Free Laredo's Sassy Sweetheart by Tina Leonard

matter how much fun it would be.”
    “Did you know that Cissy Kisserton’s out in the middle of the street talking to your cowboy right now?” Jerry asked, staring out the window.
    Delilah jumped up from her chair and flew to the window. “That she-devil!”
    He shook his head. “Of course, Marvella figures it worked so well last time, why not give it a go again.”
    “Well, I’ll be!” She looked at Jerry. “Gosh, it’s not like we have the best of chances since our cowboy’s unproven!”
    “Our own virgin cowboy,” Jerry agreed. “Doesseem like Marvella works just a little too hard at what should be a friendly way to benefit charities.”
    “Maybe I’ll change my mind about cheating!”
    He chuckled and kissed her cheek. “No one could blame you if you did, but I’d rather see you stick to the honest side.”
    She was silent for a minute, weighing her doubts. “Jerry, I’ve already let half my girls go. They were lucky. They’re settling in Union Junction and opening their own shop. Katy and these other ten gals might not be so fortunate if I have to close up totally. Then how am I going to feel?”
    “Like you did the best you could, honey. No one’s guaranteed a cakewalk in this life. You gave them fresh starts. Gave them what you had to give. If we get beat, me and you, we’re going ice-fishing in Delaware. Or Canada. For good.”
    She heard the “we” and felt so much better. And yet—
    “Jerry, this shop is all mine. It’s all I’ve ever had. When my husband died, I scraped for every penny. Then Marvella’s husband left her and we fell in love and got married. I did not steal him,” Delilah said with a steely eye. “Marvella has made me the scapegoat, but it was two years after they split up before I even saw her husband.” She sighed, the memories hard. “And then he passed away. After that, I was tired of burying husbands. I opened this shop, and it’s given me everything I’ve needed for the past ten years. More than anything, I’ve enjoyed the girls. They come here sad and hurting, and they get well,and they go away healed. And I’m darn proud of that.”
    “But you wouldn’t want to kidnap some hapless bull rider just to win.”
    “I think I would!”
    He laughed and tweaked her nose. “We’ll find another way. Come on. I’ll help you finish picking the letters off that shirt so you can put Laredo’s name on it. At least we can count on him. ”

Chapter Seven
    Laredo stared at the beautiful woman in front of him. “Lied to me? Why?”
    Cissy gave him a sweet smile. “All’s fair in love and war. At least that’s what I always heard. But now I don’t think that’s right anymore. I want to be on your side, Laredo.”
    He wasn’t buying this act for a second. “Why?”
    “I like you,” she said, her tone innocent and shy.
    Hmm. Still telling lies, but at least the kind he liked to hear. “Thought you liked my brother Ranger.”
    “I like him, too,” she said earnestly.
    Double hmm. “You just like men in general.”
    “You might say that.” She curled a finger down the buttons of his shirt. “But I like you best. ”
    This girl was a bad’un, and he wasn’t in the mood for a reform fantasy. “Listen, this is serious, Cissy, for a lot of people. I can’t play games with you. I have to beat your salon’s bull, and I aim to do it.”
    She pursed her lips at him. “You need me onyour side, Laredo, giving you inside info, if you know what I mean.”
    “You’d rat out your own salon?”
    “If there was something in it for me,” she said silkily.
    Uh, yeah. Economics 101—there was no such thing as a free lunch. Laredo shrugged. “What’s the something?”
    “A ride out of town.”
    He stared at her. “Bus, plane, train. They’re all transporting, I hear. Especially trains, since this town is still a working station.”
    “I’d rather someone I know take me where I want to go.”
    There was a trap being laid here. Laredo just hadn’t sprung