Boomer's Saving Grace: Mercy Springs Heroes Series Book 2

by Bliss Carter

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  Walker observed Grace intensely after her decision was made. She kept a calm facade for Jaxson, but Boomer could see right through her actions. She was scared of the nightmares, but it was out of his hands. It had to be her decision on how she wanted to handle things. It wasn’t Boomer’s norm to try to “handle” a woman. Grace was more than capable of taking care of her and Jaxson without him. But he also had this loud, basic need to take care of them. For her to lean on him, to consciously make the decision to ask him for help, would honestly tell him so much of how she felt and where she saw their relationship going. Walker knew deep within that even if Grace said she loved him eventually, if she couldn’t let down her guard and let him in to take care of her without interference, he didn’t know if they had a future. He was vulnerable enough to admit that shit scared him. Grace had no idea that she held Boomer’s heart in the palm of her hand.

  Grace was a flurry of motion as she helped Jaxson with his bath prep and getting things set for tomorrow. Boomer realized this was a daily occurrence. It was being a mom. And a damn good one. He watched, amused, as Jaxson tried to argue about bathing, brushing his teeth, playing more video games, etc. Give in little man. You are no match for your mama. No man is, including me.

  “I’m going to head for my apartment, Grace. I know you have more things to do before bed and I don’t want to be in the way,” Walker said from the couch. Grace popped her head out from the hallway where she was putting some folded towels away. She frowned at Walker.

  “You’re not in my way. Not at all. Please stay for a few more minutes after Jax goes to bed?”

  “Well, how can I say no to such a beautiful face?” Walker smiled at Grace, giving her a flirty wink. He saw when she blushed and walked down to Jaxson’s room, hips swaying just a bit more for his benefit. He sighed. He would never tire of looking at that rear.

  “Okay Jaxson, time for bed. Go say goodnight to Boomer and then under the covers,” Grace said and followed her son with her eyes as he went to give Boomer a fist bump and their secret handshake. She smiled at how amazing Walker was with him.

  “Goodnight Boomer. Will I see you tomorrow?”

  “You can count on it. Maybe you, me and your mama can go watch a movie. I’ll talk to her and see. Sound good?”

  “Yep! I know just the movie, so make sure you beg extra with mama so we can go. She has a hard time saying no when I do that,” Jaxson said with a giggle.

  Walker ruffled his hair and said “Goodnight Jax. Sleep tight.” He sat and listened to Grace and Jaxson go through the bedtime routine. Short bedtime story, prayers for everyone in the world it seemed, and questions answered about tomorrow. Then she was closing Jaxson’s bedroom door firmly and walking over to where Boomer sat on the couch. Her old couch to be exact.

  Walker seemed to read her mind. “Sorry that Cade couldn’t get the new couch over here today, baby. We’ll see about it tomorrow since work starts back on Monday for the both of us.”

  Grace didn’t answer. She just nodded her head, then put both of her hands on Walker’s shoulders and straddled his lap, settling down on his thighs. He looked shocked at first with her initiating intimacy like this, but he quickly took her hips in his hands and settled her more firmly against him, needing to feel as much of her touch as possible.

  “Hey there, baby. Care to make out with a tired mom of one before we say goodnight?” Grace asked with a beautiful smile thrown Walker’s way as she took her hands that rested on his shoulders and began lightly massaging and rubbing his chest. Wow, he felt good to touch, caress, feel safe and protected by. He was such a gentle giant, but he was also hard muscle, long limbs, and chiseled features. The best of both worlds. She watched him as heat filled his hazel eyes.

  “I think I can get on board with that. But what about Jaxson? No last-minute trips to the bathroom or for water?

  “Nope. He is notorious for being out like a light within three minutes of saying goodnight. He sleeps deep unless something loud happens. So, no worries.”

  “Well, in that case...” He softly said, taking his hand and holding the nape of her neck gently. Walker swiftly took Grace’s mouth in a kiss of such heat and passion that she thought she would catch fire. And here she had been thinking their earlier kisses were hot. It seemed they were only a prelude.

