Kayla Rae Reid is the American dream personified. Tall and slim, with sandy-blonde hair and blue eyes, Kayla was born in Virginia and spent her childhood in sunny Palm Springs, California. “Just call me the sunshine chick,” she says, by way of introduction. “Growing up, I was rebellious—I was always into something new, and I got everybody else to do try it, too. I was definitely a troublemaker, but I never actually got in trouble. I gamed the system very well!” All kidding aside, Kayla Rae is serious about her career, and had her sights set on the spotlight. With a body and personality like hers, she didn’t have to game any system—after a stint as a Monster Energy girl, she landed a test with one of Playboy’s contributing photographers, Josh Ryan. “Josh contacted me over social media, asking if I’d be interested in becoming a Playmate,” remembers Kayla. “At first, I was like, ‘Oh, God, nude modeling’—but then I talked to my best friend, Gemma Lee Farrell, and she told me how much fun she’d had as a Playmate.” In two shakes of a bunny’s tail, Kayla Rae was Miss July 2015, a title she’d coveted and was thrilled to finally receive. “I’m always chasing the sun, so this is perfect,” she says proudly. “It’s also my birthday month, so from the beginning, I prayed to be Miss July. This is huge for me.” When not in front of the camera, Kayla spends her days at the pool or beach, soaking up as much of that California sun as possible. More than ready for a challenge, she’s going to milk this whole Playmate thing for all it’s worth. “I want to thank Playboy for being amazing and giving me this opportunity,” she says happily. “I want so many things in life, but first I’m going to have an incredible Playmate journey.” Amen to that.