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

to my true feelings.” I reached my hand over toward his. “I wasn’t running from you. I was running from my feelings for you,” I admitted. “It was all happening so fast and it scared me. I’ve never been dependent on someone before. I’ve only ever had to look out for myself. Relationships aren’t easy for me, Oliver. They never have been.”
    “You should have told me.” He traced the top of my hand with his fingertips. “All these months that have been wasted. I’ve been going out of my mind trying to find you, Jade.”
    “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
    “I know,” he sighed. “I’m starting to see that now.”
    After our dinner, we shared a dessert again. He said he wasn’t that hungry, but I figured it had more to do with being able to feed me the delicious ice cream from his own spoon than anything else.
    “You’ve been watching my mouth the entire night,” I giggled as he fed me the last spoonful of ice cream.
    “I have?” he teased, licking his lips. “You do have mesmerizing lips.”
    “They can’t be that good. You haven’t even tried to kiss me properly since I’ve been back,” I challenged, raising my eyebrows.
    “All in good time,” he breathed, looking down at his watch. “Did you want anything else? Coffee? More ice cream?”
    “I’m good, thanks.”
    “I have some bad news before we go any further tonight.” I knew what was coming and braced myself. I’d been wondering when he would bring up his trip to Russia. “I’m leaving for Russia this weekend. I’ll be gone for two weeks.”
    “What?” I gasped. “You’re going away for two weeks and you only decided to tell me this now?”
    “It was never the right time. I can’t get out of it, Jade. It’s a really important trip.”
    “Two weeks is such a long time,” I moped, fiddling with the tablecloth.
    “If I could take you with me, I would, but my uncle will be there. It would just get too complicated and I need to focus.”
    “Oh, let me guess, your PA is going,” I glared, crossing my arms.
    “You really don’t like Alicia, do you?”
    “No,” I glared. “You don’t trust Brian, and I don’t trust her!”
    “Now you’re being ridiculous.”
    “I don’t think I am. So, are you cutting our dinner date short so you can get ready for Russia with your hot PA?”
    “Is she hot? I hadn’t really noticed.”
    “You can be such a jerk sometimes,” I glared, standing up quickly. I was becoming angry to elicit a reaction from him. I needed to know I was the one he wanted, not Alicia.
    “Where are you going?”
    “You can take me back to my hotel now. I wouldn’t want to make you late for your flight!”
    “It’s not until tomorrow afternoon,” he said, following me outside. “Jade, slow down.”
    “Do you know what I don’t get?” I snapped as I turned around to face him. “Why tell me you wanted to give us another try if you were going to Russia for two weeks?”
    “I didn’t want to wait. I needed to know where we stood before I went.”
    “I think it has more to do with you wanting to keep your distance from me,” I countered.
    “You really think that?” he asked, taking a step toward me.
    “I know I’m right. Oliver, you’ve barely touched me since I came back. You’ve never had this kind of control around me before.”
    “Jade, I’m keeping my distance because the moment I let go, I’ll be lost in you again.” His eyes grew darker as he pushed me against the side of his car.
    “Just let go,” I whispered. “What’s the worse that could happen?”
    “You could break my heart again,” he whispered, running his hands into my hair. “A man like me can’t be left vulnerable. I have to think about my business, too.”
    “I won’t do that again. You must see what you mean to me…how much I care.”
    “I thought you didn’t want to be controlled by your feelings?” he muttered, stroking my face with the back of his hand.
    “I lied. It’s my feelings