Bound to You

Chapter 24: Rendez-vous

Thursday Evening

Six sharp, James pressed the doorbell and stepped back, waiting for Sierra to come and open. He heard movement, knowing someone was peeking in the peephole and then the door opened to reveal Ileana instead, "Hello sir..." 

"Hi Ileana, where's Sierra hiding?" She was flabbergasted. The man looked fabulously gorgeous in that suit. Like a Hugo Boss model, he was so damn handsome... that she forgot her manners.

"Um, oh...right." She opened the door further, allowing James inside and said, "Er, she went on a date." 

So the woman did not lie about having plans. He was annoyed. "Do you know with whom—?" 

She shook her head, "No. She's always secretive about these stuffs."

James looked around, recalling how Sierra said that her house would not match his standard. It was pretty warm and modest and liveable. What did the woman fear about letting him in? 

Ileana admitted, "She was in a hurry to leave." 

He wanted to laugh. Probably because she knew that he was going to come. He made himself comfortable on the settee and she sat opposite him, trying to arrange her messy hair, "Why do you want to see her?" 

"I asked her out for dinner. She refused. I insisted that I'll come. And here I am...when she is enjoying away with some bastard." 

She threw her head back and laughed hard, "Omg. That's why she was literally panicking. I think you're the one she called a devil with absolutely no manners." 

James smiled at her, "That's an understatement." He was secretly enthralled that he was able to mess with Sierra's mind even when he wasn't around. 

Ileana playfully beamed, "But if it helps, I know she went to Royally Yours. You know, that super expensive restaurant where they offer recipes from all over the world?" 

James chuckled, "Basically where I'd plan to take her."

"Really?"

He nodded and then a sudden idea flashed in his mind, "See little Miss Danvers, how about you be my date instead?" 

Ileana giggled, "You're not joking right? I've wanted to go there...since like forever!"

And then she mischievously added, "Then, we can spy on Sierra and find out who her secret date is?" 

"With pleasure."

"Give me ten minutes! I'll be right back!" Ileana excitedly exclaimed as she rushed in her room. 

James leaned back in the comfy settee. To say he cleared his tight schedule, wore one of his best suits only to find out that Sierra preferred the company of someone else. Hilarious. He didn't blame her. He'd been harsh, uncaring and selfish with her. And tonight, he knew it wasn't really going to be date. He would just have used his negotiation skills to force her to marry him...and if negotiation would have failed...maybe a little bit of seduction would have done the job. 

All plans flopped because she chose to ignore him and go with someone else. She was shrewd, that woman. She already knew what he had in mind the second he called her. And that was one of the things he admired in her.

James nodded appreciatively as Ileana showed up in a nice blue dress. He extended his arm and she hesitantly held him. He reassured her, "We'll have dinner and I'll drop you back home. Is it good?" 

She smiled, knowing she could trust him. She had seen how well he treated Sierra when they had stayed at his house and he so caringly prepared them breakfast despite the grumbling. She knew he was a perfect gentleman and anyone would feel safe with him, "You'll pay for everything, right? I'm a little broke."