Chapter Seventeen

Zachary stood in the early morning sunlight with mist and fog still swirling all around and stared at the graves surrounding him. He hadn't seen these graves since he had laid the bodies to rest in them five years before. Those four wooden crosses with names and dates painstakingly etched into the grain were all that remained of the family Zachary had once had. The family Clinton Matthews had stolen. Now, Zachary had a chance at a new family—one with Samantha. If Clinton didn't steal her away from him too.

Zachary squatted down and removed some thick weeds from one of the crosses. Evelyn Marston B. Sept 1835 D. June 1878. A tear slid down Zachary's rough cheek and he swiped at it quickly. He wished he could hear his mama's voice. She had always given the best advice. And she hadn't kissed a persons' ass as she'd done so. She would tell you exactly what you needed to hear in exactly the way you needed to hear it. Zachary wished he'd appreciated that more when she'd been alive—but as a young boy wanting desperately to prove he was a man, he hadn't always wanted to listen to his mother.

Zachary shouldn't be here. He should be gone hunting for Clinton Matthews. That had been his plan when he had ridden out of town just yesterday. But instead of leaving, he had simply wandered in circles never going too far from town, before finally ending up here a few hours before dawn.

Zachary's heart simply wasn't interesting in riding away—it didn't want the chase. Zachary had chased Clinton for five long years. He'd killed dozens of men, ridden up on hundreds of scenes of Clinton's handiwork, slept on rocks and known gut-wrenching hunger and tongue swelling thirst as he'd wandered the plains. Zachary didn't want to do that again. What if it took another five years? And what if he still did not manage to catch Clinton?

Did he want to do that? No. No, he didn't. Zachary wanted only one thing and that was a life with that fiery red-head back in town who was no doubt very angry at him. Damn her. Angry at him for trying to keep her safe.

Zachary sighed and shoved himself to standing. He wasn't angry at her. He understood her view and he had spent the entire afternoon yesterday and all night last night thinking on it. Leaving Samantha while he went chasing after Clinton and removed the man from the face of the earth seemed the obvious route, but it wouldn't guarantee her safety. What if Clinton showed up while he was gone and harmed her? Zachary knew that Timothy would protect Samantha with his life—Zachary could lose the woman he loved and his best friend since boyhood.

No. No, he wasn't going to be leaving them and chasing devils as Samantha called it. Zachary was going to stay right here. He was going to build that life with Samantha. He was going to let himself continue to experience the happiness and the light that she brought into his life. He was going to give Samantha everything she ever wanted because she had known far too much pain in her life and Zachary was not going to be responsible for causing that woman anymore.

Letting out a sigh, he spared one last glance at those graves. They were so plain and lacked any color. Knowing his mother and her love of Botany, she wouldn't like that. Maybe Sam would help him plant some flowers that could make it more beautiful?

Pulling his hat down low, Zachary went to Blaze at the edge of the hill, hopped on the geldings' back and pointed his nose toward town. If he was going to give Samantha that future, he was going to need to give that woman a place to live. It was time to go buy a new farmhouse.

***

Zachary put Blaze up at the livery and stepped back out in the mid-morning sun. It was Monday morning which meant Samantha would be working at Doctor Reynolds' office. Pointing his boots in that direction, Zachary was stopped halfway there by the sound of Timothy calling his name.

He turned and saw his oldest friend jogging across the street—clearly, he'd been at the diner. "You're supposed to be watching Samantha," Zachary growled, folding his arms over his chest.

Timothy simply shrugged as he came to a stop beside him. "She's with the doc. I figure that old grump will keep her safer than I ever could."

Zachary simply grunted and did not respond. He fought the urge to punch his friend as the man's smile simply grew broader on his face. He could practically hear the gears in Timothy's brain moving as the man thought of something clever to say.

"So...." Timothy rocked back on his heels. "What brings you back to town."

"I never actually left."

"Why not? Samantha said you had important things to take care of."

"Priorities changed."

Timothy clicked his tongue. "I'm gonna have to give Sam an I told you so."

Zachary frowned. "Sounds mature. Why?"

"Because she didn't seem to believe me when I said you loved her and would come back in a hurry."

Zachary glared. "What?"

