Chapter Two

Desperately needing a caffeine boost, Peyton stopped at a vendor to grab a coffee on her three-block walk to Xavier’s office. Thinking about his job offer had kept her awake all night and she was dragging this afternoon.

She breathed in salty, damp air from the Bay and smiled as she passed others strolling by. The Financial District was alive with business people and tourists alike, and she enjoyed the buzz. Restaurants, shops, and skyscrapers blended together in a mishmash of unique. Sunshine filtered through a thin cloud cover, and she got a little more pep in her step. It was a gorgeous day and, despite leaving work early to meet with Xavier, she was free tonight. She had a date with Thor and her couch via Netflix. Maybe she’d make it a threesome by adding Ghirardelli.

Though she’d been shocked by Xavier’s offer, it couldn’t have come at a better time. With Harrison announcing his senate bid next week, it was now or never to get out. She’d loved working for him and his wife, plus the job security, but politics just wasn’t her cup of tea. Gaines Industries’ potential government contract was exactly the kind of thing she could get behind. Especially if it aided injured vets.

A flash of Brian’s face swam to mind, and her gut clenched. She missed her older brother every single day. His death during his service had left her with no family, but he’d died doing what he’d loved. Mark’s memory, however, made her throat close. Her deceased fiancé had served with Brian, but he’d finished two tours and retired. Severe depression, mixed with a mild case of PTSD, had led to his suicide. She’d been struggling with his decision the past year, and it was still difficult to get out of bed some mornings. Guilt clawed at her at the most inopportune and random times.

God, she should’ve done more, been more aware of his situation. But he’d shut her out, hadn’t wanted help, and had slipped inside his mind. Then he’d put a bullet in his head while she’d been at a press conference.

She drew a deep breath and shoved the pain away. She couldn’t change the past or bring him back. Thus, Xavier’s plans were ideal. A project close to her heart and one she’d love to rally behind.

Xavier Gaines, as a man separate from his company, had warning knells banging her temples. Sure, she’d known him in high school, and a rare glimpse of what lay under his surface had poked out last night, but she just wasn’t one-hundred percent positive working for him was a good idea. For her, she had to have a connection with someone. Private PR meant getting inside the client’s head, spending oodles of time one-on-one, and all but sharing air with them.

She’d decided last night, after tossing and turning for hours, to get a read on him today and go from there. Feel him out during her tour of the company. After laying her ideas on the table, issuing a plan, she’d watch his reaction and let her gut make the choice. What he’d said last night about trusting her and being nice to him before he’d become rich had stuck with her. The vulnerability in his eyes had nailed her right in the breastbone.

Stopping outside her destination, she tossed her cup in the trash and glanced up at the white fortress. Gaines Industries was in bright blue block letters over the door and, she knew from looking out her office window, also spanned the roof on a grander scale for an aerial view. The building wasn’t as huge as some of the others in the vicinity, but twenty floors was no peon.

Popping a mint in her mouth to erase coffee breath, she pulled the handle and stepped inside. She showed her credentials to security and signed a guest badge. As she walked to the bank of elevators, she was reminded how clinical the decor was throughout the public areas. A topic for later. She rode the elevator to the top floor and checked in at the desk.

“Mr. Gaines said you should go right back when you arrive. Do you remember the way?”

Peyton smiled. “I do. Thank you, Fern.”

The secretary blinked several times as if surprised Peyton remembered her name. “You’re welcome.”

She walked down the hall and past a conference room. There was only one other office on this floor, which was across from Xavier’s, and it appeared vacant. The low rumble of his voice caught her attention, and she moved to the doorway of his office. He leaned against the desk, facing the wall-to-wall windows, his back to her and phone against his ear.

Since he was occupied, she waited on the threshold and watched him at work. Lord, but did he grow up nice. Gone was the lanky boy she’d known who used to get picked on. Back then, she’d tried to befriend him outside of tutoring, but she couldn’t be everywhere at once and suspected he’d been subject to kids’ cruelty. If those bullies could see him now, they’d regret their actions.

