Cockatoo

By Nikkie Silk

Part One

Meeting Alex

Chapter 1

It’s a cliché, isn’t it? Man comes home early and finds his wife in bed with someone else. Maybe less of a cliché in my case as the ‘someone else’ was my wife’s closest girlfriend - closest in every sense of the word.

It was a quick divorce; no kids, only a rented flat, so the only squabbles were about books and CDs. I told her to keep the lot. I wanted to make it a clean break, so I shoved all I owned into the boot of my small car. I was 26 years old, fit, healthy, and with a good but boring job in a software company near Cambridge in the UK’s version of Silicon Valley. My parents had both passed away some years earlier, so I had no ties in the UK anymore.

It was time for a change.

The company had won a contract with a global pharmaceutical company to become their principal software partner. The Pharma company had built a new production facility in Bangkok and needed a software developer to go out there for six months to sort out the programming mess their previous partner had made. I was fed up with my life and it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. I thought I was well qualified to take on the role, so I talked to my boss who put me forward and, to my surprise I got the job.

Having heard I was going to Bangkok, my friends congratulated me and told me I was a lucky dog, and that it was the place to get over the divorce. At my leaving do, we all got drunk and one of the older guys took me to one side.

"A word of advice in your ear, my boy. Out there if you can't be good, be careful."

I winced as it's an old joke.

"No, I'm serious. I’ve been there. You should be careful in the bars."

"What do you mean, careful?"

"Well not all the girls you meet are girls. Some come with a little something extra. Check the size of their hands, probably the only thing a ladyboy can't change."

"Well, I'm not getting involved with ladyboys." I must have sounded so prim and pompous.

"James, never say never."

"Oh, have you ever, you know?"

He winked. "Have a great time, it's a fabulous city."

It took me only a few days to clear things up in the UK, and a week later I landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Bangkok hit me like an electric shock; the sounds and smells, the noise, the heat and humidity, the food, and even the traffic jams of the city were overwhelming to someone who’s most adventurous trip had been to Mallorca.

The company had booked an apartment for me in a building close to Taksin Bridge on the Chao Praya River. I even had a small view of the river from the apartment’s balcony if I leant out far enough. The office where I was to work was only a short river bus ride from the apartment to the Saphan Taksin Skytrain station, and then a few stops into Bangkok. The Chao Praya is a wide, muddy polluted artery snaking its way through the city past golden temples and palaces, luxury hotels and slums, carrying people and goods along its length. I loved riding the river bus to the station, watching the longtail water taxis racing like greyhounds, spraying arcs of water behind them. Hotel shuttle boats dart around between the bird beaked river buses and the long lines of huge barges, the restaurant boats, the ferries and countless other craft.

The job itself was complex but once I had broken it down into separate tasks, it started to take shape. To begin with, it took long hours to do the analysis and planning. The previous contractor had left a horrible mess, but a plan gradually emerged. This was quickly approved, and I moved on to the development phase. People in the client’s office were wary of me at first, but once they saw I was making progress, they became friendlier. They took me out a few times to dinner in some wonderful restaurants I would never have found by myself. I got to love Thai food although I did find out the hard way that ‘phet mak’ means very spicy.

Once my project had been approved and development work commenced, I had more free time to explore the city. Bangkok is much more than just temples and palaces, and I soon got the hang of bartering like a local in the markets and eating food from street stalls. I picked up some simple Thai phrases and learnt how to navigate the social customs. I liked the natural politeness and deference of the Thai people and I came to feel at home.

Out of the blue, I received an email from a friend from back home who would be passing through Bangkok on his way to his brother’s wedding in Phuket. His flights meant he had a one-night stop-over in Bangkok and he asked if he if he could stay with me for a night instead of shelling out for a hotel. The apartment had two bedrooms, so I said yes and looked forward to some company and gossip from back home.

It seems my ex had moved in with her girlfriend but it had ended badly, and they had split up. She now claimed she had only been experimenting and was telling everyone it had all been a mistake and she should never have let me go.

"Jimmy, is there any chance you two could get back together?"

"About the same as England winning the next World Cup."

He laughed, "So, none at all then. OK, I’m sorry but she asked me to sound you out. I hope you didn't mind?"

"Not at all, Robbie. The ashes of that fire are stone cold."

He had brought a bottle of good Scotch as a present and after we had polished off most of it he wanted to explore Bangkok’s red-light areas. So, already loaded, the two of us went on a tour of what Bangkok at night has to offer. The sex industry in Thailand is smaller than that of Taiwan or the Philippines. It is, however, pretty much in your face. Patpong, Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza between them offer pretty much every sexual service you have heard of, a few you probably haven’t and some you wouldn’t even want to think about. A colleague had taken me on an ‘orientation tour’ early on, and I had seen things there that would send a good Catholic boy straight to hell. Luckily, I’m a lapsed Catholic, but as they say, once a Catholic, always a Catholic.

We did the rounds of go-go bars, getting more and more loaded as we went. We even found an Irish bar and played pool with the girls there. I fancied myself as a pool player, but got shot down in flames by a tiny Thai bar girl. It didn’t help my concentration when she bent over in front of me to play a shot or whenever I took a shot, she leant on the other side of the table where I could get a face full of her ample breasts in a tight t-shirt.

We were pretty trashed towards the end of the evening and I was ready to go back, but Robbie was only getting started.

"I want to see some ladyboys, can't be in Bangkok and not see ladyboys."

"Robbie, come on let's go back, you’ve got a flight tomorrow morning."

He tried to look at his watch, but I think he had trouble focussing.

"Ah, come on Jimmy, don’t be a pussy, there's plenty of time. Show me the ladyboys."

"Kathoeys Robbie, they’re called kathoeys here."

"Don't care what they’re called. I want to see some."

We were in Soi Cowboy by this time, and I knew there would be a ladyboy bar somewhere there. I thought if we went for a quick drink he would be happy and we could go back. We found our way to a small bar called Cockatoo. I guess I was too drunk to get the double meaning of the name that night.

Outside there were one or two girls trying to get people to go inside. Well, they looked like girls, pretty and dressed as any bar girl would be. In other words, very little. We hesitated outside, both of us nervous about going in. Robbie solved it by pushing me and I almost fell into the bar. It was small and loud inside with a dance stage along the middle with seats and small tables along each side. On the stage were girls dancing, and a few guys sat to each side of the stage watching. Even in my intoxicated state I realised they were ladyboys, but some of them I would defy anyone to tell that they weren’t genuine girls.

The Mamasan came over and found us seats close to the stage. From where we sat we were only a few feet away from the dancers. Some were dressed in tight hot pants and crop tops and some in bikinis. There were some with a giveaway bulge but others looked so smooth down there I swear they had to be real girls. Robbie nudged me and grinned, and before I could stop him he had waved two of the girls across to sit with us. The two stepped down from the stage and sat next to us. One snuggled up close and put her hand on my arm.

"What your name?"

"James."

"Jams?"

I had to smile. "No, it’s James."

"OK, Janes."

It sounded so sweet from her. "Not Janes, James."

"Ah, James." She giggled at getting it wrong. "I am Pao. James, you handsome man, buy me drink?"

I waved the Mamasan across to order a lady drink for the two girls. Pao cuddled up close and immediately put her hand on my thigh. She was wearing a bikini with the top barely covering her small breasts. Robbie’s girl already had her hand in his crotch under the table and he was grinning like a fool.

Maybe because I had far too much to drink already, or because it had been some time since I had been so physically close to someone, but the warmth from Pao’s body pressing against me and the touch of her hand on my thigh made my cock respond. Pao slid her hand to my groin and rubbed my stiffening cock beneath the table.

"You like, James?" I nodded, and she giggled again, wriggled even closer and moved my hand under the table into her crotch and I felt something in my hand. I was so startled it took me a few seconds to realise it was her cock I was touching. She had eased down her bikini bottom and pushed my hand around it. It felt warm and soft and twitched in my fingers. She put her hand over mine and moved my hand so I was stroking her cock. I felt it getting harder and her hand kept me from pulling my hand away. Pao was still rubbing my cock with her other hand and I was getting hard. This shouldn’t be happening. I was stroking someone else’s cock, and it was giving me an erection. My mind was spinning from the alcohol and the flood of desire threatening to overwhelm me. This was getting too weird for me and I had to summon all my mental strength to move my hand away from her cock.

"You no like, James?"

I shook my head, "No, I mean I don’t know, maybe, oh shit, I don’t know."

I was dizzy, confused by everything I was feeling. Pao was still energetically rubbing my cock, and I was hard by now and squirming around. She leant in and whispered in my ear, "We can go short time if you like, James?"

This was where it got too much for me and I stood up and ran out of the bar. Robbie came out after me a few minutes later and asked what was wrong. "I’m shit faced, feel sick, too much drink, going to throw up" was all I could think of. He wanted to go back in because he was enjoying himself, so I grabbed a tuk-tuk back to my flat, my mind still reeling from what had happened.

Robbie made it back to the flat in time to grab his gear and leave for his flight to Phuket. I didn’t ask him about what he had got up to but he looked embarrassed and I could only wonder what had gone on after I had left.

I tried to forget what had happened in Cockatoo with Pao, but it kept coming back to me. How I had been so aroused by Pao and above all how I had felt when I touched her cock. To be honest, my sex life up to that point had been unadventurous to say the least. I had always been what you might call vanilla in my tastes. Maybe that's why my wife had been ‘experimenting’ with her best friend. Mine had been a sheltered upbringing, growing up in a small village in Leicestershire and going to local single sex private schools. Even university didn’t bring a rebellious phase, and I spent most of my time buried in books or computers. I didn’t have many girlfriends and my first serious one led to my marriage. In the sexual adventure stakes, I was a non-runner. To deal with what happened in Cockatoo, I fell back on most guys’ default excuse and blamed the alcohol. I was straight and had been drunk and horny. I needed to find a girlfriend that was all.

It was probably inevitable after the night in Cockatoo I became more curious about kathoeys. A colleague explained that Buddhism teaches there are more than two genders, and as nearly all Thais are Buddhist, it’s one reason why kathoeys are accepted in Thai society. It probably helps that the Thai physique helps kathoeys to pass more easily as female. My colleague asked if I had known there was a kathoey in the office. I was surprised because I hadn’t suspected a thing. However, acceptance is not equality, and it's not always easy for a kathoey in everyday life.

After three month’s hectic work, I fancied a break and a few days away on the beach somewhere. I asked around and somebody suggested an island called Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. It was only a short flight from Bangkok and sounded just what I was looking for. I mentioned that I was going there in an email to a friend back home. He emailed back that one of our university friends, Alex, whom I had lost touch with a while back, was living on Samui. I remember he had gone to Thailand after university on a gap year and had never come back. My friend thought Alex was running a hotel or something out there. He had an email address and suggested I see if he was still there.

God, Alex’s name brought back memories. He had been something of a wild child at University, but unlike me he didn’t have to work too hard to get his degree. I had scraped a 2:1 with a lot of hard work and sweat whilst he got a First, almost it seemed, without trying. He had been ridiculously good looking, and he partied hard, always with a few girls hanging around at any one time which had made me jealous back then. He had an easy charm that seemed to attract everyone. We had shared a student house for a year and whilst we weren’t exactly close he was always friendly. I was struggling with my coursework at the time and never seemed to find the time to accept any of his invites for drinks or parties.

I suspect he thought I was too uptight for his liking and I always felt he invited me only because we shared the house. The only time we got close had been at his drink sodden farewell party. He told me he had enjoyed the time we had known each other that I was a great guy, and he hoped I would not forget him. Giving me a big hug, he made me promise I would look him up if our paths crossed again. He mumbled something about regrets and missed chances, but I think I had been too drunk to make much of it that night. That had been the last I saw of him. He went to Thailand and fell off our radar.

I hesitated about getting in touch with him. It would be good to catch up, yet did I want to look backwards? I had come to Thailand to make a fresh start. However, I remembered my promise to look him up if our paths crossed, and I believe promises should be kept. I was also intrigued to find out what had happened to him. So, curiosity and politeness won, and I dashed off an email, half expecting not to get a reply. To my surprise, I got an email back the following day with a phone number and a request to call before leaving for Samui. It was a terrible line when I did call, but we eventually understood each other and he told me to get in touch when I had checked into my hotel. He told me it wasn’t a hotel, he was running a bar and restaurant in Lamai Beach. I said I was on a late flight and he told me not to worry, I was to call whatever time I checked in.

It was only on the flight to Samui that I realised how tired I had become. Weeks of working long hours had taken their toll on me, and I needed the chance to unwind and get some rest and relaxation. I arrived on a late flight from Bangkok so I could maximise the time I spent on the island, and it was midnight when I arrived at the hotel after the typical Thai taxi ride from hell. It was late, so I wondered about ringing Alex but he had told me not to worry about how late it was. When I got to my room, I called the number and sure enough Alex answered after a few rings. There was a lot of music in the background and he had to shout to make himself heard. We agreed that I would come on over to the bar the next evening. It was called Koh Samui Blue, and to tell the taxi driver the name and he would know it. Had I done the right thing? Too late tonight to worry. I crashed out and slept like a log.

Samui is a beautiful island and the hotel I had booked was idyllic. A small boutique hotel, it lay right on a beautiful tropical beach fringed with palm trees. It was perfect for my needs, and I idled my first day away, lounging in the sun with an unread paperback on the table beside me. I mixed up the sun bathing with frequent dips in the pool and swimming in the sea. Lunch passed with Singha beers and in mid-afternoon I called it a day. An hour or so of sleep left me feeling refreshed and relaxed. It’s crazy how quickly you can unwind if you are in the right place. I wondered again if I was doing the right thing by meeting Alex, and I imagined he would be running some dingy side street dive. It would be cowardly to pull out now and if it was too bad, I could always make my excuses and leave.

As agreed I headed out about seven o’clock. Alex had said things didn’t get going until late, but we could get some food and reconnect. The taxi driver knew the name straight away, and we headed off to Lamai Beach. It’s basically one long street with bars, massage shops and restaurants lined up on both sides of the road with the beach behind one side. The taxi pulled up outside a newish looking two story building with a darkened plate glass window running almost the full width of a large neon sign ‘Koh Samui Blue’ over the window.

So far so good I thought, not too shabby at all. It was humid outside, but the door opened I felt the welcome chill of the air conditioning. The bar was a mixture of styles with modern abstract art on the walls and more traditional Thai looking sculptures in recessed shelves lit from behind. Pure Alex, I thought. There were some early drinkers seated on sofas and at the bar itself which ran for most of the length of the room. Some Oscar Peterson, one of my favourites, was playing in the background and there looked to be a stage area at one end for what could be live music. I regretted my image of it being a dive. I should have known Alex wouldn't have changed that much. As I stood there, not sure what to do, a Thai girl emerged from the back of the bar and greeted me with both hands together in a wai.

"Sawasdee Ka. Are you James?"

"Saswadee Krab," I returned the wai as I had learnt to do since arriving in Thailand.

"Yes, I'm here to see Alex."

"Please, would you follow me?" She led me through to a room behind the bar. I noticed CCTVs showing the bar and some other rooms. I guessed she had watched me enter and then came out to greet me. She wore a beautiful long dark blue silk dress in traditional Thai style and she moved with the grace and poise of someone who had been taught how to walk properly. She led me along a corridor and knocked at a door before opening it and allowing me to enter first. Standing up from behind a desk and smiling broadly at me was a tall blonde woman.

"I’m so sorry, I thought Alex was in here, I’m here to meet him."

"James, it’s me. I’m Alex." She had stopped a few feet from me and held out her arms. "It’s great to see you here."

"No, I mean, Alex. Alex Hassall, is he here?" I started to feel a complete fool as there had obviously been a huge mistake.

"James, it is me, Alex Hassall. Class of 2009, we shared a house on the Grimthorpe Road."

"No, no, This isn't right. You can’t be Alex, what's going on?"

"James, come and sit down, you look a little pale." She moved forwards and took my arm and moved me to a chair and I sat down with a bump. My head reeled and I felt like I was going to faint. I must be ill.

"Do you want some water? Or something stronger, maybe?" She squatted down next to me and I could look straight into her eyes. It was then I noticed something familiar.

"You’ve got Alex’s eye." Alex’s eyes were hazel but in his right one there had always been a small dark brown quadrant in the cornea. It was a genetic mutation, and only noticeable if you looked directly into the eye.

"I mean, you have the same thing in your eye as Alex," I was babbling now.

"James, that would be entirely, natural, I think, as it is me." She smiled even more broadly.

"How? I mean what’s happened? How is this possible?"

She pulled her long blonde hair back from her face and it was then that the penny dropped. Everyone thought Alex was good-looking back at Uni, and many of the girls had even said he was pretty. As she held her hair back, I could see Alex’s face smiling back at me.

"Oh, my God," I couldn’t think of anything more original to say, "It is you."

Chapter 2

She smiled and stood up, took my hand and pulled me to my feet. "Come on James, give me a hug."

She pulled me into a hug and instinctively I hugged her back. She was about my height but I think she was wearing heels as I remembered Alex being shorter than me.

"That’s better," she released the hug but held onto my arms as she stood back and looked me up and down. "Damn, it’s good to see you, James. You’re looking well. I have a million questions to ask you. Come on let’s have a drink and you can tell me what you’ve been up to."

"You’ve got questions? Don’t you think I’ve got a few?" My senses were returning after the shock.

"Oh, OK, but first let me introduce you to Areeya, she’s my business partner and soulmate."

I turned around and the Thai girl who had brought me through from the bar was standing there.

"Areeya, meet James, James, meet Areeya." Alex’s eyes sparkled as she made the introductions.

