Free Caught on Camera with the CEO by Natalie Anderson Page A

hadn’t been able to move on from the doze-zone.Because the semi-conscious dreams she’d had there had been rampantly X-rated and out of control. So, no, she wasn’t a this morning person.
    He made a small movement and the radio went silent. ‘What about cereal? There’s a selection in the pantry there.’
    â€˜Got coffee?’
    He stood. ‘How strong?’
    â€˜As strong as you’ve got.’
    Dani looked at the pantry while he pushed buttons and got the oversized coffee contraption working. The pantry was oversized too—not just a cupboard you opened and filled the shelves of, but a small room that you could actually walk into—complete with its own butler’s sink and small bench space. But despite her wanting to explore all the interesting-looking packs of foodie things on the shelves the space was just that bit too confined for her to feel comfortable. She walked out and inhaled.
    â€˜Nothing you like the look of?’ Alex noted her empty hands.
    Dani picked up the steaming mug he’d put on the table for her and told herself that there were plenty of other things in the whole entire world to like the look of. Not just Alex Carlisle.
    â€˜My housekeeper will get whatever you like in for you—just leave a note on the fridge.’
    â€˜Housekeeper?’
    He nodded. ‘Cleans, launders, cooks meals and is utterly discreet.’
    Dani sank into a chair. ‘The last being the most important, huh?’
    Alex’s brows lifted. ‘You definitely need food.’
    Dani just took another deep swig from the mug and closed her eyes as she swallowed the burning brain fuel. When she returned to almost-alive land Alex was at work behind thebench. There was a popping sound and he put two halves of a hot toasted bagel on the plate in front of him. He spread a thick layer of cream cheese onto it and several strips of smoked salmon on top of that. He put the finished plate of perfection in front of her.
    OK, so that was something else to like the look of.
    He nudged the plate closer. ‘It’s for eating.’
    â€˜Yeah. Thanks.’ And it tasted almost as good as she figured he would.
    He sat in the chair next to her and reached for his glass of juice, pulling part of the newspaper closer to read. ‘Do you want me to organise a stylist for tonight?’
    â€˜A what ?’ She nearly choked on the bit of bagel.
    â€˜You know, someone to fix your hair and make-up?’
    He thought she needed someone to fix her hair and make-up? Why? Didn’t she make ‘Carlisle standard’? Dani shrivelled inside as his words sliced right through her superficial layer of confidence. So she wasn’t good enough to be seen out with at one of his posh fundraisers? She wasn’t pretty or polished enough? Hurt, she put the bagel down, her appetite all gone. ‘Are you sure you want me to come with you tonight?’ She shrivelled more—hoped he hadn’t heard her insecure edge.
    Alex turned quickly to look at her, a frown drawing his brows together. Dani didn’t look back at him, couldn’t, was too flattened by his offer.
    â€˜Dani,’ he said deliberately. ‘There’s nothing I want more than for you to come with me tonight. But I did promise I’d go to the dinner. And I don’t want an empty chair beside me.’ He put his hand on hers to stop her leaving the table.
    She ignored her sizzling skin and gave him a baleful look. ‘That wasn’t what I meant.’
    â€˜I know you didn’t,’ he said, the cheeky grin giving way toan earnest expression. ‘Look, my mother never used to leave the house without having checked her appearance with her stylist. It’s just something I’m used to. Not a comment on the way you look.’
    A personal stylist? Wow—rich people like him really lived in an alternative universe, didn’t they? But she didn’t want to get sucked into the