Free Farmer Wants a Wife: Love and Friendship, Book 3 by Shelley Munro

discuss my family situation with Susan.” He’d intended to tell her of the sordid past anyway, since he wanted to start with honesty.
    Julia scowled. “Why—?”
    “That’s enough, sweetheart,” Ryan said. “Give the man a break and take him to meet Susan.”
    She nodded. “Come on.”
    “Leave them alone,” Ryan added. “Susan knows we’re here if she needs us.”
    While they’d been talking, two women appeared behind the bar. An elderly man prowled from behind the curtain. Although he was older, he looked alert and fit in his white shirt and black trousers.
    “Should I tell Stan to open the doors, Julia?” the man asked.
    Julia glanced at her watch. “Please, Curt. Come on, Tyler. Susan won’t have much time until she needs to change for her routine.”
    Tyler went with Julia, aware of the murmur of voices behind him, the silent speculation. No doubt he’d face more questioning during the weekend. No problem. Susan’s friends cared for her, which only made her more attractive to him. A woman who inspired loyalty beat his wife, hands down.
    “Susan, you have a visitor,” Julia said, standing back to usher him into the small office. She checked her watch and grinned. “Sorry, but you only have ten minutes. Inconvenient for us too, since we had to cut our interrogation short. See you soon.”
    Susan groaned, her blue eyes settling on him as Julia left them alone. “They didn’t?”
    “They care about you,” Tyler said, drinking her in. With her long straight hair and freckles, her bright blue eyes, she was even prettier in person. “I know this is forward since we haven’t met before, but I want to kiss you.”
    “Yes,” she whispered.
    He set his last bunch of flowers aside and closed the space between them. She glanced up, a tiny smile playing on her lips.
    “I’m so glad you agreed to meet me in person.” Unable to resist, he ran the tips of his fingers over her cheek. It was soft and silky and immediately he wanted to experience more of her—preferably while she was naked. He breathed in her scent, soapy with a blast of citrus, and his craving intensified. In person, her freckles stood out—charming cinnamon-colored dots that tempted him to taste. “You’re beautiful.”
    Her dark lashes lowered to screen her blue eyes but the curve of her lips told him she found the compliment pleasing.
    “It’s hard to judge height on television.” It was difficult to judge a lot of things while watching the screen. Seeing her in person let him indulge his senses.
    “What’s wrong with my height?”
    “Not a thing.” The six inches difference worked for him. His head dipped and he took her lips. Gentle at first, he explored, tasted, then her arms wrapped around his neck and she pressed closer. Given her encouragement, he took the kiss deeper, tangling their tongues and doing some of the things he’d dreamed of when he first saw her on television. He stroked his tongue against hers then bit her full lower lip. Her soft breasts pressed against his chest and her encouraging sounds went straight to his cock.
    He let his hands wander down her back and come to rest on her butt. He pulled her against him, groaning against her mouth when his cock came into contact with her lower body.
    “Ahem!” Julia said from the doorway.
    They sprang apart, both breathing hard and emotionally off-balance. At least he was teetering, the rush of lust almost taking him out at the knees. He found he wanted to possess her, to mark her, take her in every way so no one was in any doubt she belonged to him and he belonged to her.
    “I thought you’d be talking,” Julia said, a wicked gleam in her eyes. “I can’t wait to report back.”
    “I don’t suppose I can bribe you to keep quiet?” Susan asked.
    Tyler shot her a quick glance. Nope, she didn’t look as if she regretted their close encounter. Oh, her cheeks were flushed, but she’d moved close again, the heat from her body searing his hip through his