Saving the Gunslinger

Chapter Forty-Four

Forty-Four

Zachary's nerves danced in his stomach as he sat atop Blaze with Samantha at his side on Athena. Their house was finally completed. He had kept her away the last week while the furniture and decorations had been put in. He'd done his best to make it look like a home she would be proud of. Never in his life had Zachary hung curtains or arranged furniture but for Sam he'd done both and more. He had made up beds, laid out rugs, arranged pots, pans, dishes and decorations to create a home she would be proud to live in. Samantha had lived most of her life in a rundown cabin in the woods and the rest in brothel and hotel rooms. She deserved a real home—and Zachary was proud to give it to her.

Her laughter rang out and Zachary quickly turned his attention to her and as always he found himself mesmerized. Those full red curls shimmered in the late afternoon sun. Her freckles shone on her red cheek and that smile put those crinkles beside her nose as her green eyes lit up and she laughed at Creed as the pup lifted his head from the basket he rode in and snapped at a bumble bee.

"He'll learn his lesson when one stings him," Zachary warned, a smile spreading across his own face.

Samantha waved the bee away and patted Creeds furry head. "He's just protective."

"Good. I knew I liked him."

Samantha smiled and Zachary's heart thundered. Damn that woman got to him. He was still thinking about how lucky he'd gotten when she gasped. "Zachary, it's beautiful!"

Zachary turned his gaze forward and saw their home coming into view. Fresh white paint covered the walls, the shutters were painted black in sharp contrast and behind the wraparound porch was their bright red door. Never again would Zachary have to come home and walk through another goddamn black front door.

"I hope you like the inside." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "I should have let you style it, but I wanted to surprise you."

Samantha graced him with a smile and the love shining out of her green eyes nearly knocked him off his horse. "I'm sure you did a good job, Zach."

When they reached the house, Zachary slipped from Blaze's back before helping Samantha from Athena. He knew she didn't need the help but he looked for any excuse to touch her soft body—and the fact that she waited for his help let him know she enjoyed it too.

She lifted Creed from his basket and sat the pup on the ground and he immediately took off for the barn, yipping and wagging his tail. The pup had developed a rather interesting relationship with the gray shire mare named Betty that Zachary had bought to pull the wagons and plows. The two animals seemed to have become best friends.

Pulling his attention away from the Australian Shepherd pup, Zachary motioned for Samantha to go toward the house. He remained a few steps behind her and waited with nerves eating at his stomach. He really wanted her to like what he'd done. It was stupid. He should have let the woman put her own home together—but he'd wanted to do something for her. So, he had taken all the things she had picked and he had done his best to take those items and turn their barebone house into a home.

Samantha was unnervingly quiet as she entered the house and looked around. Her gaze went all around them, taking in the work Zachary had done. The yellow curtains Sam had picked were draped over the windows, her copper pots hung from the hooks in the kitchen, and a red checked table cloth covered their large kitchen table.

Samantha reached up and ran a finger along one of those copper pots before moving into the living room. A soft sofa and matching cushioned arms chairs sat before the fireplace. A soft quilt, something she'd been excited to buy when they'd been in Anbarina, was draped over the sofa.