Chapter 15

"Here are the files you asked for, Sir." Quinn handed Michael the documents he'd requested for review.

He gave her a look as he collected the stack of papers, and she recognized the desire in his eyes. There were two other people in the room. Quinn recognized them too. They were the men present in the office the day she'd been under the table sucking the boss's dick. Apparently they'd rescheduled on a day where Michael didn't have lobster for lunch.

She winked at him with the eye that wasn't visible to them so they wouldn't see before walking out.

A week had passed since he'd taken her on a shopping spree and while she was still apprehensive about how much he'd spent on her, she couldn't deny how good she looked in them. He'd gotten her the newest iPhone. Quinn had almost choked on her spit when she saw the price. Fifteen hundred dollars for a phone. He'd scoffed and brushed off her protests with the sentence that she deserved it, but Quinn disagreed. In the end, she'd agreed to disagree.

The office game they'd originally started had gradually transformed into something neither of them understood. He picked her up every morning and took her home after the day was over where they then proceeded to spend the evening having sweet slow sex. They'd gone on a couple of dates and each one confused her the more.

What were they doing? They were yet to put a label on what they had. She wasn't certain there was any label to put on it. Were they together or was it just fun and games?

Quinn would admit that she was scared. She was scared of the emotions that surged through her whenever he was in close proximity, scared of defining things, terrified of letting go. She was way past inhibitions, knowing with all her heart that he meant more to her than she could ever have imagined.

She'd refused to fight it anymore, her feelings. He was open about his and encouraged her to do the same. In some parts of her mind, she feared putting a label on what they had would ruin it.

It was just better like this, knowing what they weren't yet fearing what they could be.

The next day, Michael informed Quinn that his mother had invited her to her birthday celebration on Sunday. Troubled because why of all people would his mother have chosen to invite her son's secretary to her birthday party, she'd politely declined. Michael had shrugged, pecked her on the lip and walked into his office. She'd thought it weird that he hadn't pushed until she received a call that afternoon.

"Hello?" She'd picked up the phone, holding it to her ear.

"Hello darling." The sweet soft tone had drifted through her ears. "It's Cindy, Michael's mother."

She hadn't needed to introduce herself. Quinn recognized that voice.

"Oh, hello ma'am." She said, instantly nervous.

"Cindy, darling. Michael told me you've refused to come to my party. Why is that?"

The eloquent way she backed Quinn into a corner had to be studied.

"I said no such thing, Cindy. I'll be there." Quinn didn't know when the words flew out of her mouth. She only knew that it would have been a fallacy to refuse the woman.

The smile in her voice was evident. "I thought so too, darling. See you on Sunday."

The call disconnected and Quinn let out a relieved sigh. The entire Rhett family intimidated her.

She heard Michael laugh. Turning her head, she saw him leaning against his door, one leg over the other. "I might have forgotten to mention that she can be very persuasive."

———

By Saturday morning, she was done with the portrait. Since it was her first sale, she'd taken extra care with her use of colors and the intention she was trying to pass off.

It came out really well, if she said so herself.

Michael obviously had too much faith in her because he'd turned down her request to come over and see the painting before it was released to the public. In other words, his mother. He'd said something about making arrangements, but she hadn't paid too much attention after he'd said no. She hadn't pushed because she hadn't wanted want to seem desperate.

By mid afternoon the next day, he'd arrived to pick her up. She'd dressed in a bright sunflower dress that loosely fell around her waist to her knee. It was modest as just a little cleavage could be seen. The sleeves were short and there were ropes around the side that she could tie. She pulled them to the back and tied them, tightening the dress around her waist.

Michael had kissed her for a few moments at the door before he walked in. She'd left the painting to dry up faster next to her window and he headed straight for it after spotting it.

Quinn had covered it in a silk cloth and after a few beats, he flung the cloth off. She held her breath as he scrutinized the painting, trying to read the look in his eyes.

She walked closer to him to look at it too. The picture he'd given her had been one of his mother and her husband and for some reason; she'd drawn the senior Mr. Rhett next to his wife.

In the picture, they'd been holding hands and she'd tried her best to depict the love they'd obviously shared. She didn't know if she did, but at least they looked happy.

"Shit. You made my mom beautiful." Michael teased, earning a small punch on his arm.

"Don't be rude." She laughed. "She's a natural beauty."

"My dad." He whispered, touching a fingering to the man's forehead. "I haven't seen a picture of him in ages."

Sensing that he needed time, she took a step back. Ever since her parents died, a day hadn't gone by where she didn't think of them. The accident had been unfortunate, but it was reality. She could relate to his emotions. It was a pain she would live with for the rest of her life.

He turned to her, and she was that his eyes had watered. "You don't know how much this means to me."

She opened her arms and he walked into it, holding her tightly. She let him cry as much as he could, patting his back through out. It was the most vulnerable moment they'd shared and the one she cherished the most. She felt free, like she could share her problems with him, and he would listen just like she was doing now.

When he pulled away swiping at his eyes, she smiled, holding his hand to still his movements.

"Don't hide from me." She whispered.

He stared at her through his wet eyes, dampening his lips. "Quinn."

"I thought your mother would appreciate it."

He nodded. "She will. I know I do."

He grabbed her cheeks in his hands, pecking her on the lip. "Quinn," He murmured against her lips. "I think I'm in love with you."

She froze.

"No," He shook his head. "I know I'm in love with you."

She still couldn't move.

