About Soldier
by AKM Miles
153 pages
/ 69500 words
ISBN: 978-1-60370-637-7, 1-60370-637-2
Available file types - html. lit, pdf, prc
Soldier is a loner, scarred, damaged and aimless when he discovers someone is using the house on the property he has come to town to investigate. Staying to look into the situation adds more to his life than he ever dreamed possible, leaving him championing seven boys whose lives had been as ravaged as his. Suddenly his life has purpose, meaning.
The other unexpected development is Dillon. Resigned to a life spent alone, it's hard for him to wrap his mind around the fact that Dillon returns his feelings. Every minute spent counseling and protecting the boys makes Soldier’s life richer, but it makes it hard to spend time with Dillon. Can he find a way to take his new life and make it everything he wants it to be?
Review
Jane Davitt, author of Wild Raspberries, writes: In 'Soldier' by AKM Miles, we meet a group of people who have all, in one way or another, been left scarred and damaged. Poignant and heartwarming, the story of how Soldier and Dillon change the lives of the abused children who've found refuge with Dillon, and at the same time find a happy ending for themselves is one that kept me reading.
The author captures the longing the two men feel to be together and balances it with the responsibilities each has. The story feels very realistic in that it points up how money can help a situation but it can't always safeguard people and it can't buy love or trust; only actions can do that.
Soldier and Dillon both shine as appealing, caring men, with hearts as big as Texas, where the story is set. The heat between them is vivid and intense, but so is the love.
Sample
“Do ya see ‘eem?” The whisper seemed awfully loud in the darkness behind the big old house.
”Shhhh, Gommy. You have to be really quiet. Are you sure you saw someone out here? It wasn’t just in your mind?” Dillon asked softly.
“I swear it, Dill, really. He was just huge, and he was way back there by that broken fence thing.” Gom pointed out toward the back of the big empty yard. Dillon looked out there, but saw nothing unusual. The grass was sparse in the summer heat of middle Texas. It grew a little thicker at the back where the old log was pushed up against the falling down fence. “He was just standing so still, like a statue. He never moved at all. I was too scared to do anything fer a minute.” Bless his heart, Gom was scared a lot.
“That’s okay, Gom.”
“Then I heard you and I knew I’d be okay. You gonna go see if he’s out there?” Gommy, short for Montgomery -- which was way too big a name for the tyke -- had very big eyes and they were perfectly round. He worshipped Dillon with a single-minded passion.
“Nah. Not tonight, Gom. If he tries anything, we’ll be ready. But thanks for letting me know. Good eye, buddy. We’ll keep watch and see if he’s up to something. A big guy, huh?” Dillon ruffled Gom’s hair, .
“Huge, Dill. He had muscles ever'where and he was wearin’ those clothes like the soldiers wear so nobody can see ‘em.”
“Camouflage. Okay, well, let’s go in. I’m sure the others are hungry. We’ll get everyone settled, and maybe Tommy’ll sing for us. That always calms everyone down. If not, I’ll make up a story or two. How’s that?” They left the tiny back porch, little more than rickety steps, and headed back in. Dillon Kramer had found out early on that his ability to create stories and relate them with whatever feeling was called for at the time was a great way to settle the young boys in his care. But, man, that Tommy could sing like an angel. That worked, too. If all of them were upset about the strange man, it might take both him and Tommy tonight.
***
Outside, Soldier stood motionless at the side of the house, only a few feet from the two as they went back in. He liked the one called Dill. He was obviously the leader of the group inside. He was a pretty thing, too. Soldier felt himself getting hard and refused to move at all. He would not. He knew how to be silent and still. He’d been in Special Ops and he could get in and out of almost anywhere without being seen.
He must be losing his edge. He’d been invisible for so long, he was surprised the little one had seen him. Soldier was alone -- very alone. He didn’t have friends, or enemies, for that matter. He was just a man who’d gone to war for his country and come back after too many years, damaged. Soldier was damaged in his heart and his soul as much as his body. . He was thirty-three, was very tall, very large, and very, very strong. He kept his head shaved so he didn’t have to worry about seeing anyone to get it cut. He didn’t like most people, didn’t like them around him.
God, how long had it been? It was bad enough that he’d chosen to be alone, to avoid being with anyone. But he was gay. Well, he’d be in a gay relationship if he had a chance to be in any. Suffice it to say that if he was going to have sex, it would be with someone like the pretty man who lived in that interesting house. Soldier wondered how old the man was, what his story was, if he would be... Soldier shook his head, finally moving away from the door. This wasn’t like him. He didn’t wonder about people, care about people. Not in a long time.
He turned to leave, pausing once when he could have sworn he heard an angel singing. There was the most haunting sound coming from the house. He stood still and let the sounds wash over him. Goose bumps rose on his arms. He couldn’t help it; he edged back and listened until the sounds died down. He was strangely touched by the song and the beauty of the voice. He thought he knew who was singing, Tommy, Dill had said. Whoever it was, was truly gifted. He left with a little lighter step.