Seducing the Wolf (22 page)

He groaned, his hands skating down her back to cup her ass. He was huge inside her, huge enough to make it difficult for her to move, much less ride. But she wasn’t complaining. She reveled in his thickness, savored the delicious sting as her pussy stretched around him, taking him deep with every downward stroke.

He swore gutturally, his eyes glittering fiercely as he stared up at her. His head was thrown back against the sofa, a thin sheen of sweat covering his forehead. Grasping his big shoulders, she leaned down and pressed her mouth to his, kissing him deep and hard as she rocked up and down his shaft, her ass slapping his muscular thighs.

“
Fuck
.” His hands flexed on her legs, gripping her so tight she knew she’d have bruises later. “You’re gonna kill me, baby. Straight up.”

Her breathless laughter broke off into a soft gasp as he palmed her breasts and wrapped his mouth around her tight nipple, sucking one and then the other until she sobbed in ecstasy.

On the verge of climaxing, she bucked her hips against him, riding him faster and harder. The smack of flesh meeting flesh was loud in the room, as intoxicating as the scent of sex that hung in the air.

Taylor was voracious for Manning, her insatiable hunger fueled by years of deprivation. Tomorrow she would seek atonement for her sins. But tonight…tonight was for decadence and debauchery.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered roughly. “So fucking sexy and beautiful. I love this hot pussy of yours. Can’t get enough.”

His carnal words inflamed Taylor. When he reached down between their bodies to rub her swollen clit, that pushed her over the edge. As her orgasm slammed through her, she threw back her head and wailed his name in two long, keening syllables: “
Mannn-innng!
”

He shuddered and groaned harshly. “Fuck.
Fuck.
”

Her body was still shaking and spasming when he sat up and wrapped his arms around her, holding her upright as he took over. Shoving his hips upward, he pounded into her, hitting erogenous zones she’d never known existed before tonight.

Gasping with each thrust, she stared down into his face, aroused and fascinated by the feral ecstasy that contorted his features as he fucked her in a savage frenzy.

She shattered again, coming so hard her vision blurred and the room spun wildly.

He followed seconds later, calling her name with a husky reverence that made her shiver all over.

Spent, they collapsed back against the sofa, chests heaving rapidly. As Taylor weakly dropped her head onto Manning’s shoulder, he gathered her close and nuzzled into her hair.

“
What
a ride,” she breathed.

A laugh rumbled up out of his chest. “Hell, yeah.”

She smiled languidly. “As good as your fantasy?”

“Even better. That thing you did with your pussy…the way you rode my dick…” He shuddered deeply. “Made me lose my damn mind.”

Taylor blushed, enjoying his praise. She’d never been so bold, so sexually uninhibited. Manning brought out the vixen in her, and she liked it. Liked it more than she should have.

“I should go,” she whispered.

He stroked his hand down her hair, smoothing her tousled curls. “Come home with me. Spend the night.”

Her pulse tripped, and her throat tightened. “I can’t. You know that.”

His hand stilled, then slowly moved away. She allowed herself a moment to lament the loss of his touch before she raised her head from his shoulder.

They stared at each other.

“I have to go,” she said softly.

His eyes bored into hers. “Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”

Heat stung her face. Dropping her gaze, she carefully lifted off of him and sat down on the sofa. The leather was plush and warm beneath her naked butt.

Trying to break the sudden tension between them, she looked at the sofa and joked, “I hope you won’t be having visitors anytime soon.”

Manning chuckled, peeling off the condom and discarding it in a small wastebasket on the floor. Taylor wondered what the cleaning people would think of finding a used rubber in the office of the company’s CEO. Would it be the first time? Or was it par for the course?

“I’ll take out the trash bag before I leave tonight,” Manning said as if he’d read her mind. “Wouldn’t want anyone to think my office doubles as a fuck pad. It doesn’t.”

Relief washed over Taylor. “Oh,” was all she could say.

Manning stood, mouth twitching. “I’ll get our clothes.”

She stared at him, openly admiring his naked backside as he prowled across the room. He was stunningly and brutally male, his body sculpted with hard slabs of muscle. Her gaze devoured his wide shoulders, his ripped triceps and his strong back that tapered down to that magnificently round ass and those powerful thighs. Add the tattoos and the decadent dark skin and...
Jesus, take the wheel!

As he sauntered back toward her, his heavy shaft swinging between his legs, Taylor had to smother a whimper. If he noticed her ogling him, he made no comment as he handed her clothes to her.

They dressed in silence, never taking their eyes off each other.

When they sat down together to put on their shoes, Manning murmured, “I’ll drive you back to the hotel.”

“No.” Taylor shook her head. “I’ll catch a cab.”

He frowned. “Don’t run from me, Taylor. Not after—”

She put her finger to his lips, silencing him. “I’m not running,” she said softly. “I just need to be alone for now. I have a lot to think about.”

He searched her eyes a moment longer, then gave a reluctant nod. “Let me call Mr. Haley—”

“No, no. That’s okay.”

“Damn it, Taylor. At least let my driver give you a ride.”

“I’d rather not.” Her face heated with a blush. “The next time I see him…I don’t want him to know...”

Manning looked quaintly amused. “You have no reason to be embarrassed, Taylor. And Mr. Haley isn’t going to judge you.”

“I know,” she mumbled. “I’d just feel more comfortable taking a cab.”

Manning eyed her another moment, the corners of his lips twitching.

“Fair enough.” He stood in one fluid motion. “I’ll send you back in one of my company cars.”

The tone of his voice let her know the matter was closed.

Stifling a sigh, she watched as he crossed to his desk, picked up the phone and pressed a button. “Bring a car around,” he instructed someone on the other end.

