Playing With Fire

++++++++++



Carrie smiled as she watched Kelly pace back and forth, doing her vocal warm ups. She stopped pacing and started bouncing on her toes.



"Babe..." Carrie beamed, reaching out for her. "Come here."



Kelly allowed the country singer to pull her down on her lap so that she was straddling her.



"You nervous?" Carrie asked.



Kelly shook her head, her lips buzzing as she hummed through her scales.



"You're about to have your first concert with your hero," Carrie reminded, looking at her watch. "In like minutes...and you're not nervous?"



Kelly shook her head again, enjoying getting to be face to face to her at this close of a proximity, giving the opportunity for her to stare at her all she wanted. She took Carrie's hand in her own and brought it up to her chest.



"Your heart is racing," Carrie smiled.



Kelly took a deep breath, "I'm so glad you're here for this."



"How glad is so glad?" Carrie teased.



"Well.." Kelly grinned, placing her hands on either side of Carrie on the back of the sofa, supporting herself as she leaned down, pressing their lips together.



Kelly giggled as they pulled apart several minutes later, "I think I found a new pre-concert ritual."



"I think I like this ritual," Carrie smirked.



"You know, I'm really not supposed to be talking before a show."



"Really?"



"Yea, I'm supposed to be saving my voice so I won't overwork it."



"And we surely can't have that happening."



"No, we can't," Kelly shook her head.



"So, come here," Carrie said, pulling her back to her, kissing her once more. She felt Kelly's hands cradling her face as her own slid down the Texan's back before wrapping around her.



There was a knock on the door, and the two broke apart.



"Time to go," Ashley said, poking her head in, taking in the sight of their swollen lips with a knowing smirk. "Having fun?"



"Jealous?" Kelly teased.



"Totally," Ashley rolled her eyes. "Now get your big booty up before you squash the girl, and let's go."



"Hey!" Kelly called out indignantly as Ashley closed the door.



Carrie laughed as Kelly turned back to her, "Don't worry. I happen to be kinda fond of that big booty."



"Shut up," Kelly laughed, kissing her once more before standing.



"You ready?"



Kelly took a calming breath, "Yea."



++++++++++



Carrie bent down slightly, her huge smile matching the Texan's as she ran off stage and into her arms. Carrie held her close, spinning her around.



"That was so cool!" Carrie exclaimed, putting her back down.



"I know!" Kelly beamed, kissing her happily.



Carrie laughed, cradling her face as they pulled apart, "You were so good."



"Please, I looked like a complete dork up there next to Reba."



"Yea, but what else is new?"



Kelly laughed, hugging her once more.



"You ready to call it a night?"



Kelly nodded, "I so need a shower."



"I know...I didn't want to say anything but you're smelling a little rough," Carrie teased.



"Oh, whatever," Kelly pushed her playfully.



++++++++++



"So, you had time to let it settle in yet?" Carrie asked as she stretched out on the small couch on the bus, Kelly curled up against her side.



"I just did a show with Reba McEntire," Kelly replied, holding up a hand for Carrie to see. "I'm shaking."



Carrie smiled, taking it into her own.



"I seriously felt like I was twelve again, standing in the mirror, singing Reba songs."



"Twelve?" Carrie questioned. "I caught you doing that last week."



Kelly laughed, wrapping her arms around her.



"You know, we'd be more comfortable on the bed."



"Probably, but that would require having to get up, and I'm completely spent right now," Kelly replied, lifting her head at the sound of someone entering the bus.



"Hey," the famous red head smiled.



"Hey," Kelly smiled back guiltily as she and Carrie quickly sat up.



"Just wanted to check and see that y'all were all settled in before we left," Reba explained, sitting at the small booth that served as the table, across from the pair of them.



"Tonight was so freaking amazing," Kelly replied. "Thank you so much for letting me do this with you."



Reba shook her head, laughing as she turned to Carrie, "She doesn't get it."



"She never does," Carrie replied.



"I'm not letting you do anything," Reba informed the short Texan. "You've earned it."



"Whatever," Kelly rolled her eyes. "It's just so cool."



Carrie laughed, catching Reba's eye once more. She nodded, touching Kelly's arm to get her attention, "I think I'm gonna head to bed ok?"



"You sure? It's not that late."



"Yea," Carrie smiled. "I think I was more nervous about the show than you were, and it's kinda catching up with me."



"You want me to come with you?"



"Na, y'all stay and talk."



"Ok, love you," Kelly smiled as Carrie leaned across to kiss her.



The country singer froze, turning to find Reba acting as if something very interesting were going on out the window behind her, but Carrie still settled for kissing Kelly's forehead anyway, "Love you too."



