Linda Hudson-Smith - Kissed by a Carrington

If he had no desire to change the way he lived his life, why did his family?

Houston saw that Dallas couldn’t stop smiling at the stunning five-foot-eight siren Lanier Watson. By the soft, loving expression on her pretty mahogany face, he knew she was no less enamored with him. Dallas never could get enough of being with her. When Lanier had the occasion to act a lot like “the renegade brother,” what Dallas referred to Houston as, Dallas did his best to remain patient with her. Lanier feared long-term entanglements with good reason.

“Welcome to Haven House, best friend,” Lanier greeted cheerfully, hugging and kissing Ashleigh, openly displaying deep affection. “Girl, I can’t tell you how much I miss you not being here full-time. Hey, Mr. A.! How’s it going with the proud poppa-to-be?”

Austin brought Lanier into his warm embrace. “This poppa is proud and he’s just great. Every day with Ashleigh is like reliving Christmas morning as a small child. You see how our girl’s stomach has grown. Is she beautiful or what?”

Tears popped into Lanier’s eyes. “As beautiful as ever.”

Houston looked between Dallas and Lanier, wondering if they’d ever end up like Ashleigh and Austin, who were only one of the happiest couples on the planet. Lanier’s eyes easily conveyed her love for Dallas.

Houston suddenly appeared in Lanier’s line of vision. “What’s up, Hou? I’m really happy to see you. Yours is definitely a rare visit.”

Houston walked up to Lanier and hugged her. “Hadn’t seen you and the girls in a while so I thought I’d tag along with the family. I promise to do better with visits. How are you?”

Lanier took in her surroundings, her eyes beaming with sweet sentiment. “I couldn’t be better. I’m still as happy as a lark. The residents of Haven House and Dallas have truly allowed me to experience a more exciting and joyous existence.”

Houston easily interpreted the expression of love and desire he saw in Dallas’s eyes. It was obvious his brother thought the world of Lanier.

Before anyone could say another word, four teenage girls came bounding into the living room. The girls went ape as soon as they spotted Ashleigh and the guys. Animated greetings and heartfelt hugs were exchanged. Then the teenagers left the room the same way they’d entered.

Ashleigh was moved to tears by the genuine expression of love she’d just received. “Kathy, Tina, Willow and Gina look good, Lanier. You’re doing a great job. They seem so happy. But where are Stephanie and Lauren?”

“The sisters are with their aunt for the weekend. The girls are happy, Ash, but they also have you to thank. The young ladies were an absolute emotional mess when we first got them. Your love and patience brought them through. You know how many times I felt like kicking their young butts to the curb. I don’t easily deal with smart mouths and bad attitudes. Man, did those girls have nasty vocabularies and short tempers when they first arrived. Things are much better now. We’ve become one big happy family,” Lanier enthused.

Ashleigh smiled. “I can’t take all the credit for how these kids have grown. The numerous times you sat up all night with one or the other, calming their fears, drying the endless tears, made them feel wanted for the first time in their lives. We’ve accomplished it all together, Lanier. No one person is responsible for the success of Haven House. Ours is a joint triumph.”

“Okay, girls, ease up on the sentiments,” Houston said. “You’ve got me and my bros frowning up to keep from weeping. That wouldn’t be a pretty sight. You ladies have done a miraculous job with the kids,” Houston said sincerely. “We’re proud of you both.”

Lanier cast Houston a sweet smile. “Thanks. You always know just the right thing to say. So what’s up with everyone? Any special reason for the surprise visit?”

Dallas looked hopeful. “Carrington family dinner is tonight. I need a date. Can you hook this brother up?”

Lanier crooked her finger at Dallas, her eyes flirting wildly with him. “Let’s discuss this in private. Excuse us for a minute. We’ll be right back.”

Houston laughed at the look on Dallas’s face. His brothers were whipped and neither of them cared who knew it. His father had also lost his mind over a woman. No man loved his wife more than Beaumont loved Angelica.

Houston was starting to get it, but he knew he had a ways to go before personally meeting up with a storybook ending. Some people did live fairy-tale romances. He had seen the magic with his own two eyes, growing up around it for twenty-eight years. After thirty-two years of marriage, his mother and father were still crazy in love. As Kelly’s image came into his mind, he closed his eyes and let himself indulge in a bit of romantic thinking.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.