Farmer Wants a Wife: Love and Friendship, Book 3 (17 page)

“What do you think of Nolan’s house and Clare? Could you live here?”

“I’m not sure,” Susan said, going for honesty. “I’ve spent most of my life in Auckland. I enjoyed the gala day, and what I’ve seen of the farm and the surrounding countryside is beautiful. I guess, what I’m saying is I’ll need more time before I come to a decision. It is a big change.” And she wasn’t sure she wanted to deal with the wicked witch of Clare on a daily basis. “When I applied to be on the show, I didn’t have any doubts. Things have changed.”

“What sort of things?”

“I’ve found my niche. I like who I am and where I am in my life.” She paused, shrugged, trying to marshal her thoughts. “I’m happy,” she said finally.

“What about a man? Wasn’t that the whole point of the reality show?” the cameraman asked.

Susan hesitated and finally, she went with a partial truth. “Everyone wants and deserves love, but settling for something that doesn’t fit is a mistake. I’m not going to force a relationship because my family or society says it’s time.”

“It takes a strong woman to go against tradition,” the cameraman said.

An indelicate snort escaped. “Are you trying to tell me I’m not a traditional girl?”

“You’re interesting,” the cameraman said.

“I have a great set of friends and through them, my horizons have broadened. Maybe I’ve stepped outside conventional lines, but life would be boring if we all trod the same path. As long as I’m true to myself, that’s the important thing.”

“Thank you,” the cameraman said, lowering his camera and switching off the power. “I’ll head back to the motel and sort out this footage to send to Jennifer. Tell Nolan, will ya?”

“Sure.” Susan peeled the last potato and tidied the counter.

Nolan returned with a blanket and his puppy. He commanded the black-and-white dog to sit. “Thanks for the suggestion, although my father would say that’s not the right behavior for a farm dog.”

“You don’t talk about your father much,” Susan said.

“He’s slowed down after a fall from his horse. He spends more time in his workshop making furniture these days.”

“Is that a problem?”

“No, I enjoy taking charge and doing things my way. It’s my ideal life, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Susan nodded, her thoughts drifting to Tyler. She couldn’t imagine leaving the city now. A long-distance romance? That hadn’t worked for Julia, and if Susan were honest, it wouldn’t work for her either.

Chapter Nine

Tyler made a pot of tea and poured mugs for Josie and Eric. After delivering them, he settled in front of the television with his own tea, frustration stalking his mind.

Susan was here in Clare, but he hadn’t managed to glimpse her since the gala day. Three days of snatched chats and texts. A couple of emails. Now it was time for another episode of the reality show and he thought he might explode if he couldn’t see her, touch her. Kiss her.

“What is wrong with you?” Eric asked. “You got ants in your pants?”

“He’s been like that for days.” Josie’s eyes gleamed with secrets and Tyler was glad she wasn’t sharing her opinion, at least not to his face. “Maybe you need a change of routine? When are you going to go on your date with Susan?”

What he needed was a good hard fuck, and only one woman would solve his problem. But how did he get his hands on Susan?

He could hardly bring her here to the farm, and he couldn’t take her to a motel room without causing speculation. The downside of country town life—eyes everywhere.

His cell phone buzzed and he straightened, pulling it from his pocket.
Phone sex at ten. Are you up for it?
Lust ran a path directly to his dick and he shifted, careful to make his move casual.

The opening credits for
Farmer Wants a Wife
ran across the screen, and Tyler took a moment to reply.
Hell, yeah! It’s a date
.

“You look happier,” Josie said.

Tyler lifted his head to discover Eric and Josie staring, their expressions a hairsbreadth from nosiness.

“Shush, the show is starting,” Tyler said.

“Katey keeps mentioning a bracelet and Susan in the same sentence. I thought I’d ask Susan if we could buy supplies and make bracelets at Katey’s birthday party. Maybe she could teach the girls a dance or two as well. I’m sure that would stack up well against pony rides,” Josie said.

