Page 7 of Quinn
She tilts her head at me like she’s not amused.
“Too soon to joke?”
Her usual smile, which makes my lungs in my chest tighten, returns. “A little bit.”
“Fair enough.”
A quietness settles between us, well as quiet as it can get with all the city noise around us. I put my hand down between us, the tips of my fingers brushing against hers. It’s a good sign when she doesn’t move her hand away.
“He’s a billionaire.”
I nod. “As most of us guys are.”
She chuckles but elbows me gently in the arm. “And she’s beautiful and quiet.”
I turn to look at Quinn. “All the best ones are.”
Her eyebrow lifts slightly in surprise, and I’m glad to see that she understands what I’m trying to say to her in so many words.
“Gabriella is on a new path in her life. One where she doesn’t stand by and let her voice get lost in all the noise around her. There’s something about Sebastian that brings it out of her, in everyday life and—in the bedroom.”
Quinn and I have barely spoken more than a few sentences to each other at one time since she started working here last summer. I could never have imagined that when she finally opened up that this is what we'd be talking about.
“Was that what happened in the elevator this morning?”
I can feel her hand tense beneath mine. “Yes. I’m tired of always letting people talk over me like Claudia did today in the meeting. I want to be that woman who isn’t afraid to say what she wants when she wants it.”
Say you want me.
“Then do it.”
“It’s not that easy.”
“Okay, but it’s not that hard either," I say. "You have a voice. You are using it now. More so than I've ever heard before. People want to hear you. I know I always look forward to hearing what you have to say.”
She studies my face like she's looking for some hint of insincerity. But she won’t find one. I said before that I wanted her to open up to me. And now that she is, I’m not ready to let this new side of her go.
A crazy idea pops into my head.
"Are you coming back up, or are you just going to go home for the day?" I ask.
She looks up at the building and then down at the watch on her wrist. "The day is almost over, and I’m not really ready to face anyone after what happened.”
I nod, understanding the need to let the dust settle a bit. “Tomorrow is Saturday. Do you have any plans?”
She thinks for a moment. “Nothing concrete.”
“Will you meet me tomorrow afternoon?”
“Where?”
“I’ll text you the address and the time. I have an idea on a way to help you find your voice like Gabriella.” I pull my phone from my pocket and hand it over to her. “Put your number in. I’ll text you tomorrow, and you can always say no if you change your mind."
Please don’t change your mind.
She plugs in her number and hands it back to me. “I guess after today, nothing you witness from me will be all that embarrassing.”
5
