She turned in her seat and tilted her sunglasses sexily downward with one hand, and beautiful dark brown eyes joined the smile to make her beautiful. Ryan was taken with her immediately and held out his hand. She shook it briefly, and then held it for a longer moment.
"Mr. Ryan, welcome to Kuching! I am happy to meet you."
Ryan could see a hint of sexual tension between them. They were on best behavior, but he instantly sensed something underlying the their words. Partly it was the glances back and forth as they talked. Maybe he was imagining it, he thought, but he had a well-developed sense for people's emotions from long years of negotiations both business and private.
"I told Mr. Ryan we are old friends and what your nickname is!" Alex said and then turned and winked.
"What nickname?" she asked, looking into his eyes.
"You know, 'chiok tam po'!" he laughed. Alex was enjoying fencing with danger. Ryan sensed that some of Alex's comments had a double meaning that he was not in on.
"You are terrible!" Mei Ling made a punching jab at his arm. "You are in bad company here, Mr. Ryan! I warn you, Alex is a terrible playboy and is up to no good." She said, laughing to let him know she was teasing him.
"How long will you be staying?" she asked, craning her neck briefly and looking seductively over the tops of her sunglasses.
"Two or three weeks, or till we get something set up. Have you made appointments for tomorrow, Alex.?"
"Yes, all set. Mei Ling's husband Mark will pick you up. Did he tell you that, Mei Ling?"
"Uh, .. .. noooo ....." she said in a far-off tone, then said no more, leaving it as a question hanging in the air.
"Well, you can expect him at 9 AM. He knows the industrial locations completely, so you are in good hands. I will visit some government agencies to pave the way for discussions while you look around. We will get back together for dinner and discuss what next. OK?"
"Yes, fine."
"We have not discussed this, Mei Ling, but Mr. Ryan may have questions about insurance and employee benefits. Would you be able to help? It will save time for Mr. Ryan if you are available."
"Oh, I didn't know, I was just picking you up. But, sure, I will be glad to help, Mr. Ryan!" she said, looking back quizzically.
"Great. Start by just calling me 'Charlie' or 'Ryan.'"
"OK, Ryan. I like that name, Ryan." Her round pronunciation of it sounded sexy to Ryan. She smiled over her shoulder at him, with an engaging look.
They continued discussing plans until they turned into the drive before a white building with about twenty stories. The tower sat upon a wide, sprawling lower portion about 4 stories high and suggested a parking garage in there someplace.
"Yes sir, Mr. Ryan, we have you in one of our large executive rooms with a king-size bed on the concierge floor.
"Hello again, Mr. Pang, we have your regular suite on the 20th floor as usual. I hope your stay is comfortable. If there is anything I can do to be of assistance, don't hesitate to call. Here is my card." The desk clerk bent over backward to suck up to Pang and Charley watched disapprovingly out of the corner of his eye.
Mei Ling appeared at his left and put a hand on his arm.
"I will see you again, Mr. Ryan, er, I mean, .. Ryan! Nice to meet you."
Ryan turned and watched as she walked gracefully toward the door. He admired the curvaceous legs over medium heeled shoes that thrust nicely proportioned breasts against a trim, tailored, orange and yellow dress with big white buttons all down the front. She looked gorgeous and Ryan looked forward to seeing her again.
"Well, I'll leave you too, Mr. Ryan. See you tomorrow at dinner? Mark will take care of arrangements." He glanced nervously at Mei Ling, as if he couldn't wait to be off. Then with a wave at Ryan, he follower her trim figure toward the car.
"What does it mean if I say 'chiok tam po?'" He asked the pretty girl behind the desk.
"You should ask him!" she giggled, and pointed to the bellman just picking up the bags and leading the way to the elevator.
Ryan was embarrassed at having said something off-color without knowing it.
When they got into the elevator, the bellman smiled and said: "' chiok tam po' is a part of a slang phrase, meaning I nearly made out with a girl. Literally translated, it means 'came close'"
Ryan tipped the Bellman and looked out over Kuching as the door clunked shut behind him. It was just after 6 PM and the city lights were twinkling on in the twilight gloom. It seemed mercifully released from the murderous grip of the sun. In the soft light, it looked much more inviting to him than it had in the bleaching sun just a couple hours before. He didn't bother to undress, but lay back on the bed and let the hushed rush of the air-conditioning sooth him to a welcome sleep.
As sleep overtook him, he wondered about Alex dropping his bags with the bellman and then rushing back out the door to join, what was her name? Mei β something, Mei Ling, he thought.
"Lucky sod, he joined Mei Ling and drove off with her."
The last thought before sleep overcame him was his envy of the handsome Alex with the beautiful Mei-Ling.
"I don't trust that guy Al .. .. .." he muttered.
Below in the street, the Mercedes silently eased down the sloping driveway.