How to Lasso a Cowboy by Shirley Jump Page A

enjoy your companionship.” He raised his hat toward her, then returned it to his head. “Speaking of which, I’m feeling mighty parched right now. Would you be a good neighbor and chair renter and—”
    â€œFine.” She scowled. “One Earl Grey coming up.”
    â€œAnd three of those bis-yummy things.”
    â€œThat would require a renegotiation in our terms. I believe we settled on one cup of tea. I only threw in the biscotti because I was being a nice person the other day.”
    He feigned a pout. “Tea just ain’t the same without them. It’s like riding bareback on a horse with no hair.”
    She tried to hold back her laughter, then let out the chuckle anyway. He liked the sound of her laughter—light and airy, like a spring breeze. For that moment, he forgot the responsibilities waiting for him at the radio station, the long To Do list before him, the constant worries about his brother. He felt as light as her laughter sounded.
    â€œAnd may I assume you have done that, Mr. Jones?” she said.
    â€œNo, ma’am. We don’t have any bald horses in Texas. But I imagine it’s the same as trying to drink my tea without those delicious cookies of yours.”
    She considered him for a second. “Two footstools, then.”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œYou want biscotti with every cup of tea, and I need two footstools so people can rest their dogs, as Lulu would say, when they come by. You make me my footstools and you can have your cookies.”
    â€œI’m a busy man, Miss Watson. I don’t have time to be building—”
    â€œAnd I’m a businesswoman who likes to make a profit, Mr. Jones. Which means I don’t give out my cookies for free.” She rose and stood there, one foot turned toward the counter, waiting for him to lob the tennis ball back.
    He glanced down at the notepad before him, filled with notes and tasks he needed to accomplish. “I don’t have time to build—”
    â€œThen set those breeding chairs to work.” She winked. “I’m sure they could produce a set of stepstool twins.”
    â€œThat they might.” He chuckled. Damn, that woman had a way of convincing him to do the very things he didn’t want to do. His stomach let out a growl. The part of himthat missed furniture building—something he’d had no time for the last few days—said there had to be a few hours left in his busy day to build those pieces for Sophie, if only to get her to smile at him again. In the process, maybe he’d relieve a little of the constant pressure that seemed to linger in his neck every day he sat behind Tobias’s desk at WFFM. “Any chance I can get a prepayment?”
    â€œAre you a man of your word?”
    â€œI may be a lot of things that aren’t all that good, Miss Watson, but the one thing I am is a man of my word. I say I’m going to do something and I do it. You can depend on me.”
    â€œI don’t depend on anybody. But I do know where you live, and if you eat my cookies without making my footstools, I’ll be by to collect on the debt.”
    He grinned. “I’m counting on that.” Then he met her gaze. “And I’m counting on you coming right back here to eat those cookies with me.”
    â€œI have a business to run—”
    â€œExcuses, excuses.” He waved off her words. “If I heard right, you’re my perfect match.” Harlan leaned back in his chair and eyed Sophie Watson. “And that means you owe me one date. Right here, right now.”
    A moment later, she returned, with a plate of biscotti, and a coffee for herself. She sat down across from him. “So, what do you want to do on our ‘date’?”
    He could think of a hundred things he wanted to do with a gorgeous woman like her, but none that would be a good idea. “Talk.”
    She arched a brow. “Talk?”
    He