Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

’Quentin Blackwood said he didn’t have a fiancée or a girlfriend, yet he was still ambiguous and flirty with so many women.’

”Quentin, I’m not that kind of woman.”

”I think we...”

”You have something on your face,” Quentin Blackwood said.

”Huh?”

”Hold out your hand.”

Ivy Sherwood held out her hand, and Quentin placed a tiny piece of fuzz that had seemingly appeared out of thin air into her palm.

His cool fingertips brushed her palm, and she flinched as a jolt of electricity shot through her entire body.

’So there really was something. I thought Quentin wanted to...’

”Thank you, Quentin. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.”

”We’re not done yet.”

”Why don’t I just take care of it at home? I’m here anyway.” Ivy felt like she was on pins and needles, her legs trembling slightly.

”Don’t move.” The man’s voice left no room for refusal.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Quentin Blackwood’s face. He looked extremely serious, as focused as if he were about to do something very important.

’Where did all this fuzz on my face come from?’

Ivy Sherwood sat ramrod straight. She felt a light touch on her ear, then a cool sensation as something slipped through.

Quentin Blackwood drew his hand away. Ivy touched her ear and felt a dangling earring.

The earring was cool, but Ivy’s ear was burning hot.

”This is...?”

”It’s for you,” Quentin Blackwood said nonchalantly.

He gazed at Ivy Sherwood’s profile. She had a beautiful bone structure. Even the dark foundation covering her features couldn’t conceal her contours. The lines of her profile were especially distinct in the dim light.

The dangling earring complemented her long, slender neck.

Her features had a cool elegance, and her eyes couldn’t hide their clarity in the darkness. The vintage design truly suited her.

The moment Quentin Blackwood saw the earring, he knew it would look beautiful on Ivy Sherwood.

”For me? Why are you giving this to me?” Ivy was overwhelmed. ”I can’t accept this; I haven’t done anything to deserve it.”

”Consider it a thank-you for the massage and for all these snacks.”

”But these snacks didn’t cost much. This is too valuable. I can’t accept it.”

’Even though I haven’t seen it, I know anything from Quentin Blackwood wouldn’t be cheap.’

As she spoke, Ivy started to take it off.

”I just picked it up. It’s not expensive.”

”You bought this yesterday?” Ivy asked.

Quentin Blackwood nodded. ”Mm.”

The only time he’d had was that brief window when he was out with Joy Sheridan yesterday.

He’d just happened to see it and bought it.

Quentin didn’t mention the price tag of over ten million. In his eyes, it wasn’t a significant amount of money.

Suitability was more important than price.

Ivy’s gaze fell. ’He must have bought this with Joy Sheridan yesterday. I remember that was a jewelry store.’

’How rare. For Quentin to even think of me while shopping with another woman.’

She remembered Quentin had given her a famous painting before, too.

It made her feel like his secret lover, someone kept hidden in the shadows.

She and Quentin didn’t have that kind of relationship. He didn’t need to give her anything.

”Thank you for the thought, Quentin, but I don’t want it.” Ivy took off the earring and handed it back to him.

With that, Ivy pushed open the car door and got out.

She had just closed the door when an exquisite little box flew out the window and landed on her bag.

”I never take back something I’ve given away. If you don’t like it, just throw it out.”

”Drive!” Quentin Blackwood said coldly.

Sensing the strange tension in the air, the driver quickly started the car.

He glanced at his boss in the rearview mirror. He’d expected him to be angry that the girl had been so unappreciative, but surprisingly, his boss just lowered his gaze, looked at the pile of candy, and even picked up a piece.

Quentin rarely ate such snacks. In truth, he loved candy, but it was a secret no one knew.

Growing up, his family had struggled. His mother would buy him candy, telling him that if he ate something sweet, life wouldn’t feel so bitter.

Before his mother left, she had even left him a big bag of candy.

But from that day on, Quentin had never touched candy again.

When Ivy placed the snacks before him, it was as if she were carefully holding out her heart, offering it to him without reservation.

Quentin Blackwood picked up a piece of candy, unwrapped it, and put it in his mouth.

It was so sweet, it felt like his heart was softening.

Before long, the car stopped at the entrance to Norhaven. The driver spoke up, ”President Blackwood, back in the lounge, Miss Sherwood had her phone out. It looked like she was taking a picture of you.”

Even though Ivy had told him not to say anything, Quentin was his boss. Of course he was going to tell him.

A corner of Quentin Blackwood’s mouth lifted. ”I know.”

The driver was surprised. ’President Blackwood knew?’

The truth was, he’d woken up the moment Ivy started watching him.

He was a light sleeper, and besides, her gaze was so unrestrained, so intense.

Quentin had simply woken up and decided to pretend he was still asleep.

When the driver arrived, Quentin stopped the charade.

While the driver was still reeling from his shock, Quentin gathered all the snacks and candy and took them with him out of the car.

The driver was puzzled. ’Doesn’t President Blackwood usually hate this stuff?’

”President Blackwood.” A voice called out from a short distance away. It was Zane Linton.

Zane Linton had left earlier and had already arrived at Norhaven.

Quentin got out of the car, carrying the snacks Ivy had given him, and headed inside. Zane followed him.

”Who gave you permission to call her over?” Though Quentin’s words were accusatory, they held no real bite.

Zane Linton rubbed his nose. ”My mistake.”

’It’s just that, from the look in his eyes, President Blackwood clearly wanted Miss Sherwood to come.’

”Don’t let it happen again.”

After saying just those five words, Quentin Blackwood headed into Norhaven.

Zane followed behind, mulling over the meaning of Quentin’s words.

’It was no exaggeration to say I understand Quentin better than anyone. If he had used a truly cold tone, it would have meant there would be no ”next time.”’

’But a tone like that only meant... I could do it again.’

’Sometimes, President Blackwood was just that kind of person—saying one thing but meaning the opposite.’

”By the way, President Blackwood,” Zane added. ”I chatted with Miss Sherwood for a bit when I saw her at the airport. It seems she knows about you going shopping with Miss Sheridan yesterday.”

”Hm?” Quentin stopped in his tracks.

His eyes were ice-cold. ”Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

’Ivy saw me yesterday?’

’She rejected the earring because she thought I bought it for Joy?’

”Sorry, I just remembered,” Zane Linton said apologetically.

”If you give a woman a gift, and she rejects it because she thinks you bought it with another woman, what does that mean?”

Zane understood in an instant. President Blackwood had given Miss Sherwood a gift, but she’d refused it because she knew he had been shopping with Miss Sheridan.

”President Blackwood, it’s easy for a woman to get jealous.”

A flicker of delight flashed in Quentin Blackwood’s dark eyes, a ripple of emotion stirring deep within them.

’So, Ivy is jealous?’