When Rose Jensen’s grandfather dies, he leaves her enough money to save her parents’ failing business and get her through UCLA. The only catch – she has to marry Lee Montenegro, the infuriating half-Spanish, all-playboy transfer. Rose and Lee’s grandfathers were fast friends, and betrothed their grandchildren to each other.

Lee wants the money to run from his suffocating family, and turns his full burning charisma on Rose, but she won’t give in. She’ll never marry someone she doesn’t love, and who doesn’t love her. But memories of a mysterious boy in her childhood haunt her, and Lee insists they know each other. With her parent’s pressures mounting, her scholarship slipping, and Lee’s advances heating up with more than just money-lust, Rose is torn between doing the right thing for her family, and doing the right thing for her heart.

**This story contains language and sexual scenes, some of which may be unsuitable for younger readers.

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I get changed – Grace’s pajamas almost too small. I shuffle to the bathroom, trying to stay quiet so I don’t bug anyone. I reach for the door handle just as someone opens it. Steam pours out and Lee stands in the doorway, towel wrapped around his waist and bronze chest bare. His wet hair hangs in his surprised eyes.

“Geez, what is this, the second time you’ve seen me naked? Do you have special sensing whiskers for this shit or something?” He asks.

I glue my eyes to the ceiling. “Sorry. Um. I just wanted to brush my teeth.”

“Apology not accepted.” He leans in, so close I can see the water droplets stuck on his chest. I’m suddenly hyper aware of the way Grace’s pajamas don’t cover all of my stomach and legs. I hadn’t noticed it the first time we ran into each other – literally – but his physique isn’t bulky at all. He has broad shoulders but a narrow waist tapering into his towel. His arm and stomach muscles have the barest definition. His skin is dusky and the skin hairs light, surprisingly light for how dark his head hair is. He has a small mole on his neck and for some reason that snaps me back to reality – he’s a real, breathing person and I’m standing here gawking and making a fool of myself.

“I just, if you’re done, I need to –” I try to squeeze around him, but he blocks the door with his body.

“Need to what?”

“Please move!”

He smiles and leans closer. “That’s more like it. Using your words and asking for what you want clearly is always a good thing.”

1. Eisley – Marvelous Things (I feel this really captures the essence of Lee and Rose’s relationship. It’s haunting but tortured, unsure but sweet. )

2. Red Jumpsuit Apparatus – Damn Regret (This is definitely Lee’s theme song. The lyrics fit him perfectly and I listened to it on repeat while I wrote all of his scenes.)

3. Paramore – Misery Business (For all those angsty makeout scenes, haha!)

4. Queen – Somebody to Love (This is just a classic, and it sums up the whole book really well, I think.)

5. Bon Iver – I Can’t Make You Love Me (This is Rose’s theme song, without a doubt. I love Bon Iver’s voice to bits.)

6. Radiohead – All I Need (Another song I listened to nonstop while writing! I think this fits Jen and Grace’s relationship, though!)

Sara Wolf is a romance author who, in-between wrangling a husband and a parakeet, inhales a lot of chai tea and gardens (badly!!). She’s a huge fan of Vampire Diaries, angsty love, and all kinds of chocolate. She works as a internet marketer in the day, but she’d much rather be writing tortured heroes at night.