At six feet, he towered over her five-seven frame, even with her wearing heels, and his shoulders were wide, filling out his suit. Trim waist, large hands, chestnut waves of thick hair that was somewhat longer on top and trimmed neatly on the sides. She could envision the slight ripples of muscle under his pressed white shirt, like a runner’s build.

“I’ll have accounting send you a report.” He paused. “I’m actually working on that now. I have a meeting...” He glanced at his watch and, as if sensing her, turned to look over his shoulder. His gaze locked on hers, and he slowly straightened. “Right now. I’ll give you an update by next week. Thank you.” He set the phone in the cradle, gaze never leaving hers, and a muscle ticked in his jaw.

In high school, his glasses had masked the potency of his golden brown eyes. Without the barrier? Assessing and aloof in the same beat. She mentally fanned herself. He could be doing quantum physics in his head or undressing her in his mind—she’d never know the difference. He was that hard to read. But to be the focus of all his attention, no matter what he was thinking, was unnervingly sexy. Prickles of awareness crept up her spine.

“Peyton.” It wasn’t the first time he’d said her name like a rough caress, and it seemed each instance pulled a deeper tremor from her. His gaze traveled quickly over her fitted sea foam green dress to her white heels and back up, too fast to take it as a perusal. He cleared his throat. “Come in, please.”

She smiled and walked to stand in front of his desk, forcing her arousal back into a box. With padlocks.

Again, he grabbed the phone and hit a button. “Please put in an order for...” He looked at Peyton. “Do you eat Chinese food?” After she nodded, he spoke into the receiver. “Chinese, an hour from now. When it’s delivered, you can leave for the day.” He suddenly closed his eyes. “No, I’m not ill. Yes, I’m certain. I’m giving Miss Smoke a tour—” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “By myself, yes. Hold all my calls.”

Peyton rolled her lips over her teeth to avoid grinning. She very much doubted his little tick of frustration was something most were privy to see. He got bonus points for not getting snippy with Fern, and he always said please or thank you. “I take it Xavier Gaines showing potential employees around is out of the ordinary?”

He inhaled in what she figured was an attempt to collect himself and stared at the desk. “Very, but I prefer to do your tour personally. Unless...?”

“I would prefer that, as well.” She offered a relaxed smile when he looked at her, a wrinkle between his brows. Not for the first time, she sensed his careful control was a mask for something else. In the barest of flashes, he didn’t seem like the cold business mogul the media portrayed. “Shall we?”

They started on the first floor and worked their way up. Technicians, programmers, and engineers had several departments dedicated just to them. Accounting, legal, and human resources utilized a lot of the other floors. Xavier definitely made his employees uncomfortable, judging by the way conversation stopped when they drew near and the utter avoidance of eye contact. Still, he knew most of their names, even though he had to have upwards of four hundred staff, and the accommodations were first rate. He even had a cafeteria and daycare inside the building, plus a media room. His dictations were clear and concise, but there was pride in his voice when he paused to explain aspects of the company.

The top floor was quiet when they returned a couple of hours later, and takeout waited on the coffee table in his office.

He rifled through the bags and removed a couple cartons. “Let me run to the conference room and grab plates. What would you like to drink?”

“Water is fine, thank you.”

He nodded and strode out, returning moments later. He passed her a bottle of water and a fork. “They only sent chopsticks.”

“I’m okay with those.”

Pausing a beat, he gave a barely perceptible shake of his head. “Of course, you are.” He gestured to the couch and took a seat next to her. “I, however, am not as skilled as you.” Dishing a small amount of everything, he handed her a plate, then loosened his tie, removed his coat, and rolled his sleeves to the elbows before serving himself.

She got caught up in the corded muscles of his forearms and light dusting of hair, then stared at her food. “Thank you for dinner.” She’d anticipated a tour and swindling, not an informal sit-down.

“You’re very welcome. It’s the least I can do for keeping you late. I suspect we have a lot to discuss. Right off the bat, I’ll double what you’re making now, plus full health benefits, if you join Gaines Industries. Two weeks paid vacation a year. One of the job requirements might involve travel, fully on company expenses, but I want you to be aware.” He reached for a fork, but she stopped him by covering his hand.

