by B. L. Wilde
“What about me?” Tom smirked. “I’m older than him.”
“Only by ten minutes—that doesn’t count,” Oliver replied breathlessly as Sam tried to struggle free.
“It’s wonderful to meet you, Jade. Oliver hasn’t shut up about you since you met,” Tom snorted as Sam finally broke away from Oliver’s grasp.
“So you two are identical twins?”
“Yep. We can wear our name badges this weekend, if you want,” Tom winked.
“Don’t fall for that, Jade,” Oliver muttered in my ear, wrapping his arms around my waist. “They’ll switch their badges just to mess with you.”
“Hey, don’t give our tricks away!” Tom glared.
“There is an easy way to tell them apart,” Oliver continued, smirking at me.
“Are you going to tell Jade about the birthmark on my butt?” Sam blurted out. Tom burst out into a fit of laughter before Claire walked up behind them.
“You’ll have to excuse my sons,” she tutted.
“You get used to them,” Oliver chuckled as Claire brought her hands up and smacked her boys in the back of their heads. Gazing at his family, I could see doing just that, and it made me realize just how lucky he was to have them.
Chapter Sixteen
Macon was a truly beautiful place. Oliver took me for a tour around his ‘hometown’ on Sunday when I was feeling better. Tom and Sam wanted to come with us, but he managed to persuade them into believing that it wasn’t a good idea. I had a feeling he didn’t want to share me with his cousins.
He was a web of knowledge as we wandered around, telling me all about the history of the town, as well as the famous faces that had been born here; they included Otis Redding, Little Richard, and Bill Berry, who I learned was the lead singer of REM.
His thoughtfulness continued as he took me to the Museum of Arts and Science. It was a perfect compromise—I had the art to look at while Oliver tried to explain some of the science to me.
“You’re a great tour guide,” I grinned as we were having lunch in the museum’s restaurant.
“My father and I came to this museum almost every weekend. I used to hang on his every word.”
“You’re really close to him, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Is it that obvious?” he asked solemnly.
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong with him before I meet him later?” I questioned. Richard and Claire would be bringing him home later this afternoon.
Oliver dropped his menu with a deep sigh, and I was hoping I hadn’t upset him; this afternoon had been amazing—one I would treasure forever. “You’re right. I should prepare you.”
“If you don’t want to talk about it…”
“No, it’s fine. You could even Google it if you wanted to—my father’s condition isn’t a secret. I should probably be the one to tell you, though.” I waited patiently for him to continue. “He has Alzheimer’s, Jade.”
It was times like these that I used to have to fake the waterworks, but just like everything with Oliver, the tears came naturally from the pain etched on his face.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, stretching over the table to take his hand in mine.
“He hardly recognizes me anymore. He’s been more confused than usual lately, which is why he was in the hospital. My uncle and I aren’t sure how much longer we can keep him at the mansion with us. Even with the live-in nurse, it’s becoming too dangerous. He needs constant supervision.”
“Couldn’t you bring in another nurse?”
“It has more to do with the mansion than anything. Richard wants to secure him in two rooms on the west side of the house, but I refuse to let my father be a prisoner in his own home,” he seethed, making me jump back at his sudden aggression. “Sorry,” he winced. “It’s not an easy subject for me. Parts of the house are triggers and they help him remember, so I don’t want to take that away from him.”
“You don’t have to apologize,” I soothed. “I can’t even begin to imagine the strain you must be under.”
“You have no idea how good it feels to have someone to talk to about this—other than my family.” I smiled back as he squeezed my hand. I wanted to comfort him more, but giving him false hope felt wrong. “Was your last boyfriend this open with you?” Whoa! That was a sudden change of subject.
“Umm…no,” I frowned, totally puzzled as to where he was going with this.
“What was his name again?”
“Who?”
“Your last boyfriend.” He really wanted to talk about Mario? Great, my favorite topic. Thank Christ I never actually dated him.
“Oh, Mario,” I sighed, running my hands through my hair, doing my best to look uncomfortable.
“He was an idiot to cheat on you.”
“I had a lucky escape. Mario wasn’t the man for me,” I stated, playing with my wine glass.
“And who is?” Oliver muttered, stretching out to take my hand.
“You already know the answer to that,” I smiled shyly.
“Are you deliberately trying to avoid the question?”
“Maybe we should think about heading back after lunch, you know…since your father is coming home,” I smirked. He nodded while grinning at me, completely unaware that I would probably be gone before his dad even made it home. Deep down, I wanted Oliver to be the man for me, but I had to remember it wasn’t me he was falling for. This was all a charade.
When we arrived back at the mansion, I would need to put my plan to copy the hard drive in motion. I couldn’t put it off any longer; it wasn’t fair to either of us.
