Forever Devoted

by Kathleen Brooks

  “I must look a fright,” Layne said, trying to pat down the tangles as she took a bite of the pancakes. “Ohmygosh! Chocolate chip pancakes; I’m in love.”

  “If I knew that’s all it took, I wouldn’t have tried to get you to fall in love with me this past week.” Walker winked at her as she held a fork halfway to her open mouth.

  “What did you say?”

  “Eat your pancakes, Layne. You’ll need your energy.”

  Walker sent her another grin and then slowly left her alone to eat. He went to the bedroom and checked the phone he’d been given. There was a text message from Miles setting up a time to meet at the gym later that night. There was a message from Nash wanting to see if he was free for lunch. Then there was a message from Deacon wanting to see if he could join them for a workout tonight. And finally, one from Annie to see if he needed anything else from her special room. How, in such a short amount of time, had Walker become part of Keeneston? Folks had opened their arms to him, and it was no surprise to him they were related to the Faulkners. They were all the kind of people who would do anything for a friend.

  Walker answered the texts and was putting away the phone when Layne stepped into the room, looking unsure of herself. It wasn’t like Layne to not walk into a situation in complete control. He knew that look because he’d been wearing it since he met Layne. Only now he was sure. He was sure he loved her.

  “Why don’t you take a shower while I get some things done real quick. Then we need to have a long overdue conversation.” Walker stopped in front of Layne and dropped a kiss on her lips.

  “About what?” Layne asked when the kiss ended.

  “Take a shower, Layne. Don’t take too long, or I’ll come get you myself.” Walker ran his hand down her back and felt her shiver in response. Good. He turned and walked out of the bedroom. He heard the shower start and locked the front door. He checked every window as FP happily followed him around.

  “Sorry, little buddy, but you need to keep guard duty out here, okay?” Walker scooped up the little dog who happily licked his cheek and wagged his tail. Walker grabbed a chair and set it in front of the window looking out the front of the house. “Here you go. Don’t let me down.”

  The little bow bobbed as FP sat and watched the squirrels running around out front. Walker checked each window on his way to the bedroom, then closed the door and slid a chair under the handle. Every window was locked as he pulled the shades. Finally, nothing was going to interrupt them.

  The shower turned off, and Walker stepped into the bathroom. He stood waiting with Layne’s towel as she opened the glass door. “Let me help,” Walker said as he slowly ran the towel down one arm and then the other.

  “About what I may or may not have said last night—”

  “Layne,” Walker said, running the towel over her breasts and watching as she held her breath in reaction to the sensation, “we’ve done enough talking. There’s only one thing left to say.” Walker ran the towel slowly up her legs before standing up.

  “And what’s that?” Layne asked quietly.

  “I love you.”

  * * *

  Walker loved her. He hadn’t run in fear from her family. Oh God, her father could still ruin it. “My father—”

  “Is a great guy, Layne. But right now, I don’t give a damn about your father. I’m more interested in telling you that I love you. I love how you’re so sweet yet you can kill someone with a spoon. I love that you stand up for those who need it. I love that you love your family and friends. I love that you’re so smart, funny, and one hell of a physical therapist. In fact, you’re so good I honestly no longer need your services. I know we joke about me firing you, but Layne, I really am this time. My leg feels great, and I’m working out with the guys daily all because of you.”

  Layne felt emotion closing her throat as she only nodded. She was going to release him in a couple of days anyway, but now . . . now she was free to love him as well. She wanted him, yes. Wanted him badly. But she also loved him. She was afraid once he was well that he’d leave, and she wanted one time with Walker for her dreams to come true. She was still afraid, but when had fear ever stopped her?

  “I love you too, Walker. I have since the night I outshot you. I’d known before then you were a good man. But that night, I saw you were so much more. You’re kind, smart, empathetic, brave, courageous, and you let me be me. You don’t try to separate me from my family.” Layne shook her head with amazement. “Instead, you’ve embraced them. You didn’t try to tell me I shouldn’t pull on the gloves and fight. Instead, you encouraged me and were proud of me. Over the past weeks I’ve learned there’s no one I would rather have by my side than you.”

