Chapter 26 Sud #2
Stretching out beside him, I sigh contentedly when Noi curls up against me. I wrap my arm around him and kiss his head.
“I was so afraid you would remember and freak out, and I wouldn’t be able to help you,” I say.
“Is that why Pah’s here?” he asks into my chest.
“Yeah, but I didn’t know he was coming. When I found out this was where we were filming, I called him. But he never told me he was going to try to work it out so he could be here.”
“I’m sorry I’m always such a problem,” Noi murmurs.
“Hey, nobody thinks that.”
Noi sighs, and it’s such a sad sound, my heart hurts. I know he’s thinking about his parents.
“It’s not like I want to be with them,” he says, confirming it. “I don’t. But I can’t help wondering how I disappointed them so much that they never wanted me.”
I hug Noi so tightly, he grunts.
“We love you, Noi. Mae, Pah, Ten and I love you so much,” I whisper fiercely. “We want to be with you.”
“I love you guys, too,” Noi says. When I finally loosen my hold, he looks up at me. And, staring at his pretty mouth, I can’t help but kiss him. Our lips move over each other, nipping and sucking softly. Noi tastes sweet and I want more of him.
Rolling on top of him, I deepen the kiss, and Noi responds eagerly, pushing up against me. The sweet noises he’s making are getting me hard, and I feel his body responding. Pretty soon, we’re dry humping as we explore each other’s mouths with our tongues.
A noise outside the tent sends us hurtling away from each other. Rolling onto my knees, I crawl to the cooler and throw it open just as Pah ducks his head into the tent.
“There you two are. It’s not even dark yet—what are you doing in here?”
“Just talking, Pah.”
As I pull another water bottle out of the cooler, I’m thinking that Noi’s voice sounds a lot steadier than mine would be at that moment.
With that in mind, I take a long drink before turning around and smiling what I hope is a natural smile at my father.
Noi is sitting up on the mat where we’d been making out seconds ago, one of the flat pillows clutched in his lap.
Realizing I have something of my own to hide, I sit and use the water bottle as a shield.
“Sud, Tee wants you to go over your lines for tomorrow,” Pah says.
I nod. “Okay. I’ll be out in a minute.”
When Pah leaves, I let out a breath and look at Noi. “That was close.”
Noi frowns. “We’ve been so busy filming the series, we haven’t even talked about telling Mae and Pah about us.”
The conversation I had with Pah months ago comes back to me.
“You and Mee Noi are exceptionally close. You’ve been there for each other through thick and thin, and if Mee Noi’s becoming sexually aware, what if he—
“Stop right there. That is not happening.”
“How do you know, Sud? You aren’t in his head. Mee Noi isn’t like you. He’s much more sensitive. I’m just giving you a gentle reminder to stay aware of his feelings, that’s all.”
My face must show something of my thoughts because Noi says, “You don’t want to tell them.”
“I’m just thinking maybe we should wait.”
“In case we break up?”
“What? No!” I scratch the back of my head. “Until we’re more confident in our new relationship. I mean, how are we going to explain it to them when we haven’t even had time to explore it ourselves?”
“I guess that makes sense,” Noi admits. “I don’t like the idea of keeping something from Mae and Pah, though. We should tell them as soon as we know what we want to say.”
I nod. “Okay. I’d better go. P’Tee is waiting for me.”
Pah is going to kill me, I think as I duck out of the tent.
****
Since I know that Pah, as well as P’Wisit, will watch over Noi, I’m able to concentrate on my work, and the fight scene goes well. Both P’Pan and I are exhausted and dripping sweat by the time P’Tee is satisfied with it, though.
After I shower in the camp facilities, I find Pah sitting in one of the folding chairs outside our tent.
“Where’s Noi?” I ask, watching P’Tee and the crew pack up to make a trip to a nearby waterfall for one of the scenes that doesn’t involve me or Noi.
“He left about thirty minutes ago on a nature walk with Wisit. He’s a nice young man. Mee Noi claims they aren’t dating. Do you think he’s not being truthful with me?”
“Noi wouldn’t lie to you, Pah,” I say, trying not to let him see how much I don’t like the idea of my boyfriend alone on a walk with P’Wisit.
My boyfriend.
Never in a million years did I ever think I would have a boyfriend, much less that it would be the guy I’ve been best friends with for years.
Considering how unexpected it is, I’m surprised I’m not making up reasons for my sudden physical attraction to him.
