Page 22 of Tempting Her Forbidden Boss

‘My housekeeper will get whatever you like in for you—just leave a note on the fridge.’

‘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 the bench. 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.

Okay, so that was something else to like the look of.

He nudged the plate closer. ‘It’s for eating.’

‘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 and pulled his tablet closer to read. ‘Do you want me to organise a stylist for tonight?’

‘Awhat?’ She nearly choked on the bit of bagel.

‘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.

‘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.’

‘I know you didn’t,’ he said, the cheeky grin giving way to an 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 fantasy and start thinking such things were normal. She didn’t want to be sucked in by Alex Carlisle any more than she’d been since she first clapped eyes on him.

‘Umm, I think I can manage. It’s only hair, right?’ She cleared her throat, trying to get rid of the wounded rasp. ‘And my style you can’t do a lot with.’ It was so thick she had to have it cut regularly into a plain and simple bob. But it was well overdue now, her fringe annoyingly long and too unruly for her to risk trimming herself—another reason to earn money asap.

He brushed the stupidly long bit back with his free hand and smiled, his gaze dropping to her pink pyjamas. Her toes curled into the heated tiles beneath her feet. What was she doing without shoes? And what was he doing looking so fine in his dark suit so early? And so clean-shaven? It was too early for that—shouldn’t he be tousled, shouldn’t his eyes be shadowed and sleepy, shouldn’t he be… in bed?

‘I’d better get ready.’ She jerked up. ‘Don’t want to be late on my first day.’

* * *

The warehouse was impressive. Turned out Lorenzo was some sort of wine god and there were pallets of cases everywhere. And a very flash reception area and even a tasting room. Not that Alex stopped to give her the guided tour.

‘The office is on the first floor.’ He headed straight up. ‘Cara, this is Dani.’

The woman behind the desk gave Dani a wide smile. Dani registered the russet-coloured cropped hair and the elfin features and sparkling eyes.

‘I’ll leave you to it.’ Alex was crisp. ‘Take care of her.’

Dani wasn’t sure who he meant by that—but he was gone before she could check.

‘It’ll be great to have you onboard,’ Cara said cheerfully. ‘There’s always way too much to do.’

There was too. Dani’s head whirled as she followed Cara through the routine. The woman was a dynamo—full of energy, effervescence and unfailing good humour.

She took the seat beside her and shadowed her while Cara explained everything in minute detail. It was fascinating and full on. But there was one burning question Dani couldn’t bring herself to ask—how pregnant was Cara? Because her tummy was really, really flat. In fact, her tummy was flatter than Dani’s. But she wasn’t going to go personal—not on her first day. She was just here to work and pick up the wages.

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