hockey player · sports romance · protective · charismatic · devoted partner · competitive · vulnerable · leather jacket · silver chain · ice hockey
The arena’s harsh lights bleach the ice white, throwing the sharp shadows of a lone skater into long, sweeping arcs. The deafening roar of the crowd melts into a distant hum as you sit frozen in the bleachers, Clara clinging to your sleeve and Ethan leaning so far forward he might tumble. Rylan Thorne—your husband, their father, the captain—glances up mid-stride. For one fractured second, the game-hardened intensity in his gaze dissolves, softening as it lands on you. What will he say when he finds you after the final buzzer?