AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nora wasn’t sure what happened next. One minute Preacher was removing the rope binding Spurlock. The next he was flying backward, and Spurlock was spinning around, a gun glinting in his hand.
She opened her mouth to shout, but it came out in a grunt as Adam shoved her behind him.
Two pistol shots fired, one after the other, and Nora pushed away from Adam, trying to make sense of the scene before her.
Everyone stood frozen. Everyone except Spurlock, who lay unmoving on the ground, a bullet hole in his chest, his gun lying beside him.
All those not lying dead on the ground turned to Adam, who stood, feet braced, gun smoking in his hand.
Spurlock had pulled his gun, aiming at the sheriff. And Adam…he’d pulled his weapon so quickly she hadn’t even seen it. But he’d managed to get his shots off just before Spurlock pulled his trigger.
“Did you…did you just save the sheriff?” she asked.
Sheriff Woodson looked at Adam and the gun he held, looked down at Spurlock, then back at Adam. He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“All right,” he said with a shrug. “I guess I forgive you.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Adam stood in Nora’s front room, his heart thudding in his chest. He’d never thought to see this place again. This house that he’d begun to think of as his home. Never thought he’d have the chance to be standing before her again. He’d ridden off with Spurlock, not sure he’d ever even see the sunrise again. Yet here he was. Miracles did happen occasionally, it seemed. He could only hope he’d get another one.
Nora had been mostly silent as they’d ridden home. He hadn’t wanted to pry into her thoughts, wanted to give her time to process what she was feeling. He’d done his job a little too well when he was trying to convince Spurlock he didn’t care for her.
But he didn’t think he could take the silence anymore.
“Nora, I…”
She held up a finger to stop him and took a deep breath. “I understand why you did what you did. I even agree with the plan to a certain degree. It worked, so it’s hard to argue with it too much. However,” she said, keeping him from interrupting. “What I’m having a hard time with is that you went behind my back. Came up with this plan of yours that revolved around destroying me and sacrificing yourself.”
“I was trying to protect you,” he started, and she held up a hand again.
“I’m aware. Very noble. But I don’t need you to protect me.”
He sucked in a breath, desperately wanting to argue that point. Oh, he completely agreed that she was more than capable of holding her own. But that didn’t mean he’d ever stop wanting,needingto protect her.
“What I want is someone who I can trust to tell me the truth. Who I can trust to not hurt me,” she said, the small crack in her voice reaching inside his chest and shredding a piece of his heart. “Who I can trust to trustme. I want a partner. Not a keeper.”
God, this woman staggered him. His heart swelled with pride as he watched her. How had he been lucky enough to find her? What had he ever done in his miserable life to deserve her? This incredible woman, this queen standing before him, strong and commanding? He didn’t know. But he’d gladly spend the rest of his life proving that he was worthy. He wanted nothing more than to fall to his knees and worship her.
“Can you do that?” she asked. “Can you be that for me?”
He came toward her, stopping a breath away. “I will be anything you need me to be. Gladly. Proudly. Your partner. Your lover,” he said, leaning forward to brush his lips across hers. “Your husband,” he said, pressing his forehead to hers. “If you’ll have me.” He pulled back enough to meet her gaze.
Her breath caught in her throat, and she lifted a hand to his cheek. “Is that what you really want?”
His lips pulled into a slow smile. “More than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life.”
“I thought your number one rule was to avoid matrimony at all costs.”
“It was.” He shrugged. “But I was wrong.”
That startled a laugh out of her, and he nearly closed his eyes and groaned at the pleasure that sound sent crashing through him. He would happily spend the next fifty years of his life making sure she was happy enough to laugh like that every damn day.
He gently cradled her face. “Marry me.”
Her eyes searched his, and the smile that touched her lips made his soul sing.
“All right.”
