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  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 couldn’t.”

  “What about your other brothers? Isn’t two out of three enough?” I asked, and he let out a sad laugh.

  “My oldest brother, Branson, wants nothing more than to be CEO of the company one day. I swear he was born and bred for that position and he’ll stop at nothing until he’s top dog.”

  “What about your other brother? Does he work for your dad, too?”

  He blew out a deep breath and placed our joined hands on his chest. “Oh hell no. Knox had always planned on working for the firm, but things changed for him the summer after his senior year. Another long story short.” He paused and took another swig from the flask before handing it back over. “You see, Branson’s always been kind of an asshole. Well, actually he’s a huge fucking asshole with no loyalty or care for anyone around him. Essentially, he stole Knox’s girl, his high school sweetheart. Okay, not even essentially. He actually did. Knox walked in on them after they’d obviously slept together. Once he found out it’d been going on for a while, he woke up the very next day and enlisted in the Army. That was…” He stops as he thinks about it, and I can’t help but love the way he pulls his lower lip between his teeth as if that simple act helps him concentrate. It has the opposite effect on me, and I momentarily forget that we’re even having a conversation until he continues. “Almost eight years ago. My parents took Branson’s side for whatever reason, and Knox hasn’t been home since. There was a huge fallout and I’m the only one he still talks to.”

  “Damn.” It’s all I could say. Even the shortened version was hard to handle, and I couldn’t imagine a rift in my family like that.

  “Yeah, but let’s forget about that for now. Talking about the Wellington problems is kind of a buzzkill and I’m having too much fun to ruin tonight,” he told me.

  As I polished off the flask, I tossed it off the bed and turned to face him. He took my cue and repositioned himself so he was on his side, no longer looking at the ceiling. Instead, he was looking at me. His hand came up to caress my cheek, and my heart started racing as he scooted closer to me, leaving only a smidgen of space between us.

  “I’ve never really been into redheads, but you’re one of the prettiest girls I’ve ever seen,” he whispered, his lips hovering over mine, his eyes watching me.

  “Such a sweet-talker, Cohen. Lucky for you, I’ve always liked dirty blonds,” I teased, and I didn’t miss the way his eyes glazed over. Electricity seemed to crackle in the air as we watched each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move.

  His arm wrapped around my waist as he pulled me into him until our bodies were touching. I could feel his erection pressing up against me, and a fire ignited between my legs, sending impulses to my brain, telling it to mount up and take a ride much like Reese suggested.

  “Then I guess it’s lucky for you that I’m blond…and dirty,” he growled seductively, causing my panties to dampen with anticipation. Cohen Wellington knew just what buttons to push, and I loved the change from sweet and cute to gruff and sexy.

  This was exactly what I’d been looking for and just what Reese had meant when she’d said that I needed to be with an experienced guy for my first time. The way he’d said it had been seductive, sensual, and part of me wished he’d rip my clothes off right away. And I decided I'd do whatever I could to make it happen as soon as possible.

  “And I guess it’s lucky for you that I want you to show me just how dirty you can be,” I whispered, hoping I sounded more confident than I actually felt.

  Desire flashed in his eyes as he leaned in to kiss me, slipping his tongue into my mouth. As mine met his, they danced in a furious, frantic rhythm, and I could taste the tequila on his tongue. I knew I probably should’ve stopped him to at least let him know that I’d never done this before, but his hands began roaming my body as he pressed himself into me, and for once, I knew I wanted this to go further than I’d ever gone before. And because of that, I decided that I wasn’t going to stop him to tell him something that probably wouldn’t matter in the end.

  I should have.

