L&L explores the intimate lives of the people caught up in a web of deceit, infidelity, passion, and secrecy. Love is transformed into hate and adultery breeds revenge when Ingrid Sterling discovers her husband Conrad August has never loved her and wants her ranch and cattle to finance his dream of becoming rabbit breeder to produce perfectly marked Checkered Giant show rabbits. What she considers a stupid childish game is Conrad's reason for living. He sells her cattle to buy rabbits and then hounds her to sell part of her ranch. When she refuses he uses his pure blonde beauty unscrupulously to charm older women into giving him the money in exchange for stud service so he can expand his extravagant hobby, an obsession destined to change seven lives and destroy yet another. When Ingrid wins $10,000 in a story writing contest she has taken her first step toward vindication, to become secretly rich, divorce Conrad, and then dangle her wealth in his face. Hiding her identity, she meets with publisher David Black to collect her prize. David finds her gifted, exciting, and desirable. The chemistry between them is undeniable. When he learns she's writing a book he explains the pitfalls of getting published, offers his assistance, and returns to New York. Ingrid grieves, thinking she will never see him again. Ingrid's book is rejected and she's devastated. Her plan for revenge depends on her success. Months later David shows up unexpectedly, reads her book, and gives her hope. He is caught up in her battle with Conrad. Their relationship is guarded because she refuses to divorce Conrad until her plan for revenge is realized, and as long as she's married David refuses to confess is love. David has secrets he dare not divulge for fear of losing Ingrid, while Ingrid holds back her feeling waiting for David to express his and give her a reason to divorce Conrad.