"I think I should wait outside."
"You can wait here. It's hot outside. I'll just take a quick shower."
Honestly, I'd rather endure the scorching sun than wait in this chilly air-conditioned room.
In a popular resort, Khom sat rigid on a couch, his hands tightly clutching the armrests. He avoided looking to his right and shifted his charcoal-colored eyes between the brown walls and the ceiling instead. However, the more he tried to remain calm, the more his tension escalated. The sound of water splattering against the bathroom tiles only heightened his stress.
What was the cause of all this? Well, it was the man taking the shower.
After Khom checked Mr. Warrington, who spoke fluent Thai, into the hotel, the man first requested a shower to wash off the travel grime. At that time, Khom had no issues with it until he was offered to wait in the room. Upon seeing the room, Khom realized that he was in trouble.
The room was a bungalow, mainly decorated with wood, giving a feeling of a southern island mixed with modern luxury. There was a large bed with clean white sheets contrasted with a sea-blue bedspread. And next to the bed was the bathroom.
The luxurious bathroom had mirrored glass from the ceiling to the waist height, covering half of the bungalow wall. The other half was the shower area with a large shower head attached to the ceiling. A white, oval-shaped stone bathtub in the middle of the bathroom, large enough for two adults to soak comfortably. All of this was designed for the guest's maximum satisfaction. Still, it was anything but relaxing for the person waiting when there was no wall separating the bathroom from the bedroom!
That's right, the room was completely open.
As soon as the guest walked into the room he owned for the next three days, Connor had no shame in taking off his shirt and throwing it on the bed, followed by his shorts, forcing Khom to turn his face away quickly.
Even though Khom was sure he had turned away fast enough, he still caught a glimpse of the light-colored hair under Connor's navel anyway.
This was why Khomgrich wanted to wait outside, even though the sun was blazing and the weather was scorching. However, his three-day employer wouldn't let him.
This is dangerous.
Khom thought as he continued to study the wooden wall. His ears caught the sound of soap being lathered, the sound of water hitting skin, and the sound of hands rubbing all over a body. His imagination ran wild enough to make the young man glance to his right without realizing it.
The bed in the middle didn't help at all.
The muscular body, the skin that wasn't as pale as a Scandinavian person's but wasn't as sunburned as his, gave off a tempting vibe. The wet, dark blond hair framed his face, making Khom's face flush. He quickly forced his gaze back to the wooden wall.
Khom had been with men before, but he was only nineteen years old and had only recently come out. Having to deal with someone who he knew was a 'casanova' just by looking at him made the young man anxious before he even started doing his job.
"You can watch TV if you're bored."
"It's alright, sir. I'm not bored." Khom flinched, realizing how shaky his voice was in response.
"Okay then, wait for me a moment." Connor laughed softly, clearly amused.
Khom shifted uncomfortably as he realized someone would be bruised from getting hit on for the next three days.
And Khom wouldn't be the one hitting, but the bruised.
SQUEAK!
The young man flinched again at the sound of the shower turning off, followed by the sound of a towel being shaken. Khom composed himself with a deep breath and vowed to curse at his friend after the job.
"I thought Sea was the one who would come pick me up."
Since the name Mahasamut[1] was a bit difficult to pronounce, His nickname was known as Sea among his foreign tourists.
"Sea was the one contacting you, but I'm the one assigned to take care of you," Khom said, feeling slightly relieved when they talked about work.
"Take care?"
"That's right, I'll be your guide for the next three days, including taking you diving. If there's anywhere special you'd like to go or any food you'd like to try, just let me know," Khom replied professionally. Even though he could hear footsteps approaching, he refused to turn around.
"What if I want you to take care of something else for me, too?"
Khom felt the water droplets on his arm before he heard the soft voice again. This time, he couldn't resist looking up at those sea-green eyes and seeing that teasing smile.
Danger.
It was as if he could hear a warning signal in his head.
