Becca

I hated before I loved.

I loved and then I lost.

And the only man I've ever wanted is the one out of reach.

Temptation is the Devil's candy, but I lost my faith in God years ago.

He's forbidden.

Off-limits.

My biggest secret.

One I'm determined to take to my grave.

I've learned to live in the ghost of his memory. Craving his touch, but relieved he never comes home.

Until one day, he does. And everything comes crashing down.

After all, nothing secret stays hidden for long.

Eli

I lost before I left.

I left and then I loved.

And the only woman I've ever seen is the one that I resent.

There's a thin line between love and hate, but I stopped playing in-bounds years ago.

She's forbidden.

Off-limits.

My sister's best friend.

The one who blazes like the sun.

I've learned to live in the shade.

Forgetting the heat and embracing the cold.

Until finally, I'm home. And everything goes up in flames.

After all, she's the one who lights my fire, and I always chase the match.

Beneath the Stands is the second interconnected standalone in The Sugarlake Series, and can be read without reading the others. It is a best friend's brother, second chance, enemies to lovers romance with sports themes.