Areeya made a wai and remembering my Thai manners I did so in return.

"It’s delightful to meet you, James. Any friend of Alex is welcome here." She spoke softly and with only a slight accent.

"I’m pleased to meet you too, Areeya." I replied. Her hair was swept back in Thai fashion and this emphasised the beauty of her face. I thought she was stunningly pretty.

"Alex, if you don’t mind I have a few things to attend to before we get busy tonight, so can I leave you and James to catch up and I’ll join you later if I may?"

"Of course, Areeya. Let me know if there’s anything you need me to do." She turned and walked out the door.

Alex saw me looking. "She’s gorgeous, isn’t she? Went to the American University in Bangkok, graduated with an MBA. She’s clever as well as beautiful. But let me tell you all over dinner. I promise I will answer your questions but what brings you to Samui? How long have you been over here? How long can you stay? What are you doing in Thailand, anyway?" This was the Alex I remembered, a million questions a minute.

Alex led me through a second door into a small room decorated in Thai style.

"You like Thai food?" she asked.

I nodded, "I love it since I’ve been here." I could smell the aroma of garlic, onion, fish sauce and lemon grass cooking. "Mmm, that smells good, Alex."

"We have a restaurant at the back facing the sea and the kitchen is on the side here. This is our private lounge. Let’s get you a drink." Alex must have signalled somehow because the door opened and a small Thai girl entered.

"What can we get you, James?"

"I think I need a stiff Scotch."

Alex laughed. "Is Laphraoig OK? I assume you didn’t mean Thai whisky. I remember you were a Whisky snob at Uni."

I was surprised and pleased that Alex had remembered what I drank.

"Manee, that will be a large Laphraoig for our guest and a fruit juice for me please."

I tried not to stare but I couldn’t drag my eyes from Alex. Blonde hair tumbled down onto and over her shoulders, and her tanned skin looked flawless. Pink nails matched her lipstick, and she wore what looked like diamond studs in her ears. She was wearing a beautiful red print silk dress with a vee neck plunging almost to her navel. I still could not believe what I was seeing; the woman in front of me was gorgeous. As I looked at her, I saw hints of the old Alex showing through, like the way she held her head slightly to one side and looked sideways at you.

"Well, what do you think?"

"Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare."

"Hey, don’t worry; I would too in your place. But, honestly, how do I look?"

"Well, I think I’m still in complete shock, but would you it upset you if I said you look beautiful?"

She giggled, "James, no, I never mind anyone telling me that, even if they are in shock."

"Why didn’t you tell me, Alex? Give me a hint? You gave me the surprise of my life."

"I’m sorry for that, but would you have ever come if I had told you that your old Uni mate was now living as a woman?"

"I don’t know, maybe. To be honest, I still can’t quite believe it. What happened? I knew you came to Thailand on a gap year but then you dropped out of sight."

The drinks arrived, and we paused while Manee put them down. There were two couches in the room and a low table. Alex invited me to sit down on one and she sat on the other crossing her legs, giving me a lovely glimpse of thigh.

"Kap khun ka, Manee, thank you."

“Cheers, James. God, it's so good to see you again.” We clinked glasses, and I took a big swig of the whisky.

“Likewise, Alex, but I’m a little confused at the moment. I mean how did this happen?”

"OK, James, I’ll tell you my story, and then I’ll answer your questions. Is that OK?"

I nodded, and she took a sip of her juice before continuing. "It’s pretty simple, I had always been fascinated by Thailand, and I did the whole place, backpacking all the way. Thailand is several countries rolled into one. The north is different from the south and Bangkok, is well, Bangkok. I loved it all and soon I learnt enough Thai to get by."

She paused and crossed her legs again and I had to force myself not to look.

"After about six months I pitched up in Bangkok and did the usual tourist red light stuff. Frankly, it was pretty awful until one night in Nana Plaza I dropped into a bar there and met some of the kathoeys. You know what I mean, kathoey?"

"Yes, I know what you mean."

"Well, to cut a long story short, whatever it was I became attracted to them." She paused and frowned slightly, "Not in the usual way, but I became fascinated by the transformation they underwent and how they were able to change from boys to girls, or something in between. I got to know a few of them and as I didn’t want them for sex, and once they realised I wasn’t a threat, they tolerated me as a hanger on, I guess. Anyway, one night some of the girls, maybe sensing something in me I probably didn’t realise myself, told me I could be pretty if I wanted to be. Looking back, I think I was a bit high that night." She paused and looked me in the eye. "Are you sure you want the full story?"

I nodded. I was now hooked into her story. I wanted to hear this right through to the end.

“OK, here’s where it gets freaky.” Alex paused to take a sip of the juice. “As I said, I may have been high that night, and I gave in. I guess the girls were bored, or maybe they were up to tease a compliant farang. Anyway, they stripped me, washed my hair and shaved me. My hair was pretty long by then so they sat me down, styled my hair and made my face up. They wouldn’t let me see what they were doing, I had to sit there while they did it. I must have been high to let them do it. The girls at Uni sometimes called me a pretty boy if you remember.”

We paused as Manee returned to the room with fresh drinks. Alex at this point seemed off in a different world and her eyes were focussed on something far, far away.

"After they had finished playing with me as their little doll, they made me put on a bra and knickers." She snorted, "Made me? No, I think I was pretty willing at this point. I was always slight in build, and six months of backpacking my weight had dropped even further. I put on a dress they had found which fitted me and they were giggling like crazy all the time. But when they had finished, I saw their faces change. They became excited and were high fiving each other and talking in Thai far too fast for me to follow. At this point one of them uncovered a full length mirror they had in the room and let me see. Honestly, I expected to see an ugly guy in drag staring back at me from the mirror." She paused, I guessed she was thinking back to that moment. She blinked away what I thought was a tear. "To tell you the truth, James, I didn’t recognise myself in the mirror at all. No. I didn’t look like a model but I didn’t look rubbish. I looked like an averagely pretty girl. The girls were so happy and excited. They dragged in the other bar girls to see and they were all giggling and laughing but not at me in a bad way. They were surprised and pleased with what they had done. Well, that night was the first night I spent with the kathoeys and I got introduced to a whole new way of life."

She took another sip and did that sideways look that Alex always did. "Is this too much for you?"

"No no, it’s fine, don’t stop." I was now desperate to hear the rest of the story.

“That night was an epiphany for me. I’d had gay experiences over the years, at school and Uni so I wasn’t totally naïve about giving and taking a cock.”

I had no idea about the gay thing as he had always had girls hanging around but looking back, maybe he had gone both ways. The bluntness shocked me, but I would be damned if I wanted her to stop telling her story.

"This was different, though, wearing girls clothes, and getting fucked by the kathoeys and fucking and sucking them back was so liberating. I felt that somehow I had found myself at long last."

I was in thrall to Alex’s story. In fact, I had to move a little in the chair as my cock became stiff. Alex seemed not to notice and kept going almost as if I wasn’t there.

"I spent more and more time with the girls and they basically taught me how to be a kathoey. They coached me in how to walk and move and behave as they did. The sex was awesome; I couldn’t get enough of it. The Mamasan at the bar was not so happy at all this and was getting uptight about the time the girls spent with me. I was loving it all; the cross dressing, the sex, the excitement, and I don’t think I could have given it up even if I had wanted to. I had gotten myself clean of other drugs but this was now my drug, and I was living full time as a girl. By this time, I was also running short of money and one night the girls told me they asked the Mamasan if I could work in the bar with them. She thought it was crazy because all the farangs wanted Thai girls. The girls persisted, and eventually the Mamasan agreed to give it a go."

Manee brought another round of drinks and some snacks.

"The first night I was scared rigid, but the girls looked after me, and although the westerners didn’t seem to be interested in the blonde kathoey, a party of Japanese men came in and one of them took me for a short time. The bar had rooms at the back where after the customer had paid a bar fine for the girl we could conduct our business. I didn’t speak any Japanese, and he didn’t speak English, but it’s incredible what you can do with sign language. I think I did alright that first time because he gave me a big tip and he came back again the next night. It was pretty easy most of the time. The clients wanted me to suck them off which usually didn’t take long, or to fuck me which did take some getting used to. Some wanted me to fuck them and I even had few couples which was my favourite. I like giving and receiving."

She smiled wickedly at this, and my trousers needed adjustment again.

"I found that not only the Japanese but Thai men also wanted to come in to see the blonde kathoey. It got dodgy once or twice but the bar sorted out most of the bad customers and once all the bar girls chased a guy out into the street who tried to get too rough with me."

Alex seemed to be in a world of her own, and I wondered if she had ever told this story to anyone else. I dare not interrupt but another adjustment of my trousers became necessary.

"This went on for about six months and I was now living full time as a kathoey. I had left my old life way behind, had burned all my old clothes and dropped out. I had developed a real reputation as the blonde kathoey and life seemed OK. Then, one day the Mamasan told me a farang lawyer had come looking for me. How this guy tracked me down I don’t know because I thought I had dropped well below the radar. But find me he did. I thought it was something about overstaying my visa. It, however, turned out that an Auntie of mine had died and as her sole heir I had inherited her estate. It wasn’t millions but enough to enable me to leave the bar life behind and set myself up as an escort instead. Same fucking and sucking, but better pay and conditions. I could afford to get out completely, but I loved what I was doing, is that a bad thing?"

She paused and seemed to notice me for the first time in a while.

"Not boring you, am I?"

"No. No, it’s interesting," I could have kicked myself; interesting? What idiot says that? An English idiot that’s who. It wasn’t boring that’s for sure.

She smiled at something before going on. "I was already living full time as a woman and could pass easily. I had always been small and slight and took hormones so my voice and body hair growth was not a problem. In Bangkok, it’s easy to get a boob job and they are also world class at cosmetic surgery to get rid of certain male characteristics. As I could afford the best so I had my boobs done, my Adam’s apple scraped and few other bits and pieces done to enhance my natural charms. I didn’t go the whole hog though and held onto my cock.” She looked straight at me. “I am fond of that."

I didn't understand why, but I was getting aroused by her story. Another adjustment of the trousers was needed.

"After about another six more months of earning good money from my escort work, I decided I needed a break. I rented a villa on the beach a little further north from here for three months. I came to look at the local bar scene here, from a professional point of view. It was awful. The usual crappy tourist bars you would find anywhere. It gave me an idea. Why not set something up a lot classier than what was already here? I had fallen in love with Samui and it seemed the ideal place. The idea for Koh Samui Blue was born. I looked around and got in touch with Real Estate agents to see what was on offer."

Manee brought in another round of drinks. I was beginning to feel light headed.

Alex was still talking. "That’s when I met Areeya. She was working in her father’s Real Estate agency and we hit it off straightaway. I don’t know why but we clicked right away. It went from a business relationship to a personal one quickly. She knew what I was, it’s hardest to fool other women. Men don’t know what to look for. Generally, they only look at tits and arses anyway. Present company excepted, of course."

I blushed because she had caught me looking straight at her breasts at that moment.

"She knew what I was, but it didn’t matter to her. I was so nervous at first but she is such a lovely girl she made things so easy. She is incredibly clever, funny and dynamite in bed. Between the two of us we have everything we need to keep us happy together in bed."

Another trouser adjustment was necessary. This time Alex noticed, "James, are you OK?"

I nodded, "No it’s OK, please go on," and I swear she smirked and sat up straighter in her chair, giving me another good view of her breasts. She did that thing women do by running their fingers through their hair. It gets me every time.

She went on. "We talked about my idea and we came up with a business plan for the bar and restaurant. In Thailand, non-foreigners can’t buy land on their own so the obvious thing was for us to go into partnership. It’s easy as long as you trust each other and have a good lawyer. That’s assuming, of course, there is such a thing as a good lawyer. Anyway, I had the seed money, together with a bank loan that Areeya’s business plan allowed us to get. We paid off everyone who we needed to, and that’s a lot over here."

She narrowed her eyes as if remembering some bad times."

"So, we built the bar first, got that going and expanded to build the restaurant to go with it. We wanted to keep the bar and restaurant classy which we have but we did add another bar down the street which is more, shall we say, in the style of my old career. We can go have a look later if you like."

She looked straight at me over the top of the glass as if she were daring me.

"Oh, yes, that would be nice, if it’s not too much trouble." Nice? Nice? I screamed at myself inside my head. Who says "nice" about visiting a ladyboy bar? She must think I’m a bloody fool.

"That’s you up to date with me, James. What about you? Which twist of fate brought you here?" Alex relaxed back into her chair waiting for me to begin.

At this moment Areeya reappeared apologised for interrupting and whispered something to Alex.

"James, I’m sorry but there’s a little issue I need to attend to. I promise I won’t be more than a few minutes."

As she stood, I pushed back my chair to stand up.

"Oh, James, that’s so sweet of you. That’s what I always remember about you, you were a perfect gentleman. I’ll let you and Areeya get to know each other."

With that, she leaned in and gave me a peck on the cheek. I blushed scarlet and sat down again.

"James, how long will you be staying on Samui?" Areeya’s English was almost perfect, a hint of an accent making it sound so sexy.

"Only a few days I’m afraid, Areeya, I have to be back in Bangkok by the end of the week."

"That’s a pity, James, but Bangkok is so close by plane these days. You could easily fly back anytime. Alex was so happy to learn you were coming here. She would love to see you again."

Wow, I thought, that was unexpected. They must have talked about me yesterday or today. I never dreamt that old or new Alex would be so happy to see me.

"Areeya, it was to shock for me to see Alex as she is now. She is different to how I knew her before."

It was strange how I had slipped into calling Alex she and her. Maybe not so surprising, given that she looked so damned gorgeous.

"James, yes, I saw that when you walked in, but you dealt with it well."

"How so, Areeya?" Given my performance back then I was surprised to hear it.

"Well you could have got angry and been unpleasant about everything. Instead you were calm and listened to what Alex had to say."

‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ was almost a mantra for me to be honest.

"I was more worried than Alex, James. I thought she should find some way to prepare you but she told me you were a kind and generous soul as well as a gentleman and would behave like one. I’m so glad she was right." Areeya gave my arm a little squeeze to reinforce what she had said.

Wow and wow again, I thought. Alex thought I was a gentleman. Who knew? I thought he had me pegged as an upright square. Maybe they are the same thing.

"Areeya, it’s an incredible story. What strength of character Alex must have to have done what she has and to end up so balanced and adjusted. I admire her for that. She chose a hard road, but she seems to have come through to a good place. I think she is lucky to have found you, Areeya, you two seem happy together. I am so glad for Alex and for you too."

"Thank you, James, Alex would be glad to hear you say that. She is fond of the memories she has of you, she hasn’t stopped talking about you since she learnt you were coming to see us."

Wow and wow and wow again. Fond memories? Mind you, it did make me sound like an old family pet.

Areeya continued in a serious tone, "James, Alex means so much to me and all I ever want is for her to be happy. I think you can help her in ways you might not realise. I think you have a great opportunity to help Alex and I hope you act wisely, James.'

"Areeya, I promise you if I can do anything to help her I will."

At that moment, Alex walked back into the room, beaming all over her face. She came and stood behind me, with her hands resting on my shoulders. "It's all good, Areeya, ready to go." I felt a thrill at the touch of her hands. "James, it's a new business venture we are starting here. Looks like we have the go ahead."

She kept her hands on my shoulders and gave them a little squeeze before letting go.

"Alex, that’s great news. Shall we celebrate?"

"Good idea, Areeya, can you ask Manee to bring through some proper Champagne and three glasses for us please?"

Areeya rose gracefully from the couch and went to tell Manee. She was back in an instant.

Alex came and sat next to me on the couch. I smelt her perfume and her leg briefly touched mine. She brushed my arm with her fingers, "James, you were going to tell us about yourself and how you came to be here in Samui."

"Not that much to tell, Alex. After we lost touch, I graduated, got a job with a computer software company in Cambridge. I got married and life kind of stalled after that. Until, that is, I walked in on my wife in bed with another woman.”

Alex giggled. “I’m sorry, James. It must have been a shock.” A wicked grin spread across her face. ”Weren't you tempted to climb in bed with them?”

Areeya slapped Alex on the arm. “Alex, that's rude.”

Alex was still smiling. “Just asking”

“I was cut up about it at first, but looking back it's the best thing that’s happened to me.”

“Good for you, James. I hope we can find a way to help you get over it.” Was there a message in what Alex had said? Maybe I was getting too sensitive.

The Champagne had arrived, so we toasted the success of my new start and their new business venture. Alex, leant back, giving me another eyeful of her legs.

“What do you think of Bangkok? Have you seen the sights?”

"Yes, I’ve done all the tourist stuff. It’s a beautiful city. It was the right place to come to get over my divorce."

Alex grinned. "How about the nightlife, James? Have you taken any of that in?"

"Well, yes, it’s a kind of rite of passage isn’t it for newcomers to Bangkok."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Erm, yes, well, some of it, I mean..."

"I believe you're blushing, James. That's so sweet. And did you go to the bars in Nana Plaza?" She bloody winked as she said it. She was enjoying this, teasing me.

Areeya laughed and came to my rescue, "Alex, I think you are embarrassing our guest. You should let him off the hook, is that what you say?"

Thanks Areeya, I thought.

Alex laughed too. "Yes, yes, you’re right Areeya. I remember James always did blush prettily. By the way, James, how did you know to find me here?"

“I told one the guys from Uni that I was coming here for a holiday and he suggested I look you up.”

"That was a stroke of luck, then. Only a few people know I’m out here."

"Alex, can I ask you a question?" there was something I wanted to know.

"Sure, James, fire away."

"Why did you agree to meet me? I mean you could easily have said you were too busy, or ignore the email. Unless you wanted to see me get the shock of my life."

