Author's note: I managed to get another chapter out. Yay me! How are you guys doing? I hope you enjoy this chapter too. Don't forget to leave me a vote : )

Chapter 2

I can't get the thought out of my head. I am eating breakfast with my family and usually it's always chaotic. My two years old won't eat without various rigorous exercises and my wife was battling with getting our five-year-old dressed. Despite how loud it was, those parting words from P'Arthit distracted me.

"With what misunderstanding are you walking away?"

"Misunderstanding?" that's like saying I misunderstood something. I remembered everything that happened and how it ended almost like it was yesterday and I very vividly remembered how hard it was to recover and get to where I am today. I am not about to let one word ru-

My determination was hampered by JJ's very loud vomit of all the food I had just spent the last half hour trying to feed him. Some of them even got on my face but most of them were on his bib and his clothes.

"Alright, Daddy gets it, you are full but um... you are going to need another bath."

Okay. I get my kid cleaned up and dressed just in time to get all of us out of the house but I pause in front of a mirror to give my hair and tie another adjusting. Last night I realized maybe I didn't look so hot. P'Arthit had been dazzling, fashionable, and fit, while I just looked like...well a dad, an exhausted one. Should I visit the salon, I wondered as I gave my face a check.

"Babe, what are you doing?" my stressed wife was behind me and had a teasing smile on her lips. Mary was slim, tall, almost the same height as me and she was conventionally attractive with brown hair that she had curled into waves, and equally brown eyes like cocoa. She reflected in the mirror wearing ash grey suit pants and a white shirt.

"Just wondering if I need a haircut," I said.

"Since when do you care?"

I blinked, "You are right but... it wouldn't hurt." I gave my reflection another glance. Mary came up behind me and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"You look hot babe, but I don't mind if you want to groom up a little"

"Yeah?" I smiled.

"Totally. Now let's go or we are going to be buried in traffic."

Mary and I work together. We drop our five-year-old daughter at her school along the way and take our two-year-old son with us. Soon he would be starting school himself but it's looking like JJ is going to be a late bloomer.

We battle with dropping him off at daycare since he always fights with us about being separated. It was almost like he was born with separation anxiety.

Mary and I were both mentally exhausted by the time we left the daycare and came up to my office. I drop my bag on the desk at the same time I sat down.

Mary smiled at me as she leaned on the desk and said, "Sorry, I didn't ask before but how did it go?"

I blinked at her then realized she was talking about my talk with the CEO of ocean electric. "Oh yeah, fell through. Apparently, they have other plans in place."

"Crap, I was afraid of that. Did you beg?"

My face lost all its color when I imagine begging P'Arthit. "Uh...no, no, we don't really need them. Not that badly." I cleared my throat.

"Babe, did you have a stroke?" Mary asked with all seriousness. "Without them, we would be drowning. I don't know if you see any other company around we could work with."

"There are tons! I'm telling you, we don't need them."

She stared at me as if I had grown two heads and one of them was slightly mad. "Come on, don't tell me you ruined all relations."

"No way," I laughed my eyes unable to hold hers.

"Oh my God Kongpob! You better fix it!"

Wow, Mary was mad. She only called me my full name when she was at her limits. "I'm on it," I told her but really, I was screwed.

I told P'Arthit I didn't need him, which was true, but I did need his company. My business would go belly up if we didn't get a project out and running before the end of the year. With our budget, there are a limited number of companies we could work with. Ocean Electric was closest and therefore more convenient, but considering how things went last night, I best rule it out.

I turned on my computer once Mary left for her office and began to make a comprehensive list of all the companies that would like to work with us. There were of course more than twenty. I started calling them to make appointments.

I spent half the day ruling out almost all of them. My future and the future of my company were starting to look bleak. Mary was going to kill me.

"You think we could maybe work on our own," I asked Mary cautiously when she returned.

"Sure babe, we would just call in all those sponsorships we have, you know those investors who are already stretched thin. For Christ's sake, babe, just go talk with them. I am telling you, ocean Electric is already planning a project. We just have to work together and launch something together. Why am I even explaining this to you, you were the one who came up with that plan."

