The Forbidden Freshman: A College Sports Romance (Nolan U Hockey Book 1)

I didn’t sleep last night. How could I possibly get any decent shut-eye after the way I left things with Mikayla? Shit. The look on her face when I basically rejected her hot little body.

My lame excuse of being in public was derailed by her legit suggestion that we take things somewhere else, so I had to play the hockey card.

Yes, I had an early practice, but still.

I threw everything I had into it, which wasn’t much because I’m exhausted after a restless no cum, no release, no sex night. Thank God I could work off some of this energy on the ice, but it’s not enough, and it will never be enough to douse the guilt I feel.

I never should have kissed her again, but the second her lips hit mine, I lost it. Instinct took over, all self-control flying out the window as her tight ass found its home on my cock. When her tits, which fit into my palms like a fucking dream, squished up against my chest. How could I not suck on those sweet nipples? The second I curled my lips around that pink bulb, I was done for.

But not completely.

I don’t know what made my brain kick in. Maybe it was the fact that I became aware that any sleaze could walk past the window and get a clear shot of Mikayla’s tits. The idea of some leering guy checking her out gave me pause, and then my brain snapped into action. I wanted to cover her up, keep her all to myself… which then reminded me that I didn’t have any right to do that because I fucking lost the worst bet in the history of the world.

I’ve got just over two weeks to go. I should be able to manage, but not when Mikayla is right under my nose, smelling divine and making me laugh, and punching right through my chest cavity with one of her smiles.

The second I see her, I⁠—

Holy shit, she’s right there.

I stop in my tracks, lifting my shades to drink her in as she ambles along the pathway. She seems in no particular hurry to get wherever she’s going, so against my better judgment, I change course and block her way.

“Hi.” I grin.

Her nose wrinkles, and she looks to the ground between us. The crack in the concrete is separating my large black sneakers from her tiny green Converses.

“Hey.” Her voice isn’t snappy but has a sharp edge to it.

I really pissed her off last night, and I feel legit bad about it. Shit, I wish I could tell her. I wish I could break all the damn rules and explain, but if I’m doing that, I may as well crush the big one and give in to my desire.

Clearing my throat, I try to fill the awkward silence, but I’m kind of lost for what to say.

“Well, thanks for that chat.” She bobs her head and goes to scoot around me.

“What chat?”

Her left shoulder hitches. “Well, I don’t know what to call whatever this awkward-as-shit moment is we’re having.”

I sigh and reach for her, but she flinches out of the way.

“I’m not even allowed to touch you now?”

“You don’t want to, so…” There goes that shoulder again, hitching away like it’s got a tick.

I narrow my eyes at her. “I want to.”

“Mm-hm.” She nods but obviously doesn’t believe me, so I step right into her space, bending low to talk directly in her ear.

“I’m sorry about last night, okay? I handled it… badly.”

“Mm-hm.”

“I wanted to explain before you took off, but…” I sigh.

“I get it.” She steps back. “We were in public. Hockey is king. It’s all good, man. Don’t sweat it.”

I can see right through this casual veneer, and I want to tell her so, but a group of students walks right past us.

“Hey, Ethan.” The leggy blonde gives me a simpering smile while her friend flashes me her fuck me eyes.

Oh shit, it’s Ruby.

I bob my head at them, muttering, “Hey, Rubes.”

She frowns at my casual, less-than-flirtatious greeting, then glances between Mikayla and me. Her red lips part, her eyes quietly asking if I’ve been hooked.

I don’t know how to respond to that, so I don’t say anything at all.

Her soft giggle makes me tense, and I silently beg her to shut up and keep walking.

Her lips twitch with a knowing grin before she saunters off with her friend. “Always nice to see you, Ethan.”

I avert my gaze from her swaying hips, focusing back on Mikayla.

Lil’ mouse snorts, working her jaw to the side and shaking her head. “I shouldn’t keep you. Those pussies are calling. I can practically hear them meowing your name.”

With a pointed look, she goes to spin away, but I catch her arm before she can. “Please don’t walk away pissed off again. I really am sorry about last night.”

“It’s fine.”

Still don’t believe her.

“I mean, my vagina was pretty pissed, but I took care of it.”

I internally groan, the image of her working herself to climax enough to make me blow on the spot. Does she writhe in quiet ecstasy? Does her body quiver? Or maybe she’s a screamer.

Holy hell.

I glance away, begging my body to behave itself.

“Don’t worry about me,” she murmurs and shakes me off, darting out of reach and heading down the path.

I chase after her, chuckling at her exaggerated groan when I fall in step beside her.

“Seriously? You’re like a head cold I just can’t shake.”

“A head cold? Jeez, thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She flashes me that adorable, cheesy grin, and my insides fold like a deck of cards.

“So, the party this weekend…”

You’re playing with fire, dude. Don’t ask. Don’t you fucking ask.

“How about I pick you up at nine?”

She jerks to a stop and frowns up at me. “What?”

“You know, the party Casey invited you and the girls to. Thought I’d pick you up.”

“Why?” Her eyes narrow like she’s waiting for me to prank her.

“I want to take you to it.”

“But I’ll already be going. Doesn’t it make more sense to just meet you there?”

I tip my head to study her, lightly tugging the end of her braid. It’s a loose one that’s draped over her shoulder, locks of hair falling out of it. She huffs when I tease her, “You don’t have one romantic bone in your body, do you?”

“Romantic? Oh, so you want me to go as your date to the party?”

“Sure, why not?”

Her face bunches with confusion as she shakes her head and sputters, “Could you be any more confusing?”

