Mary pressed her body into Brad's, she never really saw Brad as anything other than a friend and because of that she didn't know that he was more that goofy personality with a pretty face. As their lips continued to mold against each other, she couldn't help but notice things about Brad. He was gentle with her, never really forcing his touches, but rather letting Mary dictate the pace. His fingers danced along her spine and around her waist, occasionally wandering underneath her blouse. Even with his gentleness, masculinity slipped off him in waves. The chord of muscle in his arms that encircled Mary and the tautness of the plane of his stomach against her curves were things Mary never considered.
As his lips travelled down her neck, Mary tried to keep herself in the moment and not think about anything except for Brad, but that was proving to be difficult. Johnathan continued to creep into her mind and flashes of their encounters branded her mind.
Mary squeezed her eyes, determined to forget about him, she threw herself even more onto Brad. Cupping his face, she brought their lips together again. Although see could tell that the attraction was present between her and Brad, it was a fleeting ember compared to the inferno that Mary felt with Johnathan.
Brad tried to mumble something, but Mary wasn't paying attention. It wasn't until Brad pulled away from Mary, that his words were heard.
"That's enough for now," Brad said as he stroked back a few of Mary's disheveled hair.
Confused, Mary replied, "What do you mean? Isn't this what you want?"
Brad smiled ruefully, "This isn't real remember? Besides, I'm convinced, I'll help you with whatever you want."
Mary placed a chaste kiss on Brad's cheek, "You really are a great guy, you know that right?"
He shrugged, "You're not the first one to say that, so it must be true," he joked, moving so that Mary was no longer straddling him.
Once he had done that, Brad stood up and made his way to the door. Before he walked out, he turned to Mary and smiled, "See you Friday," he stated before walking out.
Mary smiled, everything was going the way she wanted. Pulling her hair into a ponytail, she made her way to her room and drew up a bath.
After her fingers started to shrivel, Mary decided that she had enough time to soak and think about her next steps. She wrapped herself up in a plush towel and fumbled around her room to find her phone.
"Hey guess what?" Mary asked the second Agnes picked up.
"I'm not really sure, there's always something with you," Agnes replied.
Mary walked around her room, looking for her favorite pair of sweatpants, "Brad's in, Operation Turnover is officially in the green." Mary stated as she slipped her pants on.
On the other end of the line, Agnes groaned. She had tried to talk Mary out of plan, but nothing would sway her. Agnes tried to think of a way to caution Mary without enraging her, which wasn't always the easiest thing to do.
"Mary, don't you think there could be a better way to go about this? Maybe a way where other people don't get tangled up in everything?" Agnes offered, trying to get Mary too see reason.
Mary rolled her eyes, "I didn't start this, I just want to finish it."
"But like this? You shouldn't have to stoop to their level in order to give yourself a boost. Haven't you already gotten an upper hand?" Agnes reminded.
"Actually I don't, as long as the Knightly's still feel entitled to attack my company with their name and try to scare my partners away from investing then I still have a reason to fight back. The end justifies the means right?" Mary told Agnes, trying to get her friend to see things the right way. Her way.
Agnes sat down, sometimes she forgot how completely hardheaded Mary could be. She liked things to go her way, all the time. Compromising was rarely an option for her. Agnes liked to think of herself as a touchstone for Mary's humanity. Whenever Mary's vision became too myopic, Agnes would gentle remind Mary that the world did not revolve around her.
"Mary, you can't do this," Agnes said sternly, her mind drifting to how Brad must be feeling at the moment.
Agnes heard Mary continue her protest, but she didn't really pay her much head. Thinking of ways to get Mary to think about someone other than herself, Agnes decided to summon the most powerful tool in her arsenal.
"Mary, if you go through with this, I'll tell your mother," Agnes threatened.
Mary's face scrunched in bridled anger, and she took a step back as if Agnes had struck her, "You wouldn't dare," Mary snarled, appalled with Agnes for even bringing up that idea.
"I am a grown woman, you can't threaten me with my own mother."
Agnes knew she was walking a fine line, but she pressed on, "Of course I will. You know she love me, besides she's been wanting you to settle nearly as much as my parents have been trying to get me hitched. You wouldn't want her to hear about this."
For once, Mary was speechless. This wasn't the Agnes that she had grown up with. Maybe parts of her ferocious personality was rubbing off onto her. She entertained that idea in her head before regaining her focus.
"Tell her then," Mary snapped, "It's not like she wouldn't find out sooner or later. I love you Agnes, but even you can't get in my way."
Johnathan hissed as he was jabbed once again by a stray pin. From behind he heard his sister snicker with amusement. Turning to give her a hard stare, he was met again with the end of a pin.
"I think I've had enough," he said giving the tailor a stern look, "Have the alterations finished by tomorrow."
Kat looked up from her phone and giggled again. Although he would never say, she knew that Johnathan was up to something and her intuition stated that it has something to do with that woman he had brought to the house.
She had noticed a change in her brother ever since he came home. He was angrier all the time and picked fights with their father for no reason, not that Johnathan needed a reason to be rebellious. But there was something else, underneath all the frustrations that he exhibited, there was sense of life to him.
Looking at her brother as he walked back from the fitting room, she couldn't help but think about how different he was two years ago, before he took off. Years ago, he barely left the office and when he did he went straight to bed. There had been a lifelessness to him that was now replaced with vigor.
"What are you looking at brat?" Johnathan asked, gently tweaking her nose.
Kat recoiled like a snake and swatted her brother's hand, "Stop, you'll smear my foundation."
Johnathan rolled his eyes and started making his way to the car, knowing that his sister would follow. Not letting the topic fall he asked again, "Why were you staring at me like that?"
Kat shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, you look different. Happier."
"I'm never happy," Johnathan replied, his eyes never leaving the road.
Kat turned to look out the window, but not before she Johnathan's grip on the wheel tighten. She wished there was a way for her to tell her brother than things would be okay, but she didn't push her luck, once Johnathan closed a conversation that was it.
However, if Kat was anything she was persistent. She also knew that despite all the teasing and the hard exterior, Johnathan had a soft spot for her and if she asked long enough, he would give her whatever she asked for.
"So, that woman you brought home, Margret right? She's pretty," Kat teased, baiting Johnathan with questions.
She watched as the corner of her brother's lip twitched down into a frown.
"Mary," he corrected, his eyes staying glued to the road ahead, as if any deviation would throw the car off a bridge.
Kat reclined in her seat, "Mary that's right, so do you like her? I do, and mom thinks she's spunky."
"No," Johnathan hissed.
"Liar," Kat snapped, a small smile etched onto her face, "If you didn't then why bring her along? Why were you so touchy, don't act like I'm some dumb kid Johnathan!" she interjected after hearing her brother let out a snort, "I can totally see you're into her, anyone with eyes can see it too. And my guess is that she likes you too."
Once they had reached home Johnathan stopped the car and turned to look at his sister, "You don't know what you're talking about Kat. Don't interfere," he said sternly.
Kat narrowed her eyes defiantly, "Just because you're a couple of years older than me doesn't mean anything. I know what I'm talking about, I'm eighteen, not a baby!" she resorted, slamming the car door as she exited.
Johnathan followed after his sister, used to her tantrums, "You're a kid Kathrine."
Kat whirled around, her black hair fanning out around her, "And you're too ignorant to see what is in front of you Johnathan!"
Riled up, Johnathan couldn't help but resort to her outburst, "Why do you care so much about my life?"
"Why don't you?" Kat hissed before storming into the house, making sure to slam the door in Johnathan's face as he followed after her.