She’d expected him to lure her with money. Though the salary alone made her heart thump, wealth wasn’t everything. First test? Xavier may be a genius, but a man willing to learn new things and adapt to change was someone she could work with.

She set her plate on the table and handed him a set of chopsticks. “Humor me and try these.”

He studied her a careful beat and dipped his chin in a nod.

Demonstrating how to wield the utensils, she wrapped her fingers around his. He frowned, but it seemed more out of concentration than irritation. Together, they raised a spear of pork to his mouth and their gazes locked. His full lips parted and an uneven breath escaped. Down toppled a brick in his wall, and she swore attraction looked back at her through the intensity of his eyes. Bourbon and fire, his irises.

After a moment, he glanced at the food and bit into the pork, severing the heated exchange. He had some difficulty with the chopsticks, but he never reached for a fork. Okay, so he passed the first test.

She dragged oxygen into her lungs and focused on her own plate once again, ignoring the pang in her belly. They ate in silence, barring a few pleasant exchanges about the staff packets he let her look through. Wages were competitive and he was good about yearly raises.

She took a healthy drink of water and recapped the bottle while he cleaned up. “I have some questions that might seem unconventional. If I’m to consider your offer, I need to understand you.”

His lips curved in that smile which wasn’t really a smile, and sat facing her on the couch. “I was serious about hiring you, so lay it on me.”

Making a point, she removed her shoes, crossed her legs, and clasped her hands. “I hope you don’t have plans. We’re going to be here awhile.”

He huffed an uncommitted version of a laugh. “I’m all yours.”

“Do you date?” When he just stared at her, she elaborated. “Aside from your recent breakup with that model, I don’t recall photos of you with a woman splashing the society columns.”

His gaze dipped to her necklace. “I don’t know if date is the right word. I’ve had relationships, yes. Nothing serious.”

“Is it because you’re gay?”

His gaze flew to hers. “I’m not gay.”

She shrugged. “It’s okay if you are. I just need to know to prepare.”

“I’m not.”

“Nothing to be ashamed about, especially in this day and age, and in California, no less.”

“Peyton.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “If I were gay, I’d tell you. I wouldn’t be ashamed because I don’t see anything wrong with the lifestyle. In fact, I support equal marriage. But,” he leaned forward, “I’m. Not. Gay.”

Oh, yes. Now she was getting somewhere. He had no idea how much he just inadvertently revealed. Xavier Gaines was open-minded, unbiased, and his armor could be chinked.

She grinned. “Didn’t think so. Just checking.”

Eyes narrowed, he ran his tongue over his teeth, amusement in his direct gaze. “The two areas of my life where I excel are the boardroom and the bedroom.”

Rawr. Blow her over with a feather, but he had an alpha side next to his brains. She’d be turned on if he weren’t a potential boss. Never mind. She was turned on, anyway. “Noted.”

Resting his elbow on the back of the couch, he rubbed his jaw. “I have difficulty straddling the personal and professional line. Trust is an issue, too. I tend to keep my sexual encounters brief and quiet.”

She could only imagine. He had more money than she’d ever see in a lifetime, and women were bound to use whatever tactics they had in their arsenal to land him. His good looks were just a bonus. However, humanizing him in the media would be part of her job, so they’d have to figure something out.

Moving on... “Do you have any hobbies?”

His gaze drifted. “Not really. I like computer games, if only for the programming aspect. I get ideas from them.”

“Play any sports? Or watch them?”

“Uh, no.” Again, he glanced at her necklace and she wondered why. “I work out and run, but I’m not very athletic. On occasion, I’ll watch baseball.”

Running, huh? “What’s your average distance?”

Confusion hit his eyes as if he had no clue what she was after. “I just do it for exercise. I run about five miles twice a week.”

Nice. Which meant she could get him involved in charity marathons to boost his image. Between this conversation and witnessing him with his employees, not to mention glancing at his staff packets, she was leaning heavily toward an answer. Yet, she needed to know if he could bend.

