There was a moment of stunned silence between them as they both realized what just happened. Adam looked at the girl, her sleeve dripped with coffee.

David, his a.s.sistant, watched with mortification. He felt sorry for the girl, who was most likely about to be scorned by his boss. What was she thinking, standing in the middle of the road like that? How careless.

"I'm so sorry!" The girl exclaimed.

"No," Adam replied immediately. "I should have watched where I was going."

David looked at his boss with disbelief. Was he dreaming? Not only did Adam not get angry, he even said it was his fault?

"No, no, it's my fault." She insisted. "I shouldn't have stopped in the middle of the road."

Adam watched as the girl took a napkin out of her purse and started dabbing at her s.h.i.+rt. As he watched her he felt like she looked familiar.

Elle looked up and met his inquisitive eye. "I met you at the mayor's party." She said, as if she could read his mind. "Elle Shaw." She introduced.

"I'm –" Adam began awkwardly, but Elle interrupted him before he could continue.

"You're Adam Hayes." She said with a smirk. "I think everyone in the country knows who you are."

Adam was drawn by the look in her eyes. She wore a perfect smile, and had seemingly perfect manners, but the look in her eyes had a mischievous glimmer. As if she was teasing him.

"David, take her back to the company and get her a change of clothes." He commanded.

Poor David, who was still in shock from this conversation, barely registered that he was being spoken too.

"That's okay, don't trouble yourself." Elle interjected.

Adam frowned. "You'll catch a cold if you stay in those wet clothes in this weather. If you know who I am I'm sure you know it's no trouble to arrange for a single outfit to be prepared for you."

In a rare moment Elle wore a genuine smile. "I have a change of clothes at my office, you needn't concern yourself. Forgive me for troubling you so much." She bowed her head and quickly left.

Adam watched as she walked off briskly and got into her car.

David blatantly stared at his boss. Was that gentleness he saw in his eyes? The Adam Hayes whose reputation as a cold and uncaring man preceded him?

As she drove off Adam looked back to David with his usual dismissive glance. "Lets go."

No. David thought to himself. I must've imagined it.

As they drove back to the office Adam couldn't help but think about the look in that girl's eyes. He didn't realize it yet, but although it was a single playful glance, for the first time someone had moved his heart.