Oliver’s aunt and uncle had already left by the time we returned.
“Mm…we have the mansion to ourselves. How about we make some memories in as many rooms as we can while we’re alone?” he suggested, pulling me into his arms in the hallway outside the master suite.
“What about the staff and your cousins?” I giggled, feeling him bite down on my neck.
“They’re all getting my father’s room ready.”
“I think I’d feel more comfortable in the master suite.” I gasped when his hands slipped into my panties while he stood behind me.
“Are you sure? We could start right up against this wall.” Oliver slowly sunk two fingers inside me and I had to suppress a moan.
“Shit!” I braced myself on the wall as he pulled them almost all the way out before thrusting them in again. I needed to wear him out so I could get inside his office, and letting him take me right here seemed like a good place to start.
“Do you like that? Anyone could find us here right now and see me playing with you.” His words made even more moisture pool between my legs. “Mm…I think you like it, Jade.” His other hand crept into my top, pulling the cups of my bra down. With both hands on the wall, I got lost in the feeling of his fingers sliding in and out of my sex while his other hand massaged my breasts.
When I fell into the abyss, Oliver was quick to turn me around and lift me up by my ass.
“That’s enough of the show, I think,” he teased, crashing his lips against mine. “What am I turning you into?” I giggled against his mouth, wrapping my legs tighter against his hips as he started to walk.
As soon as my back hit the mattress, Oliver’s hands were on me again, pulling at my dress. I sat up to make it easier for him, and the moment he pulled it over my head, I made quick work of the belt on his pants.
“You are becoming bolder, aren’t you?” he chuckled as I gazed up at him, unbuttoning his jeans next.
Oh, to hell with it. I could be a little bolder now, right? I had wanted to go crazy on that amazing cock of his since the moment we met. This was my last chance, so why the hell should I hold back?
Licking my lips, I pulled his jeans and boxers down at the same time. His length sprang free, and my mouth began to water at the sight of him.
I took Oliver deep in my throat before he could even register what was going on.
“Whoa…fuck, Jade,” Oliver grunted, try
ing to pull out of my mouth. His actions only spurred me on, making me suck harder to hold him in place.
I grabbed his butt cheeks, drawing him in deeper. Relaxing my throat, I took in his full length and swallowed around him a few times before pulling back out, running my tongue along his entire member.
“Holy shit!” He lost some of his control and grabbed my hair roughly. That’s right, Oliver. It’s my turn now. Grazing my teeth along his erection, I swirled my tongue around the tip before taking him deep into the back of my throat again. I continued this for a few minutes before quickening my pace. Cupping his balls, I squeezed gently and felt him begin to twitch.
“Jade…oh, God, Beautiful…stop…I’m going…to…” I gazed up at Oliver, watching him come undone above me as he shot his hot liquid into the back of my throat. I swallowed everything he gave me without hesitation; it wasn’t my favorite thing in the world, but the look of hunger in his eyes as he gazed down at me was worth it.
“I think you’re right. You are making me a little bolder.” I batted my eyelashes at him, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
He growled low in his chest before quickly pressing me against the mattress and pouncing on me.
“Where the hell did that come from?” he groaned, sliding in between my legs.
“I was showing you the desire I have for you.” I beamed up at him as he caressed my face.
“You’re amazing, do you know that?” I wanted to believe his words, but he wasn’t falling for me. I was Seductor. It was my job to make men fall in love with my character. However, this was the first time my heart beat frantically at my target’s words.
“I’m nothing special,” I giggled, pulling him down to my lips.
“You’re wrong,” he whispered. “You’ve bewitched me, Jade. So much so that I want you to move to New York and live with me. I’ve been thinking about it all day and I can’t hold back anymore. I can’t bear to be apart from you. I’m…in love with you, Jade. Please say you’ll consider it.”
My world shattered around his words. He made it all sound so perfect…so easy. I could even see it—Oliver and I living happily in New York—but it was a fantasy. If he knew the truth, if he knew who I really was, he wouldn’t even want to touch me.
“Jade?” He wiped my traitorous tears away as he watched me with troubled eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I whimpered, pulling him back down to my lips. “Just love me, Oliver…please,” I pleaded. He captured my lips and became lost in my body at the sound of my words.
Our lovemaking was relentless. Each time he thought we had finished, I would beg him for more. I knew he was getting tired as I rocked above him an hour later, pulling yet another orgasm to the surface, but I never faltered.
When we finally collapsed in each other’s arms again, I noticed he was drifting.
“I’ll just go get us a drink,” I whispered into his ear. Oliver hardly acknowledged me; he was already falling asleep.
With a heavy heart, I got changed and collected my small bag. I would be leaving my suitcase here. It would be impossible to make a quick escape while lugging that around with me.
