you at dinner the other night. There seems to be a general consensus that…” Regina paused, looking coy, “…that you’re the best kisser on campus.”
A surprised huff escaped me. It sounded appropriately dubious.
“I was sort of hoping I’d get a chance to test that theory for myself.” Regina blushed prettily at her own boldness and slid her hand from my arm to my chest.
Man. As a freshman, I would have been all over that. I’d have been thanking my lucky stars and my insides would have been auditioning for Riverdance. Regina was cute and enthusiastic, and that sweater showed off her C cups to perfection. But getting girls had never been an issue for me. I inherited dirty blond hair and blue eyes from my mom and a rough, somewhat lumpy face from my dad. I’d been told I looked like Daniel Craig. I didn’t get the appeal, but I wasn’t exactly sorry for it. Still, by my junior year of high school getting girls became less of an issue than getting rid of them. And Regina was setting off big red warning lights in my head.
“Sorry, I’m seeing someone,” I said, giving Regina a regretful smile. “But it was really great running into you. Say hi to the other girls for me.”
The people in front of us moved and we were up to place our order. Thank the god of awkward moments.
It was a decent enough day considering that it was December in Ithaca, New York, so we took our drinks outside and sat at the fountain. I had my usual hot green tea with soy milk. Fielding had ignored my warning and gotten his sweet Santa sludge. I’d learned to pick my battles and I let go of this one. I was double-majoring in Nutrition and Physical Therapy and I took healthy eating very seriously. But Fielding looked too happy for me to be a Scrooge about a little holiday treat.
“Why’d you tell Regina you were seeing someone?” Fielding asked, as soon as we sat down.
Inwardly I sighed. I’d had a feeling I wouldn’t get out of that encounter unscathed. “It’s called a little white lie, Bud. The truth would have been rude: I’m not interested, buzz off.”
“Ah! I see.” Fielding smirked. “Away with thee, thou silver-tongued succubus.”
I laughed. “Piss off, oh ye of the cleavage-which-shall-not-be-touched.”
Fielding chuckled, a low hearty rumble which made me grin. My science geek housemate hadn’t grown up with a lot of laughter. But Fielding laughed now. He did a lot of things now that he hadn’t when we’d first moved in together. I felt pretty damn good about that, peppermint lattes notwithstanding.
“But why should her cleavage not be touched?”
I shrugged. “Been there. Done that. Have the T-shirt.”
Fielding blinked at me, a frown of confusion on his brow. “You slept with her? But she said she wanted to test the theory about your—”
Damn. Fielding missed nothing.
“I didn’t sleep with her. Girls like her.” And really, having a thing with three members of the Cornell football cheerleading squad was more than enough for any man. More than that, and I’d seriously have to seek counseling.
Fielding still looked puzzled. “So when you say ‘I’m seeing someone,’ and you really aren’t, is that the equivalent of saying ‘Let’s just be friends?’ That’s the common brush-off, isn’t it?”
He said it with a bit of a blush, like maybe he’d heard that once or twice before himself. And, wow, that kind of made me feel like a heel for what I’d just done to Regina.
“I guess. So, um, anyway, you have a late lab tonight?” I asked, artfully changing the subject.
“It’s Tuesday,” Fielding said dryly, as if I should have his schedule memorized. I did, but any port in a storm.
“Right. There are still two servings of that chicken casserole you like in the freezer. So I’ll plan on dinner around seven, then. Okay?”
I tried to catch Fielding’s eyes to get a confirmation of that, or at least a sign that he’d heard me. It was not unusual for the things I said to go in one ear, get lost in the vast contortions of Fielding’s massive intellect, and never make it to central processing. But Fielding wasn’t gazing off into space, mind on some physics problem or another. No, he was looking at me. More specifically, Fielding was looking at my mouth. He was intently looking at my mouth, a frown of concentration furrowing his brow. He sucked on his bottom lip.
Christ. Something hot rolled over in my stomach. It felt like uneasiness that maybe shared a condo wall with terror. And maybe arousal lived a couple of doors down. It was not a good feeling. I took a hasty drink of green tea, trying to hide my mouth from Fielding’s gaze. It also kept me from screaming like a little girl.
