I’m sorry, of course you do. The man is a pus ball. He’s greasy, oily, unctuous and his eyes are dead. Did you see the way he undressed us all with those eyes? I wanted to kill him. Did he hear what you said, Alexis?”
“I think I said it loud enough. Mr. Li will make the arrangements if he doesn’t ask to be invited back to his house. Don’t look now, but here comes the little shit again.”
Nikki whirled around.
“I hope I’m not intruding, ladies. I came to apologize for what I’m assuming is bad behavior on my part. Please, let me make it up to you.”
Nikki rolled her eyes as though nothing he could say or do would interest her.
“And how would you go about doing that, Mr. Chai?” Yoko queried.
“By showing you the nightlife in Hong Kong. It’s very interesting and exciting.”
“Some other time,” Nikki said. “I doubt your nightlife can compare to nightlife in America. Now, should you ever find yourself in our neck of the woods, we could really show you what a party is.”
“Do you ever go to the States, Mr. Chai?” Yoko asked.
“Call me John. No, I don’t go to the States. My home is here. However, I was educated at Harvard.”
“Big deal. Half the world went to Harvard. Now, if you told me you were some high-ranking government official or a diplomat, that would impress me. I graduated from Yale. We Yalies have no respect for you Harvard guys. Wimps. Wusses,” Nikki said. “Lace on your underwear.”
John Chai’s voice took on an edge that hadn’t been there previously. “Is there a reason you’re being so rude to me when I’m trying to be nice to you?”
Nikki looked him up and down again. “You don’t interest me.”
Chai laughed but it was an embarrassed sound. “What would make me interesting to you, Miss Quinn?”
Nikki hoped what she was feeling didn’t show on her face. “Perhaps knowing you had a sense of adventure. That you liked to skirt danger. I’m not interested in fly-fishing, smoking pot and drinking myself silly so that I don’t remember what happened the next day. I like a man who is devilishly clever, experimental and who thinks for himself. Again, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Chai.” Then she said to the others, “We must be off, girls. I’m sure Mr. Li is ready to leave and we certainly don’t want to keep him waiting, now do we?”
There was nothing for John Chai to do but move aside and allow the three women to walk past him. Alexis winked and pinched his cheek. “I bet we could have had a swell time. Ah, well, if you ever come to the States, look us up. We’re in the phone book.”
Nikki looked toward the carved double doors that stood open. The families of Yet Kwai and Jin stood at the entrance. More bowing was going on. The line was endless as far as one could see. Where was Li? More important, where was Charles? She’d barely seen him all evening.
“There must be another exit, girls. I’m not up to standing in that line in these shoes. We’ll be here till midnight.”
“Allow me to escort you ladies to your car,” Chai said gallantly. “There is an exit off the terrace. I must warn you that you will be accused of having bad American manners if you choose to use that particular exit. By the way, Mr. Li has kindly extended an invitation to my family to attend the little two-day gathering at his home. Unfortunately, my father has other pressing matters to take care of, so I will be attending in his place. I look forward to getting to know you ladies better.”
“Ask me if I care,” Alexis snapped. “Lead the way, Mr. Chai.”
“How nice,” Nikki mumbled.
Where was Charles?
“Won’t that interfere with all the security you people have surrounding you? There’s nothing worse than security spying on your every move.”
“We are going to the country where Mr. Li resides. There is no need for security. I, too, hate to have people watching my every move. Ah, now we are clear of the crowds. Tell me, which is Mr Li’s
“I think I said it loud enough. Mr. Li will make the arrangements if he doesn’t ask to be invited back to his house. Don’t look now, but here comes the little shit again.”
Nikki whirled around.
“I hope I’m not intruding, ladies. I came to apologize for what I’m assuming is bad behavior on my part. Please, let me make it up to you.”
Nikki rolled her eyes as though nothing he could say or do would interest her.
“And how would you go about doing that, Mr. Chai?” Yoko queried.
“By showing you the nightlife in Hong Kong. It’s very interesting and exciting.”
“Some other time,” Nikki said. “I doubt your nightlife can compare to nightlife in America. Now, should you ever find yourself in our neck of the woods, we could really show you what a party is.”
“Do you ever go to the States, Mr. Chai?” Yoko asked.
“Call me John. No, I don’t go to the States. My home is here. However, I was educated at Harvard.”
“Big deal. Half the world went to Harvard. Now, if you told me you were some high-ranking government official or a diplomat, that would impress me. I graduated from Yale. We Yalies have no respect for you Harvard guys. Wimps. Wusses,” Nikki said. “Lace on your underwear.”
John Chai’s voice took on an edge that hadn’t been there previously. “Is there a reason you’re being so rude to me when I’m trying to be nice to you?”
Nikki looked him up and down again. “You don’t interest me.”
Chai laughed but it was an embarrassed sound. “What would make me interesting to you, Miss Quinn?”
Nikki hoped what she was feeling didn’t show on her face. “Perhaps knowing you had a sense of adventure. That you liked to skirt danger. I’m not interested in fly-fishing, smoking pot and drinking myself silly so that I don’t remember what happened the next day. I like a man who is devilishly clever, experimental and who thinks for himself. Again, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Chai.” Then she said to the others, “We must be off, girls. I’m sure Mr. Li is ready to leave and we certainly don’t want to keep him waiting, now do we?”
There was nothing for John Chai to do but move aside and allow the three women to walk past him. Alexis winked and pinched his cheek. “I bet we could have had a swell time. Ah, well, if you ever come to the States, look us up. We’re in the phone book.”
Nikki looked toward the carved double doors that stood open. The families of Yet Kwai and Jin stood at the entrance. More bowing was going on. The line was endless as far as one could see. Where was Li? More important, where was Charles? She’d barely seen him all evening.
“There must be another exit, girls. I’m not up to standing in that line in these shoes. We’ll be here till midnight.”
“Allow me to escort you ladies to your car,” Chai said gallantly. “There is an exit off the terrace. I must warn you that you will be accused of having bad American manners if you choose to use that particular exit. By the way, Mr. Li has kindly extended an invitation to my family to attend the little two-day gathering at his home. Unfortunately, my father has other pressing matters to take care of, so I will be attending in his place. I look forward to getting to know you ladies better.”
“Ask me if I care,” Alexis snapped. “Lead the way, Mr. Chai.”
“How nice,” Nikki mumbled.
Where was Charles?
“Won’t that interfere with all the security you people have surrounding you? There’s nothing worse than security spying on your every move.”
“We are going to the country where Mr. Li resides. There is no need for security. I, too, hate to have people watching my every move. Ah, now we are clear of the crowds. Tell me, which is Mr Li’s
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