Playing With Fire

+++++++



Kelly snuggled further into the warm body below her, making sure to relish in the way it felt as if she were falling even more in love with Carrie each time she felt the country singer's hand trace a soothing circle on her back. Honestly, she felt as if she wanted to cry. She couldn't understand how she had come to be so blessed as to have the perfect girl all to herself. She turned her head just enough to graze her lips across Carrie's collar bone, making the girl giggle.



"What?" Kelly asked softly.



"I'm just having one of those reality checks," Carrie replied.



"Good or bad?"



"Kelly Clarkson, the Kelly Clarkson just had her way with me," she grinned. "I'd say good."



Kelly laughed, wrapping her arms tighter around Carrie's waist, "I've missed you."



"You too," she smiled, touching her lips to the Texan's forehead. "I swear sometimes I feel as if this is all some dream."



"If it is, then please don't wake me."



"Tell me something," Carrie said softly as she rested her chin on the top of Kelly's head.



"Like what?"



"Tell me a secret."



"What kind of secret?"



"One that I don't know."



Kelly let out a soft laugh, "What other kind is there?"



"Ok, tell me a juicy secret. One that nobody else in the world knows."



"Ok..." Kelly said thoughtfully, loving the way she could feel Carrie's chest rumbling slightly every time she spoke. "Alright, well, you probably should know this anyway cause it has to do with you."



"Uh oh."



"No," Kelly smiled. "The part that deals with you is a good thing."



"A good thing?" Carrie questioned.



"A very good thing," Kelly replied.



"Ok, go ahead, I'm ready."



"Alright, so, um, well, you remember the first time that we, um, slept together?"



"No," Carrie replied sarcastically.



"Well, that was also the first time that I, well that I...you know...had an..."



"No," Carrie gasped, lifting Kelly so she could look her in the eyes.



"Yea," she blushed.



"You mean you never tried a little one on one time with yourself?" Carrie grinned.



"Not really my thing," she replied softly.



"Wait, what about with David?"



Kelly shook her head, looking away, shamefully.



"No, no, no," Carrie said, gently turning her face back to her. "That is nothing to be ashamed of. I don't know what he told you, but that is not your fault. It's his for not knowing what the hell he was doing."



"I never, I mean, I just always thought that's how it was supposed to be," she said.



"So I guess you were in for a major shock, huh?" Carrie smiled.



Kelly nodded, her eyes still holding the emotions from the past.



"Come here," Carrie said, pulling her back down so she could hold her again. "You know what?" she whispered in the Texan's ear. "I am so glad that I got to be the one you experienced that with."



"Me too," she replied quietly.



"God," Carrie said, squeezing her gently. "I swear I could hold you forever."



"Tell me a secret," Kelly said, her fingers tracing out designs on Carrie's arm.



"Alright," Carrie nodded, thinking for a moment. "I still get butterflies in my stomach every time I see your name pop up on my phone, and I still get weak in the knees every time you walk into a room, and I still feel as if I'm flying every time you kiss me, and I'm pretty sure I always will."



"That's a pretty cool secret," Kelly smiled.



"I thought so," Carrie replied as Kelly pushed herself up enough to look down in Carrie's eyes.



"Butterflies?" Kelly asked.



"On steroids," Carrie smiled.



"Weak knees?" Kelly whispered, bringing their lips within a breath of each other.



"I wouldn't be able to stand," Carrie replied, her breath catching in her throat as she anticipated Kelly's next move.



Kelly pressed their lips together, breathing in the flowery scent that was so much Carrie that it made her heart race as she cradled the country singer's lips in her own.



"Flying?" she asked, pulling away.



"I'm soaring baby," she grinned.



Kelly giggled, planting one last kiss on her lips before laying back down.



"Another secret?" Kelly offered.



"Sure."



"You're the greatest thing that ever happened to me," she admitted.



"Kell..." Carrie whispered, feeling her eyes water.



"Seriously," Kelly said, feeling her own eyes tearing up as she buried her face in Carrie's neck. "God, I love you so much that I can't even begin to describe all the ways you make me feel. And you've become so much a part of my life and a part of me that it's hard to believe I haven't known you my entire life. I just...I don't know what I'd do without you. You know you're my entire world, right?"



Carrie sniffed, pulling her up and into a hug, feeling their cheeks pressed together, "If I'm your world, then you're my heaven."



She turned, hearing Kelly let out a hushed sob, and planted a line of kisses across Kelly's cheek, seeking out her mouth. As soon as their lips touched, she could feel Kelly's tears falling onto her own skin. She reached up, holding her face as she kissed her as lovingly as she knew how. Their tongues grazed each other, and she felt Kelly shiver in her arms.



++++++++++



Carrie smiled as she watched Kelly fighting not to wake up. The Texan's nose scrunched up cutely as she shifted on top of her.



"Hey sleepyhead," she greeted as Kelly brought up a fist, rubbing her eyes tiredly.



"Mornin'," Kelly drawled, smiling in content as she wrapped her arms tighter around Carrie's body.



"You planning on getting up any time soon?"



"Not if I don't have to," she grinned.



"Well, my sisters are gonna be here in like an hour and a half."