  Layne wrapped her arms around his neck as Walker pulled her to him. “I know we have a lot to figure out, but we’ll do it together. Always together.”

  Walker kissed her. It wasn’t the restrained little peck on the cheek he’d been giving her and it was much more than the couple of times they’d kissed when they first met. This time there was so much more between them, joining them and completing them. This time they weren’t two people coming together, but one heart already joined.

  Walker tightened his arms around her and lifted her off the floor. His lips never left hers as he carried her to bed. Layne’s heart beat faster as he pulled the shirt from his body. Walker wasn’t like some of her past boyfriends who worked out at the gym for their six-pack abs. Walker had them, but he’d earned them with every trudge carrying a rucksack and every five-mile swim. And when Walker kicked off his pants and pressed his body against hers, she felt the muscle, the strength, and the energy between them. She felt the brush of the sprinkling of chest hair against her sensitive nipples as Walker kissed his way down her neck toward her breasts.

  Layne gasped as his warm lips pulled her firm nipple into his mouth and grabbed his hair when he slid a finger inside of her. Walker looked up and grinned as her body tightened to near explosive proportions. “As I said, we have something to talk about. I’ve told you how much I love you, but now I get to show you.”

  Walker slid up her body and reached for a condom. Layne’s eyes closed of their own accord as Walker showed her exactly what she meant to him.

  * * *

  Layne stretched in bed as Walker casually trailed his finger down her body. It had been worth the wait. Yet guilt remained. How could it not as he fell so deeply in love while his sister was with a madman? All he could think about was how much Edie would love Layne. She’d always wanted a sister. It was one of the reasons they were so close to the Faulkners. They’d adopted Walker and Edie into their family. Just like the Davies family had done with him. Sure, her cousins and uncles gave him crap, but they could take it when he dished it back. It was all good fun, like it had been with the other members of his team.

  Fluffy Puppy began to bark and Layne shot up in bed, clutching the sheet to her chest. There was knocking on the door as she practically fell out of bed in her hurry to dress. “Why aren’t you moving?”

  “How about you just don’t open the door. They’ll go away.”

  Layne’s mouth dropped. “How long have you been here and you still don’t understand my family. Every one of them can pick a lock.”

  “Oh, damn. You’re right.” Walker hopped on one leg, trying to get his pants on when they heard Morgan call out.

  “Yoohoo! Anyone home?”

  “Your mom can pick a lock?” Walker asked in hurried whispered tones.

  “Who do you think taught us?” Layne snapped, hurling her uncooperative bra to the ground and pulling on a loose T-shirt.

  “Layne? Walker?”

  “Coming, Mom!”

  Walker snickered as he buttoned his jeans. “Ain’t that the truth?”

  Layne smacked him in response as she unlocked the door. “And I plan to again tonight.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Walker grinned, giving up the pretense of hurrying. Morgan liked him. Miles would shoot him. There was a difference in ho
w concerned he would be if it were Miles walking in on them.

  “I heard you had a rough night,” he heard Morgan say to Layne as the sound of the television came on.

  Walker came down the hall with his shirt finally on and kissed Morgan on the cheek. “Good morning, Morgan. Do you want some coffee?”

  “No, thank you. I do have something for you.”

  Walker raised an eyebrow as Morgan pointed to the interview on the morning show. Jud sat in his uniform next to the news anchor with a solemn look on his face. “I’m not a hero. I just did what my training taught me. Any SEAL would do the same.”

  The anchor nodded. “You’re Admiral Thomas Rudy’s son. I’m curious as to why you changed your name.”

  Jud wasn’t expecting that. He froze before clearing his throat. “I, um, wanted to make it on my own so I took my mother’s maiden name.”

  “Or was it because of the drug charges you had mysteriously dismissed after enrolling in the Navy under your father’s command? He must have pulled a lot of strings to make a drug charge disappear like that.”

