Caught on Camera with the CEO. Natalie Anderson

her stance—preparing for battle but also preparing for contact?

      She had. And she hadn’t exactly given him a cool, back-off response. She’d enjoyed every second of it, far more than she’d thought it was possible to enjoy a kiss. And that was terrifying. To want like that made you weak.

      The office stirred, as if an invisible wave were working its way through. She glanced over her screen. Not invisible. This was a tidal wave and she was in its path—for that was the HR dragon, wasn’t it, heading straight for her?

      ‘Danielle? Could you come with me, please?’

      For some reason a power-that-be like her could make Dani feel guilty just by the way she said her name. But Dani hadn’t done anything wrong. OK, she hadn’t been quite at her usual output level, but she hadn’t been bad. Something was definitely up. She was aware of the sudden stillness in the office—no one was talking, no one was moving. They were all, she realised, watching her. She lifted her head that little bit higher—don’t show weakness.

      ‘Shall we take the lift?’ The dragon seemed to have a gleam in her eyes.

      No way could she know about the lift. Could she? ‘I’d prefer the stairs,’ Dani answered quietly.

      That was definitely a smirk. Quickly covered, but it had flashed in her eyes and on the edges of her mouth. Then there was nothing—just chilly silence all the way up the stairs to the executive level, even heavier silence in the corridor, only when the door closed behind her as she entered the woman’s office was there the slightest noise. She wasn’t invited to sit down. The woman just turned and spoke.

      ‘I’m sorry but your recruitment agency has been in touch. Apparently there is a problem with your file.’

      ‘A problem?’ What kind of problem? Dani’s blood ran cold. Surely it wasn’t about her father. She’d passed bank security clearances in Australia despite his record. They’d investigated and known it was nothing to do with her—that she’d been a victim as much as the others he’d ripped off. But maybe in New Zealand they had different rules?

      ‘I’m not entirely sure—you’ll need to talk to your agent about that. However—’ the woman was robot-like ‘—it means we’re unable to have you working here any longer.’

      ‘What?’ She couldn’t lose this job. She just couldn’t. She was down to her last dollars. Literally—her last fifty or so. She’d come over too soon, hadn’t saved enough, but she’d been so lonely and so desperate to find him. She’d waited long enough—so had he.

      ‘The agency has the money for the days you’ve already worked this week. If you go and see them, you’ll be able to collect it.’ Her tone was utterly dismissive. Final.

      ‘I’m to go now?’ Dani gaped.

      ‘Yes. Gather your belongings and leave immediately.’

      Dani clocked the woman’s impassivity. Wow—how could she ruin someone’s life and look so uncaring?

      She turned and left the room, tightening every muscle hard to stop the trembling from being visible. She walked back down the empty corridor to the stairs. This just couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t. Her paperwork was totally fine; she was sure of it. When she’d registered with the agency they’d been pleased with her qualifications and experience. So, there was no problem—unless someone had taken a dislike to her?

      Someone important?

      She stopped. Swallowed. Turned and walked back—all the way to the corner office and to the fiftysomething woman sitting guard-like outside the sanctum.

      ‘Is Mr Carlisle in?’ Despite her determination it was only a whisper that sounded.

      ‘He’s overseas,’ his PA answered crisply.

      How convenient. Dani’s suspicions grew, edging out the anxiety. ‘When is he back?’

      The PA lifted her head and looked at her. Behind the oldschool librarian glasses she seemed to be reading her for a long moment before her lashes dropped. ‘I believe he’s due back here early this afternoon.’

      And she’d be gone by then. Doubly convenient.

      No way was this a coincidence. He didn’t want to be embarrassed at work—was that it? Had she been so all over him he was trying to get rid an awkward situation before it got even more complicated? What was he afraid of—that she’d go psycho stalker on him?

      She turned on the spot and marched back down the stairs to her floor. She’d go straight to the agency and clear it up. She needed the money more than he needed a clearconscience office.

      ‘Hi, Danielle.’ One of the young bankers gave her a leery grin when she walked past him. He hadn’t spoken to her before. She caught the grins then swapping between him and some of the others. It had probably been a bet. She knew about boys and their bets—ones made at her expense.

      She didn’t have the time or capacity to deal him even a cool look. Too busy trying to stomach the sick feeling. She’d been in the country less than a fortnight, was on the bones of her butt in terms of funds and now she’d just lost her job. And she needed to know why.

      It only took two minutes to get her jacket from the back of her seat and the bag she’d tucked under the table. She logged off her computer.

      She turned. The office was so quiet she would have heard her now ex-colleagues blinking—if they weren’t all staring totally bug eyed at her. Wow, the ones down the far end had actually risen out of their chairs to get a better look. What on earth was going on?

      She tossed her head, determined to hide the freak-out thudding of her heart. So what if her cheeks were purple with embarrassment—she could still walk, right? OK, it was a run/walk to the door and after that she basically threw herself down the stairs, letting the adrenalin fly to her feet.

      The recruitment agency was only a ten-minute walk away. Dani did it in seven. Red cheeked, breathless, trying to suck up the desperation pouring out of her.

      Then she had to wait ten extra-long, make-you-sweat minutes.

      ‘What’s the problem with my file?’ Dani asked as soon as she was shown in.

      ‘There are a couple of issues.’ The agent wouldn’t look her in the eye. ‘One is misconduct.’

      Misconduct? Dani frowned, that she hadn’t expected. ‘What kind of misconduct?’

      The woman smiled then—it wasn’t a kind smile. ‘Have you seen this?’ She angled her computer screen so Dani could see it.

      Dani gripped her bag, pushing it hard on her lap as she waited for the clip to start playing. Why was she being shown a vid on YouTube? What was this all about?

      She squinted at the black-and-white grainy images. Oh, no. It couldn’t be.

      Not her.

      Not him.

      OMG—it was! Alex Carlisle and her, Dani Russo, locking lips in that damn lift. Oh, more than locking lips. There was neck kissing, and touching and moving.

      Heat prickled all over her body. From every pore popped a painful drop of blood. How had this happened? This just had to be a joke. Was she in a reality TV show and she didn’t know it?

      ‘Where did you get that?’ she whispered, knowing she was damned.

      ‘It was emailed to us. I believe it’s been circulated around the company already.’

      So that explained the staring, then. The embarrassment engulfed her, swamping the spark of anger she’d felt before.

      The agent didn’t stop the clip playing, just sat blandly waiting. Three and a half minutes of absolute agony. Dani couldn’t look away from the screen. Had they been so passionate? Had she really jumped on him like that? Had she been so hungry? And what was that awful music?