"Yes, apologies again for the shock, I’m not sure there was anything I could have done to avoid it. It’s a fair question. Why did I agree to meet?" she paused, thinking about her answer. "When I came out to Thailand, I never intended to stay, always planned to go back and do something in the UK. But when my life over here changed, I fully intended to disappear for good. But as time went on, I felt more and more that I was missing some parts of my old life. I gave my email address to one or two people I trusted and told them to use it discreetly. They don’t know about me, they know Alex is here in Samui. That’s how you got the address. I guess he felt you fell under the term discrete. When you made contact, I had to think hard about whether I wanted to meet someone from the past. You can imagine that it was a difficult decision to make and one I wouldn’t do for anyone. As it was you I decided to make the step and reconnect with someone I knew I could trust. So, I took my courage in both hands and said yes. Does that help?"

"Sort of, but what do you mean as it was me?"

She put a finger to my lips to silence me. "No more questions for now, James, are you hungry?

I realised I was starving. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast and lunch had been beer and some nuts. It was now 11pm, and I realised we had been talking for four hours already. I had had four or five large Scotches and now the Champagne on an empty stomach and I was getting pretty light headed.

Alex clapped her hands together, "James, I have an idea. Areeya and I have to visit our bar down the street. It’s not far."

"And you want me to stay here, until you come back?"

She lightly punched my arm. "No, don’t be bloody silly, we want you to come with us. We’ll have a few drinks and then come back for some food. The kitchen will still be open. There’ll be fewer people around so we can be more comfortable. Please say yes, please say yes."

How could anyone refuse such an invitation? "OK, I’m up for it."

She squealed with joy, grabbing my arm and pulling me out the door. As we reached the main bar, Areeya caught us up and put her arm through mine on the other side. I walked the entire length of the bar with a drop dead gorgeous woman on either arm. The envious glares I got from the bar customers were a wonder to behold. We walked down the strip in Lamai for a few hundred yards until we came to the bar. I was startled to see it was called Cockatoo 2.

"Where did you get the name from?" I asked Areeya.

"Oh, it’s because our sister bar in Bangkok is called Cockatoo. We thought it was funny. Do you know it in Bangkok?" I swear she was reading my mind.

"No, no. Do you own that one too?"

"No, it's an arrangement we have with them. We try to share overheads and things." A little warning bell went off somewhere in the back of my mind.

Alex was bouncing up and down with excitement.

"Come on you two, stop dragging your heels, let’s get in," she was bubbling over with energy. She grabbed both of us and almost dragged us into the bar.

It was a typical Thai bar; open to the front, a bar along one side, TVs all over the place and three pool tables towards the back. Music blared out from the sound system, which for a Thai bar sounded good. It was busy now with two of the pool tables in use and groups of guys and a few couples drinking at the bar or the tables. There were a few of the usual bar games of Connect 4 going on. Connect 4 may be a child’s game, but it’s used in Thai bars as an icebreaker game or to bet on with the loser buying a drink. If you think you can beat a Thai bar girl at the game, think again. If it was an Olympic sport, Thai bar girls would win every medal. There was even a cockatoo in a cage in the corner of the bar. I felt sorry for the bird in the middle of all this noise and light, but he didn’t seem to mind too much.

Areeya stopped to talk to the Mamasan, presumably to check on business. Alex was busy talking to the bar girls and they didn’t seem to regard her as a boss figure. Maybe because she spoke fluent Thai and had been one of them, they seemed to be on good terms. One of the bar girls handed me a beer and pointed to Alex, "On house, Miss Alex." OK, good start.

It seemed to be a typical crowd; groups of young tourists, some dissolute looking expats nursing a cold beer and looking typically grumpy, together with one or two couples along for the Thai bar experience. The bar girls were a mixed bunch, mostly kathoeys I thought, but with some genuine girls. I guessed there would be a few short time rooms out the back. The girls didn’t look too busy and Areeya shooed a few of the prettier ones out front to drum up business.

Alex came bouncing across grabbed my arm and asked, "Do you play pool?"

"I’ve played a bit." I hoped modesty was the right approach.

I secretly fancied myself as a player, having conveniently forgotten getting my arse handed to me by the bar girl in Bangkok last time. I hoped Alex wouldn’t be as good as her.

She dragged me over to the unused table, grabbed two cues and racked the balls in a professional manner.

"You break first," handing me a cue. I rolled the cue on the table and it seemed straight enough for a bar cue. I took a swig from the beer bottle and settled down to break.

Alex had to make it difficult by standing in my eye line and pulling faces. I stopped laughing long enough to make a good break and fluked a colour in the pocket. I knocked in another colour and then had trouble deciding what shot to play next. Areeya came over and gave me some advice on which ball to go for.

“Areeya,” she yelled, “Stop helping him, that's cheating.”

In spite of this I pulled off a third colour with a blinder of a shot. Encouraged by this, and the desire to show off to Alex I over reached myself on the next one, clipped the lip of the pocket and the ball hung there without dropping.

Alex reacted with glee and chalked her cue. My Dad always told me that a bad player chalks a cue after a shot, and a good one before a shot. Well I could tell I was in trouble with Alex pretty much from the start. It was clear from the way she handled the cue she was good. She dropped the first ball with a flourish and then put away the next 4 with embarrassing ease. Mind you it was nice to watch as she had to hitch up her skirt to play the shots and it showed off what a lovely figure she had as the material stretched tight across her bum. I got a chance when she missed the sixth but I flunked out my shot and she hit great shots to pot her next two balls. That Left the 8 ball, and she stroked that in like a professional. It seems you can take the girl out of the bar but you can’t take the bar out of the girl.

I stood and clapped. She curtseyed, "Thank you, kind sir."

She wanted another game, but she was way out of my league and I didn’t fancy another humiliation right now. I saw Areeya pick up the cue and she and Alex had a cracking game. Areeya was good but Alex was that bit better. They played three quick games with Areeya taking one and Alex the other two. My consolation was to sit and drink beer and watch my two new friends as they bent over the table to take shots.

It was at the end of the third game I felt someone’s hands over my eyes and from behind I heard a voice say, "James, James, it me, Pao.'

I pulled the hands away and the first thing I saw was Alex, leaning over the table frozen in mid shot with her mouth open in surprise. Pao was oblivious to this and before I could stop her she had scooted round and jumped onto my lap with her arms around my neck.

"James, you come see Pao in Samui."

Hell, it couldn’t be, could it? Pao from the Bangkok Cockatoo?

I saw Alex over Pao’s shoulder as she walked around the table to where I was with Pao sitting happily on my lap.

"James," Alex was still looking startled, "is there anything you want to tell us?" She stopped in front of Pao and me, holding the cue as if she wanted to break it over someone’s head. She just wasn't sure who to hit first.

Pao suddenly noticed that there was something wrong, and she turned around, saw Alex and jumped off my lap. Alex said something fast in Thai and Pao bowed her head. Alex motioned with her head for Pao to move and she backed away. Areeya grabbed her before she could disappear completely.

"Well, James, it’s interesting that you and Pao know each other so well, there must be a simple explanation?" There was a grin playing about her lips now.

I was rooted to the spot. Words jangled around in my head and I said some of them.

"Um, well, Alex, you see, it’s not like, I mean, it was all Robbie’s fault, I mean not his fault, I was trying to..." I realised I was babbling so thought the best thing to do was to shut up.

"James, first of all, calm down and then who the hell is Robbie?" she stood there cradling the pool cue, legs slightly apart so the silk dress stretched tight across her body, the bar lights highlighting her golden hair and her head tilted to one side with a questioning look on her face. Quite bizarrely in the circumstances, it flashed into my mind that she looked so damn sexy.

I took a deep breath and took a swig from the beer, Areeya had brought Pao back and they stood to one side of Alex as she looked down at me.

"You see, it was like this. I met Pao in the Cockatoo in Bangkok one night. Robbie’s a friend of mine from home wanted to see some ladyboys and we ended up in the Cockatoo. I met her in the bar and we had a drink and she was friendly and then I went home, all above board, so to speak, I didn’t think she would remember me..." I tailed off, hoping I had made sense.

"James, how friendly, exactly?" Alex fired off a question to Pao who nodded her head and replied.

"Well nothing happened, you know what’s like in one of those clubs, it was harmless, honestly..." Even I knew that sounded pathetic.

"Oh, yes James, I do know what it’s like in those clubs, remember?" Alex was grinning broadly now, enjoying my discomfort. Areeya was trying to conceal her laughter and failing badly. Pao was still looking from me to Alex and Areeya trying to decide if she was in trouble, and if so, why.

"Look it wasn’t Pao’s fault, she was sweet and nice and I didn’t know she would be here."

Alex said something to Areeya who let go of Pao.

"We share staff with Bangkok sometimes when we need to," Areeya was smiling at my embarrassment.

"James, Pao confirms your story, that there were two of you, and you were a gentleman, she says. Your friend was the one who stayed behind after you left. He seems to have enjoyed himself rather a lot."

I took another swig of beer and tried to look innocent.

Chapter 3

Alex looked at me for a few seconds as if making up her mind about something, took my hand and pulled me up, "James, I always thought you were a perfect gentleman, come on I think we should go eat."

The strange thing was she didn’t let go of my hand as we walked out of the bar.

We walked slowly back to Koh Samui Blue, the action had kicked off now. The bars were full and spilling over into the street. As we walked past each bar front, the girls nodded and smiled to Alex who was obviously well known to them. I was given a few long looks by them as well.

I heard this dark voice in my head saying "You’re holding hands with a man," and then there was this second, much lighter voice saying "Look at her, she’s a beautiful woman, that’s who you’re holding hands with."

I decided to keep holding her hand.

Alex giggled, "I can’t imagine how you felt when Pao jumped onto your lap. The look on your face was priceless."

"I don’t think I have felt more embarrassed in my life. I never expected to see her again in my life." I felt myself blushing again. Damn it, I wish I could stop myself doing that so much.

Alex grinned as she spoke, "They say an Englishman is a man in permanent fear of embarrassment."

I smiled at that, "By the way, Alex, the look on your face was pretty good too when you saw what was happening. You looked gobsmacked." I had to get my own back somehow.

"I couldn’t believe my eyes when one of my bar girls jumps onto the lap of my lovely man and greets him like a long lost friend."

My lovely man, that was nice to hear her say.

"I was about to bust the cue over one of your heads, but I couldn't decide which one." She was laughing now, and it started me off too.

"Alex, I’m glad you didn’t. Believe me, you are too damned good with that cue."

She turned to face me, grabbed my other hand too and pulled me in for another kiss on the cheek.

"I’m glad I didn’t. I wouldn’t want to mess up that handsome face of yours." She was smiling as she said it and her eyes didn’t leave mine. Oh my, what was happening here? Was it the beer talking? Because at that moment I wanted to kiss her so badly.

Instead I spluttered, "Any chance we can eat something? I’m starving."

"Of course," she grinned, and we walked into the restaurant, still holding hands.

Areeya was dealing with something at the bar so Alex said we should go ahead and order and Areeya would join us later.

It was getting late at the restaurant but there were still some diner finishing their meals. As a good hostess, Alex left me with a Scotch at the bar, and did a tour of the tables. She would wai to each table and then ask if the guests had enjoyed their meals. She spoke English mostly, but at tables with locals she switched into fluent Thai. I had learned to love the sound of the Thai language; its rhythms are almost musical to listen to when spoken well. It gave me a chance to watch her as she moved about the restaurant. Alex would occasionally glance back at me as she worked the room, giving me a little smile when she caught me watching. She had class and charisma to go with her stunning looks. She was charming the diners as she always seemed to be interested in what they had to say. She did look fabulous, her red dress set off her blonde hair and skin tone perfectly. She moved gracefully among the tables and more than one male diner and some of the women gave her an appreciative look.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

It also gave me time to think. What had started off as a visit to an acquaintance from my university for some rest and relaxation had become an almost surreal experience. I had discovered that my old house mate had made a journey that few would ever believe possible if they had not seen the evidence. She had become a beautiful woman full of grace and poise and humour. She had done and seen things about which some dream and some have nightmares. She had found her path and had found the courage to follow that through thick and thin. True, if what she told me was right, she also had a cock.

But I think I’m falling in love with her.

"Don’t you dare drop the L bomb you moron," said the dark voice in my head and the other voice said "Just go for it, if it’s what you want."

By the time she had finished her tour of the tables the last of the diners were leaving, so by the time we sat down we had the place to ourselves. The restaurant was behind the bar on the beach side. There was a veranda that looked out over the sea and we sat at one of the tables there. Alex chose one which had a bench seat so we could both look out over the sea. It was a beautiful evening; the sea was visible in the lights from the restaurant and the sound of the surf acted as a backdrop to our conversation. An overhead fan kept some air moving over the veranda and the heat of the day was beginning to cool off a little. There were candles flickering on the table for light and it was about as romantic setting as you could wish for.

As we sat and listened to the noise of the surf, it seemed that time was slowing down. It had been frantic since I had got here those few hours ago, and this was the first time I was able to catch a breath. Alex fetched us cold beers, and I think we were both happy to spend time with our own thoughts. She had ordered for us both and as the food was served, I realised how hungry I was. The aromas from the food were intoxicating.

“Alex, this is delicious. This is the best cooking I’ve had here. Better than anywhere in Bangkok.”

“Thank you, it's taken a while, but I think we have one of the best places on the island. The bar and this place are doing great, and the new venture will be a great opportunity.” She was obviously proud of what she and Areeya had built up here.

“What's the new business?”

“I don’t want to talk about it too much before it's definite, and I think it's something you would enjoy.” Her eyes sparkled as she said it, and I got the impression she was teasing me. “Anyway, James, what are your plans for when your project is finished in Bangkok?”

“I might be here for another six months to finish, but I don’t have plans after that. There's nothing that is dragging me back home.”

“Would you stay in Thailand?”

It seemed an innocent question, but then again, nothing was innocent with Alex.

“Yes, but the problem would be getting a job.”

“Surely, in your field, that wouldn't be so hard. There's a lot of money floating around in Thailand right now.”

“Maybe, but I don’t have any contacts.”

“Let’s talk to Areeya about that, her father might be able to help you. I know, let me read your palm, I can tell you what's in your future.”

She took my hand, turned it palm up and held it in one hand. She looked closely at it and then gently ran a fingernail across my palm, making me shiver.

Alex looked thoughtful as she continued to stroke my palm. "My grandmother said that when someone shivered like that they had a secret wish they were hiding. She read palms, my granny. She would probably have been burnt as a witch a couple of hundred years ago."

She turned towards me, "James, do you have a secret wish? Granny believed that if you didn’t tell someone then it would never come true." She still had hold of my hand with one hand and pushed her other hand back through her hair. That gesture gets me every time. It makes a woman look vulnerable and kick-starts my protective instinct.

"If you told someone, then it wouldn’t be a secret wish, would it?" I said straight-faced.

She put on a spiteful face and dug her fingernail right into my palm

"Oww, that hurt," I protested.

"Serves you right, you beast. My granny will haunt you if I ask her to."

She kept hold of my hand and rubbed it where she had dug in the nail.

"That’s better.” She was now stroking my hand gently which was getting me aroused. So much that I had to wriggle on the seat as my trousers were getting uncomfortably tight again.

"You have an interesting heart line," she frowned as she examined my hand. "It’s high on your hand which shows you have a passionate nature, see here how it curves up to your index or Jupiter finger?" She slowly slid her finger nail across my palm, the effect of which was to increase my excitement which was becoming more and more difficult to conceal. She seemed to be unaware of the effect she was having and continued stroking the palm, "that means you have an open and warm hearted nature. It also means you haven’t had sex for far too long." She giggled as she said the last bit.

"You’re making that up, it’s all a load of rubbish."

Alex bent forward, kissed my palm then looked sideways at me, "? So, tell me, when was the last time you had sex?" she fluttered her lashes, making me laugh.

"OK, the bit about the sex is right. But the rest is all BS."

"Don’t you think you’re warm hearted either? I think you are." She kissed my hand once more before letting it go. I immediately wished she hadn’t let go, it had felt so nice.

She took a sip of her beer before saying casually, "By the way, you might like to know that Pao said you enjoyed what happened in Cockatoo, she felt it quite clearly." She put extra emphasis on the word feel and I almost choked on my beer, managing to splutter a reply

"OK. I defy anyone not to feel anything when a pretty little thing like Pao starts stroking their crown jewels."

"Fair enough, James, but she also told me you did some stroking back." Alex looked innocently at me. I went red again. Damn my genes.

"Only for a moment, Pao put my hand there."

"Oh, that big bully Pao, but did she make you rub it?" again wide eyed and innocent. "OK, that’s enough. I’m sorry I was trying to tease you, James. It doesn’t matter to me, honestly."

As we sat side by side, I felt her leg bump mine more and more frequently, and I knew this wasn’t accidental. Alex moved along the bench which increased the pressure of her leg against mine. I was now getting aroused by this and had to move to adjust myself.

"Everything OK, James?" She asked. I’m sure she now knew full well the effect she was having on me.

I had to change the subject.

"Alex, one thing that’s bothering me." I felt her hand move onto my thigh.

", James, only the one thing?" her eyebrows arched in mock surprise.

"You have been so sweet since I arrived and you’ve said so many nice things about me. When we were at Uni I always thought you didn’t like me. Or at least that you thought I was a boring twit. I don’t get why things are so different now."

Alex stiffened, took her hand off my thigh, put her glass on the table carefully and sat looking out into the darkness. She didn’t reply for what seemed an age. She looked at me for a few seconds, turned away then looked back at me.

