Page 13 of Scandalous Whispers (Alpha Billionaire #28)

HALEY

T he dream was so real, bees swarming my head as I swatted at them.

I wore a floppy bonnet meant for shading my face from the sun, and it felt like a vice grip on my head.

I struggled to move until I was startled awake by something.

There were no bees and no hat. Just the blankets wrapped around my forehead and the hum of my cellphone somewhere in the vicinity of my feet.

I pried my eyes open, remembering I was at Parker’s mansion.

I’d have said it was a house, except the place was more the size of a hotel than a normal home.

I’d been flabbergasted at the expensive décor, but he’d put me at ease and made me feel at home.

Then we’d had the most amazing sex, and I passed out while he held me.

Now, waking up, I felt his hand resting on my naked hip and heard his soft snores.

The phone stopped ringing, so I tried to relax for a moment.

My eyes weren’t adjusted to the light peeking between the drapes.

I could tell the sun was up, but I couldn’t see a clock to know what time it was.

I yawned, stretching my arms over my head.

My back arched beneath the blankets, and Parker’s hand slipped from my side.

He tossed, turning away from me, and I peeked over the edge of the bed to see my clothing strewn on the floor where we’d tossed it last night.

Again I heard the familiar buzzing of my phone’s vibration as it came to life.

I could see a hint of light through the fabric of my pants and sighed.

I really didn’t want to answer my phone and leave the warmth of the bed.

But if I ignored it, they’d likely just keep calling.

And if I answered but stayed in bed, I’d wake Parker—a drawback of sleeping in the same bed as someone.

So I slid out from beneath the covers, the chill of the late March morning kissing my skin and causing gooseflesh to appear.

My nipples hardened, and I searched for my shirt, but finding nothing, I opted to snatch my phone up and hurry to the bathroom without it.

As I hurriedly tiptoed to the facilities, I peeked at my phone’s caller ID.

It was Dr. Elizabeth James, my former professor and current mentor.

She always had the worst timing for her calls.

The phone clock told me it was only around 7:15 a.m.

I peeked over my shoulder and saw Parker still sound asleep, so I shut myself into the bathroom and answered the phone, finding a towel to wrap around my chilly body.

“Hey, Dr. James. Good morning.”

“Haley, I’ve been calling for almost fifteen minutes straight. You really should be an earlier riser, you know? Early bird gets the worm, and all that.” Her chipper voice told me she’d been up for hours and probably had a full pot of coffee in her by now.

I chuckled softly. “Yes, I know you think that, but I deserve one day a week to sleep past six a.m. I’m still in my twenties.

I’ll be an early riser when I hit thirty.

I promise.” It was a conversation we’d had before, and I understood her zeal for making the most of the daylight hours, but I was more of a night owl, staying up far past the time others usually turned in.

“Well, listen, I need to tell you this before I take off later today. I’m headed to Los Angeles.

There is a great opportunity at the Global Gazette , working for Richard Lee.

Their international news department needs an anchor journalist, someone to consistently present the most gripping headlines.

I’ve put your name in the hat. In fact, I dropped it in there more than two weeks ago.

They’ve shortlisted you, and I’m ready to speak on your behalf. ”

The Global Gazette ? My heart soared and sank at the same time.

I’d heard Parker call Richard Lee a slew of horrible names at times and knew they were rivals.

But working at Global would put my career on a fast track to be a Pulitzer winner for sure.

I bit my lip, not knowing whether to thank Dr. James or panic.

“Hello? Are you there? You didn’t fall asleep, did you?” I heard her tap on the phone and jerked back to reality.

“No, no… I didn’t fall asleep. I’m speechless. I can’t believe you’d put my name in for that. When do they need someone to start?” I chewed my fingernail, disregarding the fresh manicure.

“Well, they didn’t say, but I heard it’s sort of pressing.

I think they will select someone in a month or less, but sometimes it takes a few months.

I’m going to be in LA for a few weeks anyway, family business, and I told them I’d stop by for a personal reference.

” Dr. James had won three Pulitzer prizes in her career, and now at almost seventy years old, she had put her faith in me.

She was recognized globally for her work in covering humanitarian crises and war campaigns.

She wanted me to follow in her footsteps, so this chance, and her backing me, was literally career making.

“And do you have any idea whether they will help with relocation? What’s the salary?”

“Oh, dear. You don’t ask what the salary is. Please tell me you will not ask that. They will pay you more than triple what you’re making at The Vine , but when you make it about the numbers before you even get the job, you sink your chances.” She sighed. “Have I taught you nothing?”

“I’m sorry.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and mustered my courage. “But do you really think I’d be a good fit? I mean I have a great thing here in Chicago. The only reason I got this job was because you were my mentor. Everyone knows you. I got in on your merit.”

“And you’ve been a smashing success, but kid, this is the big leagues.

If you want to go places, you go when the door opens.

You’re twenty-four years old. Do you know how many Pulitzer winners were younger than twenty-five?

You’re knocking on fate’s door, honey, and fate is opening up.

I’m going to push for a remote interview, but be prepared to fly to LA on short notice if you get a call for an interview. ”

I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.

“Of course.” I had a lot to think about.

Parker and I were just starting a relationship and it was something I wanted so badly.

The problem was, I also wanted my career to take off, and despite the raise and promotion I’d received at The Vine , I knew it wasn’t enough.

The Vine didn’t have the reach that Global had.

It was a mere stepping stone to something greater.

“I’ll call you tomorrow, dear, after I’ve settled into my hotel. It seems you’re still a big groggy. We're still on for that luncheon on the fourteenth?”

“Oh, uh, of course we are. Thank you, Dr. James, for being so kind as to submit my name for consideration. I appreciate everything you do for me.”

“Say nothing of it. Just rest up. If you get the job, you report to work at four a.m. daily.” I could hear the sarcasm in her voice and rolled my eyes.

“Thank you again, Dr. James.”

“Goodbye, Haley.”

She hung up, and I sat there speechless for a moment.

Her timing was awful. How could I tell Parker I was up for a job working with his enemy?

Right after we agreed that we wanted a relationship.

He’d never speak to me again. I’d be giving up my job here and my relationship with him in the same fell swoop.

I sighed heavily and stood, holding the towel around myself as I plodded across the room and back to bed.

I let the towel drop to the floor next to the bed and slid under the covers, laying my phone on the nightstand.

Parker surprised me by turning and pulling me into his chest. I felt his morning wood press into my thigh.

“Early morning phone call?” he asked, kissing my shoulder.

“My mentor, Dr. James. Sometimes, she calls this early. It’s annoying, but she is incredible and I’m lucky to have her.” I ran my hand through his hair and turned on my side to face him, draping my left leg over his hips.

“What did the great Dr. James have to say?” he asked. He pulled me against his body harder, crushing my breasts between us.

“Nothing that important. She’s going to call back tomorrow.” I hated hiding things from him, but now was not the time for that discussion.

“Good, I want breakfast.” Parker bit my collarbone and scooted beneath the blanket, finding my nipple and sucking on it.

“You mean like muffins and bacon?” I snickered as his kisses trailed over my stomach and lower toward my mound.

“I mean like tacos… Wonder if they’re as good for breakfast as they were for a midnight snack.”

I closed my eyes and enjoyed his soft massaging and kissing, but I had to force away the thought of leaving him for a job two thousand miles away.

I didn’t want to leave him. I just found him.

But I also didn’t want to stay stuck in a career move that I would regret later on.

Global was everyone’s dream, so the man whose mouth was pleasuring my secret places right now was a definite roadblock.