Covering up my mouth seemed to work, because Fielding broke off staring at it and met my gaze instead. There was a light in his eyes that I didn’t care for at all. When Fielding’s eyes said Eureka! civilizations crumbled and gods wept.
“Bye,” Fielding said abruptly. He pulled on his backpack and hurried away, head down.
Jesse's Christmas by RJ Scott
Chapter One
~Two Years Ago~
The end when it came was utterly brutal and sudden. One minute Jesse Connor was planning the most romantic way to propose to his boyfriend of three years, the next said boyfriend was gone. And not just gone in a ‘popped out for a coffee’ way. But gone in an ‘emptying closets and trashing the place’ kind of way. Even the original Jesse Connor prints on their bedroom wall were gone, removed from the frame with the frames themselves stacked haphazardly against the wall.
Everything Jesse felt about the season was wrapped up in this particular Christmas, the day he was going to ask Jonah to marry him. He had the tree and the decorations and all the perfectly chosen and appropriate presents organized. He even had the damn platinum ring burning a hole in his pocket.
And now everything had gone to hell.
“Sir, you’ll need to come with us.” Jesse spun on his heel. There was a cop standing inside his apartment, feet straddling the threshold between bedroom and main living room. This was a joke. Any minute now the cop would strip off and give him a lap dance and everything would be revealed to be one huge joke.
“I think I’ve been burgled,” Jesse murmured. He felt icy cold; the window wide open to the outside air was letting in gusts of snow every so often. The snow landed on the widescreen TV, which lay on its side with half of its guts hanging out, and melted immediately.
“Sir, we have some questions. Please come with us.”
“Where?” was all Jesse could ask. “Outside?” He was in a daze. Where was Jonah? Why was the TV destroyed? Where had his photos gone? Why was all of Jonah’s stuff not in the closet?
“The FBI are waiting in the hall, sir.”
“What? Sorry, what?”
“Sir, you’ll need to come with us,” another cop said. Where had he come from? Jesse blinked at them both.
“What are you doing here? Where’s Jonah?”
“We’re hoping you will tell us that, sir.” This time it was a different voice belonging to a man in a cheap suit with frown lines bracketing his eyes who stepped in past the cops.
“I don’t know.” Jesse pulled out his cell again, but checking it for the hundredth time wasn’t going to change the fact that there was no new message from Jonah. “Maybe he’s delayed at the bank?” Jesse offered.
“We both know that is unlikely,” the Fed said with a scowl. “He’s not going to return to the scene of a crime.”
Cops in his apartment. And now Jonah was being accused of something. And Jonah had gone. The music in the apartment next door started up, signaling the fact that Henrietta who worked in marketing at the same company as Jonah had arrived home. The strains of Christmas music wound their way through the walls and into Jesse’s hearing.
“He’s supposed to be here. We were due to go to the ballet. I had tickets.” Jesse looked at the decorated tree that lay on its side, then back at the empty frames, and finally he faced the cops in his and Jonah’s apartment.
“I’ll need your cell phone, sir.” The Fed held out his hand.
“Will it help you find Jonah?” Jesse asked uncertainly.
“I surely hope so,” the Fed answered brusquely.
“What did he do? What’s happened? I don’t…”
The Fed was talking to the cops, telling them not to let anyone in, instructing them that Jonah may well be desperate and try anything at this moment in time.
Jesse followed the Fed numbly out into the hallway. The door to Henrietta’s apartment was open, and she stood in the doorway with a stunned expression on her face. Her eyes were bright and she was crying.
“Oh my God, Jesse,” she said as Jesse came to a stop in front of her.
“Henrietta? Are you okay? What’s happened?”
“It’s Jonah. He’s taken down the whole bank.” She put a hand to her mouth. “He’s wiped millions in trading. It’s all over the news, he’s destroyed us.”
“I don’t understand?”
“Did you know?” she shouted. Jesse stumbled back against the wall as she advanced on him with horror in her eyes.
The Fed moved between them. “Sir, you need to come with me.” Jesse saw one of the cops nod, and in a few seconds he was bundled out of the building and into a cop car.
When he got home, twenty-four hours had passed and Jesse’s world had been destroyed. He tore the tree to small pieces and threw the gifts in the garbage.
