Saving the Gunslinger

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Zachary settled Blaze in at the livery stable, took a few moments to give Athena a good scratch, and then stepped out into the weakening daylight. His mind had one focus and that was finding Samantha and feeling the woman safe in his arms. He knew she needed space and independence, and she had managed to keep herself safe for two and a half years without his help—but he sure felt powerless whenever she was out of his sight. If anyone were to hurt that woman, Zachary would bring the fire of hell down on their heads.

"Where's that woman of yours at?" Timothy asked, stepping out of the livery and standing beside him. It seemed his best friend knew the direction his thoughts had taken—of course it wasn't hard. Samantha was the direction Zachary's thoughts were always taking.

Zachary glanced toward the large clock which indicated it was nearly six in the evening. "I reckon we'll head toward the post office. She may still be there."

The two men made their way down main street and Zachary saw a flash of red hair step out of the building they were heading toward. Relief flooded his senses. His woman was safe, alive, intact, and smiling as she caught sight of him and made her way in his direction. Zachary knew most would find it unacceptable the way he missed and worried over her whenever Samantha was out of his sight, but their opinions wouldn't change the way things were. That woman was his oxygen and he needed her.

"You sure are a sight for sore eyes, Samantha!" Timothy greeted brightly as he rushed forward and reached Samantha first, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Maybe now Zachary will do something other than sulk and pout and be a grouch."

Zachary did do something else then. He glared. Take that Timothy.

Samantha smiled as she disentangled herself from Tim's grasp and those big green eyes met his. "Surely you weren't that grumpy today?"

A smile tugged at his lips as Zachary pulled her into his arms, burying his face in those lavender scented curls and breathing her in. "I missed you."

She held him just a little tighter. "Okay then."

"Well, I don't know about the two of you but I'm starved." Timothy stated, wincing as he laid his hand over his stomach. "That man of yours was a slave driver all day, Sam. Barely gave us time to eat a bite."

Zachary heard Samantha's stomach growl as if in agreement. "I could definitely eat," she agreed, pulling away from him.

"Let's go get some dinner," Timothy pointed toward one of the diners down the road.

"I thought Sam and I would go to eat together...."

Zachary stopped speaking when Samantha threw a sharp glance in his direction. She looped one arm around Zachary's and held the other out for Timothy. "Let's go then, gentleman. A lady can never have too many good looking men on her arm when she goes for dinner."

Zachary sighed as Timothy took her offered arm and they led her down the road. "We're awful dirty, Sam," Timothy lamented. "I guess we should have cleaned up before we came to take you to dinner."

Thoughts of cleaning up made Zachary think of the hotel room waiting for him and Samantha and the hot bath they would share when they got there. Her tiny body dripping wet as steam swirled around them and Zachary tasted that sweet haven between her thighs.....

"Did you get a lot done today?" Samantha's question pulled him from his hungry thoughts. Damn. Zachary had never been a man who got lost in or blinded by want and hunger—until Samantha had come along and shaken him to the core.