“You smell so good.” Gina inhales deeply, then exhales, her warm breath tickling my neck. Her lips latch on once more, a hot, wet brand against my neck.

She feels good in my lap. Her shapely thighs straddle mine, her satin-clad body warm and curvy. And I have to stop this.

I made a promise to myself, and to my team, although none of them asked me to do it and they all think I’m insane for even attempting abstinence. Matt flat-out stated he doesn’t believe that me setting aside my sexual urges is going to impact our hockey games in the slightest. But I think it will, and for me it’s a matter of principle. The guys voted me captain. I take that responsibility seriously, and I know from personal experience that I have the tendency to let women mess with my head. Screwing around got me a broken wrist last year. I’m not looking to repeat that.

“Gina, I—”

She cuts me off by pressing her lips to mine, and then we’re kissing and my mind begins to spin. She tastes like beer and bubble gum. And her hair, which falls over one shoulder in a thick curtain of red curls, smells like apples. Mmmm, I want to eat her up.

Our tongues dance and the kiss grows deeper, hotter. My head keeps spinning as lust and unhappiness war inside me. I’ve lost all capability to think clearly. I’m so hard it hurts and Gina makes it worse by rubbing herself all over my crotch.

Thirty more seconds, I tell myself. Thirty more seconds and then I’ll stop this from going any further.

“I want you so bad.” Her lips are fused to my neck again, and then, fuck, her hand slides between us. She cups my cock over my shorts and I almost weep with pleasure. It’s been so long since a hand that didn’t belong to myself touched my dick. It feels criminally good.

“Gina, no,” I groan, and it takes all my willpower to remove her hand. My cock protests by leaking precome all over the inside of my boxers.

Her cheeks are flushed red. Eyes glazed. “Why not?”

“I’m…taking a break from all that.”

“From what?”

“Sex.”

“What about it?”

“I’m going without.”

“Without what?” She looks as confused as I am miserable.

“Without sex,” I clarify glumly. “As in, I’m not having it for a while.”

Her brows crash together. “But…why not?”

“It’s a long story.” I pause. “Actually, it’s not a long story at all. I want to concentrate on hockey this year, and sex is too big of a distraction. That’s pretty much it.”

She pauses for a long beat. Then she touches my cheek and sweeps her thumb over the stubble on my jaw. She licks her lips, and I almost come in my pants.

“If you’re worried that I’m going to want anything more, don’t. I’m only looking for a one-night thing. My course load is insane this semester and I don’t have time for relationships either.”

“It’s not a relationship issue,” I try to explain. “It’s sex in general. Once I have it, I want to keep having it. I get distracted and—”

She cuts me off again. “Fine, no sex. I’ll just suck you off.”

I nearly choke on my tongue. “Gina—”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get myself off while I’m doing it. Blowjobs turn me on so much.”

This is torture.

Pure torture.

I swear, if the military needs any ideas on how to break someone? Give them a hard-up college guy, throw a hot chick on his lap, have her tell him how she wants nothing but no-strings sex and offer him blowjobs because it turns her on so much.

“I’m sorry,” I manage to croak. Then I accomplish the even more difficult feat of easing her off my lap and getting to my feet. “I’m not in a good headspace for…any of this.”

She stays seated, her head tipped back to stare at me. Her eyes are wide with incredulity and a touch of…I think it might be sympathy. For chrissake. Now I’m being pitied for my celibacy.

“I’m sorry,” I say again. “And just so you know, you’re the hottest girl at this party and my decision has nothing to do with you. I made myself a promise back in April and I want to keep it.”

Gina chews on her bottom lip. Then, to my surprise, her expression takes on a glimmer of admiration. “I’m not going to lie,” she says, “I’m kind of impressed. Not many guys could stand by that conviction in the face of my hotness.”

“Not many guys are as stupid as I am.”

Grinning, she hops to her feet. “Well, I guess I’ll see you around, Hunter. I’d like to say I’ll wait for you, but a girl has needs. And obviously they don’t align with yours.”

With a laugh, she saunters out of the den, and I watch her sexy ass sway with each step.

I rake both hands through my hair and then release a silent groan into my palms. I don’t know if I should be proud of myself or kick my own ass for this ridiculous path I’ve chosen.

For the most part, it has helped keep me focused on hockey. I take out all my sexual frustration on the ice. I’m faster and stronger than I was last season, and there’s almost a desperation in each shot that I snap at the net. The bullets hit their mark, almost as if in tribute to my suffering dick. An acknowledgment that his sacrifice must be honored.

It’s only until the end of the season, I reassure myself. Seven more months, which will put me at one full year of celibacy once I cross the finish line. And then I’ll reward myself with an entire summer of sex. A sex summer.

A dirty, decadent, endless sex summer…

Oh Christ. I’m so tired of fucking my own hand. Granted, I’m not helping my cause when I do idiotic things like opening myself up to temptation with gorgeous sorority girls.

For the first time in a long time, I’m dying for classes to start. Hopefully I’ll have so much work this semester I’ll be drowning in it. Homework, extra ice time, practice, and games—that’s all I’m allowed to focus on. And definitely no more sorority parties.

Avoiding temptation is the only way to keep my head in the game and my dick in my pants.

2

Demi

“Lock it,” I order as my boyfriend Nico shuts the bedroom door behind us. Just because my sorority is hosting tonight’s party doesn’t mean my room is open to the public. The last time we threw a party and I forgot to lock up, I went upstairs to grab a sweater and walked in on a threesome in progress. One of the two guys had even committed the atrocity of using my one-eyed stuffed panda Fernando as a pillow to shove under the girl’s bottom. You know, to create easier access for the double penetration that was about to commence.

Never again, Fernando, I silently assure my childhood friend as I move him onto the nightstand to make room for my boyfriend.

Nico falls backward onto the bed, covers his face with his arm, and releases a weary breath. He missed the party because he had to work, but I appreciate that he made the effort to come over after his shift instead of going home to the studio apartment he rents in Hastings. The little town is a ten-minute drive from the Briar campus, so it’s not super far. But I know it would’ve been easier for him to go straight home and crash.