Ashton Cade

Returning home to sleepy Umberland was supposed to be temporary - just to see my family before securing a job in the city. But when my brother's old best friend and my teen crush, Ian Barrett, is here, too, I find myself making excuses to stick around a little longer....

I knew I was gay forever, it seems. But my first love was the one that stuck with me all these years: Ryan Rainier. He's a big deal in the police department now, and as a man in uniform, he's every bit as gorgeous as he was in those young years....

The Rainiers are one big happy family. That is, except for me. I keep to myself mostly. When I learned that you can't always trust the people who are supposed to take care of you, I did my best never to rely on anyone. Except for my stable full of horses. They always understand....

Ever since I lost Gerry in the war, all of a sudden people think they can speak for him - but they're saying I should move on, forget him. That that's what he'd want. But they don't know how badly I betrayed him....

Ben: Despite never making a move of any kind on Adam and my absolute certainty that I'd never talk to him ever again, I’ve never let this flame go out. And now he's back here in Snow Lake. I don’t know what it is about this guy that sparks something in me - a need, a drive to be more....

He’s a shining star, I’m a black hole. Complete opposites. And just like our astronomic counterparts, there’s no way Marty’s light is ever going to brighten me. Black holes don’t let any light escape. They devour it all....

I'm a cop on leave. I fled to Snow Lake for some R & R after what I like to call a "workplace injury". There’s only one man who makes me feel like my old self - Porter Gaines, the town butcher. He makes me laugh, makes me forget my pain, my fear. But there’s something more....

As a biker, I've always loved the open road - and no man ever compared. I’ve mastered the quickie, the one-night stand, and I’m not into changing things up. When I roll into Snow Lake to take over my uncle’s mechanic shop, the last thing I want to do is settle down....  

They say it happens when you stop looking. The last thing I expected on this trip was to meet anyone, but now, Aspen is all I can think about. Even if he is my best friend's brother, and I know focusing on Aspen will ruin that friendship....

Simon's off-limits. Off-limits in so many ways I can’t even keep track of them all. And I think he’s oblivious to how much I want him. At least I hope he is. I’ve been trying to keep it to myself, trying not to cause any issues with my job or his internship at my clinic....