No Boss of Mine

& Desire

Finn gave a nod. "My mother's going to be dressed up, and you'll be her guest. We don't have time to swing by your place, so... I picked something up for you."

She stared at him, unsure whether to laugh or protest. "Wait... you want me to change in the car?"

He shrugged, his voice casual but with a hint of a grin. "No worries, your body isn't going to turn me on."

Ashley scoffed, but she caught him subtly glancing at her from the corner of his eye, a teasing look on his face. "Did you pick this out yourself?" she asked.

"I did," he admitted, looking hopeful. "And I was really hoping you'd wear it."

Ashley sighed, finally relenting. "Fine. I'll wear it." She paused for a moment. "What are you doing?" she asked, noticing his eyes following her movements as she adjusted in her seat.

"Climbing into the backseat," she continued, "because I'm not about to flash everyone driving by."

Finn gave a quick cough. "Right, of course."

As Ashley attempted to shift herself into the backseat, her balance slipped, and in a split second, she tumbled forward, landing directly onto Finn's lap.

His voice dropped, a low, husky tone filling the car. "Are you hurt?"

Ashley could feel her heart racing from the sudden closeness, and judging by the way he was looking at her, she wasn't the only one feeling the heat. "No... I'm fine," she said, quickly moving to the backseat.

The car had barely stopped before Ashley began changing, tugging off her clothes and slipping into the dress Finn had bought. But as she struggled with the zipper, she sighed in frustration. "Ugh, the zipper is stuck."

Without a second thought, Finn pulled over to the side of the road. "We can spare a minute," he said, unbuckling his seatbelt. "I'll zip you up."

Ashley turned her back to him, her bare skin exposed as Finn leaned closer, his warm breath brushing against her neck. The heat from his fingers sent a shiver down her spine as he delicately slid the zipper up her back. "There," he said softly. "You're good. Let me see."

She turned to face him, and for a moment, Finn was speechless. She looked stunning, the dress fitting her perfectly. Clearing his throat, he managed to say, "You look... amazing."

Ashley blushed, a soft smile touching her lips. "Thanks, Finn."

The tension in the car was palpable as Finn resumed driving. He kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, clearly captivated by how she looked. "You look good," he said again, almost absentmindedly.

"Thank you," she repeated, her voice soft.

They soon arrived at the hotel, and as they walked arm-in-arm into the restaurant, Ashley could feel a strange sense of comfort. From across the room, an elegant woman waved at them with a bright smile.

"There you are!" Finn's mother exclaimed, hugging her son tightly. "Sorry we're late, Ma. I got held up at work," Finn explained.

His mother waved off his apology, turning her attention to Ashley. "Dear, I'm sorry about my son and his workaholic tendencies," she said warmly.

Ashley smiled politely. "Oh, no, really, it's fine." She leaned forward to kiss Finn's mother on the cheek, trying her best to make a good impression.

As they sat down and looked over the menu, Finn's mother wasted no time. "Alright, let's cut the small talk and get down to business. Let's start planning the wedding."