Burn for You

Chapter One

Beau

I remember the very first time I fell in love. It was the summer before my senior year of high school. I’d moved from Holland Springs back to Forrestville, to live with Remington Montgomery, the man who’d lied to my mother about his marriage and gotten her pregnant.

So, there I was, the product of an illicit affair, living with my dad, his wife, and their two kids, like some kind of warped-version of Annie or something.

All of seventeen, my hair had been bright green and my mood black while I’d gone with my oldest brother to Lake Norman. I’d never seen so many popped-collars and khaki shorts in my life. Then she entered my line of sight, a sun-kissed vision in her short dress and bouncy hair.

I hadn’t been able to stop myself, so I’d gone to her, and asked her name.

“Paisley Sawyer.”

I grinned, my heart beating louder than the roar of the crowd at Talladega on a Sunday afternoon. “Beau Montgomery.”

“You look a little nervous,” she said with a gorgeous smile. “Need a little help with that?”

I ran my fingers through my hair and nibbled on my lip ring. “Am I that obvious?”

She held out her hand, two fingers almost touching. “Maybe just a little bit.”

“I don’t think I’m the lake type.” I inclined my head toward the crowd of guys and girls on the pier. Quite a few of them gave me dirty looks or rolled their eyes as they talked about me.

Paisley’s fingers brushed against my hand. “I think you could be any type you want.”

I cocked my head to one side. “What about your type?”

“Most definitely my type.”

Our hands laced together, and we went for a walk.

“Are you just here for the summer?” she asked.

“No.” I really didn’t want to tell this girl I was a bastard.

“Remington told everyone all about you.”

So much for keeping that quiet. I scanned the horizon, not really paying attention to the boats on the lake. “Did he?”

“Yep, that he’d made a mistake and rectified it by taking you in and giving you everything you always wanted.”

Was that scorn I heard in her voice? “I’m here for the money, nothing else. He owes me.”

Paisley came around to stand in front of me. “That’s an honest answer.”

“It doesn’t make me evil?”

Her blue eyes searched my face. “What do you think?”

I think I’m in love. “Remington feels guilty, is all.”

We started walking again, her hand tight in mine once more. “About what?”

“About killing my mother. She slit her wrists while I was away at my uncle’s for the summer. When I came home, I found her...body in the tub.” Or what was left of it. She’d been pregnant again, by Remington. She and the baby had died. “I was fifteen.”

Paisley froze, looking up at me. “I’m so sorry, Beau.” Then she said something I never expected. “My mom killed herself too, when I was twelve. I found her in my parents’ bedroom. She’d overdosed.”

“I-I... I’m sorry, Paisley.”

“I hate her.” Her eyes were shadowed. “I hate her for leaving us. “

“For a while, I felt the same way.”

“Am I wrong to still feel this way? To still hate her?”

I shook my head. “No.” I meant it. There was no right or wrong way of dealing with a parent’s death. “We all have to find out way in the world. Whatever path we choose can change whenever we want, because we’re not stuck. We’re just travelling for a while.”

“I’ve never met another person who had to deal with suicide. Most of the time, I feel like a weirdo.” She gave me a crooked smile, and my heart tumbled to my toes. “But not you. You make me feel... normal.”

“Normal is good.” Pulling her into the shadows, I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close as we talked about our lives, our parents, and then nothing at all. We just stood there, holding on to one another, not letting go.

“Beau,” she whispered my name, and I glanced down at her. “I want you.”

Gently, I pressed my mouth against her and she sucked on my lip ring. I groaned, pulling her closer and fitting her against me. I was hard and she was soft. I didn’t want this to end. Kissing this girl feels so right, so perfect. Her tongue slid against mine, and I moaned.

Suddenly, she stepped back and gave me a seductive smile. Under the shade of an old oak tree, Paisley took off her dress and my mouth went dry. She wore a bright pink two-piece that left little to the imagination. Then, her tiny bikini dropped to the ground, and my knees went weak.