I turned to look at Oliver one last time, sleeping peacefully in his bed, and then made my way downstairs.
The mansion was still quiet, but I was careful of my surroundings as I entered the passcode to his office and slipped inside.
His computer was quick to start up, which had my heart racing in my chest. A small part of me was praying the hard drive wasn’t here, but this was the most obvious and most secure place for it to be. After all, Oliver only brought trusted people to his family home. My heart ached at the way I’d played him because he was a good man; he didn’t deserve any of this. I couldn’t think about how he would react when he woke up and found me gone, though. The man had just told me he loved me for Christ’s sake. He was going to be broken in two.
I quickly typed in the password I’d learned from him in New York, but it didn’t work. Damn it! The decoder would take a few minutes, and I didn’t really have the time. He could stir at any moment and come down to find me. Not to mention Tom and Sam were around the mansion somewhere.
I remembered Oliver telling me once that his password was the name and date of birth of a loved one and it made me think. Without really knowing why, I typed in my fake information. It was worth a try before I used the decoder.
Tears trickled down my face as all his files suddenly opened. I was Oliver’s password.
I searched his files and gasped, quickly realizing that this was the hard drive I was looking for. Everything was here—even my background check. His uncle must have made him run one after we met in London.
The file name—S10301982—was staring right back at me, but my hands were frozen. I couldn’t make myself move to copy the file.
Do it, Jade. You have no choice.
Without anymore thought, I put the decoder into the USB port and pressed copy before quickly looking away. I couldn’t watch the files being downloaded, knowing I was betraying Oliver.
These machines could kill millions of people, and I knew I should be worried. It wasn’t in my job description to care, though. Doing so would cost not only my life, but Oliver’s, as well. If I didn’t steal the files, someone else would break into the house, steal them, and kill the target. That was the protocol for any mission that had gone wrong. If a Seductor couldn’t secure the steal, there was only one reason—he or she had become attached to their target. The contingency protocol was created to make sure no Seductor ever fell into that trap.
I had to do this…for Oliver. He may lose the plans to his top-secret machine, but at least he would still have his life.
I glanced back at the computer screen after a few minutes, noticing that download was complete. After quickly turning everything off, I put the decoder and files into my bag.
My mission was complete.
As I wandered out of Oliver’s office, the mansion was eerily silent. I looked up at the grand staircase, my body burning for one more glimpse of him. What good would that do, though?
I wasn’t the girl for him. In time, I knew he’d forget me and meet someone new. I was tied to my job for another five years, and I couldn’t picture a man like him still being available after that long.
I should have just walked away—I knew that—but my feet had other plans and I began climbing the stairs before I even realized I had moved. Jade, what are you doing? Oliver could be awake! I didn’t really care if he was awake; I needed to see him one more time. I would just have to disappear in the middle of the night if I got caught. I had the files now, so the worst part was over.
Slowly, I opened one of the double doors to the suite and peered around it. He was still fast asleep, but he’d rolled over onto his side and was clutching a pillow.
I made my way to the side of the bed to gaze at him, trying to memorize every detail of his pure perfection: from his well defined, muscled chest, to the length of his eyelashes as he slept. He was my dream man in every sense of the word.
I was thankful I’d been given this mission. Meeting Oliver Kirkham would always be the highlight of my life. It only saddened me that he would never know that.
I leaned down, pressing my lips softly to his forehead. “Thank you, Oliver,” I whispered softly. “In another lifetime, I could have loved you and been very happy.” He stirred slightly but didn’t wake up.
Taking two steps back, I wiped my eyes as I watched him, then put my bag over my shoulder and walked away. Luckily, I left the mansion without anyone seeing me, and after waving down the first car that passed, I made my way to the airport.
I called Sonia and wired the files over to her while I waited for my flight back to headquarters. The clean up for the mission was already in effect, which would make it impossible for Oliver to find me. The Seductors were all about protocol when a mission was over.
I should have been happy about that. He might find out what I’d done in time and want
to come after me, but he wouldn’t find me.
I wasn’t a fool, though. I knew what had happened to me over the last few months, and now that I was away from him, I could admit it to myself.
I’d fallen in love with Oliver Kirkham. He’d made me feel a desire like no other before, and having to give him up, well…it was like a part of me died when I walked away.
But, I was a Seductor. I couldn’t sit around and mope all day about my lost love; I had just less than five years left on my contract before I was free, and who knew what would happen after that? Oliver might wait for me. A girl could dream, right?
For now, though, I had to move on and lock the memories of him away deep inside my heart.
As I glanced down at my iPhone, I sighed when I noticed that my mission status had already been updated at headquarters.
It was the closure I needed to begin to move on.
Target: OK2634—Oliver Kirkham
Seductor: 03JADE
Status: Mission complete.
Coming Soon…
…in 2014
