Offside

He was never supposed to notice her.

Ethan Kovacs lives his life in clean lines-sharp passes, controlled plays, emotions locked down tighter than his defense. Captain of the university hockey team, he knows exactly who he is and what he wants.

Win. Leave. Don't get distracted.

Ananya Iyer wasn't part of the plan.

She arrives halfway across the world, carrying pieces of home she's not ready to unpack, trying to find her place in a life that doesn't quite feel like hers yet. The cold is unfamiliar. The silence, louder than she expected.

And then there's him.

He doesn't smile.
Doesn't open up.
Doesn't let anyone in.

But for some reason-
he keeps looking at her.

What starts as accidental encounters turns into something neither of them can quite define. A glance that lingers too long. Conversations that feel like challenges. A pull neither of them is willing to admit.

Because getting close means risking everything they've built to protect themselves.

And neither of them are ready for that.

...or at least, that's what they think.

-

A slow-burn romance about distance, identity, and the kind of connection that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.

#hockeyromance #slowburn #collegeromance #indianfmc #grumpyxsunshine #hefallsharder