Nate Being a substitute teacher is good for me. It's sensible. Logical. Abandoning my plans for a career in the film industry and a life full of fun, albeit slightly reckless, actions was the responsible thing to do. That's who I am now. That's who I've become. Mr. Boring. Mr. Predictable. Mr. Anal Retentive. At least that's what I thought until one irresistible student breathes life back into the version of me I've been desperately trying to suffocate. Being with Ainsley isn't a want. It's a need. And I'm willing do anything to fulfill it. Ainsley I've spent my entire life ashamed of who I am. Who my mother is. What she does. Being forced to attend a private school where people endlessly whisper about it is only bearable because I know exactly what's in my future. I know exactly where I'm going. I know exactly what to do to get there. Or at least I thought I did. One class with him and suddenly my entire world was missing one very important piece. Being with Nate isn't just about sex. It's about loving life in a way I never imagined. The situation isn't ideal, but I'll do whatever it takes to be with him.

HOLDEN Life is nothing more than a series of 1s and 0s. Basic choices. Yes or no. Fight or flight. Protect or neglect. Pack or prey. Felon or free. I've mastered the art of when to hit 1 and when to hit 0. Or at least I had before Meena came back into my world. Now, I'm constantly confused which one to hit. Somehow she's hacked my system and rewritten my code to become one of the only people in my life who matters. One of the only people I wouldn't hesitate to die for. Loving her has become an involuntary 1. Like protecting my children. Like breathing. MEENA Temporary. Everything in life is just temporary. Unlike most people, I choose to acknowledge that. Embrace it. Make the most of a situation for what it is and then move on. It makes what I do for a living easier. It makes dating simple. Or at least it had before I crossed paths again with the only man who has ever made me crave something permanent. Too bad Holden wasn't mine then. Too bad I can't be his forever now. He'll never completely move on from her. He'll never completely let go. Loving him is a constant I'm trying to shake. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I ever will.

Can this single mother find love and happiness, or will she fall victim to the demons of her past? PAXTON I'm not supposed to mix business with pleasure. Confuse sex with commitment. Cross my past with my future. Let the man I am mingle with the man I have always wanted to be. These are the simple guidelines I live by. The principles I mentally enforce. But after I steal a taste of the wrong woman, there's only one rule that matters. Protect Ryann and her daughter at all costs. RYANN Being a mom is what defines me. I'm no longer the risk taker I once was. The cigar and whiskey wild child. A confident woman intrigued by the future rather than fearful of it. That is until Paxton rewrites everything I knew about life. About men. About myself. He just wants a real chance to love us, but I'm afraid our lives will ruin his..

Everyone knows you should never fall in love with your best friend's sister... Wyatt My entire existence begins and ends with food. It gives me purpose. It gives me peace. It gives me pleasure. Or it did before my best friend's little sister tempted me into taking a taste of the forbidden. Spoiled me with her flavors. Slaved my senses. Now, the only thing I love more than my career as the "Charming Chef" is the one woman I know I'm not supposed to want. Julez After being ripped from everything I knew and everyone I loved, I realized just how truly short life can be. How people don't take enough risks. How people don't treat life like an adventure. How people hide who they are. While I've learned to embrace what most people fear, I've also taught myself the art of keeping others at a safe distance. Yet, one secret moment with my brother's best friend, and all I want is for him to come closer. To touch me. To take me. To love me... I know the danger that comes with getting attached to someone, but I'd rather die happy than live forever without him.