A Moment in Time (44 page)

      
"Nope, just Mark Twain."
 
She folded her arms in front of her.
 
"It's all true, Cole."

      
"You still haven't told me how it happened."

      
"Right."
 
She paced again for a few minutes, then stopped, looking toward the mountains.
 
"Like I told you, I was abandoned in the mountains, so I started walking down.
 
I know nothing about the mountains, Cole."

      
"I noticed."
 
He smiled.
 
Crazy or not, this woman touched him in a way no one ever had.
 
"I'm listening."
 
He kept his tone gentle, trying to encourage her.

      
"I had no idea it could snow in June."

      
"Ah, yes, I remember you mentioned that."

      
"I was so cold, so frightened."
 
Her voice fell to a whisper.

      
He believed her.
 
Not the time travel part, but this part.
 
No one could put this much emotion into a story that wasn't true.
 
If only he'd been there to take care of her....

      
"I found a ghost town, but only one building was standing."
 
She chuckled again, then looked right at him.
 
"The Gold Mine Saloon in Devil's Gulch."

      
A shiver raced down his spine.
 
"Devil's Gulch is a busy place, Jackie," he said gently.
 
"Not a ghost–"

      
"It
will
be, though."
 
She rubbed her arms and pulled the shawl closer.
 
"Anyway, I took shelter in the saloon and found a few things I could use.
 
A lamp, some food, matches..."
 
Her voice trailed away.
 

      
"What happened next?"
 
He stepped closer and put a hand on her shoulder, relieved that she didn't flinch away.
 
"I want to know, Jackie.
 
Tell me."
 
And get this sickness out of your mind before it destroys you.

      
"A painting of Lolita Belle."
 
Jackie laughed again, a crazy, shrill sound.
 
"Her name was on the painting along with the year 1891."

      
"And I kidnapped you from that artist's place out on the edge of town."

      
"Exactly, so you
do
believe me."

      
He remained silent and felt her withdrawal.
 
She shrugged his hand away and lifted her chin again.
 
"Anyway, it was cold and I started a fire in the stove.
 
There was an old movie script there to read, so I settled down in front of the stove to read."

      
"What happened?"

      
"Fire."
 
The word was barely more than a strangled whisper in the night.
 
"Fire."

      
"Ah, Jackie."
 
He reached for her and pulled her into his arms, relieved when she came willingly.
 
Trembling, she rested her cheek against his chest and he stroked her hair.
 
"You're safe now."

      
She pulled back slightly, looking up at him.
 
"No, not until you believe me, Cole."

      
She had to finish this.
 
He sensed that.
 
"What happened next?"
 
Her body trembled in his arms and he rubbed her back, hoping to calm her.

      
"There was no way out, but I remembered a window behind the bar, near Lolita's painting."
 
A small sob tore from her throat and she covered her mouth.
 
"I was so afraid, Cole.
 
So afraid..."

      
"I'm here now."

      
"I...I couldn't find the window.
 
Something fell and knocked me down."
 
She drew a shuddering breath.
 
"Lolita's painting crashed to the floor with me.
 
I knew I was going to die."

      
"You didn't die."

      
"No, and that's when the miracle happened."

      
Now certainly wasn't the time to tell her she was talking nonsense.
 
He just held her and prayed that sharing her story would purge her of this madness.
 
God willing
.
 
"What miracle, Jackie?"

      
"The painting started to glow and I touched her face.
 
Lolita's face."

      
"Go on."
 
A chill seeped into Cole's bones and he couldn't shake it.
 
He swallowed hard, listening.

      
"Her face...became mine."

      
Cole's heart raced and his gut clenched.
 
A thin coating of perspiration popped out all over his body.
 
He held her tighter, suddenly afraid.
 
Had the fire done this to her?
 
Driven her mad?

      
But what did
he
fear?
 
Her madness?
 
No.

      
He feared for his own sanity.

      
Dear God, I almost believe her.
 
He dragged in a shaky breath, still rubbing her back.
 
She trembled against him and he leaned back to gaze down at her shadowy face in the moonlight.
 
"Then what happened?"

      
She lifted one shoulder in a shrug and sighed.
 
"I woke up in the Gold Mine Saloon, but it was brand new like it is now."
 
A nervous laugh bubbled up from her lips.
 
"The Brothers Grime–"

      
"Grime?
 
Who are they?"

      
"Goodfellow's henchmen, Zeb or Zeke or whatever his name is, and the other one."
 

      
"Ah, the pair who came here looking for you?"
 
He was starting to understand why Jackie had become such an agreeable hostage.
 
The word made him cringe.
 