And he promised himself one thing. Never again would he fall so far in love that he was blinded by it.
Not So Silent Night by Charlie Cochet
Chapter One
“I’m going to murder you!”
Ah, ’tis the season.
Nothing said holiday spirit like a good old-fashioned murder threat. One of these days, his husband’s brothers-in-arms might go through with it. Ace had that effect on people. Right now, he was having that effect on Joker. Because if you were going to tempt fate, why not do it with the most explosive of the bunch?
“Is it my fault you decided to step into the center of that particular roll of lights?” Ace asked, moving away slowly.
“The floor is nothing but rolls of lights, Anston!”
Joker wasn’t wrong. An ocean of Christmas lights covered the concrete floor of their expansive garage. Ace just happened to pull on the strand of lights attached to the roll Joker had stepped in. He’d yanked, and well…here they were. Meanwhile, Chip—Joker’s Belgian Malinois—had decided the strings of lights were evil and, therefore, must be destroyed. Any time a strand of lights moved, he pounced like a giant black rabbit. Thankfully, he didn’t see the need to bite the strands, only to land on them with his front paws, killing the beast dead and saving his people from being attacked.
Colton sighed. He’d expected this. Quite frankly, this was only the beginning. As sweet as the sentiment was, nothing good could come of his husband wielding a staple gun. As a former Green Beret, Ace was an expert at many things. DIY was not one of those things. Mostly because Ace had a habit of trying to enhance whatever home improvement he’d decided to work on. Merely fixing the thing was not an option.
This usually resulted in incidents like the water pressure being so strong that the shower head exploded, embedding itself in the tile wall. Good thing his husband had killer reflexes and had ducked in time. Then there was the time he “fixed” the dishwasher. Colton had turned it on, only for it to start shaking. He’d quickly jumped out of the way moments before the machine shot out from its space beneath the counter. Water went everywhere.
Joker growled at the uncooperative roll of lights in his hands. “Tell me again why we’re decorating your ginormous mansion when your obnoxiously rich husband has professional decorators who come out every year?”
Again, not wrong.
“Because this way, it’s more personal. You get the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself,” Ace replied through gritted teeth as he attempted to untangle another giant ball of lights.
By “yourself,” Ace really meant “with a small army of former Green Berets.”
“This was rolled perfectly last year and in a box! How is it tangled? Stupid lights.” Ace huffed and put the roll on the floor. Picking up a new one, he plugged it in. Nothing happened. “Motherfricking shirtballs! I checked every single one of these last week!”
There was something not quite right about his husband’s colorful rants against the backdrop of “Sleigh Ride” by the Ronettes.
“Yeah, this one’s not lighting up either,” Joker said, his frown deep. He placed it on the floor, and it rolled, which, of course, drew Chip’s attention. He sped over and pounced. The roll of lights soared off the garage floor in a glorious arc, hit the inflatable snowman, ricocheted, and smacked Ace in the head. He reeled back, and Colton jumped to his feet.
“Ace—”
Too late.
Ace tripped on the roll of lights behind him. He turned to catch himself only to tangle his feet further until gravity triumphed, and he hit the floor. Hard.
“Owwww.” Ace groaned, and Joker laughed so hard he had tears in his eyes. Chip stood over Ace, tail wagging and tongue lolling out. “What? You don’t get praise for that. I thought we were buds!”
Chip barked, licked Ace’s face, then happily trotted away to Joker, who patted his head. “Good boy.”
Colton helped Ace up. He could practically see the wheels turning in his husband’s head. “Why don’t we take a little break? I bet Red’s Christmas cookies have cooled off.”
As expected, whatever terrifying idea Ace had been contemplating vanished at the mention of Christmas cookies, much like the brief winter breeze they’d had this morning. They were back to eighty degrees in December.
Like every year, there was little chance of a frosty Christmas in Florida and no chance of a white Christmas. They headed inside the cool, air-conditioned house, the sound of their family’s laughter and chatter warming his heart and making him smile.
When Colton had first met Ace, he’d never expected to fall in love with the man, much less inherit the kind of family he’d spent a lifetime wishing he had. They were a complicated, boisterous, and quirky group, and Colton wouldn’t change a thing.
