A/N: This might sound ridiculous, but I am literally finishing up this chapter and writing this note as my lady and I are driving into Vegas. Very soon, I will be poolside with a drink in my hand and the sun on my skin. Wish me luck once we get to the casino! ;) All winnings will be put towards buying you all a drink.

Thank you all for being the best reviewers on FF and for not yelling at me too much for my disappearance over the last few weeks. This chapter is for all of you and for a lovely lady who is 30 minutes outside of London by train.

Chapter 25

The door clicked shut behind Naomi as she watched Emily hang her jacket on the rack, even in heels she had to stand on her tiptoes to reach the hook. Naomi couldn't help but crack a smile as she took off her own coat, easily hanging it next to Emily's.

"Do you want tea or something?" Emily gave Naomi a quick glance and crossed over to the kitchen as if they hadn't just been making out in the dark, pressed up against each other with their hands gripping onto hot skin.

Naomi blinked a few times when she noticed that Emily was staring back at her from behind the counter, waiting for a reply. "Uh, yeah. Tea. Fine. Thank you." Naomi had to stop letting her mind wander off like that, but she was finding it harder and harder to stay focused when all she could think about was the next time Emily's lips would be on hers. She decided that standing in the middle of the living room like a lump would only make it more difficult. "I'll help." She needed to be closer.

Emily flicked on the kettle as Naomi approached her in the kitchen, her dark brown eyes flitting from the blonde's eyes to her lips to her cleavage and back again. Naomi wasn't the only one whose mind was unable to remain on track. Emily licked her lips as the space between them became less and less. "You don't have to help...if you don't want to." Emily's dark brown eyes were searching the bright blue ones in front of her.

Naomi took another step towards the redhead and let her eyes take in all there was to see. At this point, she didn't see a reason to hide it. "I want to."

Naomi reached out to take hold of Emily's thin waist, but just as her hands made contact with her silky dress, Emily turned her back on Naomi and opened the top cupboard. "If you wouldn't mind grabbing some mugs then." She pressed her back against Naomi and placed her hands on the counter top.

Naomi's eyes closed as she felt Emily's body on hers again, her hands lightly traveling up Emily's sides, across her ribcage, to her shoulders. Naomi had to watch as her fingertips grazed over Emily's vibrant half-sleeve tattoo. It fascinated her and she knew that she'd never grow tired of gazing at it. She noticed something different about it each time she had the chance to really study it without feeling self-conscious.

She wanted to know all about it, why Emily had picked it, what it meant, if it was a real place or just imagined. She wanted Emily to tell her everything; she thought that perhaps, maybe, Emily already had. Naomi was sure there were loads of things that they had discussed on that night they met, things that she couldn't remember. It was what stopped her from asking, hoping that what she craved to know about the redhead would just come up in conversation on its own.

Naomi's long fingers made their way down the rest of Emily's arms and found the backs of her hands, their fingers lacing together as the kettle started to make a low rumbling sound next to them. "Weren't you supposed to be using your height advantage to get us some mugs?" Emily tilted her head back and to the side to look up into Naomi's eyes.

"I do recall that request being made, however…." Naomi wrapped both sets of arms around Emily's tiny frame and leaned in closer to the smaller girl's ear. "I got distracted." Emily grinned and Naomi placed a gentle kiss on her bare shoulder. Naomi untangled her right hand and reached into the cupboard, placing two bright yellow mugs in front of them.

The kettle had reached its boiling point and started on with its high-pitched whistle. Emily wiggled her left hand free and turned off the burner. She grabbed the box of tea bags from its place next to the stove and proceeded to flip open the top, one-handed, and place a bag in each cup.

Naomi reached for the sugar bowl, which was almost out of reach, but managed to grab it without having to disrupt their embrace. If she weren't so completely entranced by the feeling of Emily's backside against her frontside, Naomi would have thought the entire scene was outrageously counterproductive.

As Emily slowly poured the boiling water into the first cup, Naomi scooped out a heaping spoon full of sugar and held it at the ready. "How many for you, Ems?"

"None for me, thanks." She filled up the second cup. "But I know you'll more than make up for it with your four and a half." Emily smiled up at the blonde, but her smile was not returned.

Naomi was relieved when Emily turned away to place the kettle back on the burner. She knows how I take my tea. The blonde could feel that she had a strange look on her face and quickly replaced it with a forced smile. She let her arm fall away from Emily's waist as her cup was handed to her.