Khom fell silent, his mouth tightly shut. His gaze shifted from the powerful eyes to the neck, all the way down to Connor's broad chest filled with just enough firm muscles to convey strength without making him intimidating. As the water droplets ran down his smooth skin, soaking into the loosely wrapped towel around his waist, Khom felt his throat suddenly dry.
"What would you say?"
"Pardon?" Khom stuttered slightly, looking up into the green eyes twinkling with amusement.
"I was asking if you could take care of something else for me, too," Connor said, his voice laced with laughter. He casually wrapped his arms around his chest, seemingly unconcerned that his towel might slip.
And that made Khom quickly shift his gaze from below to above, which didn't help at all.
"My job is to make sure you're happy throughout this trip. I'm willing to help with anything you need; just let me know."
"Is that so..."
Khom wanted to slap himself because he might've just given him a chance!
The young man swore he didn't mean to lead the man on. He was just trying to be a good host. But judging from the satisfied smile on the guest's face, Khom wished he could turn back time and swallow those words. Especially now that Connor was leaning in close enough for Khom to smell the fresh scent of soap, he wanted to back away even more.
"Well, I'll be looking forward to it, Honey."
Khom sprang back, following his instinct to avoid danger. Luckily, Connor stepped back, too, satisfied, allowing Khom to sigh in relief.
Poof!
But Khom's luck ran out quickly as Connor stopped just short of his bed before stripping off the towel wrapped around his body without any care in the world. The young man was so shocked that he couldn't turn away, his eyes wide open at the sight of the man's broad back and firm buttocks.
Apart from having a beautiful chest, Connor had stunning scapulars. Upon seeing the tattoo on his right shoulder, the man appeared immediately rougher. Then Connor bent down to put on his long swimming pants, giving Khom a glimpse of the dark, beautiful male part that was as impressive as his body build.
Khom could say that it looked as strong as its owner.
Danger, danger, danger.
The warning in his head kept on blaring.
Just then, the man who had picked up his shorts to put on over his swimming pants turned to look at him, causing the secret observer to blush and turn away, but it was too late.
"You can look more if you'd like." Connor turned around completely, his hand still holding his shorts. His body was only covered by the long swimming pants that hugged every curve, and the listener had to restrain himself from looking where he shouldn't.
"I apologize for my rudeness."
Shit, my voice is shaking.
"I didn't say you were rude," the man said, taking another step forward while Khom started to look left and right.
"I even told you that you can look more," Connor stepped forward again, and Khom knew there was no escape, so he had to look up and meet his eyes pleadingly.
Khom didn't want to get teased like this. It wasn't funny at all.
"I think..."
"You have beautiful eyes," Connor interrupted.
"All Thai people have dark-colored eyes," Khom tried to change the subject, but the other man did not follow him.
"So, who wouldn't like being looked at by such gorgeous eyes?"
Khom was speechless. He might've dealt with men before, but he wasn't skilled enough to handle someone with such powerful eyes. Everything fell silent, but it was a silence filled with a burning passion from deep within his heart, causing his body to heat up at every moment.
Terrifying
This thought suddenly flashed in his mind, shooting down his stomach.
Rrrrrrrrrrrrr
Gasp!
The cold sound of the phone doused the strange fire in him. Khom jolted, quickly grabbed his cell phone, and saw it was his close friend calling. He stood up and spoke fast in a Southern accent.
"My boss is calling. Excuse me."
With that, he rushed through the tall walls, quickly opened the balcony door leading to the private swimming pool, and slammed the door unnecessarily loudly. One hand clutched his chest tightly.
"Too dangerous," Khom muttered, feeling as if he'd just escaped the devil's grasp. But not long after feeling relieved, worry crept back in.
This is just the first day, no, the first hour, and it's already like this. How am I going to survive the next three days?
He wasn't that foolish not to realize that the tall foreigner was flirting with him.
Just yesterday, he said he wouldn't get involved with anyone, but today, a tempting person had suddenly entered his life.
At this point, Khom could conclude one thing about this guest.
Connor Warrington was a dangerously attractive man.
