The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad

by O'Gorman, Cookie

  “Well,” he said then had to clear his throat. Twice. “That was…yeah.”

  I nodded. “Mmm-hmm.”

  “I think we can cross that one off the list.”

  “Yep,” was all I could manage.

  Colton rolled his shoulders back, looking up at the ceiling. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that his cheeks looked a little flushed. “We should probably meet tonight to see if we can get anything else done. It’s only a month, so we should get on that. I’ll see you at your house around seven?”

  “Okay,” I squeaked, thinking about the other “kissing” items I had written down. Was he talking about those or something else? More important: Did I want him to be talking about those?

  His next words shut down any musings on that subject.

  “And you know, we should find you another guy,” Colton said. His eyes met mine. “For the kissing parts. I mean, this was convenient, but I don’t think we should keep kissing each other. Kyle wouldn’t like it.”

  I blinked, not sure what to say. “Convenient” would not have been the word I would’ve used to describe that kiss. Amazing, incendiary, passionate. Those were more accurate.

  “Or…we could do those, too, if you’d like.”

  “No!” I said way too loud for the library. Lowering my voice, I repeated, “No, you’re right. We should find someone else. Yeah, of course, we should find another guy. I can’t even believe we did it the first time.”

  Colton cocked his head, eyebrow raised. “I would’ve never guessed that was your first kiss, Sadie. You seemed really into it.”

  My eyes narrowed at that. “I don’t think I was the only one who was into it.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” he said, surprising the heck out of me, and ran a hand down the back of his neck. “I’m just glad I could make it good for you.”

  I was blushing again, couldn’t help it. When he said unexpected things like that, what was I supposed to do? And had he really just admitted to enjoying the kiss, too?

  “Yeah umm…thanks for that,” I mumbled. Thanking Colton Bishop was not something I had much practice with; I’d have to work on it.

  “No need to thank me, Sadie,” he said. “It’s all for the bet, remember?”

  Of course, I remembered the bet. How could I forget? It had just felt right to thank him for some reason.

  As he left, I thought it over and realized that my brain really had been muddled by that kiss. I won’t lie. I loved every second. Colton had been telling the truth when he said he would deliver. My first kiss had been explosive and right in in every way imaginable. Even though he was my enemy, I couldn’t get enough of his lips, his tongue, his hands.

  But I couldn’t forget that he was Colton Bishop, the guy who loved to get under my skin and push my buttons. But now he was also Colton Bishop, the guy who’d helped me check off the first (and so far, the only) item of my “Carpe Diem List.”

  Even if Colton said the kiss didn’t change anything, I was pretty sure it changed everything. For the first time in my life, I was looking forward to seeing him again. And if I was being honest with myself…that terrified me a little.

  That anticipation died a quick death the next time I did see Colton.

  It wasn’t pretty.

  After I’d had a chance to recover from the kiss-induced fog, I remembered I couldn’t meet Colton at seven because I’d be visiting Betty. We had a standing appointment on Mondays, and I couldn’t flake out on her—even if she had set this whole crazy scheme in motion. So, after school, I’d gone in search of Colton…only to find him standing in the parking lot with a split lip and his latest victim.

  The parking lot was crowded after school. But as I made my way to Colton’s car, through the people that had gathered around it, I saw Shawn Henley, a junior and one of our football team’s offensive line, sporting a bloody nose and a shiner on his left eye. Colton had him pushed up against a tree in a threatening position. His hair was a mess, his arms a bit scraped up in addition to the split lip, but Colton looked okay all things considered. And by “okay,” I meant openly hostile. He was glaring at Shawn with a satisfied expression on his face. The sad part was this was nothing new.

  If I needed proof that Colton Bishop was a bully with too much testosterone, I didn’t have to look any further than his inability to stay out of fights. If it wasn’t Shawn, it was someone else. This happened at least once a month. It had been happening since we were in middle school. Sometimes the guys were bigger (like Shawn), sometimes smaller, but it didn’t matter. Colton would and did fight anyone.

  I’d never understood his need to use fists instead of his words to solve an argument.

  I was glad when Kyle stepped in and broke the two apart.

