8 NO TOYING THIS TIME

When Daniel woke up Mary was gone, she was not in the room or in the shower; he even checked the kitchen and looked for her outside. She was nowhere to be found.

Then he met David and asked him whether he saw Mary in the morning. The answer was not something he could expect. It turned out that Brenda, the girl who talked to Mary on the porch the day before, took Mary for a run with her. But Mary definitely was not a runner; she was not into sports at all! Daniel wondered what devilish tricks Brenda used to make Mary agree.

But Brenda used no tricks; she just loved running and advertised it so much that Mary became too curious to try. She just wanted to understand what made people so excited about getting all sweaty and panting. Those who were into sports sometimes resembled addicts, and Brenda seemed to be one of them. So Mary wanted to see for herself what was so addictive about this troublesome activity.

"And Jim? Did you see him today?" Daniel asked.

"No. I think he's still sleeping. Why?"

"Nothing... Just asking."

Daniel went back into the house.

Jim was not sleeping though; he had just woken up and was dressing to go downstairs to have breakfast. Daniel entered Jim's room without knocking.

"Morning," Daniel greeted him. "You woke up early for someone who didn't sleep half of the night..."

Jim turned around, "How do you know?"

"Well, you should choose a more private place to propose to your friend's girlfriend next time."

"So you heard."

"So I did."

Jim did not try to apologize though, and he did not even look ashamed.

"And that's it?" Daniel asked. "I do not get any explanation?"

"What is there to explain? If you heard then you know. I fell in love..."

"With my girl!" Daniel was angry, sooo angry, he was fighting the urge to punch Jim one again.

"She's not a thing, you know. She has a right to choose. Now she just has one more option. Are you afraid?"

"Am I afraid?! AM I AFRAID?!" Daniel grabbed Jim's collar and shook him.

"Want to punch me again?" There was laughter in Jim's voice. "Do it then!"

Daniel held him in his grip a bit longer and let go. "Don't you dare touch her again or talk to her. She's mine!"

"She'll get bored in your golden cage. And I'll be the one to free her." Jim seemed calm, as if for him it really was a matter of time. "She's not a toy, Daniel."

"And I'm not toying. Not this time!" Daniel said and left the room.

Jim knew though, Gabriella told him how Daniel met Mary and why he offered her this sugar-baby job. If it was done for fun, then how far could it be from "toying"?!

Brenda returned from her run energized and happy, Mary was stumbling along behind her, she was all sweaty and seemed to be on the verge of collapsing to floor. Her muscles were stiff and her legs refused to move, she literally had to drag them. No signs of newly acquired addiction could be spotted on Mary's face.

"Well, you know, habits need 21 days to solidify. Keep on the effort!" was all that Brenda said to cheer her up.

Mary found Daniel in a bad mood but had no strength for comforting or humoring him, she just silently headed to the shower. She was not sure she could "keep on the effort" for twenty one days, and the pain which this run caused her made her even more curious what reasoning pushed people that far into self-torture and how they could learn to enjoy it. She herself had no masochistic inclinations, none at all.

"How was the run?" Daniel asked her when she came out from the shower and collapsed on the bed.

"Splendid! I haven't felt worse in years!"

It took her half an hour to stop her head from spinning, then Daniel helped her pack and almost carried her to the car. They hurriedly bid farewell to everyone and headed home.

"What are you planning to do tomorrow?" Daniel asked in the middle of their way back.

"You'll be at work so I planned to clean the house."

"No need. I will ask the cleaning lady to return." This was a sudden change.

"Why?"

"You said you hate cleaning..."

"I do. I mean why you changed your mind?"

Daniel's face became even gloomier. Mary wondered what could have happened while she was experimenting with her running, because his mood was low already when she returned.

"I just want you to feel free. So you can do whatever you want."

"Alright then... Thank you." Not that Mary was not happy to get rid of cleaning activity, it was just strange, and Daniel's behavior was also strange. She could not put a finger on the reasoning behind it; she had no guesses at all.

When they got back home she found enough strength to prepare supper, they ate, chatted a little and after that she headed straight to her own bedroom wishing him good night a little too early, she felt so tired and needed to rest.

"No nightgown show today?" Daniel asked her bitterly. Mary thought that his mood could not get worse, but it just did. What was going on?

She really wanted to cheer him up, and if it was a night gown he needed then a night gown it would be, but Mary felt that the problem was probably much deeper.

She came up to him, kissed him, and said, "Wait for me in the room."

When she came in, he was waiting, but his mood didn't get better. She crawled on the bed, lay beside him and let him take her into his embrace, they lay silently for some time.

"Tell me what's bothering you?" Mary broke the silence.

"You... You are. I don't want to see you near any other man. When it happens I feel like exploding!" When he said it his grip tightened. So he was jealous, but why? Because of Jim's kiss?

"Oh..." she said. "But when you say 'near' what kind of distance do you actually mean?"

"Near is near, like in the same room."

"Ooh..." she said again. "But it's practically impossible. Unless you want to lock me in and never let me out of the house. You're not planning on doing it, right?"

Daniel remembered Jim's words again. "Of course not! Though I wish I could... Just keep your guard up and don't let them kiss you." He let out a short laugh.

"I won't! And if they try, I'll bit them up. You know now that I can!" Mary smiled and gave him a kiss. "You are the only man I see. There's nothing to worry about."

He seemed calmer now. They kissed for some time, then he let go of her and wished her good night. When she fell asleep, he quietly left the bed and went to his study to make several calls and give several orders. In the morning he told her that if she wanted to leave the house she could do it only with her personal driver.

Mary didn't know whether to laugh or cry.