“At once?” Mae asks Ten in amusement.
Ten nods solemnly. “P’Sud is so goodlooking, everyone wants to be his girlfriend. Even P’Mee Noi!” Ten pushes a piece of meat onto his spoon with his fork and brings it to his mouth, unaware that both Noi and I have stilled in shock.
“What do you mean by that, Nong?” I ask as casually as I can.
“You two are playing in that series, right? Don’t you have to act like boyfriends?” Ten laughs. “That must feel weird.”
My gaze is drawn to Pah, who says, “You know that acting isn’t real life, right, Ten?”
“Of course,” Ten scoffs. “You sometimes have to kiss a lady other than Mae when you make a movie. I know it doesn’t mean anything.”
“Sud’s been concentrating on studies and work, Mae,” Noi assures her. “He hasn’t even been out with friends in a while.”
“Well, don’t go overboard with work either, Son,” Mae says to me before turning back to Noi. “What about you? Do you have fun sometimes? Is there anyone special that you like?”
“I bet he studies all the time, even at lunch,” Ten says. “Maybe even while he’s sleeping. That’s all he likes to do.”
“Actually, I met one of Mee Noi’s friends the other day. P’Wisit. He’s a very nice young man,” Pah says.
“Oh, is he the one you were dating?” Mae asks Noi.
“He didn’t date him. They’re friends,” I say, maybe a little too loudly since Noi touches my leg with his foot under the table.
“There’s nothing wrong with boys dating boys or girls dating girls,” Ten says, misunderstanding the irritation he heard in my voice.
Glancing at Noi, I say, “That’s right, Nong. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.”
Later, when Noi and I lie beside each other in my bed and everyone else is asleep, I say quietly, “I think Pah suspects.”
“Why do you think that?” Noi asks.
“I can just tell. I’ve been too obvious the last couple of days. P’Wisit’s unexpected appearance tripped me up.”
“I thought you two resolved your issues,” Noi says softly.
“We did, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t get jealous when you two went on a walk together. You heard me at dinner—I can’t help it.”
Noi rolls onto his stomach and looks into my eyes. “There’s no reason for you to be jealous, Sud. I promise you.”
Touching his face, I say, “I know that. It’s just…we haven’t gotten to do anything since we confessed to each other.”
Noi’s brow furrows. “What do you want to do?”
I can’t help smiling. “You’re notthatnaïve.”
Noi grins and, reaching between us, cups my cock in my shorts.
Shocked, I suck in a breath, and then he’s pushing me down and crawling on top of me.
Our lips meet in a deep, worshipful kiss. When we pull away, I smooth his dark hair from his face. “But I also mean I want to hold hands with you. I want to cuddle. I want to put my arm around you and let everyone know we’re together.”
Noi’s expression softens. “I want that, too.” He rolls off me. “Do you really think Pah suspects? I wouldn’t think it would enter his mind. I mean, you could be jealous in a…brotherly way.”
“When I first told him we were doing this series together, he warned me not to be, well,cavalier, I guess, with your feelings. He pointed out that you’re not as experienced as I am, and that you might get hurt.”
Noi’s scowl is cute. “Why does everyone just assume I’m inexperienced?” He meets my eyes and deflates. “Okay, so the audition kiss was my first. That doesn’t mean it made me fall head-over-heels for you, though. Ten may think everyone wants to be with you, but it’s really not true, you know.”
I laugh. “But it’s reasonable for Pah to believe that’s what happened when he finds out about us.”