Kissed by a Carrington

by Linda Hudson-Smith

  Kelly’s mind was hard at work trying to figure out what had prompted the sudden changes in Houston. When the couple of episodes with the good doctor came to mind, she frowned. She didn’t want Houston to spend more time with her simply because he felt threatened by her relationship with her dear friend Lynton.

  Kelly didn’t want Houston to feel jealous of anyone. Since she wanted clarity on why he had had such a sudden change of heart, she decided to ask. Wringing her hands nervously, she fastened her eyes on him. “You’ve certainly changed your position on things, drastically. Does Lynton have anything to do with it?”

  “He does, inasmuch as it has to do with realization and revelation. Lynton helped me realize how much you mean to me. The personal transformations come from the changes you’ve caused in my heart. I had to acknowledge the alterations before I could act on them. Lynton also aided me in revelation. I want us to explore our relationship in depth, Kelly. I’m ready to take things to the next level. Are you?”

  As Kelly fell into Houston’s arms, she could hardly contain her joy. “I’m ready, Houston, definitely ready!” Sobering rather quickly, she tilted her head back slightly. “Now exactly what does that mean for us? What do you consider the next level?”

  Houston laughed softly. “It wouldn’t be like you not to thoroughly question it all. Even if you aren’t interested in exclusive, I am. I’d like for you and me to hang out together as often as we can. Can we do just us?”

  Kelly nodded eagerly. “I didn’t say I wasn’t interested in exclusive. What I said was I didn’t know if it’d work with us. Sorry I wasn’t clearer. I’m not opposed to your suggestion and I am willing to give it a try.” Kelly giggled. “Isn’t this the point where we should exchange class rings or utter some kind of vow?”

  Smiling warmly, Houston removed his diamond NBA championship ring and placed it on Kelly’s finger. “This beautiful baby will have to do until I can get you something dainty in gold or platinum.”

  Looking stunned, Kelly stared hard at the ring that was way too big for her slender finger. She quickly pulled it off. “I can’t accept this, even as a temporary measure. I can wait.” Kelly put the ring back on his finger and kissed it. “This is too precious to entrust to anyone, but thanks for making such a grand gesture.”

  “You’re welcome. I understand not wanting the responsibility of safeguarding my championship ring. A kiss will have to do for now, a long, lingering one.”

  Kelly wrapped her arms around Houston’s neck. “That, I can do.”

  The kiss was staggering, passionate beyond her wildest dreams.

  Houston gently nudged her. “I need to know you’ll still make the cruise.”

  “I’ll be there. I promise not to back out.”

  Houston appeared pleased. “Good. I’m glad that’s settled.”

  As the couple got into discussing the kinds of crazy things that happened to sports figures on road trips, Houston thought of his own wild experiences. Lifting Kelly’s chin, he closely studied her lovely features. He then looked right into her eyes. “I promise to be faithful to you at home and on the road.”

  Kelly blushed. “You don’t need to assure me of that. I trust you.”

  “I wanted to let you know where my head and heart are.” Houston didn’t want Kelly to imagine all sorts of wild scenarios when he was away from home. “Once I commit, I don’t go back on my word. It’s my bond. Houston Carrington has fully committed himself to Kelly Charleston.”

  Ecstatic by his remarks, Kelly smiled broadly. “My life as a doctor is extremely busy. I need someone in my life who understands my time isn’t always my own. Last-minute and unavoidable situations pop up a lot.” She then explained wanting a mate who didn’t get upset because she was around superstar male athletes, and she needed someone who cared about her purpose in life. “Becoming a doctor was all I ever dreamed of.”

  “I know all about crazy schedules. I also understand how the unexpected comes up. I’m not the type of guy who has to know your every move. I admit I’ll probably get worried if I don’t hear from you for a long time. Unfortunately, you’re familiar with that side of me. Sorry I made a mountain out of a molehill.”

  Kelly slid her hand down the side of his face. “I want to please you, Houston, but I can’t forget to satisfy me. I tried to gratify my parents by following in their footsteps, but I fell short. That’s not how it should be. I finally learned I had to be my own person, forge my own path and create my own successes. Mom and Dad were dead set against a career in sports medicine for me. I went with the desires of my heart instead of theirs. I guess orthopedic medicine wasn’t as prestigious as becoming heart surgeons like them.”