“Sounds good. Did you still want me to do face painting?”

“Yes, I think so. It’s good to plan indoor activities at this time of the year. If the weather is fine, we can move outside. We’ll play it by ear.”

“I’ll ask Susan,” he said, his attention on the television screen.

“Give me her number,” Josie said. “I’ll ask her.”

And there went his only viable excuse for contacting Susan. On screen, Nolan was teasing the two blondes—Jasmine and Lucy. There was lots of flirting and eyelash fluttering before the scene shifted to a shared dinner.

“Who is Nolan going to choose?” Eric asked when the show went to a commercial break.

“Not Susan if your mother has anything to do with it,” Josie said. “The most awful rumors are circulating in the supermarket. I know they’re false because I spent time with Susan at the gala.” Her innocent gaze swung to Tyler. “I liked her very much. What do you say, Tyler?”

Tyler shot Josie a narrow-eyed stare. She was yanking his tail and doing an excellent job of ramping up his angst. “I think she’s sexy, a lot of fun and Nolan should watch out or some other local will snatch her from under his nose.”

“Well,” said Josie. “Are you interested in Susan? I thought you had a special friend up in Auckland.”

“You know it’s Susan. Shush, the show is starting again.” Tyler fastened his attention on the screen, his breath catching on seeing her. She spoke candidly, not shying from hard, soul-searching questions.

“She’s gutsy,” Eric said. “I like what I’ve seen of her too.”

“I like the fact she doesn’t resort to girlie tricks with Nolan,” Josie said. “She’s straight and true to herself. She doesn’t deserve the slurs your mother is casting on her character.”

Tyler remained silent, digesting her words of country life. A potential problem. He’d talk her round. His mind moved on to his mother and her dirty tactics. As a kid, he’d tried to be good, yet his attempts had never been enough. His mistake in getting a girl pregnant had given his parent a reason to toss him from the family home, and his father and brother hadn’t offered support.

“
Ooh
, look!” Josie cried. “We’re on the telly.”

The camera had caught him laughing with Susan while Josie grinned like a woman in a toothpaste ad in the rear of the shot. His stomach bottomed out. Everything he felt for Susan shone on his face. He was certain Josie would recognize his open emotion, but she knew him well. Hopefully, everyone else would miss his reaction.

He tensed, waiting for his in-laws to tease. The ribbing didn’t come, and his breath eased out in silent relief. Maybe his feelings for Susan weren’t as transparent as he suspected.

Onscreen, the camera cut to Hailee. “Next week, our farmers will choose their favorite two girls. Tune in on Thursday to watch the farm antics and learn if your favorite girl reaches the next stage of the competition.”

Tyler yawned as the closing credits ran across the screen. “I might have an early night. I’ll check on Katey and head to bed.”

“Goodnight, son,” Eric said.

“Night, Tyler.”

Tyler wandered from the room while his brain demanded he break into a sprint. He had a bout of phone sex coming up. No time to waste.

Susan jumped when her phone buzzed. She checked the screen. Tyler. About time.

“I might have an early night,” she said, her gaze going to Nolan, then Jasmine and Lucy. “It’s been a long day.” Even longer since her clever idea to make a date for phone sex. Never had a show seemed so lengthy.

A chorus of half-hearted goodnights came from the girls.

Nolan smiled. “See you in the morning. Thanks again for cooking dinner.”

“No problem.” Without her normal busy routine, the days were dragging, despite the new situation and the number of new people she found popping into her schedule.

Before she could reply to Tyler’s text, her phone rang.

“Hello, Susan. It’s Josie. I’m ringing to ask about our date.”

Susan listened while Josie ran through her list of requirements and the date of Katey’s birthday. “I’d love to help. Let me run it past Nolan and the cameraman first. Jennifer, our producer, has given them a strict schedule to keep in order to complete the show by deadline. I think that should be all right, but I’ll double check tomorrow and confirm with you after I’ve spoken to them.”

