His Naughty Lessons
Chapter 109: Making Friends … or Enemies

Chapter 109: Making Friends ... or Enemies

** Eli **

Harper was the first to spot them as they approached the taxi zone. The moment her eyes landed on him, a few too many expressions flashed across her face, from surprise to excitement to a hint of uncertainty.

Eli wasn’t sure how he felt about that reaction. It was what he wanted to see, wasn’t it? The uncertainty and doubt that meant she was starting to see him in a new light after learning the truth of his real self. But still, it stabbed him like a knife to the gut. He much preferred the way she looked at him with those expectant, sly sparkles in her eyes.

Fortunately for him, that expression changed once more as he drew close, turning into something like ... determined resolve? Something that he didn’t seem to fully understand.

"Mr. Sterling!" The guy with Harper’s suitcase was the next to see them. He called out, disrupting Eli’s focused examination of Harper’s expression and making the blonde turn around as well. "What a pleasant surprise! Didn’t think we’d get a chance to see you before even getting to the resort."

Eli fought back a grimace. He didn’t want to talk to this guy at all, but he had to try his best not to show it. "Eli, please," he said. "And you are—"

"Wallace." The guy held out his hand excitedly. "I work in marketing, and I’ll be the content specialist for the deep space VR project."

Definitely a close partner with Harper, then. Eli disliked the sound of it.

"And I’m Naomi," the blonde joined in with another enthusiastic handshake. "I’m on the partnership strategy team. You might remember me from the portfolio demonstration back when you visited."

"Of course," Eli lied. The only face he had paid attention to and remembered during that meeting was Harper’s. Thinking of which, he turned to the said face, though the moment they locked eyes, he suddenly forgot everything about what he was planning to say.

Why was she still looking at him with so much tenderness in her eyes, as if yesterday had never happened? As if she was still truly glad to see him?

Behind him, Justin said something, narrowly helping them dodge a prolonged stretch of silence. Eli was too distracted to pay attention to the words though, and he didn’t catch any of it until Justin prodded him with an elbow. "Right, Boss?" the assistant asked, hinting with a gesture to the limo.

Right, the ride. Eli nodded, pulling his eyes away from Harper reluctantly. A chorus of thanks followed as Justin led the group toward the car.

The chauffeur opened the sleek black door, revealing a coolly lit interior with an L-shaped row of leather seats and a mini bar across from it. At the group’s insistence that he take his seat first — being the original intended guest and the VIP of the trip and all that — Eli climbed in, settling himself down at the end of the couch.

He wasn’t particularly pleased, though, when he discovered that the next person to join him was the blonde, not Harper. Even less pleased when Harper followed behind her, and the one taking the next seat was ... the suitcase guy.

Eli caught himself frowning again at how close the guy was planting himself next to Harper. "There’s plenty of room in here, by the way." He summoned an all-business-and-professional smile and waved a hand in the general direction of the seats. "Make yourselves comfortable. No need to cram too close."

Justin was just ducking his head as he entered the limo last, and a snort of laughter escaped him when he heard the words. As all eyes in the car snapped in his direction, he covered it with a cough. "Eli is right, it’s nice to stretch out after such a long flight." He took his seat at the other end of the long couch and smiled welcomingly at the suitcase guy, a clear invitation for their guest to move closer.

Eli looked at his assistant approvingly while the rest of the group shifted, spreading farther apart on the couch. Since when had Justin learned to be so pleasantly observant? Maybe by the time they returned from this trip, a salary raise would be in order.

"So ... Is this everyone’s first time in Hawaii, or is it just me?" the blonde asked when everyone was settled, and the car started moving. "I’ve always wanted my honeymoon to be in Hawaii someday. Never thought that the first time I come here would be on a business trip!"

Harper smiled at her coworker’s confession. "I was shocked when I heard about it too," she agreed, darting a meaningful glance in Eli’s direction at the same time. "I’ve never been here either, and I’m sure this will be a grand adventure completely unlike anything we’d expect."

... Was that somehow an innuendo about their original "plan" for the trip?

Eli was still trying to figure out the hidden meaning behind Harper’s words when the suitcase guy spoke next. "Looks like it’s a first for all of us then! I’m really looking forward to the weekend exploration activities. There are so many things on my bucket list, including the local coffee plantations." He gave Harper an insider’s smile at that. "The coffee shop I told you about had a limited edition Kona brew once, and I’m thrilled to be able to try it at its actual origin this time."

The blonde let out a small snort at that. "You mean the coffee shop you kept bringing Harper coffee from, even though she obviously didn’t like it?" She chuckled before turning to Eli. "Don’t trust that guy’s taste in coffee." She winked with the look of letting someone in on a secret.

The revelation gave Eli pause. Not because of a random guy’s taste in coffee, but because this guy was ... buying coffee for Harper on a regular basis? Even when she didn’t like it?

That flare of irritation was back, and Eli wondered if it was too late to throw the shameless guy out of the door.