A Moment in Time by Deb Stover

the sight and sound of any woman.   That was all that had saved her.   She wasn't foolish enough to believe anything else.
           "All right, you're Lolita Belle," Merriweather said, scratching his bald head.   "You'll start tonight."
           "Nope."   Jackie folded her arms and tilted her head to one side, praying her bravado would hit its mark.   "It's not quite that simple, Mr. Merriweather."
           "Oh, hell," Cole muttered under his breath and rolled his eyes upward.  
           When he looked at Jackie again, she gave him a conspiratorial wink.   Kidnapper or not, she liked the guy, and he was drop-dead gorgeous.   Besides, she needed someone to take her back to Devil's Gulch when the time came.   In short, she needed a friend.
           "When can you start then, Miss Belle?"   Merriweather pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped perspiration from his bald head.   "Tomorrow?   The next day?   When?"
           Jackie drew a deep breath, praying she could pull this off and buy herself enough time to return to the correct century before she ever had to appear as Lolita in an official capacity.   "I'll need three weeks to rest from my ordeal."   She directed an accusing glare in Cole's direction.   "Being kidnapped takes its toll on a girl, Mr. Merriweather."   She gave a dramatic sigh and batted her lashes again.   The man was a sucker for that, thank goodness.
           "Three...weeks?"   Merriweather mopped his brow and the back of his neck.   "Three?"
           "At least," Jackie said, sighing again.   "Furthermore, I want you to guarantee a full house, and we'll need to agree on my cut of the take."
           "Cut?"   Merriweather looked upward and shook his head.   "Twenty percent."
           "Fifty," Jackie said without hesitating.   She met Cole's gaze and he returned her earlier wink, turning her insides to something warm and mushy.   "Fifty percent, Mr. Merriweather.   That's only fair, considering how you hired someone to kidnap me and haul me across the wilderness without my clothes."
           "I suppose that will give us time to have your clothes altered," Merriweather finally said, resignation sounding almost like defeat in his tone.   He looked over his shoulder.   "Tom, run fetch the tailor."
           "Tailor?" Jackie echoed.
           "We don't have a seamstress in Lost Creek, Miss Belle.   I ordered your wardrobe from Denver."   He loosened his tie and faced Cole.   "We got us another problem, though."
           "What's that?"   Cole's eyes narrowed as he stared at Merriweather.
           "Goodfellow will try to get her back."
           "Yeah, I reckon he will at that."   Cole stroked his chin with his thumb and forefinger.   "That's your problem, Merriweather.   I'll just collect my wages and be on my way."
           Jackie closed her eyes, wishing there were some way to keep him here, though heaven knew what she'd do with him if she kept him.   She opened her eyes and admired the dark hair curling on his broad expanse of chest.   Well, she did know what she could do with him, but that was just the sort of behavior that had landed her in this trouble.   Besides, she was looking for love and sex–not just sex.
           Don't go there, Clarke.
           "No, wait, Morrison," Merriweather said.
           "Start counting my gold," Cole said, obviously avoiding Jackie's gaze.
           He feels guilty.   Good.  
           Merriweather surveyed the crowd, openly pleased with his customers' reaction to Jackie's performance.   "How would you like to earn triple what I offered you to bring Miss Belle here?"
           Surprise flickered across Cole's face.   "You mean triple the double offer?"
           "Yes, exactly."   Merriweather lifted his chin and stared at Cole.   "Triple.   What do you say?"
           Cole sighed and shifted his weight to his