Burn for You

by Marquita Valentine

  He’s right. I did promise, and I did sign, but it’s embarrassing as hell to be caught like this. “You’re right. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  I mean it. I won’t tell anyone, and I’ll probably have nothing else to say, because he’s within his rights to fire me. He wouldn’t have to worry about a sexual harassment suit, because I was a willing participant. Clogging up a court system for revenge doesn’t appeal to me.

  “I don’t know why this keeps happening. I keep accusing you of things out of your control.” There’s a tick in his jaw. His hands clench into fists, like he wants to punch something, but not me. He’s not even looking at me. He’s looking off into the distance, in his own world.

  “Most control freaks hate when things are out of their control,” I say, a little teasing and a little honest.

  His gaze jerks to mine, the side of his mouth quirking. “Control freak, huh?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You might be on to something. Did you learn how to diffuse situations like these at school? Or is that just one of your many charming abilities?” He slides closer to me. I widen my thighs a little, and he moves until he’s standing between my legs. The familiar heat of contact makes my entire body come alive.

  “Guilty as charged,” I say, a little breathless. “I’m a peacemaker and a people pleaser. Saying no is really, really hard for me.”

  “Is that why you let me kiss you?” He looks worried, like he forced me into something.

  “No,” I say, a grin following the word. “I wanted to be kissed. By you.”

  Beau cups my face, his thumbs brushing over my sensitive bottom lip. “I’m sorry for being so short with you. But you have to understand that I’ve been betrayed by people who I thought were my friends. Money makes people do stupid things, including spread gossip to anyone with a twitter account and a blog.”

  “I wouldn’t do that,” I insist.

  He tilts his head to one side, studying me. “I’m going to hold you to it. I’m going to trust you, just like you trusted me to keep you safe today.” He exhales. “I want you to trust me even more. When we’re in Monaco, things will be a lot different than they are here. Around here, I make the news if I do something really stupid or win a race. But there... I’m making history with a bunch of other racers. There will be celebrities, billionaires, politicians, and royalty. Still, the focus will be on the racers, which means that focus will extend to Mia and you.”

  “They will?” I croak. I hadn’t thought of paparazzi, or people following us, watching every move we make just so they can report on it.

  “If I was a less selfish person, I’d bring my stepmother along to watch Mia, instead of you,” he says.

  “What about Paisley?” I ask.

  “We didn’t work, remember?” he says.

  I do remember but I also remember how, not even ten minutes ago, he talked to her on the phone. The coaxing voice he used... the same one he’s using with me right now.

  “I need to finish unpacking, and I have one more trip to make from home,” I say.

  “We can drive by your house on the way home, and pick whatever you need up,” he offers.

  The quicker I put up a wall between us, the better. “No. My parents are huge fans and would keep you too long.”

  He gives me a look, like he’s searching for the truth. I am telling him the truth. My parents really would keep him too long. He’d be lucky if they let him out of the house.

  “Swear they would,” I add.

  He smiles, making every bone in my body melt. Bad, Landry. He’s very, very bad for you. “Park your car in the garage when you get back, okay? The fourth bay is empty.”

  “No problem, boss.”

  He makes a face, then lets me go.

  I lean to the side and do a weird little hop to get down from the wall. “Ready to go?” I ask. “Or do we need to drive at a billion miles an hour to park the car somewhere?”

  “Nah. This is where we leave everything. Nate will be by to take care of it as soon as I text him.” Beau makes no move to leave. I know the longer we stand here, the more likely we’ll end up making out again.

  I scoot around him, and then start walking to the exit door by the back booth. “I really need to unpack.”

  Beau is behind me, his boots echoing. “I wouldn’t unpack too much.”

  “Why is that?”

  He opens the door and gestures for me to go through first. “Because now that Paisley’s bringing Mia home early, I want to leave sooner.”

  “How much sooner?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Beau

  I leave the windows rolled down as I drive Landry back to my house. She’s been quiet almost the entire way, using the excuse of listening to the radio to get out of talking to me.

