This time, her cousin hesitated even longer. “That’s probably for the best. He’s . . . way too much for you.”

Her cousin’s words echoed her own suspicions, but it irked London. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if you were going to learn to fly a plane, I wouldn’t recommend that you start with an F-22.”

“Meaning?” London probed.

“He goes fast, baby girl. To call him a playboy would be a huge understatement, like saying Luc can boil water.”

In other words, Xander was really talented. Yeah, she already knew that firsthand. And if he was brilliant orally, it stood to reason that he’d be great with other horizontal activities. Heck, he could probably wow her standing or sitting or . . . The thought made her squirm in her seat. “I see.”

“No, you probably don’t.” Alyssa surged into traffic as the light turned green. “Xander isn’t just a rich, very charming playboy, he’s a Dom.”

“A what?”

Alyssa blinked, looking as if she’d rather not be having this conversation, as if she was having to explain the birds and the bees to a child. London bristled. She was naïve, not stupid.

“A sexual Dominant.”

She had only the vaguest idea what that meant from a few books she’d read and some of the conversations she’d listened in on among Luc’s friends. But given the deep timbre, the snap in Xander’s voice when he commanded her to do something, Lys’ words shouldn’t surprise her. “He likes to tie women up and hurt them?”

“I don’t know his particular kink. I’m sure he ties them up. I’ve never heard that he’s a sadist, just that he likes females in abundant supply and under his control. Probably best that you didn’t go out with him.”

Probably so, but still she wanted to understand her cousin’s insistence. “He just suggested lunch. What could he really do to me in a public place?”

“He’s clever. I wouldn’t put much past him. If you’re looking for someone to date, I’d pick someone a bit younger and less likely to seduce you in the first ten minutes.”

London frowned. Hadn’t she thought the same thing herself? Besides, following Alyssa’s advice would be the cautious thing to do. But she’d been cautious for as long as she could remember, staying in her wheelchair until every specialist had given her the green light to progress, not walking unassisted until her physical therapist had browbeat her into grabbing some independence. She had skipped celebrating her twenty-first birthday in favor of studying for finals and not having to go to a bar where she’d be pitied for her lack of mobility. It had taken her father’s sudden death from a heart attack two years ago to realize that life was short and she was wasting hers away by bowing to fear.

“Maybe I want to be seduced,” she admitted softly.

Alyssa whipped her gaze around and blinked at her in stunned silence.

“I’m twenty-five. Most people my age have experienced some romantic milestones in their lives by now.” Before today, the highlight of her romantic past had been a sloppy kiss from Justin Chambers at the homecoming dance in the tenth grade.

“I know, sweetie. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t date and experience men, just that . . . with Xander it would be over about an hour after it began.”

She was probably stupid to believe that she could handle such a man for even that long. No doubt, ending their brief association had been the right move. “But at least I’d have some experience.”

“Oh, you would.” Alyssa nodded. “But could you live with a hit-and-run?”

Would it be? Probably. When she’d been the one to insist on leaving, she’d probably thrown him for a loop. But really, out of sight would be out of mind for him. He’d probably never call her. And even if he did . . . Well, that was that.

The only other man she’d like to date was his brother. But besides being her new boss, he seemed like a grieving widower leaning on alcohol to make it through the day. Javier had problems. And she was insane to assume that he would ever think of her as a potential date. Starting Monday, they’d have a strictly working relationship.

“It’s a moot point. I said no. Xander has no idea who I am. I don’t see why our paths would cross again.” She winced. “Except that I’ll be working for his brother.”

Alyssa’s face softened. “I feel so bad for Javier. I don’t know all the details, but that man’s life has fallen apart in the last year. If Xander has forced him to spend six weeks here to sober up and refocus on his responsibilities, Javier must be one bottle away from total collapse.”

London believed that. The man who had interviewed her today had been hanging onto his self-possession by a thread. London had the feeling that as soon as she left the office, he’d disappear into his bottle for the night. Something about the desperate yearning on his face made her want to save him. God, that didn’t sound smart. After her own difficulties, she always wanted to help others climb their personal mountains. But getting too wrapped up in Javier . . . she could already see that he was too proud to want her help. If she tried, she’d only crash and burn.

“Well, starting Monday, my job will be to make his work life easier. Hopefully, that will ease his load some.” She was going to be his assistant, not his savior. While avoiding his brother.

Not for one moment did she think that would be easy.

Chapter Six

MONDAY morning, Alyssa dropped London off at S.I. Industries’ office shortly before eight thirty a.m. She paced the abandoned hallway until Javier arrived a few minutes later, looking completely put together and so insanely hot that he made her weak-kneed. He’d gotten a haircut over the weekend. The shorter style accentuated the slashes of his cheekbones. He’d paired his sharp charcoal suit with a burgundy shirt. Everything fit like it had been made for his body. Given the quality of the fabric and the stitching, it probably had.

He approached her silently on Italian leather loafers, his gait relaxed, just like his smile. She smiled in return. It was a reflex, both because it was polite and because she couldn’t not turn her lips up at the gorgeous man. She couldn’t read his enigmatic expression precisely, but the fact that he looked almost happy lightened her heart. Maybe they’d have smooth sailing today.