"That leaves us like an hour and twenty minutes to just lay here."



"We both could really use a shower," Carrie pointed out.



"We'll take one together," Kelly replied. "That'll save time."



Carrie laughed, "Us. Together. In a shower. That'll probably take us longer than if we took separate ones."



"Then we should probably get started," Kelly smirked as she climbed off of the country singer.



"Can you get any hornier?" Carrie laughed.



"Look who's talking," Kelly replied at the look in Carrie's eyes as she slipped off her pajama bottoms. "You know you want me."



Carrie licked her lips, "We better start that shower now."



Kelly raised an eyebrow as Carrie climbed out of bed.



"We're gonna need all the time we've got," she explained.



Kelly felt her heart skip in excitement as Carrie took her hand and drug her into the bathroom.



+++++++++



Carrie smiled broadly as she walked up behind the Texan who was clad only in a towel. She wrapped her arms around her from behind, holding her close.



"Have I ever told you how amazing you are?" she asked, kissing Kelly's bare shoulder.



"No, but I figured from the way you keep screaming my name that I mustn't be too bad," Kelly grinned, leaning back into the embrace.



"Mmhmm," Carrie agreed, kissing her neck.



"Care, we've got to get dressed," she laughed.



"Here, I'll help," Carrie replied, allowing one of her hands to travel over the front of Kelly's body to the top of the towel. Kelly bit her lip, struggling not to close her eyes in bliss as Carrie's hand slid under the towel.



"Baby," Kelly said, trying to keep her voice steady.



"You smell so good," Carrie mumbled, nuzzling into the crook of her neck.



Kelly felt Carrie's hand tug on the edge of her towel, and she soon felt the fluffy material fall around her ankles. She shook her head with laughter as Carrie turned her around.



"Care..." she warned playfully as she felt the country singer's eyes tracing over her body.



The sound of the doorbell shook Carrie out of her thoughts.



"What the hell?" she cursed. "We've still got like fifteen minutes."



Kelly laughed as she picked up the towel, wrapping it back around her, "Go let them in."



"Fine," Carrie pouted, slipping on a pair of jeans and a shirt.



"Care," Kelly smiled, placing a hand on her arm.



"Yep?" she turned around to feel Kelly pressing their lips together.



Carrie smiled widely as they pulled apart.



"Now go on," Kelly laughed.



+++++++++



"Hey," Carrie smiled as she opened the front door, allowing her two sisters to enter.



"Are you guys ok?" Shanna asked, worriedly.



"Yea, we're fine," she replied, looking at her curiously. "Why?"



"Because we've been trying to call you all morning to tell you that we were coming early, but it kept going straight to your voice mail."



"Shoot," Carrie groaned, turning and running into Kelly who had just walked up to them, pulling her hair back in a pony tail.



"Where's the fire?" Kelly laughed.



"Our phones are still off," Carrie said, rushing past her. "I'll get yours."



"What's the big deal?" Stephanie asked, watching her little sister confusedly.



"They've been off since yesterday," Kelly explained. "We've probably got about a hundred missed calls each from work and stuff."



"Why'd you turn them off?"



"We wanted a good night's sleep for once," Carrie lied, walking back into the room and handing Kelly her phone. "Jason called me like three times," the country singer said, scrolling through the list of missed calls.



"Jason?" Shanna asked with a smirk. "Is that your boyfriend?"



"No, he's Kell's brother."



"Yea, he called me eight times. My sister called too. That's weird. I hope everything's ok," Kelly frowned. "Wait, Jay left a voice mail."



Kelly played the message, hearing her brother's nervous voice in her ear.



"Hey, it's me. I've called like, I don't know how many times, but I keep getting your voicemail. Please call me back. We kind of have a problem. A major problem. I'll try Carrie's phone. Maybe her's is on."



"Everything ok?" Carrie asked, placing a hand on her arm.



"Um, I'm not sure," she replied. "I'm gonna go call him back," she said, nodding her head towards the kitchen.



"Yea, we'll just be in here cleaning up," Carrie nodded, giving her arm a light squeeze.



"I hope everything's ok," Stephanie said as Kelly walked out of the room.



"Me too," Carrie replied before turning to her two sisters. "Why don't we get started?"



+++++++++



"Jason?" Kelly asked, hearing her brother pick up on the first ring. "What's going on?"



"Where have you been?" he replied nervously.



"Carrie and I had our phones off. Her parents left the house to us, so we indulged in a little alone time."



"She told them?"



"Yea," Kelly said. "And I think they're gonna be ok with it."



"Good. Cause they would have found out soon anyway."



"Jay...What are you talking about?" Kelly asked cautiously.



"Mom kind of let it slip about the two of you," Jason said.



"When you say slip..."



"She went on a full tirade."



"What?!"



"Don't yell at me."



"What the hell happened?"



"I don't know," he replied, honestly. "People kept asking where you were. Some were saying that maybe you were getting too big for us."



"Wow. Some family I got there."



"Mom had a few to drink, and I guess all the questions got to be too much for her," Jason continued. "She told them where you were, and who you were with, and why you were with her."



