The Gunslinger’s Untamed Bride (26 page)

“Y
ou sure about this?”

Günter stared at the tin star Juniper had tossed onto the desk.

“It’s time.”
Beyond time.
Since mailing off his resignation to Reg, he’d been counting down the days. In the past three months, he’d fulfilled all of his obligations to Carrington Lumber. With the mill running at full capacity, all the new positions filled, the office staff settled and court hearings completed—he was a free man. Free to take Lily’s advice and the first steps toward finding his future.

Perhaps you need to put down your guns and stop living through your past, waiting for it to resurface!

She’d been right, of course. And he was done with waiting on the past. One more week, and she’d find herself being courted with a vengeance. He knew he’d hurt her, but never imagined she’d give control of Pine Ridge over to Reg to put further distance between them. She’d been so excited about her plans…and he’d clearly ruined them for her. But she was a part of this place—her name was practically legend among the men, Miss Carrington, their harrowing Joan of Arc. She’d consumed every spare moment of his thoughts for the past three months, making sleep downright unbearable. He’d get his sorry hide spiffed up, pick out the fanciest diamond ring his savings could handle and—

“Get your asses over to the millhouse, now!” Jim Grimshaw’s voice carried through the open door, followed by muttered replies before the mill manager stormed into the jailhouse. “I’m rounding up stragglers for the meeting. Are you two coming over to help keep things under control?”

“You’ve got two deputies over there,” Juniper said. “I’m just packing up my stuff.”

“Can you take that new office assistant Carrington hired with you? The man is more work than help, following me around, shoving papers under my nose and asking me to read this and that.”

Juniper shook his head. When the lady had an idea she dug in and saw it through. “I do believe your new office assistant is Lily’s subtle way of hiring you a reading tutor.”

“Subtle, my ass. I swear, if I hear the words ‘sound it out, Grimshaw’ one more time, I’m going to
knock
him out.”

Juniper and Günter chuckled. He didn’t doubt the promise buried in those words.

“Not that I don’t appreciate all that the Carringtons have done for this camp. My Marybeth is counting the days until she can hang the new curtains she made for our future Pine Ridge house. Speaking of ladies, you might want to hurry on over to the millhouse. Your lady is causing quite the commotion.”

“
My
lady?” Juniper asked.

“I suppose you want me to spell her name out, too?”

“Lily is
here?
”

Jim took a step back. “Don’t shoot the messenger.” At the sight of Juniper’s plain trousers, Jim’s eyes widened. “Where’s your guns?”

“Packed. Are you sure it was Lily? Reg told me she was staying behind.”

“Ain’t a man who could confuse your fancy lady for any other woman. That millhouse filled up right quick when word spread she’d come for the meeting. If you ask me, she looked a little green about the gills. She didn’t say nothin’ but a soft—”

Juniper bolted out of the door.

“—hello when she emerged from the carriage,” Jim finished.

Why wouldn’t Reg have told him she was coming?

He bypassed the crowd gathered outside the millhouse and made his way around to a side door. It was standing-room only inside, men bunched into the large warehouse shoulder to shoulder. Directly across the wide storage room a group of Carrington men stood on a platform, Reginald’s voice filling the room as he spoke at the podium. A swathe of light fabric shifted amid the dark suits.

Lily leaned forward, her profile stalling his breath. Russet curls tumbled toward her shoulders, her pale green dress emphasizing the green of her eyes. She stood a few paces behind Reginald with some men from her office. Her gaze searched the crowd of workers, her brow creased with the hint of a frown.

Had she waited a few more days, he’d have come for her. Keeping his gaze locked on her face, he edged his way toward the stairs beside the platform, his pulse accelerated, his palms growing clammy.

Hell,
he thought, rubbing his hands against his pants. He’d never been nervous over a woman a day in his life.

He’d never known a woman like Lily.

At Reginald’s announcement that the administration had passed the motion to build a nearby town for workers and their families, cheers rose up, threatening to lift the roof off the warehouse. Juniper watched Lily’s mouth creep into a slight smile, and he felt a rush of pride. Just as she’d told him months ago—her promises weren’t empty. She’d made good on every one.

As Reg continued to explain the housing development, Lily broke away from the others and shuffled down the steps. She moved as discreetly as a bustled woman could through a sea of men, making her way toward the opposite door. Juniper noted the four men in suits following her with a little more stealth, staying a short distance behind her. He was glad to see Reg had at least brought a decent escort. Outside, she joined a small procession of workers filing toward the long dirt path leading back to camp. A few men paused beside her, tipping their hats and offering a greeting.

“I see you’re still sneaking off alone?” Juniper said as he came up behind her.

Lily’s heart clenched at the sound of Juniper’s voice. She’d been so afraid she’d missed him.

His arm brushed hers as he fell into step beside her. Not trusting her emotions, she kept her gaze on the path.

“Good afternoon, Sheriff,” she managed to say in a steady tone.

“Actually, I gave up the sheriff title.”

She risked a glance in his direction. His lips slid into a grin, and Lily slowed to a stop, transfixed by the warmth in his gaze. Dear God, she’d missed him so much. “And just what do you mean by resigning?” she demanded, months of repressed anger seeping into her tone.

“If you must know, I was on my way to San Francisco.”

“You were?”

The quiver in her voice and sudden sheen in her eyes eased the fear that had been riding Juniper for three excruciatingly long months. “I was wondering…have you ever thought about getting hitched?”

