Seducing the Wolf (53 page)

She felt his lips curve. “She’s not my girlfriend. You are.”

“Oh, really?” Taylor challenged.

“Damn right.”

She sniffed. “What if I don’t want a boyfriend? Or what if I prefer Kappas? What if—”

“Don’t even play like that, Tay,” Manning warned, his eyes flashing dangerously.

She bit her quirking lip. “Which part, specifically, are you objecting to? The part about me not wanting a boyfriend? Or the part—” She broke off with a squeal when he suddenly bent and swept her up into his arms.

As he began striding across the yard, she asked, “Where are you taking me?”

“To get some pound cake and lemonade. Then we’re gonna sit and relax in the shade, and you’re gonna tell me why I shouldn’t spank the hell outta this pretty ass of yours when we get home.”

She shivered and clenched her thighs together as damp heat gathered between them, stoked by his aggressive words. “Who says I don’t want you to?”

He shot her a dark look. “What?”

“Why would I try to talk you out of spanking me? I
want
you to spank me.” She curled her tongue into his ear and purred, “Spank me hard.
Please
.”

“Jesus, Tay.” Manning shuddered. “Fuck this. We’re going home.”

35

T
hey didn’t leave, of course.

They stayed and circulated around the yard, laughing and mingling with other picnickers. Manning introduced Taylor to so many people, their names and faces began blurring together. But she didn’t mind. She loved being there, loved being part of his world after so many years apart.

She was excited when they finally caught up with Yuma Navarro, Manning’s childhood friend turned executive vice president. Taylor wouldn’t have recognized him in the crowd if he hadn’t walked right up to her and greeted her with a hug. He looked so different than she remembered. He’d grown much taller than she’d expected, and his olive complexion had been cleared of all traces of acne. His straight black hair hung to his shoulders, and his masculine face boasted the high cheekbones, strong nose and square jaw that were stereotypically attributed to Native Americans.

Taylor and Navarro played catch-up until Skip, Nikhil, Ulrich and Lucas wandered over. Then they all stood around chatting, laughing and joking with one another. When Maya joined them, Taylor didn’t miss the way Navarro subtly positioned himself to stand beside her. She gave him a shy look beneath her lashes, a look so fleeting Taylor could have imagined it. Except she knew she hadn’t.

When she and Manning moved on to mingle with other people, Maya and Navarro slowly walked off together.

Manning and Taylor returned to the veranda, where they chilled for a while with Manning’s parents, Mama Wolf, Grandma Kirkland, Uncle Sterling, Uncle Theo and Aunt Winnie, Quentin’s mother and Mr. Haley.

It felt so natural sitting there with the older folks, sipping sweet lemonade and talking about everything and nothing. The sheer simplicity of it made Taylor want things she’d never allowed herself to want before. Things like marriage. Cuddling on the sofa on cozy fall afternoons. Romantic strolls in the park. Sunday dinners with the whole family. Cooing babies.

God help her…she wanted
babies
.

Shaken by the thought, she drank some lemonade to relieve the sudden tightness in her throat.

Seated beside her, Manning gently rubbed the pad of his thumb over her knuckles and murmured, “You okay?”

She nodded quickly.

Mama Wolf suddenly sighed, a sound of pure contentment. “God has been so good to me, keeping me alive and in good health all these years.”

“Amen,” everyone chorused in agreement.

“Lord willing, I’ll be around to see
all
of my great-grandsons married off with children of their own.”

“Hear, hear.”

Mama Wolf harrumphed. “But I sure do wish they’d hurry up. I ain’t getting any younger.”

Everyone, including Taylor, burst out laughing.

As dusk fell, everyone migrated to the stage area to enjoy the evening’s entertainment before the fireworks began. The first two rows of seats had been reserved for family and close friends. Taylor was directed to sit front and center, while Maya and Lexi sat on either side of her.

Everybody was laughing and chatting when the stage suddenly lit up. As an electric buzz of excitement swept over the crowd, Manning, Montana, Magnum, Maddox and Mason slowly strolled onto the stage. Taylor’s eyes widened at the sight of them in matching white suits and white fedoras cocked at a rakish angle.

A wave of lusty feminine whistles and cheers erupted from the crowd. Cell phones were whipped out, lights flashing like fireflies as a flurry of photos was snapped.

As Manning sauntered up to the microphone, the cheers and catcalls swelled to a deafening crescendo. His wickedly sexy grin had pulses racing and thighs clenching.

Taylor’s heart galloped into her throat as his dark, glittering eyes homed in on her.

“As some of you already know,” he began, his deep voice pouring through the microphone like midnight silk, “when I was fourteen, I lost my poor heart to this sweet little tenderoni I met at school. I thought of her all the time, and whenever I was around her, I couldn’t keep a silly smile off my face. Shorty had me
sprung
.”

Warm laughter swept over the audience as Taylor smiled up at Manning, tears misting her eyes.