Trying not to be awed by the power and authority he wielded so effortlessly, Taylor got to her feet and draped her handbag across her body.

Hanging up the phone, Manning came back over to her. As she stared up at him, he brushed his fingertips down her cheek and murmured huskily, “We’d better go before I lose control and spread you out on that table again.”

Taylor shivered, hot pulses lashing at her sex.

Taking her hand, Manning led her from the office and through the empty reception area to the elevator. The doors opened the moment he pressed the call button. In silence they entered the car, staring at each other as the doors slid closed.

After pushing the button for the lobby, Manning brought Taylor’s hand to his mouth and slowly kissed her fingertips, watching as her lashes fluttered and her lips parted on a shaky inhalation.

When the elevator doors opened, he placed a possessive hand at the small of her back and gently steered her across the silent lobby. As they passed the security desk, the two guards on duty smiled and tipped their heads to Manning, who nodded and greeted them each by name.

There was a silver town car waiting outside. As they approached, the driver got out and opened the back door for Taylor. When she moved to climb inside, Manning caught her wrist.

She turned around.

He leaned down, his mouth hovering above hers until she met his gaze. Her heart pounded as he stared into her eyes and then brushed his lips over hers. It was a featherlight, achingly sweet kiss that left her weak and trembling.

“Good night,” he murmured.

She nodded mutely, then turned and ducked into the backseat of the car.

Manning closed the door and stepped back, lazily sliding his hands into his pockets. Though he couldn’t see her through the dark tinted window, Taylor knew he could feel her yearning gaze as the car pulled off, taking her away from him.

But not for long, she knew.

16

T
wenty minutes later, she entered her hotel suite, closed the door and leaned heavily against it.

She could still taste Manning, smell him on her skin, feel him between her thighs where she was tender and swollen.

She didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts. Alone with her guilt.

So she pulled out her cell phone and called her best friend.

Gabby answered on the third ring, sounding groggy and disoriented. No wonder. It was nearly three A
.
M
.
in Paris.

“Taylor?”

“Hey…sorry for waking you.”

“
Ça va,
” Gabby assured her. “
Tu vas bien?
”

“Am I okay?” Taylor murmured philosophically. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean? What’s going on?”

Taylor closed her eyes. “I slept with him.”

There was a shocked beat of silence.

“Slept with who?” Gabby asked cautiously.

“Manning.” Just saying his name made Taylor shiver. “I slept with him.”

“Oh. My. God.” Gabby was wide awake now. “You didn’t!”

“I did.”

“When? Where?”

“I just came from his office.”

“You had sex in his
office
?”

Taylor swallowed hard. “Yes.”

“
Mon Dieu
.” Gabby sounded positively delighted. “Details. I want details, and don’t you
dare
leave out a thing!”

Taylor sighed. Without turning on the light, she pushed off the door and moved through the shadows to reach the sofa. She toed off her sandals and dropped her handbag on the floor, then sat down and tucked her legs beneath her.

“Well?” Gabby prompted impatiently. “I’m waiting.”

Taylor leaned her head back against the sofa. “It all started on Saturday—”

“
Saturday?
What happened on Saturday? And why didn’t you call me then?”

“I’m calling you now.”

“Point taken. Proceed.”

Taylor slowly exhaled. “He showed up at my hotel room on Saturday morning and commandeered me into having breakfast with him. But breakfast turned out to be so much more.”

She told Gabby everything that had happened, starting with the lavish meal she and Manning had shared in the limo and moving on to the romantic day they’d spent together at Callaway Gardens. She found herself blushing when she got to the part that began with a stimulating foot massage and ended with Manning’s skilled fingers bringing her to an explosive orgasm.

“Oh my,” Gabby breathed. “Sounds like Saturday was the prelude. The foreplay.”

Taylor blushed harder. “It was,” she admitted. “I couldn’t stop thinking about him the rest of the weekend. When I left the university this afternoon and got into that cab, something came over me, and I just
had
to see him again.” She’d been like her metaphorical girl in the Mendelssohn Concerto, rushing through a moonlit garden to be with her long-lost lover.

“The moment I stepped into his office and took one look at him, I knew I couldn’t leave without making love to him.”

“And how was it?”

Taylor closed her eyes. “There are no words in any existing language to describe what it was like. Phenomenal doesn’t even come close.”

“Wow.” Gabby’s wicked grin was palpable. “That good, huh?”

“Yes, God help me.” Taylor dropped her head onto the arm of the sofa and groaned. “What am I gonna do, Gabby? I can’t keep lying to Aidan.”

“Why not?”

“
Why not?
” Taylor echoed incredulously. “Are you seriously suggesting that it’s okay for me to keep betraying my boyfriend?”

“What I’m suggesting is that it’s okay for you to have a fling while you’re in Atlanta.” Gabby spoke so pragmatically, so matter of factly. As if she were merely confirming a bulk order at her bakery instead of advocating for Taylor to engage in conduct that could destroy her relationship with her boyfriend.

“I can’t believe you,” Taylor said accusingly. “You’re supposed to be talking some sense into me.”

“
Moi?
” Gabby laughed. “Since when have I ever been the voice of reason in this friendship?”

Taylor frowned. “Good point.”

“To be honest, I’m not surprised that you slept with Manning—although I didn’t think it would happen this soon.” Gabby chuckled lasciviously. “You certainly didn’t waste any time, did you?”

Taylor’s face flamed. “You’re not helping. At all.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist.” Gabby sighed. “Look, Manning Wolf was your first love. If you hadn’t been sent away, the two of you might have stayed together through high school and college. Hell, you could be married with a house full of children by now.”

“But we’re not,” Taylor mumbled. “I have a boyfriend—”