  As we lay in his bed, our make-out session continued, and it wasn’t long before my hands joined the party. He kissed me with the skill of an expert, and I was equally as hungry for him. I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to taste him, touch him, feel every single inch of his body, and I wanted him to do the same to me. I craved that physical connection, hoping it would be as strong as our musical one—or perhaps even stronger. We both had fumbling fingers, and I blamed it on the alcohol coursing through our veins. At first, it was endearing, cute, and we laughed at each other as we tried to strip each other bare, not stopping until every article of clothing was in a conjoined pile on the floor. I’d never been completely naked with a man before, but the reverent look on Cohen’s face made me feel at ease, and I knew I wanted this. I wanted him.

  His long fingers roamed my body, and mine did the same to him as we stroked each other in preparation for what was to come. A flutter of nerves attacked my belly as his hand traced across my breasts and down my torso until it reached the apex of my thighs. The soft pad of his thumb found its way to my clit, and I moaned out loud, more than grateful that he’d found my favorite spot.

  I don’t know if it was the act or my vocal approval, but in that moment, something shifted in Cohen. “You like that, baby?” he asked in a husky voice, and all I could do was nod in reply, surprised at the change in his demeanor.

  Gone was the sweet, adorable guy. He’d been replaced by one who was there for my sexual gratification. I loved the sexy tone of his voice and the question even more. No one had ever asked me that before, and I realized that I’d been wasting my time with a bunch of jackasses who only cared about themselves. Cohen wasn’t like that.

  As he continued to caress my clit, he slipped a finger inside me, slowly pumping in and out, causing me to shudder from how good it felt. When he added another finger, I tensed, but he didn’t seem to notice as he moved away from my mouth and rained kisses down my throat. Closing my eyes, I gripped the sheets as his mouth found its way to my breasts, his tongue gliding down between them before moving to settle on one nipple. He traced slow, deliberate circles around it until it hardened. I could feel the grin form on his face, but all thoughts were quickly wiped away as he crossed my chest and found the other one, giving it the same amount of attention while he continued to work his fingers in and out of me.

  “Cohen,” I breathed, unable to contain myself. I’d never felt so sexy, so adored, and I wanted more.

  He lifted his head up, a knowing, cocky smirk crossing his lips. Normally I’d be annoyed at that look, but with Cohen, I was one hundred percent okay with it because he clearly knew what he was doing.

  “Do you have any idea how sexy you sound as you whisper my name in that breathy tone?” he growled. He pressed down on my clit and paused, waiting for me to answer.

  Unable to formulate any words while his fingers were still inside me, I shook my head then arched my back and raised my hips up, indicating that I wanted more. So much more. He chuckled then lowered his head back to my chest, but instead of paying more attention to my breasts, his tongue made a path down past my belly button until he was near my hips. His teeth nipped lightly at my hipbone.
Then he slid his tongue across and down. Lifting up from beside me, he repositioned himself between my legs and lowered his head. My eyes widened when I realized what he was about to do. Then his tongue connected with my clit and I couldn’t help but tense up.

  “Just relax. Let me make you feel good,” he whispered, able to tell that I was anything but relaxed.

  Closing my eyes, I let out a deep breath and did as he asked. His tongue worked its magic over my clit before he made its way down to my entrance and then back up again. The way he sucked and licked me had me writhing on the bed beneath him, and all it took was one final nibble on my clit and I was done for. My fingers had found their way to his head, tangling up in his hair, and I pulled slightly as the impact of the orgasm reverberated throughout my body. Damn. That was heavenly, and I hoped it was just a preview of things to come.

  As I came down from my high, I slowly untangled my fingers from his hair and he also withdrew his fingers from me. I watched as he brought them to his lips, leisurely sliding each one in and out, his eyes closing as he moaned, almost as if he were savoring the taste. It was such a turn-on, and I was more than ready to get this show on the road.

  With a new confidence, I rose to my knees and beckoned for Cohen to rise as well. He complied, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my chest to his. I loved the feel of his warm skin against mine. Sliding my hand up his neck until it was in his hair, I leaned in and captured his mouth with mine. I could taste myself on his lips—another new experience for me. It was sweet, salty, and exotic. I attacked his tongue, trying to get my fill, and he answered my kisses with equal fervor.