  “You have a lot to be proud of. You’re a brilliant doctor and I’m glad you took your own path. My brothers and I loved sports long before we were old enough to play peewee leagues. Dad tossed us footballs and baseballs and played basketball with us when we were tiny guys. I can’t recall a time when we weren’t active in sports.”

  “Like mine, your profession is in your blood. You should be proud, too. My busy schedule kept me from asking too much of others. There was a time I couldn’t fit any social stuff into my life, period. I can assure you I’ll trust you wholeheartedly. I’ll also give you the royal boot if you trash my belief in you.”

  Houston wrapped up Kelly tightly in his arms. “I believe you’ll do exactly that. But you won’t have to. This is brand-new for me. I don’t take on anything I don’t plan to put forth my very best. I’ll give our relationship all I can. But if it doesn’t work for me, Kelly, I won’t hesitate to tell you.”

  “Sounds fair to me. I’ll do the same. Now I have something else to tell you.”

  Houston frowned. “Uh-oh! Got a feeling I’m not going to like it.”

  “You won’t. I agreed to let Lynton stay with me until he locates a nice place. I promised to help him house-hunt, until he finds something. He promises not to take too long to sign a lease.”

  “You were so right. I hate the idea. But I think I can live with it. After I have a little talk with him, he’ll probably rent a place a lot sooner than he originally planned.”

  “Houston, no, you can’t do that. I can manage Lynton just fine.”

  “I hope so. I don’t care for him one bit. He’s arrogant and selfish.”

  “Hmm, sounds like somebody else I know, who can bring it on without any warning. I think you know him, too. You see him every time you look in the mirror.”

  “No way are you talking about me.” He stroked his chin. “Well, maybe I’m a little cocky, but it’s rare for that side of me to surface off the hardwood. I’m not selfish but I guess I can be somewhat arrogant. However, I prefer to think of it as confident.”

  “Selfish was the wrong word to use. You’re definitely a very giving man. Please promise me you’ll let me handle Lynton. He’s a great guy once you get to know him. He has helped me on numerous occasions. I just want to give back to a friend in need.”

  Houston promised Kelly not to take Lynton to task. He knew she was a loyal friend. He easily recalled what she’d put up with from him already. “The one thing I won’t do is become a controlling force in your life, not that you’d let me. I love your independence and the sultry sass in you. I won’t tamper with either.”

  “I’m happy to hear it. This girl can’t be controlled, but I am fairly easy to negotiate with.”

  Houston grinned. “Negotiate. Now that’s a word I like to hear. Listening to what the other person has to say opens us up to all kinds of possibilities.”

  “I think so, too,” Kelly said. “Entering into a discussion is much better than one person trying to have their own way all the time. Yet there are times when we have to refuse to negotiate. There are some decisions that only we can make for ourselves.”

  Houston felt they’d covered a lot of territory and had now arrived at a good understanding. It was time to put their plans into action. With that in mind, Houston kissed Kelly thoroughly. She shivere
d as his tongue found hers. Keeping his mouth locked onto hers, he stretched out on the sofa and brought her down on top of him. His hardened sex was hard to ignore, but he tried his best to do so for both their sakes.

  As much as Houston wanted to make love to Kelly, he thought they needed to get used to the idea of being a couple. Lovemaking would hopefully come in time. He believed she’d eventually want to make love to him—and he definitely desired the same.

  In the morning, seated at the kitchen table inside Haven House, Kelly, Ashleigh and Lanier were drinking hot tea. Kelly had stopped by before her office hours to check on Lauren and to drop off a few tubes of Biofreeze, an analgesic pain reliever in gel form. No fractures had been revealed on the teenager’s X-rays from a week ago. The diagnosis was a bad sprain, just as Kelly had guessed. She had again recommended Lauren stay off the ankle and use the crutches.

  The girls were in the game room watching television. It was raining cats and dog outside so the teenagers’ usual trek to the park was canceled until the weather cleared. Plenty of indoor entertainment was provided for them.

