Game, Set and Match





Parker King is riding high after winning the prestigious Wimbledon Tournament only to be shot down by a feisty airline pilot named Emily Parish. King Kong as she's known on the courts falls hard, but will it be because of the person who wants to kill her or for love?


Chapter 1

Whack. The ball flew over the net at one hundred and thirty miles an hour hitting right inside the line flying off in a wicked slice that proved to be untouchable by the player on the other side. Even the ball boy had a hard time trying to chase it down as it went in a direction he wasn't expecting. The server waited for the boy to get out of the way and for her opponent to get set before she let another one fly.



"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the type of tennis that has been missing from Wimbledon since the time of Martina. This is just an awesome display of straight forward power tennis." The commentator spoke softly into the microphone from the booth to tennis fans watching the match from home. From center court the crowd cheered when the clipped English accent said, "Forty love."



"Yes, Joe, it seems that Parker used her time in England after the French to work on that first service, and isn't Jill sorry about that. It was the one thing that was missing from Parker's arsenical of weapons and now her war chest seems complete. Parker has matured into an outstanding player," continued the female commentator. For a brief moment the woman behind the microphone relived what it was like to be so close to the coveted title Parker King was sure to win by mornings end. The crowd was on their feet again as 'Kong' served up another ace to win the third consecutive game of the first set.



Parker King was the new darling of the tennis world, loved by the crowds that flocked to see her play as well as the companies that lined up to sign her to wear their logos. At a little over six one, shoulder length dark brown hair slightly streaked, skin that was touched by the hours she spent in the sun and eyes the color of blue ice, she was a natural favorite.



Anyone that saw her on a court would have to be blind not to see the fire that burned within her to win. Opponents, no matter what their ranking, cringed when they saw her name on the board as their next game. The power she displayed on the court had earned her the nickname Kong from the fans, and Parker was never one to disappoint getting to the final without dropping a set and losing only eight games in her time in England.



"Jill has got to be more aggressive at the net if she wants to get back into this match," Joe Welch, former male champion said to his two other partners in the booth. The crowd drowned the rest of what he was saying out as Parker returned a lob so hard that the ball bounced into the stands behind her opponent Jill Seabrook after it had bounced just inside the line.



"Love forty," the judge said into the microphone pointing to the King side of the net, followed momentarily by, "Game Miss King." Jill went into her return stance looking defeated already as Parker flashed her coach in the stands a winning smile. Sitting next to him was Parker's guest for the match displaying her own smile down to the number one player in the world. After they collected the title, it was back to the US for the rest of the summer to prepare for the Open, and after a grueling schedule Parker was more than ready for that.



Whack. The little yellow ball flew millimeters over the net landing just inside the line. Parker pumped her arm once pleased with the shot sending the crowd to their feet.



"What a rifle shot, Gene!" exclaimed the third commentator as Jill scrambled after the serve.



"Quiet please," said the judge as the crowd was on their feet again chanting "Kong." Less than forty minutes later Parker was doing her curtsey and holding up the women's singles trophy over her head. She walked the complete court so that everyone present could see the large silver plate in her hand. In an interview she had once said that the victories were as much the fans as they were hers, and Parker liked to share the moment with those that paid the price to come and see her. Her last stop was in front of Gary Bertrand her coach.



Gary had been at one time, a rising star in the tennis world until the day he collapsed on center court at the US Open with a blown knee. Instead of accepting defeat, he had turned to coaching finding a tall gangly kid that over the years he molded into a champion. The coach smiled like a proud father now as he watched the woman that she had turned into walk the circuit of the court showing off the spoils of her victory.



"Come on, Alicia, let's go congratulate the new champion down in the locker room," said Gary to the young woman next to him. The shapely redhead was an up and comer herself in music industry and was wild about Parker. She had been able to attend the prestigious tournament because her band's tour schedule put them in the area during the finals. It had been complete pandemonium a couple of nights before when the three of them had gone out to dinner and the two young women had been recognized. In a country that thrived on tabloid sensational stories it had been like a gift from the heavens.



"Excuse me, Mr. Bertrand, I have a message for you." The young man with the traditional Wimbledon colors on handed Gary a note, which made him frown the moment he started reading. He absolutely hated when Parker used him to blow off her date.



"Alicia, honey, why don't you head on back to the city and wait for Parker to call you. Something must have happened on one of those last serves and she is in with one of the trainers now." The look of concern on the pretty face made him feel like an ass, but there would be a heavy price to pay if he showed up with her in tow in the locker room.



"Is she going to be ok?" It had been Alicia's plan to walk out of the grounds on Parker's arm and hope there would be more photographers around. The publicity she and the band had racked up in their time in England had been priceless. The young singer had no regrets being seen on the arm of the tennis world's bad girl. Nor did she regret the stories that placed her in Parker's bed.



"She's going to be fine. This is just typical Parker believe me." If you only knew, honey, thought the coach as he looked at the young woman before him. If Parker was true to form it would be the last time he would see her unless it was by chance. Like in a restaurant where the typical scenario ended with Parker wearing a drink before the dessert cart came out. It still amazed him sometimes that women wanted to go out with the good-looking tennis star considering her track record, but they were all convinced that they were the one that was going to tame the bad ass Kong. Scratch another one off that list.



Gary entered the green room singing the line 'just another notch in my lipstick case' softly as Parker was finishing up her post game interviews. He shook his head in her direction making her laugh at his reaction to the favor she had asked of him in the note. She was going home and didn't want the complications that the increasingly demanding Alicia would pose. Gary congratulated her with a scowl on his face for using him as the heavy before cuffing her on the back of the head and sending her into the locker room to change.



He would cut her some slack like he always did considering there was no time to just kick back and not worry about the next tournament. It was the U.S. Open, and the only one that continued to elude the American player with more trophies than women she had slept with. Gary knew it wouldn't take much prodding on his part to get Parker to work hard for the title that would make her a true champion. The French, Australian and now the Wimbledon trophy were going home with them and he could almost taste the slam.



************************************************************************



The men's final was still going on by the time they arrived at the airport. Parker was anxious to get home after being out of the country for over three months. The two police officers that had been assigned to them kept the crowds at bay as Gary and Parker sat waiting for their flight. The Bobbies stood far away enough to give the couple some privacy, but close enough to send a message to any overzealous fans. They would let in a few autograph seekers in at a time, most of them young teen girls thrilled to sit this close to their idol, before putting their arms out and closing ranks.



Parker took the time to ask them about their own tennis game and gave pointers to those that seemed serious about the sport. The tennis gear had been replaced by a lightweight linen suit over a tight white t-shirt. Without the jacket on, everyone close enough could see the muscle rippling through Parker's arms as she autographed everything from tennis balls to tournament programs. A groan went up through the crowd as boarding for the flight began and the player and coach picked up their stuff to leave.



As on most flights, the crew of Virgin flight 756 was waiting at the door to greet their passengers. The small blonde standing toward the front would have recognized their famous passenger the minute she turned the corner of the jet way even if she hadn't been carrying a large bag full of rackets. She had spent the morning watching the talented Parker King completely obliterate her opponent. Seeing her in person, everyone standing at the door agreed the player was even better looking in person.



"Welcome aboard, Ms. King, I hope you enjoy your flight, and congratulations on your win" said Captain Emily Parish. She had stepped out of the cockpit, as was her habit before every flight to join the crew in greeting passengers at the door leaving the coat with her ranking draped over her seat.



"Thank you, ma'am. But if you really love me, could you fetch a cup of hot chocolate and a sandwich if you have it? Thanks, sweetheart," said Parker. The attendants around Emily put their hands to their mouths to hide the smiles and laughs that were about to come out at the young woman's assumptions. Emily was a great pilot but a perfectionist that made her a little hard to work for, so having someone bring her down a peg was amusing and more than a little entertaining.



"I'll see what I can do in between flying the plane and all," said Emily trying to control her temper. Her crew looked straight up and kept quite knowing what kind of effort it took on the small pilot's part not to tack on butthead to the end of her statement. Parker did have the decency to look apologetic at her mistake, but didn't offer a verbal one as she shrugged her shoulders and moved past the group to her seat.



"Way to go, champ, she'll probably send us back to coach just to prove a point. Now that we're alone, want to tell me what's up with Alicia?" Gary put his bag in the overhead compartment before moving into the window seat giving Parker the isle.



Both their smiles were in place as the other passengers started streaming in offering congratulations as they past like they were old friends. Parker nodded her head at each well-wisher ignoring her coach for the moment. "Come on, Parker, sitting next to me at one of these tournaments seems to be the kiss of death for any relationship you seem to be in. I want you to have a life outside of tennis and be happy, kid. Believe me it will instill the desire to win in you more than this bullshit you've been doing with these girls."



"I have the desire to win, Gary, so give it a rest. You aren't my mother. I just want to go home and take it easy for a while with no complications. Is that a crime? Alicia was fun but she's got her own gig to worry about without me screwing it up for her. Trust me, buddy, when I meet the one all the fairytales talk about you'll be the preverbal first to know." When the first edition copy of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' came out of her carryon, Gary knew the conversation was over for now. The shoulder length hair formed a curtain around her face from the outside world, as Parker got lost in another classic story. This is the Kong no one writes about, thought Gary. Parker was so much more than just tennis, but those other parts she kept hidden.



The bad girl of tennis was in reality a very private intelligent person that loved to read as many books as her schedule allowed for. But Gary knew that didn't make as interesting headline news as the crying Alicia would the minute she figured out she had been dumped. The frown of that thought changed quickly as he saw the captain walking down the short aisle of first class with a tray in her hand. Maybe the woman did have a sense of humor after all.



"Sorry it took so long, but we had to send out for the marshmallows. We wouldn't want it said that Virgin didn't go the extra mile to make our passengers happy," Emily said sarcastically as she put the tray down for Parker. The tirade stopped momentarily when the book in the woman's hands snapped quietly closed and the pilot was pinned by almost white colorless eyes. It was as if Parker's eyes were chameleons that had taken on the color of her shirt. "I hope Godiva is good enough?" Emily asked not straightening up back into the isle. The phrase 'the eyes are the windows to the soul' popped into her head as she was drawn into Parker's personal space. It was as if Emily could feel the power sitting so close to her as Parker exhaled and put her head down and looked at the offering the captain had brought.



"Actually, I'm more of a Hershey girl myself, Captain," said Parker without looking up again. Having been on the receiving end of scorned women before, the tennis player decided an apology was in order before this turned into the flight from hell. "Would it help if I apologized, Captain? I didn't mean to insult you in anyway. The fact that you are the captain of this aircraft never entered my head when I stepped on board, which I imagine makes me a chauvinist pig of the female variety. So I'm sorry and go forward with the knowledge from this day on that I learned a valuable lesson in not making unfounded assumptions. Thank you for the hot chocolate and the sandwich, chicken salad I see, and for helping me choose the book I'm going to read on the way home." Parker's own little sarcastic speech made Emily look down to Parker's lap wiping out her own assumptions of dumb jock.



Looking into those seemingly colorless eyes when they suddenly appeared again made Emily suddenly think her lover back home in New York. The color of Gail's eyes were on the opposite end of the spectrum from Parker's, and Emily couldn't help but compare. This would be her last transatlantic flight for a while and she would be back to a more normal schedule that would allow her to be home more. Gail was waiting in Tampa for her for a little vacation before they both headed back to the city. Hopefully the time alone would put the fire back into the relationship that seemed to be fizzling out with Emily's constant absence and Gail's constant complaints and possessiveness.



"It's all right, Miss King. You join a long list of others who've made the same assumption. I apologize for taking them all out on you." Emily walked back to the cockpit without another word leaving Parker leaning into the aisle watching the sway of her hips as she departed. The way the skirt fit told Parker that the Captain did more than just sit in the cockpit flying planes. She was a beauty in motion.



"Forget it, tennis pro," said one of the male attendants who had had the tray snatched out of his hands by the captain. "The ice queen is very much involved with a trader in the big apple so you got no chance there, big guy."



Looking at his nametag Parker smiled before answering the obviously gay man. "No worries, Willy, cold fish are not my type, or don't you read the rags?" Willy laughed along with her as Parker dropped her gaze and went back to her book. She dropped in a handful of marshmallows into the cup Emily had delivered before taking a sip.



Ten hours later Emily's voice came lilting out of the speakers informing everyone of their impending arrival into the Miami airport. She went down the list of connections so those continuing on would know what gate to head for once they deplaned. "So ladies and gentlemen, if you would bring your seats to their full upright position we should have you on the ground in about ten minutes. Again thank you for choosing Virgin for your flying needs and we hope to see you on board in the future."