It’s as though deep down I know he and I are supposed to be together.
It suddenly occurs to me that I should have told P’Wisit not to let anyone know about me and Noi.
He could have easily mentioned it to Pah.
Not only would Noi and I not have the chance to figure things out before telling the family, but our jobs might be on the line.
I’m not sure the company allows a relationship between shipped couples.
Fanservice is encouraged by the execs, but I doubt they really want us hooking up in our personal time.
P’Tar has told me a lot about his experiences, and it sounds like fans can be really weird.
They want you with your screen partner, but if they find out you are with them, they attack you for it.
It doesn’t escape me that P’Wisit must have realized he has the perfect opportunity to keep me and Noi apart but isn’t taking it.
Someone else might find out, though. Am I sabotaging my career before it’s even off the ground?
But Noi is more important to me than acting. Besides, I can’t control how I feel about him any more than I can control the weather. We didn’t choose to become romantically involved; it just happened.
But it’s not too late to take a step back. Just until this series is over. Noi would understand.
At that moment, Noi and P’Wisit emerge from the path in the woods, pulling me out of my internal argument. My heartbeat accelerates, and without consciously making the decision, I’m on my feet and striding toward him. I want to grab him and kiss him but manage to tone it down to a shoulder squeeze.
“Nice walk?” I ask, falling into step beside them.
“It was great!” Noi begins enthusiastically telling me about some mushrooms he saw called bridal veil stinkhorns. “They smell really bad.”
Opening the photos on his phone, he shows me the pictures he took of them. I have to admit they’re unusual looking, as well as aptly named. I don’t realize P’Wisit is no longer with us until we get to our tent. Looking around, I spot him talking to Cora and P’Tee.
“Do you think we need to worry about P’Wisit telling anyone about us?”
Noi shakes his head. “No. I just had this discussion with him. He knows it needs to be a secret for the time being.”
I’m entertaining the idea of ducking inside the tent with Noi and stealing a kiss when Pah joins us. We wind up helping to cook the afternoon meal that we’ll have when the group out filming returns.
***
After breakfast the next morning, Noi and I have a scene to film, and then Khun Intapong announces we need to pack up. I’m not too surprised when I find out that Pah has charmed her into giving Noi and me a few days off so that we can return home with him for a visit.
After saying goodbye to everyone, one of the cameramen drives us back to park headquarters where Pah left his SUV and we switch vehicles.
Noi sits in the front with Pah, and I sit in the back alone.
It’s a relief to see Noi’s face clear of the stress that’s been etched into it more often than not these last few months.
I hope he was being truthful when he told me he enjoys acting because knowing I’m responsible for the moments of exhaustion and the headaches and anxiety he’s suffered makes my heart ache.
Home is a short drive away, and Pah must have messaged Mae before we left the park, because when we pull up the drive to the house, she and Ten are out in the yard waiting for us.
I’m barely out of the car before my brother takes a running leap at me.
I catch him and give him a tight hug before dropping him on his feet and ruffling his straight dark hair.
Ten takes after Mae, who is petite. At twelve, he isn’t nearly as big as I was at that age. Still, it won’t be long before he’ll be too big for me to lift like that.
When Mae finally releases Noi from a hug, she wraps her arms around me while Ten tackles Noi with affection. She smells like jasmine and whatever she’s been cooking.
“It’s so good to see the two of you. I have made enough food to feed all of Thailand.” Wrapping her arm around my waist, she walks me inside. Noi, Pah, and Ten follow, Ten telling Noi all about something he and a friend did to the inside of the treehouse.
Our home is a two-story villa situated at the back of a subdivision surrounded by woods on three sides. Noi and I grew up swimming in the pool and playing in the woods. They were idyllic days, and sometimes it’s hard to believe that they’re over.
Stepping up onto the covered terrace, I look around at the familiar setting, glad that Noi’s with me this time. Pah disappears into the kitchen with Mae, while Ten starts telling me what he just told Noi.
“Oat and I painted the walls white, and Oat brought beanbags from his house. Pah helped us make a table to replace the broken one with some wood that was in the shed. We meet there on weekends and work on our model car. Come see it!”
“That can wait until after dinner! Come in here and help me, Ten,” Mae calls from the kitchen,
Ten grumbles but obeys, and I turn to Noi.
“Brings back memories,” he says with a smile.