  Boomer knew that he needed to keep this kiss under control. But it was going to be difficult to do with Grace touching or moving over every part of his body it seemed. Her hot little mouth pushed her tongue against his, playing with it, flirting then retreating. Soft nibbling kisses on the sides of his mouth that ended with small licks of her tongue made him groan. Nuzzles of her nose and then trails of her wet tongue and mouth over the hard edge of his jaw and down his neck made him inwardly curse. But not once did Boomer try to take control. He knew what this was. Some would call it a power play. Maybe Grace was testing her influence over him. But he knew better. This was Grace’s way of proving to herself that she indeed was everything that Walker told her she was. Beautiful, sexy, strong. He needed her to feel all of those things that he already knew her to be. So, he chose to lay back and relax. Let her play. He knew a cold shower was in his near future.

  Grace felt so many things as she draped her body over Walker’s and kissed him deeply. She sensed a calm within herself, a feeling of pure rightness. That she and Walker were meant to be together, in this moment, and more in the future. She knew that he was letting her have control and basically do what she wanted with no arguments, no demands. And the feelings that she had pushed down and held at arm’s length for two years began to crumble down the walls that she’s had built for so very long. Tears formed in her eyes and one single tear trailed down her cheek.

  “Hey, what’s this? Baby, please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to...” Walker quietly implored, words trailing off since he didn’t’ know what was wrong.

  “No, no Walker. You didn’t do anything wrong. I just never knew that a person could feel so much for someone without it feeling suffocating. But I don’t with you. I feel free. Does that even make sense?”

  Walker took Grace’s hands and laid them flat against his chest, over his rapidly beating heart. “You feel that? That’s not a reaction from feeling suffocated. That’s from finally feeling free to show you how I feel and knowing that you’re feeling the same way. Grace Evelyn Puckett, I have never, in all of my 35 years on this planet, felt for another human the way I feel about you. There’s no rush to label it. No rush to declare anything. But this is a warning that it’s coming. The day when I say words that will impact the rest of our lives.” He leaned down and took over their kiss at this point, pushing her so that her mouth was open and his tongue stabbed over and over against hers, thrusting in with heat. Over and over their mouths tilted to get a better fit, to taste more of each other. Walker eased up, ending the kiss and took a deep breath.

  “We need to stop before we take this any further. You are too much of a temptation. We have time. But me saying that is the hardest thing I’ve done.”

  Grace’s eyes twinkled in humor as she cheekily said, “Well it’s not the hardest thing actually.” She rocked her hips over his groin, making Walker moan in pain and need. She giggled when he popped her on the ass with a loud smack.

  “Remember Gracie....pay back is a witch,” Walker stated with a grin, standing up quickly with her in his arms. She screeched, but held on tight as he walked them to her front door. “Lock the door behind me and FaceTime me before going to sleep. Can I come over for lunch tomorrow and hang out for the day?”

  Grace smiled big and nodded her head yes, blonde curls bobbing up and down. “Yes, I’d love that. We can look at that movie that Jaxson wants to see.” She landed a loud wet kiss on his lips, showing him how excited she was about tomorrow.

  Walker set her down in front of him and opened the door. He stroked a long, thick finger down her nose and reminded Grace, “Remember, angel. I’m a phone call away if you need me. No matter
the time of day. That includes nightmares. Okay?”

  “Okay, Walker. Thank you. I’ll FaceTime you in about an hour.” Grace kissed him one last time and watched him walk to his truck. The man was gorgeous. And he wanted her. Life was surreal. She waved to him as he backed out and drove off toward his apartment. She then closed and locked the door, took a deep breath, and mentally prepared herself for the night to come.

  Chapter Four

  Five days later and Grace’s nerves were about shot. Walker was doing no better, it seemed, from the conversations that they had been able to have. Every night, Grace would think that this was going to be the night that she’d sleep all night long with no nightmares. She gave Walker all of the positive words every night when they would FaceTime before going to sleep and he seemed to believe her. She honestly believed it herself. Then a few hours after sleeping hard, she would wake up screaming. Thank goodness Jaxson hadn’t woken up to her nightmares lately. At least she wasn’t carrying around that guilt.