"Ok," Kelly let out a shaky breath. "Jay, this is very important. When you say them, I need to know who exactly she told."



"Um, it was during the gift exchange."



"So, everybody heard," she said, her voice coming out weakly.



"Kell, I'm so sorry. I didn't think she'd do something like this."



"It's not your fault," she replied. "I've, um, I've gotta go. I'll...I'll call you later, ok?"



"Yea, sure."



"Jay?"



"Yea?"



"Alyssa?"



"She's been trying to reach you. That's all I know," he replied, sorry he couldn't give her something more assuring.



"Alright. Bye."



"Bye."



++++++++++



Carrie frowned as she stretched to reach an empty cup that had somehow been placed high on the mantle.



"Care?" she heard Kelly's shaky voice call from the kitchen.



Carrie's head shot up at the tone.



"Is she ok?" Shanna asked.



"No," Carrie quickly replied.



"You want us to come?"



"No, you guys stay here. I'll yell if I need," she said, hurrying to the kitchen. "Sweetie?" she asked as she felt the shorter Texan rushing into her arms.



"Kell, what's wrong?" Carrie asked, feeling Kelly's tears on her skin.



"They know," Kelly said, struggling to breathe through the tears.



"Who does?"



"My entire...family," she replied, clinging to Carrie's shirt as the country singer held her tightly.



"What do they know?"



"Us...they know about us...my mom told them," she cried. "The entire world's...gonna know...I'm so sorry."



"Shh," Carrie soothed, trying not to let her girlfriend see that she felt her entire world crashing down around her. "I'm sure it's not that bad. Tell me what Jason said."



"He...he...he said..."



"Kell," Carrie said gently as she pulled away enough to look at her. "I need you to calm down, ok? Just breathe."



Kelly nodded, taking a shaky breath before trying again, "He said that everybody kept asking where I was, and my mom got aggravated. She just kind of snapped, and told them everything."



Carrie bit her lip as she cradled Kelly's cheek affectionately. She leaned forward, kissing her temple before pulling her into another hug.



"Care, what are we gonna do? I mean, I love my family to death, but I don't trust any of them with something like this. I mean, you know how much money they could get for this story?"



"Isn't this what you wanted, though? To not have to hide us anymore?"



"Yea," Kelly nodded. "But I wanted it on our terms, when we were both ready. When this gets out, everything is going to change."



"I know," Carrie replied as Kelly shifted in her arms. Carrie recognized the move as Kelly brought her arms close to her chest from around Carrie as she folded into her. She did this every time she was scared and needed someone to hold her. Carrie did just that as she wrapped her arms tighter around the Texan, resting her chin on top of her head.



"What are we gonna do?" she whispered.



"Nothing," Carrie sighed. "We just let the chips fall."



"I'm so sorry about all of this."



"It's not your fault."



"It's my mom."



"The truth was bound to come out sooner or later. At least this way, we have some sort of warning."



"I love you," Kelly said softly, feeling her eyes tearing up again.



"I love you too," Carrie assured her, kissing her forehead. "Everything's going to be ok," she promised, despite the fact that she didn't believe a word of it, herself.



++++++++++



"Is everything ok?" Shanna asked, walking into the kitchen. She eyed the two singers worriedly as Stephanie walked up behind her.



"Not really," Carrie admitted, still holding Kelly close and trying her best to soothe her.



"What happened?" Stephanie questioned.



"Family problems," she replied, studying her two sisters, trying not to focus on the feeling of Kelly's warm tears against her skin. The last thing she needed was to start thinking about what all of this really meant because once she did, she'd probably be worse off than the Texan in her arms.



"Is somebody hurt? I mean, does she need to go over there?" Shanna said.



"Maybe," Carrie frowned. "But first, I think we all should talk."



"Talk?"



"Care," Kelly whispered soft enough so that only the country singer could hear as she pulled away to look at her.



"Yea?" Carrie replied, dropping her voice as well.



"I don't think you should tell them."



"Sweetie," Carrie smiled sadly, pushing Kelly's bangs out of her face before cradling it gently. Her tears fell softly against Carrie's fingers. "They're going to find out anyway. The whole world is about to find out."



"You don't know that. Maybe we're overreacting."



"Kell..." she sighed, chancing a glance at her sisters who both had a look of confusion on their faces as they watched the two singers interacting, trying to hear what they were saying. "Do you not want them to find out? Cause I mean, haven't we been through this? It's a little late to be changing your mind."



"No, I just...I don't want to be like this," Kelly said, motioning to her face, "when you tell them."



"You don't have to be here, if that's what you want," Carrie replied, trying to hide the hurt in her voice.



"That's just it," she said, smiling as she tilted her head, leaning into Carrie's soft touch. "I want to be here for you. I want to be strong for you in case it doesn't go well. I wouldn't be much help right now."



"Kell, it's ok."



"No, it's not. I want to be able to give you what you need."



"What I need...all I need is for you to be here with me."



"Are you sure?" Kelly asked, her hazel eyes shining up at Carrie.



Carrie felt the butterflies returning as Kelly looked at her like that. It was a feeling she would never get tired of, she thought to herself as she leaned down the inch or so, touching her lips to Kelly's as softly as she could.