An MM Small Town Romance
by
Grief led him to a small town. Love found him there.
Gideon Raines has been running for years—from guilt, from grief, from the night that stole his twin brother and shattered what was left of his family. With nothing but a duffel bag and nowhere else to go, he ends up in Foggy Basin, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it town where the locals are nosy, the diner coffee is strong, and the new vet is way too handsome for Gideon’s peace of mind.
Dr. Malcolm Jones traded city chaos for small-town calm a year ago, buying the local vet clinic and trying to rebuild a quieter life. He’s smart, private, and firmly straight—or so he thought. When a down-on-his-luck drifter with haunted eyes stumbles into his clinic and unexpectedly saves the day, Malcolm offers him a job… and maybe something more.
Gideon doesn’t plan to stay. Malcolm doesn’t know if he can risk his heart again. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is to ignore the slow, relentless heat building between them—aching, undeniable, and oh-so-dangerous.
Cover Artists:
Genres:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 4
Romantic Content: 5
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Bisexual, Demisexual
Protagonist 1 Age: 36-45
Protagonist 2 Age: 18-25
Tropes: Age Difference, Class Differences, Forced Proximity, Hurt / Comfort, Interracial Relationship, Slow Burning Love
Word Count: 68179
Setting: California, USA, small town
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Same Universe / Various Characters
His body was smaller than mine, but solid in the way I’d come to crave—his weight tucked up against me, the heat of his skin, the shape of his body fitting into mine like he'd always belonged there.
I didn’t move, and I didn’t want to.
Instead, I watched the faint crease between his brows, the softness of his mouth. He looked younger in sleep. More confident, somehow. Like nothing could touch him here.
This wasn’t just about lust. The way he let himself soften around me—emotionally, physically—was a kind of trust I didn’t take lightly. And I wanted to match it. Not just in bed, but in how I showed up for him.
I wanted to do something for him, take him on a date. So I had to think of something simple. Something intentional. Something that said: I see you. I appreciate you. You matter to me. Something just for us.
The problem was, I hadn’t dated a guy before and the stakes felt different.
READ MOREI sifted through ideas in my head—dinner somewhere upscale (too stiff), a weekend drive to the coast (too much, too soon), a concert (too loud, too crowded). He wasn’t an extrovert. More of a laid-back, take-your-time kind of guy.
I needed something quiet. Intentional. Thoughtful.
Apple picking came to mind.
Family-run orchard outside of town. Peaceful. Private. Quaint enough to feel thoughtful. And maybe a little cheesy. He’d like that. I was almost sure of it.
Gideon stirred, shifting closer. His nose nudged against my chest. Then a soft, sleepy groan. “Mmm. Why’re you awake?” His voice rasped, cracked with sleep.
“Because I’m old and my body hates me,” I murmured, thumb brushing the top of his spine. “But you look too comfortable to disturb.”
“Flatterer,” he mumbled into my skin. He yawned, nuzzling closer. “Are you always this nice in the morning?”
“Only when someone drools on my chest all night.”
He jerked back, eyes wide. “I did not.”
A grin pulled at my mouth. “You totally did.”
He blinked at me for a second, then buried his face in the pillow with a muffled groan. “Rude.”
“You like it.”
He lifted his head enough to give me a lazy smile. “Maybe.”
I let the moment settle—his sleepy smile, his bare shoulder catching the morning light, the warmth between us still humming like it hadn’t faded during the night.
“Had a good sleep, though?” I brushed a thumb over his shoulder.
He nodded into my chest. “Too good. Don’t want to move.” He grinned against my skin, then kissed it. A small press of lips near my collarbone. “Are we staying in bed all day? Because I can be convinced.”
I laughed quietly. “Tempting. But no.”
He pulled back enough to look up at me, eyes still half-lidded. “Again, rude.”
I pressed a kiss to his temple. “Get ready, baby. I’m taking you out.”
COLLAPSEGideon is a young man, lost and drowning in pain and grief. He drives without having a real destination in mind when he rescues a little dog, abandoned on the side of the road.
Gideon brings him to the town vet, without knowing that the Doc won't only welcome and cherish the little animal, but him too.
Malcolm is living a quiet life after his divorce, far away from the big city, managing his clinic and trying to take care of himself.
When he offers a room to Gideon to spend the night and get some rest, he doesn't imagine he just found the love of his life.What I adored about this story is the simplicity of living in a small town, the slow rhythm of the events, the calm, the comfort, the slow burn that are the foundation of Gideon and Malcolm's relationship.
There are a few moments when the grief seems to be too overwhelming and Gideon can't breathe without hurting, but Malcolm's words, his closeness, they wrap Gideon softly and very tightly at the same time, offering him a safe space to heal.
The last chapter had me in tears, but not leaving spoilers.Very beautiful and very recommended.
