Every Christmas, Billy helps Cam bake cookies. Lots of cookies. It's a tradition as unshakable as their friendship, and Billy always looks forward to the challenge. But this year, a different kind of heat is igniting in Cam's kitchen. Maybe it's time for a new tradition—one that's urgent and intimate and wickedly sweet.

When public defender Trevor Ortega finds himself dateless for his ex's wedding, faking a relationship seems like the perfect solution. Less perfect is his thoughtless impulse to invite Sebastian Greer—friend, federal judge, and former boss—as his plus one. It would be a solid plan if not for one problem: Trevor's been in love with Sebastian for years, and each fraudulent touch will remind him of everything he can't have.

Trevor doesn't know why Sebastian agreed to his scheme, but there's no backing out now. It's only one night after all, and what's a little heartbreak between friends?

After years of hiding his feelings, Eric can't believe he kissed his boss. Even worse, in the wake of his misstep Vincent is trying to reassign him. If Eric wants to stay, he needs to convince Vincent his infatuation won't be a problem. Christmas Eve is no time for confrontations, but if Eric is lucky, it might be a time for unexpected miracles.

Alan only agreed to work on Christmas Eve because he spends the holiday alone. He's no scrooge—if anything he's a hopeless romantic—it's just that his best friend's complicated life means celebrating in January, when Jamie can visit. But instead of an empty house, Alan finds a surprise waiting for him: Jamie has arrived ahead of schedule, daughter in tow. And for the first time in years, Alan's delighted to be home for the holidays.

Aida de Luca knows better than to defy protocol. As comm specialist, she has no official role in a survey mission on an abandoned planet. Her job is to stay out of trouble, ready in case the science team requires her linguistic expertise.

Venturing alone into a mysterious cave is the most reckless thing she's ever done. But something is calling to her, and it doesn't feel like a threat. Even fear of disappointing Jamila Warwick—Aida's captain and constant source of distraction—can't dissuade her. Though it's impossible to tell what waits beneath the surface, nothing will turn Aida off the path now.

Christmas is always a stressful time, but this is ridiculous. Between his best friends having a baby three thousand miles away, and hiding his new relationship from his family, Charlie Corbin is ready to implode.

It's not that he doesn't want people to know he's in love with Drew Scott. He'd shout it from the rooftops if he could. But Charlie hasn't figured out how to tell his parents. Life is complicated when it comes to dating his mom's best friend.

Charlie is determined to do this right. He just needs to guard his secret for one Christmas, and what can possibly go wrong with that?

When Reuben drives halfway up a mountain for his daughter's wedding, he's anticipating last-minute errands, unfamiliar faces, and an overwhelmingly emotional day. What he doesn't expect is the gorgeous and brazen young man who keeps getting swept into his orbit.

Dusty seems to be a member of the wedding party, which makes him officially off-limits. The father of the bride has no business flirting with a groomsman, let alone doing any of the other things Reuben finds himself considering. At the very least they should properly introduce themselves, instead of indulging the thrill of being almost total strangers. The fact that Dusty is clearly friends with Reuben's future son-in-law should be all the impetus necessary to behave.

But whoever he is, Dusty is earnest and sweet and impossible to ignore. There will be time for introductions later. For now, what harm can a little flirtation do?

When it comes to her crew, Captain Jamila Warwick strives to maintain strict separation between the personal and the professional. Commanding a deep space science vessel does not allow for anything in between. But where comms specialist Aida de Luca is concerned, those lines have begun to blur.

An impossible ship, abandoned in an empty asteroid field, should be the discovery of a lifetime. The vessel is like nothing Warwick's team has ever encountered. But when their investigation puts Aida at risk and raises an unforeseen moral dilemma, Warwick faces a decision that could end her career.

When Ghita Starns decides distance is the solution to her biggest problem, taking a position as keeper of a magical lighthouse is exactly what she needs. Bad enough she's fallen for someone completely out of bounds; if anyone learns the truth, Ghita doesn't know what she'll do.

Naoko Tasse-Kimura hates that Ghita is moving two-thousand miles away, especially since Naoko's own magical studies keep her too busy to travel. Ghita may be closest with Naoko's parents, but she's Naoko's friend too, and her absence will be intolerable.

Even worse, once Ghita leaves, she starts avoiding Naoko's calls. For Ghita, distance alone isn't enough. She needs to get her stubborn heart under control, one way or another. But Naoko has magic on her side, and she won't let Ghita disappear.

When Prince Ercole Calistro's royal parents summon Sir Marion Rook to hunt a troublesome dragon, Ercole is prepared to hate the man on sight. He doesn't care that Rook turns out to be handsome and infuriatingly likable. Superficial charms are meaningless in a man cruel enough to kill a dragon who hasn't even hurt anyone.

When Rook returns from his quest bearing gifts, Ercole wants no part of them. He refuses to share in the spoils of a grievous wrong. Bad enough he failed to sway the king and queen from this course; he has no intention of befriending the sword arm they hired to enact such an injustice.

But Ercole's slights aren't met with the anger he expects. And when Rook admits a dangerous secret, the prince realizes he may have misjudged the old knight after all.