  As Lanier stirred low-cal sweetener into her teacup, Kelly couldn’t help but notice how unhappy she looked. Her puffy and slightly red eyes indicated she’d been crying or that she hadn’t slept well. Although Kelly was concerned she didn’t feel she should pry into Lanier’s private affairs.

  Looking as if she were in another zone, Lanier stared into her tea. Sighing heavily, she dropped her spoon into the teacup. Tears brimming in her eyes, she looked over at Ashleigh and then Kelly. “I blew it with Dallas again. He isn’t very happy with me. I haven’t heard from him in two days. The commitment conversation came up again. He wants what I can’t seem to give him. Help me here, ladies,” Lanier wailed, sounding as if her heart was broken.

  Ashleigh’s eyes filled with sympathy. “I don’t know how I can help you out on this one, Lanier. You have a great guy who loves you, yet you aren’t able to accept it at face value. That really hurts him. I love you both and I know each side. I feel stuck in the middle. I can’t champion either of you without showing prejudice.”

  Lanier pressed her fingers against her lips. “If only I could let go of the past, I’d have a future with Dallas. I know what I need to do, but I don’t know how to accomplish it. The scar tissue inside my heart has hardened and is darn near impenetrable. People have disappointed me, letting me down in so many ways. How can I be sure Dallas won’t eventually join the ranks? Yet I feel sure he loves me. What a twisted dilemma.”

  Kelly’s heart went out to Lanier. This could easily be her, she knew. She had been in Dallas’s shoes up until a few evenings ago. If Houston had seen the light, maybe Lanier would eventually see it, too. Because she still wasn’t sure Houston could fully commit to her, she didn’t feel comfortable sharing her good news prematurely.

  “What about the cruise, Lanier? You are still going, aren’t you?” Ashleigh asked.

  Lanier hunched her shoulders. “Does Dallas still want me to go is the better question. I’m sure I’ll find out sooner than later.”

  Ashleigh looked sympathetic. “I have a couple suggestions for you. They’re not easy ones, but they might help. For one, I think it’s time you try to reconnect with your parents, especially your mother. If you can mend fences with your family, you may be able to fully open up your heart to Dallas. Maybe closure is all you need.”

  Lanier’s expression was strained. “I don’t know. I’m not that generous of heart. Those people ruined my life. My anger still rages at them.”

  “They gave you life, Lanier,” Ashleigh reminded her friend. “Your mother wants to see you. Her letters have told you that repeatedly. Your parents were very sick at the time. To think they haven’t recovered from their addictions is unfair. People do change. You’ve changed. I’ve changed. And for the better, I might add. Stop using your past pain to shield you from future happiness.”

  Lanier’s tears flowed unchecked. “Maybe you’re right, Ash. I’ll give your recommendations a lot of thought. As far as not championing either Dallas or me, you’ve failed. You’re more on Dallas’s side than you may realize.”

  “I’m on the side of love. You two love each other. That’s apparent to everyone who knows you guys. Stop fighting what you obviously feel for Dallas—stop fighting the inevitable. Take a page out of my book. Pump the brakes on your feet and stop running away from your destiny.”

  Lanier merely nodded her head, too emotionally upset to speak.

  Deciding to leave Lanier alone with her thoughts, Ashleigh summoned Kelly to come into the office with her.

  Ashleigh’s cell phone rang the minute she dropped down on a chair at the desk. “Excuse me a minute, Kelly.” The caller ID let her know that someone from the Department of Social Services was phoning.

  Patricia Wright, Lauren and Stephanie’s social worker, started right in on the reason for her call. She quickly informed Ashleigh that Sandra Gossett, the girls’ aunt, had pulled her petition for sole custody of the girls. “Stephanie and Lauren are now free of the threat of being removed from Haven House.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Wright. This is wonderful news!”

  “We’ll be in touch. The biannual review for Haven House comes up at the end of the month.”

  “That’s right, it does,” Ashleigh said. “We’ll be well-prepared. If we don’t talk before then, I’ll see you at our meeting. Have a nice day, Ms. Wright.”