  “Hey, Colt,” he said, “what’s this about?”

  “Nothing,” Colton said and shot a look at Shawn before backing away from him. “We had a disagreement, but we’re good now. Isn’t that right, Henley?”

  “Yeah,” Shawn said, spitting to the side. “We’re good.”

  As he rolled his eyes and walked away, Colton stared him down until he was out of sight, then he turned to Kyle and me like nothing had happened.

  “How’d you do on that chem exam?” he asked his twin. “I didn’t study, so I’m thinking I failed.”

  Kyle shook his head, unwilling to let the matter go. “You really need to stop all this fighting crap. Mom’s going to ream you if you get suspended again. What happened this time?”

  Colton laughed. “Chill out, Kyle. The idiot was saying some things in the locker room that I didn’t like, so I decided to shut him up.”

  “Jesus, Colt, do you hear yourself?”

  “What? I asked nicely first.”

  I snorted at that, and the two looked to me. “Sorry, it was funny—but I’m with Kyle on this. You should try talking it out next time, Colton.”

  “Why, Sadie Day,” Colton said, a smile in his voice, completely ignoring my suggestion. “I didn’t think I’d see you till tonight.”

  “Tonight?” Kyle asked. “What’s happening tonight?”

  “We’re going to cross off more of the stuff on her list.”

  Kyle’s eyes widened as he looked between me and his brother. “More? You’ve already started the list? Whoa, that was fast.”

  Colton raised a brow. “It started slow, but yeah, it definitely got faster there at the end. And hot, very hot. Wouldn’t you say, Sadie?”

  Despite the heat rising in my cheeks, at the challenge in his voice, I said, “That sounds like an accurate representation. Although, I would say it got a little sloppy toward the end.”

  “Sloppy?” Colton repeated, eyes narrowing to slits.

  “Mmm,” I agreed, though it was hard not to laugh. Colton looked so insulted. Yes, I’d just lied through my teeth and knocked his kissing technique. It was what he deserved for bringing this up in front of Kyle. Take that, Mr. I-Always-Deliver.

  “What the heck are you guys talking about?” Kyle said. “I feel like I’m missing something.”

  Colton shook his head. “Nah, it was nothing.”

  My heart deflated a bit. Nothing, huh? I wouldn’t have called our kiss nothing, but I guess that was Colton’s way of lashing out—or maybe he really thought that. Either way, his comment met its mark.

  “We just got one thing crossed off,” he said, “which means, so far I’m winning.”

  “Yeah right,” Kyle said. “You’ve still got a ton more to do. But did you really start, Sadie?”

  “Yeah,” I said, shaking myself out of it. “Carpe Diem, right, Kyle? Like Colton said, we’d planned to do more, and that’s why I came over. I’m meeting Betty, so I’ll be at Shady Grove until around 7:00 pm.”

  “Okay,” Colton said. “I’ll see you there.”

  That brought me up short. “Really?”

  “Yeah,” he said. “I’m not afraid of that Betty woman. We’ll start after you’re finished. Kyle, you coming?”

  Yes, please,
I thought. I hadn’t wanted Kyle there before—honestly, I’d probably chicken out if he was—but it might help keep my mind straight about his brother.

  “Can’t. I’m working on a project with Humphries,” Kyle said.

  “Yuck. How’d that happen?” I asked.

  “We got paired up in lit.”

  “Well, good luck, Kyle. Zayne’s awful.”

  “He’s actually not all bad.” I stared at him in disbelief. Kyle and Zayne had never gotten along—in fact, they disliked each other almost as much as Colton and me. If my eyes got any wider, I was sure they’d fall right out of my head, but Kyle just laughed. “Plus, you already said you’d feel uncomfortable doing some of the stuff in front of me. Right, Sadie?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “But now that I think about it…Colton, maybe I don’t need your help after all. I’m sure I could do the rest on my own. You—”

  “Sadie,” Colton interrupted. “A bet’s a bet. We’re doing this together.”

  I swallowed.

  “I’m going to be the best coach you’ve ever had.” His blue eyes were locked on me even as he said, “My brother’s going down, and he knows it. He’s not coming because the odds aren’t in his favor.”

