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

I stay against the wall when Ethan walks away. I need a minute to compose myself after… well, that.

Holy crap! I have never come like that before. I’m used to servicing myself in that department, but what Ethan just did freaking blew my mind.

“His tongue.” I tip my head back against the wall with a soft laugh. “His magical tongue.”

My insides are still buzzing. The wet tingling between my legs fires up all over again as I remember that seriously erotic moment. Ethan’s warm, soft tongue licking circles against my clit while his fingers drove into me. I didn’t even care where I was. I’m not sure I was even conscious of it. My body was blinded to everything but the sensations shooting through me. I can only imagine what it’ll be like having his entire body pressed against mine. I want to feel him inside me, all around me.

Shit, I’m gonna start leaking down my legs.

I bolt for the bathroom and do a second cleanup, my sensitive body still buzzing after that epically hot orgasm. The anticipation for tonight is going to kill me.

Checking my watch, I groan, calculating how many hours I’m gonna have to wait.

But as I wash my hands and glance at my reflection in the mirror, I’m smiling.

“He wants me,” I tell myself. “He actually wants me.”

It’s kind of a mind trip after spending most of last night lamenting the fact that Ethan Galloway would never be into a girl like me. But after what just happened, I can’t really deny it.

He’s attracted to me—big-time.

Which means this initiation is over. I don’t know how I’m going to tell Aimee that I’m done, but I’ll find a way somehow. I just need to offer her up something else so she’ll let me stay.

Pulling the bathroom door open, I head out of Luxon Hall, my brain trying to come up with something half decent, but it’s failing because I can’t get Ethan out of my head.

We like each other. It’s kind of surreal. Ethan is cover-model hot. I’ve never had a guy I like this freaking much like me back.

I shake my head, nerves firing through me as I realize I more than like him. It feels insanely fast, but there’s just something about him. Is it honestly possible for people to fall in love so quickly?

Snatching out my phone, I pull up Rachel’s number as I head to my next class.

“Hey, sweets,” she answers after two rings. “I’m at work, so I can’t talk for long.”

“Oh shit, sorry. I should have texted. I wasn’t thinking. I can call you later.”

“No, that’s okay. What’s up?” Sweet Ray. She’s always so accommodating.

“Um… well, I was just wondering…” I wrinkle my nose, then rush out the words, trying to outrun the burning embarrassment I feel whenever I talk about this kind of thing. “How did you know when you were in love with Theo? It was fast, right? How did you know when to just go for it?”

“Oh.” She giggles. “Where is this coming from?”

“I’m just curious. I mean, you guys are moving in together, and you said the other day that when you know, you know. So… how do you know?”

“I’m not sure. I guess he just makes me happy. When I’m around him, I can’t stop smiling, and when I’m not with him, I’m thinking about him. You know, the usual stuff.”

“And the speed with which you fell didn’t scare you?”

“No. It… I mean, yeah, I guess logically it’s kind of trippy to feel so strongly about someone so fast. And when he suggested we move in, my first thought was ‘Whoa, this feels intense.’ Mom was definitely surprised. But she’s leaving me, and I don’t want to live on my own. Screw logic, you know? Theo cares about me, and I want to focus on that. On the bubbly way he makes me feel.” She giggles again, and I can just see the expression on her face right now. “He gives me love bubbles, Mick. Big ol’ love bubbles.”

I laugh. Oh man, she’s nailed it. That’s what is popping in my chest right now.

“Life’s too short to second-guess ourselves,” she goes on. “Why can’t we fall in love quickly? What’s wrong with that? Theo makes me happy. The fact that I’m gonna get to wake up beside him each morning is so freaking cool. I love him, and I’m not going to hide that just because it’s happening so fast, you know?”

She sounds like she’s trying to sell me on this, justify her decisions, and I can’t help laughing. “I get it, Ray. You don’t have to convince me.”

“Oh.” She laughs. “Sorry. Some people don’t get it.”

“Like who?”

“Well, Mom at first, and there’s also Jenna from work. And Ali. Remember? From school?”

“Yeah, totally. She’s always been a skeptic over things like love, though. She’s far too practical for her own good.”

“Even you questioned me when I said I was moving in with Theo.”

“Yeah.” I wince. “I know. Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. I’m confident in my decision.” She pauses. “So… where is all this coming from?”

“Oh, I just… well…” I let out a soft laugh. “I’ve… met a guy.”

“What!” she screeches. “One sec… Hey, Diana, I’ve got a bit of a family emergency. Nothing to panic about, but I need to take a quick break, is that cool? … Thanks. I’ll be right back.” I hear muffled steps and then the click of a door before Rachel’s back in my ear. “Tell me everything.”

I tell her what I can, skipping over the sorority stuff and focusing on all the awesome things about Ethan, from how hot he is to how he can make me laugh. I relive some of our banter, and the more I tell her, the more I realize that I’m not just falling anymore.

I’ve fallen. Hard.

“And you’re gonna have sex with him tonight?” Rachel’s voice pitches with excitement.

“Uh… yeah.”

“Omg, Mick! It’s gonna be so epic. Do you have protection?”

“I was kinda hoping he would. The guy’s got a rep, so he’s probably got a permanent stash on him.”

“Does that worry you? The rep thing?”

I bite my lip, pausing outside the student union. “I don’t think so? I’m not sure. I don’t think he’s the kind to play with me just to get me into bed. From what I’ve heard, he’s always been really open about the fact that he’s a one-night kind of guy.”

“So, will he be that way with you too?”

I swallow, doubts scouring me. “I don’t know. I… don’t think so. We’ve been hanging out a lot, and we get on great, you know? I think he really likes me. He said he likes hanging out with me.”

“Has he told you he loves you?”

“No,” I snicker. “He’s not Theo.”

She giggles. “He said it after only a week, but… you should have seen the look on his face.” Her voice goes all swoony, and I wait out her gushing, having to relive the story. I’m not grimacing as much this time, though. Theo sounds like a romantic sap, and I can’t imagine Ethan every saying shit like that to me.

I wouldn’t even want him to.

I like our way. Our teasing banter, our heated kisses. I like that he feels like a friend with these huge benefits.

My insides start to dance again as I imagine the benefits I’m gonna get tonight.

“Shoot, I have to go. Diana needs me out front again.”

“Okay. Thanks for being there for me.”

“Always.” I picture her smile and suddenly miss her with an ache that’s painful. “Love you, bestie.”

“Love you.”

I hang up and nibble on my lip as I wander down the path, then through the sliding glass doors. I find a free couch against the wall and flop onto it. My class starts in about twenty minutes, so I pull out my latest reading, finishing off the last page before class begins. I’m really enjoying the variety of classes I have this semester, but trying to concentrate on the text is basically impossible. I have to reread most of it, and then when class begins, I can barely focus on what Professor Dutton is saying. Her voice becomes white noise as I once again think ahead to what awaits me in Ethan’s bedroom.