"The Nike shoot is scheduled in three days so you are going to have to hit the gym starting today. If your naked ass is going up in Time Square we want it to look pumped up," said Gary. The schedule book had come out of his bag twenty minutes ago so that they could review upcoming events. Having Parker trapped in a plane helped him make it through the end of the month.



"Whose idea was this again?" The sponsor had approached her with the idea before Wimbledon to add her to the list of athletes that had appeared in the ads clad just in their shoes illustrating that the footwear and the body were all that were necessary to succeed in sports.



"It was Nick's idea, and I forbid you to give him a hard time about it. You know how sensitive he is and I'm the one that has to live with him. All the shots will be from the back and he got Annie and her all girl crew to do it, so quit complaining." Gary pointed his finger at her to make his point. The last thing he wanted was both of the people he cared most about giving him a hard time for weeks to come.



"I just asked a question, Gary, I hardly see how that could be construed as complaining. Are they coming to the house or will it be done in a studio?" She put away her book and stood to pull her jacket back on. The crew had been surprised that besides her initial hot chocolate and sandwich, Parker had stuck to bottled water. The fourteen she had consumed kept her hydrated and active with constant trips to the bathroom. No amount of free alcohol was worth jet lag in her opinion, so while most of the other passengers fought fatigue, Parker would be lifting weights for the rest of the afternoon.



"You get to stay home, kid. Annie thought the court at home that overlooks the gulf would make for good shots. Now let's hope we didn't miss our connection. You know how Nick hates waiting around in airports."



"Now who's complaining?" asked Parker. She was pulling her hair into a ponytail when they both felt the wheels of the plane hit the tarmac once followed by three hard bumps before the engines were thrust into reverse to kill their speed. Not expecting it, Parker came close to smashing her head into the seat in front of them despite having her seatbelt on the jolt of the landing was so rough. Aside from the earlier announcement it was the first time the blonde captain crossed Parker's mind.



Parker and Gary waited as everyone got off before standing up from their seats. Their patience was usually rewarded by an empty waiting area as passengers where claimed by family and friends or were running toward baggage claim.



Parker finally looked up from her book to find an empty plane and Willy waiting at the door with her large bag of rackets and a pen. Alicia and Gary hadn't been the only avid fans in the stands, and the attendant saw this as his opportunity to get his program signed. When she got up he handed the bag over and held the booklet up with a pleading look.



"Willy, my man, I didn't know you were interested in tennis." She accepted his pen and sat down in the first set of first class seats waiting to hear his answer before writing something in the glossy book in her hand.



"I had to trade some really bum flights to be able to go and watch you play. The final match was awesome, though I wish it had lasted longer. Had that first ace you rocketed over the net hit Jill, I think the match would have been over because of a chipped bone. Having you on our flight home was just an extra added bonus." He stopped his babble of hero worship when Parker started writing. She handed his program back with a thank you note for his hospitality then took the time to sign some of the other souvenirs the rest of the crew had produced.



Emily watched from the door of the cockpit as Parker entertained her crew acting very unlike the person most of the press had written about. The tennis player never looked impatient as another item was pressed into her hand for signing and finished by unzipping the large black bag sitting at her feet and sliding out one of the rackets. With Willy's pen she signed Parker 'Kong' King and the date along the grip.



"Sorry you didn't get to see more play, Willy, but I was anxious to catch my flight. You might get your wish at the Open since it seems to be my Achille's heel." On the other side of her name Parker wrote 'first ace racket Wimbledon.' "I hope this makes up for your shitty schedule. That means a lot to me when people go so out of the way to come see me hit some balls." The rackets were custom made for her by the sponsor and were a valuable collector's item for the few fans that had gotten one as a gift. The one she had used for the majority of the match would rest along side the trophy at home. Both she and Gary laughed at the squeal Willy let out at her gift. Parker could only imagine the hardships the man had endured in his lifetime because of his obvious sexuality preference. She respected people like Willy who had a real survivor's spirit and let it shine through.



"Oh my god, thank you. This is the best gift I've ever gotten, Parker, thank you." Willy hugged her as she stood up and almost fainted as Parker hugged him back. "I know all those tabloids were full of shit," said Willy.



"Thank you, Willy, that means a lot." Parker squeezed him one more time and smiled at the sentiment. "Don't play with that one. Save it for your next vacation, at auction it should get you to Hawaii if you hit it on the right day."



"No way, this one's a keeper," said Willy. The crew bid them safe travels as Parker shouldered her bags and stepped off the plane noticing the cockpit door was closed as she stepped out. The impromptu autograph session had let her escape without having to confront Emily again.



"Is Nick going to pick us up?" asked Parker. The next leg of their trip to Tampa was less crowded and they finished their calendar review without interruption.



"Yep he is. Some of your contracts were coming up so hopefully he's resigned everyone and is over having to miss this trip." Gary sighed; Nick Spoli was a sweet man but could whine for days given a reason to. He and Gary lived together as well was worked together at keeping Parker both happy and ranked.



"Like you said, you're the one that has to live with him, buddy, not me. Just remind him of his commission if it gets out of hand. The smallest one alone should get him that new sports car he wants along with a new wardrobe to go with it." Parker wiggled her eyebrows at him and laughed when Gary scowled at her. Nick and the flight attendant they had just met, Willy, could compete on the flamboyancy scale in Parker's opinion.



The two men were Parker's role models when it came to a loving relationship having been together for fifteen years. They had built their home close to her on Press Cove, a mostly deserted stretch of beach near Clearwater Florida. Her house had everything she needed to train for upcoming tournaments while giving her the solitude she needed to prepare for the weeks on the road. Gary looked forward to these trips home as much as Parker did in that it gave he and Nick the time they needed to strengthen Parker's mental state as well as her body. Having every vice imaginable at your fingertips would have ruined her career had it not been for their influence along with that of Parker's two sisters.



Parker seldom complained about the schedules, knowing her career wouldn't last forever. There was a small window of opportunity to get all her goals accomplished before she either retired to her house, or to the commentator's chair. At twenty-two she had plenty of time to contemplate her future barring any injury. What happened to her coach was always with her, driving her to train harder in case her time on center court was fleeting.



"You know how much he loves to watch you play, so cut my boy some slack," said Gary. They moved onto the gate where their connection was boarding both anxious to get home. The woman that followed them on board couldn't believe her luck when she saw the two tall athletes go on ahead of her.



Don't tennis superstars live in New York or something? Emily asked herself as she slowed her pace not wanting to be noticed. The pilot had been looking forward to her own first class leather seat for a quick nap before meeting Gail. The thought of having to share the space with Parker King made her veer into the cockpit in search of an empty seat. Emily would settle for some mindless conversation with the crew instead of her nap.



Parker had apologized but something about her still rubbed the pilot the wrong way. Maybe it was the way she apologized. Emily couldn't help but think that Parker was one of those people not used to being wrong in any situation, or at least admitting she was wrong.



The young woman's assumption of her position on the earlier flight had just hit a raw nerve with the pilot negating the instant attraction Emily had felt when Parker had turned the corner. Emily was used to the cracks from men, but when it came from successful women it was even worse to her. No, Parker King could keep her wise cracks and good looks to impress someone else she wasn't interested. What she needed now was some time in the sun with Gail, but with out permission, Emily's brain drifted back to the sleeping tennis player on the other side of the cockpit door.




Chapter 2




"Over here, guys," said Nick. The tall Greek stood at the gate with two dozen roses in his arms. After kissing them both hello and taking their bags, he handed a dozen to Gary and one to Parker. "Come on, I have the car parked outside and the Terminator down waiting for your bags."



"Kimmie's here?" asked Parker. She hadn't seen her sisters in six months due to conflicting schedules. While Parker dominated women's tennis, her sisters Kimmie and Gray did the same in the sand playing volleyball.



"Yeah she and Gray are here for today. They are heading out in the morning for a tournament in Palm Beach, so they're cooking you dinner and crashing in your guest rooms tonight." Nick pointed them toward the exit knowing that he and the King sisters had more than exceeded their welcome outside, then again they didn't call Gray the Viper for nothing. One look had sent the young security guard back to his booth for the hour they had been waiting.



"Remember workout first, then family reunion," said Gary knowing the reprimand was unnecessary but he said it anyway.



"Yes, master, I remember."



By the Suburban outside stood two women that looked almost exactly like the tennis pro except for the hair. Kimmie and Gray both kept theirs cut short for easier maintenance when they played, but all of them had the same powerful build. They where all two years apart with Parker being the baby of the family and Gray being the oldest. For each, sports had been an escape from overly conservative parents that wanted prim ladies and lots of grandchildren to show off. Instead they had gotten three of the most famous lesbians in sports, which had been more than enough for their parents to disown them. With Nick's careful management all three had no more money concerns, just the heartache that came from their parents' rejection.



"Is that the Wimbledon champion we see?" asked Gray as she stepped out of the driver's seat. The surprise for Parker was cutting two days off their training schedule but had been worth it to see the smile on her little sister's face. It killed the older two not to be there for any of the matches Parker had played in, but hopefully in September they would be in the stands for the entire Open.



The family caught up on the happenings in their lives since they had seen each other last, having Gary write down some dates when Parker could go and watch her sisters play. From inside the airport Emily arrived at the exit in time to see Parker get into the vehicle right before it drove away. Gail as usual was running late and Emily waited inside in the air-conditioning not wanting to brave the heat until she was wearing a bathing suit.



Emily ended up leaning against the glass wall by the entrance for forty minutes before she saw Gail get out of a rented car outside. By the way she was walking, Emily could tell where she had been since she had arrived. When the broker made it inside and bent to kiss her, the scotch on her breath only confirmed it for her. The blonde got behind the driver's side while Gail loaded her luggage and wondered if the dent in the front fender she had seen was there when Gail picked up the car. The passenger door slamming shut made Emily look at the woman she had spent three years with as she closed her eyes and fell asleep instead of talking. If it hadn't been so sad, Emily would've found it humorous that they'd been away from each other for almost a month but neither of them could find anything to talk about as Emily pointed the car in the direction of the place they had rented.



************************************************************************



The three sisters made the circuit of the workout room as the older two gave Parker a hard time about Alicia. The two tormentors had mentioned every tabloid headline before Parker changed into her running clothes and hit the beach. This stretch of paradise was what she missed most grueling tournament play kept them away for months at a time. The pristine white sand and blue green waters were like a blanket of calm in an otherwise busy life. Coming back here, Parker was convinced she could walk away from tennis and not miss the crowds or the action.



Parker's house was built on a large parcel of water front property in Press Cove. In the opposite direction from Nick and Gary's house there were only a couple of houses along the beach for miles. After that there wasn't anything really until you hit the more populated stretch that marked Clearwater. Parker didn't mind sharing the space close to her since all of her other neighbors were weekenders that mostly came in the fall to enjoy the still warm but cooler temperatures.



Leaving her sisters in the kitchen, Parker stood on the shoreline and stretched. The usual route she took brought her five miles down the beach before turning around and heading back. Her dedication to roadwork, as Gary called it, kept her legs fresh during grueling matches. The women on the other side of the net were usually cursing by the second set when Parker used the same speed to chase down balls as she did in the first game.



In the summer Parker's usual companions were the gulls flying past her and the sandpipers that ran ahead of her to escape the oncoming surf. It was one of the reasons she ran without the usual headphones most people used during their runs. The sound of the waves and her feet hitting the sand were Parker's form of meditation. The enjoyment of her surroundings and the joy of being home almost made her trip over the couple locked in a heated kiss on a red blanket laid out on the sand.



Parker could see that the bigger of the two had her hand firmly ensconced in her partner's bikini bottom and the blonde on top of her seemed to be enjoying the attention. Returning her gaze to the water, Parker ran past them without saying anything not wanting to embarrass the two lovers any more than she already had. That is if they even noticed me. She thought as her pace put her far away enough to miss the ensuing argument she had unwittingly caused.



"Goddamn it, Gail, when I tell you to stop, I would appreciate it if you did just that. I told you I heard someone coming and I was right. I don't much enjoy being a floor show for anyone," said Emily in a heated voice. She had pushed off Gail as soon as she heard the footsteps fading with the surf. Any of the good feelings of seeing Gail again after three weeks evaporated like the foam on the sand near the water.



"Funny that, Em, three years ago it wouldn't have mattered where we were or who was watching but now everything seems to be a problem. I'm sorry if I don't think a dark room with the curtains closed is the only appropriate place to show you that I love you. Jesus, I haven't seen you in almost a month and you're already pulling this shit. Enjoy the sunset, I'm going into town to get some groceries for our stay," said Gail. These little outbursts and reprimands from Emily were getting tiring, and to avoid another fight Gail got up and walked away.