  Kyle crossed his arms, a smile on his lips. “I think you guys are full of crap.”

  “You just keep thinking that”—Colton opened the car door, got inside and closed it—”and be ready to hand over the money when I beat your ass.” Turning to me, he said, “I’ll see you later. Don’t forget to bring your naughty list.”

  As he pulled out of the lot, Kyle grinned. “Naughty list? That’s classic.”

  “Hey, whose side are you on?” I said as I bumped his shoulder with my own.

  “When it comes to you and my brother, I’m neutral,” Kyle said as he began walking backwards to his car. “Go out and have fun. Just remember what I said. Remember who Colton is, and you’ll be fine.”

  Sure, I thought. No problem. Colton was the guy who got into fights and loved to provoke me. The guy who’d been so concerned about making my first kiss “good” for me and then turned around and called it “nothing.”

  At this point, I had one question: Would the real Colton Bishop please stand up?

  Betty had no shame. Even after I’d expressed my deep displeasure at how she’d approached Colton behind my back, she couldn’t have been prouder of herself. We girls were sitting in the Shady Grove activities room, drinking our five o’clock tea, dishing about our days when I finally admitted her plan had worked.

  “I knew he was the one!” she crowed, hands clapping in delight. “When I saw the two of you together, I thought to myself, now there’s a young man who’d be a great guide.”

  I rolled my eyes, but she kept going.

  “A young Richard Gere in the making. He was such a gentleman as he led me around the dance floor,” she said. “A little tense, but I could tell he was nervous. And oh, the chemistry!”

  “Good Lord,” Cora said, “chemistry? From what I saw, Betty, that boy could be your great grandson.”

  Betty sniffed. “I wasn’t talking about me, you ninny. I was talking about Sadie and the boy.”

  I choked, nearly spitting tea everywhere. “Me and Colton? You’ve got to be kidding. Betty, there’s absolutely no chemistry. We hate each other. We always have.”

  “Ah,” Cora sighed. “Sometimes hate can turn to like, and like turns to love. He must like you, Sadie, if he agreed to help.”

  “He agreed to help because Betty told him she was dying,” I said flatly.

  Cora gasped, her eyes bright with laughter. “You didn’t?”

  “I did,” Betty confirmed. “And I have to say, I regret nothing because now Sadie has a coach who will show her the ways of the world.”

  “Oh, you are good, my friend,” Cora said. “Devious and brilliant at the same time. I only wish I could’ve gotten a better look at him.”

  “He was beyond gorgeous, a perfect match for our girl. I’d love to see him again as well.” Betty turned to me. “Do you think he might come by the studio sometime?”

  I mumbled into my tea, hoping they wouldn’t press.

  “What was that?” she asked.

  “He’s coming by later,” I said and winced at their too-bright smiles. “It doesn’t mean anything, though. We’re just doing more of the list.”

  “Ooh, how fun,” Cora said. “Wish I could come with you.”

  “Me, too,” Betty said. “What are you going to do?”

  I shrugged. “Not sure. Colton didn’t say.”

  Betty tapped her fingernail against her cup. “If I recall correctly, there were a lot of fantastic things on your list. Maybe he’ll take you out dancing.”

  “Doubtful,” I said. Colton hadn’t seemed big on dancing the one time he’d been to Corner Street Ballroom. I didn’t want to tell Betty that, afraid I’d hurt her feelings.

  “What about that tattoo?” Cora said. “I’m sure he’d know just where to go. Have you decided yet what you’re going to get”—she waggled her eyebrows at me—”or where you’d like it?”

  I laughed. “No, not yet. But I’ve got it narrowed down to a few choices.”

  “Cora’s right.” Betty smiled. “Colton did say he has a tattoo and multiple piercings—though he wouldn’t tell me how many which vexed me greatly. I mean, how am I supposed to find out more about him if he’s so closed off?”

  “Oh, I know!” Cora said, a glint in her eye. “It’s got to be a kiss. There were a few on the list about kissing, right?”