That was before I learned that my ex was the CEO. Mary knew about P'Arthit. She didn't know his name of course but she knew I had a male ex and how badly that relationship ended. I was secure enough in my marriage with her to know she wouldn't suspect me if I told her that it was P'Arthit and that's why all relations were ruined.

"Babe, what exactly happened?" reading me like a book, my Mary. She was too good at it.

"Actually..." I told her, all of it.

"Well, I get that it would be a little awkward but why did you get angry."

"I felt played somehow." At the time my anger had been righteous. Although P'Arthit had claimed he and Ruth had nothing going on, they were clearly dating and have been since. He lied to me and I just couldn't forgive myself for getting that... hooked so fast. I guess I was madder at myself for feeling disappointed and upset at that fact than anything else

"You are overthinking. Alright fine, let's both go and see him this time. That should take all the awkwardness right out of it."

I couldn't refute her because I had no ideas of my own. Mary hated it when I turned down an idea without a better one in line. Instinctively I knew working with P'Arthit was not a good idea. I should have insisted we find another way.

We booked an appointment. My darling wife thought it best to soothe ruffled feathers by inviting P'Arthit out for lunch. We also went big and used a really expensive place. It was all for the good of the company we both chanted as we saw the bill.

P'Arthit arrived looking like a celebrity and he wasn't alone. A young man was trailing him like a shadow. He smiled politely at Mary and mostly spoke to her. All we said to each other, P'Arthit and I, were nothing but meaningless pleasantries. None of us spoke of last night's blunder, much to my relief and it was as if we were strangers meeting for the first time. If only he really were a stranger. I can't stand myself for noticing the little things about him, how good he looked, how well he conversed and did business, how professional he was, following Mary's thought process effortlessly and seamlessly fitting into this expensive restaurant. He was nothing like the P'Arthit I used to know and yet he was exactly the same. His mannerisms cut like glass when I recognize them. I tried not to but they pop up in my head without my permission.

"Fortunately my company is organizing a competition for new designers. We might get something innovative from there," he was saying.

"Hey, that's a brilliant idea, I love it. What do you think sir?" in public Mary referred to me as sir. We both thought it was best to always maintain formality when talking professionally.

I can't help that I am distracted by the other guy P'Arthit came with. He had red hair, had some foreign features and he was glaring at nothing the whole time. He was young, maybe twenty years old, and looked like he would drag P'Arthit out of there the first chance he got. Something about him bothered me a lot and I didn't know why.

"Don't mind him, "P'Arthit said, noticing my looks. "He is the son of the chairman and has to follow me around to see how things are done."

"Ah, I see." Why then did he look more like a bored lover? Funny how he reminded me of my old self. I shook the thought and offered my hand to shake. "Everything looks good. I look forward to working with you."

P'Arthit hesitated at my hand then took it, gave a brisk shake, and let it go. He passed his card to Mary and she gave him hers too which wasn't how it should be but I couldn't complain as I had returned the card the last time.

"We'll be in touch," she said and P'Arthit nodded politely. I am surprised at how smoothly things were going. There was no arrogance on P'Arthit's part and he genuinely looked like he welcomed our business.

Talking politely about trivial things, we accompanied P'Arthit down to his car. "Thank you very much for your time," we made to bid farewell but I cited a smirk on P'Arthit's lips.

"Of course, you will have to attend the party the chairman is hosting, this weekend. It is good for business partners to make proper introductions and it builds trust."

Mary and I both glanced at each other, befuddled. "Is that right," Mary said. "Then please forward the invitation to me and we will be there."

I signal to her discreetly to cancel. It was so not fine getting into another party situation with him but she ignored me like I was air and bid P'Arthit a wave. I followed him with my eyes despite myself and saw through the tinted window the young man resting on him.

"Could that be how he became CEO?" Mary asked thoughtfully.

"What do you mean," I asked, still watching the car as it sped away.

"You know, sleeping with the boss's son?"

"Eh?" I turned wide eyes on her. "You think they are together?"

"It was obvious. Didn't you see it?"

"I-"I honestly didn't but Mary's radars were better than mine.