"You didn't miss me enough that you could forget about stopping at the airport bar for a few before you went to get the car. I hope you got insurance because I'm doubting they gave you one with a messed up fender."



Gail stopped walking but didn't turn around. "I'm finding the bottle a more passionate and warm lover than you, Emily, and your lectures aren't going to change that opinion anytime soon. Think about that while I'm gone, before I really am gone," threatened Gail.



"You mean Sophia wasn't passionate enough for you?"



"I was an idiot to think there'd be any forgiveness in that heart of yours, Emily."



"Yeah well, you know what they say about learned behavior?"



Gail clenched her fist but still refused to turn around. It wasn't like Emily to bring up a past mistake, at least the only one Emily knew about. "What's that supposed to mean?"



"Nothing, just go."



Emily sat on the blanket with her eyes closed for over an hour before getting up and going for a swim. The pilot was tired of working only to come home to constant fighting with Gail, and the thought of doing it on her vacation made her want to pack up and ask for a new flight assignment. It was becoming apparent to Emily that she should turn her thoughts to how to end the relationship instead of spending any more time trying to fix it, but they were there so she would try again.



The lesson that she couldn't stop Gail's drinking should have been learned a long time before this, but Emily felt guilty just leaving. Gail had never been abusive, she just knew how much alcohol she could get away with and still be functional on the trading floor the next day. Emily shook her head and tried not to think about their problems. They would still be waiting for them when they got home, it was time to enjoy the house and the sun even if she had to do it alone.



Well into chapter two of her book, Emily looked up to see who the footsteps belonged to. She was sure whoever the runner was; it was the same person that had interrupted them earlier. The woman ran past her oblivious to her presence, and Emily held her breath at the sheer rotten luck she was having today.



There in all her sweaty glory was Parker King. Wearing only running shorts and a sports bra, Parker was giving Emily the opportunity to just stare without guilt or fear of being caught. Parker was like some work of art found in museums. Muscles stood out in every uncovered area from the weight lifting session and her run, and then Emily moved to Parker's face. Here in this mostly untouched area Parker seemed happy like she was free.



The young woman who had slowed to a walk past her, held no trace of the sarcastic person that had traded barb for barb with her on the flight. Emily thought maybe she had misjudged Parker after finishing chapter two of the book she had made Gail stop for before driving out of Tampa. Anyone who read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' couldn't be all bad, right?



The notion of announcing her presence died on Emily's lips when Parker stripped naked and jumped into the surf in front of the house next to the one she and Gail were staying in. Emily hadn't noticed the beach house when she and Gail had first come down. The tennis court built on plyings over the water would have given her a good clue as to who owned the house had she bothered to look.



So this is where the Romeo of the circuit lives, thought Emily. Her mental musings were instantly confirmed when two other naked women ran out of the house to join Parker in the water. Yes she's a pig with a soft spot for classical books. Emily walked back to the house carrying only her book and her bag, leaving the rest for Gail to worry about. Staying here for a week was only going to magnify how out of whack her life had become Emily had a gut feeling. What would it be like to go through life without worrying about the consequences thought Emily as she took one last look at the three women having fun in the surf?



The next morning Gail walked out to the beach with her own book as Emily headed out the front door with the car keys. When Gail had gotten back the night before, six hours after she had left, Emily had taken a shower and was already sleeping not giving them a chance to talk anymore about what was happening to them. That morning wasn't much easier when the pilot had informed Gail that she was going into town alone. Emily had been in the area once before and enjoyed walking in the small downtown area of Press Cove. With any luck she would find gifts for her mom and sister who both had birthdays coming up later in the summer.



Emily relaxed in the coffee shop before starting her shopping, trying to forget the growing awkwardness between she and Gail. She was starting to get angry at the late nights of not knowing where Gail was, but wasn't ready to take that final step. The thought of Gail cheating on her wasn't the issue, but if you found peace at the bottom of a glass, how long would that lead to the arms of someone else again? If it came to a breakup her mom would take it hard Emily figured. Her mother had always thought Gail had been a calming figure in her daughter's life, but Emily had never shared the whole truth with her family not wanting to worry them. And in reality she wanted more than what she was getting. Shouldn't there be passion, and not just for arguing? Emily sat with her eyes closed running through a litany of questions in her mind on how to fix her life when the familiar voice interrupted and put a frown on her face.



"Sorry it took so long, ma'am, but I'm still recovering from a bumpy landing in Miami yesterday." When Emily opened her eyes there was the tennis player holding a tray with the cappuccino she had ordered sitting on it. The heat in her ears was a combination of a blush and anger over Parker's statement. Bad weather and wind shears had made for a less than perfect landing and she didn't want to take anyone's shit about it. "I'm sorry, Captain, I was only kidding. You looked so lost sitting there I thought I'd cheer you up."



"Why are you harassing me on my vacation, Miss King?" asked Emily. Oh no, I will not fall for a cute smile and a cute butt. Emily, she sleeps with two women at a time, Emily had to remind herself as the dimples Parker was displaying made her want to smile in return. Emily continued the lecture in her head as a way to get her defenses up. Today they are sky blue. The other voice in her head chimed in as Parker leaned down to put the cup on the table and Emily got a good look at her eyes.



"I was on my way home from the airport, Captain, and I love the hot chocolate here. Pardon me for bothering you, it won't happen again. I hope you enjoy your stay." The smile disappeared from Parker's face as she thought, God this woman was such a bitch. Parker turned to walk back to the counter to wait for her order when she heard the more gentle tone come out of Emily.



"Do you like hanging out in airports? Or is it where you perfect your sarcastic comments for airline employees?" The question was Emily's effort, against her better judgment, to get Parker to stay after she had snapped at her.



"No, that's your job I would guess, and I'm not sarcastic. I was just dropping my sisters off for their flight this morning. They surprised me with a visit yesterday before having to fly out for their own tournament today," answered Parker. A teenager with acne walked up and handed Parker a large steaming cup before heading back behind the counter.



"There's more than one of you?" A look of disgust crossed her face as the kid came back with a large cinnamon roll for Parker to go with the hot chocolate. Jeez she eats like that and still looks like she does. Emily looked up at Parker now holding the cinnamon roll and the cup and realized the tennis player was waiting for an invitation to sit down. "I'm sorry, would you like to join me?" Emily waved to the empty chair facing her own suddenly wanting Parker's company.



"Thanks, and yes there are three of us, but Gray and Kimmie are way different from me. First off they are both taller, and they are into sand." Parker took a big bite of the gooey roll she had ordered and held it up to Emily to take a bite. The blonde head shook no knowing that she had the metabolism of a lazy slug.



"Sand?" She was regretting not taking the bite Parker had offered seeing the blue eyes roll back in an expression of how good the pastry was.



"They play volleyball, as in sand volleyball. A two man team that can make you eat the ball if you're not paying attention," explained Parker. Emily watched Parker continue to eat the roll and stop every so often to lick icing off her fingers. God that looks good. Emily's brain was having a hard time distinguishing the comment between the roll and the long fingers holding it.



"Sort of like their sister serving the ball up at over a hundred miles an hour," said Emily without thought. The minute the words had left her mouth Emily could have kicked herself. All Parker needed was encouragement from her. The smile with a slight chocolate moustache told Emily of her folly.



"Why, Captain, I didn't know you cared" Parker was teasing, and the squirming and blushing Emily was doing was making her want to laugh, but she stayed quiet.



"I watched a little of your match at the airport lounge just because there was nothing else on. Your talent on a tennis court impressed me, Ms. Parker, then I met you and you called me sweetheart and essentially asked me to make you coffee and a sandwich," said Emily. This is an equal opportunity squirming table, big guy, thought Emily as she watched Parker doing a bit of her own.



"It was hot chocolate, I don't drink coffee."



"A splitting of semantical hairs, Ms. King. I don't serve either."



"Ah, but I beg to differ. Yes you do, Captain." Emily narrowed her eyes and Parker decided it was time for a change in subject moving away from beverages before the conversation landed her at another table. "I never did ask where you are staying?"



"The Pelican Villa house." The question had been the bell that had ended the round and now they retreated to their respective corners. Yes the house right next to yours, oh naked swimmer, though now I know who the two other women were. Might I have misjudged you, Parker?



"Hey we're neighbors," said Parker sitting up and smiling. It hadn't occurred to her yet that the blonde in the bikini was Emily. "How about I take you out to dinner to make it up to you, or better yet I could cook for you?"



Ok, off beverages and onto flirting. Did she just ask me out? Jesus this girl moves so fast, I wonder if she slows down the car when she comes to pick you up. Time to slow this down a bit. "I'm here with someone, can she come?" The coffee encounter if Emily was honest with herself had slid into flirtation the minute Parker had sat down, and it was time to pull back some. Emily was here to work on her relationship with Gail, not play footsie with Parker King.



The photogenic smile across from her faltered a bit but didn't completely fade away. "Sure just come over tonight anytime after six. I have practice and workouts until around five thirty. See you then." Parker got up and left without waiting for an answer and Emily watched her get into an older model Land Cruiser and drive away.



"Well this ought to be interesting," Emily muttered softly. She popped the last bit of cinnamon roll that Parker had slid across the table to her before she left. Now Emily had two things to feel guilty about.



Shopping had lost its allure after her bizarre coffee adventure, making Emily head back to the beach house after Parker had left taking all the life out of the downtown area with her. The chilly interior of the house was devoid of sound, so Emily figured Gail was out on the beach. Looking out the back windows she could see the sun sparkling off the soft waves and the tops of the sea oats were bobbing gently with the slight breeze. Stripping as she walked through the house to the bedroom to get her bathing suit on, Emily was relieved not to have to go another round with Gail.



Emily dropped her bag on the blanket that was still in the spot it had been the day before and ran out into the surf. The water was shockingly cold at first so she just dove in head first getting lost in the thrill of no responsibility. When she came up was when she first became aware of the popping noise.



Next door on the court that seemed to float above the water was Parker and another woman seemingly trying to kill each other with a tennis ball. Parker was wearing a t-shirt and baggy shorts, but even that couldn't hide the raw power that wielded the tennis racket like it was a sword. Whoever her opponent was, she was holding her own in a volley that was as blistering as the unrelenting sun. Emily could hear a man's voice every so often barking out corrections. She felt happy all of a sudden in that Parker still looked like she had fun playing what was essentially just a game. It seemed to suit the young woman's free spirit.



"Natasha, hit them more toward the forehand please, Boris needs more work on that right now since the ball will bounce differently at the Open. Park, pay attention and lengthen the shots. We all ready know you're a big girl that can hit it hard, let's try finesse now, sweetheart," said Gary. The service stance swiveled a bit and the tall man found himself dodging the bullet Parker had shot his way. "Funny, Parker, funny."



Emily found herself laughing at Parker's playful side. The pilot was only twenty-eight but had lost that part of her inner child some time ago. It was refreshing to see someone take such gusto even when no one was watching. One of the lobs Parker sent up went over the fence and into the water making Emily think it was the downfall of the court's location, and also that Parker was getting tired to make such a mistake. Parker's order of, "Abby, go," told her differently.



The ball of fur that dove into the water was the biggest conglomeration of dog Emily had ever seen. It was just a big black blur that hit the water and swam for the yellow floating ball. He met Parker on the beach dropping the ball at her feet and shaking the water from his fur.



"You, big goober," Emily heard Parker's deep voice fuss at the surprise shower. So intent on her neighbor, Emily didn't hear Gail swim up behind her and jumped a little when the two arms wrapped around her waist.



"Hi, baby, I missed you." She pushed Emily's hair aside and kissed her neck making Emily stiffen momentarily at the move. Emily forced herself to relax and patted the tops of Gail's hands on her mid section. Gail turned her around and was about to kiss Emily when the barking from the shore scared them both apart. The black mutt was dancing from paw to paw with the wet ball sitting in front of him. Emily laughed at the thought that if Parker had been a dog, this would be it. He just wanted to play and his master had headed for the house.



"Come on, Abby, time to go, boy," they heard Parker's voice from behind the dunes. Abercrombie sat for a second and waved his paw in their direction then nosed the ball into the water as a gift before turning and running toward home.



"Get any shopping done?" The look on Gail's face let Emily know what she was in the mood for and thought, so much for talking about what happened yesterday.



"No I decided to come back for a swim after running into our neighbor. She invited us over for dinner tonight, I hope you don't mind but I accepted." With a little force she broke Gail's embrace and headed for the shore and on impulse picked up the ball Abby had left behind.



"Sure, whatever you want. How about a nap?" offered Gail. It was already four; they had a few hours.