"James, you don't get it, do you? Are you so dense? You want to know the truth? I fancied the pants off you at Uni. I was dying to get into your trousers back then. I tried so many times to be with you, dropped so many hints that you didn’t ever pick up on. I thought all along that you were playing hard to get. I didn’t believe anyone could not read the signals. All those times I tried to get you out for a drink, but you had to study. The parties I asked you to that you couldn’t make. The times I invited you to my room, and you had other things to do. It Made me more determined to get you. In the end, I think I would have had to dance around naked in front of you with a sign round my neck saying "James, come and get me" for you to have noticed me. It seems crazy now that I kept on trying for so long. Sometimes when you want something so bad and you can’t get it, it makes you want it so much more. I Didn't know how to get you to like me. You had this bloody Hugh Grant look going, like in Notting Hill, which was driving me crazy. The floppy hair and the polite gentleman act. Didn’t you see it was turning me on so much? I had the biggest crush on you. All I ever got was a fucking hug when I left for Thailand. Didn’t you have any inkling at all?"

I sat back, shocked. I had no idea that was how Alex had felt about me. From somewhere in my reeling mind I remembered the farewell hug and what he had said about regrets and missed chances. I slumped back; the realisation of what he had meant now obvious.

"Alex, I am so sorry, I had no idea. I must have been so stupid. I thought you had me down as an uptight twit. I was jealous of you to be honest. You were so easy with everyone whilst I was so clumsy and found it difficult to talk to you or your friends. I was so worried about you not liking me I guess I put my defences up. I would see you with all those girls and wished I could be like you. I wanted to be you. I thought you were taking the piss when you asked me for a drink. You were always so at ease with people, you could talk to anyone and charm them into the palm of your hand."

Alex twirled her glass and looked sideways at me. "I didn’t manage to charm you though, did I? The girls meant nothing to me; they liked to hang around with a good-looking bloke. They were fun company, but that’s all they ever were. I had no idea if you were gay or even curious, but when there’s someone you want so badly, you have to keep trying. I could even have been happy with being friends and hanging out together."

She turned her head away although I could see she was still blinking back the tears.

She sniffed, "It’s ironic that you wanted to be me and I wanted you. That would keep us both in therapy for years. You were the one who got away from me. So, I had to get away from you. It was partly because of you that I went off to Thailand. I wanted to get away from everything that reminded me of you. I had fallen for someone that I could never have, how fucking sad is that?"

She was looking for a tissue to wipe her eyes and I gave her one I had in my pocket.

"See, that’s what I mean, you are such a gentleman. When I got your email, I couldn’t believe it. I had to sit down for a long time to think. Did I want to see you again? I know it hadn’t been your fault, but I wasn’t sure that awakening all those memories would do me any good. I talked all night with Areeya. I had never told her about you before and she had to listen all night to me running on about how great you were blah, blah, blah. She is so sweet; she listened and finally told me, You must do what your heart wants."

Alex had stopped crying but looked as if she could start again anytime.

"I finally decided that what my heart wanted was to see you again. To see if I had the same feelings for you or if in the years since things had changed. When you walked through that door and looked so confused and lost, like Hugh bloody Grant would have done, I knew that I had not lost any of my feelings for you. My legs were shaking when I saw you. The only thing that saved me was the fact that you were so shocked that I had time to gather myself. I knew it was a huge risk to see you as I am now. You could have turned round and walked away. You could have got angry. You could have shouted and screamed at me, called me all kinds of names. I bet myself, wished myself with all my heart that you wouldn’t, that you would still be my Hugh Grant. And damn you, you were. You sat there and listened to me telling you my story and didn’t bat an eyelid. I have never told anyone other than Areeya that whole story before and you took it in your stride, like a gentleman would. Areeya told me what you said about me choosing a hard road and how strong a character I was and that was sweet of you. But when I saw you come through that door I just about held myself together. Strong character? I felt like a fucking helpless kitten at that moment."

She stood up and walked quickly away to the edge of the veranda and stood looking out into the darkness. She was still wiping away the tears. I followed and put my hands on her shoulders and turned her round. She wouldn’t look me in the eyes and I thought I should finish this now for all our sakes.

"Alex, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. You have gone through so much and I don’t want to spoil the happiness you have here with Areeya, I guess I should go now."

She looked up at me, eyes blazing, her fists drumming on my chest.

"Don’t you dare fucking go now before I find out. I haven’t gone through all this today to lose you again before I find out if you feel anything for me."

She looked at me, eyes scared yet pleading with me. Time for you to go, the dark voice said in my head. I decided to ignore it for now.

"Alex, I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever set eyes on. I cannot believe how much courage and strength it took to deal with everything you have gone through. It would have crushed most people, but you have found your own road and followed it to turn into someone so exceptional. I haven’t met anyone before who makes me feel as alive and excited to be with as you do. You’re beautiful and sexy and funny and strong and charming and exciting and talented, and I think I’m falling in love with you. I know I can’t do anything about the past, but I don’t know what to do about the now either. You and Areeya are so strong together; you have something so wonderful together, I wouldn’t do anything to hurt either of you."

"James, James," she whispered, "I don’t want you to go. If you truly feel like that, then I can’t let you go."

She put her hand up and stroked my face. I let my hands drop from her shoulders and she quickly leant into me and kissed me on the lips. She drew back nervously to see my reaction and this time I kissed her. I felt her arms go up around my neck and I put my arms around her and pulled her close as we kissed. She moved into me and I felt myself getting hard as she slid her leg between mine and kissed me with her tongue this time.

Alex broke off the kiss, grabbed my hand and pulled me to the bench seat. She pushed me down, hitched up her dress to get down on her knees. She shoved me back on the bench, pulled my t-shirt off over my head and her fingers went straight to my belt which she undid with practised ease. She dragged down my jeans and boxers, freeing my cock before wrapping her hands around it and stroking up and down the shaft. The first touch of her fingers was electrifying. It had been months since anyone had touched my cock and to have her fingers caressing it like this made me shake with excitement. I was looking down at Alex as she teased my shaft with her fingers and nails.

Alex looked up at me and whispered, "This is what I always wanted."

My wife hated going down on me but it was something I had always loved. I watched as Alex used both hands to stroke my cock as she looked straight up at me. She suddenly leant forward to kiss the tip and pushed her lips over it bathing the cockhead with her lips, whilst her tongue attacked the underside of the head. This was making me even harder than I had been to begin with and I almost fainted with pleasure as she poked her tongue into the slit. She pushed my cock back flat against my tummy, then starting at the root she licked up and down the length of the shaft. She did this a few times before taking first one of my balls and then the other into her mouth and gently sucked them. I moaned, and she quickly put her hands up to my chest and pinched my nipples. This was now driving me wild and Alex started to blow softly across the cockhead. Nothing I had ever experienced had even come close to the feeling I had now.

I watched as she took the head back between her lips and worked magic with her tongue on the underside which for me is so sensitive. I moved my hips forward as I felt the pressure building in me. Alex, recognising this took her hands and mouth off my cock to prolong the excitement. She went back to my balls gently pulling them and kissing the spot where the shaft meets the balls. I couldn’t hold back much longer and Alex rocked back slightly and then suddenly plunged my cock into her mouth.

"Oh my god," I moaned.

She used her hand to stroke my cock hard as she pistoned it in and out of her mouth, her lips wrapped tight around it. My head snapped back, eyes closed now with my hands behind my head. The pressure was now unbearable, and I knew I was going to climax.

"I’m coming, I’m coming." She stepped up the pace, her mouth making slurping noises as she sucked and sucked.

"AAAAAHHHH" I came like never before, my cock pumping cum into her mouth. I can’t remember ever coming so hard before and it seemed to go on for an eternity. I slumped back on the bench and I felt Alex still sucking the last drops from my cock. She let me slide out and I opened my eyes to see her stand up to straddle me. Her hands went behind my head and she kissed me hard, her tongue working its way into my mouth and I could taste some of my cum on her tongue.

I wrapped my arms around her and we continued to kiss for a long time our tongues intertwined.

Alex eventually broke our kiss but remained straddling me on the bench.

"How was that, James?" she asked softly, her fingers stroking my face.

"My god, Alex, I have never felt anything like that in my life, I felt like I was never going to stop coming."

"Mmm, I didn’t think you were going to stop either, baby. That was more than a teaspoonful coming down the chute, to be sure," Her little giggle was the last straw and I knew without a doubt now that I was in love with her. Hell, what I do now, I thought. Run said the dark voice, stay said the light one. I ignored the dark voice yet again.

Alex kissed me again and stood up. I stood too, a little unsteadily, and reached down to pull up my boxers and jeans.

"Oh, does he have to go away so soon?” she said as she grabbed my cock, "He’s so sweet and I think he was glad to see me. I know I was glad to see him." She giggled again, and I batted her hand away her making her pout.

I finished pulling on my jeans and was looking for my t-shirt. Alex had it, hiding it behind her back and stopping me from grabbing it.

"Mmm, you have lovely nipples you know, it’s a shame to cover them up." She planted a kiss on one nipple before I eventually twisted the shirt out of her grasp and slipped it back on. I glanced at my watch and saw it was now 2.30 in the morning. Only a handful of hours had passed since I got here, but plenty enough time for my world to tilt on its axis.

"I should get back to my hotel,"

"No chance, buster. Do you think I’m going to let you out my sight now? You can stay with us, there’s our flat at the back."

This was the moment of decision; if I stayed I could not pretend this was a one off, something that I could put down to alcohol and lust. There would be no turning back and it would be a journey into the unknown. I didn’t even bother to listen to the two voices in my head this time. Alex was looking anxiously at me waiting for me to make up my mind.

"If that’s alright with you, I would like to," I replied. She punched me in the arm, "Sometimes, you don’t have to be so bloody polite. If it wasn’t OK, I wouldn’t have suggested it."

Her mention of staying with us made me remember something.

"Hey, didn’t you say Areeya was joining us?"

Alex looked straight into my eyes, "Yes, she did. She’s sitting right over there."

Chapter 4

I whirled around to follow where Alex was pointing and Areeya sat a few yards away from where Alex and I had been. My heart leapt into my throat with shock.

"What the hell? Was she there all the time we were, you know?" I was babbling again.

Alex took me by the arm, "Yes, of course, she was. We don’t keep anything from each other. Oh, James I think you’ve had another shock today."

More like two near cardiac arrests within a few hours I would say.

"Jesus, is there anyone bloody else there? The cook or the waitress, for example?"

Alex laughed, "I’m surprised to hear you say that, James, but if you want them to watch next time, that could be arranged." By this time, I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. Next time, carried an implication I didn’t want to face right now.

She led me by the arm towards Areeya. She rose, smiling, from the chair with that extraordinary grace of hers.

Bizarrely in the circumstances, she made a wai to me and equally bizarrely, I made one back. Me and my bloody manners. Areeya came to stand in front of me and reaching up kissed me on the cheek.

"Kap khun ka, thank you, James’

"Thank you? What for, Areeya?"

"For making Alex happy, James." Her smile was so genuine that I had to smile back.

Alex squealed with joy and pulled Areeya into a massive hug, "Oh, Areeya, I do love you. James, isn’t she the best?"

To say I was bemused was about the understatement of the year. Areeya had sat and watched her girlfriend give a blow job to a man who had walked into their lives only a few hours earlier and she was thanking him for it. Nothing in my life so far had prepared me for this kind of relationship. I thought I might have fallen down a rabbit hole into a parallel universe.

"Areeya, I don’t know what to say," I felt I had to say something, if only that I didn’t know what to say.

Alex still had her arm around Areeya and was smiling like a cat with two bowls of cream. Areeya said something to Alex in Thai and Alex nodded. Alex took hold of my hand and still holding Areeya round the waist said, "And I would like to thank James also for what he said about not wanting to hurt either Areeya or I. That was what I would have expected my gentleman to say, so thank you."

Areeya smiled, "That was sweet of you, James. That made me happy too.'

"You’re both welcome," I immediately screamed at myself, what an idiotic thing to say.

"I think we should all head for bed now. It’s been a long and tiring day. And at least two of us have to do some work tomorrow. Or I mean today." Alex took my hand.

"Look, wouldn’t it be better if I went back to the hotel so you two can get some rest?" I offered.

Alex pouted, "Don’t you want to stay with us, then? Didn’t you enjoy what we did?"

"Yes, no, yes, I mean, I Want to do the right thing, that’s all." Back to babble speak, these two girls scrambled my brain.

Areeya said, "James, the right thing to do is to stay here tonight and we can discuss what happens next tomorrow. It will take far too long for you to go all the way back to your hotel at this time of night. We have the flat right here and it has two bedrooms so there is no problem whatsoever." Areeya was obviously the sensible half of their partnership. "I will take the second bedroom and you and Alex can take the main room." Scratch that about Areeya being the sensible half of the partnership.

"What? I mean, I thought I would sleep on my own." I spluttered.

"Poor James," Alex said soothingly to Areeya as if talking about a child, "I think he’s had a few shocks too many today, he can’t think straight." She turned her attention to me, "James, here’s what’s going to happen, Areeya use the other bedroom and you and I will be in the main bedroom. For God’s sake, there’s a big day bed in there if you want to sleep by yourself."

Alex held both my hand and Areeya’s and led the way to a flight of stairs at the rear of the building. Areeya pointed up the stairs. "The flat is on the first floor and it has the best view of the sea in Lamai from up there."

You can take the girl out of real estate but you can’t take real estate out of the girl, I thought.

The top of the stairs opened out onto a balcony running the length of the building. Alex punched numbers into a keypad and a large glass floor-to-ceiling door slid open.

"Neat. Huh?" said Alex with pride as the door slid closed. She had let go of Areeya’s hand to use the keypad but held onto mine. Areeya said, "My room is over here, so good night James. Alex told me you tasted nice, so I hope I get to find out for myself soon."

Before I could think of any reply, Areeya disappeared into the room. My grip on the certainties of life was now slipping away. I wondered what would happen next.

"Come on, we’re over here," still bouncing with energy, Alex pulled me over to another door and almost dragged me into the room. She kicked the door shut with her foot and snaked her arms around my neck and drew me into a passionate kiss with her tongue forcing its way into my mouth. We stood there for a while, kissing and holding each other. I was getting hard again and my hands went to her buttocks and pulled her tight towards me. It was then I felt something push into my groin and I realised with a jolt that Alex also was getting aroused.

Even in my tired and lust fuelled brain I knew I had to slow this down somehow. I had fallen for Alex as a girl even though I knew she was more than that, and now I had to deal with that.

Alex sensed my hesitation and stopped kissing me and pulled back to look at me.

"What’s up?" she scanned my face for an answer. "James, talk to me please." Real anxiety now crept into her voice. "Tell me, am I going too fast? Is that it? Please tell me."

"Alex, it’s me, not you."

"Oh, for fucks sake not that old line, now it’s "I want to be friends" and you disappear again, is that it?" She was working herself up now.

She dropped her hands, spun around and walked off a few steps. Without looking at me, she said in a shaky voice, "If that’s the case, then you’d better go now."

"Do you want me to go?"

She was holding her arms across her chest hugging herself. "No, I don’t want you to go, but I don’t want to be hurt again so if you go please never come back."

This was a tipping point. I felt my whole future would revolve around what I said in the next few seconds. The voices in my head were still. I knew precisely what I was going to say.

I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her, she stiffened but stayed still.

"Alex, I never want to hurt you and I don’t just want to be your friend. I don’t want to leave. I want to be with you, because I am in love with you, but if you still want me to go, say it and I will go now and never come back, I promise."

I felt her body relax and, still facing away from me, she whispered, "Do you mean you love me?"

"Yes, I do.”

She whirled round and kissed me again. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around my waist. I grabbed her quickly enough to stop us both falling over.

"James, I love you too. I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay with me." She covered my face with little kisses and I walked us over to the bed. I put her down on the bed and sat down next to her.

"Alex, this has happened so quickly, I feel like I have to slow down. There are things I need to get adjusted to and I need you to be patient with me. I have never been with someone like you and you will need to let me get used to things at my pace. You will have to be my guide through this, but I want to try my hardest to please you."

She giggled, "You’ve tried quite hard already."

Seeing the look on my face she went on, “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for. I’m so sorry, I know this must be difficult for you so we’ll go at your pace. I won’t make you do anything you’re not comfortable with. I have this horrible habit of trying to be funny to cover up my insecurity. I’ll stop it, I promise."

My turn to chuckle, "Don’t promise what you can’t deliver," as she opened her mouth to speak I kissed her and all I could hear were some muffled noises. She broke free and slapped me on the arm. "Be careful, or I will have to punish you. Or maybe that’s what you would like?"

She jumped up and moved out of my reach, giggling all the while.

She stopped and looked serious, "Do you want to sleep on the couch tonight then?"

I looked at her, her face showed the anxiety she must have felt. "No, I would rather sleep in the bed tonight," I paused for a fraction of a second, "You can sleep on the couch."

I watched her face drop, but I couldn’t keep a straight face and burst into laughter, "No, I want both of us to sleep in the bed tonight."

"You bastard," she said, though she was laughing too.

"I will have to punish you somehow for that," She hit me on the arm again to make her point.

"Is that the best you’ve got?" I replied, although to be honest, it did hurt a bit.

"You monster," she was laughing like a drain. "I’m going to get ready for bed. There’s the loo over there and I’m heading for the bathroom over here."

With that she disappeared through a door to what I assumed was the bathroom. On one side was a window running the length of the room. At one end was the door through which we had entered. There were three or four other doors, one of which was the door Alex had gone through. At one end of the room were two large couches in an L shape with a low table between them. A huge large screen TV sat on a low cupboard and on a small desk stood what looked like an Apple MacBook Pro. At the other end of the room was a dining table with half a dozen chairs. In between, with its headboard up against the wall facing the window was probably the biggest bed I had ever seen. It was huge both in width and length.

