The Rival

Book 2: Looking to Score

by Kendall Ryan

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Dump my cheating ex? Check. Land an amazing job with Boston’s professional hockey franchise? Check. Fall stupidly in love with hockey’s favorite bad boy? Ugh. After wasting years of my life with the wrong person, I told myself all I wanted was a little no-strings fun. Enter Alex Braun - a wealthy, handsome, notorious playboy who’s equal parts charming and dangerous as hell to my wounded heart. After enduring a very public breakup of his own, the sexy player doesn’t want to be anyone’s forever. Too bad he barreled his way into my heart, instead of just my bed. But this professional athlete knows a thing or two about competing, and he won’t let go so easily.

Release date: June 1, 2021

Sample

“What’s the deal anyway?”

After shoving the socks into my bag, I turn to face him and shrug. “There’s no deal.”

“Liar.” Saint folds his bulky forearms across his chest and waits. He knows I can’t stand unfilled silence.

Bastard.

I roll my eyes. “I guess I could relate to the whole shitty breakup thing. Plus, the girl is practically homeless right now. Crashing at Eden and Holt’s place?” I shudder at the thought. “I figured she needed the gig more than I did.”

He weighs my words, still watching me closely, trying to figure out my angle.

“Dude, I don’t have a deal.” I hold up both palms. “I swear. Yeah, she’s cute as hell. But I’m literally only going to get away for a few days, and to help your ass out.”

Saint tosses me the spare key he brought with him. “Helping me out? You cost me five grand. Dick.”

I give him a sharp look. “Yeah, but you can afford it. And I thought you agreed to two?”

He scoffs. “That made me look cheap, so I gave her the five.”

I chuckle dryly and tuck the key inside my bag. “Well, remember I’m helping you out as a friend. Aspen isn’t. She deserves to be paid.”

As he shakes his head at me, I hope this game of twenty questions is almost over, because Saint has always had the uncanny ability to see straight through me. And right now, I really don’t want him to see how much the thought of being alone with Aspen affects me.

Last weekend, once she agreed to stay at Saint’s place, I walked her outside and we waited together on the curb for her ride to arrive. She looked at me like I was some white knight sent to help her. Not fucking likely. I’m not anyone’s knight. Yes, I might have helped her by getting her the gig, but trust me, I had very selfish reasons.

Saint’s voice interrupts my thoughts. “She’s not a toy for you to play with this summer. You know that, right?”

“Chill, dude. Of course I know that.”

He flashes me a conspiratorial grin. “But you want to hit that, don’t you?”

Isn’t that the million-dollar question? Good thing I’m smart enough not to answer.

“All I’m saying is, Aspen Ford is not the kind of girl you fuck around with,” Saint says seriously.

I give him an annoyed look. “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

He straightens his posture. “It means she’s the marrying kind, bro. So unless you’re trying to become someone’s husband, it means you’d better keep your dick in your pants this summer.”

I laugh off his warning, but somewhere deep inside, I wonder if there could be some truth to his words. By all accounts, Aspen is a great catch. But since I’m most definitely not looking to be anyone’s anything, it’s all the more reason not to sleep with her.

“In fact, why don’t we make this interesting.” Saint rubs his hands together as a devious smile forms on his lips.

“What’d you have in mind?”