Naked Canvas (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) by Sadie Grey Read Free Book Online

No. We’re just friends. Well, not even that come to think of it. Business acquaintances, I guess.”
     
    “Well, I don’t like to meddle in people’s private affairs, but if you don’t mind me saying, I think that’s a shame. Mr. Bell could use a nice woman like you in his life.”
     
    I laughed and shook my head. “That’s sweet of you to say, Cavanaugh, but that’s just not in the cards.”

Chapter 7
     
    The car pulled up in front of the Centennial. Warm golden light spilled out of the place and into the muted colors of the street. Cavanaugh jumped out and opened my door. I struggled out of the back seat, doing my best to not flash my panties to Cavanaugh as well as the pedestrians on the street.
     
    “Thank you, Cavanaugh.”
     
    “My pleasure, Angie. I hope to see you again soon.” He tipped his hat to me.
     
    I smiled at him. “Me too.”
     
    He disappeared into the driver’s seat, and I stood alone looking into the Centennial. The café was full of trendy looking people sitting at polished wooden tables. I saw no sign of Dominic. Of course he was going to make me wait. Typical. At least I could pick our table. Something out in the open would be better. Something that didn’t feel intimate.
     
    I strode into the café and approached the hostess. She was thin and pretty and draped in fine silk and wool. She made me feel out of place in my simple clothes like I was a country mouse invading the city mouse’s territory. It wouldn’t have bothered me so much if we hadn’t been about the same age. In another world, the cute, stylish girl in the fancy café could have been me.
     
    “Hi! Welcome to the Centennial.” Her voice was warm and friendly. I felt like an asshole for hating her.
     
    “Hi. I’m supposed to be meeting someone here. Dominic.”
     
    Her eyes went wide. “Mr. Bell?”
     
    Again with the Mr. Bell. “Yes. Mr. Bell.”
     
    “Wow, yes, of course. Right this way.” Stupid pride surged through me when I realized that this girl was now jealous of me. I followed her to the very back of the place where less people were gathered and the sounds of conversation dimmed.
     
    Dominic was sitting at a private booth. He stared into his coffee as if it held the secrets of the world. Damn him, he even looked beautiful doing nothing.
     
    His blue eyes lit up when he saw me and he stood up from his seat.
     
    “Angela,” he said anxiously. “Thank you for coming.”
     
    The hostess just stood there watching us, mouth agape.
     
    “Thank you, Nicky,” he said. “That will be all.”
     
    She nodded, almost curtsying, and hurried away.
     
    “Please, sit down.”
     
    He gestured at the seat across from him. The tall booth swallowed me as I slid into it. I felt like a little kid at the grown up table. He resumed his seat across from me.
     
    “You look lovely,” he said.
     
    Here we go, I thought.
     
    “This isn’t a date, Dominic, so you can save the compliments.”
     
    “It wasn’t a compliment. Just the truth.”
     
    I sighed. “So you said you wanted to explain what happened.”
     
    “Yes.” He seemed like he was about to continue when the waitress showed up to take my order.
     
    “Can I get you anything? Some coffee?”
     
    “No, thanks. Me and coffee aren’t speaking right now.”
     
    She stood there looking confused. I waved her away, not caring if I looked like a bitch. I was being a bitch. I had to be if I wanted to stay in control of my emotions. Bitchiness was my armor in this battle. She glided away.
     
    “You were saying,” I said, gesturing for Dominic to continue.
     
    “Yes, about last night. First of all, I want to say that I had a great time. And I think you did too. What’s going on between us—“
     
    “Stop right there. There is nothing going on between us, okay? Get that straight. I came here for an explanation and maybe an apology for humiliating me. That’s it.”
     
    “I never meant to humiliate you.”
     
    “But that’s