From the moment they met, it was evident that there was tension between Rey and the client. Ray had maintained a constant amount of glaring at Ned, who pretended to be oblivious to it. He may have thought he was being discreet however, Ari caught him from time to time when no one was looking. His discomfort for not wanting to partake in the assignment was evident from his fidgeting but when Ned announced that a private plane was prepared for their trip, Rey simmered down a little in his silent warfare, perhaps bewildered by how much power the said client possessed.
Ned's office was equipped with a shower room and it didn't take long before one of his secretaries brought him a change of clothes. His polished appearance must have surprised Rey for once he'd come out dressed differently, the atmosphere changed along with him.
'Seems this is Rey's first experience with a big client. Perhaps Mun had been right about bringing him along but I won't count my blessings just yet. I don't trust Ned nor Rey to act with diplomacy.' Ari thought to himself while aboard their trip.
It was an eight seater single isle midsize charter jet, Cessna Citation Sovereign, with one seat on either side, leathered to perfection and the floor carpeted extravagantly. Rey sat beside Ned, the isle separating them as they discussed what is to be expected once they got to their destination. It appeared that the client, Ned, had an appointment that collided with Ari's meeting therefore opted to maximize his time by inviting Ari to tag along with him, insisting they were likely to accomplish more working together in person than over the phone.
Throughout their trip, Ari could feel Rey's burrowing stare and from time to time, he'd hand him some briefing notes to familiarize himself with the guest-list for the expected event. Additionally, Ned had equally brought with him four of his staff, of which two were his security personnel and the other his secretaries. Their meeting onboard carried on smoothly and after two hours, they arrived at their destination.
"Mr. Ari, my secretaries shall take care of your accommodation and all other nonpressing nitty-gritties. Seeming that you and your secretary are formally dressed, you may tag along with me at my next appointment to familiarize yourself with the kind of dignitaries we shall be expecting in future."
"That would be nice. Thank you sir."
"I appealed for us to remain on a first name basis. Haven't I maintained the honorifics you insisted from me to you? It's time you met my request as well, Mr. Ari."
Ari's face flushed at having been been made the center of attention. 'Seems this guy is not embarrassed at all about flirting in public.'
Forcing a smile, Ari did as requested but later on discovered Ned being addressed informally in his other meetings. He appeared to have a close relationship with everyone he'd met from one meeting to another, but this was only limited whilst in conversing with him however, upon his departure, his title was used in every conversation.
"The Chairman has requested us to escort you to your reserved rooms. Would you come with us please?" One of the hotel staff addressed both Ari and Rey.
"Is he still at the conference?"
"Yes. His last appointment should be ending by midnight."
"It's only an hour away." Turning to look at Rey, Ari asked, "Would you like to wait? We can have dinner while at it."
"I believe that would be wise since we are almost done with the objectives of the day."
"That's correct." Facing the hotel staff again, Ari confirmed waiting for Ned instead.
The two dined in silence however, Ari had been multitasking, munching whilst jotting down pointers from time to time, and scribbling though his phone at the same time. After a while, Rey couldn't endure it any longer and insisted on being involved in what had had his employer's attention stolen at the dinner table.
"I'm simplifying the things we had discussed earlier with the client during our trip and adjusting the context. We've both met two of the guests who will be attending the annual general meeting and the client has explained his political relationship to them. It's only fair that I change a thing or two so it won't sound out of place."
"May I be of use?" Rey asked but Ari dismissed him almost immediately insisting he'll hand him the edited draft once done in soft copy.
"If you wish, I can carry on with winding up our meeting for the day with the client and meet you at six in the morning once the restaurant opens for breakfast."
Rey hesitated before commenting. "I admit feeling exhausted but still, it does not sit well with me to retire when my superior is still up therefore, I will ask the staff to give you my room number just incase you require my help."
'Well, that was an unexpected kindness from him.' "Don't worry." Ari grinned. "I'm used to this. I will update you of any changers in the morning since I don't have any intentions of disturbing you during your sleep."
Ari's response somewhat made Rey grimace. It was not until he'd left in silence than he realized the misinterpretation which came with his remark. "Just when we were starting to get along..."
"Mr. Ari! I see you're still a workaholic despite sending word for you to retire!"
"Sir... I mean Sir Ned..."
"Still as stubborn as a mule." Ned said, a broad smile on his face in an attempt to hide the exhaustion in his eyes. Walking fast to where Ari sat, he added excitedly. "I think I need a little pick me up. Please don't play hard to get tonight. After making several negotiations today, I highly doubt I have the strength for one more especially when I'm the one loosing here."
