"Go sit down, smart ass, I'm taking us home.
************************************************************************
Epilogue
Almost a year later, Emily's apartment had been furnished and kept for the occasions they were in the city, but the pilot had chosen to move and live with Parker in Florida. Living with the tennis player was the easiest decision she had ever made, never looking back at the life she was leaving in New York. Virgin had made the transition easy by allowing her to change her departure hub to Miami.
Parker liked to cook, read and take walks on the beach with her. If she were any more perfect, Emily would swear Parker was like a living personal ad. She watched from the kitchen window as Gary and Natasha put her lover through her workout in preparation for Wimbledon.
Emily turned the oven off and took out the roast she'd been basting before heading out the door. "If you go back in there and go anywhere near that pan, I'll drive you to the pound myself, mister, and come back with a cat," she threatened Abby.
The dog put his paw over his eyes and whined giving her his best innocent routine. "Don't give me that 'who me' act, Abby King. You're just like your mom in that respect so I'm not buying it."
He followed Emily out to the court; tail wagging at the prospect of chasing tennis balls. Parker shot one over the fence in their direction sending Abby into doggie heaven.
"Go home, people, the boss has arrived for a tennis lesson," said Parker to Gary and Natasha.
"Can we tell her good bye first?" asked Gary.
"Make it quick. She's cuter than you and I missed her being out here all day with the two of you."
Emily laughed and waved to their two departing friends. Knowing they would be there to take care of Parker until she could get to England was a comfort. The discomfort was thinking about the nights she would have to sleep alone when Parker left.
"You aren't' too tired?"
"Nah, I'm never too tired for you, Em. How about an incentive game as our lesson for today?"
"An incentive game of tennis?"
"Yeah, you lose a piece of clothing for every point you lose." Parker wiggled her eyebrows along with her suggestion.
"You want me to play strip tennis with the number one player in the world?"
"Um, yeah. Come on it'll be fun and I'll give you first serve."
"Oh, I'm sure that'll do it for me." Emily took the racket Parker was holding out and walked to the baseline. When Parker was ready Emily tried to remember everything she'd learned about serving. Abby barked from behind Emily making the ball fly off at an odd angle when she did try to hit it. "Enough from the peanut gallery. It's not like I'm holding any cards here."
Emily tried again and Parker, true to her word, slowed her game down a lot. Even with that Parker won the first point. With exaggerated slowness Emily stripped her shirt off and threw it behind her. It barely had hit the ground when Abby took off with it. The pilot bounced the next ball longer than normal when Parker's eyes stayed glued to the dark green silk bra she was wearing.
On the next shot Parker forgot herself and hit the ball back so hard Emily didn't even try to hit it and just took off her shorts. "Could you come over here please?" asked Parker standing at the net. The matching panties had proved to be too much for her to even think about concentrating on the game.
"Do you give up?"
"I surrender, baby." Parker lifted Emily over the net and kissed her. Emily wrapped her legs around the slim waist as Parker walked them off he court and to the water's edge. She put Emily down long enough to get all their clothes off before heading out into the surf. The water was still on the cold side but being pressed together made Emily feel just fine.
"I love you," said Emily. The words were so easy to say to Parker.
"I love you too. You like it here?"
"I love it here. I get to be with you, and I get my clothes buried on a regular basis by our dog. What's not to love?"
"He buries your stuff to keep it safe, it means he likes you," said Parker before kissing Emily's neck.
"How about you, do you like me?"
"I more than like you, baby. How about I take you inside and show you just how much?"
Emily's feet never touched the sand as Parker walked to the backdoor. Parker had checked the closest house to make sure it was still tenant free that morning not wanting Emily upset by peeping neighbors.
The house décor had changed a little over the months Emily spent making it a home for both of them. Mixed in with the tournament pictures were shots of Emily's family her mother had given them on one of her numerous visits. Lucia Parish and Parker shared a great relationship much to Emily's relief. Her mom had confessed the night she met Parker, she'd never cared for the way Emily and Gail had acted around each other. With Parker, the world could see how she felt about Emily.
It was the look Emily was getting now as she was set on the bed by the gentle soul that had carried her inside. Parker touched her with such want that Emily never felt it was done out of obligation, only love, and the more Parker touched the more she wanted.
"You're so beautiful," said Parker. She lay next to Emily and ran her hand from Emily's hip to cup a breast. The nipple instantly puckered under her palm and Parker loved the moan that accompanied the motion. Parker replaced her hand with her lips and sucked on the light pink bud.
"I love when you do that." Emily's hands kept Parker's head in place in case she didn't know what she was talking about. The suction increased as Parker's hands went back down her body. "Let me feel you, baby," requested Emily.
Parker moved so she was covering Emily holding most of her weight up by leaning on her elbows. She loved this position since it allowed every inch of skin to touch. Emily just lay still for a moment and enjoyed the same thing before moving her hands to Parker's hair to drag her down for a kiss.
"Make love to me," said Emily as she moved her legs further apart to mold the larger body more closely to her. Parker could feel Emily's hands along her back as her own hand made its way to Emily's center. She had to lift her hips up a little to reach the spot Emily wanted her, and by doing so, opened enough space for Emily to touch her in return.
Both centers were wet and both women were ready so it didn't take much. Emily felt the crescendo coming fueled by the grunting Parker was doing in her ear. It never failed to amaze Emily that with Parker, making love was as exciting for her as the first time. Even on days like this when the end snuck up on them sooner than they'd like, Emily felt cherished as Parker went rigid over her before turning into a giant marshmallow.
"If this is how you learned to play tennis, don't tell me ok?"
"You don't care for my teaching techniques?"
"I didn't say that, honey, I just don't want to know where you learned your technique, Romeo. Especially from whom you learned them, got me?"