Seducing the Wolf (69 page)

Just as she’d expected, pregnancy sex had been phenomenal. She’d often found herself so horny that she would drop everything and drive up to Manning’s office for a midday quickie. If he was in a meeting, waiting for him would only heighten her anticipation, making her so hot and wet that she’d pounce on him the instant they were alone. He’d loved her surprise visits, loved seeing the banked heat in her eyes when she stepped through the door. He’d affectionately called it her “hungry like a wolf” look.

On the occasions when she wasn’t up for sex, Manning had been perfectly content to just spoon her, his arm wrapped around her stomach as he murmured tender endearments, his deep voice lulling her to sleep.

Was it any wonder she’d thoroughly enjoyed being pregnant?

Manning kissed her temple and whispered, “Happy First Mother’s Day.”

A blissful smile curved her lips. “It has been. I feel like the luckiest woman alive.”

He smiled. “I know the feeling. Well, not the part about being a woman—”

Taylor giggled softly. “I knew what you meant.”

They left the room together, shutting the door quietly behind them.

“Come on,” Manning murmured, taking Taylor’s hand. “I’ve got something for you.”

“Really? But you already gave me a gift,” she said, indicating the diamond bracelet encircling her wrist.

Manning smiled. “That was from all of us. This one’s strictly from me.”

Taylor was intrigued. “What is it?”

He winked. “Just come with me.”

He led her downstairs to the music room—formerly the sunroom—that he’d converted into a private sanctuary for her to practice her violin, compose music or decompress with a good book. Her Grammy awards were enshrined in a large glass display case with other trophies she’d received over the years, and her Steinway served as the room’s centerpiece. Taylor couldn’t look at the piano without remembering that erotic night of seduction in Paris, an experience she and Manning had recreated many times since then.

As they neared the doorway to the music room, he covered her eyes with his hands. “No peeking,” he warned, his breath a sexy tickle against her ear.

She laughed. “What’re you up to?”

“You’ll see.” He guided her into the room, then suddenly came to a stop and removed his hands. “Surprise!”

Taylor opened her eyes.

And gasped in shock.

Mounted on the wall beneath a soft spotlight was the most exquisitely beautiful violin she had ever seen.

“Oh, my God…” she whispered. “Is this what I think it is? Is this…is this—”

“A Stradivarius violin?” Manning grinned broadly, enjoying her reaction. “Yes, baby. That’s exactly what it is.”

Taylor nearly fainted. “Oh, my God…”

“Whoa!” Manning laughed, steadying her as she swayed slightly on her feet. “Don’t pass out on me now.”

She shook her head dazedly. “I can’t believe this…” Her hands trembled as she reached out to touch the gleaming violin. She reverently ran her fingertips over the rich dense wood, admiring the masterful craftsmanship.

The Stradivarius violin was the holy grail of musical instruments, considered the most valuable in the world. Crafted in the late 1600s and early 1700s by Antonio Stradivari, the rare violins were worth millions. Owning one was a luxury few could afford.

“Where did you get this?” Taylor breathed.

Manning smiled. “I’ve been keeping close tabs on auction houses, waiting for a Strad to come on the block. As soon as this one showed up at Sotheby’s, I was off to New York.”

Taylor stared at him. “So that wasn’t a business trip?”

“It was.” His eyes glinted. “My ‘business’ was to come back home with this violin, come hell or high water.”

Taylor laughed softly as she traced the violin’s exquisite curves and contours, sliding her fingers through the finely carved f-holes that were as distinct as Stradivari’s own fingerprints. The instrument was in remarkably pristine condition.

“What year was it made?” she asked.

“1704.”

“During the Golden Period,” she marveled.

Manning nodded.

Her throat tightened at the realization that he must have paid at least three million dollars or more for the rare violin.

“I had the certificate of authenticity framed for you. You can hang it on the wall or put it in your display case. Whatever you want.” Manning smiled, watching as she continued staring raptly at the violin as if it were on exhibit in a museum. “You can pick it up, sweetheart. It’s yours.”

Taylor licked her lips and swallowed, then gingerly removed the violin from the elaborate wall mount. She handled it very carefully, awed by the fact that the instrument she held was over three hundred years old.

“Oh, Manning…” she whispered, gazing up at him. “I don’t even know what to say. ‘Thank you’ seems woefully inadequate for such a priceless gift.”

His expression softened. “When we were sixteen, you promised to buy yourself a Stradivarius violin when you became rich and famous. I’m just fulfilling that promise.”

Taylor’s heart melted, tears welling in her eyes. “But you’ve already given me so much….”

His eyes twinkled. “Should I send it back then?”

She gasped. “
Are you crazy?
It’s a
Strad!
”

Manning threw back his head and laughed.

Grinning, Taylor carefully returned the violin to the wall mount, then leaped into her husband’s arms and wrapped her legs around his waist, making him laugh again as she showered his face with boisterous, smacking kisses. His arms tightened around her as he lazily carried her across the room.

“I love you so much,” she whispered ardently. “And not just because you bought me a Stradivarius violin…though that certainly didn’t hurt.”

Manning grinned, his eyes glinting as he pulled her down to the sofa to straddle his lap, causing her breezy linen skirt to slide up her thighs. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he nuzzled her throat, sending delicious shivers through her.

