Cerise DuPont thought she was done. Fresh out of a toxic relationship, she's 39, exhausted, and convinced her best days- and her beauty -are behind her. Brody Grant is 24, the hottest guy at the gym, and the last man she expects to look at her twice. And he doesn't just look- he sees her. Where Cerise sees age and flaws, Brody sees strength, fire, and the kind of woman he never knew he needed. Their chemistry is undeniable, but so are the obstacles. She's sure she's "hit the wall." He's out to prove she's only just getting started.

Knox Jones and Andrew Dickinson hate each other. Knox is bearded, tattooed, jacked, and fully aware of how hot he is. He drives a blacked-out truck, rides a Harley, runs a physical therapy clinic with an iron grip, and carries himself like a man who's survived worse than most people can imagine. He's cocky, closed off, and has done things - both in bedrooms and very much not in bedrooms - that would make a priest step outside for a cigarette. Andrew is a loud, flamboyant, and lovable cop everyone adores... except Knox. He's competent, chaotic, and somehow manages to be both a public servant and a feral raccoon in a uniform. And for reasons no one can quite explain, seems to take special pleasure in pulling Knox over. Then a robbery goes sideways at a donut shop and Andrew is in need of Knox's services. Trapped in close quarters, forced into uncomfortable proximity, and armed with nothing but sarcasm, tension, and mutual irritation, the two men are faced with an impossible choice: kill each other... or finally admit that the line between contempt and desire has been thin for a very long time.

**2026 PRIDE AWARDS SHORTLIST** Tommy's older, jaded, and sure he's too broken to love. Riley's younger, gentle, and still believes in forever. - Tommy Carter learned early that desire could drown you. That wanting the wrong thing could get you hurt... or worse. So he buried it. Became a cop. Got engaged to a woman. Lived the life expected of him, even as the weight of silence filled his lungs. Then he met Riley Monroe, a sweet, soft-spoken physical therapy student-- and everything Tommy shouldn't be thinking about late at night. Tommy, closeted and aching, knows he should keep his distance. Riley is sunshine in human form, with a shy smile and eyes that see right through him. He's never been with a man. Never let himself want one this badly. But Riley's kindness cracks something open in him. Makes him feel like maybe, just maybe... it's not too late to want more. The age gap should be a warning. The timing couldn't be worse. But Riley is something like oxygen... and for the first time in years, Tommy wants to breathe. TRIGGER WARNING: This story contains homophobic language, traumatic childhood scenarios, and mature sexual content.