“Good morning.” His deep voice pinged inside her.

London hoped Javier didn’t notice the little tremor of excitement that went through her. He was her boss. She had to remember that. “Good morning, sir.”

Javier handed her a ring with two keys and pressed it into her palm. She blinked up at him in question as he turned to the office door and unlocked it. “The first opens the office door. If you’re ever here before I am, let yourself in.”

“Oh, that’s great. Thank you.” The little show of his trust made her determined to truly earn it and be an important asset to him. Granted, he was only going to be here for a few weeks, and she would have to earn the right to keep her job longer than that, but London was determined to do it. If she needed to relocate, she’d figure it out, but at least she’d be employed.

“You won’t, however, be staying later than me. I won’t have you risk your safety by working in a deserted office or walking in an empty parking lot alone. Are we clear?”

London nodded. Under his drinking and his problems, he was a caring person. She liked that about him. “Of course.”

“Excellent. The second key is to my rental house.”

She started, peering at him in confusion. She couldn’t have heard that right. “Your house, sir?”

His gaze slid away, and he focused on opening the door. “Clearly, you know that I’m fond of vodka. And now that my playboy brother and I are no longer sharing a house . . . well, let’s just say that if I ever fail to appear at the office by noon, please come find me. I’ll be asking for your phone number and texting you the address in the next few minutes. You don’t have any problems with that, I trust?”

London tried to process all that as Javier opened the door and gestured her into the office. Shadows clung, and he flipped on all the lights, chasing them away. She hoped shock didn’t show all over her face.

“N-no, but I . . . I’m afraid I don’t understand. If you failed to appear by noon, wouldn’t you want me to get in touch with your brother? He’s family, after all. You barely know me, sir.”

“Xander and I are currently not speaking. I don’t anticipate that changing anytime soon. I forbid you to call him on my behalf for any reason.” And his tone told her that was the end of that conversation. Prying now would be a bad idea. But that didn’t stop the vicious curiosity.

“All right.”

“You’re keeping the thousand questions assaulting your brain to yourself. Good.” Javier closed the door behind him and strode across the floor to her desk, just outside the inner office he occupied. “Discretion is a very important part of this job. We’re often dealing in government secrets. As such, I’ve got some NDAs for you to fill out.” He grabbed them out of a drawer and set them on her desk in the front part of the office, along with a pen, then he looked at her expectantly.

She followed him, then set down her purse on the corner of the desk. Frowning, she looked between him and the forms in question. “NDAs?”

“Nondisclosure agreements. You are not at liberty to say who you work for, what you do, divulge any information you come across, or photocopy, photograph, or otherwise record in any way the information you see while working here, blah, blah, blah. It’s all in black-and-white. Read it and come to me with any questions.”

London nodded. “Um, m-my cousin and her husband already know that I’m working for you.”

He raised a displeased brow. “Your cousin and her husband?”

“Alyssa and Luc? I live with them, and they—”

“Ah, I’d wondered how you knew Morgan. It was too much to hope that she’d worked with you previously or was one of your neighbors.” He sighed. “Everyone here is some friend of my brother’s. I suppose you know the annoying shitbag, too?”

London couldn’t help it. A hot rush of blood flushed its way up her face. “He seemed charming.”

Javier cursed under his breath. “I don’t want the details. I’ll pretend I don’t know far too much about my brother’s . . . proclivities and we’ll leave it at that.”

Somehow, London feared that she’d upset him. “I-I don’t know him well. We just—”

“I already know. While you work for me, I don’t want to hear a word about Xander. Understood?”

She didn’t understand it and had the distinct impression that the possibility that she’d slept with Xander upset him. But she didn’t say anything more. “Yes, sir.”

“Tell no one else who you work for, especially not Xander. I don’t need him to babysit me, and I won’t let him use you to do it for him. If I find out that you’ve breathed a word about anything that happens in this office to him, you’re fired.”

Wow. Okay, then. His words alone communicated the gravity of his command, but the stern expression on his face really underscored it. Bad blood much? London didn’t understand, and she was just here to do a job. But she had to admit that their intense sibling rivalry bothered her.

“That won’t be a problem, sir.”

“Very good.” He extracted another key and opened the door to his interior office, then turned back to her. “I tried to stock your desk with everything you might need, but take a look around and let me know what you’re missing. When you’ve signed the NDAs, give them to me. Your e-mail should be set up. Please send me a quick message with your cell number and any upcoming doctor appointments you might have.”

London jotted down a few notes so she didn’t forget anything. “I will.”

“For my edification, do you take any medication for your condition during the day?”

She shook her head, trying not to let that feeling of defeat creep in. She’d refused to continue feeling broken or letting her limitations stop her from performing the duties of her first-ever job. “I take most before bed or with breakfast.”

He nodded once. “I expect if that changes you’ll inform me.”

“Sir, even if it changes, I won’t let the meds interfere with my performance.”

His gaze softened. “I believe you. I simply wanted to watch after you. This job is demanding, and I won’t have you sacrificing your health for it.”

Inside, she melted. Under all that stern control and intimidating mien, he’d twice shown that he cared about people. It was kind of sweet . . . and he’d probably drop her with one of those razor-sharp glances if she suggested that aloud. “Thank you.”