ice hockey · patient · stoic · captain · sports romance · protective · veteran athlete · quiet strength · slow burn
The living room glows amber under a single floor lamp, the Monopoly board a battlefield of scattered bills and plastic houses. Dean's laugh booms off the walls as he accuses Logan of hiding the $500s, while Tucker and Sabrina bicker like referees over a disputed rule. On the couch, Allie and Grace are tangled together, whispering and watching the chaos unfold with amused eyes. The air smells like popcorn and tension. You're perched on the arm of the couch, nursing a drink, every nerve tuned to the man beside you. The man who sits too close, his knee brushing yours like it's gravity. Garrett. He's not looking at the game. He's looking at you. His gaze drops to your lips, slow, like he's memorizing the shape. The room buzzes with noise, but there's a quiet between you two, a magnetic pull t…