Combust (The Wellingtons #1) (48 page)

“I know what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong. This isn’t an engagement ring. I just couldn’t get it out of my pocket without getting down here.”

She lets out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God,” she breathes.

I chuckle, more than happy that we’re on the same page. My heart’s ready to burst as I open the box, and her hand comes up to her mouth again.

“Oh, Cohen, it’s beautiful.”

Inside sits a platinum necklace with a ruby-shaped heart in the middle.

“Ruby, I love you more than words could ever express. And I know I’ll love you for the rest of my life. Not only do you have my heart, but you are my heart. I have no doubt that, one day, when we’re ready, I’ll take Beyoncé’s advice and put a ring on it. You’ll be the most beautiful bride, and later on, if we’re lucky, I’ll have another little ruby-haired sweetheart to love in my life. Until then, just be mine. Know that I love you and I will for the rest of my life.”

“I love you, Cohen. And when the time comes, I’ll marry you, give you cute, little blond-haired boys and redheaded girls, and we’ll live happily ever after. Until then, I’ll continue to enjoy the ride as long as you keep your promise.”

Pulling back from her, I raise my eyebrows. “My promise?” I ask, and she grins as she runs her soft fingers through my hair.

“You were my first. And you promised to be my last. Please make that come true,” she whispers, her eyes gazing into mine.

“You’ll never know another, Ruby,” I promise, pressing my lips to hers.

“That’s what I’m counting on.”

And just like that, my world shifts. Just as it’s been doing since I first laid eyes on the gorgeous girl with fiery red hair, wearing an Elton John T-shirt.

My world isn’t a sad song at all. It never will be as long as Ruby is mine. And if I have my way, she’ll be mine forever.

WITHOUT KNOCKING, I let myself into Knox’s house straight into the chaos that awaits me. Kale, Jace, and Knox are sitting in the middle of the living room at what looks like a glamorous tea party. I’m laughing at the pink boa around Knox’s neck when my legs are attacked by my oldest niece, Chloe.

“Uncle Cohey’s here!” she exclaims as her tiny arms wrap around me.

Four more pairs of eyes gleam when they see me, and I prepare myself for the attack. The tea party’s abandoned as my nephew, Cade, leads the charge against me, and I pretend that he knocks me over easily. A massive dog pile ensues, and Chloe does her best to tickle my most sensitive side as the rest of the brood continues the attack until I’m begging for mercy from this little gang of hooligans.

I’m given a reprieve when my sister-in-law Charlie calls out to them. “Kids, we’re leaving!”

They scramble to get off me, and I sit up, catching my breath. I watch as all the kids race to the front door to say bye to their moms. Charlie, along with her best friends Lucy and Lexi, are all dolled up, ready for a night out on the town in Nashville.

Rising to my feet, I make my rounds, greeting the women, and when I lean in to give Charlie a kiss on the cheek, she gives me a wicked gleam. “Don’t worry, Cohen. We’ll take good care of her.”

I let out a low chuckle and shake my head. “That’s what scares me.”

“She’s in good hands. You have absolutely nothing to worry about,” Lucy chimes in.

My arms fold across my chest as I cock an eyebrow up at them. “Right. Like I don’t remember what happened last time y’all went out.”

Charlie gives me a sheepish grin, and Lucy waves me off. “Oh, that was nothing. I bet that jerk will think twice before he slaps a married woman’s ass next time he’s out patrolling for a quick lay,” Lucy says, giving Charlie a high five.

“That’s a pretty safe bet. At least it is if she locked him in an arm bar anywhere near as tight as it was when she did it to me. Although, in my case, I was just caught off guard,” Branson explains, arriving just in time to see the women off. Charlie gives him a playful scowl. “Ladies. Looking beautiful as ever.”

Charlie reaches up to pat Branson’s cheek. “Keep telling yourself that, Bran. All right, we’re out of here. Good luck, guys,” she offers, giving us a wink.

The women call out their goodbyes, and once the door’s closed, Branson puts his arm around my shoulder as we watch the rest of the guys removing their tea party gear.

“You ready for this, kid?” he asks with a smirk on his face.

As my gaze continues to rest on Jace, Knox, and Kale, the sound of the kids running around fills my ears. My mind goes back to Knox’s engagement party and the way the guys all laughed at Kale’s guarantee. When he leaned in close and told me that I was next, I didn’t believe him for a single second. I never thought Andi would forgive me for being such a tool bag, but I underestimated her.