I blink and shake my head. “I’m not following.”

“Exactly!” she spits. “Because it’s so fucking confusing! One minute you’re telling me off like an overprotective guardian, then you’re teasing me like I’m your kid sister, and yesterday you tried to suck my tongue right out of mouth before bailing with an excuse about early morning hockey practice. I don’t know what you want from me.”

“I…I want…” With a little growl, I rest my hand on her hip and finally sputter out some semblance of truth. “I want to take you to the party. I want to pick you up and walk you in the door so everyone in that place knows you’re with me!”

My outburst shuts her up. For all of five seconds.

“So, you don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else having me either. How lovely.”

I snatch her wrist before she goes to walk away from me again and gruffly whisper, “I do want you,” before planting my lips on hers.

She responds instantly, like our tongues were specifically designed for each other. Her initial squeak of surprise is lost to a moan that twitches my dick. As I plunge my fingers into her hair, all the blood rushes down to the guy, snapping him to attention.

Is it now?

Is the wait over?

Are you finally putting me out of my misery?

It kills me that I can’t grant his wishes, but I force myself to slowly pull out of the kiss. Cupping Mikayla’s cheeks, I enjoy the dazed look in her eyes. She blinks, slowly coming to, and I get it. Hot damn, I get it.

Her kisses are fire.

She scrapes her teeth over her shiny bottom lip, and my insides flare with an inferno of need. But then I catch a movement out of the corner of my eye and stand straight, instinctively shifting to block Mikayla from whoever’s approaching.

Aw, crap on a cracker.

“Hey, guys,” Asher singsongs, his grin growing wide as he leans around my body to wiggle his eyebrows at Mikayla. “Lil’ mouse. Nice to see you.”

“And you.” She steps up beside me. “Any luck with that footage?”

“Gone.” He winks at her. “You held up your end of the bargain, so I dealt with mine this morning.”

“Bargain?” I look between them, hating that they’ve got something going on that I don’t know about.

Mikayla glances up at me. “I agreed to hang at Hockey House last night on the condition that he get rid of whatever was recorded in the workout room.”

I throw Asher a dry glare, but I’m actually grateful. I don’t want Mikayla embarrassed by that, plus she could get in trouble for sneaking into the arena, plus Coach would fry my ass over an open flame if he knew I’d been getting it on in the workout room.

“Thanks,” I mutter, holding out my fist.

He taps his knuckles against mine before flashing me that warning look again. “It’s a great day, isn’t it?”

I narrow my eyes at him, wondering where the fuck he’s going with this.

“Yeah, temperature’s good.” He looks up at the blue sky. “You know… I could almost walk around campus naked on a sunny day like this.”

Mikayla bulges her eyes at him before letting out a shocked bark. “Whatever floats your boat, I guess.”

She shoots me a your friend is weird kind of look before squeezing my arm. “Catch you on Saturday.”

“Yeah.” I force a bright smile, glancing over my shoulder to watch her walk away.

As soon as she’s a safe distance, I whip back around to glare at Asher. “You are such a⁠—”

“Just keeping you on track, man.” He flashes me a cheesy grin.

I grunt and start walking, but he spins and falls into step beside me.

“So, what’s happening on Saturday?”

After a little side-eye action, I mutter, “I’m taking her to the party.”

“Like a date?”

“I guess.” I shrug, trying to play it cool.

Asher whistles. “Has the mighty Galloway fallen? I have never seen you focus on more than one chick for longer than twenty-four hours, bar the Aimee fiasco of freshman year. Oh, and there was that Shanna thing too, I guess. ”

Clenching my jaw, I resist the urge to shove him away from me and start running, finally gritting out, “Yeah, well, I can usually get them out of my system, can’t I?”

He snickers, his shoulders trembling like he’s fighting hysterical laughter. “Has my bet really turned you from a coldhearted sex machine to actually pursuing a girl?”

“I’ve never been coldhearted,” I snap. “Fuck you, man. We all know college is about casual flings. No one in the house is serious about anyone.”

“Liam was last year.”

“Yeah, and look how that turned out,” I spit, irritation coursing through me.

Coldhearted.

Screw that. Just because I enjoy sex doesn’t make me an asshole. I’m always up-front with the girls I hook up with. They know the deal.

Mikayla doesn’t.

I smash my teeth together, sliding my shades back on so I have a shield between me and Asher’s keen gaze.

He’s still grinning at me, and I want to serve him up a swift, sharp punch to the face.

Coldhearted.

I don’t know why that term is eating me so damn much.

“Well.” Asher pats me on the shoulder. I shake him off with a little growl, which only makes him laugh. “Luckily, I’ll be there on Saturday night to keep an eye on you.”

“I don’t need you to do that.”

“Sure you don’t.”

“It was just kissing,” I grumble, pointing back to the spot where Mikayla turned my insides to Jell-O.

“Didn’t you know, bro? Kissing leads to sex… and you ain’t allowed none of that for another—” He checks his phone. “—sixteen more days.”

When he starts hissing in mock sympathy, I flip him the bird.

“Watching you burn is gonna be so much fun.” He cracks up laughing, flipping me off while veering left and sauntering away with a goofy grin.

I scowl after him, fisting my hands and continuing on to class.

The last thing I feel like doing is sitting through an anatomy lecture, but I force myself there, because hockey may be king, but I’m not leaving this place without a decent education, and I won’t get jack if I don’t put in the work.

Besides, it might help distract me from the Mikayla dilemma.

Shit, maybe there’ll be something in my textbook about how to control a misbehaving meat stick.