"Sure."



An hour later Gail laid next to her, sated but frustrated at the same time. Emily touched her and made love to her but didn't want any return affection from her. It was happening with more frequency and Gail didn't know how to fix it. Did Emily just want to be conquered?



"We'll have to talk about this sooner or later you know," Gail told her not moving the arm that she had draped over her eyes. Emily just rolled out of bed and headed for the shower hearing the sigh behind her before she closed the door.



"I can't talk about something I have no answers for," she told her reflection in the bathroom mirror.



Gail and Emily walked along the shoreline at six to get to Parker's house in silence. They both watched the undulations, which really couldn't be called waves, in the water as if they held the answers to what was wrong with them. Gail noticed the ball the dog had left in Emily's hand, the hand closest to her so that she couldn't hold it.



"You go out into that sand and I'm throwing you on the grill." The voice held no hint of teasing and Emily and Gail stopped in their tracks. "I mean it, Abby, it takes an hour to blow dry all that damn fur of yours," Parker finished. Emily could see him standing on the edge of the deck looking at her hand and quickened her steps not to get the pooch in trouble.



"Hey," Emily called up. Emily's greeting was followed by Abby's loud barking, alerting a ten-mile radius of the women's arrival.



"Hey come on up. Don't worry Abby's h-a-r-m-l-e-s-s," said Parker. Gail quirked an eyebrow at the spelling and thought this was going to be a really long night.



"Go on, Emily, obviously he's harmless." No sooner had the word left Gail's mouth Abby underwent a transformation. Like a cat his fur stood on end and his teeth were bared in a snarl.



"Abercrombie Princeton King, down," shouted Parker. The yell made the dog whip his head around and instantly sit. He looked up at Parker and seemed to wait to see how much trouble he was in. "She didn't mean it, boy, everybody knows you're the real King Kong around here," Parker cooed to the dog. The wagging tail was back and he was back to trying to coax the two women in the sand to join them.



"What in the hell was that?" demanded Gail. If the woman had some kind of vicious dog, she shouldn't have invited people over without locking him up first.



"Sorry Abby takes exception when people call him what you just did. Makes him feel like a weenie I guess. Say you're sorry, boy," ordered Parker. Abby walked to Emily first and offered a paw with his head bowed, which she accepted giving him his ball back. The dog offered the same to Gail but pinned the woman with eyes surprisingly like his master's.



"Hey I'm glad you came and I hope you're hungry." Behind Parker a formidable sized grill was burning logs of hickory down to coal, and next to it sat large steaks of salmon. Everything looked organized and within easy reach to an experienced cook like Emily. It was one of her hobbies that she didn't get to practice very often.



"You cook, Miss King?" It wasn't until just then that the pilot wondered if Parker knew her name. They had never used a first name basis in all their previous meetings.



"Please, Captain, call me Parker." She held a large tanned hand toward Gail and introduced herself to Emily's companion. "Welcome to my home, I'm Parker King and you've met Abercrombie."



"Thanks for the invitation, I'm Gail Ingles and I see you already know Emily. And I hardly think you need an introduction Parker, congratulations on your recent win." Parker nodded at the greeting and pointed to some seats after the formalities were out of the way and moved behind the outside bar.



"Can I get you two something to drink?"



"White wine and a scotch if you have it," answered Gail for the two of them. Parker saw the look that Emily gave her partner for doing so and waited to see if the blonde would answer for herself.



"I'll have a hot chocolate actually."



"With or without marshmallows?" asked Parker.



"What the hell, with."



"Hot chocolate? What are you crazy, it's a hundred degrees out here." Gail's admonishments stopped when Parker uncapped the thermos on the bar and poured two cups of hot chocolate dropped in a handful of marshmallows into both then poured a scotch. "How did you know I'm not the wine drinker among us?" Brown eyes closed into an almost leer as Parker got their drink orders correct without having to ask.



"Just a hunch, Ms. Ingles."



"Gail, please." She accepted her drink and watched Emily wrap her hands around the mug Parker had given her like it was cold outside. Where in the hell had Emily met the number one tennis player in the world and why did they look so familiar with each other?



"Now why don't you two entertain yourselves for a moment while I cook some fish. If you ask nice enough, Abby will be happy to run the gamut of tricks he knows, just start with play dead and work your way down." It had occurred to Parker to walk next door during her run and cancel since Gary had moved their photo shoot up a day, but despite the partner, she had wanted to see Emily again before they went home from their vacation.



"Abby, play dead," said Parker to start them off. Parker pulled an imaginary gun from her hip and shot him. The ham with fur put a little more into it than the usual just falling and not moving most dogs did. With a paw on his head he howled like Parker had actually pulled the trigger then staggered a bit before falling down at Emily's feet and moaning a few more times before he died. While Emily laughed at the big dog's antics Gail got up and poured herself another drink, filling the glass up more than Parker had. This was the Emily Gail had first met one night out with her friends. She was lost to Gail, but if seemed Parker had found her and coxed Emily out of the shell she had wrapped around her.



"Abby, dance," Parker prompted again. Gail kept her eyes on Parker, as Parker kept her eyes on Emily, who had her eyes on Abby. Leaving the dog to do a jig on his hind legs Parker asked Gail to watch the steaks for a minute while she ran inside. Emily praised Abby's efforts watching Parker retreat into the kitchen for a minute. The tall brunette returned with a bowl of marinating asparagus for the grill, and a smile for Emily.



Now that would be fun, to have a someone to cook with, thought Emily as she watched the young woman work away at the grill. Gail didn't like to do anything in the kitchen, while Emily loved to spend the day trying new recipes when she had the time. Why in the world am I thinking about this person like this? Parker's call to the table didn't give Emily time to contemplate the answer to her silent question.



During the meal Parker switched to water, as did Emily leaving Gail to finish the bottle of white wine in the cooler on the table. The trader declined coffee or hot chocolate and moved back to the scotch bottle she had started with at their arrival. They had run out of polite conversation twenty minutes before that and both Emily and Parker could see Gail's growing dark mood.



"Maybe we should go." Emily was reluctant to leave and deal with Gail, but couldn't find an excuse to stay.



"Could I walk you both home?" asked Parker seeing Gail's glassy look. If she stumbled in the dunes on the way back, Parker didn't think that Emily could handle her alone.



"I think we are fucking smart enough to find the house next door, Parker, so back off." Gail didn't know what this dinner had been about, but she and Emily had some things to discuss when they ditched the tennis star and her goddamn performing dog.



"I'm sorry if I offended you, Gail, I just thought you could use some help getting back." This was not the time to show the drunken woman sitting across from her that she could knock off more than the covers of tennis balls. "If you don't mind I have an early morning tomorrow, but I do appreciate you both joining me tonight."



Gail got up from the table and stumbled right back onto it breaking every dish on her way down. Abby bared his teeth again without growling and Emily looked like she was about to help the dog out by contributing her own growl.



"It's all right, Captain, Rosa will get it in the morning don't worry about it." Parker stopped the blonde before she picked anything up. Gail had turned already and made her way off the deck not waiting for Emily. "We can just say the dinner party was a smashing success."



"I'm sorry, Parker. Good night," was all Emily could think to say before she too stepped off into the darkness. At almost the half way point between the two houses Emily saw Gail waiting for her. The anger that had erupted on Parker's deck minutes before that had only gotten worse Emily could see so she walked up slowly. "Thank you for embarrassing me like that."



"You want to tell me when you became so fucking chummy with Parker King? Or did you fuck her to see what all the fuss was about?" Gail grabbed Emily's arm and squeezed as if trying to force her to answer the question.



"Maybe I did. At least she is sober past ten in the morning." For the first time they had been together, Gail balled her hand into a fist and cocked it back. Emily just looked at her as if daring her to carry through with the threat. "Let me go." She was shaking inside but Emily's voice sounded calm and clear.



"I'll decide when to let you go, don't forget that," said Gail squeezing Emily's arm harder. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hit you. There's no way you fucked someone else, Emily, because we both know you are too cold for that. I should tell your crew just how appropriate the nick name ice queen really is."



"I said let me go," said Emily with more passion this time. She pushed Gail getting to fall backward into the sand. When the grip came loose, Emily started to shake and tears filled her eyes. She turned and ran for the house leaving Gail sprawled out in the sand. The fact she never looked back should have been a clue as to what point she was at with her lover of three years, but Emily didn't care. Gail had crossed a line that night and there might not be a way back.



Continued in Chapter 3




Comments to: terrali20@yahoo.com









The Athenaeum's Scroll Archive

~ Game, Set and Match ~


by Ali Vali



Disclaimers: See Part 1


Chapter 3




"All right, people, let's get this stuff set up before we get one of those summer showers this place is famous for. I did the Sport's Illustrated cover here last year and ruined my favorite Nikon lens. If that happens today, heads will roll," said Annie Crain, the photographer Nike had hired.



A crew of fourteen women ran around the outside court setting up lighting equipment hoping to get as much natural light as they could. In the gym Parker was lifting weights in her birthday suit on a towel draped bench so there would be no marks on her body of any kind for the camera to find.



The shouting and music from next door finally woke Gail who was still asleep in the dunes with what tasted like a mouth full of sand. The combination of alcohol and sun had made a bad situation worse and she felt as if a team of horses had trampled her during the night. On the way into the house she passed Emily who had her bathing suit on and was on her way out. Emily shrank away from her as if in fear and Gail reached to comfort her making the blonde take a couple of steps back to get away from her. The small woman's demeanor told Gail that there was nothing to say at this point so she just headed to the shower and some aspirin. Maybe after a nap she would feel good enough to have the talk they were avoiding. Had Gail made it into the house the night before, she would have found the door to their bedroom locked.



The music pumping through the outdoor system made Emily put her book down and concentrate on what was happening next door. Besides a whole lot of people with camera equipment, there was a huge selection of tennis shoes around the outside of the court. Once the photographer was set up she called to a man named Nick and told him to get Parker. The shower the woman had been complaining about was just offshore and looked like it was bringing with it a dazzling lightening display.



Emily watched as Parker walked out of the house onto a now clean deck wearing only a robe. The fencing from around the court had been taken down and Emily figured they were going to take photographs of Parker's play. The pilot found it odd that Parker grabbed a racket and hit a few practice rounds with the robe on. Out of sight in a small boat in the water Gary fed her some lobs over the net so that Annie could get her locations for different shots set up.



Once a good sweat had broken out on Parker, they were ready to begin and she dropped the robe. Emily thanked god that she was sitting on the beach and not out in the water. The sight before her would have made her drown she was sure.



Standing on the court with her hair loose wearing only tennis shoes was Parker. The makeup job Parker had undergone that morning made it look like there were no tan lines anywhere on the most perfect body Emily had ever seen. "Holy shit," was all she could think to say as the popping noise from the day before returned. Parker hit ball after ball as the woman shot more and more rolls of film. The backdrop of the incoming storm only accentuated Parker's form thought Emily as she watched how the muscles bulged when she went to hit the ball. Without her permission Emily found her feet moving closer to the court as the commercial shoot came to an end.



By the time Emily was next to the deck Parker was sitting at the table they had had dinner on the night before having another bottle of water wearing the robe she had come out in. The man that had been throwing the balls from the water was sitting with her as the other man helped the crew pack up their gear.



"Emily, good morning. I hope our little bit of capitalism didn't disturb you too much this morning. If it did see Nick, it was all his idea," said Parker. Abby's whining had alerted Parker to the pilot's presence before Parker had actually seen her.



"No, I came to apologize again for last night," started Emily before Parker put up her hand to stop her.



"Not necessary, Captain. I think if I were in Gail's shoes the evening might have played out about the same, minus the drinking and the broken dishes. I am really glad you came though, I enjoyed our time together before you have to go back to the real world." The bathing suit finally clicked as to who this woman was and that she was very much, like Willy had said, involved with someone else.



Gail wouldn't look as good as you in your shoes, thought Emily as the mental picture of a naked Parker played in her head again. "Thank you then, I enjoyed it too. I'm thinking of heading back today and I wanted to see you before I go. If you are ever in New York please give me a call and if I'm in town I'd be happy to return the dinner favor," said Emily. She crossed her arms over chest to hide her discomfort.



"Why don't you come up for some juice or something," offered Parker not ready to see her go just yet. Parker could see that like her, Emily looked lonely and the thought of not seeing her again was suddenly unacceptable.



