Author's Note: Thanks again for all of your reviews/favorites/follows they are much appreciated I assure you!:)

Special thanks to namelesspanda for correcting bad grammar and offering excellent suggestions and advice!

Chapter 4: Just Friends?

During the last few weeks, Matthew and Mary had become close friends, going out to lunch having phone calls, texting etc. and they soon both realized that they secretly didn't really consider each other as 'just friends'... -

'Hello John, how are you?' Mary asked her father's secretary as she entered his office with Anna in tow.

'Hello Mary, I am good, how are you?' he said before noticing Anna. 'You must be Anna, it's a pleasure to meet you. Mary has told me so many things about you.' John smiled as he looked at the well-dressed blond young woman in front of him.

'It's nice to meet you too,' Anna responded rather shyly.

'Well then,' Mary said cheerfully, 'I'll leave you to it!' And with a wink directed at Anna, she left.

'I got the job, Mary! I'm really excited, and John is so nice. Oh Mary, you're the best friend in the world, you can't even imagine how much I appreciate it,' Anna said excitedly over her phone as she walked down the stairs of the metro station.

'Congratulations!' Mary replied enthusiastically. 'And really, it was nothing, it was you that got the job, not my nagging.'

'But still! Oops, I'm sorry, I have to go, the connection down here is awful. I'll see you at home!'

Matthew looked up from his computer; he had just gotten a text.

Hey, wanna go the the ice skating rink with Anna and John tonight? I won't take no for an answer... It was Mary.

Sure what time? he responded.

8. Don't be be late! Mary replied causing Matthew to smile. Suddenly the work he was doing seemed to be taking twice as long...

'Hey Matthew!' Mary greeted cheerfully as she slipped on her skates.

'Hey! Good to see you. John, Anna!' he said upon noticing them.

'I assume you're a horrible skater?' Mary said with a smirk.

'When I was younger, there was an ice skating ring across the street from my school and I went there practically every day for 6 years.' He countered.

Soon they were all skating to some pop music. Mary found that Matthew was a good skater. In fact, he was amazing. He could glide quickly, with so much grace. With a determined look, she sped up, trying to catch him but her phone rang, startling her, and she fell, crying out. Matthew ran over to her.

'God Mary, are you alright?' he asked, concerned.

'Yes, I'm fine,' she snapped before continuing upon seeing his skeptical expression. 'Really I am fine.' And to prove it, she grabbed his hand and led him back onto the ice skating ring.

'Did Papa convince you to come to the dinner party tomorrow?' Mary said over the phone as she crossed Oxford Street, which was bustling as usual.

'Yeah, what should I wear? I hope it's not too formal.' Matthew said as he opened up his computer.

'Of course it's formal! Whenever Papa has a dinner party, it's formal. Wear a suit, you don't need a tie though. Oh and do prepare yourself, Papa will be showing you off.' Mary grinned as she opened her and Anna's mailbox when she got inside her apartment building.

'Oh, will you be there?' Matthew asked without bothering to conceal the hope in his voice.

'I don't know, Pappa said I should come but I haven't decided yet.'

'Please, come! I'll probably be the only young person there, don't sacrifice me to that!'

Mary laughed. 'Okay, okay, I'll come. My car is being checked right now, is there any way you could pick me up tomorrow?'

Matthew quickly agreed before they both hung up.

Mary was wearing a short black dress, stockings and red high heels from Prada, while Matthew was wearing a smart suit from JCrew. They made a cute couple both with the way they looked and by the way they interacted with each other.

'Guess what? I got the job at the London Times!' Mary said excitedly as she went with Matthew towards his motorcycle.

'Congratulations! That's awesome! When do you start?' Matthew asked, hugging her.

'I havent accepted yet. But I'll probably say yes.' After talking for a few minutes they finally got onto Matthew's motorcycle.

'Hold on tight,' he said, smiling, 'You're going on the ride of your life!' Mary merely grinned and put her arms loosely around his waist, a gesture that seemed somehow intimate, causing them both to shiver, before they left.

'Ah! Mary, Matthew, good to see you' Robert greeted them, giving Mary a kiss on the check and Matthew a firm handshake. 'Come and meet the others. This is Jim Williamson, manager of our California firms, he was kind enough to come today.' He introduced a man of about fifty who smiled at them and shook their hands.

'This,' Robert continued 'Is Jean-Louis Cotillard, manager of our Paris firm, this is Henry Wyche, manager of the Clitherough Firm...'

Matthew and Mary shook their hands as he continued to introduce different managers before they went into the dining room of the fancy restaurant, Launceston Palace. After a somewhat interesting dinner, they parted and Matthew drove Mary home.

'That wasn't too bad now was it?' Matthew said as he parked in Mary's apartment building parking lot.

'It was okay because you were there.' Mary said, raising an eyebrow flirtatiously. 'Do you want to come up to my apartment? It's only ten, maybe we can watch a movie or something.'

'Sure, that sounds fun!' They both walked up the stairs and he let her choose the movie. She chose 'A Room with A View' but after a while they both fell asleep, Mary's head on his lap.

Matthew woke up, feeling rather stiff. He tried to get up, but he felt a weight on his lap. It was Mary, her dark waves scattered across his lap. She opened her eyes and smiled up at him.

'Good morning,' she greeted him sleepily.

'Good morning,' he replied, mirroring her smile, before they both realized in whatposition they were in. Feeling rather awkward, Mary quickly jumped up from the couch and said, 'I'll make breakfast, while you shower. I can take one later.'

Matthew was about to protest but she held up her hand, indicating that there was no room for argument. Twenty minutes later, they sat down to fruit, cereal and toast.

'I'm sorry I fell asleep last night, I was just so tired,' Matthew apologized.

'Don't be silly, I don't care! We were both tired. Though I can't imagine you were very comfortable,' Mary said.

'It was fine, and your head kept my legs warm.' He grinned, raising an eyebrow at her suggestively.

Do you want to go to the club?

Mary smiled at Matthew's text. Sure, what time?

Between 9 and 10, and 'Dont be late.'

Shut up, see you then.

'Hey!' Matthew greeted Mary as she entered the club in skinny jeans, flats and a tank top.

'Do you want a drink?' Seeing her nod, he asked, 'What kind? Cocktail?'

Mary smiled and nodded eagerly.

After talking for a while, Matthew asked her if she wanted to dance. She said yes.

'You know, I once told somebody that you and I were never destined to become great friends,' Matthew said, grinning boyishly.

'Well, I'm glad to have proven you wrong!' Mary said, winking at him.

'So am I. But you see…' He hesitated. 'I see you as more than a friend. I see you as much more than…Mary, I love you,' Matthew declared, looking at Mary for her reaction. He wasn't disappointed. She kissed him.

TBC