"Then P'Arthit is gay through and through?"

"Well, I saw him check out the waitress inside so I can't be sure."

"Then with that woman he also..."

"Hey," I didn't know I was looking at my feet and the feeling of wallowing surprised me. I met and held Mary's eyes, afraid she would ask me what was wrong. "What's the matter, babe?

"I don't know. I really can't say." I felt such confusing emotions. On one hand, I was glad that I could save my company by working with P'Arthit but each encounter with the man worried and shook me. I wouldn't go as far as saying my feelings came back, that was impossible, but for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that I should avoid him. I shouldn't get involved with P'Arthit.

Mary kept looking at me with worry so I smiled and changed the subject. "So about the party..."

"I know. We should probably come up with some excuse to get out of it. Unless it could affect relations then we would have to go."

"Right."I made a forlorn face and Mary laughed.

"Don't worry over it, I'll be there with you." That was reassuring so I nodded.

After that, I heard Mary talking on the phone with P'Arthit almost every day. The details of the conversations were of course given to me but I felt they were talking for way too long and it didn't feel good to see my wife acting as the middlewoman between my ex and me. It was very cowardly and I started to feel it rather acutely. I shouldn't let Mary deal with my problems when I said that I could handle them. I should be able to handle business with P'Arthit since I am already over it. our relationship ended brutally years ago but obviously, we were both past it. I moved on and so did P'Arthit. It shouldn't be so complicated to work with each other, should it? no, it shouldn't.

It was a huge relief when a few days later, Mary popped into the door of my office and said, "Babe, MJ is sick, the school just called to say she threw up. Can you go and sign the document instead?"

I was honestly relieved to say, "Okay, I'll go. I hope she is not coming down with flu."

"It looks like it. She has been complaining of tummy ache."

"Then go ahead, I've got this."

She smiled at me in relief, turned, and left.

I sighed into my seat. This should be fine, after all that night is far behind us, it's time to act like the CEO and do my job.

I drove to P'Arthit's company while calling him on the way just to be sure that I would find him in the office when I get there. Halfway there he picked but it was his secretary. She said P'Arthit was not in the office.

I slowed down on the road intending to turn around and go back to the office. Next time I will call beforehand. My phone started ringing. It was P'Arthit's number that Mary gave me.
"Yes?"

"Are you close?" it was P'Arthit on the line.

"Uh, yeah." There was silence.

"Alright I'm driving out, tell me if you see me."
"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Do you see my car now?"

I look up and yes I saw the red Benz P'Arthit drive to the restaurant. As if to confirm that was him he blinked his light twice. "I-I see you."

"Then follow me."

The call went off before I could ask where. Either way, I was losing him so I turned my car around and began to follow him down the road. He drove at a steady pace and for so long I started to seriously consider giving up. The bastard was also not picking up my calls too. Where the hell is he taking me? I am too far along to give up now.

We drove off the main road into a quiet gravel road with barely any buildings and still kept going. I was calling his phone persistently and wishing dearly I hadn't come to see him today, I hadn't listened to him. Why didn't I just tell him that I would come back tomorrow?

I persevered and controlled my annoyance barely till a white mansion showed up on the horizon. Distracted by its elegance I no longer felt the grievance I had with me the whole ride. The gates opened and let us into a beautifully made pathway with flowers and trees. We drove in and I parked behind P'Arthit. Seeing his face, my annoyance came back in full force.

"What's the meaning of this, P'Arthit, where is this and why-"I realize he was still walking toward me and with no intent to stop before we collide. At this rate, he was going to walk right into me. My eyes were wide and staring, and I lost all track of what I was saying.

P'Arthit stopped just in front of me, our chests almost brushing. I held my breath and met his eyes, I couldn't have looked away if my car caught fire and burned to ashes. I hate my brain for instantly absorbing all the details of his handsome face. The fullness of his lips and the smell of his collogue. Shame flooded my face as I enjoyed, unwilling the attention of his eyes and the smell of his body. I hastily backed away before anything could happen only to hear him laugh at me.

"Such a scardey cat," he said.

"uh." I am unable to form speech.