“I’m going to be blunt.” At his nod of encouragement, she skimmed through the list in her head. “First, you have a number of employee incentives and turnover is pretty low. However, there are a couple things I’d suggest to boost morale, such as a Christmas office party and a company-wide family picnic. Two events split through the year to show appreciation.”

His brows lifted as if he’d not thought of such a thing. “I can do that.”

Hm. Obviously, he was willing to put money into his staff, understanding happy workers meant productivity. Points for him. “Second, this is a corporation, but there’s no trace of individuality in the building. The steady stream of visitors and business coming through the doors are met with nothing. I think adding subtle touches would make a world of difference—framing newspaper articles about Gaines Industries for the lobby, a splash of color here and there, prints of the city, photos of those you help. That kind of thing.”

“Consider it done.” No pause. No hesitation. Just swift agreement.

She pursed her lips. “That means the conference room and your office, as well.” She glanced around. “Maybe a picture of you and your family on a shelf. A couple plants. Definitely a rug with some color.”

A grin teased his mouth. “Have at it.”

Interesting. “I recommend getting involved in one charity and backing it. Seeing as the government contract is in the works and taking into account your current programming, something with the military. Injured vets or families of fallen soldiers. You also need a stronger social media presence. Facebook and Twitter, probably.”

“You’ve put a lot of thought into this, haven’t you?” He seemed equally impressed and amused. Slowly, he was unwinding and exposing the guy behind the mask. And she liked him. “Done and done. Next?”

More than a little surprised, she considered how to approach the following subject. It might cross a line for him. “About your image. You’re required to attend a lot of benefits. Previous restraint in bringing a date to avoid association is wise, but it pegs you as a loner. Seeing as we’d have a working partnership and my role is in public relations, we should attend functions together. It’ll put someone at your side without throwing speculation. If you begin dating someone seriously, we can reevaluate.”

He glanced away, mouth firm in thought. “It never crossed my mind. That’s a good idea. I’m up for it.”

Floored, she blinked. Flat out, she hadn’t expected him to be this agreeable. “I’d schedule public spotlights. Interviews, community events, yada.”

For that, he paused. His respirations increased. Finally, he cleared his throat. “I’m no good at that sort of thing. If you’re willing to coach me, I’ll be amendable.”

Wow. She wasn’t seeing a downside. Her Spidey sense wasn’t tingling in warning anymore, either. “I’m going to be honest with you. If you hire me, I will be your shadow, Xavier. This will be all but a marriage without the benefits.”

He offered her a droll look. “If that’s the case, let’s hop a plane to Vegas and we can have benefits, too.”

Well, jeez. He had a sense of humor. And she should absolutely not find that sexy. “Ha. Funny. We need open communication foremost. You’re not going to like all my ideas and I’m sure you’ll grate on my nerves, too, but I expect compromise. Are you comfortable with that?”

“Yes.” He sighed, studying her. “I have a couple stipulations of my own.” He held up a finger. “One, a signed confidentiality agreement. You’ll be privy to corporate dealings and it’s not just me I need to protect.” Up went another finger. “And two, honesty at all times. I’m not always the best judge of character. I’m more of a numbers guy and you have a gift for reading people. I don’t care what the situation, but if something feels off, if someone rubs you the wrong way, or if there’s an issue in any aspect, you will come to me first. Always.”

She didn’t know what to be more upset about—the fact he felt he had to say either of those things or that he obviously had been burned once before to necessitate making the stipulations. “Agree and agree.” This was a done deal in her mind. Still, she hesitated and decided to go for broke. Call it curiosity. “Tell me something no one else knows about you.”

Brows furrowed, he stared at her a long beat, his gaze unreadable. “I’m allergic to coconut. Wait, my doctor knows that.” He rubbed the back of his neck, frustration and something close to panic in his expression, then looked at her necklace.

Okay, he’d done that several times last night, too. To give him a starting point, she asked him about the quirk.

