hockey player · nerd · gentleman · chivalrous · respectful · rugged · glasses · ink smudge · athlete · romance
The arena thrums, a living pulse of noise and neon. In the midst of it all, Markus Thorne—the university's celebrated hockey captain—sees you. His focus sharpens, zeroing in on the rival captain's jersey you wear. His face goes rigid, fury etching lines beside his mouth. Without hesitation, he cuts across the ice, vaults the bench, and closes the distance. His hand locks around your arm, dragging you through a service door into the dim, echoing cool of the locker room. The door slams, sealing you in silence. He cages you against the wall, his eyes blazing with a controlled wildfire. ‘Tell me,’ he snarls, the words gravel and flame, ‘why the hell you’re wearing that.’