Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 3

Screw his pride.
    That was, if Ethan would forgive him. Again.
    He'd call him right now, before his nerve failed him. He slid a hand in his pocket, but his phone wasn't there. "The hell?" he muttered, standing to thrust the hand deeper. Like that would make his phone appear.
    It wasn't in any of his pockets, or in the jacket slung on the back of his chair. He pulled open desk drawers, shoving everything aside, barely noticing when papers and pens flew out and scattered on the floor. No phone. Why wasn't it here?
    He finally remembered that the battery had died two days ago and he hadn't bothered to charge it. He'd just left it at home. Damn. They didn't have landlines in the office—it was an extra expense they'd never needed. Now he'd have to ask someone to borrow a phone, and Ethan might not pick up if he didn't recognize the number.
    A knock at the door startled him. "What?" he snapped.
    The door opened, and Nikki poked her head in. She flashed a bemused smile at the mess. "Must've been a really localized hurricane," she said.
    "Did you want something?"
    "You have a visitor."
    "Terrific. Whoever it is, stall them. And let me borrow your phone."
    Nikki shook her head. "I really think you should talk to your visitor first," she said. "He brought flowers."
    Jude's heart stopped. "Flowers?"
    "Yes. He says they're to cheer you up."
    Jude was already headed for the door. He brushed past Nikki, and found a crowd in the lobby. His whole team had gathered around the man he knew in an instant, even with his back turned.
    Behind Jude, Nikki cleared her throat loudly.
    Ethan whirled and beamed a smile at him. "I picked you some flowers or something," he said, holding up a handful of wilting daffodils. "Well, actually, I didn't pick them. I bought them from a flower shop. Hope you don't mind."
    "Ethan." Jude couldn't hide the tremble in his voice. "I was just about to call you."
    Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You were?" He walked toward him, depositing the flowers on Nikki's desk as he passed, and stopped in front of him. "Well, that just makes it a lot easier for me to do this."
    "What are you doing?"
    "Wanting you."
    Before Jude could blink, Ethan threw his arms around him and kissed him.
    Jude barely heard the applause that erupted from his team. His entire world was Ethan, kissing him with a passion that seared his blood and left him breathless.
    "Ethan," Jude murmured when he drew back for air. "I can be your secret. That's what I was going to tell you. I don't care if you can't let anyone know. I need you."
    Ethan smiled. "You're not going to be my secret," he said. "I left town, Jude. I'm not going back. I'm moving to the city." His fingers trailed down Jude's spine, a casually intimate gesture that made him shudder. "I want everyone to know that I'm proud to love you."
    "You're staying with me." Jude kissed him, hard and fast, and then sent a mock glare at his team—who were all still standing around with big, goofy smiles. "What are you people staring at? You've got work to do. I'm on vacation for three more days."
    "Vacation, huh?" Ethan said. "Well, camping's definitely out for me. What are we going to do for three days?"
    Jude grinned. "I'm sure we can think of something."
    They linked hands, and walked out into the world together.
    THE END
    Author bio: S.W. Vaughn lives in scenic, temperate (in other words, bloody cold) central New York, with her husband, son, sister, two nephews, twelve cats, one dog and assorted wildlife. She drinks a lot of coffee and doesn't wear socks. She has been failing to learn Japanese for several years.
    First and foremost, Vaughn is a writer. In addition, she has also held the following fascinating jobs: McSlave(tm), gas station attendant, department secretary (don't ask what department), parking lot watcher, really bad waitress, shuttle bus rider counter, glass bottle sorter, door-to-door perfume salesperson, newspaper assembler, spin doctor, editor and freelance chauffeur.
    Vaughn publishes in several genres. Most of them are paranormal, and all of them favor the dark side. However, she's a really nice person. Honest.
    Fire on the Mountain is her first contemporary M/M romance.
    Contact information:
    Thrills in the Dark
    The House Phoenix series
    Goodreads
    Email
    ****

FIRSTS AND FOREVER
    by Elizah J. Davis

    Two men are sharing a moment of domesticity, standing side by side, brushing their teeth together.

    Dear Author,
    What could possibly be more erotic than brushing your teeth