Read Combust (The Wellingtons #1) for Free Online

my skin. He didn’t say a word, just continued to touch me, but not where I wanted him to. It seemed like I’d have to take matters into my own hands.
    Turning my head to the side, I found that my purse was within my reach, so I pulled it to me. Slipping my hand inside, I rummaged around until my hand connected with the stainless-steel flask. I pulled it out and held it up for him.
    “Party favors?”
    His fingers stopped moving as he slipped his hand out of my shirt. I wanted to curse myself for ruining the moment, but perhaps a little more liquid courage would help things progress between the two of us. He pushed up and helped me off the floor before he led me back to the bed.
    “Woman, you’ve been holding out on me.”
    I unscrewed the cap and took a good, long swig before handing it over to him. “Nah, not holding out on you. Just saving the best for last,” I teased, giving him a brazen wink and what I hoped was my best come hither look as I patted the bed beside me.
    As soon as I said those words, the whole losing-my-virginity plan came to the forefront of my mind and I could hear Reese cheering me on to just do it already. The alcohol made my brain a little fuzzy. Not so much so that I didn’t know what I was doing, but just enough to get up the courage to take my virgin status by the reins and say goodbye to her once and for all.
    Hell, Cohen was cute. He was funny. He had a great taste in music. He seemed like someone I could get along with, and it felt so nice to be with a guy who didn’t look at me like Blake’s ex-girlfriend, a wild mare to be conquered, or the mayor’s daughter. If he made love the same way he kissed, I knew he’d be tender, that he’d take care of me, and it’d be so, so worth it.
    “Oh yeah, you definitely saved the best for last,” he agreed after downing a bit of tequila. “I didn’t drink much in high school, and that stuff always goes to my head. But damn, that burn feels good.”
    “I lived in the sticks. All we did was drink, have bonfires, and listen to country music. Think of your most cliché idea of a small backwoods town and that’s where I’m from. Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t downing tequila every weekend, but I’ve had my fair share of Boones Farm and Bud Light over the past couple of years.”
    He lay down on the bed and held his arm out for me to lie down beside him. Being around him was comfortable, and I didn’t hesitate to move in close. He put an arm around me and we cuddled up, sharing his pillow as we continued to pass the flask back and forth while talking about our high school years. I couldn’t believe how different they were. While I was from a small-ass town, he grew up in an affluent suburb of Nashville where celebrities lived. I never would’ve guessed he came from money, and the way he glossed over it, I could tell that he didn’t care to flaunt it.
    “What did you mean earlier about your dad being disappointed with you wanting to go to med school? I’d think any parent would be proud of that,” I asked, hoping it wasn’t too intrusive for a first date. Not that this had been classified as a date, but it had begun to feel like one.
    Sighing, he looked up at the ceiling before he spoke. I watched him with curious eyes and hesitantly placed my hand on the hand he had resting on his stomach, intertwining our fingers.
    “Long story short? It’s been too good of a night to dwell on my family problems, okay?” I murmured a quick okay, more than ready to tell him that he could stop, but he went on. “Dad had three sons and expected each one of us follow in his footsteps in his consulting firm. Ever since I can remember, he’s talked about making Wellington Enterprises a family-run firm. I think he had big plans of changing it to Wellington and Sons one day. At the same time, ever since I can remember, I’ve been interested in medicine. I’ve never had the desire to go into business, and as much as he hoped he’d change my mind, he