Timothy's eyes widened with feigned innocence. "Oh... you don't love her?"

Clenching his fists, Zachary glanced up the street toward the docs house. "Whether I do or I don't ain't no business of yours and it's not your place to tell her."

Zachary damn near yelled out his shock when Timothy reached out and shoved him hard. "Well, it is her business, you damned idiot. What were you thinking just riding off and leaving her here without making sure she knew how you felt?"

"You'll keep your hands off me, Tim," Zachary warned which only made the other man roll his eyes. Zachary shifted his feet and cleared his throat. "I'll take care of things."

"She's not a thing, Zach, she's a woman—a lady. And a damn good one. Don't get so lost in this," Timothy poked Zachary fairly hard on the temple. "That you mess this up and lose her."

Zachary swatted his hand away and rubbed at his abused head. "Are you done?"

Folding his arms over his chest, Timothy shrugged. "I reckon."

With a roll of his eyes, Zachary turned and strode away from his loud-mouthed friend. Tim meant well but that didn't mean Zachary appreciated his input.

As Zachary stepped up on the boardwalk at the docs, he froze in his tracks when he heard a conversation taking place inside. "Allow me to take you to lunch, Samantha."

"Lewis, I'm flattered truly..."

Zachary dropped his hand to his gun, closing his palm around the handle as he listened to a man he didn't know ask his woman to lunch.

"As a friend," Lewis insisted. "I'll be leaving town soon and well.. I just wanted to spend some time with you."

Zachary released his gun, reminded himself he couldn't use violence to solve all his problems, and stepped into the doctor's shop. Medicine bottles lined the shelves behind the counter. Different candies and herbs good for common ailments were for sale in glass jars on the counter.

And standing in front of the back window, holding a broom and looking like a damn angel surrounded by sunshine and dust was Samantha. "The woman already has plans for lunch."

Those big green eyes were wide when they fell on him and her grip on the broom tightened. "Zachary?"

Zachary glanced toward the register and saw the red-haired boy standing there appearing disappointed. He wasn't sure who the damn boy was, but he did know that he was barking up the wrong tree. Zachary wasn't about to lose Samantha to a freckle-faced kid.

"Zachary, what are you doing here?" Samantha asked.

Zachary showed his back to Samantha's would-be suitor and let his gaze fall on the woman once again—and just like she always managed to, she stole his breath. "Let's go talk."

A frown tugged at her lips. "Zachary, I'm working."

"You don't need to work two or three or however many jobs it is you've gotten for yourself," Zachary countered. He motioned toward the door. "Come on now, I wanna talk with you."

"Sir, I don't think the lady is in the mood to speak with you," the boy behind the counter warned. "Perhaps you should be on your way now."

Zachary glanced in his direction. Was the kid attempting to protect Samantha? From him? Zachary opened his mouth to speak but Samantha beat him to it. "Lewis, could Zachary and I have a few moments alone, please?"

Lewis frowned and looked Zachary up and down. "Are you sure? What if he has bad intentions?"

Zachary nearly laughed. This kid was attempting to protect Samantha so Zachary couldn't be entirely angry with him. And if Lewis was willing to protect her against a man as dangerous as himself than that meant the boy was brave.

He saw Samantha open her mouth to speak again so he held up his hand to silence her. "Lewis, I appreciate you looking after Samantha. I promise I don't mean her any harm."

Lewis seemed unsure as he stepped around the counter. "Alright then. I'll step outside for a while but, Samantha, if you need me you just holler okay?"

Samantha tipped her head. "Thank you, Lewis."

Once the two of them were alone, Zachary could not fully suppress a smile. "New suitor?"

Samantha didn't seem amused by the question. Instead, seemed confused as she clutched the broom and studied him. "What are you doing here, Zachary?"

"You know why I'm here, Sam."

"No." She shook her head. "I don't know why you're here. Yesterday you seemed very determined to leave and you made it very clear you wouldn't be back until he was dealt with. So, why are you here now?"

Zachary sighed, hating the distance between them in the dusty store front. He wanted Samantha in his arms. He wanted the peace that her nearness provided him. "I changed my mind."

Still, she simply stood there, her knuckles white as she clutched that broom. "Why?"