"Parker, we need to finish this," insisted Gary. Parker glared at him to shut him up and the coach just ignored her. Before him on the table was the fifth death threat that had been sent to Parker in just the last month. In each note the group that claimed to be the Soldiers of Christ got more explicit as to how they were going to kill the tennis player. The tabloids headlines of her latest break up with Alicia had spurred a new flurry of right wing hate mail, but this group scared Gary. The others never sent such detailed descriptions on how they were going to do away with his friend.



"Maybe I should just go, Parker, you seem busy." And I'm standing here half naked, and you are naked under that robe.



"Nonsense, Emily, Gary is just our resident worry wart. People threaten me all the time because of who I am, the clothes I play in, for the way I wear my hair you name it they find fault with it. This isn't anything new and I'm sure it won't be the last time it will happen. Apple, cranberry or orange?"



"Apple thanks," She picked up the letter that was on the table and read it after Gary encouraged her to do so. Emily wasn't there to further upset Parker so she settled for humor when her hostess handed her the juice glass. "Ah, so you do know my name, I was beginning to wonder."



"Of course I know your name, Captain. Willy told me all about you. Your likes, your dislikes and what kind of person you are."



"I'd be afraid to know," said Emily. The chair swallowed her up and Emily wished that she had remembered to wear a shirt over the revealing suit she had on.



"Abby, fetch blue for me, boy," said Parker to the dog sending him inside before putting to rest Emily's doubts. "He and the rest of that crew think you are hard to work for, but they love you, Emily. They feel safe with you. Hell you can fly the plane serve hot chocolate and put up with full of themselves tennis players. Good boy," said Parker when Abby came back out with a red shirt in his mouth. Parker threw it at Emily as she petted Abby for his good deed. It was hard enough looking at Emily like that for the obvious reasons, but the sight of Gail's hand in the back of the bikini bottom was etched in her mind now.



"Thanks, Parker, but this is a red shirt." Emily held the shirt up before slipping it on.



"I know that and you know that, but he doesn't. Abby's color blind, but he's eager to please so cut him some slack."



"That he is. Must have learned it from you. Could I use your phone please?" Emily got up and headed toward the kitchen after Parker nodded her head. She left the coach and player to work out a solution to their problem while she went to work out her own.



"Thanks, Bobbie, I got a flight out tomorrow. I'm taking a couple of days off to start looking for a place as soon as I get there, so I appreciate you giving me a place to stay until I find one." After only a ten minutes Emily had found a flight back to New York and an old friend to stay with once she got there. The airline would put her on a different route for awhile to give her more time at home until she resolved her family problems, so she could use the rest of her vacation to look for a new apartment.



The pilot stepped back outside to find Parker dressed and ready for what she assumed to be more practice. The large hands that usually held a racket now held the hate letter that predicted her death, and from the movement of her eyes Emily could see she was reading it again. Gary was standing at the railing of the deck staring at the water not looking happy. Emily had never seen another person that looked so much like a free spirit just sitting still as Parker King. Who would want to kill a person for that?



"All set?" Parker looked up from the paper in her hand and smiled at Emily. She had gotten these types of things before, but these people seemed a little more organized than the rest. At the bottom of the page they had listed her schedule of play to point out different places they could get to her.



"Yeah thanks. I should let you get back to work. I have to pack and find a place to stay in town." Emily twisted the borrowed shirt she had on in her hands and waited for Parker to walk away.



"Why?"



"Why what?" Gary walked off the deck headed toward the court when he heard them begin their conversation. Emily figured he and Parker had had an argument while she was using the phone and there was no clear winner. Or maybe she was just imagining things and was projecting the fight she knew was waiting for her next door onto the two glum looking people here.



"Why are you going to stay in town, when I have three guest rooms inside that are empty? I promise to be on my best behavior, Captain, if you would grace me with your company for the evening. I'll even take you out to dinner so that you don't have to suffer through my cooking two nights in a row." Parker whispered something into the dog's ear and he went and stood in front of Emily. He lifted his paw and waved it at the small blonde trying to get her to look at him. "See, even Abby wants you to stay. I'll even drive you to the airport in the morning. I give excellent cab service."



"Well I won't complain if you want to cook for me again, you do great work in the kitchen. You really don't mind if I stay with you?" Emily scratched Abby's head as she looked at Parker.



"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it. You want me to go over with you and help you pack?" Parker wasn't asking for any explanations of why Emily wasn't leaving with Gail, but something had happened last night and she wanted to make sure Emily was all right.



"No, get back to work before it's Gary that doesn't let me stay." Emily could see that Parker wanted to not let her go alone after Gail's performance from the previous night. Their relationship had died but Gail had never been violent, though a huge confrontation was not was she was looking for either. "How about I take Abby with me then we'll both meet you out on the court when I'm done? Since I've never scored court side tickets, this will be a treat for me."



"Just whistle if you need me to come over." Parker threw the hate mail on the table and bent down to pick up her rackets. Natasha would be there soon to begin their session and Parker wanted to finish early to spend the afternoon with Emily.



"I don't know if I can whistle that loud."



"I was talking to the dog." The creases on the blonde's forehead told Parker that she was trying to figure out if she was serious or not.



"No freaking way," said Emily finally over Parker's laughter.



Gail had gone for a walk along the beach after her shower and sleep wouldn't come to try and think of a way to apologize to Emily for her behavior. From the moment she had met Emily, Gail had fallen in love with the gregarious woman, and for the longest time she had thought Emily felt the same way about her. She had been relentless in making Emily hers, but the long trips and the constant finding of fault in her behavior were beginning to tell Gail she was losing her grip on the pilot. The problem was she wasn't ready to let go. In her other relationships it was Gail that had done the leaving, not the other way around. Aside from the night before she couldn't find a reason for Emily's pushing her away.



Nothing looked different when she got back from her walk and seeing that Emily was still gone Gail took the car into town. Maybe some flowers and a bottle of their favorite wine could be the start of a better ending to their vacation. By the time the rental car hit the end of the driveway, Emily was walking out to the tennis court over the water after dropping her bags off in one of the guest rooms of Parker's house.



It had taken less than an hour from the time she had stepped off the deck with Abby to the time she got back, but Parker and tall blonde she was playing with were covered in sweat. Like Emily had seen the day before, the two kept up a blistering pace with Gary calling out instructions every so often over the grunts that followed almost every shot.



Emily sat on a bench that was right behind the side of the net Parker was playing on and drank the bottle of water she had brought out with her. Abby jumped up next to her and put his head in her lap looking relaxed but Emily could see he was keeping his eyes on the ball waiting for the opportunity to pounce on a missed one.



"Move the shots out more, Park, aim for the lines. If your opponent thinks the balls are going to go out they might not chase them all down. When that happens, you win shots and conserve energy," said Gary. Parker let the next ball Natasha hit fly past her stopping to take a quick break.



"Why would anyone let a ball past them, Gary, I chase them all down even the ones that look like they're out by a foot." Gary threw her a couple of balls then pointed his finger at her.



"Damn right you'll chase them all down. You know that, but not everyone has me as their coach." Gary puffed up his chest a little remembering the defeated look on Jill Seabrook's face by the third game of the first set. Parker really was one of those people that came along every decade or so that combined the power of her play with the soft touch needed to win. "Now get back to work."



Parker bounced the ball her customary four times then went into her serving stance. To Emily she looked like a bow that had been drawn back and was ready to fire. She watched the ball leave Parker's hand and flinched went the racket smashed it over the net. You didn't hear that on television when you were watching tennis. The ball landed, what to Emily looked like, a millimeter from the line where an embarrassed Natasha took a swing at it and missed.



"Goddammit, Parker, I think the girl fancies you already, there is no need to show off." Natasha aimed her racket head over the net and glared at Parker. The Swedish player had retired from the professional circuit two years prior and stayed in shape by practicing with Parker whenever she could. They had met at Natasha's last match when the younger Parker had knocked her out of the tournament in the semi-finals. Ever since she had made every effort to stay at her condominium in Clearwater for the summer to be close to Parker. There had been harmless flirtations between them, but they had never crossed the line of the good friendship they had built.



"That's Captain Emily Parish to you, sore loser." Parker aimed her own racket back at Natasha waiting for the smile that was always delayed whenever Parker got a good shot passed her.



"You know my last name too, I'm impressed, Ms. King." When Parker stopped playing Abby had started whining in her lap. Parker turned around and put her hands on her hips to silence both the spectators.



"Your name tag had E. Parish on it, so of course I know your last name. Abby, cut it out, no fly balls for you today we have company. I don't have hours to kill blowing drying all that fur of yours, boy, so enjoy the sun." Parker turned back to Natasha already poised to serve up another ball.



"And here I thought you were just looking at my chest." Parker missed the ball she had tossed up for her service and for a second Emily thought the tall woman had pulled a muscle in her back from stopping her actions so abruptly after her comment.



"Trust me, Emily, when I start looking at you, you won't miss the meaning behind it." She turned to face Natasha again and caught the balls Gary tossed to her. They played for another hour and Parker called it a day. Gary didn't look happy with her but they had two months to prepare for the Open so one missed day wouldn't kill them.



The dunes that separated Parker's house from the one next door gave them sufficient cover so that Gail didn't see them walking back to the deck together. After a trip to the liquor store for wine and the florist for Emily's favorite roses, Gail walked out to the beach to look for the pilot. When she didn't find her on the blanket, Gail started walking down the beach away from Parker's house figuring that Emily had gone for a walk. It was the only alternative since she had taken the car into town. After an hour Gail turned around and headed back to the house. A few hundred yards from the cut up to the back of their rental she saw a piece of paper flying along the top of the sand so she scooped it up and stuffed it into her pocket to throw away when she got back to the house.



"Emily, are you here?" Gail slid the glass door shut behind her and took her sand filled shoes off on the mat. When she didn't get an answer she walked through the house to their bedroom. The note was sitting on the pillow on her side of the bed, and the writing on the envelope just said Gail. She smiled thinking that it was sweet of Emily to write her. In the first few months of their relationship Gail would find love letters in her briefcase every so often making the days on the trading floor that much more bearable for her. The smile fell the second she got to the ending and instead of reading it again she just crumpled it in her hand and let it drop to the floor. Just to confirm Gail opened the closet and found it empty.



"We'll just see if this is over, Emily. You have to talk to me cause this note isn't going to cut it." Gail pulled down the scotch bottle and poured a full glass. She drank down the entire contents of the glass with stopping, filling it again to fuel her anger. The bottle of wine and roses sat on the counter taunting her to Emily's betrayal. Gail picked up the bottle and threw it against the wall. The thorns digging into her finger didn't break through the scotch fog as she snapped the bouquet in half and dumped them into the trash.



************************************************************************



"Ready?" Parker walked into the front room of her house. It was filled with trophies and pictures from her career on the court, and Emily had been in it ever since she had showered and gotten dressed. When Parker walked in, Emily was running a small delicate finger over the Wimbledon trophy that had just come home with her. In a few weeks the framed photograph of her holding it up before the crowd on center court would hang along side it just like all the other ones in the room.



Emily moved to another picture of Parker with two other women that looked so much like her, but like Parker had said they were both taller. Aside from the height, they both had brown hair, blue eyes and the same brilliant smile. "Are these your sisters?"



"Yes, that's us at the French Open last year. They had some down time so they came to see me play. I owe them so much, and it makes me happy to look into the stands and see them cheering me on. You probably think that's incredibly immature but they are the only family I have." Parker put her hands into the pockets of the linen slacks she had put on and looked at the floor over her admission. Gray and Kimmie were the only two people besides Gary and Nick that didn't want anything from her. The money, the fame nor the publicity of making the papers on her arm weren't important to them.



Emily stepped forward and put her hand on Parker's arm. Seeing this vulnerable side to Parker let her know that she had misjudged the person on the plane. This was the real Parker. "No, that doesn't make you immature, Parker, that makes you incredibly sweet." When the blue eyes focused on her, Emily could understand why so many women had fallen victim to them before.



"Thank you for thinking so," said Parker.



"Are your parents deceased?" Emily wondered since there were no pictures of an older couple in any of the frames in the room. The arm under her hand turned to stone at the question giving her the impression that they had died in some horrible accident making her regret asking it.



"No they're very much alive and living in Atlanta. They unfortunately have major difference with my two sisters and I, and we don't speak very often. I don't really like to talk about it." Parker took a deep breath and tried to let out the instant anger that had welled up at Emily's innocent question.



Her parents' attitudes combined with the letters she had been getting were starting to enter Parker's mind more often. It was disgusting to her that the people that were supposed to love her the most basically agreed with the content of the letters she had been receiving.



"I'm sorry." Emily squeezed Parker's arm trying to offer comfort and was glad when the muscles relaxed under her touch.