"You haven't changed one bit." With that, I was released from whatever hold he had on me and P'Arthit walked away.

At the door, an older man stood waiting politely. He wore a black waistcoat over a white shirt and dark pants. He collected P'Arthit's briefcase and received what sounded like orders before throwing a glance my way and then walking away.

"How long exactly are you going to stand there?" P'Arthit's voice shook me out of my stillness. I was still struggling to move and think.

"What is this place? Is this your house?" I asked, afraid that I was right.

"Obviously. "he didn't seem to care what this would seem like, what it already seemed like. "Didn't my secretary tell you I was going home?"

"Yes but-" he didn't have to call back and make me come with him to his house. This was dangerous. I should go back, and sign this document another day. There was no hurry.

"You want to know how I can afford' this?" his question brought my eyes to him as if pulled by magnets. I hadn't been wondering but now I was. He laughed at whatever curious expression I had on my face. that said obviously. "You've always been so much into the details. You haven't changed much."

I noticed he didn't answer my question and was just going to walk away. I followed him, forced to know what it is that has brought P'Arthit so far. In the past, he had been just a young man who was more thug than he was anything else. Always fighting with someone and his parents, actually, just his mom, wasn't exactly well off. How did he end up like this after just fifteen years?

"Is it like Mary said?" I thought out loud and looked up to see that P'Arthit had stopped, turned, and was looking at me with his slightly tilted. I cringed at myself.

"What did your wife say?" his voice was low but I was listening very closely to him without being aware, my whole being seemed attuned to P'Arthit and I knew that he was upset.

"Nothing."

He smiled and began to roll up his sleeves, exposing his forearm which strangely caught my attention like I was hypnotized. I swallowed, the room starting to feel warm. "You don't want me to drag it out of you, do you, Kong?" he said and stepped forward, "you know I can and I will. Tell me what your wife said."

I knew I shouldn't say it, P'Arthit didn't need to know the truth, I can just make stuff up but my throat only move and nothing came out. I watched P'Arthit get closer, my breath coming out a little short. Something about him took the air out of the room and I could take my eyes off him.

"I-" I couldn't lie, he would know if I lied. He knows me so well and if I lied, I knew what would come next would be unimaginable torture. Even though I knew P'Arthit couldn't torture me like that anymore, couldn't make me choke with frustration, with need and desperation anymore, my body didn't seem to know.

When he stood in front of me and I felt his warmth, it was like physical pleasure, dizzying, disarming, and consuming all at once. He gripped my chin and pulled my face close to his, I could smell the breath from his mouth, and the hunger to taste nearly floored me. "Are you going to speak, or should I literally drag it out of you."

I almost felt dizzy with the fierceness of the lust that sprung up inside of me. I can't believe it. after so long why did my body still react like this to the mere nearness of P'Arthit? I shouldn't be this way. Why can't I breathe, why do I still feel this ache for P'Arthit, this hunger rising inside of me for him? I am going crazy standing there trying to resist closing the distance and forcing that lips on mine, kissing him.

My head spun with thoughts of pressing P'Arthit against the staircase, of scattering that slick hair with my fingers, of reaching into his clothes and feeling up his bare skin. I want to see him naked and under me, I want to lick his body, I want so much I can't take it.

"She... said," I gasped out and was rewarded with a caress, "that you... whored yourself."

P'Arthit stared and then laughed. "You really are such a wimp, Kongpob. I can't believe you ran to hide behind your wife."

I glared at him trying to hide how weak I was. I can't handle it, this burning attraction for P'Arthit. it's too much. "and you are still such a bastard."

"Why? Why am I a bastard?"

"P'Arthit let go," I reached out but stopped short of making contact with him, I am afraid to touch him.

"Are you so .raid of what you will feel that you ran to your wife?"

I shook, my voice unsteady, "What-what do you mean what I would feel? I feel nothing." Even I wasn't convinced.

"You sure?" he lifted one elegant eyebrow, "your breathing elevated the minute I stepped close, your eyes are dilated and you've been trembling with your control barely holding. I didn't realize it before but Kongpob, could it be you are still attracted to me?"