Page 71 of The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad

If I’d thought mentioning his girlfriend’s name would deter him, I was mistaken.

“Why don’t you ask her?” He lifted his chin, and I spotted his totally awesome/kick-ass girlfriend Snow, the one girl who was his perfect match in every way, sitting at a booth to our right. Snow smiled, nodded our way, and I gave a weak wave in return. “She’s the one who told me to come out here and dance with you.”

“Ash, I really—”

“Can I cut in?”

Ash released me, and I turned to see Colton standing there, looking like…well, looking like he wanted to punch Ash.

Either oblivious of this or not caring, Ash grinned. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’m a tough act to follow.”

Colton gave him a once over. “If you say so.”

“I do,” Ash said and thrust out a hand. “I do say so. Don’t know if she’s told you, but I’m Ash, Sadie’s first crush.”

Oh my gosh. I couldn’t believe he just said that!

“Nah, she never mentioned it,” Colton said, gripping his hand. “But I’m Colton, the guy who was her first kiss and her second, so I think I won that round.”

Ash had stopped grinning. “You sound a little cocky there.”

Instead of backing down, Colton took a step closer, the two standing nearly chest-to-chest. “Yeah well, I say you’re the cocky one.”

They stared at each other, and the moment was heated. I wasn’t sure what was about to go down, but luckily, Snow was there to save the day.

“Hey, is everything okay?” she said, putting a hand on Ash’s biceps, but keeping her eyes on Colton.

“Fine,” Ash said, placing a hand over hers but not ending the stare down.

“Great,” Colton said back.

“It’s cool, just a little too much testosterone,” I said, doing my best to draw Colton away. If Snow, a real, honest-to-God ninja, really felt like Ash was in danger? She’d lay Colton out before he could blink. I’d seen her in action before. “They were just introducing themselves.”

Two more people joined us which I thought was good. The more people the less aggression, right?

“What’s going on over here?”

I recognized the newcomer immediately. The guy was tall with dark brown hair, wearing a jersey like Ash, except his had “KENT” written on the back. You didn’t grow up in Chariot not knowing who Becks Kent was. The soccer phenom and current sophomore at UNC had one arm wrapped around his girlfriend, Sally Spitz, who I’d met through Ash. She was wearing a Gryffindor jersey that made me want one of my own—though mine would’ve been Slytherpuff for sure. I’d taken many tests and had it on good authority that I was a 50/50 split of Slytherin and Hufflepuff.

Ash still didn’t take his eyes off Colton. “Hey, Kent. Sadie’s friend here just called me cocky.”

Becks gave it some thought then said, “Sounds accurate. So Stryker, we gonna keep celebrating our win, or do you two guys want some time alone?”

Sally and I laughed which suddenly broke the tension. Ash backed off with a grin, putting his arm around Snow, who no longer looked ready to take Colton out. Thank goodness. For his part, Colton put a hand on my waist—which made me gasp—and he somehow ended up next to me.

“The only person I want some alone time with is my girl Snow,” Ash said. “These two can do whatever they want.”

“Yeah man, you go celebrate,” Colton said as if he and Ash hadn’t been giving each other the death stare a moment ago. “Sadie and I’ll stay here.”

“Okay, you guys have fun,” Snow said, and Ash pointed a finger at us as she led him away. “Just not too much fun,” he said. “You hear that, Sadie Elizabeth?”

Becks was shaking his head at his teammate. To his girlfriend, he said, “I still can’t believe you’re friends with him.”

“One” Sally said, “weare friends with Ash—even if you refuse to admit it. And two, the Force is strong with him.” She smiled as Becks frowned. “Not as strong as it is with you, Baldwin. I’ve told you before, no one has a Force stronger than yours.”

“Baldwin, huh,” Becks said, lifting her up as she gasped out a laugh. “Oh, you’re going to pay for that one, Sal.”

“And I’m sure I’ll enjoy it,” she said which made me blush for some reason. To Colton and me, she waved, calling out as Becks carried her away, “It was nice seeing you again, Sadie.”

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