"It's really hot so give it a minute." Emily brought her mug up to her lips and blew on the top, making the steam drift towards Naomi. "Shall we sit?"

Naomi nodded and followed Emily to the couch. Emily sat down first, just past the middle cushion, an expectant smirk playing on her lips, and watched as Naomi sat down in the armchair next to the couch. Now it was the redhead who had a strange expression on her face.

Naomi who was concentrating intently on her cup of tea missed the look. Emily placed her mug on the coffee table and shook her head in disbelief just slightly as her smile returned. So fucking adorable…and clueless.

Emily grabbed the remote and turned on her iPod dock. Before Naomi had arrived to pick her up, she had selected her recently complied playlist entitled Blue, wanting it ready for their return. There were clean sheets on the bed as well, but Emily wasn't going to get her hopes up, especially given the fact that Naomi had chosen to sit as far away from her as possible.

As the music filled the room, Emily took hold of her mug and settled back on the couch. She glanced over at Naomi, who was already looking at her and they exchanged tight smiles. A moment passed and they both took sips of their tea.

"Mind if I use the facilities?"

Emily's eyebrows shot up, but she quickly pulled them back down as she answered Naomi's question. "Of course, yeah. Just through that door, you know." Emily gestured towards the only other door in her flat that wasn't the front door or her bedroom door even though she knew that Naomi knew which one it was.

"Thanks." Naomi placed her tea on the table as she got up and crossed to the bathroom door. She let out a strangled breath as it closed behind her.

"Naomikins!"

"Cook. Cook. It's me. Listen." Naomi had her phone to her ear, her other hand covering her mouth and the receiver to muffle her whispered words. "I'm in the loo. We came back to Emily's."

"Top, man. Gettin' to it then, yeah?" Cook grinned widely.

"No. Just listen. I'm freaking out a bit."

"What? What's happened?" Cook's face showed his concern.

"Nothing. I mean, we kissed and now we're having tea, but she knew how many sugars and I can't remember telling her that and I can't just keep pretending that it's fine because it's not fine." Naomi tried to keep her voice low. She was glad that Cook had the night off, otherwise she'd be shouting over the noise of Keith's Pub.

"Whoa, whoa, Naomikins. Take a breath. Everything's gonna be alright, yeah?"

Naomi did as instructed and took a deep breath.

"Remember what I told you this afternoon? Number one. Just be cool."

Naomi exhaled and repeated after him. "Just be cool."

"Number two. Touch her."

"Cook! We don't need to go through this again. It's Emily." Naomi glanced over at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes locked onto the one thing that still surprised her every time she saw it. She slowly turned the phone away from her ear, the sound of Cook's voice becoming fainter as he said something about pupils and dilation.

Naomi lowered the phone from her ear, turning her wrist up so she could see it better. My E. She touched her tattoo with her fingertips.

"Naomi?" Cook's voice came through the phone and snapped Naomi out of her trance. "Naomi, you still there?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Thanks. I'm good. Gotta go." Naomi ended the call and shoved her phone back into her pocket. She gave herself one last glance in the mirror and took a steadying breath.

Emily was flipping through her records when she heard the bathroom door open. She kept her eyes focused on the thin spins of the covers in front of her, not wanting to see the look on Naomi's face when the blonde inevitably made her excuses as to why she had to leave.

"I'm sorry, Emily."

Emily closed her eyes and held them shut for a few seconds before she opened them and turned to face Naomi. Here it comes.

"But...how did you know that I take exactly four and a half spoons of sugar?" Naomi stood there, looking straight into Emily's eyes, finally asking her something she really wanted to and not being afraid of the answer.

Emily swallowed and blinked a few times before she found the words to answer Naomi's question. "We had tea, you and me, the night we met. We came back here after you got your tattoo and I...I guess the number just stuck because, really." Emily gave her a half smile and glanced down at Naomi's wrist, breaking their eye contact. It was hard to speak with Naomi looking at her so openly. Emily had forgotten how intense her blue eyes could be when they weren't being hidden.

"I had a suspicion that that might be the case." Naomi took a step closer to Emily. "It bothers me, not remembering, and I've been letting it bother me and I've been shying away from really talking to you and getting to know you, because I'm afraid to look foolish and make you repeat things that perhaps you've already told me. I'm still mortified about not knowing that you're in school." Naomi looked down at her hands.