  Cohen’s hands slid down my waist, where he pulled me into him. I could feel his hard erection pressing against me, and even though I was ready to go all the way with him, I wanted to reciprocate first. After disconnecting my mouth from his, I got up from the bed and moved behind Cohen so that his back was to me. When he turned to face me, I pushed him down on the mattress, and he fell easily until he was flat on his back. He looked at me in surprise until I settled between his legs and he was suddenly aware of my intentions.

  My hand slipped between his legs, and instead of playing with him, I firmly gripped his cock, letting my thumb rub over the tip. It was silky, soft, and I could feel a drop of pre-cum leaking from the tip. It was arousing to know that I’d helped cause this reaction from him. Using my thumb, I swirled it around before lowering my head to lick it up. Cohen tensed at the contact then inhaled sharply as I worked my way down his hard, thick erection. Wanting to make him feel as good as he did me, I sucked, licked, and pleasured him expertly until his hands were gripping my hair and his thighs stiffened. When I could tell he was close, I pulled away, not ready for him to get off.

  Before I knew it, Cohen’s hands were on my waist and I was flipped onto my back. I was naked underneath him, and he leaned down and kissed me hungrily, not caring my mouth had just been on his dick. That was a new one for me. All too soon, he pulled away. I protested, but he gave me a heated look that let me know that this wasn’t over.

  As he leaned across to his nightstand to grab a condom, I began to feel nervous, and when he turned back to me, his gaze was filled with lust. Taking in a deep breath, I began to relax, telling myself that I was ready for this. When he hovered back over me, his fingers slipped as he tried to open it, and he gave me as sheepish grin. Feeling brazen and wanting to seem experienced, I took it from his fingers and placed it between my teeth, ripping it open, all the while gripping his erection before rolling it on. Truthfully, I had no idea what I was doing, but I’d paid attention in sex ed and couldn’t imagine it’d be any harder than rolling it on one of those stupid bananas Ms. Foskey had made us practice with.

  Apparently, it wasn’t rocket science, because as my fingers nimbly slid the condom over his dick, his eyes rolled back in his head as if this were the first time he’d had a woman do this for him. Once I was done, he looked back down at me and then repositioned himself at my entrance. I knew I was already wet for him, thankful that he’d prepared me for this by already getting me off once tonight. I was anxious to see if it could happen again.

  “Are you sure, Ruby? I know we just met, and I probably should’ve asked this before I grabbed a condom.” He looked down at me with a sheepish grin before his expression changed to something warm, and it was almost disconcerting. “I just don’t want you to regret this, to regret me, in the morning.” His concern was sweet, endearing, and the thoughtfulness caused my heart to flutter. It might have been crazy, but in the moment, with him looking down at me with soft, earnest eyes, I knew I was definitely more than ready, and I knew that this was why I’d waited. Cohen was exactly who I wanted to lose it to.

  Nodding my head, I smiled at him as I mustered up as much confidence as I could. I’d seen and felt the size of him up close, and I won’t lie and say that the size of it didn’t give me a twinge of nervousness. I felt a wave of apprehension wash over me as I wondered how it was going to fit, but I pushed that thought from my mind, knowing that he’d take care of me, just as he’d been doing all night. My legs clenched together in anticipation of his touch, but he pressed his knee down to separate them. One lone finger traced along my slit, and his eyes became hooded. He could tell that I was primed and ready for him, and he wasn’t going to make me wait any longer.

  Slowly, he slid the tip of his cock into me, and at first, I thought, This isn’t so bad.

  “Holy shit. I’m barely in and you’re already so fucking tight. I thought you were tight around my fingers, but Jesus, baby, I had no idea,” he breathed, bracing himself on the wall behind me as he prepared to fill me fully.

  For some reason, I chose that moment to be completely honest with him, because if we were going to do this, I wanted him to know just how much it was going to impact me. That I’d remember this moment for the rest of my life. As my hand grazed his back, I lifted my eyes to meet his, barely noticing that they were only half open as he stared down as my naked body.