The room was lit by small lamps dotted around the room. What looked like original artworks hung from the walls and the whole effect was of understated luxury. My bladder was screaming at me and I looked for the loo. I tried one door, which led into the kitchen and found the washroom behind a second door. After peeing I washed my hands and dried them on a towel when I caught sight of myself in the mirror. Despite what had happened tonight, I couldn’t see any change. I smiled to myself, what do you think would have changed, you fool. Apart from needing a shave, there was nothing in my face that was any different from when I looked in the mirror this morning. Yet my face and I knew that plenty had changed. The washroom had one of those lights that flatters your reflection, makes it look tanned and less wrinkly. I wasn’t exactly chiselled, but I had kept myself in good shape with running and swimming, so I didn’t scrub up too badly. Blue eyes and straight nose, sandy blondish hair that did flop down at the front a bit, but Hugh Grant? Couldn’t see it myself.

I moved back to the bedroom, took off my t-shirt and jeans and sat on the bed feeling foolish in my boxers. Should I take them off and get into bed? What would Hugh Grant do?

Before I could decide, I was startled to hear music flooding the room. I smiled as it was Tutu by Miles Davis, one of my favourite jazz tracks.

"I remember you couldn’t decide if this or Oscar Peterson’s Hymn to Freedom were your favourite jazz pieces," Alex spoke from the open doorway to the bathroom. How did she know that? I couldn’t remember ever talking to Alex at Uni about jazz, but she was right, I still can’t choose between them. It made me wonder if the Oscar Peterson piece playing in the bar when I arrived had been more than a coincidence.

Alex stood there ,backlit by the light from the bathroom and my heart flipped. She was wearing a long silk robe with a vibrant floral print, she had brushed her hair and it glowed in the light. My heart rate went up and I felt goosebumps form as I looked at her.

"Oh, baby," she said walking over to the bed. "You look so sweet sitting there like that. Are you waiting for me? Come on let’s get into bed. First you got to take off those boxers though." She grabbed hold of them and slid them down my legs. My cock jumped to attention and Alex bent down and kissed the head. "I see someone’s pleased to see me." She touched a button on the wall turning out the main room lights but leaving two bedside lamps on. She touched another button and the lights dimmed but didn't go out. I moved onto the bed, my cock waving in the air as I did so. There was still enough light for me to see Alex let the robe slide to the floor and she slipped onto the bed next to me. She was wearing a filmy nightdress that came down to her hips and a pair of knickers.

"James, I don’t want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with, so let's take it slow and see what happens. We’ll find out as we go what we both like and what we’re ready to do, is that OK?"

I nodded, and she knelt on the bed, bent forward and kissed me. She put her hands behind my head and pulled me closer. She started with gentle kisses before her tongue pushed through my lips and we kissing hard, our tongues fighting each other. She broke off the kiss and with her eyes fixed on mine she slid down to suck and lick my nipples. I have always had sensitive nipples and when she used her teeth to nip and stretch them I groaned. She giggled and tweaked both nipples between her finger nails. It hurt, but it was an exquisite pain which made me suck in my breath. I decided to fight back and pushed her onto her back. She didn't resist as I reached under the nightdress and cupped her breasts with my hands, the first time I had touched any part of her body.

"This is no good,” she said, sat up and in one fluid move took the nightdress over her head and dropped it on the floor. She stayed where she was looking down at me and I could see her breasts for the first time. I reached out and touched the nipples and I felt them harden at my touch. I rotated my hands on her breasts gently kneading and rubbing them. She made little mewing sounds like a kitten.

"Keep going," she whispered. “I love that."

I brought her back down to the bed and kissed and sucked her right nipple and held the left between my fingers, rolling the hard little nipple round and round. I flicked the nipple with my tongue and she arched her back, "God, that’s wonderful, do the other one please." I changed sides and took the left one in my mouth and used my hands on the other one. She moved her hips as I continued to tease her breasts. Her hand slid its way down my chest tickling me with feathery little touches of her fingers and nails. Her fingers got to my groin and stopped for a moment drawing circles above my cock causing fluttery feelings in my stomach. As I continued to kiss and suck her breasts, she moved her hand down onto my erection and feathered her fingers up and down the shaft. I was already as hard as granite and this was making me dizzy with pleasure. She cupped my balls and then slipped a finger underneath them and rubbed the perineum. This was the first time anyone had done this to me, and the sensation sent me into overdrive. I writhed with the stimulation and I started to pant with frustration. My cock was aching for some kind of release.

"James," she whispered in my ear, "Do you want me to use my mouth or do you want to fuck me?" I felt how tense she was when she asked, fearing for my answer.

I thought for a nanosecond. "Oh, I want to fuck you, but you’re going to have to show me how."

"Baby, that’s OK, I’ll show you what to do. She reached over to the nightstand and pulled out something from a drawer. I realised it was lube when she squeezed something onto my cock and rubbed it in. I watched as she reached behind her and moving her knickers to one side, applied some to herself. She moved me onto my back, straddled me and positioned herself facing away from me right over my erect cock. I watched as she again moved her knickers to one side, eased herself down and steered my cock towards her hole. She moved down on me and when she was sure I was in the right place, she used her weight to ease herself deeper onto my cock. I felt an initial resistance but then with an extra thrust I found myself inside her. She gasped as I entered her and slowly she took more and more of me inside. I felt her hole tighten around my cock as she moved up and down on me. Soon she was bouncing up and down and I tried to push up as she came down. I had never had sex as intense as this ever before.

"Use your hands on my tits."

I reached around to knead her breasts as she pummelled herself onto me. I was driving upwards as she pushed herself down on me, both of us grunting with the effort and the excitement. As I felt my climax building, I slowed my thrusts hoping to keep this feeling going as long as possible. Alex took her cue from me and slowed her movements and we changed to a slower pace with my cock now driving it deeper and deeper into her. I was on the edge of coming, and I picked up the pace again, thrusting harder and harder. Alex responded moving faster now and with one final thrust I shouted “I’m coming” before filling her with my cum.

Alex kept moving up and down as I felt my juices flood into her. She kept going for a while drawing out the feeling for as long as she could for me and her. I slumped back, completely spent and Alex moved gently off me and lay down beside me on the bed. I kissed her and she licked the sweat from my cheek, "Mmm, salty, lovely."

I laughed, and she asked anxiously, "Well, how was it?"

I turned to her and wiping the small beads of sweat away from the corner of her eye said, "Terrible, I hated it."

There was a moment I could see in her eyes when I almost had her, but she saw my mouth twitch and she yelled, "James, you are a real bastard sometimes, and I will hurt you." With that she thumped me in the chest once, reached down and grabbed my cock and squeezed hard.

"Oooww, that hurt," it had too.

"You deserve it, you sod and you know how worried I am about this." She leant down and kissed my cock which was now soft and a little sore. "But you don’t deserve it, do you?" I think she was now talking to my cock instead of me.

"James, there’s at least one thing about you that’s good for something, anyway." She slipped off the bed and padded across to the bathroom. "I'll Be a minute and I’m coming back to punish you."

With that the door closed behind her.

I lay back exhausted from the session. My first thought I had was that was the best fuck I had ever had. My second thought was that it was with a man. My third thought was, no, she’s a woman. My fourth thought was, did it matter? I was a 26-year-old man who had never consciously had a gay thought in all those years, but in the space of less than 12 hours I had met and fucked someone who had been born a male, but now identified as, what actually? I didn’t know whether Alex thought of herself as a woman with a penis or a man with breasts or as a third gender as the Thais would have it. Alex seemed perfectly happy with what she was, whatever that was. Are gay, straight or bi real, or labels we use to navigate our way through life when it gets tough? Isn’t the truth that all these blur and meld at some point? Can’t we be all three of them at some point, or two of them or one if we choose to live that way? For me the only question was would I accept Alex for what she is, or would I not be able to overturn my prejudices and inhibitions? Did falling for her make me gay? If so does that matter a damn if you love someone? I knew what I felt for Alex was something so strong and powerful that I knew I had to try.

She came back into the bedroom and we kissed and cuddled on the bed for a while until we fell asleep. I woke up once in the night to find I was spooning Alex. My arm was draped over her waist and my hand was resting in her groin and I brushed her cock with my fingers through the thin silk of her knickers. It didn’t feel odd at all, and I sleepily stroked it gently and she moved slightly in the bed without waking. I kept on stroking it for a little while and she slept peacefully on. Eventually I moved my hand away and my last thought before drifting off to sleep again was that I had touched Alex’s cock and my hand hadn’t fallen off.

I didn’t know what time it was, and the room was still dark because of the blinds but as I awoke, I realised that my cock was hard and that it was being sucked. I thought this is the first time I have ever been woken up with a blow job and I laid back to enjoy it. With my eyes closed I was getting harder as my cock was sucked and licked and a hand slid up and down the shaft. It wasn’t long before I felt myself building to a climax and as I reached the point when I couldn’t hold back anymore, I said, "Alex, I’m coming" and exploded into her mouth.

"That’s nice, baby," I heard Alex say. Something was wrong though, Alex’s voice wasn’t coming from on the bed and if she had my cock in her mouth how could she say anything? Her voice seemed to be coming from somewhere further away. I opened my eyes and saw her sitting in her robe on one of the couches. It took me a good few seconds to process that and as I looked down the bed I saw Areeya, naked, smiling and licking something from her lip.

"Kap khun Ka, James" she said, "Alex was right, you do taste nice."

Chapter 5

I shot off the bed in something close to panic. That made the third near cardiac arrest in about 12 hours. At this rate I will soon stroke out I thought.

"What the hell are you playing at?" I shouted.

Alex calmly replied, "No need to shout, James. That’s rude and unbecoming of you. When I woke up, you looked so lovely lying there fast asleep, so I went to fetch Areeya to show her too."

I looked from Alex to Areeya wondering if I had dropped into another universe where everyone was stark staring mad except me.

Areeya picked up where Alex had left off, "You looked so peaceful in your sleep and then Alex decided it was time to wake you up, so she suggested I woke you up in that way. I hope you don’t mind, you seemed to enjoy it, so did I." She said this so sweetly with the air of someone who thought it was all normal to wake up someone with a blow job.

"Oh, well, that’s alright then," I tried for sarcasm, but both girls accepted it merely as a statement.

I suddenly realised Areeya and I were standing there naked with Alex on the couch wearing her robe from last night. Instinctively, I went to cover myself with my hands.

Alex hooted with laughter. "It’s a bit bloody late for that, baby, that boat has sailed."

Areeya was standing in front of a large mirror shaking out her long black hair. She moved her head from side to side and her hair followed her movement. From the back she looked beautiful and then she turned round to face me and my heart kind of skipped a beat. For a nation obsessed with a ‘white is right’ attitude to skin colour, Areeya’s skin was duskier than most, and her hair fell down over her shoulders almost to her waist. Her breasts were small but with large dark areolae and her slender body and long legs made her look like a model. She carried herself with grace and elegance and she seemed to place each foot with precision as she walked and seemed to float over the floor. If she was beautiful with her clothes on, naked she would make Chinese poets weep with despair trying to describe her. She seemed unaware that I stood there transfixed.

"She is lovely, isn’t she?" Alex had got up from the couch and came to stand by me. Areeya pulled on a pair of knickers and shrugged herself into an oversized t-shirt. I was sorry to see those breasts disappear.

This made me the only one in the room with no clothes on and I suddenly felt underdressed. I saw my jeans on the floor by the bed, but I was damned if I could find my boxers. I decided to cut my losses and go commando, at least I should wear something.

Alex said, "I’m off to the shower, Areeya will get you some breakfast if you like." Alex walked over to the bathroom door; stopped, stretched ostentatiously to make sure she had my full attention, then still with her back to me, slipped her robe from her shoulders to the floor and posed against the door frame. She looked back over her shoulder,

"You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You Put your lips together and...blow."

I threw a pillow at her and it skimmed past her head. I heard her laughing as she disappeared into the bathroom.

Areeya came out of the kitchen with coffee, juices, fruit and bread and we headed out to eat breakfast. It was as Areeya had said, a magnificent view from the balcony out over the beach. The sun was already strong, so we sat under a large parasol. The sea glinted as the sunlight flicked off the waves and the jet skis were already out on the water throwing up their rooster tails of spray. It was an opportunity to talk to Areeya without Alex interrupting.

“Alex told me you went to the American University in Bangkok?”

‘Yes, my father wanted me to go to the US but my mother had only just died and I wanted to be close to him. To honour her I also learnt classical Thai dance while I was there.”

That explained the grace with which she did everything.

“How did you meet Alex?”

Areeya smiled, “When I left University I wanted to come back here to Samui to unwind. I love the island. For a while I ran my father’s real estate business here and one day this blonde farang comes into the office wanting to know about property on the island. She had this crazy idea about opening an upmarket bar. We talked and went out for a drink which became dinner which turned into ending up in bed together. I have known I was bisexual from an early age, and I had guessed she was transgender. But, I fell in love with her, and what her body looked like was of little consequence. I had never met anyone like Alex before, she is a force of nature. We have been together ever since.”

“Areeya, you and Alex have a wonderful relationship and I don't want to cause any trouble between you two. What do you feel about me being here? Does it concern you?”

She thought for a moment, “James, I love Alex but do not possess her. I believe that we are here not to seek happiness for ourselves, but to create it in others. My happiness is to see Alex happy, and I believe she feels the same about me. So, when she received your email, I have never seen her so excited yet so afraid. We talked a lot about what she should do and she asked me what I felt. I told her that if she didn't take this chance then she would regret it at sometime in the future. If it went well I would be pleased for her, if it didn’t, I would still be there for her. I would not stand in her way.” She looked at me and smiled, “James, I think Alex made the right choice. Now tell me, did you really not know what Alex felt about you at University?”

I blushed, “Areeya, I promise you, I was totally unaware of how Alex felt. Thinking back I must have been such an idiot. If I had known, I don't know how I would have reacted. I was a little jealous, and maybe a little afraid too, and that might have blinded me to how he really felt.”

“We only see that which we wish to see, James. I am so glad that you and Alex have found each other again. I think it makes you both happy.”

It was at this moment that Alex burst onto the balcony, "I’ve got an idea, why don’t we take James to Koh Tao tomorrow? The forecast is excellent."

"That’s a good idea; we haven’t been out on the boat for a while. Koh Tao would be a great place to take James to show him another island."

"Hold up. Where is Koh Tao and what boat?"

Alex was already excited about the idea. "Koh Tao is an island about 90 minutes cruising north of here. It’s smaller and less overdeveloped than Samui. It’s lovely and perfect for a day trip and a picnic."

"My father lives and works in Bangkok, but he keeps a small boat here for weekend breaks. He lets me use it when he is not here. We have been to Koh Tao many times."

Alex chipped in, "It has a lot of unspoilt beaches and we can anchor off one of them and go swimming and snorkelling. Come on, please say yes."

"OK, I’m up for it, but my swimming shorts are back at the hotel."

Alex smacked me on the arm, her favourite way it seems of telling me I had said something stupid.

"We don’t worry about wearing anything, we’ll find somewhere secluded and go skinny dipping." She concluded as if there could be no further discussion.

"It’s OK for you two, you don’t need to worry about the sun, but I need to protect certain bits from the sun."

"Fuss, fuss, fuss, those bits aren’t so big, so you can borrow a pair of my bottoms if you have to." Alex stood with her hands on her hips trying to look stern. I felt offended at that but Areeya giggled, "My father keeps some clothes on the boat, I am sure there is something that will fit James."

Alex looked miffed, "OK, but they are coming off as soon as we get in the water."

The two girls had to leave to do some work in the office downstairs. Alex said they would be back in time for a late lunch if that was OK and that I could use the balcony to sunbathe or explore Lamai. She showed me how to use the remote control for the room and that I could use the MacBook if I wanted. She said to help myself to any drinks or snacks I wanted from the kitchen

Alex told me the code for the door, gave me a kiss and they both headed off. I decided to use the balcony for a while before it got too hot, took a beer and sat outside on one of the loungers. Only then did I feel how tired I was after the events of the past day. I helped myself to a couple more beers and drifted off to sleep.

It was after two when the girls returned. Alex came straight over and jumped onto my lap and kissed me. Nice way to say hello, I thought.

"Hello lover," she said. "We come bearing gifts.” She opened the bag she had with her and pulled out a dark blue t-shirt with the Koh Samui Blue logo in white on back and front. "We might as well make you useful for something while you’re here, free publicity for us while you’re wearing it."

She fished around and pulled out throwaway razors and shaving cream.

Rubbing my stubbly face with her fingers she said, "You’re going to have to shave that stubble before I let you near me again. Mmm," she said rubbing my chest, "I might want to shave you all over, make you all nice and smooth."

"You have exactly zero chances of coming anywhere near me with a razor, sweetheart." I said.

"You’re no fun anymore but, anyway, I saved the best present for last." With that she pulled out a pair of bright blue Thai boxing shorts. "You said you wanted some shorts and Areeya thought these were perfect for you."

Areeya said, "Alex, don’t lie, it was your idea."

“Details, details," grumbled Alex. "Don’t they look great? Try them on, pretty please?"

She held up what was possibly the gaudiest pair of Thai boxing shorts ever made. Thai boxing or Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport. To a Westerner it looks not so much a martial art as a street fight in a boxing ring. One of the features is that the fighters wear brightly coloured flared satin shorts decorated with, well, virtually anything. The pair that Alex had bought me were bright blue with gold embroidery and on the back the two fighting bulls of the Red Bull company.

"You don’t think I’m wearing those outside do you?" I asked as I held the shorts by my fingers.