"Don't be, it's not your fault and it isn't mine. My parents have condemned us all to hell for the way we live our lives. One gay child would have been bad enough, but three was over the top as far as they were concerned. The cherry was that one or all three of us are constantly in the sports page or on television rubbing their noses in it." Parker made quotation marks with her fingers as she spoke. "They've never attended a match or been there for any of us since I was sixteen. The gulf between us is so big now that it won't ever be crossed, and at this point I don't think any one of us wants to."



"Well those two ladies did a wonderful job with you then," said Emily pointing to the picture she had admired before. With that the smile returned to Parker's face and Emily noticed that her hand was still on the tall woman's arm. "You mentioned something about eating?"



Parker looked down at Emily and laughed. The night before Emily had eaten twice what she had and had been eyeing the piece of fish Parker had left on her plate. Only after the second piece of cheesecake Parker had brought out for dessert did she looked satisfied. "I did indeed, but you are going to have to wait until I make one stop." There was a pout on Emily's face for that and Parker almost laughed again. The woman before her was a little older than she was, but looking at her in the sundress she had put on, they looked the same age.



"Can't it wait?"



"No my book dealer found a first edition "Confederacy of Dunces" and I want to go and pick it up. If you're patient with me, I promise to make it worth your while." Parker held her hand out in invitation and gave Emily a pout of her own.



"You are an enigma, Parker King. I would have thought that jocks only read sports magazines and watched ESPN on television." Emily took the hand that was being offered to her hoping her palms weren't sweating. She was a little nervous being here with Parker having Gail so close to them. Emily was sure Gail would have found the note by now and started her search for her. Her one wish was that her soon to be ex-lover would get help and get interested in someone else before they ran across each other again. For Emily it was over, she wasn't willing to be Gail's support system and excuse maker anymore.



"I only read sports magazines when I'm on the cover, and ESPN when they are showing highlights of me." Parker said it as serious as she could pull off wanting to make Emily smile.



"Ah, the Parker King I know and love." The last part came out before she could sensor it and the smile on Parker's face matched the blush on Emily's.



Parker squeezed her hand letting the comment slide without further embarrassing her. "The truth is I read more books than sports magazines and I only watch television on occasion. That doesn't fit the tabloid image of me, but then again I never have been one to conform to what other people want to define me as."



Emily followed Parker to the back of the house as the tennis player gently pulled her toward the door of the garage. "And what about what all those tabloids say about your nights of wine, women and song?"



"Well there's no enigma there, Emily. I like women, I like to have a good time and I don't apologize for that. The day will soon come when people will say 'Parker King who', when my name is mentioned and that doesn't bother me as much as it has others who have come before me. I will be replaced by some other bad boy or girl who will make better press, and when that day comes the girls who are calling me now for a night on the town will move on." Parker reached for her keys and opened the door to the garage. Emily noticed there was a black Mercedes parked next to the SUV she had seen Parker in before. With a quick press of a button the lights on the car flashed once and the doors unlocked.



"And when they do, what will you do?"



"When they do, I will live my life pretty much the way I do now. I play tennis, I read books and I teach my old dog some new tricks. I know that the way we met hasn't made the best impression with you, but I'm not all that bad. At least I don't think so. Would it surprise you to know that no woman that you have ever read about in connection to me has ever stepped foot in my house? Hell they don't even know where my house is. You do realize I'm only twenty-two, hardly enough time to have earned the reputation that I've been saddled with." Parker opened the car door for Emily and helped her into the passenger seat. Emily smiled as she watched Parker cross in front of the car thinking about what she had just said.



"Why am I here then?" She looked at the chiseled profile next to her and put her hand on Parker's arm. Parker was quiet for so long that Emily didn't think she would answer, or was trying to find her answer written on the wall of gardening equipment hanging in front of the car.



"You looked like you could use a safe haven, and this is what this house is to me. It's not completely secluded but it's close enough. Tomorrow you will move on and I may never get to see you again if that's what you want, so I guess I wanted to spend just the one night with you. It sounds cliché, my dear Emily, but there is something about you that I find, well I don't know what I find about it but it makes me want to know more about you. So tonight I will buy a book, take you to dinner then drop you off at your bedroom door and wish you good night. Tomorrow I will drive you to the airport and hope that I have made your bad time a little easier for you." When she finished, Parker pressed the garage door opener and started the car. Before she pulled out after putting the car in gear she looked toward Emily and added, "I did forget one thing."



"What's that?"



"I forgot to tell you how beautiful you look tonight." Emily self-consciously smoothed down the sundress she had put on. The bright yellow cotton garment had thin straps holding it up and looked good with her hair and the sun she had gotten. Emily hadn't been fishing for compliments, but had been a little disappointed when Parker hadn't said anything. This is not a date, Em, why would she say anything? Emily smiled even though she was mentally chastising herself. The only thing she hadn't planned on was wearing a light sweater over the dress, but when she had gotten out of the shower the bruise that was a perfect imprint of Gail's fingers was visible on her arm. A reminder of just how out of control Gail had gotten.



"Thanks." When Parker put the car in drive and pulled out onto the highway Emily took back possession of Parker's hand. If it was only going to be one night she was going to make the most of it. She didn't feel guilty about wanting to be happy, no matter if it was only for a few hours.



"Emily, I want you to meet Barnaby Philpot Perry." Parker stood behind Emily with her hand on the small of her back as she made the introduction. Bending down a little she whispered, "And yes, that's his real name."



The older gentleman with a full white beard and almost black eyes came from behind the counter and took Emily's hand into his and kissed it. "Parker, you've been holding out on me, this creature is simply divine."



"Thank you, Barnaby, we just met, knows all about me and still agreed to go out with me. I just ran by to pick up my book and take the divine creature out to dinner." Emily looked around the store admiring the stacks of well cared for antique and collectible books while Parker talked to the seemingly eccentric old guy.



"You have a lovely place here, Mr. Perry," Emily added trying to get the conversation off of her.



"Thank you, my dear, but as lovely as you think this is you can't compare it to the library my friend here as in her home. It makes me happy to know that every time she takes one of my babies away from me, they are going to live in that wonderful room. I predict that for years to come they will talk more of the King collection than they will of that silly game she plays." Barnaby handed Parker her book and gave Emily a small parcel as well. Emily was about to protest when Parker shook her head from behind the storeowner.



"Are you holding out on me, Parker, the King collection?" asked Emily getting Barnaby to turn around and shoot a mock glare at Parker.



"For shame, Parker, that is the best room of the house and you didn't show it to her?" The creases around his eyes told her that he was kidding with her. Barnaby looked forward to Parker's return from her travels knowing that it wouldn't be long before she either dropped in or called him for something new.



The widower had met the tennis player two years prior when she wandered into his shop one day looking for new reading material. It amazed him that a young person still read the classics and enjoyed sitting with him and talking about them. When she bought the house, Parker had transformed one of the rooms into a library with comfortable chairs and a multitude of oak shelving. They had spent a great deal of afternoons after her practices just sitting across from each other reading a book. For Barnaby it was a treat in that since his wife had died he was left with no family, and Parker never made him feel like she was just humoring an old man.



"A mistake I'll correct when we get home, Barnaby. Now be good and call me this week for lunch. Oh and before I forget, I brought you something." Parker stepped out to the car to get a book she had gotten for him in England.



"She is a lovely girl, Parker is," said Barnaby. He was talking to Emily but looking at Parker get something from the back seat.



"Yes she is. I've only just met her but I can see that there is more to her than most people would guess. She seems to be a good friend to people she cares about." Emily was also looking at the bright young woman now walking back toward the storefront.



"You would consider yourself lucky to have her call you her friend, Emily." The bells over the door chimed and the old man put his hands out for his gift. "What did you bring me?"



"It's not in the greatest shape, but you will forgive that when you see the print date. Enjoy it and don't stay up all night trying to get through it." Parker handed over the leather bound edition of Shakespeare sonnets she had gone looking for during her off time at the tournament. Shakespeare was one of Barnaby's all time favorites and had one of the biggest collections of his writings she had ever seen. He looked at the book and just wrapped Parker in a hug.



The two women said their goodbyes and got back in the car for the drive into Tampa for dinner. Parker had put both of the books they had left with in the backseat after she had gotten Emily back in the car then waved to Barnaby who was standing in the window with his book under his arm.



"That was so sweet of you to do that for him." Emily took Parker's free hand back into hers as soon as they were back on the highway. She was glad that Parker wasn't one of those people that disliked their personal space invaded.



"I haven't gone to college yet, so I consider Barnaby my professor of life. He likes to find stuff for me to read and then talks to me about it. His wife died about four years ago and the big bookstores took a chunk of his business, but he perseveres through it all." Parker looked at her for a moment before turning her attention back to the road. Emily was starting to regret that she was leaving in the morning. There was so much more that she wanted to know about Parker King.



"Will you show me Barnaby's favorite room?" Emily turned her body without letting go of the big hand so that she was resting her back on the door giving her a better angle of Parker's profile. Without looking at her Parker smiled, nodded her head and squeezed her fingers, they didn't feel the need to talk about anything else for the rest of the drive.



The restaurant Parker picked was an Italian place with romantic lighting, a great view and even better food. The young woman that showed them to their table was the daughter of the owner and had met Parker on a few previous occasions. When Emily arched her brow at the friendly greeting the tall woman got, Parker just laughed. This must be the big workup to getting me softened up for later on tonight, was the one thought in her head when she realized Parker had eaten there before. Because, baby, you don't eat in places like this by yourself.



"How are Gary and Nick?" asked the hostess.



"They are fine, I'll tell them you said hello."



"They're not joining you tonight?"



"No it will just be Ms. Parish and myself this evening, Francesca. How about a bottle of Chianti while we decide on what to eat?" The young woman turned and headed for the wine racks along the back wall looking for the wine Parker liked.



"I thought…" Emily started not knowing how to finish her sentence. Parker looked at the dinner specials listed in the menu not looking up when Emily broke the silence left when Francesca walked away.



"I know what you thought. Candles, romantic music, wine and an ocean view add up to having to sleep with me later. I come here sometimes when I'm home with Nick and Gary, and trust me I'm not interested in sleeping with either of them. Francesca's father makes a great sauce and even better veal dishes that I thought you might like, but if you prefer we could go someplace, I don't know, better lit?" Before Emily could say anything Francesca came back to the table with the bottle Parker had ordered and two glasses. She poured a little into Parker's glass waiting for her to approve of it before pouring some into Emily's glass.



"I'm sorry, Parker."



"You don't have anything to be sorry for, Captain. In a way you are right, I'm that person all your girlfriends warn you to stay away from. But I promised you I'd behave and I intend to." Parker held up her glass and waited for Emily to do the same. She leaned forward to tap her glass with the blonde's and recited a verse from her favorite poem. "I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."



"Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken," whispered Emily. She took a sip of the wine and enjoyed the warm feeling it gave her when it slid down her throat. "You could turn a girl's head with such romance, Parker. Somewhere ages and ages hence there will be a woman that will have loved her life because she got to share it with you." She lifted her glass in salute again and swore that nothing else that evening would bother her about Parker's much written about exploits. Spending time with the tennis player would help her to learn more about the person she was than from reading about her in The Enquirer.



The dinner lasted three hours by the time they had made it through the various courses, dessert and after dinner drinks. They kept the conversation light and the other patrons looked their way often as they laughed at a variety of things. It was just the type of evening Emily had looked forward to on her vacation, only she never imagined it would be shared with Parker King. Her idea of the perfect ending would have been a walk on the beach but a walk through Parker's vast collection of rare books was good enough.



Slipping out of her shoes Emily made one request. "Read me your favorite thing in here."



Parker walked to the other side of the room climbed the rolling latter to the top shelf and pulled down a book. She put it on the coffee table as she sat back to take her own shoes off loving the sound of Emily's laughter when she saw the title. " War and Peace? You do realize I'm leaving tomorrow don't you?"



"I just wanted to see if you were still awake after those two and a half desserts you ate." She ducked the small pillow Emily tossed at her in mock anger then got up to pull down another book.



Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,


And sorry I could not travel both


And be one traveler, long I stood


And looked down one as far as I could


To where it bent in the undergrowth;


Then took the other, just as fair,


And having perhaps the better claim,


Because it was grassy and wanted wear;


Though as for that, the passing there


Had worn them really about the same,


And both that morning equally lay


In leaves no step had trodden black.


Oh, I kept the first for another day!


Yet knowing how way leads to way,


I doubted if I should ever come back.


I shall be telling this with a sigh


Somewhere ages and ages hence:


Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-


I took the one less traveled by,


And that has made all the difference.






Parker read all of the verses of the Robert Frost poem she had quoted at dinner. When she was finished, Parker looked up to see Emily relaxed back into the chair with her eyes closed.



