Page 26 of The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad

“Damn, that was one of the weakest insults I’ve ever heard. Isn’t number four on the list something about talking dirty? We’ll definitely have to work on that.”

I groaned and threw up my hands in frustration. “How are you even here right now? This is my spot, my special place. No one else even comes into this part of the library anymore.”

Colton shrugged. “Kyle told me about it.”

And I’d told Kyle about it last year when he’d needed a quiet place to study for finals.

This day just kept getting better and better.

“Holy smokes,” I breathed. “Colton, can’t you just forget that you ever saw my list in the first place?”

“I don’t think so,” Colton said, one side of his lips quirked up. “But I am willing to help you do all the things you wrote down. Out of the goodness of my heart, of course.”

My brow furrowed. “And for 200 dollars,” I said.

Colton held his hands out. “Where’s the harm in that? I get something out of it and so do you. If you stick with me, we could have half your list completed by the end of the week.”

“Really?” I said in surprise.

“Oh yeah,” he said. “It’ll be so easy, Sadie. We could even start now if you want.”

“And how would we do that?”

Colton smirked, the light catching on the metal in his lip. “I seem to remember something about an explosive first kiss in the library.”

My eyes widened as I caught his meaning, and I felt my entire face go scarlet. “Oh my gosh, that wasn’t about you! I can’t even believe you would suggest such a thing.”

“Why not?” he said. “I didn’t see a specific name on your list.”

“You’re you, and I’m me. I think that’s explanation enough, don’t you?” I said back, though as he stepped closer, I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off his lip ring.

When he stopped in front of me, my back was pressed up against the bookshelf, heart stuttering.

“I’m a guy,” Colton said, placing a hand on the shelf near my shoulder. “You’re a girl. And it’s only a kiss. It’s not like this would change anything between us. You’d still be Sadie Day, my brother’s annoying, too-good-for-everybody, uptight best friend.”

My eyes narrowed. “And you’d still be Colton Bishop, the cocky jerk who thinks he’s God’s gift to women and doesn’t give a crap about anyone or anything.”

“See?” His gaze shifted to my lips then back up to my eyes. “We completely understand each other. That’ll be important in the days ahead.”

My thoughts were all jumbled up, my brain turned to mush by his nearness. The hypnotizing lip ring wasn’t helping matters. Did I really want my first kiss to be with someone who was only helping me for his own benefit? If I was being honest, despite the circumstances and our hate-hate relationship, I was curious. I’d heard so many tales of Colton’s prowess that I couldn’t help myself. He had a reputation as being an excellent kisser. Girls had been saying that and writing it on bathroom stall walls since sixth grade. And I wanted my first kiss to be a great one, didn’t I? But maybe all of those girls had been lying. The Colton I knew wasn’t a very giving person. He was reckless with a side of cocky and a dislike for me that didn’t bode well for a memorable first kiss.

As if he could sense my wavering thoughts, Colton said, his voice low, “I’ll make it good for you, Sadie. I promise.”

I swallowed.Well…when he put it that way…

“Don’t you want to get started on your list?”

“Okay,” I said quickly before I could talk myself out of it.

He froze right in front of me, and from the look on his face, Colton couldn’t believe what I’d just said. I had a tough time believing it as well. As he continued to stand there motionless, I had a horrible thought. Maybe this was a joke, Colton’s latest way to embarrass me. Dangle the offer to give me a phenomenal first kiss, then rip it away with a cruel laugh just when I agreed. I wouldn’t put it past him.

But the laughter never came.

In fact, as Colton eased closer, the look in his eyes was as serious as a heart attack. One hand moved to my waist while the other that had been resting by my shoulder went to tangle in my curls. I won’t lie. I gasped at the contact. No guy had ever touched me like this. Well besides Kyle who had loved to play with my hair when we were kids—but it was nothing like this. Colton’s hands were sure, his fingers strong yet gentle. I was pretty sure my knuckles were white from how hard I was gripping the shelf behind me, heart beating like a drum in my chest.

And he hadn’t even kissed me yet.

“Sadie?” Colton said.

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