"I rode out of here yesterday with every intention of hunting that bastard to the ends of the earth, but I didn't make it far out of town before I just started going in circles with my damn wandering and warring with itself. You're right, Sam. That bastard has stolen enough from us. Not only the people we lost but the time. Five years of my life. Two and a half of yours. It's enough. I want to stay right here with you and build that life you talked about."

"And if he shows up here while we're building that life?"

Zachary shrugged. His hands itching to hold her. Why was she simply standing there clinging to that broom like a weapon? "Then I'll kill him." He met her gaze and held it. "I won't let him take anything else from me. From you. From us. I'll promise you that here and now."

Silence followed his vow. Zachary pulled off his hat and clutched it tight. He wished she would speak, move, blink, something.... Finally, that careful mask she'd been keeping over her features fell away. A smile curved her soft lip, placing those crinkled lines around her nose and lighting up that dusty store like the sun itself. Samantha tossed the broom aside, closed the distance between them, and wrapped her arms around him tight.

Zachary was quick to put his arms around her as well and pull her body close. He loved the feel of her body against him. Her head on his heart. Her red curls teasing his nose as he pressed his face against them. "I missed you, Sam."

"You weren't even gone a full day," she reminded him, her tone teasing as she made no move to pull away or leave his arms.

Zachary simply smiled into her lavender scented hair. It had been one day too long and he didn't intend to ever be away from her that long again. Zachary slowly pulled away and placed his hat back on his head. "Come on now. Let's go," he urged, motioning toward the door.

Samantha smoothed out that cream blouse which of course drew Zachary's attention to her full chest and tiny waist. He felt his hands begin to itch yet again, aching for the chance to truly feel that soft body against his. He longed to know what that soft, smooth skin would feel like as he traced it with his fingertips. Would she taste as sweet as he imagined she would as he licked lazily at her most intimate spaces?

"Did you hear me?" Her voice drew Zachary from his carnal thoughts and he cleared his throat roughly while adjusting his gun belt.

"No, sorry. What did you say?"

"I said, I can't leave. I'm working."

This again? Zachary shook his head. "And I said you don't have to work so much. Now, come on."

"I won't be bossed around."

Zachary's gaze narrowed. Damn the woman. She was a walking contradiction of light innocence and stubborn temper. "I have plenty of money to tend to you, Samantha. Now come on. There's something I want to take care of and I need your help to do it."

"It will have to wait."

"No, it wont." Zachary stood his ground. "You took a job for me. You're supposed to help me get the farmhouse fixed up, remember?"

Samantha frowned. "You burnt the farmhouse to the ground, Zachary. I can't do much to fix up a pile of ash."

Zachary felt his lips twitch. He motioned toward the door again. "Come on."

"Let me at least tell Doctor Reynolds I'll be back in a while..."

"No need," Doctor Reynolds stepped in through the back door that led to several patient rooms. "You're fired, Samantha. Your employment here simply won't be necessary."

Samantha gasped. "But I...."

The doctor held up his hand to silence her. He then pulled his pocket watch out and checked the time. "You need to go with the man. I gave you the job here because I knew you were desperate. You're no longer desperate and I daresay you'll enjoy spending your time with Zachary doing whatever it is he has in mind more than you would here arranging medicine bottles, sweeping dusty floors, and dodging my nephews' infatuation."

Zachary crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't see how Samantha could possibly argue that. And she didn't. With a sigh of annoyance, she headed for the door. "Well, thank you Doctor Reynolds. I suppose you just helped Zachary get his way."

Zachary tipped his hat to the doc and followed Samantha out into the sunlit late morning air. "Are you always going to simply grunt, give out orders, and expect to get your way?" she asked him as they stood side by side.

He shrugged. "Only when I know I'm right." He smiled when he felt her annoyed gaze land on him. "Now come on," Zachary urged. "I really do need your help with something."

A/N: Doctor Reynolds still ships it. I wonder what exactly Zachary wants Samantha's help with... and did I mention he's not really good with communication?  HA! Also, I apologize if you find typos toward the end of the chapter. I did my best to edit but I currently have  my seven pound toy poodle curled up on my arms while I desperately attempt to reach /my laptop keyboard and she licks my hands because apparently she wants to be helpful? 

Thanks for reading!