  She’s singing along with every song, though. Something I find adorable and sexy all at once. I doubt she knows she’s doing it. She sounds really good, too. I want to tell her as much, but I’m afraid she’ll get self-conscious and stop. Then it would be really awkward.

  Not talking is a problem for me. I’m not a quiet person by nature. I don’t fucking brood, and I don’t punish people by not talking to them. Although, Parker would say that is a special kind of torture. He’s just as bad as I am, so I ignore his ass.

  “Have you ever flown overseas?” I ask, turning the radio down.

  “Does the Bahamas count?”

  I shrug. “Sure.” She gets quiet, so I try again. “No air sickness?”

  “Nope.”

  Well, this is amazing conversation. I might as well turn the volume back up.

  “Does Mia?” she asks.

  “Not sure.”

  “Have you talked to her doctor about it?”

  I smile a little. “Yes. She’s gotten all the shots she needed. Everything is taken care of.”

  “I didn’t mean to imply you didn’t know what you were doing,” she says quietly.

  I laugh. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  I can feel Landry’s eyes on me.

  “Seriously?”

  “Okay, so I know the basics, but other than that, I don’t know shit. I read every book I can about parenting and child development; I ask Mia’s pediatrician, my stepmother... any person who I think has it remotely together when it comes to kids. I look at parenting and Mia’s development the same way I look at racing.” I brake for a red light and then look at her. “Some of it comes naturally, but the rest you have to study, ask questions, and not be afraid to look like a total dumbass, because trust me, you will look like a total dumbass to the ones with more experience.”

  Landry’s eyes widen. “Wow.”

  “Impressed by the dumbass remark, huh?”

  She shakes her head, and I glance at the light. It’s green.

  “I’m impressed by the fact that you’re willing to ask for help and take this so seriously. Mia and Paisley are lucky to have you.”

  And we’re back to that again. Our gazes meet, briefly, before I turn my attention back to the road. I didn’t miss the look in her pretty eyes. She doesn’t believe that it’s over with Paisley.

  “I’m lucky to have Mia in my life,” I say.

  Landry doesn’t respond at all to that. So, I turn the volume up and spend the last ten minutes of our ride home in my head. This time, I’m okay with it, because I need time to think and answer the questions buzzing in my head. I have to know why Landry’s gotten under my skin so quickly, why it’s so important for her to know that Paisley and I are over, and how far I want to take things with Landry.

  I’m walking a thin line right now, and I have a feeling that once we’re all alone in Monaco, that thin line will cease to exist.

  Landry

  “Are you sure I can’t drive you over there?” Beau asks one last time.

  I nod, starting up my car. There is no way I’m extending the awkwardness that was our ride home. “I’m fine. Really. There are only a few t
hings I need and since we’re leaving tomorrow instead of next week, I want to tell my family bye.”

  He runs a hand through his blond hair, nibbling on his lip ring. “Shit. I didn’t think of that. If you want, I can put it off for a few days.”

  It sounds as though he means it, but is it really fair to ask him to wait for me? “Would it be better for you to get in a little extra practice time?”

  His lip ring pops out of his mouth. “Actually, it would. I’ve been going over the track in my head, online, and even in a virtual reality game, but there’s nothing like the real thing.”

  Once again, I’m amazed at how seriously he takes the things that are important to him in his life. Mia, racing...maybe even keeping me safe. It would be so easy to fall for Beau, or at least what I’ve seen and know of him so far.

  “Then we’ll leave tomorrow. I’ll be back in time to help you with Mia. Six, right?”

  “I don’t expect you to cut your visit short. Get here when you get here.”

  Why does he have to be so nice? I could handle a cocky, arrogant Beau, the one I get glimpses of every now and then. The same one in King’s that had me sit in his lap and—I frown a little. Even then, he was trying to protect me.