  “How did they get this information?” Walker asked as Morgan’s grin widened. “Gemma, Cy’s wife, is a reporter. She’s leaking information to different news outlets. The whole story will be out there by the end of the week. While Gemma was doing that, I’ve been working on this.” Morgan handed him a copy of the biggest paper in the country. On the front page was a picture of Walker in uniform in the desert, playing soccer with the local children. Above the picture in big block letters read: A profile on Walker Greene, SEAL Team Six Hero.

  “Mom, this story is great,” Layne said as she read over his shoulder. And it was. It talked about him raising Edie, his love of his country, the work he did with the local children wherever he was stationed, and even had quotes from some of the people he’d rescued over the years.

  “How did you get all of this?” Walker asked.

  “As I told you, I’m good in crisis. Nabi got me your internal file, and I contacted people to hear the good you’ve done. They were all to eager to sing your praises. This is only the first story. Tonight on the national news there will be a story about you. Then tomorrow another front-page national story and so on. Each will feature information on how you’re a well-loved, respected, and charitable man. Plus, the success of your missions that aren’t classified shows what a hero you really are. And I’m not just saying that. You know who I’m married to, and even I’m impressed after reading your file. However, I fear you may not be a SEAL again after all this is over. You’ll be too well known. But when you bring Jud down, you’ll be the more believable in the press, and we all know a good spin to the story is the most important part of winning the public over. The press will love you and hate Jud by the time I’m done.”

  Walker flipped the paper over and read a quote from the aid worker he’d helped rescue out of the Congo. His lips tilted up into a smile as he saw a picture of her now holding a newborn. His team had rescued her three years before, and now she was happily married with a baby. She pointed out that the team relied more on Walker than they did on Jud, whom she thought was uncaring during the mission. Walker, she told the paper, talked to her the entire way out of the jungle, sometimes even carrying her, so they reached the rendezvous point on time.

  “His calming words kept me going. If it weren’t for Walker Greene, I wouldn’t have made it out of there alive.” Layne sniffed as she read it out loud. “Oh, Walker. I had no idea what you really did. I mean, I had an idea, but to actually hear what you’ve done. You’re so brave.”

  Walker didn’t like talking about himself. Being brave wasn’t something he thought about. It was about the mission and the lives that needed saving. His life or feelings never factored into it.

  “Jud has several appearances scheduled for this week, but Friday is his last one. So, four more days and then Miles and I believe he’ll come here.”

  “How do you know that?” Walker asked as he processed the information and came to the same conclusion. He would finish his press tour knowing the longer he kept Edie, the more impatient Walker would become and more likely to mess up.

  “I called his agent to see about him doing an interview. I was told he’s booked all this week, and after Friday will be unavailable so that he might take some time to recuperate from the trauma of the rescue.”

  Walker nodded. “This weekend it is.”

  22

  “No offense, Walker. Regardless of what the papers are reporting, Nash is still the biggest badass.”

  Walker rolled his eyes at Nash as he held the punching bag for Walker. Walker wouldn’t disagree that Nash was a badass, but Layne had whipped him.

  Miles snorted as he circled Cade in the boxing ring at Desert Sun Farm. “No offense, Nash, but my daughter beat you up. So I guess Layne’s the biggest badass.”

  “For now,” Ahmed said quietly as he worked the weights.

  “What do you mean, ‘for now’?” Miles challenged.

  “I mean, until Abigail comes back to Keeneston. I taught her personally.” Ahmed let the weights clatter to the ground. “And we all know my daughter is doing more than private security. So, yes, Layne is the most badass woman in town . . . for now.”

  “Well, Dylan isn’t too shabby either. I mean, we have no idea what he does, but he looks like he could snap those weights in half,” Pierce defended as he ran on the treadmill.

  “Why are you even here, Pierce?” Cy asked as he worked the weight machine.

  “He’s carrying an overnight bag,” Marshall pointed out.

