I’ve met “bad boys” who are assholes, and I’ve met “bad boys” who are absolutely good guys (and not in disguise…they really, truly ARE good guys) but they definitely had one thing in common — they did a lot of FUN stuff and they didn’t care what anyone thought about what they did. My current husband (of 5 years now) is one of the really good “bad boys” — pro-paintball player, street bike racer, firefighter, rock climber and more. He’s sexy (but not tattooed) and fun to be with BECAUSE he does everything that he loves to do — and he’s comfortable being who he is — but he’s definitely NOT an asshole….not to anyone. He’s a step-dad to my children (never had children of his own) and he’s a better father figure than many “real” fathers. He’s a good provider. He’s sweet, but is adamant about what he believes in (but he’s NEVER looking for a fight verbally or physically)…..he won’t argue with you if you want to argue….instead he discusses the difference in opinion without taking it or making it personal. He’s crazy — he’ll do just about any dangerous, adrenaline type sport he can find just for the thrill of it — but he’s definitely NOT a jock. He’s clean cut, but when you see him on his street bike you KNOW he’s a bad boy….popping wheelies and stoppies and driving too fast and hanging out with a pack of guys on bikes.

I think I have to go with Em here and say that “bad boy” does not automatically imply “asshole”. Don’t get me wrong — I had that whole “bad boy” syndrome through my younger years and ALL of those bad boys WERE assholes. But I’ve grown up and my priorities are much healthier now — I want that fun, exciting, crazy, sexy, no boundaries, no rules bad boy just as much now as I did then — but assholes and drug addicts are on my black list. Are good “bad boys” really out there? They definitely ARE — but YOU have to know what you’re really looking for and that you’ve only been getting it HALF right all this time. So look for those bad boy qualities that you like (and if you don’t know what they are then it’s no wonder you’re getting assholes) and walk away immediately from the guys with “asshole” and other undesirable qualities because that is not part and parcel of what a “bad boy” is.