Michael continued, lost in his own head. "I think about you all the time. When you're not close, I miss you. I almost told you the other day to move in with me." He chuckled shakily. "I want you. I want you to be mine. You're in my head twenty-four seven and lately," He took her hand and rested it on his chest. "You've been in here. You've filled my heart completely. I love you."

She stared at him like he had pink horns. Her heart was beating faster than it ever had, so hard she was almost sure it would explode. Never in a hundred years would she have imagined what he'd said. Never in a million years could she have imagined what she'd said to him.

"Get away from me."

———

The party was small, to Quinn's surprise. She'd pictured a big event with tables and chairs and sparkling tableware. She'd envisioned party lights and paparazzi and wealthy guests.

But it was only a small family celebration of no more than ten people. Michael's sister was there with the man she'd seen at the office the other day, Stephan and he was holding the little girl, Esme. When they kissed, Michael cleared up her confusion by explaining to her that they were married.

They weren't boyfriends after all. Lovely.

Quinn was walking eggshells around Michael, and it was obvious he was also uncomfortable with her. She shivered when she thought about how he'd confessed love to her. She didn't know what she felt. After she'd told him to get away from her, he'd nodded and done exactly that.

Quinn had counted her breathing to steady her heart. He'd told her he loved her. There had been that sincere look in his eyes as the words had flowed out of his mouth yet for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to fully believe him.

They'd gone past that, hadn't they? She asked herself again and again. Did she love him? She didn't know; she wasn’t sure. Was she frightened? To the bone.

Michael had the power to break her and by God, she didn't want to be broken. She loved her simple life the way it was, and she appreciated the little she had. Her friends, her brother. Michael had the power to bring her out of her shell and shut her in permanently.

She'd been avoiding the conversation and he knew it. Maybe he was giving her time to process what had happened and she was grateful for it.

Cindy had hugged her deeply when they'd arrived. Quinn was slowly understanding what it was to be rich with all the time she'd been spending around Michael. Their house was massive. She tried not to gaze around so earnestly to avoid looking like an idiot, but she couldn't help it. The place could house a small village. It was nothing short of a mansion.

Michael had given the painting to her a few minutes after they arrived. Quinn held her breath for the second time as not one, but everyone present reviewed her painting.

Cindy had brawled her eyes out, giving Michael a hug.

"Where did you get this done, baby?" She cried. "It's so beautiful."

Gemma, his sister, had teared up a little. "Oh, it really is. This is the best painting I've ever seen. Who drew it?"

Michael looked at Quinn, grinning from cheek or cheek. "Actually, Quinn did. She's an excellent painter."

Everyone had looked at her then with teary and emotional eyes and one by one, hugged her. Quinn guessed they didn't need permission to hug you in this house.

"Oh, darling. Thank you so much." Cindy said. "You captured Michael's enormous head so perfectly."

Confused, she stared at Michael.

"Oh, I'm Michael Jr. My father was Michael Senior."

Oh. She thought it weird that she'd never heard his name before.

She turned to his mother, smiling shyly. "It's nothing, Cindy. I was paid for it." She figured telling them that would take off the guilt she was currently feeling. Maybe they thought she had done it as a result of altruism. It might have been so, but she was still paid.

"And you should be paid even more. This is the best gist I've gotten."

Quinn saw where Michael got it from, his penchant for reckless spending.

She accepted the gratitude, refusing the extra payment. She'd received five thousand dollars already. Not only was it too much, but anything also else would make her feel like a fraud.

"Then you have to paint me again and again and again. I don't want to hear anything else about it. I'm sure I know a few people who would want a professional painter doing their portraits." Cindy said firmly though there was a softness to her tone.

"I would." Gemma nodded.

"Me too." Stephan added.

"Me three!" Their daughter Esme, screamed.

Being rich was a privilege not everyone would enjoy, Quinn realized now. The rich got richer because they knew rich people and the poor got poorer because rich people would rather associate with their class than bother with them.

She'd just gotten her first clients. The discovery hit her with a force. If they paid her generously like Michael did, she wouldn't have worry about money again for a really long time. She could start up her own studio, get a new place. Jesus. Her life would completely change.

"I told you she can be very persuasive." Michael whispered in her ear.

"Yeah," She nodded. "I see it now. That's where you get it from."

He laughed, taking her hand and leading her further inside the mansion. Everyone was by the poolside, and they joined them, laughing as they presented gifts to Mrs. Rhett.

Quinn had never seen so much jewelry in one place at the same time. Different kinds of stones were present. Esme's was the only inexpensive gift; she gave her a painting of the five of them; Cindy, her father Stephan, her mom Gemma, her uncle Michael and herself.

Cindy had picked her up and whispered not so quietly in her ear, that it was the best drawing she'd ever seen. They'd all laughed at the expression of glee on her face.

Michael held her hand all and stayed by her side all through. She appreciated that he wanted to give her a sense of comfortability but staying glue to her side kind of gave off the impression that they were together, and they weren't.

Were they?

Not for the first time, she wondered why she'd been invited. She was just a mere secretary after all. Why had Cindy thought it necessary to invite her to a family gathering?

She felt so out of place. As much as everyone tried to include her in their conversations—which she deeply appreciated, she couldn't wipe away her worry. She cared about Michael, and he cared about his family and said family were so lovely. She was this close to losing her mind.

She made a mental note to talk to him at the end of the day. It was high time they defined what it was they were doing. Professing love to her out of the blue like that? It just wouldn't do. She needed to understand what it was she felt too. Hiding behind the agreement was becoming unsatisfactory.

It was better to clear things up than continue living in this haze of sentimental nonsense.