Page 2 of Mary had a Little Harem

"What are you staring at?" she hissed at the guy blocking her way, snorting at his Christmas hat. What was everyone's obsession with the holidays anyway?

He quickly averted his eyes. "Oh no, no, no! Come on!" he called out, banging the little arrow to get the elevator back. No use. Almost mockingly, the elevator flashed its numbers as it descended back down.

"You're still in my way," Mary huffed, pulling up her nose.

"Well, excuse me..." he mumbled, slowly growing frustrated with the whole situation. Why couldn't this bitchy, albeit beautiful, stranger not be a little more patient.

"I'm sorry, I'm not being very polite, am I?" he suddenly heard. He slowly turned around, not sure he had heard that right.

"It's just a shit day, that's all," Mary explained, slightly embarrassed for being so rude to this stranger. This very handsome stranger. If only she'd seen his face before she started being pissy to him.

"Tell me about it," he sighed, impatiently hitting the little elevator buttons again. His face was contorted in a frustrated frown, but it didn't make him any less handsome. In fact, Mary thought it even made him almost cuter.

"I haven't seen you around," she stated, deciding that if she was going to be stuck in the hallway with a tree and a handsome stranger between her and her flat, she might as well make the most of it. After all, it wasn't his fault her trip got cancelled.

"Oh, I don't live here," he mumbled, refusing to make eye contact. Mary scratched the back of her neck, feeling guilty for being so mean.

"So you're just Santa, bringing Christmas trees to random buildings?" she tried again.

"My nan lives here and she wanted a big tree," he explained, glaring at the number display. Mary helpfully pressed the buttons on her side, trying to speed up the elevator.

The faster she could get this man and his tree back in the elevator, the faster she could lounge on her couch. But then again...how often do you meet handsome strangers in your hallway? Not often enough, Mary thought, glancing at the blonde guy. Maybe she should offer him a hand. And then help him with the tree. She could use some distraction and holiday fun, instead of spending it alone with a dusty Christmas tree that, quite frankly, was a fire hazard.

"My name is Mary," she introduced herself, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder as she straightened out her posture. Also known as pushing her chest out. Just one of those things that nobody could resist.

"I'm Louis," the blonde guy muttered, his gaze fixated on the elevator display. Mary squinted her eyes, annoyed that he didn't seem to be affected by her little show. But that would change soon. With swaying hips and a grin on her lips, she approached the man still refusing to look at her.

"Hi Louis," she purred, curling her hand around the trunk of the tree. Immediate regret flashed through her as the sharp needles dug into her palm, but she hid her pain behind a smirk. "That's a big tree you got here. Maybe I can help you get it up."

Alarmed by her sudden change in mood, Louis clenched his fist harder around the tree. What was up with this girl? Was she saying what he thought she was? But then again, no, that couldn't be. People didn't flirt shamelessly like this in real life, that only happened in books and movies. And this certainly wasn't either of those.

Too annoyed to meet Mary's gaze, Louis impatiently banged the arrow buttons again and sighed in relief when the numbers on the display steadily rolled up. If nobody else interrupted the elevator, he could get out of this hallway and away from this bitchy woman, who was standing so close he could smell her perfume. Roses and vanilla. A slightly unusual combination of scents, yet somehow, she made it work. Not that he cared. Or at least, that’s what he tried telling himself.

Mary grinned as she noticed the blush appearing on Louis's face. So it was working after all.

"If you need help decorating, I'd always be willing to give you a hand. I know how to handle my baubles," she continued, enjoying the deer in headlights look in Louis's eyes. Inappropriately flirting with strangers was her favourite game, after all.

Twenty-five. Twenty-six. Twenty-seven. Only ten more floors. Louis counted out in his head, desperately begging the elevator to get there quicker. Mary's scent was distracting him and it was becoming harder and harder to ignore her standing so close.

"I haven't seen a real tree in a while. I only have a plastic one in my room, but that isn't nearly as fun," she purred, winking suggestively at Louis.

Ding

To Louis's relief, the doors of the elevator slid open. He quickly checked if it was empty and then shoved the tree clumsily inside. With a quick "bye", he quickly stumbled away from Mary, sighing as the doors closed, leaving her flabbergasted in the hallway.

"Damn it!" she cursed, not believing Louis actually ran away from her. That had never happened before.

Ding

"Did you say something?" Louis asked curiously, glad to have put some distance between him and Mary. With a tree to hide behind, he felt a lot more confident.

Only now realising the doors of the elevator had slid back open, Mary spun around. "No, no, no no no, nothing. Nothing," she stammered, caught off guard.

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