As usual, their gentle giant, Red, was cooking, baking, and singing along to the holiday music while his boyfriend, Laz, decorated cookies and cupcakes. Ace’s cousin Lucky and his cowboy, Mason, were inspecting the Christmas tree. Lucky had strong opinions on what should and should not go on the tree. Tinsel was absolutely out of the question. Something about waking up from a nap and being covered in it? No doubt Ace had been involved.
Jack sat on the couch with his laptop, creating a complex music and lighting sequence while his boyfriend, Fitz, snuggled with his fluffy black poodle, Duchess. Leo’s joyous laughter was infectious as he chased and played with Chip, who’d dashed straight for his favorite human the moment they’d stepped inside. Meanwhile, Leo’s fiancé, King, conversed with Joker’s boyfriend, Gio.
Joker was the last person Colton would have expected his best friend to have fallen for. The two were so different. One was a former Green Beret explosives expert turned bodyguard, the other a billionaire philanthropist who’d traveled the globe helping people. Colton had worried for Gio, afraid Joker would break his heart, but in the end, the two were perfect for each other.
At times, Colton couldn’t believe how their family had grown over the last few years. He was so happy the rest of the Kings and the Wild Cards found love, especially with the men he’d come to care for so deeply.
Ace wrapped his arms around Colton as Joker joined Leo and Chip in play. Gio gave the command to Cookie, relieving his Golden Retriever from his service dog duties so he could run off and join the fun. He bounded happily, his fluffy tail wagging happily and tongue lolling out.
“You having a mushy moment?” Ace asked, kissing Colton’s cheek.
“We’re so fortunate.”
Ace turned Colton around, his smile soft as he wrapped his arms around Colton’s waist and held him close. “Yeah, we are. You know, I was thinking. Maybe we should go with the decor people.”
“I thought you wanted it to be more personal.”
“I want it to be perfect. For you. And if that means professional decorators, then we’ll do it.”
Colton shook his head. “We don’t need professional decorators. Or snow. Or sleigh rides.” He sighed. “This isn’t a Hallmark movie.”
Ace opened his mouth to reply, then closed it, an odd expression coming onto his face. “What if it could be?”
Colton was perplexed. “I’m sorry, I don’t follow.”
“When you were little, all you wanted was the kind of Christmas you saw in your favorite holiday movies. The perfect Christmas.”
“There’s no such thing as a perfect Christmas, love, but this is pretty close, don’t you think?” Colton kissed him, laughing against Ace’s lips when everyone cheered and catcalled. He shook his head at their ridiculousness.
Lucky called Ace over, and Colton walked to the kitchen to snag himself a Christmas cookie. Red and Laz sang along to “Last Christmas” by Wham! making Colton chuckle. He scanned the expertly iced cookies, his eyes landing on a deer cookie with a sleigh cookie behind it.
What if…?
Colton picked up the sleigh cookie, and before he could talk himself out of it, he sent a quick text to Joshua, his executive assistant. His phone rang a few minutes later.
“Joshua,” Colton replied. “One second.” He excused himself, hurried upstairs to his and Ace’s bedroom, and shut the door. “Sorry. I’m back. What do you think? Is it possible?”
“It is, but before I make any arrangements, I need to let you know that I spoke to Clara, the hospitality manager, and she informed me that due to the storm that blew through there a couple of weeks ago, their town hall is closed.”
“Oh, is that all? That’s fine. Go ahead and make all the arrangements.” They were good as long as the town’s Ice Castle was open. It was where all of the festivities took place anyway.
“You should have a confirmation email within the next few minutes.”
“Wonderful. Thank you, Joshua.” Colton hung up and made a few more calls. By the time everything was set up, he was excited and nervous. What if no one else was on board? Shaking his head, he headed back downstairs. He tugged on Ace’s sleeve, pulling him to one side.
“I have an announcement to make. Could you…?”
“Of course, baby.” Ace turned and called out across the room. “Everyone shut your pie holes!”
Everyone went silent.
Colton sighed. “Not what I had in mind, love, but thank you.” He cleared his throat. “I wanted to let you all know how thankful I am to have you all in my life. You’ve been more of a family to me than my own blood, but you already knew that. I love you all so much.”