Connor's first meal on Koh Phangan was at a local restaurant that Khom proudly recommended. At first, the southern boy was worried whether the genuine foreigner could handle the strong flavors, but when asked, Connor smiled broadly and confidently said, "I love Thai food.", with a strange look in his eyes. So, the young man chose not to continue the conversation and took him to an original southern restaurant.
Now, there were various dishes on the table, such as minced pork with yellow curry paste, prawns and paco leaves Yum[2], king mackerel Tom Yum[3], and spicy wild boar stir-fried, which were full of flavors and spices in a way that got people in the kitchen cough while it was cooked. As for the foreigner, he was smiling broadly, his eyes sparkling, and he confidently said,
"This is worth the trip."
But Khom was still not at ease because the food at this restaurant was usually spicy. Some foreigners who said they could eat Som Tum casually cried out for milk to extinguish the spiciness almost immediately when they tried out this place.
"Start with a little portion, please. The food at this place is quite spicy." Khom didn't want to repeat that he'd already told the waiter not to make the food too spicy, but this foreigner argued that he could handle it. Now, he was worried about having to check the guest in the hospital on the first day.
Connor looked up, met his eyes, and after a moment of contemplation, he nodded.
"I trust you."
Shit!
Khom quickly grabbed a plate to serve rice to avoid those green eyes.
He didn't understand why, but something in Connor's eyes that said he was willing to trust and go along with what Khom said made Khom feel strange.
Connor didn't continue the conversation. He just took the plate of rice and placed it in front of him, mixed it with the stir-fry, and put it in his mouth.
"How is it? Too spicy?"
Khom asked anxiously while the Canadian was still chewing slowly as if absorbing the taste. Khom was thinking that he should've bought some milk before entering the restaurant.
"You know what?"
Suddenly, Connor asked without any preamble, causing Khom to frown. Then, the green-eyed man smiled broadly.
"You're the person I trust the most on this island."
"Yes?" Khom appeared ridiculously confused, enough to make Connor laugh out loud.
"This is delicious. This place is absolutely to my taste. I can't find food like this in Bangkok. So, let's say I entrust my life to you. Any restaurant you recommend, I'll consider it as good. I'm not picky."
Even though it was strange to hear someone entrusting their life to him, Khom went from being utterly confused to surprised and eventually pleased.
Even if it was just a compliment for bringing Connor to a restaurant that suited his taste, the person who rarely received compliments couldn't help but be happy. Khom's mouth, which often opened more in shock since meeting this man, transformed into a broad smile, revealing his clean white teeth.
"I have many more great restaurants to recommend. This evening, I'll take you to a seafood place. I guarantee the shrimp is fresh, the crab is meaty, and the fish is just out of the sea," Khom said enthusiastically, his broad smile reaching his eyes, making his charcoal-colored eyes sparkle.
"Here, try something else too. This Tom Yum is delicious; I recommend it," he said, sliding a bowl of the fish Tom Yum in front of him, hoping it'd be another dish to Connor's liking. But...
The tall man looked at him without blinking.
"Mr. Connor?"
As soon as Khom called, Connor gave him a playful smile.
"You should smile more, Khom."
The young man raised his eyebrows questioningly, but Connor just laughed softly, and then...
"Your smile is really cute[4]."
Not only did he say that, but Connor also used his index finger to touch Khom's cheek lightly.
Khom was startled but didn't back away, worried the other would think he was disgusted. He reminded himself that the man was a foreigner…and some foreigners even gave each other kisses just for greeting. He shouldn't overthink a little physical contact from one, even though those green eyes made his thoughts run wide, not to mention those compliments. It couldn't be helped that he felt like he was being flirted with.
"I…I think you misunderstood the word 'cute,' Mr. Connor."
Cute? Someone like Khom?
But Connor laughed, raising his hand to rub his chin.
"I see. My Thai skills may not be as proficient."
If Mut heard this, he'd definitely cry.