  But Grace did feel guilty because not once in the past five days had she done what Walker wanted, which was to trust him, rely on him, lean on him. She refused to call him after waking from her nightmares. And then she did something far worse the next day and pretended nothing happened and she was fine. The funny thing was that Grace knew, that Walker knew, that she was lying. But he didn’t say one word. Just looked at her in that way when they were together and when they weren’t, he would use a certain tone of voice. It totally unnerved her and made her regret her decision to not lean on him. And yet, here she was, still trying to pretend that everything was going as smooth as creamy peanut butter.

  Grace heard the front door bell ring at Whimsy Events and hurried to finish making her umpteenth cup of coffee of the day to see who was visiting and help. She walked towards the front, still looking down at her cup of coffee as she walked. “I’m sorry, I was just getting a refill. How can I help you?” Her words trailed off as she saw who was standing at her desk. Walker. Gorgeous, sexy as hell Walker Collins. In his hot police uniform, gun holstered at the waist and shiny police badge. “Walker!” Grace hurried over and put her coffee down on the desk quickly, then leapt into his arms. “Oh my gosh, let me see your face. Oh, I’ve missed you honey.”

  Walker and Cade, along with some other officers and detectives from the MSPD, had been in a training in Atlanta for the last four days. The texts had been limited during the day between she and Walker, and the group of LEOs were getting home late at night due to late training hours and going out to eat with fellow LEOs after to network. The last few days had amounted to a morning text, another in the afternoon, and a 15 to 20-minute phone call at night before Walker crashed to sleep. But each time they had talked, he had stressed that all she had to do was call him and he would be there.

  Boomer caught Grace in his arms, careful for her not to hit his weapon, and held her tight. Man, had he missed his Gracie. It had been torture the last few days with their contact being basically cut in half or more. He missed Jaxson, too. And he was mad with Grace. He knew she was having nightmares every night. Yet, she still refused to lean on him, ask him for help. “Hey baby. I’ve missed you too, more than you know. Cade is a riot to be around and my best friend, but his kisses just aren’t quite the same,” he stated with much humor in his voice. Her lilting laugh sounded like musical notes and made his heart clinch tight.

  “I’m sure Kresley would disagree with that statement. I really hope your lips haven’t touched Cade’s, but if they did, no better person for it to happen with than someone nicknamed Big Sexy.” Grace laughed at her man’s humor, running her hands up and down his chest, over his badge and down to his waist. She was careful about touching him so she wouldn’t do anything to his weapon. Walker had already told her that he and Jaxson would soon have the safety talk about guns and such since Walker pretty much carried his weapon with him everywhere. Grace’s heart was beating wildly and she felt that if she didn’t touch his lips soon with her own, she would burst. “I need a kiss from you like I need to breathe, Walker. Please, kiss me? I’ve missed you so much.”

  Walker groaned and roughly pulled Grace as tight as she could go up against his chest. Her breasts were smashed, flattened against him. Grace melted into him and their heart were rapidly beating in sync with each other. She raised her hands and raked her nails gently over his hair and neck, trying to send him a message that she was craving him. Craving his body, yes, but that she was craving him, Walker Collins, the man. She wanted his body, but she more so wanted his heart. And just having been away from him for two days had driven that home to her. And tonight, if she woke up with a nightmare, she would be calling Walker to come to her and help drive the demons away. Because she had full faith that he could and would. Every time.

  Walker’s mouth clamped down on Grace’s lips. They were so soft, so wet, so lush. He didn’t give her room to think, only to feel. He tried to convey in this kiss everything that he was feeling. The loneliness of being without her so much, the frustration of her not fully trusting him, the desire he recognized that she was trying to show him. He loved all of that, but what he wanted most in the world was her heart. Walker’s tongue drove inside her mouth, over and over again. Rough kisses, rough hands, and rough groans of hunger came pouring from him. He finally let up and backed off a little, giving her room to breathe. He saw Birdie walk towards them out of the corner of his eye, but when she saw them in a heavy embrace, she smoothly turned around and began walking the opposite way.