Emily reached out and took them in her own. "That's just because Katie was such a bitch about it. I wouldn't have made you feel bad for not remembering."

"I know that." Naomi's eyes were on Emily's again. "I know you wouldn't and you haven't at all."

"Then why were you just in the loo on the phone with Cook in a panic over sugar?" The corner of Emily's mouth turned up into a smirk.

"So you heard that then?" Naomi scrunched up her face, while a smile fought its way across her lips.

"Just talk to me, Naomi. Just ask me things." Emily let go of the blonde's hands, reaching up to hold her face so she would be able to have her full attention. "I'd repeat myself a thousand times for you."

That was it. Naomi's lips came crashing into Emily's as she wrapped her arms around the redhead and pulled her in. With their bodies pressed tightly together, they kissed frantically, only parting their lips to take in gasps of air.

Naomi used her body to push Emily backwards, walking them towards the couch. She didn't stop until she felt Emily underneath her; it was so much fucking better with Emily underneath her. She moaned into Emily's mouth and kissed her harder.

Emily grabbed at Naomi's back, her fingertips digging into the material of her shirt. "Fuck." Emily let her head fall to the side as her neck was devoured by Naomi's wet mouth and tongue. "You feel so good." It was true and yet, Emily was fully aware of how much better it could feel.

With just one shift of the redhead's hips, Naomi's thigh dropped down in between Emily's. There wasn't enough willpower in the world to prevent her from grinding into Naomi just once, just to see if it felt as good as Emily had imagined it would. "Oh fuck." It felt so much better.

Thankfully, Naomi's overactive brain had suffered a complete meltdown when Emily moaned out that deep, raspy, sex-filled "Oh fuck" directly into her ear as she pushed herself against Naomi's thigh. It was for the best, really. Naomi had no intention of using her brain for the rest of the evening anyway.

Naomi kissed down Emily's neck to her collarbone then back up over her throat and jaw until their lips were reunited. She noticed that their kissing felt different now; Emily's lips were incredibly wet against hers and their breathing shallow. She pulled back to see Emily's face.

Her brown eyes were almost completely black and she was looking back at Naomi with absolute lust. Naomi wondered if she looked the same way; she hoped she did so Emily would know how much she wanted her. Cook was right, of course he was.

Feeling a bit brave, Naomi bit her bottom lip and pushed her hips into Emily. The reaction she got almost made her heart stop. Emily's eyes rolled back before she closed them tightly, biting her own lip to suppress a whimper. More than pleased by Emily's response, Naomi did it again. This time Emily let out a throaty moan that must have surprised her too, because her dark eyes shot open and her hands found Naomi's blonde hair, pulling her down to reconnect their lips and gasping out, "Kiss me," just as Naomi's mouth covered her own.

As they kissed, Naomi started a rhythm against Emily's body, mirroring the beat of the music playing over the speakers. The memory of Emily and her dancing together at the club flew through her mind and she increased the pressure.

Emily's hands left blonde hair and traveled down Naomi's back, landing on her hips, feeling them move in time. Her strong hands gripped onto them and pulled down as Emily lifted her knee slightly, making direct contact with Naomi's center. Now it was Naomi's turn to moan, as their bodies worked together.

Naomi loved the way Emily was pulling on her hips and forcefully pushing her tongue against her own. She felt a wave of heat wash over her body suddenly; she was wet and throbbing and about to lose control.

"Fuck." Naomi pulled away from Emily's lips, her eyes wide, almost pleading, as she bit her lip and slowed her movements.

"What?"

Naomi gulped and closed her eyes as she exhaled. "Nothing, I just need to catch my breath, I think."

Emily could feel Naomi's heart pounding wildly against her chest, her cheeks were flushed and her lips were red. She looked more beautiful than Emily had ever seen her. "Yeah, me too."

"…and a cold shower."

Emily let out a low chuckle. "Oh yeah?"

Naomi pushed herself up and off of Emily. She couldn't help but notice the way Emily's already short dress had ridden up and blushed when Emily caught her looking.

"See something you like?" Emily propped herself up on her elbows.

Naomi grinned. "Yes…very much."

Yep, I am a tease. :) DEAL WITH IT!

We are expecting at least an eight hour drive home tomorrow…so we'll see what happens. I promise not to keep you all waiting for so long again.

The review button WILL work this time, so use it…please.