Khom smiled wryly because if these two were to be compared to see who spoke Thai more clearly, this foreigner would win hands down. His friend spoke in a thick Southern accent all the time. Unlike this guy, if Khom closed his eyes, he'd think Connor was a native Thai speaker.
But this wasn't the time to sit and judge who spoke better because...
"Anyway, I still think the word 'cute' suits you well."
Their eyes met.
While the Thai guy looked unbelieving at this statement, the foreign guy confirmed it stubbornly. And that made Khom's heart strangely flutter.
"Where did you learn Thai, sir?"
It was too much to continue the previous conversation. Khom, whose face was flushed, quickly changed the subject by asking another question.
"Heh."
The other had to know that Khom was getting nervous because he retreated and sat back. This made Khom realize just how smooth Connor was.
The man knew when to make a move and when to retreat.
This is crazy. I need to stop flattering myself.
"I learned Thai by myself."
"Self-taught? That's very impressive."
"Haha, I like Thailand, Thai food, and the sea. I've been to Ko Samui before but didn't have time to stop by Phangan then. Now that I do, I want to explore this island a bit. And I'm lucky to have a cute local guide like... you."
Cough! Cough!
Khom almost choked on his food due to Connor's flirtatious comment, causing him to retract his statement about Connor's knowing when to retreat. When Khom coughed, the other person handed him a glass of water, laughing brightly.
"I think it's not me who can't handle spicy food."
It's not the spicy food. I'm choking on your words!
"Then eat up. Have you tried Yum yet?" Khom pushed the plate of paco leaves Yum almost to the point of hitting Connor's rice plate.
Connor laughed and accepted the Yum into his mouth, nodding to show satisfaction with the taste.
"Delicious."
Honestly, Khom didn't think he'd survive these three days seeing how this tall man licked his lips in the sexiest way, used his thumb to wipe the corner of his mouth, and then licked his finger deliciously. Khom noticed even the female customers at the nearby tables looked like they wanted to jump into bed with him now.
But those green eyes were looking straight at him.
"If it's delicious, eat more."
And the other one replied while maintaining eye contact,
"Of course, I'd like to eat till I'm full."
I think I'm totally screwed.
After a late lunch, Khom found that his struggles were just beginning. When he took this VIP guest to Thong Nai Pan Yai beach on his beloved motorcycle, he found that the giant foreigner behind him brought a lot of trouble.
It wasn't that Connor was intentionally rubbing against him, but the motorcycle's seat was small, and the person sitting at the back was huge. Khom tried to sit as compactly as possible, straining every muscle. Every time they hit a bump, the young man had to take a deep breath because Connor would lean so close that his chest was pressed against his back. The warmth was transmitted through their thin clothes. That part in Connor's crotch brushed against Khom's buttocks, causing a tingling sensation.
"Sorry about that."
Thankfully, the man behind whispered an apology and adjusted his position to sit more comfortably, relieving some of the tension.
So, Khom's energy was drained entirely when they reached the beach.
He admitted that his legs were about to give out when he saw the full extent of the man's size and felt a little more of how big that part of him was.
And that was once again where Khom thought he wouldn't last three days.
"Am I too big?" Connor asked with a smirk, looking at the standard-sized motorcycle and then back at the drained man. "Or maybe you're just too small."
"I'm Thai standard size," Khom quickly responded.
"Ooh, I'm Canadian standard, too," Connor said, raising an eyebrow challengingly.
Okay, I have to let him win, do I?
Khom wrinkled his nose as the Canadian seemed to enjoy their banter too much.
"Our standards are different."
"Yeah, but I do hope that we can fit together."
What the hell is he talking about now?
Khom frowned, wondering if the 'fit' the man was talking about didn't mean personality compatibility but something else he didn't dare to interpret. So, he laughed it off and changed the subject.
"You said you're Canadian. Are you traveling alone in Thailand?"
Khom wasn't sure if there were tourists who traveled alone and hired Mut as a guide. They often came in groups, so he asked this question with full hope.
"Will anyone else be joining you later?"
If Connor had someone with him, he thought he could survive. But...
