Million Dollar Devil

15.

I exit the elevator, Mr. Hayes following behind me. His keys jingling in his hand. "Do you need a ride," he says politely before clearing his throat and looking at me expectantly.

I shake my head sheepishly, though I can't help but notice the tiny flutters of butterfly wings inside my stomach. "Thank you, but I am going to walk."

"It's raining," he cocks his head and looks at me blankly.

"I know," I smile and shrug, "I like the rain."

His eyes stay trained on me, curiously. His eyebrows knitted together as I give him a curt nod before turning towards the exit.

I push on the giant rotating glass doors, stepping into the crisp winter air. The cement glistens, drops of rain forming ripples in the puddles below. I hold my arms close to my chest, engulfing myself in the warmth of my coat as I side-step a puddle. Cars zoom by, sending waves of water over the edge of the sidewalk. Pulling my hood over my head I take in the the muffled sound of droplets hitting the fabric on the crown of my head. Reaching my hands out, I feel the raindrops dancing on the palms of my hands.

"Stand there too long and we will be late," I hear Mr. Hayes voice. I whip around to see him standing in the rain beside me.

"I thought you were driving," I say, surprise evident in my voice.

He looks at me blankly with an unreadable expression before stepping in front of me nonchalantly.

We walk side-by-side down the city street. I do my best to keep up with his long stride, though I'm suddenly keenly aware of just how short my legs are. The silence is comfortable, only broken by the sound of cars passing by and rain tapping on the world around us. The glow of the headlights fades into the fog, and I'm suddenly transported into the set of a hallmark movie set against the backdrop of a rainy winter in New York. I don't notice the numbness of my fingers anymore, nor do I feel the cold air turning my nose Rudolph red. I'm comfortably uncomfortable as I move one foot in front of another.

The sound of Mr. Hayes footsteps beside me pull me out of my trance of childlike wonder. I look over at him and can't help but giggle, "Your hair is soaking wet," I laugh as I take in his appearance. His mop of hair sits in a ruffled mess, a stark contrast from his usual perfectly slicked back look. It was almost as if the rain had washed way his brooding exterior and I was seeing him for the first time.

He looks at me blankly before reaching over and pulling my hood off my head, "I guess that makes two of us then." I instantly feel the rain collecting in my curls and rolling down my cheeks. I meet his gaze, a smile so obviously growing across my face.

"You think I'm scared of a little rain?" I say as I slip off my coat and throw my arms outward, spinning in a circle. I fall back in step with him, looking at Mr. Hayes with mischievous satisfaction. A deep chuckle escapes his mouth as he gently shakes his head, his eyes still stuck on me.

"This feels like a challenge," he says, "I like a challenge," his voice lowers darkly, his eyes trained on me. He moves to slip his arms out of his coat, revealing a a white long sleeve collared shirt fit to his body. I try to keep my eyes from scanning the length of his body as we walk side by side. His sopping white shirt sticks to his body, revealing what looks to be black tattoos beneath the fabric. While he only grows more attractive in the rain, I can't say the same for myself. My inexpensive dress slowly turns into a dish rag, bunching up in all the wrong places. We walk in silence. His hand accidently brushes mine, a jolt runs through my body as thought I'd touched an electric fence. I turn my head ever so slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of him in my peripheral, he's utterly unaffected. My eyes snap forwards as soon as I see his gaze shift my direction.