The Rival Hearts

Chapter 2

"Armstrong."

"Montgomery." William's voice sliced through the air, and my eyes shot up to meet his when we said our names at the same time at the check-in counter.

Our eyes locked in a silent standoff. He was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and an unbuttoned bomber jacket, with the sleeves pushed up. All I could imagine was the bulging biceps and flat stomach hiding underneath his clothes, and the round, taut ass hugging those jeans.

Internally, I kept repeating how much I didn't like him, but it felt a little forced today as I took in his unshaved jaw and cocky smile. Damn, he was a double-edged sword: gorgeous to look at, impossible to tolerate.

We were both here for a bachelor/bachelorette party of our friends, who were unfortunately the bride and groom, but I also didn't anticipate having to spend the weekend with him. I was hoping he'd be the one sacrificing and ditching.

The receptionist cleared her throat nervously. "Uh, Ms. Armstrong, Mr. Montgomery, I'm afraid we have a slight issue with your suites. They will be ready in a few minutes. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

"Don't worry about it," I said.

As I waited for my room, I forced my gaze to the view in front of me, yet felt his eyes on my face. Eventually, it became impossible to ignore, so I huffed and turned back to him.

"Are you going to keep staring at me?"

His lip twitched. "I might. It's not a bad view."

"I don't like your eyes on my face. It's like bugs crawling all over my skin."

"Where would you prefer them?" Those green eyes raked over my body, slow and deliberate.

I felt a flush rise to my cheeks, and fought to keep my composure. "Anywhere but on me."

He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a murmur. "You sure about that?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Positive."

"Shame," he said, leaning back with a lazy smile. "How is work going?" he asked, his tone dripping with feigned casualness.

"You just want to know if I found a hotel," I shot back.

His eyes held mine. "Did you?"

"I respect how shameless you are."

"Doesn't hurt to ask, but you couldn't have. Knowing you, you'd want to make sure you find the right one because you know it will take a lot to defeat me—which you won't, by the way. The effort is what matters."

I bit back a retort, instead opting for a smug smile. "You do have a talent for self-delusion."

His lips twitched. "Delusion? That's rich coming from someone who's yet to prove she can beat me."

"You're right," I said. "I don't need to beat you. I just need to outlast you."

His eyes gleamed with amusement, a challenge lurking behind them. "Outlasting me sounds like a challenge. Are you sure you're up for it?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I've been dealing with you for years. I think I can handle a little longer."

He edged closer. Close enough that his low murmur rang clear in the small space between us. "Ah, but dealing with me and outlasting me are two different things, Iz, but it's entertaining."

"Entertaining?" I echoed, unable to hide the hint of irritation in my voice.

"Absolutely," he confirmed, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "You're like a little bird, chirping away, thinking you can outlast the storm." He reached out and rested his hand on my hip, drawing circles.