Standing abruptly, Ari regretted sending Rey away. "I was winding up and now I will proceed to my room if you don't mind, sir."
"You're only making me want you more Mr. Ari." Ned whispered meekly just as Ari passed him by. "You can run but you can't hide."
"Have a goodnight sir." Ari replied, tuning back just to catch a glimpse of Ned sulking after calling him sir again.
Upon receiving his keycard from the reception, Ari paced quickly towards his room, hoping Ned wasn't following. He despised acting timid, crippled by the thought of loosing the client however, at this point, he might as well hand him over to another capable company. As it seems, Ned was hellbent on getting into his pants and he'd vowed to never mingle with clients intimately.
"May I assist you sir? You've been scanning the door for a while."
"Oh..." Ari was surprised to not have noticed one of the housekeeping staff walk towards him. "I must be absent minded... I-I'm a little tired you see. I think my keycard needs to be reset."
"You can procced to the reception, or you may reach one of the receptionists through a landline by the lift on the far left, and they will bring you a new keycard."
"Ah, thank you for your help. I'm sorry to be of bother madam."
"Not at all sir!" The lady giggled. "You are very kind sir. No one has reffered to me as madam in years. It's refreshing to meet people like you once in a while."
"I'm sure you'll meet much more nicer guests from now on."
"Oh, you flatter me so." The elderly staff smiled and reached for a tiny bucket in her hand then ruffled through it. Taking out a cloth, she exposed a bunch of keys then picked out a keycard and scanned the door. "You seem rather fatigued. It wouldn't sit right with me to send you off several floors down yet I have a master key. I shall ring the reception on your behalf and they will slide your new keycard underneath your door. Once you wake up tomorrow, you will find it sir."
The feeling of heavy relief washed over Ari for he'd been apprehensive about bumping into Ned on his way to the reception. He thanked the lady wholeheartedly, branding her a lifesaver.
After promising to put in a good word to her manager, Ari bid her farewell, shutting the door and was confronted by a pitch dark and silent room. Still, finding the main switch was a hassle but luckily, the first he'd pressed on lit the bathroom next to the main door. Breathing a sigh of relief, he murmured, "Bath before sleep to wash away that bloody pervert's stares."
Humming away, he enjoyed how refreshed he felt, promising himself aloud to deal with Ned's advances better tomorrow.
Wrapping a towel around his neck, Ari walked out of the bathroom door and froze at the presence in front of him that scanned him from head to toe.
"R-Rey...?!" Covering his loins with his bare hands, he demanded what he was doing in his room.
"This is my room you're standing naked in."
"512A is it not?" Ari asked, putting up a front but his flustered face gave away his embarrassment.
"Yours is 512B."
Unable to endure the staring, Ari rushed back into the bathroom and slammed the door. "It's 512A! Housekeeping wouldn't have allowed me access if it wasn't mine!"
"I checked your room number before coming here!" Rey shouted from outside. "I even wrote it down just incase I forgot! You're the one in my room you bloody pervert!"
Taking the towel from his neck to wrap around his waist, Ari opened the door and yelled, "Who are you calling a bloody pervert?"
"I just heard you labelling me as such seconds ago! Next time, don't talk so loud if you don't want to be heard and if it isn't already obvious to you, desperate stunt like this won't work on me!"
"I am not making advances towards you!"
"Then why are you standing naked in front of me?"
"I don't know damn it!" Ari exclaimed, his voice trembling from hurt. Unable endure Rey's disgusted look, he swore underneath his breath and reached for the main door only to find a rather unsurprised Ned about to knock. Both Ari and Rey gasped in surprise.
"Nice." Ned grinned, his eyes feasting on Ari's bare chest. "Now I understand why you rejected me. As it seems, I misread your dagger looks throughout our journey here Mr. Rey. You were simply protecting what's yours..."
"No..." Ari cut in. "You misunderstand sir..."
"Mr. Ari, do not fret. I followed you when you ran away but then your little ruckus could be heard from outside and my curiosity was heightened. Seems you two are having a lover's spat. Nonetheless, I won't be bothering you. It was a mistake to have kept my room for the two of us."
Reaching to place a hand on Ari's cheek affectionately, he added, "You are very lucky to have come to your lover's room instead. I had huge plans to make you beg underneath me. For now, you two may carry on as you were."