  Walker and Nash both looked and saw the bag by the lockers. “Shoot me if I turn into Pierce when Sophie gets pregnant.” Walker grinned at Nash. For as much as Cade touted his son-in-law, Nash really was a good guy. “But based on the betting at the café, you and Layne may beat us to the baby.”

  “What?” Walker asked as the Davies brothers and Ahmed continued to outline why each of their children or sons-in-law would be the biggest badass.

  “Aniyah told Riley she had to give Layne a box of condoms. Riley told Reagan who told Piper who told Sophie. Apparently that was two weeks ago, so the general consensus is you’ve run out of said condoms and in nine months a little bundle of badass will be born.”

  A laugh escaped Walker. “I want a onesie with that written on it when we have a baby.”

  “When we have a baby, is it?” Nash teased.

  “You don’t punch a priest in the face unless you’re serious.”

  “Dylan could take Jackson down with one hand tied behind his back,” Pierce shouted across the gym to Cole.

  “And your wife can kick you out of the house while pregnant and not even break a sweat,” Cole shot back.

  “At least I didn’t get my wife a scanner for Mother’s Day,” Pierce yelled at Cole.

  “At least I’m smart enough to never use the word old when describing my wife.”

  “Cole has you on that one,” Miles said as the rest of the brothers laughed.

  Nash shook his head and turned his attention back to Walker. “So, you’re the one who gave Father Ben the shiner? Been there, done that.”

  “He’s not actually a priest, is he?” Walker asked as he took hold of the bag for Nash to punch.

  “I haven’t looked into it much. Unlike most people in Keeneston, I believe people should be able to keep their secrets. But from what I can tell, he’s really a priest. He was ordained right before coming to Keeneston. But everything before that is hidden.”

  “Hidden?”

  “I could find it, but to be fair I didn’t try very hard. I figure Ben has a reason for a past that only starts a couple years ago. He’ll tell us when he’s ready.”

  “He’s trained. He might be good to have by our side when Jud comes.”

  Nash nodded and slammed a fist into the bag. “Let’s talk to him. And Piper. She has some great technology you and Layne should use to keep you safe. Let’s shower, then head over to Piper’s lab.”

&
nbsp; “I had Addison look into what needed to be done to open a government training facility,” Cy said suddenly, drawing Walker’s attention. While he’d been working out with Nash, most of the room had emptied out until it was only Miles, Marshall, Cade, Cy, Cole, and Ahmed left. But when Cy said that, all eyes turned to Walker and back to Miles.

  “What?” Cy asked and then looked to Walker. “Crap, I forgot about him.”

  Miles stared him down and Walker stared back. There was a moment of silence and then Miles grunted. “He’s all right.”

  “Oh, come on! Nash didn’t find out until he was practically engaged to Sophie,” Cade complained.

  “Condoms,” Marshall coughed under his breath, clearly hearing the gossip Aniyah blabbed. Miles heard it through the cough and Walker was sure if he’d been standing closer it would have been Walker who took the punch to the gut instead of Marshall. Marshall bent over and coughed. “I was defending your choice to fill him in. Obviously he’s in it for the long haul. He knows we’d all castrate him if Layne didn’t get to him first.”

  Miles grunted with realization that Marshall spoke the truth. “Get on with it.”

  “Who is Addison?” Walker whispered to Nash.

  “She’s an attorney. Her parents, Henry and Neely Grace Rooney, are the local defense attorneys. You’ll know Henry when you meet him. He constantly spouts some really horrible pickup lines,” Nash answered.

  “Anyway, she said we can form a private company to train officers and soldiers. The government would contract with us. She can get all the paperwork ready if we decide to do this,” Cy explained.

  “I know I’m supposed to be silent here, but what exactly are you wanting to do?” Walker asked.

  Miles used his mouth to untie his boxing glove and began to pull it off. “See, we’re not all the way retired. We like to keep on our toes by helping out every once in a while. And we’re trusting you here because our wives and children have no idea we’re doing this. However, Gemma, Cy’s wife, came up with a good idea. She suggested we start a training facility for police and military. So we asked Addison to look into it for us.”