Page 39 of Cocky Nerd
Olivia
We departed San Francisco in the afternoon and have arrived in Shanghai the night of the next day, after a surprisingly comfortable fourteen-hourflight.
John had textedme one hour before picking me up to alert me that it will be hot and humid in Shanghai, but that it’s important to wear layers because of the air conditioning. If I hadn’t already looked up all that information online I would have been annoyed that he left it until so late to share that with me. But I was looking forward to seeing himagain.
When he got to my apartment to pick me up, I was wearing a thin camisole and loose cotton pants for the flight. I was going to layer clothes on top, but I wanted to remind him of what was underneath first. When I opened the door, he did a slow visual sweep of my body, cleared his throat and said: “I hope you’re planning on wearing more than that today. The car is air conditioned, and I don’t want you catching acold.”
“Thanks. I’ll just go put my layers onnow.”
He rubbed his index finger along his lower lip. “Olivia, I’ll remind you that while I did ask you to come as my date, this is a businesstrip.”
I clenched my teeth and forced a smile. “Got it, John. I’m all business. I’m not a nymphomaniac—I’ve been to a lot of gala benefits and cocktail parties so you don’t have to tell me how to behave around business people or explain how not to catch a cold while traveling. I just haven’t finished dressingyet.”
“Glad to hear it. And thank you for the reminder of what your pretty tits look like, as if I wasn’t already going to have a hard time keeping my mind and hands off of them while sitting next to you on a plane for fourteenhours.”
“Or keeping your mouth off of them,” I saidoffhandedly.
He inhaled sharply then held his breath before saying: “Behave yourself, young lady.” He took the handle of my suitcase, and told me to be down at the car in less than aminute.
I wondered if I may actually be a nymphomaniac, because I had to change my panties and considered if it would be possible to make myself come in less than a minute before going down to the car, because a fourteen hour flight next to him was going to be unbearable in so manyways.
While we were waitingin the first class departure lounge, I emailed my parents to tell them that I’d be in Cleveland with Johnny in a week and a half, opting to wait to tell them about the Shanghai/New York trip until I could do it in person. Judging by their reply, I’d guess that my brother already told them that Johnny and I are dating, but they felt it would be impolite to call and ask. They were thrilled. More so than I’d expected they would be. So much so that it saddened me. So much so that I regretted telling them. I don’t know how this will end with John, but I know that it will, and I know that my family could very well feel more let down than either of us willbe.
But that’slater.
Now we’re in Shangfreakinghai!
Our married hosts,Mr. and Mrs. Chen have picked us up at the airport in their chauffeured Mercedes SUV. They are both exceedingly polite, and exceptionally wealthy. Their English is very good, and the small amount of Mandarin Chinese that John speaks impresses all of us. He is here to meet with a China business consultant and with Mr. Chen, who is an entrepreneur, to discuss partnering on investing in a food tech business. Separate from that, John is here to join forces with a number of Chinese businesswomen as part of his new foundation’s initiative to encourage more women to join the tech industry, by providing scholarships and mentors. I did an actual spit-take when he told me that on the plane, and he seemed genuinely insulted that I found it amusing that he’d be interested in such a thing. I asked him if it was because he wished there were more hot girls at MIT. I regretted it as soon as I’d said it (because I’m sure there were hot girls at MIT and also who cares if they were hot or not and also because it was demeaning to him). He sulked for about half an hour until I got him to laugh by sticking peanuts up my nostrils and shooting them out at him. It wasn’t sexy, but at least I got him to talk to meagain.
The airport is in Pudong,directly across the river from Shanghai, and the view across to the cityscape is lovely and odd, despite or perhaps because of the thin haze of air pollution. The strip along the waterfront is called The Bund, as John has informed me, and it looks like a beautiful European city with massive grand old low-rise buildings up front, but behind it are lit-up modern high-rises. John watches me as I take it all in, pleased that I’m so awed by it. I immediately wish we were stayinglonger.
The air in Shanghai is heavy and very warm, sultry. There are more cars on the road than I have ever seen in my life, more people standing and wandering around outside than I ever dreamed of seeing all at once—much more than in New York City. It’s astounding, a little intimidating, but mostlythrilling.
After being escorted to the lobby of our ritzy luxurious hotel on the Bund, and agreeing to a shopping date with Mrs. Chen for tomorrow after lunch, John and I check into a suite and I fling myself on top of the king-sizebed.
John opens the drapes and says, “Look at this view! I always stay in this hotel, because of theview.”
I get up to join him. It is incredible, but I have to pee. I take my suitcase into thebathroom.
I look at myself in the mirror, lean in, and whisper: “I’m in Shanghai with Johnny B. Nerdballs!Whaaaat?!”
When I emergefrom the shiny marble bathroom, after taking a damp hand towel to certain areas of my plane-perspired body, I’m wearing the antique silver silk chemise I bought with John’s cash and my discount from the lingerie store that I model for, no underwear, and probably a flashing neon “Horny Devil” sign over myhead.
I find John at the desk that faces the window, typing furiously on his laptop, his phone charging nearby. His fingers stop jabbing at the keyboard for two seconds after he looks up and sees my reflection in the window. He makes a barely perceptible grunting sound, then turns his attention back to his document. “Well don’t you look seductive,” hesays.
“Well I thought I did until you confirmed that Idon’t.”
“I’ve done no such thing,” he says, still not looking at me. “I have every intention of confirming your sexy sexiness as soon as I’m done typingthis…”
I sigh and collapse onto thesofa.
“Are you properlyhydrated?”
“Yes, the Chens provided us with a bottle of water and I drank all of it,remember?”
“Of course I remember, I just doubt that it’senough.”
“I drank plenty of water on theplane.”