“We love you too, Colt,” Fitz called out.
The room filled with awwws, and Colton held back a laugh. No need to be nervous. This is your family.
“Okay, so I’ve been thinking about having a white Christmas for the longest time. Years, actually. I vaguely recall staying at a ski lodge with my parents when I was younger. Of course, that was less about family and Christmas and more about who my parents could impress. But something Ace said gave me an idea. I thought having a special holiday season might be nice for our new family. With that in mind, I have a surprise for everyone.” Colton forwarded the email from Joshua to everyone. Eleven phones pinged. “Check your emails.”
“What’s Winterhaven?” Lucky asked.
Colton had been researching Winterhaven for years, hoping to one day get the white Christmas he’d dreamed of, but the time never seemed right. Now, it felt right. “I’ve rented a luxury family cabin for the holidays in the beautiful and picturesque small town of Winterhaven. We’re going to have a white Christmas!”
King frowned, but that was his default expression. “This schedule says from tomorrow until the end of December.” He lifted his blue gaze. “Colton, we can’t take that much time off.”
“We own the company,” Ace said with a shrug. “Of course we can.”
“Ace, it’s almost a month.”
“What are you saying? Do you really think with our stringent hiring process and all the training we put our people through that we don’t have anyone to look after the company while we’re away?”
“It’s all right,” Colton said. “I understand. I should have asked first. I can cancel the reservation.”
Fitz held a hand up. “Um, I want to go to Winterhaven.”
Jack blinked at him. “You do?”
“Babe, did you see the picture of their Ice Castle?”
“Ice Castle?” Jack checked his screen. “What happens to it in the summer?”
“It’s not made of ice, my love. It’s made of light stone that makes it look like it’s made of ice. How magical is that? Think of all the cozy sweaters I can wear!” Fitz leaned in and brushed his lips over Jack’s. “We can drink hot cocoa in front of the fire. Keep each other warm under cozy blankets.”
Jack hummed. He seemed to like that idea.
Leo gasped. “Santa’s there.” He lifted his gaze to King. “I want to go.”
Everyone looked to King, who smiled warmly. “Sweetheart, he’s not—”
“Actually Santa,” Leo said, his smile big. “I know that. He’s the mayor. But he looks like Santa, and according to my online search results, Winterhaven is the perfect small-townChristmas destination. It’s famous for its holiday festivities.”
Joker snorted as he looked down at his phone. “Damn. The mayor does look like Santa. That’s an impressive beard.”
“So beautiful,” Laz said, scrolling through something on his phone. “I could take so many picturesque photos there.” He showed Red his cellphone. “Look at that scenery.”
Red kissed the side of Laz’s head. “It’s beautiful, sweetheart.”
“What do you guys say?” Ace turned to King. “How about it, big guy? Ready for the perfect Christmas?”
King moved his gaze back to Leo, and Colton knew there was no way King would say no to that sweet face and boyish smile. He let out a sigh and smiled. “You’re right. We have a great team. They’ll be okay without us for a few weeks.”
There was cheering, and Fitz squealed. He clapped his hands excitedly, then gasped. “Wait. The reservation says tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow afternoon,” Colton confirmed. “The town doesn’t have its own airport, so we’re taking the jet to the next town over. From there, a helicopter will fly us in.”
“Jack, we have to go! I need to pack! And buy some coats!” Fitz ran over to Colton, threw his arms around him, and squeezed him tight. He kissed Colton’s cheek. “Thank you so much, Colton! This is going to be amazing!”
Colton was thrilled at how happy everyone was. Even the dogs were excited. They might not know what was happening, but they knew something was going on. Most of the Kings, Joker, and Jack still seemed a little uncertain about being away for so long, but Colton hoped that once they arrived at Winterhaven, they’d enjoy all the sugary holiday goodness. Everyone thanked him and headed off to pack.
Ace took Colton’s hand in his and turned him. “Baby, you are amazing. I know you’re nervous, but don’t be. Everyone is going to have a great time. Did you see how excited they were?”
