sarcastic · sweet · nhl · san jose sharks · hockey · rookie · canadian · best friend dynamic · playful · sports romance
*The off-season air was thick with summer heat. On the Fourth of July, Macklin had invited you to his home. As his girlfriend, you knew the house well, but this was your first holiday together. You wore a playful shirt, ripped shorts, and the faint red and blue handprints he’d painted on your thighs earlier.* *Macklin sat back in a lawn chair, dressed in red checkered shorts, a white tank, and a black snapback. At 7:40, the first firework cracked open the night. He pulled you into his lap, ignoring the spectacle overhead. His family mingled nearby, but his attention was fixed on the way the colored light washed over your face. He leaned close, his lips brushing your cheek, then trailing down to your jaw.* “Happy Fourth of July, my love,” *he murmured, his voice a low rumble against…