Once she’d finished the call, she sent a quick text to Tyler telling him to get naked and wait for her call.

In her bedroom, she closed the door, then turned the lock to prevent anyone from entering without permission.

She stripped and placed her clothes over the top of a straight-backed chair, the only other piece of furniture in her tiny bedroom. The last thing she did before she climbed into bed was apply some perfume, dabbing it on her pulse points. Breathless, she wiped damp palms on the green cotton duvet and reached for her phone.

“Susan. What took you so long?”

“Josie rang to organize our date. I’m coming to Katey’s birthday party, as long as I can get time off from the show.”

“I look forward to seeing you in my territory.” His husky voice slipped across her senses like the smoothest whisky slid down a throat.

“I wish…” She swallowed and started again. “I wish I was there now.”

“How would you feel about dinner and a movie for our date? We can have dinner at the pub and go to the drive-in movie on McDierment’s farm. How does that sound?”

“That sounds great,” Susan said. He hadn’t returned her sentiment and she found her confidence taking a dive. “I’m switching to speaker phone.”

“Already done. I’d like it if we could share a bed every night.”

“Me too.” Except she didn’t see how that would ever happen with her in Auckland and Tyler in Clare with his daughter.

“What are you wearing?”

“Nothing except perfume.”

“Describe the scent for me.”

“It’s spicy like cinnamon with a touch of citrus. Lime, I think. It reminds me of a Christmas cake. I put some behind my ears and on the crook of my elbow. And just a dab between my breasts.”

“Nice,” he said. “I’m not wearing anything either and all my blood is jammed in my cock.”

She laughed, picturing him with the blunt end of his cock red and swollen, his eyes glittering with need while his taut muscles strained beneath her fingertips.

“Did you bring your vibrator with you?”

“I did as it happens. Let me get Mr. Blue.”

“Your vibrator has a name?”

“He deserves one since he gives so much pleasure.”

Tyler gave an audible swallow. “Good point.” He cleared his throat. “Switch on your vibrator and tease your breasts. I want you to describe everything you feel, the things I’d see if I was in the bed with you.”

“Okay. Mr. Blue is shaped like a penis and he’s bright blue.
Ooh
,” Susan said as she slid the vibrator over the curve of one breast and nudged her nipple. “I’ve set Mr. Blue on a low speed, but I can feel the pulse against my skin. My nipple has pulled tight. My pussy feels wet already and—”

“If I touched you, would I see the glint of your juices on my fingers?”

“Let me see,” she whispered, a delicious sensation pulling tight in her lower belly. “I’m reaching down my body.” Her fingers drifted downward in a teasing caress. “I’m stroking, touching, imagining your fingers on me.” Yeah, the rougher texture of Tyler’s fingers, sliding over her belly, maybe dallying to dip into her navel. “Now I’m parting my legs. I can feel the chill of the air prickling across my hot flesh.” Her fingers grazed her slit. “But my skin feels hot. Wet.” The warmth of her pussy almost seared her fingertips. One of her fingers dipped into her entrance and it came away damp. A groan escaped.

“Don’t keep me waiting,” he ordered. “Tell me what you see.”

“My finger is shiny.” She placed her fingertip into her mouth and licked it clean. “I taste musky, a little tart.”

“I’m frightened to touch my cock.” Tyler’s voice was strained. “It won’t take much for me to explode.”

“Imagine my mouth on you,” she said, letting the vibrator drift down her body. She teased it down her cleft and closed her eyes while she verbally seduced Tyler. “I lick around the crown then delicately probe your slit to gather the drops of pre-come. You taste good, so good and all I can think of is taking you deeper into my mouth and giving you pleasure.”
He’d like this
. She’d tell him everything she couldn’t normally say out loud because of a cock-filled mouth. “I want to make you feel good, so I tease you with the flat of my tongue.”

Tyler’s sharp intake of breath tugged like a kite string, firing need, desire. Susan swallowed and continued. “I want to drive you crazy, push you like you push pleasure through me with every touch.”