"No, that would look silly," she said, "Just in bed will do."

I blushed yet again. making Alex squeal with joy and she kissed me again before I could say anything. Areeya had organised for the restaurant to send up food and we had a relaxed lunch on the balcony. The food was as delicious as the dinner had been the night before. We ate and chatted and laughed together until the girls left to get things ready for tonight. We would meet at Cockatoo at about nine and we would go find somewhere to eat after then.

It gave me a chance to catch up on some emails and it seemed that everything was going well in Bangkok. I had been cc’d on an email from the HR director in Bangkok formally asking my company to allow me to stay on for another three months. There wasn’t a reply yet from Cambridge but I didn’t anticipate any problem from them as they were making a good return on my work. I had also got an email from the friend that had sent me Alex’s email address. He was asking if I had met Alex and if I had, could I get a new photo of him to update the university alumni website. I thought if I did it would raise a few eyebrows as well as blood pressure back home.

I made the most of the rest of the sunshine and after another nap I headed off to Cockatoo after eight, had a leisurely stroll up to the bar and had a good look along the strip. Koh Samui may have had a reputation as an unspoilt hippy paradise in the past, but times have changed and so has Samui. The main strip is crammed with bars and restaurants ss well as the inevitable massage parlours with the girls asking you to come inside. Taxis, tuk-tuks and cars clog up the street with the occasional small truck passing by packed full with either produce or people. It’s noisy, smelly, lively and exciting. It has an electricity of its own but if you are looking for a nice quiet time on Samui, Lamai isn’t it. I wandered through the night market to see what there was, but it was the usual tourist rubbish mixed in with street food stalls. I treated myself to a small portion of fried cricket for a quick snack.

I wandered back to Cockatoo a little before nine. The girls weren’t there yet but Pao was standing outside and she had a big smile when she saw me. I told her I was sorry about last night and I didn’t want her to get into trouble.

"No trouble, Mr James. Miss Alex tell me I not in trouble. She say you big friend and we be nice to you if you come, but she say not to sit on you." She giggled, and I had to laugh. I sat at the bar with a Chang beer and waited for the girls. The bar girls stayed away from me but I did catch them looking at me and giggling to each other. I got one of them to come across and play Connect 4 with me. She beat me with ease. Ah well, I thought, they might have let me win one game.

Alex and Areeya turned up about 9.30 and apologised for being late, a few problems at the restaurant that needed sorting.

Alex smiled, "Have you been looked after then?"

I told them about what Pao had said about not sitting on me. They both laughed and Alex said, "I meant it too, I think Pao has a little crush on you. If you want to do anything about it, I am sure she would be happy to oblige."

"Maybe, she is pretty," I got another smack on the arm for that.

Both the girls were tired and as we had an early start in the morning, Areeya suggested we grab something to eat on the strip and then head back to the flat. There isn’t any shortage of places to eat in Lamai, but most are tourist places. Areeya led the way to a small place off the strip where we had a good dinner, but nothing like the food at their restaurant.

It was about 11 o'clock when we made our way back to the flat and Areeya said she would sleep on the boat to make sure everything would be ready for the next day. We kissed her goodbye and Alex and I headed upstairs.

Alex put on some music, classical stuff that I recalled Alex playing back in Uni days. We flopped onto the couches, me with a Scotch and Alex with a beer. I sat to one end of the couch and she laid out flat with her head in my lap. We talked for a while about our planned journey and how nice it would be out on the water. I was stroking her hair and she was drifting off to sleep.

"Hey, sleepyhead, shall we get to bed?" I asked.

"No," she murmured her eyes closed, "I think I’ll sleep here tonight." She opened her eyes, winked, "Gotcha, you should have seen your face."

I tipped her onto the floor and raced for the bathroom as she hurled abuse at me from the floor. I took plenty of time to have a shower and shave whilst Alex was banging on the door telling me to hurry up and calling me the vilest names in both English and Thai.

I finished, let her in and she made a grab for my cock which I fended off. Slipping out of my jeans I lay on the bed feeling the cool air from the ceiling fan wash over my body. Alex eventually finished in the bathroom and came out wearing her robe. She came over to the bed, dimmed the lights with the remote and changed the music to Rihanna. I smiled as I recognised Only Girl in the World. Slipping the robe off her shoulders she turned so her back was to me. Letting the robe slide down to her waist she moved in time to the music. Turning quickly to face me, she took a pace forward and let the robe drop away. I think I stopped breathing as she was wearing only a black bra, knickers and heels.

She continued to move and turn with the music, dropping onto her heels and then slowly rising back up then turning her back. She unhooked the bra, held it out to the side and let it drop to the floor. She turned back to face me and cupping her breasts in her hands she swayed and gyrated to the music. I finally remembered to breathe again, and she moved closer, bending forwards until her breasts were inches away from me. I reached out to her and as my fingers were about to touch her she knocked them away, turned and walked away from the bed, wiggling her bum from side to side. Somewhere the music had changed to Pour It Up and her movements were perfectly in time to the beat of the music. She turned towards me one more time, kicked off her heels, dropped to her hands and knees and crawled back to the foot of the bed. Sliding onto the bed she crawled up to straddle me across my hips. She grabbed my hands, bringing one up to her mouth and sucking my fingers. The other hand she placed on her breast and her nipple hardened under my hand. She made the mewing sound of hers, so I knew she was already getting excited. She lowered herself down until she lay on top of me. Still holding my hands, she pushed them back onto the bed above my head. She held them there, leant forward and kissed me. By this time I was desperate to touch her and the feeling as her lips met mine made me tremble. She crushed her lips against mine and twisted my lip between her teeth.

The sense of powerlessness with my hands held above my head made it all so much more exciting. Alex was also now getting aroused, and her cock was growing as it rubbed against my leg. I looked down and almost bewitched I watched as her cock grew harder and poked out of the top of her knickers. I knew this would be a turning point for me. How far was I prepared to go?

Sometimes you have to leave the safety of your head and explore the wilderness of your heart.

I moved my free hand to play with her breasts. Running my fingers across her nipples I felt her suck her breath in as I flicked and tweaked them until they were hard. Her hand slid down to my cock and was steadily moving up and down my shaft. I was so hard and turned on that I felt my inhibitions flowing away like the tide receding from a beach. Sliding my hand down her stomach I hesitated as I reached her lower groin and I felt Alex tense as I stroked my fingers lower and lower. My fingers bumped into the top of her cock and we both jumped in surprise. After the first shock, I slid my hand down and gently touched the tip again. It felt smooth and warm and alive to my touch.

Alex moved her hand away from my cock and pulled down her knickers so hers could spring free. She took my hand and delicately placed it on her cock. It twitched as my fingers encircled it and her hand wrapped my fingers around the shaft. It felt so different to touching my own cock; you get to know how your own body feels, but it’s so different when you touch someone else’s. Her hand still on top of mine she moved my hand up and down along the length. I thought, ‘This is it, it’s all or nothing now.’ She took her hand away but I kept stroking her. I felt her tense as I moved my hand faster and faster and she was getting harder and harder as I rubbed it more firmly.

I was scared I might hurt her, but she was breathing heavily now and she was making more mewing sounds and panting so I kept going. She had stopped stroking me, and her whole attention was centred on her own pleasure, and it was up to me to give her that pleasure. I had closed my eyes, and I opened them as she tensed, putting her hand back on mine and using my hand to pump her cock hard. Without warning she stiffened, and keeping my hand fastened under hers, her cock twitched and she came in great spurts over her belly.

Alex relaxed as the tension flowed out of her and I watched as she used a finger to wipe up some of the cum and licked it from her finger. In a trance, I touched a pool of the cum still left on her with my finger and I offered her my finger and she sucked this too. She sucked my finger for a while and then picked up some of what remained and put her finger to my lips. I had broken down so many taboos that one more wouldn’t hurt so I poked my tongue out through my lips to taste her finger. There wasn’t much taste, only a lingering saltiness, and I sucked her finger into my mouth and licked her finger clean.

Alex stroked my face, "Thank you, James that was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me." She kissed me and hugged me tight.

We stayed wrapped together until we began to fall asleep. Alex turned over and I spooned up to her back. She pushed back into me, turned her head around and we kissed good night. As I drifted off to sleep, I heard her say, "Chan rak kun, James, I love you.

Chapter 6

The day dawned as most do in Koh Samui with bright sunshine. Alex was up early making a lot of noise as she got ready for our day ahead. The girls wanted to make an early start for Koh Tao as it takes about 90 minutes to get there, and Alex was up early to get ready. Areeya would meet us at the boat as she had to get it ready for sailing. Alex spent most of the time before we had to leave choosing what she would wear. She must have tried on at least ten different outfits, asking me each time what I thought. Of course, every time I said I liked one it had to be changed for another. My consolation was to watch her undress ten times, and I grabbed a few kisses amid lots of squealing about "We haven’t got time for that." In the end she went back to the first outfit she had tried on.

She ended up wearing a pair of tight white shorts, white sneakers and a white bikini top under a short white crop top with a straw Stetson together with white-framed sunglasses. The white accentuated her tan, and she looked fabulous. I put my arm around her and gave her a kiss and gave her bum a squeeze.

"Mmm, that’s nice," she said, "but let’s wait until we get out to sea before we start getting dirty."

On the other hand, I had the onerous chore of deciding which t-shirt to wear. I chose the Koh Samui Blue one as it was marginally more presentable than my old one. We still couldn’t find my boxers so I had to go commando again. I suspected Alex had hidden them so I would have to go au naturel. I hope Areeya could find something on the boat.

Alex had ordered a big hamper from the kitchen for lunch and we, I mean me, had to carry that to the boat. I was intrigued to see what kind of boat Areeya’s father had. I had assumed it would be some kind of small fishing boat he kept here and was surprised to see the only boat on the jetty that morning was a pristine 50 ft. motor cruiser. If this was a small boat, God knows what Areeya would think a big one would be.

"What exactly does Areeya’s father do?" I asked Alex as we walked down the jetty.

"Oh, Kritsada? He’s loaded, does stuff in real estate, electronics, and shopping malls, I told you already."

"No you didn’t. I would have remembered if you had."

"Well never mind, we’ve got to get going, hurry up with the hamper, will you?"

Of course, all Alex had to carry were her hat and sunglasses.

We pulled up behind the boat which was berthed stern in and Areeya waved us aboard. I was taken aback to see the boat was named Cockatoo 3. There was definitely something going on with this name, it can’t have been a coincidence. I would have to ask Alex later on as she was busy telling me where to put the hamper.

It was shoes off to go on the boat so having got rid of them, we climbed up to the flybridge to meet Areeya with kisses all round. She was also wearing a pair of shorts, red cotton with a white t-shirt and a back-to-front baseball cap embroidered with the Cockatoo logo. My guess was it hadn’t taken her anywhere near as long as Alex to decide what to wear. Even so, she looked fabulous.

“James, I’ve found some t-shirts and shorts for you. Maybe something will fit.”

I found myself a pair of swimming shorts which fitted but the t-shirts were all too small. Still, it felt good to get rid of the jeans, but I would have to sort something out when we got back to Samui. It was a beautiful boat; two staterooms with en-suite bathrooms, luxury galley and even a grill on the aft deck.

Areeya was professional about the whole thing and it was obvious she was completely at home on the boat. More surprising was that Alex was so proficient. She was all, "Hold this, pull that" and ordering me not to touch anything unless told to. I was impressed with the ease with which they prepared the boat to leave.

It wasn’t long before we had cast off and headed out into the Gulf of Thailand. I have always loved boats and looked forward to spending a day on the water. We were up on the fly bridge watching Samui grow smaller and then disappear. Alex declared she was off to sunbathe on the foredeck.

"That’s on the pointy bit at the front," she said, and escaped before I could throw something at her.

I sat with Areeya and she showed me the controls and the state-of-the-art navigation system. It even had an emergency transponder in case we had to call for help. Areeya was clearly proud of the boat and the skills she had as skipper. We could look down on the foredeck and see Alex stretched out catching the sun. She had removed her bikini top but had kept the shorts on.

“It's a beautiful boat, Areeya. It’s your father's, right?”

“Yes, it’s his toy, but he doesn’t get to use it much. He’s too busy in Bangkok usually.”

“Alex says he’s in property.”

She gave me a sideways look as if it was a trick question.

“Amongst other things, yes. He started his first business on Samui, then moved to Bangkok. He has interests in many things.”

Areeya was being cagey for some reason, so I didn’t push it.

“Tell me about the name Cockatoo, there has to be something to it.”

Areeya smiled, “You saw the Cockatoo in the bar?”

I nodded.

“He’s about 30 years old, they can live up to 60. He belonged to my mother before she died which was 10 years ago now. She loved him, and so we kept him. It helps to keep me close to her, I guess. He’s deaf so doesn’t mind the noise in the bar, and he loves being the centre of attention.” She grinned, “He hates Alex, goes crazy whenever she goes near him.”

“So not everyone loves her.”

She laughed, “Not quite. Did Alex tell you my father owns Cockatoo in Bangkok?”

I shook my head.

“When he set it up, he thought it was a way to remember the past. When we opened the bar here, it seemed natural to call it Cockatoo 2. The boat came later so became Cockatoo 3.”

Her father sounded interesting.

“Did you want to follow him in his business?”

That brought another sideways look. “He wanted me to, but after I graduated I came to spend time on Samui and ran his real estate companies here. It was then I met Alex and, well you know the rest. He wasn’t pleased when I wanted to set up with a crazy farang kathoey, but he accepted it eventually. I think he hopes I might still go into the business someday.”

From that I guessed there was also steel beneath Areeya’s beauty and grace.

Areeya looked down at Alex and then at me. "How are you and Alex?"

I thought for a moment, "I think we’re good Areeya. Things have happened so fast I’m finding it difficult how I feel in perspective. I have never felt this way before. She hit me like a thunderbolt."

"That is how I felt too. She has that effect on people. She can overwhelm you like a mini typhoon." We clinked our beers together, cheers to that.

"Areeya, you are a special person and I am so pleased to have got to know you."

She grinned at that, "So am I forgiven for the wake-up call?"

"Nothing to forgive Areeya, maybe one day I can return the favour."

She giggled, "Mmm, I think I would enjoy that."

Alex reappeared at that moment, still without her top, her breasts a triumph of the cosmetic surgeons’ art. She grabbed my hand, “Let's go down to the cabin, there’s something I need to show you.”

I thought Areeya smirked a little, but all she said was, "Alex, we have 30 minutes before we arrive."

Alex dragged me down to the deck and then into the main stateroom. I couldn’t take my eyes off her breasts as they jiggled in front of me.

She poked me on the arm "Eyes up here, not down there."

"What is it? What do you want to show me?" I asked, half guessing what the answer might be.

"I want to show you how to use the head," she paused for a beat, "and I don’t mean the bloody boat’s toilet."

She pushed me up against the wood panelled wall, stripped off my t-shirt and kissed me hard on the lips. Pushing her tongue into my mouth she used both hands to grab the waist of my swim shorts and push them down to my knees. Still kissing me she stepped out of her shorts as well. Our tongues fought each other for a while as she teased my nipples with her fingers and my hands went down to her bum and pulled her tight towards me. I was hard already, and her cock was pushing into my groin. I was so turned on that this didn’t even give me a pause, and pulled her even tighter, kissing her almost savagely.

She broke away, "Whoa, big boy, we still have 25 minutes to go."

She kissed her way down my chest and sank to her knees, feeling her breath on my cock as she blew gently over the head. She took my balls and rotated them in her hands, making me moan out loud with pleasure. I was shaking with excitement by now and when she took my cock into her mouth, I almost blew then and there, but she let me slip out and licked her way along the shaft.

I had my eyes closed at this point and I heard Alex say, "Open your eyes and look at the opposite wall."

It was a heart stopping scene I saw as I opened my eyes. Reflected in the full-length mirror opposite was the back and head of a girl on her knees kissing the cock of a guy who was leaning naked up against a wall. For a moment, I thought I was watching a porn film. With a little shock I realised that it was Alex and me. She turned round to look straight at me in the mirror and almost in slow motion she reached up with one hand and put her fingers to my lips and I sucked them into my mouth. With the other hand she was stroking my cock. Alex looked straight into my eyes and it felt somehow as if I was falling into another dimension.

She broke the gaze and plunged her mouth over my cock. Staring in fascination at the reflection in the mirror I saw the back of her head bobbing her up and down on me. I soon felt the growing sense of impending release reaching up from my core to wrap around my groin and to explode into life through my cock. I twitched once and then came with a grunt into her mouth. My eyes closed and my knees buckled as I climaxed. Alex kept sucking then rose from her knees and kissed me again, the taste of my cum still on her lips. Alex turned to face the mirror, and we stood together looking at our reflection. This was the first time I had seen her naked in daylight and I was entranced by her cock jutting out from her otherwise totally female figure. She saw me looking, took my hand and placed it gently on her cock. It didn't seem strange any more to be touching it and I stroked it, feeling the soft warm skin hard beneath my fingers. Watching me do this to her was what an out-of-body experience must be, almost as if it were happening to someone else.

Alex whispered, "Later, baby, later, we’re almost there."

We dressed quickly and climbed back up to the flybridge where Areeya looked at us, raised an eyebrow and asked Alex, "Well?"

Alex giggled like a little girl, "I had to show him how to use the head."

Areeya grinned, leant over and brushed something away from the corner of Alex’s lip and looking straight at me sucked her finger. "Tasty."

Needless to say, I blushed.

