by Dee Burks
Samantha had hardly slept a wink last night, and this morning she was very tired. Maybe making the decision to go home relieved some of the anxiety she’d had the past month. Paul and Mattie were at the kitchen table laughing about something and she slipped into her room. A quick nap would do her good. She glanced in the mirror at the dark circles under her eyes and frowned. Taos seeing her like this wouldn’t be her first choice either. She sprawled out on the bed and pulled a quilt over her shoulders. In a few hours she’d be in his arms, this time for good.
Just as Taos raised his hand to knock, the cabin door swung open. Mattie plopped a hand on her hip, “About time you showed up.”
He stepped inside and nodded a greeting at Paul. “Where’s Sammy?”
“Sleeping.”
He frowned. It wasn’t like her to sleep during the day. But if she was the having the same problem sleeping at night that Taos was, it made sense.
“What are you doing here?” Mattie asked, as she tried to hide a smile.
He thought for a minute. “I came to get my wife.”
Mattie grinned at Paul then stepped aside.
Taos cracked the bedroom door open a bit. Golden hair spilled across a bright white pillow.
He sat quietly in the chair next to the bed and watched her sleep. She was turned toward him, with one hand resting on the pillow. She looked so beautiful, but he could see the shadows under her eyes. She didn’t look well, and he knew Mavis had been right. He couldn’t wait one more minute. Now how was he going to convince her to come home?
Taos reached over and ran one finger softly along the back of her hand. He would not leave without her. He dropped his hand away from hers and exhaled his frustration.
The only thing he really knew to do was hold her close and show her he loved her. That he understood and that was the only thing he’d ever done right with her. He set his hat on the dresser, then removed his coat and boots. Carefully he slipped under the blanket. The minute he touched her, she rolled into his arms and his soul leapt to life. It was as if he hadn’t really had a pulse since she left.
Samantha looked up at him. “I need to say some things to you.”
He stilled, “Like what?”
“I love you and I want to go home.”
His heart jumped up and flipped over, while his mind filled with caution. Nothing with this woman was this easy. Stay calm. “I came to take you home.”
She nodded. Why did she still look so sad like it was some kind of death sentence? He just did not understand her. She wanted to come home. He wanted her to come home. Why was he the only one happy about it?
“You don’t seem too excited.” Maybe she thought she was stuck with him now.
“I only left because I wanted . . .” Her voice trailed off.
“What? What did you want?” God knows he had no clue.
“I just wanted you to want me. I wanted you to come after me and take me home.”
He suddenly had the urge to strangle her. “That’s what this is about?” He shook his head. “I can’t believe you left me and came over here for a month because you don’t think I want you. That is ridiculous!”
Her temper flared, “Why is it ridiculous to want to be loved?”
“I do love you!”
She stared, stunned. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“Why didn’t you? All you’ve ever done is yell at me and run off. Is that supposed to be love?”
“Yes.”
Blood pounded in his ears and he dropped his head into his hands. “This is not how I planned for this to go.”
“You had a plan?” She flashed him that smile. The one that held a lot of promises.
He felt heat flow through him. How did she do that with just a smile? He pulled a small velvet bag with gold tassels out of his pocket. “I got you something.”
Samantha took the delicate bag and ran a thumb across the velvet. “You were going to bribe me?”
“Well, not right off.”
Her eyebrow popped up.
“See, first I was just going to try some big speech.”
She chuckled.
“Yeah, exactly,” He pointed to the bag. “That was my backup plan.”
“And if this didn’t work?”
“I was going to tie you up and carry you off.”
“And if I called for help?”
“Oh, don’t worry. I was planning to gag you too.”
She poked his ribs and opened the bag, holding her hand underneath to catch what she poured out. A ring tumbled into her palm. She gasped. It was exquisite: diamonds and emeralds set into a wide gold band.
“You never did get a wedding ring.” He watched her slide it onto her hand and wiggle her fingers. The light made the stones sparkle.
“What if none of your plans had worked?”
“I would have begged.” He looked into her deep green eyes. “I can’t even breathe without you.”
“I missed you so much.” She kissed him softly. “Promise me you will never let me go.”
He smiled. “Now, that I can do.”
He wrapped her in his arms and covered her mouth with his, kissing her for all he was worth. He wanted Samantha to know she had every bit of love he had to give, now and forever.
Epilogue
Shortly after Taos carried Samantha back home, Mattie and Paul left for an extended tour of Europe and married in London before returning to Boston. To hear Mattie tell it, theirs was a love for the ages, and Samantha was delighted for her.
A few months later, Mattie sent a newspaper clipping from Boston with the headline “Littlest Gunfighter in the West” and a story that contained the exploits of one Tommy Williams. It told how he’d save his whole family with one shot in the wild and wooly New Mexico Territory at the tender age of seven. The story made Tommy a bit of a celebrity in River City, and he loved every minute of it.
Taos and Samantha quickly settled into life on the ranch. Large snow accumulations that winter eased the drought, and by spring their grassland was supporting a much larger herd. Madeline Elizabeth Williams was born that spring, one of four children Taos and Samantha would eventually raise on their ranch. To Tommy’s disappointment, three of those four children would be girls.
