I enjoyed the way she clawed at my shoulders, then yanked my hair, as if begging me for more. I gave it to her, pushing my fingers into her pussy and feeling the rough patch, inflamed and screaming for attention. With calculated movements, I massaged her while sucking her clit. Her strong muscles clenched around me, and her shudders shook the bed as a climax crashed into her, forcing her to convulse.
“Oh, God,” she moaned out, now digging her sharp fingernails into my shoulders. I endured, knowing she was in complete ecstasy, and continued working her pussy until she calmed.
As I straightened, I tore open the condom wrapper and tossed it aside, then rolled it on. She lay limp, eyes shut, not watching me. But as I positioned myself between her legs, ready to slide into her, she opened her eyes and grinned. “That was incredible. Do it again.”
I thrust in, feeling her heat wrap around me. The way her pussy squeezed me felt incredible. It was like she gripped me on purpose. I growled and lowered myself until our bodies touched, and she bit my chest.
“Wow… your dick is huge.” She panted, pulling at my hips as I pushed into her.
“Yeah, I bet you’ll like it even more if you wrap your legs around my body.” I nibbled her ear, breathing heavily, and she did as I told her. Her legs gripped my hips, making her pelvis rock upward so I could go deeper, and she took my full length. I drove into her harder, drawing whimpers of pleasure from her lips.
“Oh, God, you’re going to make me come again,” she groaned.
I was enjoying it too much to speak. I gritted my teeth and sucked in a huge breath as her pussy clamped down around my cock. Her second orgasm was powerful, her body fighting to expel me as I shoved into her. It made the sensations even more intense, and I felt the pressure in my groin grow to critical mass. My body released, dumping its load and filling the sleeve. I wished I could feel her skin around me, but I respected her too much to disregard her wishes.
I kissed her hard, sliding in and out of her as the pulsing in my dick slowed and her body relaxed beneath me. I had meant what I said. I was the boss, and if anyone had a problem with me and Haley seeing each other, they could leave. Present company excluded. She was mine now, and I wasn’t going to let anything or anyone come between us.
13
HALEY
The 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 Ipeeked 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 attheGlobal 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.”
TheGlobal 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 atThe 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 atThe Vine, I knew it wasn’t enough.The Vinedidn’t have the reach that Global had. It was a mere stepping stone to something greater.
