Sean Stein (Michael Caine) is a successful British-born novelist with eight books to his name and a mansion in Beverly Hills, California. However, after a divorce and a palimony suit, Sean is giving over half his income to his former lovers and decides to swear off women, believing they have only loved him for his money. Sean plans to move to Kuwait where women have no rights, but first goes to a charity fundraiser for an aerospace museum. There, armed thieves seize the party guests, have them strip naked, tie them up to each other, and steal their possessions. Sean is bound to commercial artist Daisy Morgan (Sally Field) and is immediately smitten with her because of the concern she shows for him during the robbery. Daisy has been dating self-absorbed, childish attorney Marty Caesar (Steve Guttenburg), who is reluctant to make a commitment to her and always puts work ahead of her.After police free the hostages, Marty goes overseas on a business trip to handle a crisis for his client, CalCor. Meanwhile, Sean Stein obtains the address for Daisy's home in Silverlake and drops by to tell her that he wants to go out with her. Daisy replies that she has a boyfriend, but nonetheless agrees to go out with him. Sean lies, telling Daisy that he is broke and suggesting that if her boyfriend is rich, she should not waste her time on him. Daisy, who is behind on all her bills and just borrowed money from Marty for the rent, also lies, saying that money means nothing to her. Sean tells Daisy that he is a writer but has never sold anything, so he gave up writing. However, Sean is impressed by Daisy's paintings. Sean kisses Daisy and asks her to have sex with him. She replies that she does not make love before the first date, but the two quickly end up in bed together before going to dinner. After sex, Sean invites Daisy to move in with him, but she declines, saying he is moving too quickly.Over the next few days, Sean and Daisy spend time visiting art galleries, going to the beach, and enjoying each other's company. However, when they walk past a book store where Sean's latest novel, The Importance of Being Dead, is on display in the front window, he diverts her attention before she can see it. Daisy goes to her father, tennis club owner "Ace" Morgan (Jackie Cooper), asking to borrow money and tells him about Sean. Ace advises her to get back with Marty since he has money and offers security. Daisy asks to see some of Sean's writing and he gives her the manuscript to The Not Nice Nuns, which only sold 200,000 copies. Daisy is impressed by the novel, saying that it is good storytelling, but is not ready to send to a publisher. She offers some editing notes to improve it, but Sean is offended, blurting out that it has already been published, then quickly covers by staunchly refusing to change a word.Sean meets with his lawyer, Jay Bass, and declares that he is madly in love with Daisy. Sean knows it is true love because Daisy thinks he is broke, but loves him anyway. He intends to bring her to his mansion and tell her the truth. However, Marty Caesar returns from his overseas business trip during which he was held hostage for several days. That experience changed Marty, who now plans to represent people in need rather than big corporations. Marty asks Daisy to marry him, but she does not respond.Sean arrives to pick up Daisy for their date, but hears Marty in the shower. Daisy tells him that she is getting back together with Marty. A devastated Sean trashes his mansion and resumes plans to move to Kuwait. Meanwhile, Daisy plans to give up her rental home to move in with Marty. However, as she is packing, she notices a newspaper feature on novelist Sean Stein. Angry at being deceived, Daisy gets Sean's address and confronts him at his mansion. The writer explains that he had to make sure she loved him for him and not his money. Daisy says she was considering moving in with him, but now she can never trust him. Sean wants to know if she considered moving in with him before or after she read the newspaper article. She lies and says it was before.Sean and Daisy reunite. Daisy breaks up with Marty, then flies to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, with Sean to be married. However, at the urging of his lawyer, Jay Bass (Peter Boyle), Sean asks Daisy to sign a prenuptial agreement. She believes it is an unromantic thing to do on the eve of a wedding, but agrees to sign it nonetheless. Afterward, she loses her enthusiasm for getting married and plays the slot machines to clear her head, but ends up winning a $2 million jackpot. Sean returns from jogging and announces he has decided they do not need a prenuptial agreement after all. However, now that Daisy has money, she thinks they do need one. The two argue, and Daisy confesses that she only considered coming back to him after reading the newspaper article.Marty arrives in Lake Tahoe and finds Daisy and Sean arguing. Daisy points out that Marty is richer than Sean, yet he never asked her to sign a prenup. Sean storms out while Daisy and Marty resume their relationship. Back in Los Angeles, Daisy throws a party to celebrate winning the jackpot. Marty proposes to her in front of all the guests, but Daisy walks off without a word. She later explains that she does not want to marry Marty because he is "egotistical, insensitive, and immature." Marty observes that those qualities never bothered her before, but Daisy replies that she has changed. She should have never taken Marty's gifts under the guise of love, and offers him $50,000 to make up for what he spent on her. Marty accepts the money.Back in Los Angeles, a disturbed Sean spots a prostitute who earlier robbed him. He decides to avenge himself against women in general by bringing the streetwalker to his home and robbing her. She turns out to be a transvestite. Suddenly, Daisy suddenly bursts in and wants to marry him again, throwing all of her remaining cash at him. The prostitute picks up his gun and sees the pile of cash, but generously says: "I'll only take cab fare."The film ends with Sean and Daisy tied up in the nude as when they first met, having been robbed of all the money and stripped of all their clothing by the crazy transvestite prostitute. Nevertheless, Daisy admits to Sean that she is indeed a "money grubber," but she still wants to marry him. Sean accepts her proposal.