Alice glowered down at the hand that gripped her wrist as his slightly rough fingers were sending shivers down her spine. She was too aware of this man and that made her more thorny to him and she hissed, "Let go of my hand! Just because I asked you to be my boyfriend does not mean that you can touch me as you please!"

Adam rolled his eyes at the prickly little girl who looked as cute as a kitten baring her teeth and raised his hands in surrender. "Fine! I am sorry babe! Now can we sit and talk without you getting annoyed at me? Why don\'t you tell me why you want me to be your boyfriend? Have you fallen for me? My good looks? My art? My body? Tell me tell me!"

Alice felt her mouth fall open as she wondered how someone could be so narcissistic about themselves and had the urge to smash his ego. Sitting back on the chair haughtily, she commented," Ha! To make me fall for you, you would have to die and reincarnate into a..."

Before she could complete the sentence, Adam had stood up and went towards the edge of the deck and seemed to be peeping down....

Frowning at his outlandish behavior, Alice called out, " Hey! Where are you going?"

To which Adam called back, "You said that I have to reincarnate. I am loved by everyone so I don\'t think I will die early but since I need to re incarnate, I am checking the height from here. Do you think if I jump from here I can reincarnate?"

Alice felt her mouth drop open and she ran to the insane man who was actually considering dying and talking about is so casually, and caught the man\'s collar and brought her self so that she was glaring at him nose to nose, "Are you crazy?"

Seeing her wide and slightly worried eyes and knowing the worry was for him, Adam grinned and said," Hey! I am just teasing you! Babe! See you are worried for me! So that means that you will fall for me without me having to reincarnate..."

Frustrated at being played again by the crazy man, Alice almost pushed him off the ledge but controlled the impulse and stepped back, "Who\'s worried for you? I just don\'t want the police to blame me for your death!"

Grinning he watched his little cat walk back to the table in a huff and followed her. Little lying cat!

Once she had sat back on the chair, Alice noticed that the man was still grinning and not being serious, she slapped a hand at the table and growled, "Look, Mr. Adam Perry! You may have all the time in the world but I don\'t! I have no need for a man! The only reason I am asking you to be my boyfriend is for business reasons! More that a boyfriend, I want you to be a business partner. We will be signing a non disclosure agreement and I will make sure that you are well compensated!"

Adam looked carefully at Alice and knew that this was his last chance. If he infuriated Alice now she would mostly get up and leave. So he schooled his features, sat opposite her and asked," Miss Alice. I have already told you that help cannot be bought. You need my help, then all you can do is ask! I do not want your money."

But this time, Alice was well prepared and said," Mr. Perry. I don\'t need favors! I am proposing a mutually beneficiary partnership. I am not giving you money. But I am not going to get help for free!"

Adam nodded thoughtfully and understood that this was about her pride and nodded, "Fine. Then tell me everything Miss Faye and then I will decide the compensation I need."

Alice considered his easy acquiescence with some suspicion as she wondered for the last time if she was making a mistake but went ahead. If she understood anything about the man, he was not going to agree until she had given him a valid explanation, thus she explained the story of how her step brother Samuel was trying to sabotage her and the business and how she was determined to defeat him as well as find what his plans were this time. She did not give him the reason for the grudge she had with her family and he did not ask. Just looked at her thoughtfully. After finishing, she looked at the man and waited on tenterhooks for his reply.

Finally, just as she was about to snap and give up, Adam agreed, Alright, Miss Faye! I am willing to enter this charade with you." Adam extended his hand ready to shake hands over the deal when he saw her furrowed brows and shook his head, before adding," I am not helping you! I, of course have a condition!"