“Do you think they’re going to have fun? I know this really isn’t their thing.” Colton didn’t need to say who. His husband was well aware of who he referred to. As the owners of Four Kings Security, all the guys struggled with time off. They were always busy, often working. It was just who they were. Thankfully, their significant others were able to get them to relax.
“This break will do them good. Not just them but the rest of the guys. Did you see Leo’s face light up when he saw that the mayor looked like Santa? I can’t with him. He’s too freaking adorable.” Ace pulled Colton close and kissed him. “Trust me, sweetheart. This is going to be the perfect Christmas. I know it.”
Colton wrapped his arms around his husband and returned the kiss, letting himself get lost in Ace’s love and strength. Ace was right. Once they arrived and everyone saw the beauty of Winterhaven, they’d loosen up and get into the holiday spirit.
Winterhaven spent months preparing for the Christmas season, knowing that hundreds of people would flock to their charming town every year to experience the perfect Christmas. The town had been featured multiple times in magazines and had thousands of glowing reviews, which was impressive, especially since the worst reviews people could come up with were things like “it was too cold” or “the snow wasn’t white enough.”
The entire town would be painstakingly decorated, and the Ice Castle would host all of the Christmas events, from a hot chocolate contest to ornament decorating and, of course, meeting Santa and his reindeer. There was so much to look forward to. Colton couldn’t wait to go for a romantic sleigh ride with his sweetheart. The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.
Maybe he’d get his perfect Christmas after all.
Clare LondonClare London took her pen name from the city where she lives, loves, and writes. A lone, brave female in a frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home, she juggles her writing with her other day job as an accountant.
She’s written in many genres and across many settings, with award-winning novels and short stories published both online and in print. She says she likes variety in her writing while friends say she’s just fickle, but as long as both theories spawn good fiction, she’s happy. Most of her work features male/male romance and drama with a healthy serving of physical passion, as she enjoys both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic, and sexy characters.
Clare currently has several novels sulking at that tricky chapter-three stage and plenty of other projects in mind… she just has to find out where she left them in that frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home.
Clare loves to hear from readers, and you can contact her on all her social media.
K Evan ColesK. Evan Coles is a mother and tech pirate by day and a writer by night. She is a dreamer who, with a little hard work and a lot of good coffee, coaxes words out of her head and onto paper.
K. lives in the northeast United States, where she complains bitterly about the winters, but truly loves the region and its diverse, tenacious and deceptively compassionate people. You’ll usually find K. nerding out over books, movies and television with friends and family. She’s especially proud to be raising her son as part of a new generation of unabashed geeks.
K.’s books explore LGBTQ+ romance in contemporary settings.
Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.
Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particular admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.
In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include “Blame it on the Mistletoe”, “Unwrapping Hank” and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles”. Her “Howl at the Moon” series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.
RJ ScottWriting love stories with a happy ever after – cowboys, heroes, family, hockey, single dads, bodyguards
USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott has written over one hundred romance books. Emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, single dads, hockey players, millionaires, princes, bodyguards, Navy SEALs, soldiers, doctors, paramedics, firefighters, cops, and the men who get mixed up in their lives, always with a happy ever after.
She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing. The last time she had a week’s break from writing, she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a box of chocolates she couldn’t defeat.
Charlie Cochet is the international bestselling author of the THIRDS series. Born in Cuba and raised in the US, Charlie enjoys the best of both worlds, from her daily Cuban latte to her passion for classic rock.
Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found devouring a book, releasing her creativity through art, or binge watching a new TV series. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.
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Clare London
B&N / GOOGLE PLAY / SMASHWORDS
EMAIL: clarelondon11@yahoo.co.uk
K Evan Coles
GOOGLE PLAY / BOOKBUB / B&N / TIKTOK
EMAIL: coles.k.evan@gmail.com
Eli Easton
EMAIL: eli@elieaston.com
RJ Scott
BOOKBUB / KOBO / SMASHWORDS
EMAIL: rj@rjscott.co.uk
Charlie Cochet
EMAIL: charlie@charliecochet.com
Blame it on Mistletoe by Eli Easton
Jesse's Christmas by RJ Scott
B&N / KOBO / GOOGLE PLAY
Not So Silent Night by Charlie Cochet
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