I could see we were now close to land and Areeya steered Cockatoo closer to the shore. We were heading for what appeared to be a secluded beach and we dropped anchor about twenty metres out. It was a beautiful spot; palm trees fringing the beach, pure white sand, small waves lapping the edge of the beach. A range of small hills provided the perfect backdrop for the setting. We opened the hamper and ate a late breakfast, idly watching the sea and the beach as Cockatoo moved in the slight swell. It was pretty much an idyllic scene, and I felt myself drifting off. Areeya and Alex were chatting about business at the bar and I let them talk as I contemplated the mysteries of the cosmos.

I found it difficult to believe how my life could have changed so much in such a short time. I had arrived on Samui a conventional straight man, yet within 48 hours I had fallen for a transgender woman, and enjoyed more exciting and intense sex with her and a beautiful Thai girl than I could ever have dreamt about. The sheer force of Alex’s personality had ripped open a part of me that had been invisible, sweeping away the inhibitions which had ruled my life up to now. I had done things with her that only a few days ago would have made me curl up with embarrassment to even talk about. But I had done all these things willingly. I glanced across at her at that moment and he saw me looking and poked her tongue out at me then licked her tongue along her lips. It was a perfect example of that mixture of innocence and sensuality I found so alluring. I looked over at the beach and thought it looked familiar.

“Areeya, is this where they filmed The Beach?”

“No, that was on Phi Phi Island near Phuket. The bastards ruined the beach during the filming.” She waved her arm at the beach, “This is unspoilt. Let's go snorkelling, there’s a great reef over there.”

Alex opened one of the bench seats and hauled out masks and flippers. Putting flippers on is a performance at the best of times, but Areeya and Alex had already stripped off their clothes and were now fitting on theirs stark naked. I forgot all about my flippers and stared at all the beautiful flesh a few inches away from me.

Alex saw me looking, "James, close your mouth, it makes you look silly and I told you we are skinny dipping so get those shorts off, now."

I stood and dropped my shorts but I turned my back on the girls to do so. For that I received a sharp slap across the backside from Alex.

"Oww," I protested, rubbing where she had hit me.

"We’ve seen those bits before, so stop being so bloody silly. Areeya and I both like looking at them so we want to see them as often as possible."

If it is possible to blush all over, I did so at that moment. The girls giggled and flapped across the deck to the back of the boat. They both jumped in backwards off the stern and I followed them. It’s difficult to describe how different it feels to swim naked; the warm water seems to flow around your body and without the hindrance of a swimsuit it becomes a sensuous experience. I followed the girls for about 50 metres until we reached a shallow reef not visible from the surface.

I love snorkelling; that wonderful ability to hang in the water and become part of the natural world laid out in front of you. Alex swam over and we spent a little time together floating in the water above the reef, watching the brilliant colours of the fish swimming around us. Areeya signalled we should head back and with some reluctance I followed them over to the boat. I watched first Alex and then Areeya take off their flippers and then climb the boat ladder up to the deck. Their wet and glistening bodies made for an intensely erotic sight as they left the water. I followed, looking far less erotic I think as I climbed the ladder. Alex found towels for us and asked me to get us all a beer.

I went to put on my shorts and Alex immediately grabbed them, "Not so quick, you sea dog. The Captain’s word is law on this boat, so the shorts stay off until I tell you to put them back on."

I saw Areeya roll her eyes at this and I said, "But Areeya’s the skipper."

Areeya said "Humour her, James. I guarantee you won’t get any peace if you don’t do as she says."

For once Alex punched Areeya on the arm and not me.

We sat at the table on the aft deck with the beers and talked about what we had seen at the reef. I became less and less conscious of the fact we were all having a sensible conversation stark naked. In the end, I forgot completely although the chairs got a little uncomfortable.

Alex and Areeya decided we should eat lunch on the boat and then take the tender over to the beach. From somewhere they found aprons for us all and opened the hamper. I was told to fire up the grill, so I made sure I had an apron too. It’s curious that the semi clothed body is sometimes more arousing than a naked one. The sight of the two girls in their aprons which covered their front but were open at the side and back as they moved about the deck had an immediate effect on me. My apron tented out at the front despite my best attempts to think about something else. Of course, Alex had to notice, coming across to give me a long kiss which only made things much worse.

"Later, lover, later." She said.

"Lover." I played with the word in my mind and decided I liked the idea.

The restaurant had made plenty of food for the grill, and before long we sat back with more beers and chilled for a while. Areeya put soft music on the boat's stereo. There was no end to the toys on this boat.

Alex stirred us up. “Let's go over to the beach, while we’re here.”

Areeya, over Alex’s protests insisted we wear clothes for the trip, so we put a few beers in a cool bag and headed to the beach in the small rubber tender, pulling it up onto the beach. It was a lovely spot and there was nobody around at all, only a few fishing boats far away in the distance. We found a shaded spot under some palms, put down blankets we had brought from the boat and watched the view. I noticed that Alex had a tattoo above her left hip. It was a phrase in Thai calligraphy, almost a work of art.

I drew my finger along the tattoo and asked her what it meant. "Kwai lub mai mee nai loke, There is no secret that will not be revealed."

"It's beautiful, I love it," I said to her, and she kissed me.

I laid back and with the effect of the beers and the sea air I nodded off to sleep in no time at all. How long I had been asleep for when I woke up I couldn't tell, but judging by the sun it had been a while. Looking around, I couldn't see anyone and a moment’s panic flared about being left behind, but I saw the boat still swinging on its anchor. I stretched and thought Alex and Areeya had gone for a walk, but couldn’t see them in either direction along the beach. To the left there was a small hill at the end of the beach and they weren’t there, so I turned to the right and walked by the side of the breaking waves. I had gone about a hundred metres to where a line of palms almost came down the water when I heard laughing. Gotcha, I thought. I crept up through the palms hoping to surprise them. As I got closer, I could still hear them. Alex’s giggling and Areeya’s laughter meant they were close. I was about to push through the small bushes that grew with the palms but caught sight of them through a gap in the bushes and I stood stock still.

They had spread their towels out in a clearing beyond the bushes and they were lying there naked, intertwined and passionately kissing. I dropped to my knees to avoid them seeing me and found I could still see through the screen of bushes. As I watched Alex got onto her knees and moved into a 69 position with Areeya on the bottom. I watched spellbound as Alex lapped her tongue along Areeya’s pussy and Areeya had Alex’s cock in her mouth and was sucking hard. I had never thought of myself as a voyeur, but the sight of the two girls pleasuring each other unaware of my presence made my cock rise. They were going for it now, their bodies tanned and glistening with sweat, as they licked and sucked each other.

My cock was now hard, and I rubbed it through my shorts. Areeya was reaching a climax, and she broke off from her sucking, rolled Alex onto her back, straddled her and drove herself onto Alex’s erect and waiting cock. Alex moaned as Areeya rode her in a violent frenzy. Areeya was moving up and down on Alex so fast it seemed only seconds before Alex bucked her hips upwards "Uhhhh," as she climaxed followed by Areeya’s own orgasm which made her arch her back and cry out. They continued their coupling for a few seconds before falling into each other’s arms. The sight of Alex with her girl’s body and man’s cock driving up into the beautiful Areeya was too much for me and I almost came in my shorts. It was at that moment Alex said, "Did you enjoy the show, James?”

I jumped up and hit my head on a branch.

"Serves you right, we heard you lumbering through the bushes like a baby elephant," Alex called out. "You can come out and join us now."

I walked sheepishly through the bushes to find them cuddling each other. I was embarrassed to be caught watching them and said, "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to watch you."

Alex arched her eyes, “But it didn’t stop you, did it?”

I blushed yet again. When will I ever stop doing that?

"Well, no, but I mean, I shouldn’t have watched."

Areeya and Alex both laughed and Areeya said, "James, it was actually hot for us to think you were there watching us. I hope that next time you will join us instead of watching."

I almost passed out at the thought.

Alex told me to lie down with them and I needed no second invitation. They moved so I could lay between them and they immediately kissed each other right over my face. Alex then broke off to kiss and suck my nipples as Areeya kissed me on the lips. I was now hard again as they continued their assault on me.

"Right, that’s enough, we have to get back to the boat," barked Alex, standing up and looking down at me. Areeya move away too and left me stranded on my back with my erection sticking out of my shorts.

"Why? what?" I stammered, totally confused with what was going on.

"That’s punishment for spying on us," said Alex, grinning her head off. "Seriously, we have to set off back but I promise we will make it up to you later."

With that the two of them pulled their clothes back on and strode off towards the tender. When we got back to the boat, Areeya wanted to leave straight away so we could get back to Samui before we lost the light. We hauled up the anchor and the two diesel engines roared into life. We pulled away from the beach in a graceful arc and set course for Samui. Areeya was at the helm and Alex and I had the chance to have an overdue talk.

“Alex, I'm sorry but I have only three days holiday left, then I have to get back to Bangkok.”

“Can't you get some more holiday?”

I shook my head, “Not right now, my project won't allow it.”

Alex was quiet, and I knew she was worried about me leaving her again.

“Alex, I meant what I said about how I feel about you, and I'm not going to change when I get back to Bangkok.”

She was chewing her lip, something I remember old Alex doing when he was worried.

“I can fly back as soon as I can get a weekend, but it might not be for a while. Please be patient, I will come back. Can’t you fly up to Bangkok?”

“No, I can't leave the restaurant and bars just like that, and there's the new venture to get started.”

At that moment, one engine coughed then died, followed quickly by the second. In the sudden silence Alex and I looked at each other, then she ran up to the flybridge to help Areeya. With power lost and no way of keeping Cockatoo moving we rolled in the swell. The sea wasn’t rough, but it was disturbing all the same. I climbed up after Alex to find Areeya trying to restart the engines, they were turning over but would not fire up.

“We’ve got plenty of fuel,” said Areeya. “I filled the tanks yesterday. I'm going below to check the engines.”

“Can we call for help?” I said. Areeya tried the radio but there was nothing.

“Shit,” said Areeya. “We've lost all power too. The batteries should have kicked in, but we've lost the navigation system and GPS.” Areeya disappeared below and I felt a niggle of worry.

“Maybe we’ll get spotted by another boat.”

“Perhaps” said Alex. “But we’re half way to Samui and not on a main route, so it might not be that easy.”

I tried my mobile, but I had no signal and neither did Alex. Areeya came back up from below, her hands and t-shirt streaked with oil. She tried the engines again. They didn't even turn over this time.

At that moment, I spotted something off the starboard side, "Look, there’s a fishing boat."

Areeya grabbed the binoculars and took a long look at the approaching boat. "I hope it is," she said.

"What do you mean?".

"We sometimes get pirates out here operating from the mainland. It’s pretty lawless over there and it’s becoming more of a problem."

Somehow I suspected these pirates wouldn’t be the kind from Pirates of The Caribbean.

The boat was approaching fast, and it looked like one the dozens of Thai fishing boats you saw around Samui. When it came close enough, Areeya shouted across to someone on the other boat. Alex translated for me, "The guy is asking what the problem is and Areeya is telling him we have lost the engines and can we get a tow to Samui. He says OK, but I don’t know, something seems to be off here. Now he’s saying he needs someone to come on board to help us and Areeya is saying all they have to do is pass a line and we’ll secure it. He says unless he has someone on board, he won’t give us a tow."

The fishing boat then came close and one of their crew made the jump between the two boats. I heard Areeya scream with pain and Alex shouted, "Fuck!" and climbed down the stairs to the aft deck. I could see from the flybridge that the guy was carrying what looked like an AK47 and had clubbed Areeya with it. She was slumped bleeding on the deck and Alex by her side. The guy was screaming in Thai at Alex and she ignored him as she tried to help Areeya. I knew I only a few moments and the only thing I could think of was to hit the emergency transponder that Areeya had shown me earlier. I had no idea if it would work but I prayed that it had a battery of its own.

The guy realised there was someone else left on the fly bridge and he let loose a burst from the machine gun and shouted something in Thai at me. Alex shouted, "Come down, James, or he says he’ll shoot us."

I came down the stairs with my hands in the air. He was still shouting at me and gesturing for me to get to the other side of the deck from the girls. Areeya looked in a bad way, blood was pouring from a head wound which Alex was trying to staunch with a towel. It was already scarlet with blood and Alex was weeping. Another guy from the boat made the jump and ran to the bow with a rope which he made fast to our boat. He then jumped back leaving the guy with the AK47 on our aft deck.

I said, "Alex, don’t worry we’ll get out of this if we stay calm." This produced another burst from the gun into the air and he screamed "NO TALK.”

I felt Cockatoo stagger as the other boat took up the tow and we began to move. It was now getting dark, and I thought our prospects looked slim. The guy kept the gun trained on me as I guess he saw me as the main threat. He had already shown he was trigger happy, so I kept still and tried to see how Alex was getting on with Areeya. The bleeding at least seemed to have stopped but Areeya looked to be unconscious and Alex was smeared with her blood. I guessed it had been about half an hour since the boarding and thought every passing moment increased the chance he would get fed up with guarding us and get rid of us. Which is what I thought would happen, anyway. There was no way I was simply going to wait for him to shoot us all.

We were making only a few knots under tow, and I knew there was only a short time in which to do anything. If I could disarm the guy, we might at least have a chance, but the only weapon I could see was the large knife we had used for cutting up the food. It was a few inches from my hand but I couldn’t move with his gun on me.

I said to Alex in English as fast as I could, "Count to 30 and then ask him for water." He screamed, "NO TALK" and tried to hit my head with the stock of the gun. He missed my head but caught my shoulder which gave me a stinger down my arm. "Shit, I thought, that wouldn’t help, but I had to go for it.

Ales looked frightened, but I moved my head to tell her to go ahead and she seemed to get the message. I had counted to 25 when she said something in Thai to him and he glanced her way before screaming back at her. It gave me enough time to pick up the knife and hide it behind my arm.

‘Here we go,’ I thought to myself, ‘it’s now or never.’

I fell to my knees and shouted, "Please don’t kill me, please don’t kill me."

He jerked his attention back to me and took a step forwards as he raised the AK47 to bring it down on my head. For a millisecond he left himself open, and I flung myself at him driving the knife up and into his rib cage. He grunted and our momentum took us to the back rail of the boat. At that same moment the boat staggered as the tow rope tightened knocking us both off balance and his finger must have pulled the trigger. He fired a burst into the air but as I went to grab the gun, I felt a massive thump on my side, knocking me sideways followed by a burning pain. The tow rope slackened this time and Cockatoo staggered in the water once more, this time with enough force to throw both of us over the rail and into the sea.

"Fuck," I thought as the water closed over my head, "This wasn’t part of the plan."

Chapter 7

I had no idea how long I had spent under water, but I could see a bright light above me and I thought it must be the sun shining through the water as I clawed myself towards the surface. But, I thought, ‘No, that can’t be. It was dark when I fell in.’ The light grew brighter and brighter and I wondered if I was dead. I tried to open my eyes, but it was so bright I couldn’t force my eyelids open. I thought I could hear voices, but they seemed to be a long way away, and I strained to hear but couldn’t quite make anything out.

I tried to move my arms to cover my eyes from the light but I couldn’t move, and I felt angry to be this helpless. Concentrating hard on my fingers I felt one move a fraction. I could definitely hear voices now and they were closer. Someone said something in a language I couldn’t understand, and I wanted to tell them to speak English. I concentrated hard again and my eyelids flickered. Maybe if I tried I could even open my eyes. I strained as hard as I could and with a rush my eyes were open, but I had to close them again as the light was dazzling.

Someone lifted my hand, and I felt cool fingers around my wrist. I opened one eye a fraction and it slowly adjusted to the light. I couldn’t focus for a moment, all I could see were shades of light and dark. I could now hear different voices and they were excited about something. I seemed to be lying on my back, unable to move and my side ached.

Slowly, my focus returned, and a face appeared and shone a bright light into my eye which made me close it again. "Oww," I moaned and felt someone touch my eyelids and gently moved them apart.

"James. James, can you hear me?"

"Of course, I can bloody hear you, I’m not deaf," I wanted to scream, but all I heard was, "Eunff.”

"He’s definitely coming round, doctor.” I forced open my other eye and I could see I was in a room with sunlight streaming through the windows. I found I could now move my arm a little but something tugged on it and I felt a sharp pain.

"Try to lay still, James, you have a drip in your arm and I don’t want you to pull it out."

Drip in my arm, that’s funny I thought and giggled. A sharp pain in my side stopped that I raised my head a fraction and then it flopped back again as if my neck muscles didn’t seem to work.

"James, do you know where you are?" The voice sounded American which confused me. I tried to speak but my mouth was so dry my tongue was stuck to the top of my mouth.

"Meriga?"

Someone laughed, then another voice joined in. "No, you’re in hospital in Thailand."

"Oh, how did I get there? I live in England."

Another small laugh. "You’re in hospital in Koh Samui, James. You’ve been hurt but you will be OK. Your side might be sore but I’ll give you something for the pain if it gets too bad."

My mind cleared a little, and I lifted my head to look around. I saw the woman who had been speaking to me, dressed in a white coat with a stethoscope around her neck and in the background another woman also dressed in white.

"I’m Doctor Wichasak, and this is Nurse Taksin," she smiled down at me. Both looked Thai, but the doctor spoke with an American accent.

"How did I get here? Was I in an accident?"

"James, all in good time, I want you to rest, and later on we will tell you what happened."

"Okay, dokey, that’s fine, thank you so much..." My head hit the pillow and everything turned to black.

