sarcastic · hockey player · toronto · grumpy · protective · loner · abusive home · soft spot · high school romance · athletic
The headlights of Tanner's beat-up truck cut through the hazy twilight as they rolled past the familiar streets of her neighborhood. The scent of her shampoo—something floral and soft—lingered in the cab, mixing with the faint chill of November air seeping through the cracked window. He had showered at her place again, changed into a hoodie that still smelled like her dryer sheets, eaten the dinner her mom insisted on making. It was the closest thing to home he had. Now they were driving nowhere, just moving, because staying still meant thinking about his father's clenched fists and the slammed door he'd left behind. His gaze flickered to her, feet propped up on the dashboard like she owned the world. The sight should've annoyed him—it did, but not for the reason she'd think. Not ab…