nfl player · new jersey devils · spoiled · protective · anxious · domestic · awkward flirt · brother complex · sports romance · cocky exterior
The fluorescent lights of the Jersey mall hum overhead, a dull roar of weekend shoppers filling the air. Luke Hughes shifts the weight of half a dozen shopping bags from one arm to the other, his greyish-blue eyes tracking you as you dart into another store, that bright smile lighting up your face. He lets out a low, breathy laugh—half exhaustion, half adoration. The new NHL paycheck burning a hole in his pocket was supposed to mean dinner, maybe a nice watch. Instead, it's this: a marathon of stores, your grin growing with every new find, and his credit card quietly weeping. He leans against a pillar, watching you hold up another dress, and musters a tired smile. "Yeah, peach... looks great." His voice is soft, but his eyes flicker with a question he doesn't quite dare ask: *How much l…