Kissed by a Carrington. Linda Hudson-Smith

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СКАЧАТЬ and Austin couldn’t keep his hands off Ashleigh. Beaumont and Angelica conversed with each other through flirtatious language. Theirs was a love etched in stone. These couples only had eyes for each other.

      With all the love and romance Houston was constantly around, Kelly couldn’t understand how he managed to stay so unaffected. He was attentive enough to her, but it was nothing in comparison to how the other Carrington men reacted to their significant others.

      Therein lies the problem, Kelly mused.

      I’m not Houston’s significant other. I’m not even his girlfriend. Will he ever look at me the way Austin looks at Ashleigh? How many more times would the very same question come to her mind in one evening? Kelly had to wonder.

      The cool evening air was a nice change from the muggy heat of the day. Several ceiling fans hung from the rafters of the covered porch cooled things off. Strung with colorful Chinese lanterns and Tiki torches, the vast area reserved for dining was well lit.

      The deep shades of ever-changing colors lighting up the pool provided a peaceful, romantic ambience. The majestic trees surrounding the vast property appeared to dance in tune with the stirring winds. It was just before sunset and the stimulating sounds of nightfall could be heard in the distance.

      Quiet conversations and frequent trills of laughter permeated the outdoor atmosphere for the next couple of hours. A father and his three sons took turns telling jokes, keeping the dinner party lively. Beaumont was the biggest comedian of all. He had a cache of off-color jokes about any subject a person could possibly think of.

      Angelica’s eyes lovingly scolded her sons. “Guys, please don’t encourage Beau in his charming but incorrigible ways.” She knew it was all to no avail. As a mother and wife, she had to make an attempt. This was what her men did when they got together.

      Dallas and Lanier were the first couple to excuse themselves from the table after the dessert had been consumed. Houston and Kelly followed suit only moments later. The two guys had given farewell affections to their parents, who were about ready to leave the ranch. Austin and Ashleigh stayed behind to see the elder Carringtons to their car.

      It was a fine Texas evening for a romantic moonlit stroll around the ranch.

      Houston was eager to show Kelly around the place. It was too big to see all at one time. It might take a couple of days to tour the entire property.

      “Let’s walk down to the stables first.” He pointed out the whitewashed buildings to her. “I’d like to introduce you to Austin’s pride and joy, Q.B. and T.D.”

      Kelly lifted a brow. “Horses! Quarterback and Touchdown, right?”

      “Yeah, but how’d you guess?”

      Kelly laughed heartily. “Stables might’ve given it away. As for their names, they’re a perfect fit for Austin’s career.”

      Houston chuckled. “I didn’t stop to think about what I’d said. You’re right, of course. Austin loves his Palominos. The other horses on the property are used by the hired hands. There’s also been a new addition to the stables. My brother purchased a beautiful Appaloosa for Ashleigh before they found out she was pregnant. She named the frisky horse, with the beautiful, shiny spots, Sundance. Although she’s only gotten to ride Sundance a few times she visits her every day. She’ll ride again after the baby comes.”

      Kelly got a far-away look in her eyes. “I used to want a horse when I was little. I received a flat-out ‘no’ when I asked. I never brought it up again. Do you ride?”

      “There isn’t a Carrington who doesn’t. We were taught to ride at an early age.”

      Kelly took off running toward the area Houston had pointed out, surprising him. She couldn’t wait to see the horses. She hadn’t learned to ride, but she was now thinking it wasn’t too late for her to take lessons. Maybe one of the guys could recommend a good teacher. She made a mental note to ask Houston about it later on.

      After catching up to Kelly, Houston steered her into the stables and over to the stall where T.D. was housed. The horse greeted the visitors with a loud whinny, making them both laugh. “This is a friendly one, but we still have to be careful. Here,” he said, taking her hand, “let me show you how to handle her without getting injured.”

      “Her? T.D. is a girl?”

      Houston cracked up. “She’s a girl, a very beautiful one. Stroke her mane gently. That’s the way. She loves to be cuddled.”

      “What woman doesn’t?”

      Their eyes met and held for several engaging seconds. Kelly wasn’t sorry about what she’d said. If Houston didn’t like it, that was too bad for him. She wasn’t going to monitor every word she spoke for his comfort. She was used to speaking freely.

      “Men like to be touched, too. I already know you have soft hands. I’ve felt them.”

      Kelly was glad he wasn’t bothered by her comment. “They’re soft but strong. I know how to minister one hell of a deep-tissue massage.”

      Houston’s eyes locked with hers. “Is that something I can look forward to?”

      “We’ll have to wait and see. I pray that you don’t get injured during the off-season, but if you have one that calls for a massage, I’ll see to it or have one of the therapists take care of you.”

      “I set myself up for that one, didn’t I?”

      Kelly shrugged, feigning ignorance. “Set yourself up for what?”

      Houston laughed inwardly. “Okay, so it’s going to be like that. I’m cool. Let’s move two stalls down so you can meet Q.B., who is not a girl.”

      Q.B. was also a beautiful animal, whose light-colored coat glowed like sunlight. The horses’ coats were so healthy-looking. Kelly was careful to gently touch Q.B., the same way Houston had shown her how to handle T.D. The horse gently nudged her shoulder with his nose, causing her to giggle. She’d seen people kiss the noses and foreheads of horses, but she wasn’t going that far, though Kelly would like to hug Austin’s pride and joy. Texas and Wrangler were also favored by their owners.

      “Let’s move on down to the lake before it gets too dark to see anything.” Houston grabbed a checkered blanket from a wall rack. “There are a lot of fish in the lake, but we don’t catch them. Austin’s not willing to reel them in to fry up in a pan. They buy fresh fish at the seafood market nearby.”

      “Are all the Carrington men that sensitive?”

      “Every one of us. We don’t hunt wild game, but we do purchase deer steaks and pheasant and other wild game from the neighbors who do.”

      Kelly scowled. “It sounds utterly barbaric! But I guess it’s no different from eating any other kind of meat. Slaughter is involved no matter how it’s performed.”

      Houston looked uncomfortable with what Kelly had said, but it was the truth. He didn’t like the idea of harming animals, but men had been acquiring meat that way for countless years. It was the way of the world, whether it was right or not.

      Down at the lake Houston spread out the blanket and prompted Kelly to sit. He followed suit. While taking off his shoes, he urged her to do the same.

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