Free Hunger (Seductors #2) by B. L. Wilde Page B

pretty thorough; I had to give her some credit. She was good at one thing—research.
    By the time I’d gone through the list, I counted at least thirty names I’d have to investigate. This mission was almost impossible, but if anyone could do it, I could.
    I was checking through my emails when a knock came at my door. It was pretty late, so I wasn’t sure who would be coming to see me at this time of the night. Deep down, I knew the one face I wanted to see behind the door.
    As I opened my door to find Alicia standing on the other side, I sighed deeply. What was her problem?
    “What the hell do you want at this time?” I glared as she pushed past me, entering my bedroom.
    “Sonia wants a progress report from both of us. Have you checked your emails?”
    “Not in the last hour. I’ve been doing some research on the associates on that list you gave me.”
    “Did you find anything?”
    “No. I think you’ve covered all the possible candidates.”
    “Hopefully the trip to Russia will give me a few new leads. Oliver is meeting with several scientists. If only I knew what some of his code names were.”
    “Don’t think for a second that you have this mission, Alicia. Oliver and I have a bond that can’t be broken. He’s weakening each time we see each other.”
    “Two weeks is a long time,” she gloated, flicking her hair behind her shoulders.
    “You came here tonight just to gloat about being alone with him for two weeks, didn’t you?”
    “Yep,” she sneered. “And to do this progress report. Although, I have more to tell Sonia than you.” I could have risen to her comment, but I was too tired. I just wanted to get the damn report done so she would leave.
    “I’ll see you when I’m back from Russia,” Alicia called over her shoulder as she was leaving a while later. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Oliver.” I closed my door without a response. She was such a bitch. She seemed to forget one thing, though. I still had my dinner date with Oliver before Russia.
     

Chapter Six
     
    “You look beautiful, Jade,” Oliver grinned, opening his car door for me. I’d opted for a beautiful red dress with a lace trim tonight. It was elegant and sexy at the same time. I also knew he loved me in red.
    “No limo again?” I teased.
    “What can I say, I like driving you around.”
    “Where have you decided to take me for dinner, then?”
    “I thought we could do Italian again, if that’s okay. I know a small little restaurant that has the best pasta in town.”
    “That sounds good to me.”
    “How was your day?” he asked, pulling out into traffic. “Has Brian made anymore advances?”
    “I told you I can handle him,” I chuckled. “I didn’t see him much today, though. He’s heading out of town for a few days.”
    “Good,” Oliver muttered under his breath. “I meant what I said about him. Please be careful.” I nodded, turning to gaze out the window.  “I may sound like a broken record, but I care about you, Jade. That’s never changed.”
    “You don’t know how happy that makes me to hear that,” I sighed, turning so our eyes could meet.
    “Do you still care about me?”
    “What do you think?” I whispered, studying his face. “I know it’s hard for you to understand why I left without any warning, but I didn’t run for the reason you’re thinking.”
    “I put too much pressure on you. I get it now, but you could have talked to me about it, Jade. Running like that…”
    I was conflicted. Did I just lay my heart on the line and tell him how I really felt? If I wanted him to be thinking of me the entire time he was in Russia it was the only option, but was I ready to be that open with him? Luckily, we pulled up outside the restaurant before I had to answer.
    “Wow, this place is great,” I gasped, taking in the small candlelit table for two. It was so secluded, too.
    “Yeah, I figured this would be a good place for us to talk. It doesn’t get too noisy here, and you