  Kelly came over to the desk and rested her hands on Ashleigh’s shoulders, squeezing gently. “I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation. I’m glad you’re not losing Stephanie and Lauren. They seem so happy living here. You guys have become a close-knit family.”

  “Thanks, Kelly, for the kind, encouraging words. I know the girls will be happy about the news. It’s hard to keep from crying. I can’t seem to forget the day I was removed from the Carrington home. It always haunts me in stressful situations.”

  Pushing her chair back from the desk, Ashleigh slowly got to her feet. She couldn’t get to Lanier quickly enough, but she had to practice caution. She had a precious life to protect. Much to Ashleigh’s pleasure, Lanier came into the office before she’d moved another inch.

  “It’s over,” Ashleigh shouted with glee, dropping down onto the nearby sofa.

  Ashleigh’s breathing was coming a little too fast and erratic for Lanier’s liking. “Calm down, Ash. What are you talking about?” Lanier sat down next to Ashleigh and took her hand. “Okay, what’s going on that has you ready to blow a gasket?”

  “Stephanie and Lauren, they’re going to remain here at Haven House with us. The aunt withdrew her custody petition. The case is over, Lanier.” Ashleigh went on to explain what she’d been told by the social worker, unable to hold back her tears.

  “Oh my God,” Lanier cried out, “I can’t believe it. Thank God for His hand in this. Losing those girls would’ve been miserable for all of us. They love it here. Let’s get them. We have to tell them now. Kelly, we are so happy this is settled.”

  Kelly smiled. “I can tell. I’m happy for you all. Glad I was present to hear the good news. Congratulations!”

  Lanier buzzed the girls over the intercom and asked them to come into the office.

  Laughing and crying at the same time, Lanier, Ashleigh and Kelly hugged.

  Standing in the middle of his living room floor, Dallas’s heart suddenly turned to mush. “This is a hand-written letter from Lanier postmarked three days ago,” he told Houston, sounding emotional. “I know how hard writing this letter had to be for her. She is a prideful woman. No stranger to pain, she has spilled her heart out to me on paper, reiterating why she’s so fearful of taking our relationship to the ultimate level. I’ll read the last page.”

  Dallas cleared his throat. “‘I love you, Dallas. Please make no mistake about that. Your patience has allowed us to get to where we are now. You haven’t rushed me and I appreciate it. There are some things I need to do to help me move on with my life. I’m
thinking of seeing my mother. If I do, I’ll really need you. Please be there for me. I miss the strength of your comforting arms and the reassuring smiles and healing hugs you give me. Call me, please.’”

  Dallas glanced over at Houston. “Can you believe this letter?”

  “Sure I can. I just moved from the place where Lanier resides. Go ahead and call her, man. I’m hitting the kitchen. My stomach is growling.”

  Houston was seated at the breakfast bar, making a turkey sandwich, when Dallas finally entered the kitchen.

  “Lanier agreed to come over. A candlelit dinner is just what we need.” Before he reached the refrigerator, he looked out the picture window. His smile came brightly. “There are enough blooms on the rosebushes for a centerpiece. I’ll cut the stems and arrange them in a vase, but first I need to scope out the fridge.”

  Laughing, Houston shook his head. “Boy, you’re whipped. I’ve never seen you this nutty over a woman. Lanier has really put it on you. You’re talking centerpieces!”

  Dallas laughed. “That’s not all I talk. I say and do anything that brings a smile to her lips. She’s deserving of whatever I can do for her. Absence does make the heart grow fonder, but it can also make a brother go insane with longing.”

  “I’m beginning to know the feeling,” Houston remarked, thinking of Kelly.

  “Missing Lanier like crazy has been the downside of letting her come to terms with her true feelings,” Dallas told Houston. “Although she didn’t make any reference to marriage in her letter I won’t let it put a damper on things. Tonight will be all about getting our relationship back on track. I’ve come to terms with a few important things myself. I’d rather Lanier be sure about marriage than for us to dive into it blindly.”

  Houston shrugged. “Marriage is a big step. You and Austin have come to terms with matrimony. I’m still not there. Figuring this all out is hard.”