Reba watched as Kelly's eyes followed Carrie adoringly, even after the door to the back room had closed. Kelly turned back to her with a soft smile.



"Things seem to be going well with the two of you," Reba commented.



"Perfect," Kelly nodded, watching as a look that had become so familiar over the past few weeks crossed her mentor's eyes. "What do you want to know?"



"I'm not even sure the right question to ask," she admitted with a laugh.



"You were shocked?"



"Honestly, I think I was more shocked about the fact that I really wasn't all that shocked."



"You know, a lot of people have been saying that. Apparently there's something about me that screams 'not straight'," Kelly laughed softly.



"And I have to say," Reba added. "I was also a little surprised that it's with her."



"Carrie?"



"Yea," she nodded.



"Why?"



Reba shrugged, "I don't know. I'm usually pretty good at reading people, and I have to say, she didn't exactly leave the best of impressions the first few times we met."



But Kelly shook her head, "She's just really shy at first."



"Which makes it all the more strange. You're not exactly quiet."



"You just have to get her to relax," Kelly explained. "Once she does...Seriously Reba, she's the most amazing person I know. I mean, she is so incredibly sweet, it's ridiculous. She's one of those few people that you can say would actually do anything for anyone. And God, she's so beautiful when she smiles...and when she cries...and like right when she wakes up. I don't even know how to begin to describe the way she makes me feel. It's like, happy, and giddy, and excited, and safe, and loved, and...proud," she nodded firmly. "Every time I look at her, every time I watch her accomplish another one of her goals, I am so freaking proud of her, it's ridiculous."



Reba smiled.



"But mostly, she has the patience of a saint," Kelly continued, shaking her head as she looked down at her hands clasped in her lap. "I mean, I know I'm not the easiest person to handle. I'm up one minute, down the next. So to actually date me has to be like the hardest thing ever...but she never lets it bother her. She's always there, and she always knows exactly what I need. I have no idea how she does it, I know I never could. At times, I swear she's an angel sent to balance me out and keep me sane."



Reba raised an eyebrow, catching her eye.



Kelly blushed, "That sounds so corny, right?"



"It's sweet," she assured her.



"Man Reba," Kelly shook her head. "I honestly don't understand what she sees in me because truthfully she deserves so much better...I...I just want to love her with all that I have for as long as she'll let me."



"That's a big step for you," Reba commented.



"It hasn't been easy. I'm not there yet," she admitted. "I know that. She knows it. But I am trying...so hard."



"Has it been worth it?"



"Absolutely."



Reba nodded, smiling once more as she stood, "Well, I'm gonna let you get some sleep. We'll talk more later, ok?"



"Yea," Kelly replied, standing as well, accepting a hug. She watched as Reba exited the bus before walking to the dark back room, slipping in quietly and closing the door behind her. She took off her shirt, tossing it to the side. She had finally become unself-conscious enough to be able to sleep how she wanted next to the country girl. Plus the fact that nothing made her feel safer than the feeling of Carrie's arms around her skin. She always slept with her pants on, though. Not a matter of being self-concious, but a matter of them still unable to control their hormones around each other.



Kelly slid into the bed, right next to Carrie. The other blonde reached out, wrapping her arms around her, pulling her close. Kelly sighed in content.



"So..." Carrie smiled, loving the soft noises that were escaping from Kelly's lips as she grazed her nails over her bare back. "I thought you said you couldn't give these big speeches, declaring your love for me."



"I can't, remember? I tried...failed miserably."



Carrie laughed softly, "Really? Cause that sounded like a damn good speech out there."



"Ok," Kelly rolled her eyes.



Carrie scooted down, "Hey."



"Hey," Kelly smiled, their noses brushing together.



"I'm gonna 'let' you love me as long as you want," Carrie smiled back.



Kelly laughed softly, blushing.



Carrie tightened the embrace, pulling their two bodies together, their foreheads touching.



"Thanks for always waiting for me," Kelly whispered.



Carrie chuckled, "Waiting? It takes all I have to keep up with you."



But Kelly shook her head, "You waited for me to trust you enough to be with you. You waited for me to open up to you. You waited for me to love you. You waited for me to sleep with you..."



"And I'd wait all over again, because all of it was so worth it."



Kelly tilted her head slightly, touching their lips together. She felt Carrie smile into the kiss, making her heart melt.



"You should get some sleep," Carrie said softly as she pulled away. "You have another show tomorrow."



"With Reba," Kelly grinned.



"With Reba," Carrie nodded, laughing. She kissed her before turning onto her back, allowing the Texan to snuggle into her side.



++++++++++++++



Kelly giggled as Carrie nibbled her ear playfully while she straddled the shorter singer. It was the third night of the tour, and they had completely settled into their new pre-show ritual.



