Page 21 of Claiming My Cocky Boss

Mia seemed to mull that over for a moment before nodding. “I’d love to go, but... I don’t have anything to wear. It’s not like I have a closet full of gowns lying around.”

I chuckled. “We can take care of that. Tomorrow is Saturday, the perfect time to go shopping. I’ll cover the expenses—consider it part of your... raise.”

She gave me a look, half-amused, half-serious. “You really know how to spoil a girl, don’t you?”

“Only the ones who deserve it,” I replied, with a smirk playing on my lips. “And I’m picky about the women who accompany me in public.”

Mia shook her head, but I could see the smile morphing over her features. “So, I’ll be seen as your girlfriend… or whatever.”

“Something like that,” I admitted with a wink.

“Alright, fine. I’ll be your plus one. But I’m not letting you turn this into some Cinderella makeover.”

“No glass slippers,” I promised, raising my hands in mock surrender.

She laughed, the sound filling the cabin with joy. But as she started gathering her things to leave for the night, I couldn’t shake the nagging thought in the back of my mind. How much longer could I keep up the lie? How much longer before Mia found out the truth about who I really was—and what would happen when she did?

As Mia turned to leave, she glanced back at me, her smile softening. “Thanks again, Liam. For everything.”

Without thinking, I stepped closer and kissed her softly on the cheek, my arm wrapping around her in a quick hug. “No, Mia. Thank you.”

She lingered for a moment, her eyes searching mine as if she were looking for something unsaid. For a split second, I thought about asking her to stay. The idea tugged at me, tempting, but I hesitated. I didn’t want her to think the raise was just some ploy to keep her close or a way to blur the lines between what had started weeks before.

She pulled away gently, giving me one last smile before heading for the door. The soft click of the door closing behind her echoed in the quiet room, and I sank into the couch, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me again.

The gala, Derek, the investigation, Mia—everything was starting to blur together, slipping out of my control. As much as I hated to admit it, I wasn’t sure how long I could keep it all from falling apart.

Mia had already done so much for me, and it would have been easy to ask her to stay the night—easy to lose myself in her company. But I didn’t want to send the wrong message or make her feel like I was taking advantage of the situation.

So, I let her leave without a word. As the glow of her Jeep’s headlights faded into the distance, I sat there wondering where our future was headed.

Ten

Liam

The sound of the door closing on Mia’s Jeep made me grin. I peered out the window, watching her walk toward the door, and waved. My heart gave a little flip, but I quickly reminded myself to play it cool. The whole "fake girlfriend" charade was one thing, but the fact that I was actually starting to look forward to spending time with her—that was dangerous territory.

She opened the door and poked her head inside. “You ready to hit the town?”

“Yeah, about as ready as I’ll ever be,” I said, grabbing my crutches and limping toward the door. My ankle wasn’t making anything easier today. The doctor’s warning about not driving or doing much of anything for the next few weeks was still ringing in my ears. It felt like a cage I couldn’t escape.

Mia waited at the bottom of the porch, watching me with that half-amused, half-concerned look she often had when I tried to do anything remotely independent.

“You sure you’re good for this?” she asked as I finally made it down the steps. “We could always just order something online.”

I scoffed, waving her off. “I’ll survive. Besides, I’d rather not leave our wardrobes for the gala to chance. You know how those rental places are... better to pick out your gown and my tux ourselves.”

Mia chuckled and opened the passenger side door for me. I slid into the seat with a grunt, trying not to let the pain show too much. She walked around to the driver’s side, and as we pulled out onto the main road, the tension in my leg eased up, if only slightly.

“So, what kind of dress are we looking for?” I asked, glancing over at her.

Mia grinned. “Something that says I belong at a fancy gala without making me look like I’m trying too hard. Plus, it’s gotta be something I feel comfortable in. No sense in being miserable all night.”

“I’m sure you’ll find something that’ll turn heads.”

She shot me a look, one eyebrow raised. “Turn heads, huh? What, you trying to make everyone at this gala jealous?”

“Maybe,” I teased, smirking. “Wouldn’t hurt to show off a bit.”

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