“I love the
hell
out of you, Taylor Wolf,” he rumbled huskily.

“Mmmm,” she purred, her eyes closing in rapturous ecstasy. “That is pure music to my ears.”

“Every word out of your mouth is music to my ears, darlin’. And speaking of music,” Manning murmured, kissing the line of her jaw, “I’d love to hear how the Strad sounds. Will you play for me tonight?”

“Oh, I will,” Taylor promised, a naughty smile curving the lips she lowered to his. “I’m gonna play…and play…and play all night long
....
”

Dear Cherished Reader,

I hope you enjoyed the latest installment in my Wolf Pack series.
Seducing the Wolf
is the longest novel I have ever written (including my romantic suspense novels). I poured my heart and soul into chronicling Manning and Taylor’s romantic journey, and I hope it showed. If you’d like to see how their tender romance began, be sure to read the previous novel,
Inferno
, which is available as an ebook and trade paperback (the paperback format is sold exclusively through Amazon)
.

As with
Inferno
,
Seducing the Wolf
depicted intimacy between two minors. The purpose of the flashback scene between Manning and Taylor was to capture the depth of their anguish and devotion to each other as they faced separation. Taylor losing her virginity to Manning was an important milestone in their relationship, and I wanted to convey this in the book. I was not attempting to advocate underage sex, a matter I take very seriously as a mother of two teenagers. So please,
please
don’t send me hate mail about this scene.

I have always enjoyed classical music, but I’m no expert by any means. Although I did extensive research for this book, there’s always the possibility that I got certain details wrong, for which I humbly apologize. I have tremendous respect and admiration for people who play musical instruments, so I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the world of classical violinists. If you’re interested in learning more about the great violinists referenced in this story, they are as follows: Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Frédéric Chopin, Hilary Hahn, Felix Mendelssohn, Niccolò Paganini, Arnold Schoenberg, Jean Sibelius, and Antonio Lucio Vivaldi. If you’re not already familiar with these musicians and their work, please feel free to check them out online so you can hear what the characters in this book were hearing. Enjoy!

For the purposes of my story, I took creative liberties with the artist-in-residence program at Emory University. To learn more about the actual program, please visit
their website
.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 out of 88 children are on the autism spectrum. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects over two million individuals in the U.S. and tens of millions worldwide. I’ve had the privilege of befriending a special couple with an autistic child, and I witnessed the unique challenges and triumphs they experienced as a family. I’m immensely grateful for organizations such as Autism Speaks, which funds autism research and advocates for the needs of individuals and families affected by autism. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit the
organization’s website
.

As a diehard romantic, I have always believed that the language of love is universal. So I write my romance novels for all audiences, and I celebrate the experiences of all women. But I must take a moment to pay special tribute to my beautiful Black sisters. It’s a sad reality that Black women are frequently bombarded with damaging media portrayals, depressing studies, and negative statistics that assail our beauty, our desirability, our intelligence, and our worth. It can be difficult to ignore the onslaught of demeaning messages and stereotypes. So to all of my sisters everywhere, I proudly say to you: You are beautiful. You are desirable. You are worthy of love. You
are
loved.

As with
Inferno
, I know that
Seducing the Wolf
was released several months later than promised, and this caused frustration and anger among many of my readers. All I can say is that life happens, and sometimes our best-laid plans go terribly awry. At the end of the day, I hope you came away feeling that
Seducing the Wolf
was worth the wait.

The Wolf Pack series will continue with Montana’s story. But I’ve learned my lesson, so I’m not going to promise a release date for
Tempting the Wolf
. All I ask is that you remain patient and courteous, and please stay tuned for updates.

Tru and Simona, Navarro and Maya, and Zachary and Zora are three couples who intrigued me while I was writing this book. So it’s entirely possible that they will get their own stories down the line.

Thank you so much for your continued loyalty and support. I truly love and appreciate all of my fans, and I never take a single one of you for granted.

As always, I love to hear from readers. Please share your thoughts with
me
.

Until next time, happy reading!

Blessings galore,

Maureen Smith

M
ORE
T
ITLES

Can’t Get Enough of the Wolf Pack?

Be Sure to Check Out These Other Titles!

Treacherous (Sterling and Celeste)

Inferno (Stan and Prissy)

Taming the Wolf (Marcus and Samara)

Recipe for Temptation (Michael and Reese)

Tempt Me at Midnight (Quentin and Lexi)

And Stay Tuned for the Continuation of the Wolf Pack Series

Tempting the Wolf (Montana)

Bedding the Wolf (Magnum)

Enticing the Wolf (Maddox)

Chasing the Wolf (Mason)

and the

Morehouse Nine Series

Percy

Gabriel

Shokare

Jagger

Khalil

Liam

Derek

ABOUT
THE
AUTHOR

Maureen Smith
is the author of twenty-three novels and three novellas. She received a B.A. in English with a minor in creative writing from the University of Maryland. She is a former freelance writer whose articles were featured in various print and online publications. Since the release of her debut novel in 2002, Maureen has won or been nominated for seven
RT BOOK Reviews
Reviewers’ Choice Awards and numerous Emma Awards.