  “Really, Landry. If you need to spend the night, I’ll ask the pilot to put off the departure time.”

  “Thank you, but I’m fine. Besides, Jamie will barely know I’m gone and my parents are used to me living away from home.”

  He touches my arm. “Don’t play brave for me. There’s no shame in loving your family.”

  If I melt any more at his words, I’ll be a puddle in my seat and unable to drive. “Thank you,” I repeat. “Now, I really have to go before traffic gets so bad that I’m stuck on the beltline.”

  He exhales, letting go of me. “Text me when you get there.”

  “Yes, sir.” I give him a salute.

  “Smartass.” He smirks at me and then kicks my front tire. “Get going, Miss Basnight, before it gets too late and I have to come get you myself.”

  Despite his teasing tone, I’m more than positive that he just made a promise to me.

  ***

  “Tomorrow?” Meagan practically screeches in my ear. I called her as soon as I pulled out of Beau’s driveway. “How are we supposed to do our last girl day together if you’re not here? I have to be on call in ten minutes, Landry. Then at six thirty tomorrow morning, I’m scheduled to perform a Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization”

  “That sounds like something you’d do to a T-Rex.”

  Meagan snorts. “Funny. But seriously—do you know how many first years get asked to participate? Two.”

  “Who’s the other lucky first year?”

  “Asshole Conner.”

  “No,” I groan. “Not him. Why do the assholes always get rewarded?” Asshole Connor is the hottest doctor I’ve ever seen in my life. Unfortunately, he and Meagan hate each other. He’s nice to me, but an ass to her, so no matter how hot or nice he is, he will forever be Asshole Connor.

  “I know, right? Where’s Karma when you need her to bitch slap a guy’s balls with a sledgehammer?”

  “Sorry, sweetie.” I make the first left into my old neighborhood. “We can Skype later, if you want, and drink martinis.”

  “It’s not the same,” Meagan cries. “I can’t have a martini manicure without you in person.”

  “You can have one with me,” a male voice says.

  “Shut up, Connor,” Meagan snaps.

  “You should go with him. I know—dare him to come with you and you pick out the color.”

  “That’s a great idea,” Meagan says, then raises her voice. “Hey Connor.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I dare you to come with me, but I get to pick out the color,” she says all smug.

  “No problem. But can you make sure to pick out a color that matches your nipples? That way, later on, when I’m chowing down on some ribs and need to lick the sauce off my fingers, I can pretend it’s your tits I’m sucking on.”

  I almost drop the phone. Meagan is completely silent.

  “You don’t have to pretend to be straight, Connor. There are plenty of openly gay surgeons in the field.”

  Oh, Jesus loves tap dancing on a cracker. She did not just throw the you’re-secretly-gay-card. This will not end well.

  “Baby, I love to eat pussy just as much as you do.”

  This time Meagan is stunned into silence. I hear his laughter fade away. “Meagan? Are you there? Did you kick him in the nuts?”

  “I’m here.”

  I pull into my parents’ driveway and cut the engine. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine. In fact, I’m more than fine. Not only am I going to do a better job than him tomorrow, I’m going to take him to get a manicure and screw with his head until it’s loose and he can’t tell his left from his right.”

  “You get him, girl. Make him regret ever messing with you.”

  “Love you, Landry.”

  “Love you, Meagan. I’ll miss you.”

  She snorts. “No, you won’t. You’ll be sexing up Beau and be all orgasmic happy in Monaco.”

  I roll my eyes at her, though she can’t see me.

  We say our goodbyes, and then I go into my house to tell my parents the news about leaving tomorrow, unable to shake the feeling that everything is about my life is about to change.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Beau

  The doorbell rings just as I finish my workout. I towel off my chest and since I’m the only one home, answer the door while wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants.

  “Oh Jesus. Put something on. No one wants to see your version of Magic Mike,” Paisley says as she walks through the doorway. She’s holding Mia in one arm and a diaper bag in another.