  Grace, breathing heavily, patted Walker’s hard chest and looked up at him with fire in her eyes, as if she had something urgent to get out and was trying to get his attention to do it. He couldn’t believe what came out of her mouth next. It felt like he had won the lottery. “Walker, I want to say that I’m sorry. Since Saturday, I’ve had many opportunities to show you that I trust you 100% and that I want, no…I need, you to take care of me. It’s so hard for me to trust men. My father, my brothers, my ex-boyfriend…well they all taught me not to put any faith in the male species. But you’re different. So different. You’re amazing. And it’s time I showed you just how amazing I think you are. So as of right now, I am fully giving myself to you. I’m yours, if you want me. No more being stubborn, thinking I have to do things alone. No more making you feel like I don’t value a relationship with you. Because I do. These past few days with so little contact with you have been torture.” She hadn’t noticed that Walker’s hands had wandered down to cup her rear. She felt him squeeze it with both hands and pull her against him fully, tightly. He wanted her to make no mistake in how her words were affecting him.

  Walker put her chin between his thumb and fingers, tilting her head and making sure that her eyes were focused on his as he emphatically said, “No, baby. Torture was me knowing that you wouldn’t tell me the damn truth when I asked if you needed me, if you were having nightmares at night. Torture was hearing you lie to me and say you were fine when I know you weren’t and still aren’t right now. That’s torture. But the words you just said have made it so much better. You have no idea. You’re mine. I can’t freakin’ believe this. Grace Puckett, sexiest blonde in this town and the whole state of Georgia, is mine. And make no mistake, angel, I’m yours, too.” Walker took her arms into his hands and squeezed firmly, shaking her a little to get his point across. He didn’t want to scare Grace, but needed her to understand. “Now, swear to me that you trust me. You trust me with you and what you need. You trust me with Jaxson, fully. I need to hear that from you.”

  “Walker, I trust you with my life, my son’s life. But I also trust you with both of our hearts because you mean more to us than even I can believe. All of me, all of Jaxson, is yours.” Grace rose on tip toes and decided the best way to show Walker she meant what she said was to kiss him. She chose to give him a soft, loving kiss, full of affection, teasing and caresses. She felt and heard his groan of happiness. She pulled back, knowing a customer could walk in at any moment. She gazed into his b
eautiful hazel eyes, seeing the heat there. She licked her lips and watched as he followed along. She gave him a flirty wink, caressed his massive biceps and stepped away. “I can’t concentrate on work being this close to you. You’re very distracting Officer Collins”.

  Walker laughed gruffly, his sexy voice husky from their kisses and caresses. “Ha. You’re the one who’s distracting baby. Those blue eyes, boobs, hips and butt…they all lead my mind down a path of dirty thoughts. And you know it. Wicked Gracie”.

  A throat clearing behind had them both turning at the same time. Kresley stood near, a cheese danish in one hand and her phone, aimed at them, in the other.

  “What are you doing Kres?” Grace asked, putting her hands on her hips. She could feel Walker’s hand at the small of her back, stroking her through her shirt. She was distracting? Please. He was sex on a stick and now that she knew he was totally hers, it made it that much more difficult to think about anything else.

  “I’m taking photographic evidence for Cade that y’all are really a couple. We aren’t voyeurs or anything, but he wanted to see a pic of y’all kissing. He may or may not use it to torture or blackmail Boomer at a later date,” Kres said with a smirk and loud laugh. She dodged Grace’s meager attempt to snatch the phone away from her.

  Walker intercepted Grace and put his arm around her waist. His forearm landed right under her breasts and the weight of them there, the feeling of them pushing against him made him groan. “It’s okay Grace. I don’t care if Cade has a pic of me kissing you. I’ve got better stuff on him”.

  “Yeah? Like what? I think you’re bluffing Boomer,” Kresley said with a smirk.

  “Well, let’s just say that I’ve got some evidence showing a certain red head and her husband, making out like teenagers outside Outback. Your hands couldn’t be seen, but were shoved down into the back of Cade’s pants at the time. And the look on Cade’s face was…” Walker stopped and started laughing hysterically at the look of panic on Kresley’s face.