Closing his eyes, he dug his fingers into his lids. His chest stopped rising and falling. Just when she thought he wouldn’t respond, he slapped a hand to his thigh and tentatively met her gaze. “I have a self-diagnosed social anxiety disorder. I’m fine in meetings and typically in small crowds, but if I don’t know the person or if the association doesn’t involve business, I can freeze up. Having something to focus on helps, like your necklace, for instance.”

Every cell in her body shut down as she watched him. Utterly still, she rewound what he’d said and connected his words to his actions that she’d witnessed the past two days. “Self-diagnosed. Meaning, you haven’t been in therapy or—”

“No. Not one soul knows that about me. In fact, aside from my parents and my bodyguard, this is the most open conversation I’ve had in I don’t know how long. I think you should be aware of the condition, considering the work you’d be doing for me if you say yes.” His throat worked a swallow, and he dropped his chin as if humiliated.

And, there. There was the man under the suit, the heart behind the shield. He wasn’t cold or insensitive. He wasn’t a machine or a robot. He didn’t lack personality or character. Quite simply, he was functioning in the only way he knew how.

Without a word, he rose and moved to the wall of windows. His spine stiff, he shoved his hands in his pockets and appeared to take in the view before him. Dusk had settled and stars winked in the distance, a backdrop to the lights from the buildings. He looked so lonely, so lost standing there, and she had to wonder how many times he’d done this. A powerful, uber rich, incredibly smart man...standing all by himself.

Sudden emotion tightened her throat. The professional part of her clicked off and left her just a woman, sympathizing with him, her heart exposed.

Cautiously, she stood and stepped behind him, halting with a couple feet of distance between them. The window reflected his image, and his torn, wide-open gaze met hers in the glass. She could only guess how his honesty had leveled his confidence. Emasculating, really. And he’d trusted her enough to tell her. That said so very much about him.

She adjusted her glasses and chose her words carefully. “You are a brilliant man. To accomplish what you have at your age is remarkable. Behind the money and under the prestige, you’re just a guy who prefers gigabytes and algorithms over people. There’s no shame in that, and your field of interest didn’t allow for much social interaction. A little nervousness is to be expected.”

Hands deep in his pockets, he slowly turned to face her, jaw ticking. Shock and relief warred in his expression. “Peyton...” He shook his head as if at a loss. His gaze dropped to her necklace.

An idea bloomed, and she held up a finger, telling him to hold on. She strode to her purse on the table, dug around until she found what she was searching for, and moved back in front of him. His eyes shifted from the floor to her necklace again.

“Look at me, please. Up here.” She waved her hand, indicating her face, and he complied. “I want you to understand me and look in my eyes. Get used to it. They’re your focal point now, your safety net. Here, you’ll find no judgment or pressure. I’ll be there for all your appearances. If you start to feel nervous or overwhelmed, just find me.”

His lips parted in shock. “Does that mean...?”

“I accept your offer.”

He let out an extinguishing breath and slammed his lids shut, his shoulders sagging. “Thank you.”

She waited for his eyes to open and then reached for his hand, depositing an item in his palm. “That’s a military challenge coin. Service members collect them.”

He studied the gold metal roughly the size of a half-dollar, running his thumb across the four branches engraving the front. “I don’t understand.”

“That coin is one of many my brother had before he died. He used to carry one on him at all times and, when he felt scared, he’d tightly fist it. He said it grounded him.” She closed Xavier’s fingers around it and met his golden eyes. “This is for your pocket.”

“Peyton, I can’t take this.”

“I’m giving it to you, and yes, you can. If I’m not around, just slip your hand inside your pocket when you need assurance. No one will ever know.” She smiled as his gaze reclaimed hers. “I knew you were a smart cookie who’d catch on fast. You haven’t looked at my necklace in five whole minutes.”

With a rough, low laugh, he shook his head. “I think you need a raise. Already.”

Jeez. A girl could melt with that grin aimed her way. It transformed his whole face from cool disinterest to warm fuzzies. “At least let me fill out new employee paperwork first.”