  I could feel my cheeks heat and knew even before she said anything that I’d given myself away. Betty had told me once when we’d been playing cards that my poker face was non-existent. The blush betrayed me every time.

  “Well,” Betty said, her voice filled with excitement, “something tells me there’s already been a bit of kissing going on. I think our Sadie’s been holding out on us, Cora.”

  “Sadie,” Cora said sternly, “tell the truth now. Did you kiss this Colton fella?”

  “Yes,” I said quietly.

  “Good Lord, girl, you’ve been here nearly an hour, and we’re just now getting to the good stuff.”

  Betty nodded. “Her first kiss, too. Oh my goodness, Sadie, I can’t wait to hear all about it. Okay, how did it happen? Did he kiss you, or did you kiss him? Was it in the library like you’d always wanted or somewhere else? Did you enjoy it? Or was it terrible? Did you remember to wear the lip gloss I bought you?”

  Cora lifted her brows as Betty stopped to take a breath. “I think you better tell us Sadie before she combusts.”

  So, I told them.

  I told them all the details of my first kiss: how it happened at school in the library, how Colton had been the one to suggest it (at which point Betty and Cora exchanged a significant look), how I’d been nervous but that had quickly disappeared because of his expert guidance/kissing skills, how I hadn’t remembered the lip gloss…but it had been wonderful anyway.

  “It was for the bet,” I added at the end. The two ladies were completely enthralled by the tale, hearts in their eyes and everything, but I didn’t want them to get the wrong impression. “I think Colton really wants to beat Kyle and vice versa. They take their bets seriously.”

  Cora scoffed, and Betty did a not-so-discreet eyeroll as she took a sip of tea.

  “Hey, no need for that,” I said. “It was only a kiss. Colton even said it meant nothing to him.”

  “I’ll just bet he did,” Betty mumbled. “Sadie, most men aren’t as in touch with their feelings as we women are. A lot of times they have to be shown the light.”

  “It’s fine. I don’t like him anyway.”

  Betty frowned. “Really? Why not?”

  “Apart from him insulting and teasing me every chance he can get,” I said, “Colton just isn’t my type. He’s arrogant and cocky, thinks every girl wants him. Just because he’s a good kisser doesn’t make him a good person. I mean, he’s so immature he still ge
ts into fights at school.”

  “Why?” Cora said.

  I tilted my head at her question.

  “Have you ever asked him why he gets into those fights?”

  “No,” I said slowly, realizing I hadn’t even thought about it. The fights had been happening so long that, at some point, I’d just come to accept them. Kyle had asked about the fight today, but Colton hadn’t given a real answer. He’d just laughed it off like it was no big deal.

  Cora shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe he has a good reason.”

  I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one, but it was a moot point. Colton wasn’t here to ask, and even if he was, he probably wouldn’t answer. Time to change the subject.

  “Enough about that,” I said, smiling and pulling out the romance book we’d started on Saturday. “It looks like it’s time for our story. Are you ladies ready to hear more about the dangerously handsome, Laird Blackwood?”

  “I’d rather hear more about you and the very real Colton Bishop,” Betty sighed, “but I’ll settle for fictional romance if I must.”

  I laughed and so did Cora. Betty could be such a drama queen. As the rest of the Shady Grove residents gathered around, I cleared my throat to start reading. This was truly one of the best parts of my day. I got to hang out with my girls, and no one expected anything from me. I didn’t have to know which college I was going to or what I was going to major in. I didn’t have to think about my list and all the things I’d always wanted to do but had never done. There was no confusion here at Shady Grove. All I had to do was read to them, and we could all escape reality for a little while.

  I had no idea how long I’d been reading. It couldn’t have been that long because I’d only finished a chapter. Typically, we got to two before either my voice got tired or the residents left to watch their TV shows. We’d reached a particularly juicy scene, one of the many love scenes in the book, when I became aware of a new disturbance in the room. It was nothing I could put my finger on, but…something made me pause. Laird Blackwood had just offered to teach Lady Pippa how to seduce a man. There’d been a lot of back and forth flirtation, thinly veiled innuendos, and now he had her pressed up against the door of his study—but for some reason, I couldn’t concentrate.