Well it's continued... this feels as though it'll be a long one and it will definitely be dirty at some point but not yet. Enjoy xx

"Elizabeth, thank you for coming over" President Dalton addressed Elizabeth as she entered the Oval Office. "Let me introduce you to Dr Henry McCord he's my new Ethical Advisor" Conrad gestured to the stranger with his hand. Elizabeth noticed his eyes first, they were a hazel colour and framed by dark eyelashes. She next noticed his skin that was slightly tanned and he has smile lines that fanned from those eyes, those eyes that seemed to of captured Elizabeth. She felt her heart thrumming in her chest and her stomach suddenly started fluttering.

"Hello, very pleased to meet you. I'm Elizabeth Adams, welcome to the team" She had a nervous energy bubbling away within her and she had to make a conscious effort to slow down her words. Her hand outstretched toward his as he stood. She noticed his silhouette, he was tall and sturdy, muscular.

"Thank you, Madam Secretary" Henry stood and grasped her hand. As their hands touched he felt a buzz of energy pass through them both. They locked eyes and for a moment the world seemed blurred around them both to him. Her eyes, blue as the ocean sparkled and her lips curved slightly upwards to a soft smile. All too quickly the handshake was over and they took their seats. Elizabeth sat opposite Henry and he couldn't take his eyes off her. He noticed her stealing glances at him every now and again. Their eyes locking, before she adverted them towards the papers in her hands. He noticed the way she commanded the room, the way everyone listened intently when she spoke and he noticed the way she blushed a little when he smiled at her.

"We will need an ops team on the ground, sir" Ephraim Ware states.

"Henry, where do we stand ethically in this?" President Dalton asked.

Elizabeth sat and listened to Henry and allowed herself a moment to feel his tenor tones wash over her. He unsettled her, he was making her feel on edge and she found herself unable to stop her mind running away inappropriately. Elizabeth brushed her hands together trying to remember how his hand had felt in hers, she definitely felt something when they shook hands earlier. She needed more from him that was sure and hopefully she would see him again soon. She told herself off when she caught herself looking for a wedding ring on his finger, a jolt of energy burst through her when she saw his finger empty. She subconsciously placed her empty ring finger on her knee to make sure he saw that she wasn't married.

"Ok, team let's get into this. Thank you everyone for your input" President Dalton stood and everyone in the room immediately jumped up. "Bess, can you stay a moment please?" Henry's heart sank he hoped to walk out with her and casually speak to her. He debated whether he should hang around outside for her however as quickly as that thought appeared it disappeared again. He walked back to his new office in the West Wing completely caught up in his thoughts of the Secretary of State.

Henry had devoted his life to theology and academia which left his romantic life unfulfilled and somewhat lacking the intimacy that he secretly craved. He had girlfriends in the past but nothing seemed to stick, nothing or no one seemed to make him feel like he just had when he locked eyes with Elizabeth. He needed to speak to her and found himself looking up the latest report on global famine produced by the state department. Then he moved onto the report of border regulations and trade agreements until he opened google. Here he typed in Elizabeth Adams and within a third of a second was rewarded with pictures, news articles and interviews with her. She was standing behind podiums, shaking hands with world leaders and attending state dinners. Henry hovered the curser over an article on Peace in the Middle East and Secretary of State shines in red at benefit and without too much hesitation clicked on the Secretary in a deep red ball gown. She was a vision in red and he felt a spark deep in his core. He was curious about who she attended the dinner with, that's all. It wasn't because she looked radiant and unbelievably sexy in that dress. Henry could feel his heart beating faster as he skimmed the article and his adrenaline had kicked in. He was wasting work time to do some spying and it was unlike him however he couldn't get her out of his head. The article gave no indication if she had a partner and earlier he had noticed she didn't have a wedding band or even an engagement ring. He sucked in a deep breath when he searched ElizabethAdamsmarriedpartnerrelationships and the tabloids seem to take over his desktop. Secretary Adams Alone Forever? Secretary Adams meets mystery man for lunch... Who is the real Elizabeth Adams? That's when he heard a soft knock at the door, Henry jumped and quickly closed the browser down. She was standing in his doorway, the women from the articles.

