Praised

I've never been one for serious relationships, and watching my best friends fall in love isn't going to make me change my ways. But one sexy-as-hell romp with a stranger I meet on a dare? That's about to turn my whole life upside down.



FLYNN

I've never taken relationships seriously because I've never met anyone worth being serious for. I don't love them and leave them, but no-strings-hookup might as well be my middle name. Getting dared to kiss a gorgeous stranger with eyes like the ocean and hair like a cloud sounds like a surefire way to add another name to the list of men I've taken to bed, or on a couch, or in the back seat of a car, but before the night is over, I'll be proven wrong for the first time in my life.



Rose Baker isn't like any man I've ever met before and one kiss-one night-in a hotel with him isn't anywhere close to enough. I want him again and I'm ready to break all my rules to get him.



* * *



It's taken most of my adult life to realize the things I want in a partner. Honesty, faithfulness, and passion, just to name a few. There's no way Flynn "Casually Serious" Galloway, the man who kisses strangers against walls is the one to offer me all of that and more... right?



ROSE

My best friend swears the easiest way to get over my cheating ex is to get under the gorgeous, arrogant, and dominant man who held me up against the wall at Rapture and kissed me until I forgot my name. But Flynn doesn't do serious, and I'm too scared to put my heart out there for something that won't last. I've spent my whole life being less than, being small, coming in second place, and after walking in on my now former boyfriend in bed with his roommate, I'm even more sure about what I'll settle for and what I'll walk away from.



I know better than to get involved with a man like Flynn. He's too handsome, too rich, too much trouble for someone who lives paycheck to paycheck like me. Our lives are different and there's no way around it, but Flynn is focused, he's dedicated, and he's not willing to walk away from the things he wants. And right now, he wants me.



What we hope for and what we get aren't always the same thing, but with us, I think for once they might be. Flynn is ready to go all in with me, but am I strong enough to admit that I deserve his praise and attention or am I going to sabotage myself and lose his love for good?