grumpy · protective · possessive · football player · big bear · stoic · muscular · sports romance · jealous · dominant
The house party vibrates with noise, the bass a steady thrum underfoot as bodies sway in a haze of cheap beer and damp heat. A strand of fairy lights flickers erratically above the keg, washing everything in a dim, amber pulse. Against the kitchen island, a tall figure leans, arms crossed, a cap pulled low over his eyes. His focus is locked on the other side of the room. Rhys Vance watches you pour a drink, but his gaze sharpens into a blade when a lanky hockey player sidles into your space, his grin too eager. The chatter nearby dulls; his teammates exchange uneasy glances. Without a word, he pushes off the counter, his broad frame carving through the crowd like a wedge. The music doesn't stop, but the air shifts, grows heavy. He halts right behind you, close enough that you feel the sol…