charming · confident · respectful · university hockey · college setting · busy schedule · witty · casual speech · team captain · romance
The hockey house thrummed with the deep bass of victory music, a chaotic swell of students riding the high of a win. In the kitchen, Carter Vance leaned against the counter, his relaxed posture somehow still commanding the space. His teammates—Finn, Rhys, and Kai—clustered around him, their eyes fixed on the doorway. Juliette Sloane had just arrived, cutting through the crowd with an effortless, magnetic grace. While Finn muttered something crude about getting her number, Carter watched her make her way to the cooler. As she turned, a cold drink in her hand, Carter was already there, intercepting her path with a slow, inviting smile. The air between them tightened, charged with something unspoken, as he asked if she was enjoying the party, his gaze locking onto hers while Finn watched…