No Boss of Mine

In His Space

Finn glanced at his watch, his brow slightly furrowed.
Ashley shifted uneasily. "I'm sorry, I know it's late—" she gripped her bag, ready to be turned down.

"What?" he said, his expression softening. "It's fine."

"Really?" She blinked in surprise.

"Of course. Come on in."

Finn led her to the living room, the same spot they'd shared conversations before. He gave her a curious look. "So, who did you fight with this time?"

Ashley sighed. "My landlord kicked me out... and well, I have no one else to go to. I'd rather not go to my aunt's place."

Finn raised an eyebrow knowingly. "Let me guess, she's on your parents' side?"

Ashley nodded, her voice small. "Yeah. Maybe I could crash here for a couple of nights... until I find a new place. Please?"

Finn shrugged, his demeanor relaxed. "Sure, why not? There's plenty of room here. There's no catch. How would it look if you were crashing on someone's couch instead of being here?"

Ashley nodded, feeling a mix of relief and gratitude. "Right."

"But," Finn said, regaining his serious tone, "when I'm home and working, I expect you to stay out of the way and not disturb me."

Ashley gave a mock salute. "I think I can manage that."

"Good. Let's put that to the test then, shall we? I have a video conference in fifteen minutes. I don't expect to hear you banging around or anything in the background."

"Got it!" she said with a grin.

Before she could ask any more questions, Finn stood up. "I'll give you a tour. So, obviously, that's the kitchen and dining area."

Ashley glanced around. "It's... empty?"

"If you're ever hungry," Finn said casually, "look in the top drawer. You'll find a bunch of menus. I have accounts at each of those places. Feel free to order whatever you want."

Ashley whispered under her breath, "Well—you're lucky."

Finn raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

She shook her head quickly. "Nothing."

She followed him into the hallway. Finn pointed to the rooms as they passed. "That's my room, and beside it is my office. I don't expect you to have any reason to be in there."

"Absolutely not," Ashley agreed.

"The last door on the right is your room," Finn added.

Ashley nodded.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I really do need to get ready for this meeting. Make yourself at home, okay?"

Ashley nodded again, watching as Finn walked away down the hallway. Once he was gone, she sighed and headed to her room. After a long shower in Finn's luxurious guest bathroom, she felt soothed.

She dried herself off, looking out over the twinkling city lights through the large windows. But when she opened her bag, she froze.

"I don't have pajamas," she muttered to herself, a sense of panic rising. "All my stuff is probably rotting in a dumpster right now. I can't sleep naked!"

Ashley peered out into the hallway, hearing Finn's voice drifting from his office. Not wanting to disturb him during his meeting, she decided to find something to wear on her own.

"Great," she whispered sarcastically. "Nothing but a towel and sheets. Shit!"

Walking further down the hall, she pushed open another door. "This must be his gym. Way better than any I've ever been to..."

Her mind wandered back to the first time she'd dropped by, when she'd seen Finn's muscles glistening with sweat. Snap out of it, Ashley!

She spotted a shirt hanging neatly, freshly ironed. "Perfect!"

She slipped on Finn's shirt, humming as its softness brushed against her skin. "It's so big... and smells fresh and clean, just like Finn," she muttered, flushing slightly.

Turning off the light, she crawled into bed, but twenty minutes later, she was still awake.

"Damn, I just can't sleep well in a new place," she grumbled.

Getting up, she wandered out of her room, hoping a book might help her unwind. She noticed Finn's office door slightly ajar and peeked inside. Everything was quiet.

"His meeting must be over... I think?"

She opened the door cautiously and stepped inside. Finn looked up, surprised to see her in his shirt. It was long enough to cover her thighs, but the sight of her in his clothes made him pause.

"Ashley..." Finn's voice was soft, yet filled with unspoken tension.