A hush fell over the surrounding men who’d been following them back to camp. Lily stared up at him, her expression tense, and June was sure everyone could hear his heart pounding in his chest.

“Why?” she asked, breaking the thick silence. “Do you know someone crazy enough to ask for my hand?”

“I do like a challenge. And
I love you.
”

Her eyes narrowed, her jaw clenched—not exactly the response he’d hoped for.

“You hardly know how to show it. You sent me away with—”

“I sent you
home,
not away.”

Lily crossed her arms, her beautiful face set in a stubborn scowl. “You sent me packing and
wished me well.
”

Low murmurs broke out behind him. The men closing in around them appeared none too pleased by her announcement. She wasn’t going to make this easy on him. He’d do whatever it took to win back what he wished he could have accepted months ago—her forgiveness, her love.

“What I want for us, between us, I couldn’t give you while wearing a badge. What you said about me that day, about me waiting on the past, you were right. I could never see my life beyond the violence I always knew would catch up with me. I’ve always expected to die in a gunfight. I’ve waited for it. Not anymore.”

He watched her gaze drop to his hips, noting the guns that weren’t there.

“Come what may, I’ll greet it unarmed and take my chances on life.”

He pulled off his hat and knelt down on one knee, initiating a roar of cheers from the men gathering around them. He reached for her hand hidden behind her crossed arms. Her expression gaped as her fingers slid limply into his.

“Miss Lily Palmer, you are the smartest, most beautiful and troublesome woman I have ever had the pleasure to know. I’ve been miserable these past few months. I’m crazy about you. Will you marry me?”

Staring into his clear blue eyes, Lily’s heart swelled with love. She sniffed back tears. He’d even got her name right. She loved him so much. And he’d caused her three months of sheer agony. “Do you have a ring for me?”

His smile collapsed. “Well, I was—”

“It’s not like you to be unprepared,” she interrupted, not about to just leap into his arms after the months of torment he’d put her through. “One would think you’d put no thought into such an important proposition.”

His brow pinched. “That’s not true! I was about to—”

“Sheriff needs a ring!” someone shouted over Juniper’s protest. A murmur moved through the crowd. A hand shot out over Juniper’s shoulder, revealing a silver metal band at the center of a dirt-stained palm.

Juniper uttered his thanks and picked up what was surely a washer or spare part of some kind. His lips bowed upward into a heart-melting grin as he held the metal band out to her.

“You’re lucky I love you,” Lily said, unable to hide her smile.

“The luckiest man alive.” He brought her hand to his lips, the gentle brush against her skin crumbling the last of her defenses. “How ’bout it, Lily? You want to be the first bride in Pine Ridge?”

“I’d love to.”

Juniper slid the steel band onto her finger, then lifted her into his arms as he stood. Lily shrieked with surprise, then laughed, latching her arms around his neck as cheers roared around them.

“I’ve missed you,” she whispered against his ear as he carried her into camp.

The caress of her lips turned his blood to fire. “We need to find a preacher. Fast.”

“We have to wait for Regi. He’ll be relieved to know I’m not having a child out of wedlock.”

“A child?” Juniper stopped walking—he damn near stopped breathing as his gaze slid down the layer of green bunched around her middle. “Lily?”

Her brilliant smile sent his pulse soaring.

“Surprise.”

“I need to sit down before I fall down.” He pulled open the door of her coach, stepped inside and dropped onto the seat, depositing Lily on his lap.

His hand spread over her stomach.
“Really?”

She nodded, her eyes bright with moisture. “In January.”

His arms locked around her, hugging her close. Abruptly he pulled her back. “We have to get married today.
Right now.
”

Her laughter danced across his senses, soothing his rush of tension. Nothing on this earth was as beautiful as her smile.

“Tomorrow,” she said. “Regi will likely be answering questions for another couple of hours. It will be nightfall before we reach The Grove.”

He kissed her lips, softly, reverently. Lily melted into his embrace. The slow yet thorough penetration of his velvety tongue dragged a groan from deep inside her as passion blossomed and burst.

“Then we’ll be wed by moonlight,” he whispered, “because I’m not about to lie down with you until you’re my wife. And I’m damn sure not spending another night without you in my arms.”

“Okay,” she said, rather breathlessly.

“I love you.”

“Thank goodness. I was prepared to refuse your resignation.”

He laughed against her lips. “Does that mean you’ll be wanting to hire me for a new position?”

She slid her fingers into his hair, sending his hat toppling to the seat. “Oh, you’re in far deeper than simple hiring. I’m quite wealthy, you see, and my company is becoming a tad more than I can handle. What’s mine is yours. I’m told I can be rather…demanding. Are you sure you’re up to the challenge?”

“Oh, I’m your man. But don’t think for a moment I’ll be keeping my family cooped up in San Francisco year-round.”

“Oh, really?”

“I’m not flat broke, you know? Do you remember that spot where I took you fishing?”

Excitement sparked as she recalled their walk through the river. “With great fondness.”

“I’ve got a good-size parcel of land in that area. Figure a summer house would be real nice, and we could get our feet wet when we wanted to,” he said with a wink.

Lily wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him to her lips. “Our own mountain retreat? There’s nothing I’d love more.”

She’d come to these mountains seeking the life of Juniper Barns. And he’d just given it to her, heart and all.