  “That’s because there’s been nobody before you.” I barely got the words out as Cohen slammed into me, causing me to cry out as a slicing pain ripped through my lower half. Hot tears pricked my eyes at his forcefulness.

  “Oh fuck,” he muttered, groaning in the process.

  I winced as the pain coursed through my body, all the way down to my toes. That was definitely not the definition of a toe-curling experience. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Pain and discomfort swirled in my lower half, and I tried to remain as motionless as possible.

  He was filling me completely, but his movements had stilled as well. His eyes came to meet mine, and he had a panicked, sorrowful look on his face. His hand rose to caress my cheek, and he wiped away the lone tear that had fallen. An embarrassed flush heated my cheeks, and I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. His eyes held a mixture of sympathy and tenderness, and it was almost more than I could bear. It wasn’t his fault—I knew that. I should’ve told him before I’d pretended to be some wanton vixen who knew what she was doing in the bedroom, but when I’d come to his dorm, I hadn’t exactly expected to be naked underneath him, and by the time I had been, I’d waited to mention it until it was too late.

  “Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Ruby? You’re a virgin? Or well, were?” he asked, and I nodded in confirmation. He let out a small laugh, and I frowned, wondering what would possibly be funny in this situation. The thought had tears forming in my eyes again until he surprised me with his confession. “That makes two of us, Andi.”

  Now it was my turn to let out a disbelieving laugh. You’ve got to me kidding me. What the hell happened to hot and experienced?! What the hell had I been thinking? He himself had even said that he wasn’t a frat guy, so why had I thought that he’d give me a mind-blowing virginity-taking session? Maybe if I’d done more than salivate over his gorgeous face or be mind-blown by his amazing musical tastes, I’d have learned more about him. I’m such an idiot.

  “You’re…or were a virgin,
too?” I asked, noticing that he still hadn’t moved again.

  His face turned red, and he let out a long, slow sigh. “Yeah. And well… Fuck me,” he groaned as he slowly began to slide out of me, shocking me when I saw that the condom full with his release. “That blow job got me so worked up, and then when you were so tight around me, I couldn’t fucking hold it.”

  He flopped back on the bed beside me, expelling a long, slow, deep breath. I grabbed the sheet and slid it over my naked body, pulling it up over my chest as I stared up at the ceiling. Holy shit. Had I really just lost my virginity in one pump? Did that even count?

  “I’m so sorry, Ruby. Fuck. This is embarrassing. Can I blame the tequila? Liquor dick?” He turned towards me and placed a hand between my thighs. “I can still make you feel good.”

  Even with one thrust, the forcefulness of it was already causing an aching sensation to form, and I shook my head. My mind was swimming with everything that had just happened, and the last thing I wanted was his hands on me.

  “No, Cohen, it’s fine. I promise. You got me off before with your mouth, and well, what just happened kind of hurt a little, so let’s not make it worse with any more touching. I guess that’s what happens when you have sex with strangers, right?” I tried to joke, but he just flinched at the brashness of my words.

  “Ruby,” he breathed, and it almost sounded reverent and remorseful at the same time.

  Despite what just happened, he didn’t seem embarrassed, and the warmth in his voice was unnerving. Part of me wanted to burrow in his chest and enjoy his closeness, while the other half at me was screaming to get out of there so I could process everything. The thing was that, in such a short time, I’d already gotten used to the nickname, to Cohen, and I wasn’t sure I could muster up enough courage to walk out that door, because in the cold light of day, I didn’t know if I could ever bring myself to walk back in.

  “Don’t worry about it, Cohen. It’s just the tequila. And my bad-ass oral skills. I guess I was just too damn good,” I teased, hoping my voice sounded calm even though I wanted to curl up in a ball and forget what had just happened—or at least rewind five minutes to tell him how inexperienced I was so things could’ve gone slower.