James’s present

Cecilia'd driven Alice and Flora home; but the first person she had dropped was Oliver who had said just to drop him at the block near one of his friends' houses even though she'd wanted to drop him in front of his apartment building. Was it because he didn't want her to know his address, Cecilia thought.

Cecilia was surprised that she saw Mr. Terry's car parked in the driveway when she returned home.

After parking her car in front of the house, Cecilia got out and began to run up the stairs to the front door, but it was open; she stepped into the living room. When she had barely set foot in it, she was taken by surprise because she saw not only James Terry but the three big men carrying a 50-inch plasma TV over a new TV stand in one corner of her living room. James Terry had not seen her yet; he was too occupied with ordering his men how to place the new TV, his back turned.

Cecilia stood there, staring at him in disbelief, opened-mouth. She suddenly felt being violated her privacy.

"What on earth are you doing?" she hissed, her voice shaking with fury.

James turned around and looked surprised to see her. His face was instantly bright with happiness. "Oh, you came back," he said.

"I'm asking you what you are doing in my house," demanded Cecilia, her hand on her hip.

James could see how furious she was, but he did not seem to care about it, and smiled. "Me?" he asked lightly. "Well, I'm decorating your grand living room with some brand new things."

She smirked. "Are you?"

"Yes, I am. Don't you like the new TV I've bought for you. I'm setting up a home theater system," he said with a smile. "I guess it's better to place it in your bedroom," he went on before she could give any comment.

Cecilia took a deep breath and shook her head annoyingly.

"It's very kind of you to take care of my house while I was away," she said, taking a seat on the sofa, crossing her legs. There was a note of sarcasm in her voice. "Do you think I'm grateful to you for what you're doing, what you've been trying to…" She paused, wanting to say: what you've been trying to please me in the hope of you might seduce me in that way. But the words didn't come out for some reason.

James said nothing but smiled. And then he turned to his workers. The three big men finished their works and were now studying James and Cecilia. James realized that and paid them and they were dismissed.

"There are some things I have to say to you," James said.

"I'm tired so much now, but I'll listen to you if you have the things you want to tell me."

"Okay. Well," began James. "First, I just want to know where you've been away."

"At my grandparent's house."

"Your grandparents?"

"Yes. But they passed away a few years ago. And now there's a grounds man's family living in it."

James listened quietly and then he said, "I want to ask you not to go anywhere without letting me know."

She smiled mischievously. "You mean I'll have to let you know wherever I'm going to, don't you?" she asked. "What do you think you are? You are my guardian?"

"Yes, I will be, someday," he insisted. "I want you to know I'm the one who is waiting for the day you become interested in him. Because… I love you, I've loved you for so long," murmured James in a voice that was a little hoarse, unexpectedly shaken.

He suddenly stepped closer to where she was sitting and had a seat next to her, seized her by the shoulders in a flash and turned her to face him. Cecilia was amazed. She jerked free of him and jumped to her feet at once as James drew her to him and put his face near hers to kiss her.

"Get out! Get out of my house. You stupid man!" she cried.

"Marry me. And trust my love, Cecilia," said James softly, reaching out his hand to grasp her hand and getting to his feet but she stepped back.

"Don't you know that I love you?" he asked, his eyes surprisingly bright, and a delicate expression on his face.

For some strange reason, Cecilia felt mesmerized.

"Don't you realize yet how much I care about you?" he asked and asked again.

There were no points that she didn't realize he loved her because he had said it so many times.

"Cecilia!"

"Mr. Terry, I want you to leave."

"Why? You don't answer my questions yet," he demanded.

"I answered you many times before that I couldn't love you. So I ask you to leave as soon as possible."

Cecilia saw the dark expression that instantly spread over his face. His eyes were fixed on hers.

"If you want me to leave that much, I'll go," he said, turning, and started to walk out of the house.

Cecilia found herself staring at his back. And she looked over at the home theater system he had bought for her.

Does he really love me, she thought confusedly. Why has he made a proposal to me so many times when I can't love him and he knows that for sure.

What if he knew that she loved a man called Phoenix who looked so much like Ken? Would it really break his heart?

James Terry made her mind confused with more than half a dozen questions.