  I grunt. “I seem to recall that you begged me to do a version of it for you.”

  Paisley’s blue eyes flash at me in warning, but I ignore her. “Baby girl, I missed you.” I take Mia from her mother, giving her kisses as she wraps her chubby arms around my neck.

  “Do you have to cover her in sweat?” Paisley asks, her nose turning up.

  “I’ve been covered in her puke, pee, and vomit. It’s an even trade.” I make a silly face at my daughter, and she laughs, patting my jaw. “Isn’t that right?”

  Paisley slides up to me, but her attention is on Mia. “I’m going to miss you, baby.”

  “I’ll miss you, too, Mommy,” I say in a falsetto. Paisley gives me a smile, one that takes my breath away, because I haven’t seen one like it since the day I met her. “You’re looking good.”

  Her smile falters a little. She gazes at the door and beyond it, then turns back to me. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Paisley places a hand on my arm. “I want to apologize for earlier. Mia had been screaming and crying, and I didn’t know what to do... so I put her in her crib and called you. I didn’t know what else to do.” Her eyes fill with tears. “I feel so stupid, Beau. So worthless.”

  I wrap my free arm around her, trying to comfort her and nothing more. “I think parenting is designed to make us feel stupid.”

  She sniffs. “But you always have it together.”

  “That’s because I’m a Montgomery.”

  “Oh shut up,” she says. “I really wish things would have been different between us, especially when we get along like this.”

  I’m afraid to respond, because Paisley knows my weaknesses. She knows having a family is all I ever wanted. More than racing, more than winning, more than anything else, I wanted a family, my family, to come home to... to love and laugh and do all those things you see in sitcoms. To do all those things I sort of had with my mom and never had with Remington.

  “I do, too. At one time, it was all I ever wanted.”

  Paisley’s lower lip sticks out, a move that I’m a complete sucker for, but not with her, not anymore. “But not now? You’ve been so good to me, Beau. I should reward you.”
/>
  Three months ago, I would have let her. Two months ago, I would have argued with her and then let her. Now, I won’t do either. It’s a slippery slope with her, and I can’t go back to that place where we used to be, full of pain and rage, using drugs and sex to make us feel... anything.

  Before I can answer her, without jeopardizing my relationship with Mia, a throat clears.

  “Excuse me. I need to um, take my things to my room. When you get a chance, Beau... Mr. Montgomery, the bay door is closed, and I need it opened.”

  My gaze snaps to the door, only to find a sexy brunette standing there. My guts clenches, like I’ve been sucker punched. An evil smile from Paisley catches my eye, and I know I’ve been sucker punched. She had said all that shit for Landry’s benefit.

  Of course, it’s Landry, wide-eyed as she takes in the scene before her. I can only imagine what it looks like. Me, standing there half-dressed with one arm around Paisley while I hold Mia. The perfect, happy little family.

  “Oh gosh, I forgot to tell Beau to open the garage for you, Landry.” Paisley swings her deceit-filled eyes to mine. “Your new nanny and I met outside. Mia just loves her.”

  “Thank you,” Landry says, her eyes downcast.

  You lying bitch, I want to shout at Paisley, but no matter what kind of bitch I think she’s being, she’s still Mia’s mother, so I don’t call her shit. “That’s good. Landry, I’ll open the bay in just a minute. So, if you want to go ahead and take the rest of your things upstairs, that would be fine with me. Paisley’s getting ready to leave.”

  Landry rushes past us, two suitcases bumping against her legs as she goes.

  “You mean I’m not invited for supper?” Paisley asks in a falsely sweet voice.

  “Get out,” I murmur. “You’re a damn menace, and spiteful, too. Landry has nothing to do with us.”

  “What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t check out who would be taking care of my daughter?” she asks, all wide-eyed innocence. But I’m not fooled. Once you’ve seen the real thing, imitators are easy to spot.

  It’s then I notice the alcohol on her breath. “Fuck me, Paisley. How much have you had to drink?”