"Thanks for coming out for all my games so far. It means a lot to me to look up and see you sitting up in the stands." Parker spoke softly and pulled Emily closer. The compact body loaded with curves felt so good pressed up against her that Parker couldn't help but let her hands roam a little. Emily was so physically beautiful she reminded Parker of a line she had read in a book. "She had an hour glass figure with an extra thirty minutes tacked on for kicks." Or something like that, now I know what he meant. The thought ran through Parker's mind as her hand came to rest on Emily's backside.
Emily's mouth curled up in a smile after hearing what Parker had said. It was sweet considering the amount of people around the globe glued to their televisions so they could watch Parker play, that it'd be Emily the pro was the most excited to have there. "Not more than it means to me to be there to watch you play. In a way it's kind of strange." The long body under Emily's jiggled her a bit when she laughed.
"Strange?"
"Not strange as in bizarre, sweetie. Strange as in seeing someone who does something for a living that other people want to go see and cheer on. Does that make sense to you?"
"I've never thought of it that way."
"I'm not complaining, it's nice looking down and watching you do something you love. I love flying, but I don't have a fan club, and my naked butt isn't on a bill board at Time Square." Emily kissed the patch of skin under her lips wishing the tournament was over so Parker could relax for a couple of weeks.
"Don't be so sure about that, I'm a big fan of yours, and if you want I can have Nick talk to Nike. I've seen your butt, and it definitely competes with mine any day at Time Square."
"I don't know why you'd be a fan of mine. I almost got you killed today." Emily moved up a little and pressed her fingers against Parker's mouth to stop the protest that was coming. "You know I'm right. Crazy wouldn't have tried to kill you if it wasn't for me."
Parker opened her mouth and nipped at Emily's fingers getting her to laugh and forget about the mood the smaller woman was falling into. "I'd want to kill someone too if they stole you away from me, Em. You're so special, and I love you so much," the fingers came back to stop Parker again as a blush colored Emily's face.
The thought of what could have happened to Parker flooded through Emily's brain again like a nightmare and she released a sob from deep in her chest. When Gail's knife had sliced into Parker's bag, in that one second of violence Emily realized she had fallen so in love with her it would have killed her to see Parker hurt. What a tragedy would it have been to know that in one instant, then have it torn away from you in the next heartbeat?
"You didn't steal me away from anyone, Parker. I tried, I really did but all the fighting and drinking wore me down. That night Gail scared me out on those dunes and I've never been able to forget the look on her face as she fought herself not to hurt me. Now she's tried to hurt you," Emily's tears fell in earnest at the admission.
"Hey, Em, it's ok. We are fine and Gail can't hurt us anymore. Come on now, it's going to be fine." Parker gathered the crying woman into her arms and just held her as she talked. "Want to hear what I figured out today?" The blonde head nodded against her chest as the crying slowed and was replaced by hiccups.
"I was playing today and Marsha was kicking my ass, gloating the whole time and for a while there I was thinking I was going to lose to America's sweetheart." Emily looked up from Parker's chest interested in where this story was going. "Last year that thought would have pissed me off because of the work that goes into preparing for a tournament like the Open, but this year I figured you wouldn't think any less of me if I lost so it didn't matter as much. I looked up there and saw you biting your thumbnail and it hit me."
"What did, sweetheart?"
"I love you, Emily. Don't get me wrong, I don't think of you as a trophy, but if I could win your heart, I could never win another game of tennis and it wouldn't matter." In books someone confesses love and the girl gives them a huge kiss, she doesn't break down like her dog just died, thought Parker as Emily started sobbing into her chest again.
"You could tell me that a million times a day and I'll never get tired of hearing it." Parker used the bottom of her t-shirt to wipe Emily's face dry after she got her confession out through her tears.
"Enough tears for one night, cute stuff. Let's get some sleep so you won't be tired at work tomorrow. Where're you headed in the morning?"
"A morning flight to Houston then Dallas, where I'll get to cool my jets for three hours before heading back. I took the shitty schedule this time so I could get off to watch the rest of your matches." Parker rolled them over so she could tuck the blankest around Emily's body. After a gentle kiss, Parker spooned around behind her and relaxed.
"How am I going to sleep when you go back to Florida?" Emily asked putting her hand over the one Parker had rested on her abdomen under her nightgown.
"That's easy, I'm not going back to Florida. At least not without you." Emily smiled in the dark at the answer and pulled Parker's hand up between her breasts. Behind her Parker smiled as well knowing that the answer had put to rest some of the demons in Emily's mind.
************************************************************************
"Sir, we found this in one of the drawers in the desk located in the study. We also bagged numerous newspaper articles on Ms. King and her playing schedule." The uniformed policeman handed the senior detective a bag with a letter in it. The note in the plastic sheaf was like many of the others Parker had received explaining her death because she was an abomination to God.
"This doesn't make any sense." Logan Sully muttered in a low voice after reading the note for the third time. He had listened to Parker's explanation of how she knew Gail and why the broker had attacked her.
"Why not, sir?" One of the officers that had accompanied Logan to search Gail's apartment asked.
"Because she attacked Parker King because the woman stole her girlfriend. Don't you think that would make Ms. Ingles an abomination to God as well? This time there was no threat spoken during the attack." Logan continued when the two policemen looked like they weren't following what he was saying. "Outside the restaurant, Gail Ingles runs up to Parker King and stabs her. But before she does, she say's 'Death to those who go against God,' or something to that effect. Two weeks later she does the same thing, only this time in broad daylight but dressed the same using the same weapon. I don't think the same person did this, but where did the Ingles woman get this note. If you compare it to all the others Parker King's coach showed me, I'd be willing to bet my paycheck they match."
"I'm thinking the bitch is crazy, boss. More crazy now than she was two weeks ago. The head shrinkers call that spiraling mental illness."