31. Take the Plunge

Bel loved the beach.

His last happy memory of his mom had to do with the beach. They’d gone to Hua Hin, just the four of them: his dad, his mom, Bel, and Nina. His dad wanted to golf and his mom and Nina wanted to horseback ride, but Bel just wanted to stay on the beach.

He loved the slight tickling feeling of the white sand between his toes, and the clear blue water that never seemed to get colder than twenty-nine degrees. He loved the swoosh of the waves when they hit the beach, daring him to match his breath to its rhythm. It’s one of the few places he’d been happiest.

So naturally, as soon as Bel was finished convalescing, it’s the first place he went: to the beach in Hua Hin.

With his boyfriend.

“This is much more relaxing than Pattaya.” Kam is lying next to Bel, his hands behind his head, eyes closed. There’s sand in his dark hair, but he doesn’t seem to care.

Bel glances down at his boyfriend. “We never went to the beach in Pattaya, so how can you compare them?”

“I’ve been to Pattaya’s beaches, but I like this one better.” Kam opens his eyes, and the look in them makes Bel’s heart do the skippy thing again. “Because I’m here with you. You’re chewing your lips again.”

“I’m not.”

“You chew on your lips every time I flirt with you.”

“Only because I know what’s going to happen next.” Bel retorts.

Kam sits all the way up. He leans forward, murmuring in Bel’s ear.

“I have an idea.”

“Yes?” Bel leans forward too, his whole body tingling with anticipation.

“Let’s buy Gulf’s restaurant.”

“Huh?” Bel blinks, jerking back in surprise. “Why would we want to do that?”

“It’s empty, isn’t it?” Kam says. “I mean, with Gulf gone, it’s back on the market--”

“Yes, but--”

“And you like working there, right?”

“Yes, but--”

“And you should do what you like to do, right?”

“Yes,” Bel puts a finger to Kam’s lips to get a word in edgewise. “How will we pay for it?”

Kam kisses Bel’s finger tip and smiles at him. “I have a nest egg, remember? It’s a pretty significant one. And in a pinch I could always sell the Alpha Romeo.”

“Uh-uh,” Bel shakes his head. “You’re not selling your baby.”

“I’ll sell my baby for my baby,” Kam says. “If he asks me to.”

“Well, I won’t ask you to,” Bel crosses his arms. “Why would you do this for me anyway?”

“You know why.” Kam takes Bel’s hands in both of his. “For the same reason I asked for your number the day I pulled out of the way of that Ducati. For the same reason I didn’t object to being your watchdog. For the same reason I beat the shit out of that Gorilla.”

“What reason is that?” Bel teases, and Kam cocks an eyebrow at him.

“You want me to say it?”

“Yes, please.” Bel makes a puppy face.

“Ok,” Kam adjusts his position, so that he’s looking into Bel’s eyes. “I love you, you adorable kid.”

Bel leans toward him, so that their noses are millimeters apart. “I love you, too, you annoying jackass.”

Kam kisses the tip of Bel’s nose. “So that’s a yes to buying the restaurant, then?”

“It’s a yes,” Bel says. “But with conditions.”

“Em keeping her job is a given,” Kam’s other brow has shot up to meet the first one.

“Not just that,” Bel has been thinking for a while about what he wants when he will spend the rest of his life with this man. “I don’t want you to use all your nest egg; you should save some for other things--like the cars you love. I have my own savings that I can put up too, and I’ll work weekends at the dealership garage to make up the difference. I want us to be equals—I take care of you and you take care of me for the rest of our lives.”

“Isn’t that also a given?”

Bel crosses his arms, giving Kam a mock glare. “I want to hear you say it.”

“All right, then.” Kam wraps his arms around Bel, pressing their foreheads together, so they’re practically sharing the same breath. “I, Kamon Thanapon Manirat, take you Bellamy Delgado, as my equal life partner and the love of my life for as long as we are on this earth. How’s that? Ow, why did you smack me?”

“Because that sounds better on a Soap,” Bel turns his head so that he can reach Kam’s lips better. “But I liked it.”

And after that, there’s not a sound except the waves hitting the beach, and a taste they are both familiar with.

Whiskey, pecans, and dark chocolate.

The perfect combination.

In a condo in downtown Bangkok, Kit is dialing a phone number. It’s the fourth time he’s tried to call this week, and the number still won’t pick up. But this time…

Just bite the bullet and take the plunge, you jackass.

Ringing…

Ringing…

[If you know this is Silo, then you know what to do.]

BEEP.

“Silo, I know you won’t pick up, and I know why. I’m not going to say I’m sorry, and you shouldn’t either. But when you get back to Bangkok, I’m coming to see you.” Kit hesitates, then takes the plunge.

“We really need to talk.”

[END]

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