KAYLA: Raise your hand if you've ever found out your American football player boyfriend of four years was cheating on you... via a scuzzy daily gossip show... right before you two were scheduled to go on an all-expenses-paid vacation to Paris that was supposed to include a marriage proposal! Nobody else? Just me? So maybe you'll understand why I'm crying in first class on the second leg of my flight to the City of Lights.

Respect all, fear none.... I lived by my father’s motto until River entered the MMA cage; River’s brown eyes reflected mystery, and his soul held darkness. Off-limits to a good girl like me. One day, the demons that haunted River swallowed him whole. Forever passed away, yet I failed at forgetting the beast who showed me a tender side of him. Now, I’m the law. A cop. River’s as gorgeous as sin. An ex-convict. And I’m the reason he was tossed in the slammer.

I was born into a world of wealth and privilege. My birthright was to be at the helm of one of the world's leading energy companies. But that wasn't my purpose in life. Sitting behind a desk of a Fortune 500 isn't what gets me going. No. It took me years to find my true purpose. Saving lives. Walking into the depths of hell to pull out survivors. It's what gets me out of my bed in the morning, and eventually, it's what led me to her.  

Welcome to Honey Creek, Illinois, where life was as sweet as the town's name suggested. That was until Mr. Fine Dining himself, Alex Ramírez, rolled into town with a permanent scowl. Even worse, he decided to park his snooty five-star restaurant across from my cozy dog daycare. He was tall, dark, and about as warm as a frozen entrée. After one too many unpleasant interactions, I was determined to stay out of his way and to keep him out of mine. But fate had a quirky sense of humor.

When I board the flight to Mexico, I can’t wait to leave my old corporate lifestyle behind. After a much-needed sabbatical, I plan to return home and open the coffee shop I’ve always wanted to. Getting to know the strong, handsome stranger sitting next to me on my flight is an unexpected bonus. And so is our whirlwind holiday romance that leaves me breathless. Brutus says he wants to continue things back in the real world, but I’m not sure he has room in his life for me, and I’m tired of settling for second best.