Page 22 of Claiming My Cocky Boss

Mia rolled her eyes, though I caught the hint of a smile on her lips. "You really are something else, Liam."

As we drove toward town, the conversation shifted to lighter topics. She told me more about her family, how her dad was a painter, and how they lived in Little Rock. I could hear the affection in her voice when she talked about them, especially her dad. It was clear they were close, which was something I couldn’t quite relate to. My family... well, that was a whole different story.

“You ever go back to visit?” I asked as we pulled into the small shopping district.

“Sometimes, but not as often as I’d like,” she said, her tone softening. “The park keeps me pretty busy, and I love it here in Cedar Cove. But yeah, I miss them.”

I nodded, feeling a twinge of something—guilt, maybe—that I hadn’t been more open with her about my own situation. But then again, there was a lot I hadn’t told her yet.

As we parked and headed into the boutique, I mentally prepared myself for what was about to be a long day. Shopping wasn’t exactly my favorite thing, but seeing Mia light up as she perused the racks made it worth it.

Following her around, I watched as she picked out a few options and held them up for inspection. She turned to me at one point, holding a sleek, dark green gown against her body. “What do you think?”

I swallowed, trying not to let my gaze linger too long. “I think you’ll look amazing in anything, but that one... yeah, it’s perfect.”

Mia smiled, a soft blush creeping up her neck. “Alright, I’ll try it on.”

As she disappeared into the dressing room, I leaned against a nearby chair, my ankle throbbing again. I tried to shake it off, reminding myself that this was all part of the plan—get through the day, get her the dress, and figure out how to survive the gala without blowing my cover. But the longer I spent with her, the harder that was becoming.

Soon, I was waiting outside the dressing room, trying to ignore the steady throb in my ankle and focus on anything other than the fact that Mia was in there, getting dressed up to play the role of my girlfriend. The more time we spent together, the more the lines between friend, girlfriend, and boss blurred in my head.

The sound of the dressing room door opening pulled me from my thoughts. Mia stepped out, wearing the dark green gown she had picked out earlier, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. The dress hugged her curves in all the right places, and the color made her eyes seem even more vibrant.

“Well?” she asked, spinning around, her hazel eyes full of nervous energy.

I cleared my throat, trying to sound casual, but my voice came out breathier than I’d intended. “You look incredible.”

Mia’s face softened into a smile, and she did another small twirl, letting the fabric flow around her. “Yeah, I think this might be the one.”

I nodded, struggling to keep my expression neutral. “Definitely the one.”

We spent the next hour finishing up at the boutique. Mia was happy with her choice, and I managed to rent a tux for the event. I had a closet full of suits and tuxedos back in Dallas, but I couldn’t very well explain that without raising questions I wasn’t ready to answer.

As we left the store, Mia looked over at me, her expression a little more serious than before. “Thanks again, Liam. I know this whole gala thing isn’t exactly my scene, but... I’m happy to help.”

I smiled at her. “I appreciate it. And I promise, it won’t be as bad as you’re imagining.”

“I hope not,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t really do fancy parties. I’m more of a campfire and beer type.”

“Don’t worry,” I teased. “I’ll make sure to keep it fun.”

Mia glanced at me, her lips twitching into a small grin before we climbed back into her Jeep. As she started the engine, I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were shifting between us. Sure, this was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, but more and more, I found myself wanting to spend time with her—for real, not just because I needed her help. And that was dangerous.

We drove back to my cabin in comfortable silence, the sky darkening as the sun began to set. By the time we pulled up, my ankle was screaming at me, and I could barely manage to make it out of the Jeep without wincing.

“You okay?” Mia asked, her brow furrowing as she walked around to help me.

“Yeah, just... overdid it today,” I admitted, trying to brush it off.

Mia sighed, but there was a softness in her expression. “Let’s get you inside. You need to elevate that ankle.”

I didn’t argue this time. She helped me inside, and I collapsed onto the couch. The pain meds I’d taken hours ago had worn off. I leaned back against the cushions, my eyes closed, trying to focus on anything but the throbbing pain.

“You’re supposed to be taking it easy, remember?” Mia chided softly as she came over with an ice pack and handed me a couple of painkillers.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine,” I grumbled, though I appreciated her concern more than I wanted to admit.

“Fine, huh?” She arched an eyebrow, looking down at me as she helped me prop my foot on the pillows. “You look like you’re in a lot of pain for someone who’s ‘fine.’”

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