"Thank you for today. It was the most fun I've had in forever, and I'm just sorry that it has to end so soon." Emily said her peace without opening her eyes just enjoying the space Barnaby had talked so fondly of. When she opened them Emily accepted both Parker's hand to help her up and her invitation to walk her to the door of the room she was staying in.



Parker handed Emily her sandals and smiled, "Good night, Emily, I hope you have good dreams." Parker kissed her softly on the lips then turned and headed toward the master suite. Emily closed her door and leaned against it bringing her fingertips up to her lips. It wasn't the type of kiss you get from your lover or even a date, but it had left her tingling just the same.



"Good night, Parker, and I think that's going to be impossible now."





Chapter 4




Emily wandered around the house with Abby looking for Parker the next morning, hoping to have breakfast with her before they had to head out to the airport. Her plane wasn't scheduled to leave for another three hours so they had plenty of time to eat and talk. The music coming from room beyond the kitchen led her to Parker. The dog stood in the doorway and waved a paw at her to get Emily moving.



Lying on a padded bench, the tennis player was doing bench presses. Emily admired the practiced fluidity of her movements, surprised that it took so much to play the game well. Parker was dedicated to keeping as fit as she could to prevent injuries.



"Good morning." Emily waited until the weight had put back before she spoke. It wasn't even seven in the morning and Parker was already sweating.



Parker looked up from the towel she had her face pressed into to see Emily standing in the gym in her pajamas. "Hey, did you have a good sleep?"



"Yes I did, thanks. You have a great house here, Parker, very conducive to peaceful sleeping. Are you almost done?"



"That was the last reps I'm doing today. Let me take a shower and I'll take you out for breakfast." Parker threw the towel in the hamper sitting in the corner before downing the rest of the juice she had been drinking throughout her workout.



"I want to cook for you if you don't mind me using your kitchen. Think of it as my thank you for all that you've done for me in the past couple of days. It's not much, but I would enjoy doing it for you."



"You don't mind?"



"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to. Go take that shower and meet me in the kitchen." Emily smiled and had a desire to hug Parker good morning, but her tall hostess hadn't made a move toward her as she headed out the door. Her thoughts stopped cold when she heard the banging on the back door. Parker stopped at the door and smiled in an effort to relax Emily. It surprised Parker that the idiot staying next door had taken this long to come over and bitch about what had happened.



"Why don't you sit and enjoy the view for a minute and let me take care of this." The wall of windows only went along the back of the gym and it faced the beach. Whoever was on the deck couldn't see in.



"You don't mind." The lost look on Emily's face was so far removed from the confident woman that had stood up to her on the plane that Parker was having time making the comparison.



"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to." Emily laughed at having her own words tossed back at her. "You forget I'm an expert when it comes to volley. Seriously though, I'm used to dealing with difficult women, Emily, trust me on that one. Gail is just a sore loser that needs time to cool down." Parker was trying to make Emily laugh but the opposite happened and tears sprung to the green eyes.



"I'm sorry, it's just that the last time we spoke it wasn't pretty, and I'm not ready to see Gail again so soon." Emily brought her arms up in an effort to comfort herself making the short sleeve of her top ride up enough for Parker to see her bicep.



"What happened?"



"She didn't like the answer I gave to a question she asked," was all Emily could think to say. More tears fell down her face as she wondered how she had ended up in this situation.



"She won't hurt you, I promise." Parker moved closer and gathered the scared woman into a hug and tried her best to comfort her and make her feel better about the persistent knocker. When Emily relaxed against her, Parker whispered, "I'll be right back."



Parker could see Gail through the glass in the door. The broker looked like she had slept in the clothes she had on and there was sweat running down her face. She fell forward when Parker yanked the door open. Parker looked down on her when Gail used her taller body to steady herself. "Yes, can I help you?"



"Where's Emily?" Without the car Gail knew Emily couldn't have gone far without the help of her new friend. The tennis player just crossed her arms and stood just inside the door looking at her. "Look I just want to talk to her. We had a little falling out and I just want the chance to set it right."



"The next time I see her I'll let her know that you want to talk with her. It's her decision to make if she wants to do that so why don't you give her some space to think things out. Or at least for the bruise on her arm to fade." Parker waited to see if Gail was going to say anything else or if she was going to leave quietly. Parker wasn't worried about Emily's safety, only how she was taking this unexpected visit, it was the reason she had left Abby in the gym with her to keep her company.



"I'm not going away without a fight, Parker, just remember that. Emily's mine, and what happens between us is none of your business." Parker just slammed the door in the woman's face. Anyone that felt that way about women didn't deserve to be with one as special as Emily.



"Butt head," Parker muttered to herself. She stood in the kitchen looking out the window to make sure Gail was on her way back to the house next door. Parker had wanted more time with the pilot before she left, but having the girlfriend she had just left right next door didn't make for the best of situations. She walked back into the gym to find Emily on the floor with Abby.



"Gail wants to talk to you." Emily had such a sad look on her face that Parker stopped any other teasing comment she thought of making. "She's gone so don't worry about it, Emily. We'll put Abby out for awhile just in case so smile for me."



"I should have put a stop to this relationship a long time ago. It's my fault really, I didn't love Gail the way she was expecting me to but it just got to be something comfortable. That wasn't fair to her for me to have stayed this long, but I'm just tired of the arguing we're constantly doing." Abby rolled to his other side so Emily could rub him some more. The small blonde found him waiting for her outside her bedroom that morning, and she was coming to like him as much as his owner.



"You don't owe me any explanations. The most important thing for you is to do what's right for you. Do you have a place to stay once you get back into the city?" If Gail was capable of violence, Parker didn't want Emily anywhere near her.



"Yeah I'm staying with a friend until I find a place. Let me go and get breakfast started and you go take that shower. No, Parker, it will help me take my mind off all this stuff." Emily spoke over the objection Parker was about to make. "I don't get many vacations so I think I should get to do what I think is fun, and for me that's cooking."



"You're the boss so have at it. Abby, go outside boy." The dog put his paw over his eyes as if he knew what Parker had asked would put an end to his massage. Both Emily and Parker laughed at the ham's antics getting him to move from his spot next to Emily.



Parker slipped on a robe when she heard Emily calling her to breakfast after she had finished with her shower. Her guest did indeed know her way around the kitchen Parker could see when she sat down to a wonderful omelet, toast and hash browns. To make Parker happy, Emily had made hot chocolate instead of coffee smiling when the blue eyes rolled at how good it was.



"What is it about you and hot chocolate?" Emily held her own mug of the hot brew watching the cloud that marred Parker's face for a moment. Parker looked like she reliving a nightmare and Emily was about to tell her it was all right not to answer, but Parker surprised her by telling her something very personal.



"When I was little it was the happiest memory I have of my father. We would be the first ones up and he would stand at the stove and make us each a cup of the stuff. Not the mix either, my dad shaved chocolate and stirred it in slowly with sugar until it was just right. Over the years it became our ritual every morning, sitting at the table and discussing all kinds of different things. Then at around sixteen or seventeen he found out that I was like Gray and Kimmie and he stopped talking to me all together. I would wait for him before I had to leave for practice, but he wouldn't step out of his bedroom until I had left. Maybe it was all for the best since when we did talk all we could do was scream at each other." Emily reached across the table and put her hand over Parker's. It seemed absurd to her that people who were so rigid and bigoted had children.



"I'm sorry for asking, Parker."



"It's all right. All those cups I had as a kid just make me love the stuff. My parents may not accept me now, but drinking hot chocolate reminds me of a time they did." The big smile Emily had seen on television a million times when she watched Parker play was being aimed at her from across the table. Things could have been better in her life, but Emily was grateful that her parents had accepted her choices without censor. They just wanted her to be happy and find someone that would share her life.



"You're a wonderful person, Parker, and in time your parents will come to realize that. I've only known you a couple of days and I have at least that part figured out." Parker turned her hand over and squeezed Emily's fingers. She was glad that she had offered the pretty blonde a place to stay the night. Emily would leave in little over an hour and she would in all likelihood never see her again, but she was still glad she had done it.



Parker packed all of Emily's bags into the trunk of the car after Emily had gotten dressed. She saluted the pilot when she came out of the room in her uniform getting a slap on the arm for her trouble. When they pulled out, neither of them saw the disheveled woman sitting on one of the dunes that separated the houses. It wasn't noon yet, but Gail held a glass of scotch in one hand and the scrap of paper she had found on the beach the day before in the other. She had just known that Parker was lying about Emily and seeing her girlfriend in the car just proved that.



"You can't say that I didn't warn you, Parker King."



************************************************************************



Emily was in line for take off behind five other jets, so her thoughts turned to the last two days of her life. She had left Gail and met Parker; the latter made her smile. Parker had dropped her off at the airport and insisted on parking and walking her in. It was incredible how many people on the way to her gate recognized the tennis star walking with her.



At her gate Parker had handed over her bag and a card with all her numbers on it. Before their last good bye a woman had come over with her young daughter and asked Parker if she would take a picture with the girl. Parker handed the camera to Emily and posed with both mother and child. Emily almost teased the two that she was going to have to back up to fit their smiles in the frame.



Like the night before Parker kissed her gently on the lips then turned and walked away. Emily would go back to her flight schedule and Parker to her grueling practice schedule to prepare for New York and the Open. The voice from the control tower spoke in her ear and they were cleared for take off.



"Goodbye, Parker." Her copilot looked at her to see if she had said something but Emily was focused on getting the jet off the ground. Emily was sure that in the next two months Parker would forget her and move on to someone else. From the ground Parker watched the jet take flight as the same thought went through her head about Emily.



************************************************************************



"You are ready, Boris. I think the other women at this tournament, they are in big trouble," said Natasha after their practice one day. Parker had used the month to work on all of her shots and to improve her stamina through workouts. Gary had planned for the higher than normal heat factor in New York that summer through extra running time.



"Thanks, Natasha, I'm feeling good and looking forward to playing. You promise you'll come up to practice with me?" Parker wiped her face off and packed her rackets after her last practice at home. They were taking the next couple of days off to take care of last minute stuff before heading to New York. Abby was staying with Nick for the next couple of weeks until her friend flew up to meet her and Gary in the city.



"I wouldn't miss it especially since Gray will be there. If I can't have you, my friend, then I will make a play for that sister of yours." With careful planning both of Parker's sisters would be there for most of the play. "If I'm lucky then I will get to compare her ass to the billboard of yours you did a while back."



"Please don't remind me of that. I'll put in a good word for you and I'll see you in two weeks. Gary set up some playing time for us once you arrive." Natasha kissed both of Parker's cheeks before leaving promising she would call once she arrived in New York.



Four days later the tennis player and coach arrived in New York and checked into the Renaissance Hotel. After they registered and unpacked the couple headed to the Stage Deli for sandwiches and a slice of cheesecake. It was their first indulgence after settling in.



The next day Parker walked over to Central Park for an early morning run. As she took time to stretch she couldn't help but notice the woman that was staring at her as she went through her own stretching routine. The letters threatening her life has started coming more regularly and Parker found herself looking around for threats whenever she was out alone. There had been more than enough arguments between Gary and her on the subject, but she refused to bend to what he and Nick wanted. If she started living her life in fear or altered the way she went about her routines, the idiots sending the mail would start to win in her opinion.



"I'm sorry to stare but I just wanted to say good luck." The blonde woman broke her silent staring and addressed Parker. When she straightened out Parker noticed that the woman equaled her in height.



"Thanks, I appreciate it." Before they could get into an in depth conversation Parker put the earpieces to her radio in place and started down the path. It was at this time of the morning that she missed the tranquility of the beach.



The next two weeks was like in any tournament Parker played in, the toughest. The waiting to play was the one thing she had never gotten used to, but it was she attributed to the fast starts that marked her style of play. There was one thing that was biting into that boredom this time though, and that was whether she would try to find Emily or not. The pilot hadn't called all summer and Parker was trying to figure out why that was. Had Emily moved on, or gone back to Gail? Even if she had, Parker felt the woman had owed her at least one phone call.



Parker finished her run then put in two hours of practice on the court. Gary found her in her room sitting by the window reading a book a few hours after they had gotten back. He hated to disturb the boxer and t-shirt clad player, but it was time Parker got out of her funk.



"Want to go out tonight?" He took the chair across from her after knocking her feet to the ground.



"Aren't you supposed to keep me indoors eating healthy foods and drinking distilled water, or something along those lines?" Gary laughed at the arched eyebrow aimed in his direction. "Not surely to lead me astray in the big city?"



"I was thinking dinner, Parker, not a night of picking up hookers."



