His Hundred Dollar Kiss Chapter 1

The day I transferred to Blackwood Academy, some rich kid had a banner stretched across the main gate.

It read: ONE KISS: $100.

Everyone else was hesitating, too shy to step forward. I, on the other hand, moved like a lightning strike.

Not only did I plant eighteen solid kisses on the guy, but I also conscientiously peeled eighteen crisp hundred-dollar bills from his hand.

When I was done, I wiped my mouth, utterly satisfied.

“City life really is full of opportunities,” I told him. “Let me know next time you’re running a charity event like this.”

* * *

My mom always said the city was full of opportunities.

That’s why she pulled every string she could to get me into Blackwood Academy. I’d heard the sons and daughters of the elite were a tough crowd, so before I left, I spent two months learning Muay Thai, just in case.

But when I arrived, I realized I’d worried for nothing.

Not only were they easy to get along with, but they even held impromptu charity events. The kind designed specifically to help out a poor student like me—one with a soft spot for pretty faces and a deep love for cash.

I counted the money, a goofy grin plastered on my face that I couldn't suppress. I was so absorbed that I didn’t notice the bustling crowd behind me had fallen eerily silent.

After a long moment, someone finally whispered, “That’s Landon Prescott. Does she have a death wish?”

So, his name was Landon.

My hand paused its counting, and my gaze shifted back to the boy in front of me. Unlike my triumphant glow, he looked… wrecked.

His lips were swollen, his eyes unfocused, and he stood frozen to the spot. The designer shirt he’d deliberately left unbuttoned was now wide open, revealing the hard lines of a well-defined abdomen. It seemed that in my enthusiasm, I’d ripped off a couple more buttons.

A pang of guilt hit me. With a heavy heart, I pulled two of the hundred-dollar bills from my new stash and stuffed them into his hand.

“It was my first time, so I’m not very experienced,” I said. “Here, take a little back. Call it a refund.”

Either way, I still came out ahead. This Landon kid was gorgeous, and his lips were incredibly soft.

But as the words left my mouth, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Anyone who’d ever been to a club knew that line.

Did she just treat Landon Prescott like an escort?

Sympathetic glances landed on Landon, and it was only then that he seemed to process what had just happened. That he’d been taken advantage of.

And that this girl thought he was for sale.

Landon’s expression shifted through a storm of emotions before he finally ground out, his voice tight, “What do you take me for?”

Anyone who knew him recognized this as the calm before the storm.

But all I saw was the blush creeping up from his neck to the tips of his ears. He was putting on a tough-guy act, but underneath, he was all innocence.

Realization dawned on me. I dug out another five hundred dollars and held it out to him, my tone sincere. “I didn’t realize it was your first time, too. Here, I’ll give you a bit more. But that’s all you’re getting.”

At that, Landon’s brow furrowed even deeper. He let out a laugh that was pure, frustrated disbelief. “Is that what you think this is about? Did I say you could kiss me?”

He was a full head taller than me, and when he leaned in, his shadow completely enveloped me. I had to tilt my head back, blinking innocently as I pointed to the banner behind him.

“Isn’t this a charity event?” I asked. “Wasn’t I allowed to kiss you?”

Even if it was just for students, I was a student now. I was here to enroll today.

Speaking of which, I glanced at my phone. 7:55 AM.

I had five minutes before I was late.

Seeing that Landon was still motionless, I tucked the cash into the collar of his shirt. As I turned to leave, I noticed the strange looks on everyone’s faces. Especially the girl who had been hesitating in front of Landon earlier; her glare was so intense it felt like it could drill a hole through me.

I figured they were just impatient for their turn, so I thoughtfully stepped aside, clearing the path to Landon.

Before I left, I made sure to put in a good word for him.

“Don’t be shy, everyone! Landon’s a great kisser. Let’s not let his charitable spirit go to waste.”