Playing Hard to Get (The Players, #1)

by Monica Murphy

I’m sitting on Knox Maguire’s lap, his eyes going wide when he registers who I am. “Wait a sec. Do I know you?” he asks.

OOP

It’s not that I hate my job. I love working here, but sometimes, I hate peopling. Peopling is the worst.

“It’s actually wonderful. Reading takes you to another world. Teaches you things. I love it.” Her cheeks turn red again. She’s cute when she blushes.

“She’s kind of hot.” “Jesus, you think so?” Jealousy floods my veins. “Don’t even look at her, you hear me?”

“I’ve been wanting to do that since I walked into the room,” he murmurs, his deep voice making me shiver.

“No, no news.” But something definitely happened, and I can’t stop thinking about it. Thinking about her.

She’s so pretty. And I like it when she laughs. The sound, how her whole face lights up and her eyes sparkle. When I’m with her, I feel pretty fucking great. Like nothing can get me down. All I want to do is make her smile.

“Kissing you, Jo Jo. I can get kind of fixated sometimes.” He kisses me like he can’t help it. “Pretty sure I’m completely obsessed with you.”

And wait a minute, did I just refer to Joanna as my girl? I sure as fuck did.

She exists. That’s why she deserves it. She makes my life a lot brighter, and I’m pretty sure she’s completely unaware of how much she matters to me. I need to show her. Tell her.

She’s so adorable. And sweet. Beautiful. Sexy. I’ve got it so bad.

Yes, yes you do

My voice is hoarse. She’s all I think about. All I want. Just the idea of her being with some other guy makes me want to murder him with my bare hands and the dude doesn’t even actually exist.

I’m falling for her. Probably have already fallen, if I’m being real with myself. And while that is scary and wild and I’m nervous about it, being with Joanna also feels so damn right. There’s nobody else for me. She’s it.

“You already give me that.” I decide to be one hundred percent truthful. “You are like my own personal book boyfriend.”

MANIFESTINH THIS FOR ME

It used to bug me, but I love it when Knox calls me Jo Jo now too. Ugh, I love everything he does. Because I’m in love with him.

“You make it easy for me. I just want to see you happy. That’s my end goal.” He leans in and kisses the tip of my nose. “You are my end goal, Jo Jo.”

Despite the chaos on the field surrounding us, I feel like we’re all alone. That he’s mine and I’m his and no one else matters. Knox makes me feel special. Like I’m loved and cherished. And I don’t ever want this feeling to end.

“When it comes to you, I mean everything I say. You’re the best thing to happen to me. I’m on top of the fucking world this semester, and that’s all thanks to you.”