The collision!

Taylor was so busy with the album, she didn't notice the front door opened and someone stepped behind her and covered her eyes.

"Hey, who's the sweetest man in the world?"

"Mhhh, Santa Claus?!"

"Beep, wrong!"

"Well, then it can only be one! The best husband in the world!"

"The candidate gets 100 points!"

He gave her a kiss on the tip of her nose and joined her on the couch. Taylor recognized he seemed tired and weary. She went to the bar to prepare him a drink, which Ridge gratefully accepted. Taylor began massaging his shoulders.

"Have you had a busy day?"

"Oh, went like that!" mentioned Ridge. "Just numerous emails to get through. Sometimes, it feels like we've been gone ten years, not ten weeks. I think it's taking me forever to work through it."

"Oh my poor darling! That's the downside of traveling!"

"Yes, indeed! Makes you want to pack your bags and leave again right away."

"Ridge, we just got back to LA."

"I was just kidding. By the way, I got to know the new designer, Dad hired while I was gone, more precisely."

"And what's he like?"

"He seems to make a very competent impression. He's from Paris. Obviously, he's imbibed the French 'Haute couture' fashion with his mother's milk. I think we made a good catch with this man...and what did you do with your free time today?"

"Here! I finally got around to putting the pictures of our honeymoon in the album."

"Oh, let's see!"

Ridge grabbed the album and opened the first page. Taylor snuggled up to him and together, they flipped through the pages, reminiscing all their memories.

At one picture, Taylor got a terrible shock.

"Oh my God! I look impossible in this dress! I'm only noticing that now!"

She was about to take the picture out of the album, but Ridge stopped her.

"Hey, don't! I think you look incredible in that dress."

"Are you kidding me?!" She glared at him.

"No! I think the dress suits you. Besides, you know perfectly well you could wear a plastic bag and still be the most beautiful woman in the world to me!"

"Ridge, you are such a flatterer!"

She glanced at him in love. Ridge wrapped his arm around her and kissed her deeply. Taylor took the album from his hand and tossed it on the coffee table. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with the same devotion. She sank down on the couch with him. The two looked deeply into each other's eyes before they gave themselves completely to their feelings.

Taylor stepped out of the elevator. She was on her way to Ridge's office. Thomas had invited some friends over to watch a basketball game tonight. Therefore, Taylor and Ridge planned to go out for dinner. Taylor was just turning around the corner when it happened. A man with a stack of papers approached her. He obviously didn't see her and the two collided and fell to the ground.

"Oh my God, I'm terribly ashamed!" the man stammered, embarrassed. "I'm a dumb sometimes! I'm sorry! I hope you didn't hurt yourself!"

"No, it's all right!" assured Taylor, the stranger, helping him gather his papers.

She scrambled to her feet and tugged her dress into place. She didn't even notice the stranger staring at her with fascination. Without taking his eyes off her, the stranger now rose as well.

"Are you sure you're alright, or is there something I can help you with?"

"No, no! I'm fine! You should just watch out where you're walking next time!"

She waved goodbye to the man and left. The stranger looked after her with a dreamy look.

Later, Pierre sat in his office, still indulging in his dreams. There was a knock at the door and Thorne came in.

"Hey, do you feel like going out for a drink together after work? You haven't lived here very long, I could show you around the city!"

Pierre nodded delightedly.

"Yeah, I'd love to. That sounds great! I'll be done in a minute!"

He frantically gathered some papers on his desk. Thorne noticed, he was humming happily to himself and had a big grin on his face.

"You seem to have a good day!"

"You bet! The greatest thing ever happened to me today! I ran into my dream lady!"

"Oh yeah, interesting! That sounds very exciting, I want to hear more about that later! I want to hear every detail!"

"I'll tell you everything, but before we go, I need to see Ridge for a minute. I promised to give him these designs today."

"All right, I'll head on. I'll see you at the parking lot."

"Yeah, see you later!"

Pierre grabbed his papers and headed for Ridge's office. The door was just ajar. He knocked and went inside.

"Hey, I brought you those designs you wanted!"

Ridge smiled in satisfaction.

"Oh yeah, thanks! I'm glad you remembered. I'll take a look at them right now."

Pierre placed the requested documents on his desk and was about to leave the office when Ridge held him back.

"While you're here, I might as well introduce you to my wife!"

Taylor rose from the couch and extended her hand friendly to him.

"Hello, Taylor Forrester! Nice to meet you."

Pierre turned to face her. For a moment, he stared at her in disbelief. He immediately recognized in her the woman he had clashed with earlier. He found it difficult to take his eyes off her. But then he collected himself and extended his hand to her as well.

"Pierre Lebeau! Pleased to meet you! Ridge has told me all kinds of things about you!"

"Oh yeah?" She squinted over at Ridge. "I hope only good things!"

"What else, Doc!"

Ridge put his arm around her and gave her a peck on the cheek.

Pierre looked away, slightly embarrassed.

"Um, I'll have to go now. Have a good evening!"

"Thank you! We wish you the same!"

Pierre couldn't leave the office fast enough.

"So, what's your impression of him?" asked Ridge her.

"He seems quite personable at first glance."

"Yes! I think so, too. I think he'll fit in well with our team. Although he seemed a little weird to me just now. So far, he hasn't been so reserved."

"Maybe he was just a little uncomfortable."

Taylor told Ridge about their first encounter and her collision with Pierre. Ridge could barely contain his laughter.

"Well, he met your best side right then."

"Very funny! He could have paid attention!" retorted Taylor defiantly. "There's something dreamy about him."

"Yes, that may well be. But he's a brilliant designer. Here, take a look at his designs."

Taylor glanced at the drawings.

"They are excellent. He seems to be a real talent."

"Indeed! A perfect asset to Forrester Creation. He's a real artist!"

"And as you know, all artists have a quirk."

"Well, you should know!"

"You bet, after all, I'm married to a genius artist."

She gave him a mischievous look.

"What's that supposed to mean?! Are you saying I have quirks?"

She grinned cheekily at him.

"And what about you? It's well known that shrinks have the biggest quirks of all. Otherwise, they wouldn't have chosen the profession!"

"Hey, you take that back right now!"

Taylor gently punched Ridge in the sides. He grabbed her by her wrists and struggled to fend off her attack. He held her tightly in his arms.

"No way! I love you just the way you are, with all your quirks!"

"I love you too, even if you are a jerk sometimes!"

They grinned at each other and sank into a deep, intimate kiss.

After Pierre left the office, he stood there frozen. This couldn't be true! His dream lady was Taylor Forrester, of all people, the wife of his boss, Ridge Forrester. Completely dumbfounded, he walked to the elevators. Now it was obvious to him why she had looked so familiar to him. He had seen her before in the photographs in Ridge's office. Pierre didn't know what to do. Actually, it was logical. He had to put her out of his mind. He left the building and went to the parking lot, where Thorne was already waiting for him. They decided to drive with one car. It was hard for him to concentrate on Thorne's babbling. His mind was completely elsewhere. Although he was actually aware that Taylor was off-limits to him as a married woman. But still, he couldn't get her out of his mind.