Elizabeth noticed how he had jumped and how quickly he closed something on his computer "sorry, didn't mean to make you jump" she said in a husky voice. Henry was now on his feet with a deep blush spreading across his face. From her CIA days she knew he was looking up something he shouldn't be, she wondered what it could be. He must know that everything he searches for isn't private and it's logged in some system somewhere. She hoped he was looking up her and quickly squashed that idea down and told herself not to be so vain. "Is this a bad time, Dr McCord?" She asked.

"No, not at all. Please come in Madam Secretary, take a seat" Henry stuttered wondering if he should extend his hand or not. He ended up jerking his hand out and then in again so he brushed his fingers through his hair.

"Thank you, I won't be long. I was just speaking to Conrad about you and your remit of work" Elizabeth sat herself down and scanned his office for a picture of a significant other to her surprise she was ecstatic that there wasn't one. She felt on edge again and terribly nervous speaking to him. "I've never heard of an Ethical Advisor before and wanted to know what you did" Her eyes meet his and she could feel herself staring. Blink Elizabeth she thought to herself. You are used to speaking to powerful people he's just a new work colleague. It didn't seem to help because the butterflies she felt in her stomach earlier reappeared and made her very aware of herself. "Conrad spoke very highly of you and mentioned that you met when he attended one of your academic conferences that you were speaking at"

"Yes, he attended one of my talks on An Ethical Act of War. He approached me afterwards and offered me an advisory position here. I couldn't pass it up and I'm glad I didn't" Henry wished he had finished with because I met you He settled for a smile instead. She was sat in his office on the chair opposite him, her legs crossed over and her glasses held in her hands. He noticed the way she took her glasses on and off her face a lot and he found it adorable he wondered if she ever lost them. Henry lent forward in his chair so he was slightly closer to her and she mirrored him, he noticed. "I am here to advise on any situation that the president needs me to. I will always provide a balanced opinion and I am not afraid to play devils advocate" he finished with.

"Interesting..." she pursed her lips together and seemed to be thinking of something. Henry noticed how her eyes looked into the distance as she was processing information and how they snapped back to his when she finally worked it out. "Over at State we have an interesting situation in Myanmar and I would love to get your opinion. I've asked Conrad if I could have you for a couple of hours and he agreed if you are happy with it?"

She wants me... She wants me... Henry tried to keep a calm exterior however Elizabeth noticed the way he played with his glasses when she asked if she could have him. Maybe the way she was feeling was being reciprocated. She had been a lone wolf working for the CIA since college and becoming Station Chief in Baghdad was the highlight of her career until Conrad, her ex CIA boss, approached her and offered her Secretary of State. She had one serious relationship that fell apart when she went to Baghdad and she never felt ready to want another intimate relationship until now. Until she grasped Henry's hand in the Oval Office not more than two hours ago. Her senses had awoken and she felt an unfamiliar pull deep in her centre that was asking for attention. She could feel herself responding to this man in ways that she hadn't responded to anyone in years it excited her but also made her feel unsure.

"So?" She asked "will you come to the State department at another time?" She raised her eyebrow slightly after she bit on her bottom lip.

Henry took a deep breath and tried to calm his heart rate down "yes of course, I serve at the pleasure" his eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief as he said that.

"Great. I'll have my assistant, Blake, call you to set up a time" Elizabeth stood at this not really wanting to leave but not having another reason to stay. So she thrust her hand out wanting a reason to touch him again. This was an approved way of saying goodbye... right? Henry had followed her upright and noticed her hand outstretched, he suddenly felt clammy and hesitated as he placed his hand in hers. The way her fingers held onto his hand was electric, the current was flowing between them and they locked eyes again. Elizabeth could feel that feeling again and moved her eyes from their locked hands to his eyes and back down. They both laughed nervously and let go, standing opposite each other he said

"I look forward to working with you Madam Secretary"

"As am I, Dr McCord" and with that she turned and left his office leaving him feeling alone but excited. He smiled and sat back at his desk to work on the proposal for the president with the Secretary of State filling his every third thought