Addicted to Him by New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Monica Murphy is now live!
Eli Bennett.
Quarterback at our biggest rival high school.
My brother's worst enemy.
So why can't I stop thinking about him?
For one, he's totally gorgeous and boy, does he know it. He's an arrogant trash talker who brings drama wherever he goes.
And for some reason, he's set his sights on me.
The more I get to know him, the more I realize he's actually kind of...sweet. Deep down, he's broken. Hurting. He's dealing with a lot, but he also puts on a major front so no one can tell. I want to be there for him. I want to be with him. But because everyone in my life hates Eli, we have to keep our relationship a secret.
The problem with secrets is they never stay secret for long...
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Excerpt
“Your team is looking strong this season,” Eli says.
“That’s because we are strong.” It’s my turn to wear the cocky smile as I sit on a nearby barstool. “Be prepared for us to kick your ass during our homecoming.”
He makes a dismissive noise. “Good luck with that. We’ve been working on taking your team down for years. This is going to be the game where we finally make it happen.”
“You really believe that?” I raise a brow.
He rounds the kitchen island so he’s across from me, resting his elbows on the marble countertop before he leans in. His face comes closer and closer to mine, until he’s right there.
Directly in front of me. “I believe in my team, just as strongly as you believe in yours.”
I realize our mouths are perfectly aligned. He’s definitely within kissing distance, and I remember what it was like. Kissing Eli. Touching Eli. Feeling his hands on me. My breaths become shorter and my heart thumps wildly. Maybe I should tell him to back off. Or maybe I should back away myself. But I don’t move.
Neither does he.
“It’s weird having you here in my kitchen on a Friday night.” He reaches out, tugging gently on the end of my ponytail. “Wearing your Badger gear.”
“Right.” I release a shuddery breath, hoping he doesn’t realize how much he’s affecting me. “Like I told you earlier, I need to change.”
“You can change in my room,” he offers, raising his brows.
“I’m not going to your room tonight Eli,” I tell him sternly. I have to have some sort of boundaries, or I won’t respect myself in the morning.
And neither will he.
“Want to go for a swim?” he asks, still not changing his position.
Still directly in my face.
“I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” I answer, my voice soft.
“That’s okay. We don’t need swimsuits.” His eyes are dancing, looking more than a little pleased with himself.
“I’m not skinny dipping with you.”
“That’s a damn shame. I was hoping I could catch a glimpse of naked Ava.”
Ha. He wishes. “In your dreams.”
“You are so right,” he says with a sigh. “You don’t even know.”
I don’t want to know.
Well, I sort of do. Not that I’d tell him that.
“I can wear my sports bra and briefs,” I tell him, and when he frowns, I continue, “To swim in.”
His frown disappears, replaced by a hopeful expression. “You’ll really swim with me?”
“Yeah. Sure. But you can’t get too handsy.” Now I lean in even closer, our mouths only inches apart. “I’m not that kind of girl.”
He chuckles, and the sound is warm, wrapping all around me. “You give as good as you get, don’t you?”
“Even better, if you’re lucky,” I say, breathing deeply as I slowly pull away from him. I don’t even know where I’m coming up with this stuff. Swear he brings it out of me. “But I don’t think you’re ever going to get lucky with me, Bennett.”
“You can’t challenge me like that. Game fucking on.” He holds his hand out for a bro shake and I take it, ready for him to do some elaborate handshake ritual, but he tricks me at the last minute.
Instead, he brings my hand to his mouth, his gaze never leaving mine, as he oh so slowly kisses my knuckles. “I’m going to make you mine someday, Ava. Watch me.”
Oh God.
I am in so much trouble.
“That’s because we are strong.” It’s my turn to wear the cocky smile as I sit on a nearby barstool. “Be prepared for us to kick your ass during our homecoming.”
He makes a dismissive noise. “Good luck with that. We’ve been working on taking your team down for years. This is going to be the game where we finally make it happen.”
“You really believe that?” I raise a brow.
He rounds the kitchen island so he’s across from me, resting his elbows on the marble countertop before he leans in. His face comes closer and closer to mine, until he’s right there.
Directly in front of me. “I believe in my team, just as strongly as you believe in yours.”
I realize our mouths are perfectly aligned. He’s definitely within kissing distance, and I remember what it was like. Kissing Eli. Touching Eli. Feeling his hands on me. My breaths become shorter and my heart thumps wildly. Maybe I should tell him to back off. Or maybe I should back away myself. But I don’t move.
Neither does he.
“It’s weird having you here in my kitchen on a Friday night.” He reaches out, tugging gently on the end of my ponytail. “Wearing your Badger gear.”
“Right.” I release a shuddery breath, hoping he doesn’t realize how much he’s affecting me. “Like I told you earlier, I need to change.”
“You can change in my room,” he offers, raising his brows.
“I’m not going to your room tonight Eli,” I tell him sternly. I have to have some sort of boundaries, or I won’t respect myself in the morning.
And neither will he.
“Want to go for a swim?” he asks, still not changing his position.
Still directly in my face.
“I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” I answer, my voice soft.
“That’s okay. We don’t need swimsuits.” His eyes are dancing, looking more than a little pleased with himself.
“I’m not skinny dipping with you.”
“That’s a damn shame. I was hoping I could catch a glimpse of naked Ava.”
Ha. He wishes. “In your dreams.”
“You are so right,” he says with a sigh. “You don’t even know.”
I don’t want to know.
Well, I sort of do. Not that I’d tell him that.
“I can wear my sports bra and briefs,” I tell him, and when he frowns, I continue, “To swim in.”
His frown disappears, replaced by a hopeful expression. “You’ll really swim with me?”
“Yeah. Sure. But you can’t get too handsy.” Now I lean in even closer, our mouths only inches apart. “I’m not that kind of girl.”
He chuckles, and the sound is warm, wrapping all around me. “You give as good as you get, don’t you?”
“Even better, if you’re lucky,” I say, breathing deeply as I slowly pull away from him. I don’t even know where I’m coming up with this stuff. Swear he brings it out of me. “But I don’t think you’re ever going to get lucky with me, Bennett.”
“You can’t challenge me like that. Game fucking on.” He holds his hand out for a bro shake and I take it, ready for him to do some elaborate handshake ritual, but he tricks me at the last minute.
Instead, he brings my hand to his mouth, his gaze never leaving mine, as he oh so slowly kisses my knuckles. “I’m going to make you mine someday, Ava. Watch me.”
Oh God.
I am in so much trouble.
Meet Monica
A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, two kids, one dog, and four cats. When she's not writing, she's an assistant coach for her daughter's high school cheer team, which is a two season sport. Meaning, she's at practice with a bunch of teenage girls all the time. Or she's at a football game. Or a basketball game. Maybe someday, she'll even write about this experience.
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