Glancing back at Branson, I cock an eyebrow. “Me? You’re the one who’s about to become a dad. Again. Are you ready for this?”

“I’m been waiting for this for my entire life, kid,” he tells me, a wide smile spreading over his lips.

His excitement is contagious, and as he enters the room and bends down to pick up Jacob, I lean against the doorframe and take in the sight before me.

Who would’ve thought that a bunch of guys would be more at home watching a rowdy bunch of hooligans insisting on playing Barbie and watching Despicable Me than heading to the nearest bar to watch preseason football? But as I look around the room, I can’t help but grin at the sight of Jace and Knox wrapped in boas as Maya and Chloe serve them tea. Jacob is in Branson’s arms, showing off his newest GI Joe, and Cade, I now find, is wrapped around my shins, looking up at me with pleading eyes.

“Wanna hear my heartbeat,” he says, his toddler voice cute as can be.

Leaning down, I grab hold of his waist and hoist him up. As per usual when I’m around the kids, I have my stethoscope around my neck. I place the earpieces up to his ear and press the scope to his heart. He beams when he hears the thumping of his heart. Slipping the scope away from his ears, he slides down my body and runs to Knox.

“Daddy! My heart pounds like a badass drum!” he exclaims, and while Knox laughs, Chloe, my sweet niece, slaps his arm and scolds him.

“Cade, that’s a bad word!” she cries.

I walk towards her and scoop her up in my arms. “Hey, Princess Chloe,” I whisper as I tickle her tummy.

She giggles, and her dimples widen. Her eyes are deep brown, just like her mom’s, and so expressive. I love this little girl.

“Uncle Cohey, you know I’m ticklish!” she squeals, squirming in my arms.

“Chloe, Chloe, loves Uncle Cohey!” Cade and Jacob start singing that damn tune that always riles her, and Chloe huffs until I let her down.

“I’m gonna git you two!” she yells, chasing them off into the kitchen.

Looking at Knox, I can’t help but grin. “There’s no doubt. Those are your crazy-ass kids.”

He just shakes his head. “And I love the fucking hell out of them.”

AN ANNOYING buzzing is infiltrating my brain, and as I come to, I realize it’s Childish Gambino’s Heartbeat pulsating from my fiancé’s phone. Groaning, I stretch my arms across his naked torso, too hung over to enjoy the feel of his muscles beneath me. Instead, I grab his phone and press buttons incessantly until the noise stops. Then I sigh with relief.

Cohen’s in his first year of residency, and I’ve just come back from covering a worldwide tour with Second Star to the Left. Needless to say, we haven’t had much time to spend together. Curling up in his arms, I close my eyes and enjoy the feel of being wrapped up with him, grateful that we’re both getting some much-needed time off with our upcoming wedding and honeymoon. It’s definitely needed and well deserved.

His arms tighten around me just as I’m praying that my pounding headache goes away soon. I thought I could handle my liquor. And then Charlie Wellington and Lucy Montgomery introduced me to a whole new world of drinking last night at my bachelorette party, and right now, I’m vowing to never touch another drop again.

A shiver runs down my spine as I feel a finger tracing over my collarbone. Even after five years—or eight, if you want to consider that—his touch still affects me. Even though I feel like absolute crap, it’s been weeks since I’ve woken up with my future husband, and I want to take advantage of our time together. My eyes blink open to see Cohen staring back at me, his eyes wide in amusement.

It’s an ugly look—if such a thing can exist on Cohen Wellington’s face, which, of course, it can’t. I should probably slap the grin off his face, but it hurts to move a muscle. Groaning, I close my eyes and bury my face in my pillow.

“Wake me up next year,” I mumble, and I cringe when I hear him laughing. Sitting up, I look at him accusingly. “You were the one who told me to go out with them. Oh, a tame bachelorette party, Charlie claimed. Nothing crazy, you said! Yet I wake up in bed with no idea of how I got here and my mouth tastes like the inside of a porta potty!”

He grins down at me. “Hey, no one got kicked out of any bars last night. That’s more than we can say for Lucy’s bachelorette party,” he teases, causing me to lie back down and groan at the memory. “And you got back here safe and sound in the limo. The driver almost got an eyeful when I opened the door. Apparently, when you’re drunk, you just can’t get enough of me.”