"I figured they came here because of the morning I dragged you out of the street and you asked me to help you."
 
He shuddered.
 
"I swear, I'll never forgive myself for not listening to you then."

      
"Please forgive yourself, Cole."
 
She reached up and cradled his cheek in her palm.
 
"I've forgiven you."

      
The urge–no, the
need
–to kiss her thundered through him and he lowered his head to claim her lips.
 
She clung to him and he felt her quivering.
 
Was he strong enough to help her through this madness?

      
Would she recover at all?
 
She had to.

      
In his arms, she didn't feel insane at all.
 
Did it really matter that she believed she was born in the future?
 
After all, they'd been getting along quite well so far.

      
Yes, it mattered for her.
 
He had to help her get well.

      
She ended their kiss and drew a quick breath.
 
"I thought then that I should go back with them and let Henri finish Lolita's painting," she continued, her voice stronger now.
 
"But I didn't want to get..."

      
"Get what?" he prodded.
 

      
"I didn't want to get you in trouble."
 
She rested her cheek against his chest again and he massaged slow circles into her back.
 
"Oh, Cole, I'm still afraid."

      
"Shh, I'm here."
 
He lifted her chin and gazed down at her, wishing again that he could see her eyes.
 
It warmed him to know she'd been trying to protect him, despite her obvious...problems.
 
"Why were you worried about the painting being finished?"
 
And how could she have touched it in the future if it didn't exist?
 
The entire thing made no sense, but she couldn't see that.

      
"It's my time portal," she said matter-of-factly.

      
Inwardly, he groaned.
 
"Time...portal?"

      
"Of course."
 
A gentle breezed wrapped her skirts around his legs.
 
"It pulled me back in time, so I figure it can just as easily send me forward."

      
"Do you...
want
to go back, Jackie?"
 
He sounded as crazy as she did.
 
"I don't want you to leave."

      
"I...I'm not sure, Cole."
 
She sighed again.
 
"Part of me–a very big part–wants to stay here with you and Todd more than anything."

      
"I'll take care of you," he said.
 
"I want to marry you, Jackie."

      
"Even knowing who and what I really am?"
 

      
"Yes."
 
No matter what, he would take care of her.
 
If she spent the rest of her life believing she'd traveled back in time, then so be it.
 
She warmed his heart, filled his soul, made beautiful love to him, and she took good care of Todd.
 
"Marry me, Jackie."

      
"Now that you know the truth..."
 
She drew a shaky breath.
 
"Yes."

      
What more could a man ask?

* * *

      
Jackie approached the moonlit outhouse with resolve.
 
She'd be staying in the nineteenth century, so she'd better get used to the inconveniences and conveniences, such as they were.

      
She smiled, giddy in the knowledge that she would be staying here and marrying Cole Morrison.
 
With a thumbs-up gesture, she whispered, "
Yes
," and did the Snoopy dance in front of the outhouse.

      
Laughing at herself, she entered it and took care of business, then stepped out and stood gazing up at the stars for a few wondrous moments.
 
Cole would love and protect her.
 
Funny, but she'd never thought she needed a man's protection before, but it was much more than that.
 
Knowing someone cared enough to want the job made her heart swell with love.

      
Yes, love.
 
Though he still hadn't spoken the words, she knew in her heart that Cole loved her.
 
How could any man put up with her otherwise, let alone want to spend the rest of his life chained to her?

      
She had a lifetime of love, commitment, great sex, motherhood–even if she never gave birth, she'd have Todd–and joy ahead of her.
 
Amazing what a little quantum leaping could do for a girl.

      
Speaking of great sex, she and Cole had a date with a pile of straw.
 
Internal warmth settled low in her belly and unfurled through her like tendrils of smoke, focusing on her smoldering core.
 
Turning in the direction of the stable and the man she loved, she hurried toward what promised to be a
very
memorable rendezvous.

      
Another thought filled her mind and she paused.
 
While it was true Cole hadn't professed his love for her, she was guilty of the same omission.
 
So much for honesty, Clarke.
 
Squaring her shoulders, she vowed to remedy that error in about two min–

      
"Oomph."
 
A gloved hand clamped over her mouth and an arm of steel hauled her toward the trees.
 
She tried to scream, then twisted, bit, kicked and struggled against the man, but he was too powerful.
 
A familiar, sickeningly sweet scent touched her nostrils, demanding she remember something, but she failed.

      
All she could think of was that Cole was waiting for her.
 
She leaned away from her abductor and stomped on his foot, straining to break free.

      
"You bitch," the man snapped, his hot breath scorching the side of her neck.
 
An evil chuckle filled her ear.
 
"I always was partial to redheads."