“The day she agreed to be my girl was the happiest day of my life. Now that she’s back in my world, I feel like the luckiest man on the planet.” Manning smiled tenderly at Taylor. “This one’s for you, sweetheart.”

A wave of dreamy sighs floated through the crowd.

When the opening notes of “All I Do Is Think Of You” began playing, Taylor instantly melted, flooded with memories of the time Manning and his brothers had serenaded her at her sixteenth birthday party. They’d performed to the Jackson Five’s version, but Troop’s grown and sexy remake was even better.

“I can’t wait to get to school each day…”

Taylor’s heart swelled as a roar of nostalgic approval rose from the crowd. Maya and Lexi squeezed each of her hands, and someone behind her patted her back excitedly.

Manning winked at Taylor as he began lip synching the lyrics to the song.

“
Oh, my God,
” she whispered, watching in giddy elation as he and his brothers flowed into their routine, rocking from side to side and rolling their hips to the music.

The women went crazy, screaming like fans at a concert. Taylor couldn’t blame them. The Wolf brothers were insanely hot, and their choreographed dance moves were suave, soulful and sexy—half Temptations, half Jodeci, one hundred percent irresistible.
Panty-droppingly
irresistible.

Taylor swayed in her seat, grinning so hard her cheeks hurt. When Manning sauntered to the edge of the stage and smoothly sank to a crouch in front of her, she jumped up and went to meet him.

His eyes twinkled as he gently stroked her cheek while mouthing the next line of the song,
“My heart’s here to stay…”

She beamed up at him and mouthed back,
I love you so damn much!

He patted his heart and winked at her.

When Mason slyly tried to horn in on their tender moment, Manning reached back and blocked him with a hand to his chest. Laughter rolled through the crowd.

By the time the final note of the song played, everyone was on their feet clapping and cheering enthusiastically.

The five brothers took a bow, white grins dazzling beneath the brims of their fedoras.

Taylor blew them a kiss, and they smiled and winked at her. Then Manning hopped down from the stage, framed her face in his hands and gave her a deep, devouring kiss that elicited another wave of applause and whistles from the crowd.

Their lips were still locked when the first burst of fireworks exploded, lighting up the night sky.

“Oh my goodness,” Taylor breathed against Manning’s mouth. “That was
sooo
sweet and romantic.”

He smiled lazily. “You liked that?”

“
God,
yes
. I’ll never forget it.” She plucked off his fedora and put it on her head, then brought her lips to his ear and traced the warm shell with her tongue. When he shuddered, she whispered throatily, “Can we go home now? I’m dripping wet and horny as hell.”

No further words were spoken as he grabbed her hand and led her away.

Thirty minutes later, they stumbled into his house, mouths sliding hotly, tongues stroking, hands clawing furiously at each other’s clothes. Taylor’s jumper was peeled off, followed by Manning’s white jacket and pants. He tore away her panties, and she ripped off his briefs.

When they were both naked, she spun drunkenly and raced toward the moonlit kitchen, giggling like a naughty nymph. He charged after her, cornering her at the massive refrigerator. She shivered as he caged her to the stainless steel front, rubbing his hard dick along the crack of her ass. She was so aroused that one more stroke could set her off like the fireworks still bursting intermittently over the night skies.

“I need a drink,” she rasped, opening one side of the refrigerator. She grabbed a bottle of Chardonnay and padded to the center island to fetch a corkscrew.

Manning took the bottle from her hand and deftly uncorked it. Champagne spewed from the top, white foam spilling down the sides and over his knuckles. Taylor lowered her mouth to his hand and lapped up the cold wetness from his skin, making him shiver.

She watched as he took a swig from the bottle and licked his sexy lips. When she tipped back her head, he poured some into her mouth. She swallowed, smiling as a few fizzy droplets trickled down her chin.

Manning’s eyes gleamed as he raised the bottle over her and doused her breasts with champagne. She gasped at the shock of the chilled liquid splashing her heated flesh. As her nipples hardened, he leaned down and sucked them, lapping the wine away.

She mewled with pleasure, gripping the back of his head. 

He set the bottle on the counter and then grabbed her around the waist. Her heart pounded erratically as he bent her over the edge of the island and spread her legs. She closed her eyes, trembling with anticipation and lust as he ran his cock along the drenched lips of her pussy.

Just when she thought she’d lose her mind, he plunged into her with one forceful shove.

She screamed in ecstasy and arched her back.

He groaned, his body shaking with a powerful shudder as she pulsed around his dick.

Gripping her hips, he began thrusting into her with long, deep strokes that sent pleasure radiating through her. When she keened his name, he laughed roughly.

“You’ve been a bad girl all day, Miss Chastain,” he chided.

“I have,” she agreed breathlessly. “I’ve been a
bad, bad, bad
girl.”

“Umm-hmm. I think you need a good spanking.”

“Yes,” she panted, licking her lips. “Spank m—”

Before she could finish, his hand came down on her ass cheek with a resounding
smack!