"It seems it's going to be just you and me."
"Is that so?"
"You seem like you don't want to be alone with me," Connor was sharp enough to notice, his lips curling up. Khom awkwardly laughed it off.
"I didn't say that."
"But your eyes are saying so, kiddo."
Khom looked up and met those green eyes again but didn't argue. He didn't like arguing, and he knew he wouldn't be able to argue with him anyway, especially about being just a kid and not wanting to be alone with this man... It was too dangerous.
A tiger could devour a kid like him if he wasn't careful.
"Yeah, that look in your eyes," Connor smirked.
"What look?" the younger man asked, confused, reaching up to touch the corner of his eyes.
This time, the blond man didn't answer. He just smiled widely and looked out at the white sandy beach contrasted with the clear blue sea.
"This place is as beautiful as the pictures I researched. The beach and sea are gorgeous, and I bet underwater is just as mesmerizing."
Even though Khom was taken aback by the unfinished sentence, as a local, he was proud of the compliments. He could tell Connor genuinely liked it, not just saying it out of courtesy. His green eyes were sparkling as if he wanted to dive into the water and explore the hidden beauty.
"Yes, it is beautiful down there, too, I guarantee it. Actually, if you want to go diving today, I can take you out on a boat." Though it was a bit late in the afternoon, there was still time to tour around a few islands.
"It's alright. Let's save that for tomorrow. Today, I want to explore around here. Can I rent a kayak?" Connor pointed to the brightly colored kayaks resting on the beach.
"Sure, I know the owner of these boats."
"Great, I'm dying to get out on the water already."
When the guest started talking seriously about activities on the trip, Khom felt relieved enough to get serious about his work. He led the way across the fine sandy beach to a small kayak rental shop, where some foreign tourists were chatting with the owner.
"Oh, and about the question you asked... I'm still single."
Before Khom could greet the shop owner, the man behind him suddenly said that, causing him to turn around in surprise and meet a pair of teasing eyes.
"I never asked that!" Khom raised his voice.
"Well, you asked if anyone was joining me, so I'm telling you that I'm single."
"That still didn't mean that I asked if you were single," Khom argued, lowering his voice slightly.
"Is that so?" The green-eyed man tilted his head, looking annoyingly smug. "I thought you wanted to know."
"I don't-"
Khom fell silent for a moment because suddenly, he couldn't deny that he, in fact, wanted to know.
If this incredibly hot man had a family yet.
His silence made the man in front of him chuckle softly.
"Well, then, let's say you didn't ask. I just wanted you to know that." Connor leaned in close to his ear. "I don't have a wife, no kids, no family, or even..."
The tall figure paused as if stalling some time to let the curiosity boil over. Those eyes stared into Khom's coal-colored ones as if observing...
Then Connor smiled.
"A boyfriend."
Khom froze, unable to move, as his suspicions were raised and confirmed on the same day.
This man was interested in men.
"I don't have a boyfriend, Khom."
This deep, soft voice wasn't close to Khom's ear anymore. It went straight to his heart, causing him to shiver. Seeing that sparkling smile made his body feel even hotter.
"I should go rent a boat for you," the best way out was to flee.
As Khom turned to leave, a warm hand grabbed his wrist. It wasn't a rough pull, nor was it painful. It was just a hold, and the holder moved closer from behind. He could feel the breath on the nape of his neck, along with the deep whisper...soft but intensely hot.
"The look in your eyes... It looks like you're scared but also interested."
With that, Connor let go of his hand and turned his attention back to the sea, leaving the local guide standing there in silence. His words had violently shaken Khom's heart.
Scared but also interested.
Once again, Khom had to remind himself.
He'd encountered a man who was dangerous…to his body and heart.
----------------
[1] Mahasamut means "ocean" in Thai.
[2] a Thai salad-like dish.
[3] a Thai hot and sour soup.
[4] In this novel, Connor occasionally says things in Thai. In order to differentiate between Thai and English conversation, the Thai words said by Connor will be underlined.