Anupap set down the phone with resignation. Never imagined being cornered like this—having to leave home in the middle of the night to haul a drunk person back.
He called Mark for directions to Red Sun pub. Fortunately, the young man was still awake, just back from his night adventures. Part of him wanted to ask Mark to 'collect' the cunning police officer instead, but Mark was with an elite girl completely smitten with the suave young man, so he didn't want to interfere.
Mark teased that having a cop boyfriend meant accepting midnight pickups would become routine.
"Shut up, Mark, or I'll make you go get the detective instead."
"No way, P'Nu. Your man, your responsibility."
Anupap thanked his younger friend and grabbed his car keys for this 'collection' mission, thinking this better be the first and last time. Tomorrow he'd give Atikom an ultimatum—if they continued dating, no more getting blackout drunk like tonight.
***
Atid pressed his palms against his throbbing temples. His head felt ready to split apart. Last night he'd drunk too much. That sharp-featured man who'd introduced himself as Tongrob had kept buying him drinks until he could barely stand.
He tried to piece together the previous night, but images remained blurred and fragmented.
After his hand knocked over the glass, sending it crashing to the counter before he collapsed, memory became sparse.
His mouth was parched, eyes aching, head still spinning, body sore from sleeping curled in the same position too long.
He pushed himself up, looking around at the unfamiliar bedroom—dark tones completely different from his bright room at home.
He was naked. Strange—he never slept nude. Always wore pajamas—the white t-shirts Anupap bought him by the dozen for his birthday, paired with thin cotton pants.
Memory trickled back slowly. After the pub closed, he'd swayed beside Tongrob's car, gone home with the man. Tongrob—handsome, cheerful, smooth talker, obviously a player. During the drive, hands had roamed his inner thighs, sending electric shivers through him.
Once in the room, he'd been embraced, caressed, aroused, kissed frantically. Heavy breathing, writhing, alcohol's musk, his weak protests sometimes melting into compliance as desire sparked and scattered.
What had happened between him and Tongrob?
Atid unconsciously touched his backside. No pain. He exhaled with relief—at least not what he'd feared most.
"Awake already?" The deep voice came from the doorway. Tongrob entered, lower body wrapped in a white towel, chest bare and gleaming with water droplets. Broad, muscled chest, soft hair trailing from abdomen to navel.
Tongrob rubbed his hair dry with a smaller towel, sharp features wearing a satisfied grin.
"It's noon. You must be hungry. I bought food—it's on the table outside. Want to shower? I'll help scrub your back." The last sentence was a husky whisper.
"Did we... did we do anything?" Atid stammered, still shocked.
"What do you mean?"
"Did we sleep together?"
"Mmm, yes. Last night we were drunk, lost control. Nature took its course." Tongrob chuckled softly with pleasure.
"Did you rape me? How could you do this?"
"Hey now, I've never raped anyone. We were both willing. You did things to me, I did things to you. You ripped my shirt, remember? Too impatient for buttons. Don't make accusations." Tongrob widened his eyes but kept smiling.
"If I hadn't been drunk, don't even dream of it. I would never do anything like that with you, especially since you're..." Atid's voice shook with anger and hurt.
"What am I?"
"The... the same type as me." Atid whispered, barely audible.
"Come on, no real harm done. Don't make it such a big deal. Last night was just appetizers—no main course, if you know what I mean."
"Watch your language, Tongrob."
Atid tried to get off the bed but realized his nakedness, freezing as he looked around for a towel. His modest reaction only made him more endearing to Tongrob—shy, not jaded, unlike everyone else he'd bedded.
Seeing this, Tongrob grinned wider. So cute, still being shy. After what we saw of each other last night. Seeing him like this is driving me wild.
"You remembered my name. Impressive, Atid."
"Very clever, taking advantage when I was drunk. I guess that's all you're capable of."
"Don't look down on me like that."
"I'm not what you think I am. If you like that type, I'm not your type."
"Relax, I'm not holding you to anything. Don't be so uptight. Besides, I didn't go all the way with you."
Even though he'd desperately wanted to. Last night he'd tried, but the young man had struggled until he'd had to abandon the mission.
Atid had never been doing it with anyone before.
Tongrob couldn't help feeling regret. If he was going to be accused of taking advantage, he might as well have seized the opportunity completely. If sober, Atid would be 'harder than hard' to conquer.
This pretty criminal challenged his seduction skills to the maximum—stubborn as hell, definitely not easy to imprison.
Something about this made Tongrob feel alive, energized. Seeing the young man's frowning, sulky expression under the covers only excited him more.
Sharp features, dark brows, narrow eyes, prominent nose, red lips that had tasted incredibly sweet. Skin so fair and smooth he couldn't resist caressing every inch. Firm muscles tensing beneath him as he pressed down on the mattress, the young man moaning and writhing, half-drunk half-aware, hands alternately pushing at his chest and pulling him close, strong legs wrapping around his waist, that beautiful face turning away from kisses then pressing lips together in heated response, tongue dancing with his endlessly, sometimes clamping lips shut in resistance, gasping and moaning as if breathless.
Even though last night had been just 'appetizers'—something he rarely indulged in—Tongrob admitted it was the most satisfying experience he'd had in years.
Atid... let him try proper courtship. He wanted the full main course.
Tongrob handed over a towel. Atid took it with a stern expression, quickly rising from bed. The young man swayed from lingering dizziness, so Tongrob reached out to steady him, but Atid jerked away and fled toward the bathroom.
Tongrob smiled, utterly charmed.
***