Wild Untouched, Tami Veldura

Madden is spending time alone, becoming reacquainted with the outdoors as well as himself.   He's seen and experienced things that would break most men.  Finding peace is something he knows he needs in a general sense, but it's finding that part of himself out on the trails that was becoming lost in the sands of Afghanistan that has led him to these particular woods.  Along the way to fill his soul with the wild he also stumbles across the very thing that will fill his heart.

Gage is trying to capture the wildness in the forest and to fill his portfolio.  As a nature photographer as well as an all-around picture man to pay his bills, he finds solace in the things he finds and captures on film.  One moment, however, of trying to do just that leads him to an injury and a long, long wait at the bottom of a gully.  Fate has more than his demise in mind when it orchestrated this moment, though, because Madden finds him and sets them on a course of passion and love.

I genuinely liked both men.  For such a very short story and only getting Madden's POV we get to know his mind and heart quite intimately.  His power of observation is key in allowing us to know Gage.  What we see and learn of him is cute, endearing, and interesting.  He's got a lot of inner strength that will be a great match for Madden.  Their passion is equally strong and one night of careful fervor gives us a glimpse of just how hot things will be in their future.

When injuries are in the past and their relationship has had time to grow we get to see the beginning of their HEA and it's a really sweet, tender moment.  I do wish there were more than a mere 68 pages for them because I could become quite invested in the men.  From what we do get, though, we can believe that there's something special there.  The story was basic but sweet, definitely interesting, and I loved the descriptions of the forest and its inhabitants through Madden's thoughts.  Like I said before, I would have loved more because I think these men deserved more.

*$2.99 on Amazon!