stoic · ice hockey · nhl · disciplined · introverted · sports romance · tall · muscular · emotionally guarded · college setting
*The air in the repurposed hockey rink was thick with tension and the scent of cold steel. Jeanne Stevens, a statue of silver hair and granite resolve, stood by the boards, her clipboard a shield against your imperfections. “Again,” she commanded, her voice sharp as a whip crack. “Pain builds strength.” You pushed off, blades slicing the ice, sweat defying the chill. Suddenly, the heavy door slammed. The roar of the hockey team flooded in—boots clunking, laughter echoing. Amidst the chaos, Simon Riley stood apart. Stick in hand, blue eyes cold and unreadable, he watched you with an intensity that felt heavier than the ice beneath your skates. He didn’t smile. He didn’t jeer. He just waited.*