"Care..." Kelly breathed at the feeling of her hands slipping under her shirt.



"Aren't you supposed to be saving your voice?" Carrie teased, pulling back to look at her.



"And who's fault is that?"



"I can't help it if I like a little encouragement," Carrie smiled.



"Alright, and when Reba asks why I sound raspier than normal, I'm totally blaming you," Kelly smiled back, her own hands, under the back of Carrie's shirt, moving across her back comfortingly.



"Now, we can't have that," Carrie shook her head. "I don't know about you, but the thought of that red head pissed, scares the crap out of me."



Kelly laughed, "So how are you gonna fix it?"



"Well," Carrie grinned, running a hand over the smoothness of the Texan's stomach. God, she loved the way the shorter girl felt beneath her fingers. She brought her other hand up, cradling Kelly's neck. "We're just gonna have to make it feel better," she explained, looking Kelly dead in the eye, seeing the level of want in them increase dramatically. Carrie tilted Kelly's head back, exposing all of her glorious neck to her.



She smiled as she leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss at the hollow of her neck. She placed another one there, warmer than the first, hearing a sigh escape her girlfriend's lips. She felt the moan rising in Kelly's throat as she languidly left a trail of open-mouthed kisses up her neck, her hand rejoining the other under the Texan's shirt.



"Care..." Kelly mumbled once again, her nails grazing across the country singer's back.



"Shh," Carrie whispered against her skin as she kissed her way back down to the base of her neck to the soft spot where her collar bones met. She sucked gently, causing Kelly's body to push up into her own. "God, I love you," Carrie muttered, kissing the side of her throat, feeling the vein pulsing quickly against her lips.



Kelly whimpered at the feeling of Carrie's tongue against her skin. She couldn't help it. She swore, every time they were together, only made her want her even more. It was as if it was a thirst she couldn't quench.



Carrie's hands slipped under the under wire of her bra as she kissed just below her ear, and it was at that moment that Kelly's brain stopped functioning. She sat there on the sofa, her head leaning against the back of the sofa, her mouth opened as she breathed heavily, not giving a damn about anything else that was going on in the world at that moment. Mistake number two.



"Baby," she heard Carrie whisper lowly in her ear.



The only response she could give was another whimper.



"I want you," Carrie admitted, the tone in her voice giving way to how truthful that statement was.



Kelly somehow managed to nod, a form of relief setting in at the feeling of one of Carrie's hands slipping away from her chest, down the her jeans as she unbuttoned them. She felt Carrie's lips on her neck once more, and her nails ran down her back in an attempt to find something to support herself against as Carrie's hand slid her zipper down.



"Five minutes Kelly," came the voice of her mentor as she walked into the dressing room. Mistake number one had been forgetting to lock the door.



"Um...I..." they heard Reba stammer.



Kelly closed her eyes tightly, retracting her arms from around Carrie.



"I'm gonna go," Reba said quickly, hurrying out of the room, closing the door behind her.



"Ugh," Kelly groaned, her head falling forward onto Carrie's shoulder as the country singer redid her jeans for her.



"Sorry," Carrie mumbled in her ear, wrapping her arms around her, embracing her in a much different way than moments before as she felt her pulse slowly returning to normal.



"Just give me a second," Kelly replied, her voice barely there as her head continued to rest on Carrie's shoulder, willing the dizziness to stop and for her blood to return to the upper half of her body.



Carrie giggled softly, rubbing her back soothingly.



"One day...I don't know when...but one day, we'll learn to lock the damn door."



"You should probably go talk to her," Carrie replied.



"Yea, that's a conversation that I'm looking forward to," Kelly sighed. "Hey Reba, hope we have a great show. By the way, sorry that you walked in on my girlfriend and I have sex."



"Well, we weren't exactly there yet," Carrie recapped.



"Trust me, you don't have to remind me," Kelly sighed, her body making that point very clear to her as she breathed in the gentle flowery scent that was so much Carrie, it made her ache for the girl on top of her.



"Sorry," Carrie laughed softly, turning and kissing her temple.



"I should go," Kelly nodded, pulling back to look at her. She couldn't help but smile. She was beautiful. "I'd kiss you, but I really don't think I could control myself right now," she admitted, bringing a hand up to cradle the Oklahoma native's face.



Carrie smiled back, "That's ok." She brought a hand up, pressing to fingers to her own lips before touching them to Kelly's.



Kelly couldn't help the goofy grin the crossed her features.



"You so love me, don't you?" Carrie nodded, surely.



"Head over heels," she replied.



"Good, now go have a kick ass show," Carrie said, standing up, and offering her a hand.