"I don't know, a hooker can be a new bonding experience for us. I promise not to tell Nick anything."



"No thanks, how about dinner at Gotham instead? I got us an eight o'clock reservation." He laughed as he poked her with his foot over the hooker comment.



"How pray tell did you manage that, Coach Gary?" The book in her hand snapped closed so that she could give him her full attention.



"That's easy, I made the reservation in your name. It comes in handy for me to know the tennis god so well. Come on, you've looked a little flat lately so this might be fun. We can get dressed up and hit the town." Gary gave her his best pleading look.



"Sure, what could happen?"



The cab dropped them off in front of the restaurant fifteen minutes early so they had to wait in the restaurant bar until their table was ready. Sprinkled throughout the eatery were enough celebrities to take the pressure off Parker, so she was looking forward to trying the much talked about restaurant.



"Welcome, Ms. King, and thank you for joining us this evening. If you and your companion are ready please follow me." The hostess led them to a table almost at the center of the restaurant. A few people nodded their heads in Parker's direction but otherwise left her alone to enjoy her evening.



Parker took the chair facing the door and accepted her menu from the waiter. When she glanced up she noticed the same woman from the park that first morning, only now the woman was wearing a light summer suit and her hair was pulled into a bun at her neck. The fan stepped into the bar and sat at one of the stools as if waiting for someone by the way she was looking at her watch.



"What are the chances of seeing the same person twice in a city the size of New York in different locations?" asked Parker. She put her menu down and reached for the wine list while Gary turned around to see who she was talking about. "The Opus One, please." The waiter nodded and left to retrieve her selection.



"Who are you talking about?" Gary turned almost completely in his chair to get a better view of the patrons seated around them. Parker was about to complement him on his superb table manners when a group of people walked through the front door. Two she recognized right off.



"Holy shit, what in the hell was I thinking when I asked what could happen? I should have stayed in and finished the chapter I was reading."



"What?" Gary did another quick visual inventory stopping on one woman surrounded by an entourage.



"Holy shit," was all he could think to add to the moment. If I had this kind of luck for the lottery, I could retire from coaching, thought Gary as he continued to stare towards the entrance.



Emily stood off to the side in her pilot's uniform watching as the staff fell all over the pop sensation Alicia and the group that had come in with her. She spotted Bobbie in the bar and walked over to meet her. The tall blonde she was living with wrapped Emily in a hug and kissed her hello.



"How was your trip over from the airport?"



"Not too bad, it was a slow traffic night. It seems more crowed in here than on the street." Emily took in the happenings of the restaurant from the circle of Bobbie's arms. The touching greeting wasn't missed by the blue eyes at the center table, it was the main reason Parker missed Alicia's spotting her sitting with Gary.



"Ah, poor baby," the tall blonde said kissing the Emily again.



"Park, heads up, man." The waiter had just poured their glasses of wine after Parker had told him the bottle was fine giving Alicia ample ammunition. Parker turned her eyes from the second kiss exchanged at the bar to see the irate singer standing next to her.



"The fucking least you could have done was to blow me off yourself, asshole, not have your flunky do it." When she wiped the Merlot from her face she couldn't help but think how good it tasted. If the first glass Alicia had thrown made Parker think that, Gary's glass only confirmed it for her. The restaurant manager was the only thing that prevented the scorned woman from dumping the rest of the bottle in Parker's lap.



"How about Chinese to go with all this good wine?" Parker wiped her face again and asked the question as calmly as possible. Gary couldn't help but laugh as Parker's white shirt stuck to her collar.



"Sounds like a doable plan, Parker, let's go." Gary threw two hundred dollar bills on the table and they got up to leave. The manager wanted to give him his money back, but they insisted on paying. It wasn't the restaurant's fault that Alicia had exacted her pound of flesh.



Emily almost pushed Bobbie down to get to Parker before they left. The tennis player had not looked in her direction and Emily was surprised into inaction for a moment when she saw that Parker was with Gary instead of with a date. For weeks she had convinced herself that Parker had moved on and had tried her best to try and deal with the fact their little summer fling was just that. One nice evening that would turn into nothing.



There was a couple getting out of a cab when they walked out and Gary held the door for Parker. He saw the person run out of the shadows when he turned around to tell Parker to hurry. The distance between them prevented him from doing anything but watch helplessly, but the shocked look on his face made Parker turn.



A dark blue ski mask covered his face but the large hunting knife in his hand was very visible. All she heard before the pain bloomed was, "Death to those who go against God."



Parker held the assailant's hand with the knife in it by the wrist, it was the only reason it prevented the wicked looking blade from going in all the way and causing more severe damage. From where Gary stood he could see the red stain commingling with the purple of the wine on Parker's shirt and jacket. Before he could get his feet to move the attacker ran back into the alleyway and out of sight.



The cut was almost in the middle of her chest as if the guy with the knife was aiming for her heart and it was deep enough that blood ran through the fingers of Parker's hand she had pressed to her chest. The inane thought of not being anemic crossed Parker's mind as she saw how dark her blood was against the white of her shirt.



"I'm thinking maybe some tapioca pudding from the hospital is in order, Gary. And take a note down for me as a reminder, to never accept a dinner invitation from you again. You are like a walking magnet for disaster when it comes to me and women," teased Parker.



Her voice shocked Gary into moving and helping Parker into the cab. Emily walked out just in time to see Parker's grimace as she bent to get into the vehicle; the blood covering her hand was visible to her in the light outside the restaurant. The tennis player and her manager never saw Emily, as she stood frozen in the entrance to the restaurant.



************************************************************************



"It's not fatal, that's the good news. The bad news is that I'm going to have to put in a minimum of six stitches to close the cut." The emergency room doctor had cleaned the wound and was in the process of deadening the area before he started his suturing as he gave them his diagnosis. He was still giving thanks to any deity that happened to be listening for being at the desk when Gary walked in with a pale Parker.



"Will it affect my play?" asked Parker.



"Well, Ms. King, I wouldn't recommend playing at least until these come out."



"You are kidding right? I haven't busted my ass all summer to watch the U.S. Open from my hotel room." Parker was about to get up and walk out in search of another hospital if the guy's answers didn't change.



"No, one pull from playing tennis and these babies I'm about to put in could rip. I would advise against playing until you are healed."



"Parker, could you just lie there until the nice doctor is finished? The tournament isn't for another two weeks, we'll be fine." Gary was busy studying the bulletin board in the room in an effort to keep his eyes off Parker's bloody chest, and the wicked looking slice running along her ribcage on her left side. The police had been called, but without a description of the attacker they were at a loss as to were to begin.



"These are going to take longer than that to come out," the doctor added as he probed the area with his fingers trying to decide if it was all right to proceed.



"Just start sewing and let's get this over with." Parker wasn't about to argue her playing capabilities with some guy she had just met who looked like the ink on his diploma was still wet.



"I really enjoyed your play at Wimbledon this year." The ER doctor started suturing when the local he had administered had taken effect. The last person he had expected to see during his shift was Parker King.



"Doc, don't take this the wrong way ok, but more suturing and less talking would be good. I appreciate what you said but I really would like to go back to my room and lie down. Religious zealots with large knives do that to me, so please forgive me if I'm being rude." Parker just watched after that as the young attendant placed ten small neat stitches in her chest. She had put the attack out of her mind as she buttoned her stained shirt back up and concentrated instead on seeing Emily again.



Small world indeed, Captain. What were the odds of sharing her morning run with the woman Emily was now sleeping with? Parker's gracious acceptance of the woman's good wishes that morning was polite, but did not invite any further invitation for a long conversation. She wondered now if the knowledge she had now would have changed that since she had felt the tall blonde's presence running just behind her for almost the two hours she was out there. I wonder if Emily told her that she knows me? Parker figured they were having a good laugh at her expense now.



"Ready?"



"What, I'm sorry?" Parker finished dressing and looked up to a worried Gary.



"Are you ready?"



"Yeah, let's go. Doc, thanks for the great service. If you need tickets just let Gary know and he'll set you up," said Parker shaking hands the man and signing a few autographs for the nurses before leaving.



The next morning Parker woke up with a throbbing pain in her chest and someone banging on the door of her room. "Gary, we are going to have to talk about these accommodations, man." Parker grumbled to herself as she got up and opened the drapes so she could find her robe. With an impatient yank, she opened the door pulling her stitches a bit. "What?"



"You royal bitch." More than one guest was standing at their door so they could watch Alicia scream at Parker having been awakened by the pounding. The tennis player smiled and waved to one young woman standing at her door in just a t-shirt and a smile of her own.



"To what do I owe this pleasure to this morning, sweetheart?"



"Don't sweetheart me, you bitch, how could you?" Alicia slammed the tabloid she had rolled up into Parker's chest before walking passed her into the room. "Oh my God, I'm sorry, Park." The small singer went back to help Parker back into the room since she was doubled over in pain. "Are you all right?"



"Yes, but if you insist on hitting me any more this morning, I will be forced to ask you to leave." Parker leaned on her former lover and walked over to the chairs by the windows. She could understand why the woman was upset with her, but after the wine incident from the night before Parker thought the temperamental artist had gotten it out of her system.



"Come on, Park, you know I didn't mean it but I saw that trash this morning and I was upset." The news rag Alicia had brought with her was lying unforgotten by the door. Alicia went over and picked it up handing it to Parker. When she unfurled it, Parker felt like she had been hit for the second time that day.



The headlines read 'Lovers' Quarrel Lands Player in Hospital and Singer in Jail.' The picture underneath it was of Parker and Gary leaving the ER the night before. The photographer had gotten a great shot of her wine and blood stained clothes as they stepped through the door of the emergency department.



"Come on, sweetheart, people aren't going to believe this garbage." Parker smiled and held her hand out to Alicia. She let out a small chuckle when all Alicia did was cross her arms over her chest and tap her foot.



"I am many things, Parker King, but easy isn't one of them." Despite her words, Alicia moved closer to Parker but stayed out of reach.



"I don't think you're easy, just like I don't think you are a rabid ex-lover who stabbed me." Parker held her hand out again and this time Alicia took her up on the invitation. She sat in Parker's lap getting reacquainted with how great Parker felt.



"You hurt my feelings."



"I'm sorry. You're right, I'm a bitch. I was heading home for the summer and I figured that's not how you wanted to spend yours so I bailed. I'm just a tennis bum with a couple of good years left if I'm lucky, while you have years in the limelight. This was my way of helping you out."



Alicia let out a laugh of her own for the lame explanation before standing up and pulling the tie of Parker's robe open. She dropped to her knees and placed a gentle kiss on the swollen patch of skin that was help together by the black stitches. As her hands caressed the long legs at her sides, Alicia asked, "You know something, Parker?"



"What's that?"



"You're so full of shit." Alicia leaned forward again and bit down on an inviting nipple. She sucked at it until she heard Parker moan. "You know something else?"



It took Parker a moment to pick up the pieces of her brain that formed coherent speech before she could answer. She was betting that every guy and gay woman that had seen Alicia on stage would give their right arm to trade places with her right now. "What?"



"I happen to find that an adorable trait in you." Slowly Alicia rose from her knees and stood before a now aroused Parker. "You like what you see?" Parker nodded her head as Alicia raised her arms over her head and waited. This was the part where the beautiful scorned woman usually said 'too bad' and walked out she was guessing. Alicia surprised her by stripping off the tight pullover she had on followed by the jeans. With the slow sexy walk that drove her fans into a frenzy when she did it in her show, Alicia moved to the bed and laid down. "Then come on over here and see how much better it feels."



Parker hesitated. She wanted nothing more than to make Alicia happy, but it was only sex. Do I want to continue to go after relationships I know won't last? She liked Alicia but there was no chance for love. Alicia saw the uncertainty that clouded Parker's face and helped her out.



"No strings attached, lover, none at all. Call it pity sex since you're hurt."



"It's the least you can do since you stabbed me and all." Parker threw the paper toward the bed getting Alicia to laugh. When she got up and dropped the robe, Alicia sighed.



"You're a bitch, but goddamn if you aren't the best looking one I've ever laid eyes on." The wetness between the singer's legs doubled when she felt Parker's skin cover her own when the tennis player laid down and covered her. I'll make it harder to walk away this time, Parker. Alicia couldn't believe how much she had missed this with Parker.



She had spent her summer moping through Europe until they finished the tour. This was the first thing on her to do list and it was working out perfectly. If getting Parker back into her life was as easy as getting her back into her bed, Alicia was planning on a ring for Christmas. It was the last thing that flew through her mind as Parker put her hands to good use.



Continued in Chapter 5




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by Ali Vali

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