Page 69 of The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad

“I want you to kiss me,” I said.

“What?” he said.

“I want you to kiss me, Colton,” I repeated louder. “Not some random guy I met at a club called Shots. Not a stranger. You.”

“Sorry, can you say that again? I didn’t hear you.”

It was then I noticed his grin, and my cheeks heated up like a furnace, my entire body burning with embarrassment.

“Oh, ha ha,” I said and crossed my arms. “Real funny, Colton. I hope you got a good laugh out of that.”

“No really,” he said, moving around to my side of the booth. “I think I need to hear it again to know this isn’t a dream.TheSadie Day needs my help? My”—he lowered his voice—”kissingexpertise? I’m shocked.”

I rolled my eyes, feeling all of the humiliation the words had cost me.

“Never mind,” I said, scooting farther away from him. “Just forget I asked.”

“Never,” Colton said. “That’s not something a guy forgets.”

I shook my head, looking anywhere but at him. “I can’t believe I just said that. God, I am so pathetic, asking something like that of my best friend’s brother.”

I felt Colton’s body tense beside me, but the words just kept coming.

“And seriously, you’re like the most arrogant person on the planet. This’ll probably inflate your ego even more, but I still can’t believe the first time went so well. The kiss, I mean, in the library. And yes, I’ve thought about it, okay? I can’t deny that. How could a person not think about it when it was their first and only kiss? But even so, when it comes to the rest of my list, a girl would have to be nuts to want to do those things with you. But as you always like to remind me, so many of themhave. You’re the world’s biggest player, and I guess I thought you wouldn’t mind. I’m just another girl, right? Again, so unbelievably pathetic. What the heck was I thinking?”

I wasn’t sure how long I’d been talking, but I didn’t think I’d taken a breath the whole time. It felt like something had burst somewhere inside me, all these thoughts and feelings pouring out until I’d completely drenched myself and Colton in an emotional downpour.

It was then I noticed Colton staring.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked.

“I’m thinking about something,” he said.

“What?” I asked, not sure I wanted the answer. His eyes were so intense, the ocean blue clear and focused, unwavering from my face.

His brow furrowed. “Kissing you.”

“Why would you be thinking that?” My eyes widened as he leaned closer, and my voice was slightly hysterical, a bit breathless. “Didn’t you hear what I just said? You’re off the hook.”

Colton just shook his head, leaned even closer so that we were breathing the same air.

“Maybe it’s the only way to shut you up.”

He raised a hand, and I opened my mouth to protest—then shut it again because now that hand was tangled in my curls.

He studied my lips. “Maybe I just have a thing for girls who call me on my shit.”

My breath caught as Colton finally met my eyes.

“Maybe…I’ve been thinking about it for the last week, and I just want to.”

Colton kissed me then, and it was like everything else melted away. The way-too-loud music, the smell of cheap beer, the crappy strobe lighting. All of it disappeared. It was just him and me, and this kiss that could erase the world. His lips moved with mine like they’d missed each other and were thrilled to meet again. My hands found their way to his chest. His fingers tightened in my hair, drawing a gasp from me, and he took full advantage. I kissed him back just as fiercely. I couldn’t believe I’d even considered doing this with someone else. It just felt so good, so wonderful, so…right with Colton.

The thought had me pulling away fast, and if my heart wasn’t already going a mile a minute from the amazing kiss, it was hammering now. But for a completely different reason.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

“No,” I said, quickly disentangling myself from him and standing from the booth. Space, I thought. I just needed some space between us to get my mind right. Then maybe the fluttery feeling in my chest would go away. “Nothing’s wrong. Why would something be wrong? Everything’s great.”

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