A broken-hearted Ward Cartwright left town to join the army when his boyfriend Tyler Hughes turned his back on their love and married a woman. Ten years later, Tyler is a widower with two young boys, and Ward has returned home. He is hopeful he can re-establish his relationship with Tyler. Even though a decade has passed, Tyler still feels tied to the family-owned feed mill. He has folks depending on the mill for employment, there are his children to consider, they live in a small town, and ... But despite this, Tyler finds there are plenty of benefits to giving Ward a job in the mill -- lots of out-of-the-way places to explore Ward’s army-honed, muscular body. Just when Tyler resolves to live more openly with Ward, rumors begin to surface, not just at the mill, but at his sons’ school. Ward knows the upcoming battle is just as serious as anything he’s faced in Afghanistan. Instead of fighting for his country, the soldier is fighting for his lover’s heart. Will Ward finally emerge victorious, or will Tyler’s self-doubt and fear of prejudice win out again?

Welcome Home, Soldier

“Well, if there is, I don’t wanna know about it. Nothing like a good fuck to make a man happy. And you ain’t gonna get that hanging out with your best bud.”


If you only knew,Ward thought with a smile.


However, Ward had to agree with what his brother said about a good fuck. The fuck was infinitely more meaningful when someone you loved was involved. He had come to realize that the previous night.


He and Tyler had been exclusive when they were in high school. Ward’s relationships had been anything but monogamous in the army, sleeping around with almost anyone who was willing, and usually only once. The contrast between that and what he had shared with Tyler the previous night made him realize how special what they’d had in high school had been. Hopefully, they now were about to establish it again.


Chapter 9