When I woke up the next time, the room was dark but with a dim light illuminating the room. I came round more quickly this time, and I was more conscious of the ache in my side as well as a raging headache. I tried to raise myself off the bed but the drip in my arm tugged the skin and I fell back. My other arm was free, and I rubbed my eyes with my hand and felt a bandage on my shoulder. I must have been in a big accident I thought. What had happened? I could remember a boat and being at sea and falling into water. Small jigsaw pieces of memory surfaced, and a picture of Areeya bleeding on deck and Alex with blood all over her flashed into my mind. I went cold and yelled for a nurse. Someone came into the room and I shouted. "What happened to them, what happened to the girls?" I was yelling at the top of my voice.

"It’s OK, sir. I’ll get someone to come."

She vanished, and I fell back on the bed. "Christ, please let them be OK, please let them be OK."

I heard the door open and heard the nurse say, "I have someone who wants to see you,"

I looked up and there was Alex, smiling nervously.

"Alex, thank God, you’re alright." I was almost weeping with relief.

"I’m fine, I’m fine James, and more to the point how are you? You look better than the last time I saw you.” She held my hand and gently squeezed it. "You had us scared you know."

"Is Areeya alright too?" I said.

"James, I’m fine too, thank you," Areeya was standing on the other side of my bed and she picked up my other hand. She had her head wrapped in a large white bandage that dipped dramatically over one eye.

I squeezed both their hands and I could see tears in Alex’s eyes. "We thought we had lost you, baby, but it’s OK now, sweetheart." She leant down and kissed me on the lips.

"What happened?" I asked.

"That’s enough for now, I think," I could see Doctor Wichasak at the back.

"I promise you we’ll tell you, in the morning," Alex said as the Doctor shooed them out of the room.

"You have two big fans, there James. They haven’t been away from the hospital since you arrived."

"How long is that, doctor?”

"It’s been five days, now."

She gave me some water and a painkiller and I drifted off to sleep again. When I woke again, the room was full of light this time. I looked across to the window and I saw Alex and Areeya dozing in chairs. I watched them for a while and both looked tired. Areeya was still wearing the bandage and had what looked like the remains of the mother and father of a black eye. Alex stirred and opened her eyes.

"Hello, sweetheart, I’m so glad to see you.”

She stood up, came over to kiss me and started to cry again.

"Ssshh," I tried to hold her but the drip in my arm stopped me. I reached over my other hand and stroked her hair. "It’s OK, it’s OK."

She stood up and holding my hand, said, "I thought I had lost you, James, and I couldn’t bear that, and then I got you back and I never want to lose you again."

"Tell me what happened.”

"Wait, let me wake Areeya, she has to do this with me." She turned and woke Areeya who came over and held my other hand.

"What do you remember? Alex asked.

“I can remember being on the boat, and the pirate coming on board. Areeya was hurt, then I stabbed him and I fell in the sea. That’s all.”

"Well, after you and the pirate had gone over the back, I was screaming and Areeya was still out of it, but her bleeding had at least stopped. I let the tender loose and threw out all the life jackets and cushions I could find in case you could grab something. The pirates dropped the tow and came back to see what had happened. I grabbed the rifle that the pirate had dropped and let off several bursts at them. I must have hit someone because I heard a scream and their boat backed off. I think they must have panicked because they disappeared into the dark and never came back."

I looked at Alex with new respect.

"I was frantic with worry about you but had to look after Areeya. We drifted for what seemed like hours and then we heard a helicopter approaching with a searchlight underneath. Just after that, a coastguard boat hove to alongside and their medic looked after Areeya. The emergency transponder you set off had worked and had gone through to Areeya’s father. He called the coastguard to come looking for us. They had a medic who looked after Areeya, and towed us back to Samui."

I squeezed Areeya’s hand, "I am so glad you are OK," She squeezed back, "Thank you, I too am thankful you are well, James."

Alex squeezed my hand again, "I told them about you and they radioed the helicopter which went off to search for you. I heard later that they were about to give up when they spotted you in the water. It seems you had grabbed a cushion and hung on to that. They hoisted you out of the water, but you were pretty far gone with blood loss and exposure. They flew you straight to Samui and into hospital."

"Alex, you saved my life by throwing the cushions into the water, thank you for that." I was about to cry.

"But you saved all our lives, James, by doing what you did, that was the bravest thing to do."

"I didn’t think we would have lasted long with the guy with rifle, so I thought I had to do something. Going over the back off the boat wasn’t in the plan." I grimaced at the memory. "I can’t remember anything after going over the back of the boat until I woke up here.”

"After Areeya and I got back to Samui, she called her father, who was about to leave to fly here, and he organised for Doctor Wichasak to fly over with him as she had lots of experience with gunshot wounds from time she spent time in the US."

At the mention of the gunshot, I felt the throbbing in my side flare up again.

"You had lost a lot of blood and they weren’t sure you would pull through," her lip trembled and I squeezed her hand, "You needed a lot of blood to stabilise you but you hung in there and by the time Doctor Wichasak got here you had a fighting chance. She said that you had an enormous will to live which helped pull you through."

I squeezed both their hands, “I have a lot to live for, and a lot to be thankful for." I think by now we were all in tears.

Alex said, "You’re pretty much up to date. You’ve been out cold for about five days, as they kept you under to help the recovery from the gunshot."

"How are you Areeya? That bandage looks dramatic."

"He hit me hard with the gun as he came aboard and I was unconscious for a long time, Alex stopped my bleeding and I only came round when you tackled the pirate. It looks worse than it feels now. I should have the bandage off today or tomorrow. Thank you for being so brave, I think that saved all our lives."

"Can I thank your father please, Areeya?"

"I rather think he wants to thank you," replied Areeya.

"Oh my God, what about my work? I need to let them know" I started to panic.

"Calm down, James, it’s all in hand. We told them and it’s all taken care of. They flew over a temp for your project, so it’s all good. They told me that you should take the time to recuperate and contact them when you feel up to it. I’ll tell them you are awake again."

I lay back as I suddenly felt exhausted. I think the truth about what had happened hit me and it shook me how close I had been to death and to losing the two people that mattered most to me in the world.

Alex said gently, "We’ll leave you to get some rest. If you’re not careful, I’ll bring you in some Lucozade tonight."

"Don’t you dare, I hate the stuff."

"I know," she said. She grinned, and I knew Alex was back on form.

As they left I heard Areeya say, "Lucozade? Is that some kind of drug?"

"Yeah, sort of," replied Alex.

I smiled and fell asleep.

I stayed in hospital for another three days. The bullet had entered through my right side under my ribs and exited higher on my back; a few more centimetres to the left and I would not have survived. There would be a scar but it could have been so much worse. Every day I felt a little better and the second day after I came round I was walking with a little help. I was weak more than anything and although the wound itself was sore and the dressings had to be changed regularly, I felt so much better.

On the third day they were happy to release me and Areeya had come to collect me. Doctor Wichasak had flown back to Bangkok with Areeya’s father on his company plane and I thanked everyone else who had looked after me at the hospital. Areeya said her father would be flying down at the weekend to visit all of us.

I collected my painkillers and walked out with a cane to support me, thankful to breathe in the fresh air and to feel the sunshine on my skin. Areeya said that Alex was waiting for us so we got a taxi and headed off. It was early evening, and I expected us to go back to the flat but we drove past Koh Samui Blue and pulled up outside Cockatoo. As Areeya helped me out if the taxi I noticed a big new banner outside the bar.

“That looks new, what does it say?”

She smiled, "I will translate. It says Welcome home James, You brave and fearless warrior."

You’re right, I blushed, this time down to the soles of my feet.

"Areeya, that’s crazy, I am none of those things."

"James, we disagree. We think you are and we wish to say thank you for your courage."

I kissed her and mumbled a thank you in return.

Alex stood outside the bar beaming from ear to ear. She took my arm and helped me up the step into the bar itself. "It's a little party to welcome you back," she whispered. "Just a few friends and so on."

I spotted Pao who waved happily, came across and gave me a kiss. "We glad to see you Mister James."

"Thank you Pao, I am glad to see you too," she beamed and glanced quickly at Alex who smiled back at her. Alex led me across to a seat at the bar and a glass of Scotch appeared from somewhere.

I looked concerned. "Don’t worry," Alex said, "I checked and so long as you don’t drink a bucketful it’s OK." As it almost seemed to be on doctor’s orders I took a healthy slug. The party was in full swing and I was introduced to many of Alex and Areeya’s friends. Pao had taken it upon herself to be my bodyguard for the evening and kept people well away from my bad side. I was growing fond of her, especially as she kept my glass topped up with Scotch.

The TV was not playing either the usual mix of sports and music videos but what appeared to be a loop of film taken from a helicopter. I realised with a start that it was footage that had been shot by the coastguard helicopter which rescued us.

Areeya materialised next to me, "It’s been on the news ever since it happened. Do you mind it playing here?"

I shook my head, and she squatted down beside me, took my hand and I watched fascinated as the footage played on the TV. There was commentary in Thai but you didn’t need it to understand what had happened. From above it showed the arrival of the Coast Guard cutter next to the Cockatoo and crew jumping across to Cockatoo. The camera zoomed in for a moment and you could clearly see Areeya being treated by a medic and Alex smeared in blood urgently talking to the crew and pointing out the back of the boat. The helicopter then turned and flew off. The film was edited so there were a few shots of the searchlight across a dark sea and then a shout from a crew member. The camera zoomed in on a figure in the water hanging onto a cushion. It was with a jolt that I realised it was me. A rescue swimmer plunged into the water, swam across to me, turned and gave a thumbsup to the helicopter. He dragged me into a harness and we were both winched up into the air.

It was only then that I realised the bar had gone quiet and people were looking at me. Someone started to clap and then the whole bar joined in, everyone clapping and cheering. I felt myself going red and tried to make myself disappear. Alex was half crying and half laughing and Areeya was in bits too. The three of us gathered together for a photograph and smiled for the cameras, our arms round each other. Everyone was happy and smiling, so why did I feel such a fraud?

I started to feel tired, so we said our goodbyes and left the party still going strong. I went over to Pao and thanked her for looking after me and gave her a kiss. She smiled shyly but looked happy. Alex was watching and said under her breath, "I knew I would have to keep an eye on that one.”

I turned to her, "Pao is sweet, she means no harm.'

Alex laughed, "I didn’t mean her, I meant you."

We got a cab back to the flat even though it wasn’t far but I don’t think I could have made the walk. They both had to help me up the stairs to the flat and by the time I had reached the top I was bushed. We had a last drink on the balcony watching the sea lap onto the beach and it was strange to think that these quiet waves were part of the same ocean that had come close to claiming my life.

Alex asked quietly if I wanted to sleep alone tonight and I told her that I had enough of sleeping by myself for a while. She nodded, "Let’s get you to bed first, shall we? Do you want to shower tonight?"

"No, just the toilet, I can shower in the morning."

I got to the toilet without much trouble, took my painkillers and made it back to the bed on my own. Alex was in the bathroom and Areeya helped me to remove my jeans as I was still unable to bend much. I felt no embarrassment in front of her now and she gently helped me onto the bed. Alex came out of the bathroom in her robe and Areeya passed her on the way in. She sat next to me on the bed and bent her head to look at the wound. There was still a small dressing covering it and she traced the line between the entry and exit wounds with her finger.

"Were you frightened?"

”Honestly, after I fell in, I can’t remember a thing, but I’m sure I would have been."

"And when you went for the guy with the gun?"

"I was more scared of doing nothing, I think. I thought we would be dead if we stood there. I was scared of dying that way, so doing nothing wasn’t an option. I wasn’t brave, just desperate."

She shrugged off her robe and slipped naked into bed beside me. She snuggled as close as she could without touching my side. She leant over and kissed me.

"I’m so glad I didn’t lose you. And what you did was the bravest thing that any man could have done," she whispered.

Areeya came out of the bathroom at that moment and headed for the other bedroom.

"Areeya, wait," I called out to her. "Would you please stay with us, please? I want us to be together tonight."

Areeya looked at Alex and she nodded her agreement. I squeezed Alex’s hand to say thank you.

"James, are you sure?" Areeya said.

Areeya, it would mean a lot to me if you would."

She dimmed the lights and dropped her robe to the floor by the bed. I saw she too was naked as she slipped into the bed beside me. She cuddled up to me and she reached out for my hand and we kissed.

"My turn to say thank you,"

I lay there between the two of them and listened to them as their breathing gradually slowed and they drifted off to sleep.

I found it difficult to fall asleep, for what I had not told them was that ever since I had come round in the hospital I would wake in the night in the middle of a nightmare. I was the one left on the boat this time, and it was Alex and Areeya in the water drifting off into the darkness. They were looking right at me as they slowly disappeared from sight, but I was rooted to the spot, unable to move my arms or legs or even to cry out. As they were finally lost from sight, I would wake up covered in sweat. I hoped that having them close tonight would bring some relief.

I woke to the sound of the waves outside, and the smell of coffee. I was alone in the bed and I had no idea what time it was, but the sun was already bright through the blinds. It was a few minutes before I realised that I had slept through without waking up and for the first time since the attack I felt refreshed.

Alex was sitting at the desk using the MacBook and Areeya was nowhere to be seen. She had her robe on, her hair was up in a knot on her head and I was surprised to see a pair of elegant glasses perched on her nose.

"Mmm," I said, "I like that high powered woman executive look."

She started as she heard me speak and whipped off the glasses. "Steady tiger, we don’t want to pop our stitches this early in the morning, do we? I see someone is feeling better today."

I smiled, yawned and stretched then winced as the painkillers had worn off.

"OK, not so much a tiger, more a raggedy arsed tom cat by the look of it." She grinned as she walked across, knelt by the bed and gave me a passionate kiss.

"Mmm, nice, but what’s that for?" I asked.

She held her hand up and counted off on her fingers, "One, I love you. Two, you’re the best-looking bloke in the room. Three, that was so nice what you did with Areeya last night. Four, I can dream it’s Hugh Grant waking up in my bed and fifth, I’m feeling horny."

I laughed and kissed her back. "I need a shower. Where is Areeya?"

"Out at the boat, she’s supervising repairs to it this morning." Alex said as she walked back to the desk.

"OK, mind if I head to the shower?" I yawned again

"Knock yourself out," she said, and then quickly, "Oh my God, I didn’t mean that, my mouth works quicker than my brain sometimes."

I laughed, "I know exactly how fast your mouth works."

"Mmm," she said, "I’m looking forward to seeing how quickly yours can work, sweetie."

I laughed and walked slowly across to the bathroom.

I had learnt how to shower myself to keep the dressings dry, but with a bit of luck they would come off in the next couple of days. I had turned on the water and was waiting for it to warm up and I heard the door open. I turned around and there was Alex in her robe, hair still up on her head and wearing her power dressing glasses.

She said in husky voice, "Ever had that fantasy where the mousy looking girl takes off her glasses, lets her hair down and turns into a stripper?”

As she said this, she shook out her hair, threw the glasses in the corner of the bathroom and let the robe drop to the floor.

Hand on hip, she said, "Will I do?"

I grabbed her without falling over completely and drew her into me for a long kiss.

"I take it that’s a yes, then, sir?"

"Oh, yeah, that’s a big fat yes."

She led me into the shower which was big enough for about five people without even touching the sides. It was a big rain forest shower with a glass wall separating the shower from the rest of the bathroom. Alex led me under the shower head and washed me with a wash cloth. I tell you, it is possibly the most decadent feeling in the world to be washed by someone else. Of course, Alex made sure it was an all-over shower. She started washing my chest carefully avoiding the dressings and then over my back.

She moved to my cock and then my balls and I had my eyes close and wishing this was a cold shower. Inevitably, my cock decided all on its own to react and stiffened in her hands. She grinned, gave me a quick peck on the lips and turned her attention to my bum. She washed each cheek in turn giving each a kiss before moving the cloth slowly up and down my crack and suddenly I felt a finger rubbing me back there. This was something new for me and I started to turn round and she said firmly, "Don’t turn round. Stay where you are." Her other hand came round and started to stroke my cock which was pointing true north. She continued to rub her soapy finger around my rosebud, whilst still stroking my cock. I felt her tits up against my back and could also feel her cock against the back of my thighs.

I was being overwhelmed by the sensations she was generating, and it literally making me weak at the knees. This was an assault on my senses that was pushing me to my limits. Her finger, slippery with soap, now slid its way into my hole as she kept up a steady rhythm on my cock.

"OOOhhhh," I heard myself say as her finger slipped a little further in and my knees buckled even more. One finger became two, and somewhere in my head that little dark voice said "Stop, this is wrong" and the light voice said "It feels so good, it can’t be bad."

Sensing I was close to a climax, Alex withdrew her fingers turned me round and pushed me up against the glass shower wall. She dropped to her knees and took my cock into her mouth. I felt it slide in deeper than it had before as she took the whole length into her mouth. Her tongue was swirling around the head, and as she pulled back, she flicked her tongue underneath and I nearly lost it there and then. She was a master at knowing when to hold back to prolong the pleasure and when to speed things up. She focused on the head, sucking and licking it with her lips and tongue. I looked down at her and she looked me straight back into my eyes and that did it for me. She knew and stroked my cock until I felt the warmth come up from my groin and straight into my cock. I came with a grunt and my legs buckled.

Alex took all my cum into her mouth and then stood up to face me. She kissed me hard on the lips, her tongue opening my lips and I suddenly realised this time she hadn’t swallowed and was pushing my cum into my mouth. I gagged a little as I tasted it on my tongue, but Alex kept her lips locked over mine until I was forced to swallow. She broke the kiss and pushed her middle finger into my mouth and I rolled my tongue over and around it, licking and sucking as she moved her finger in and out.

"Not so bad, is it?" she whispered.

Chapter 8

Alex shut off the water and we dried each other off. Alex slipped her robe back on and I wrapped a towel around my waist. We returned to the bedroom where I sat on the edge of the bed. There was something I needed to do, and I knew if I didn’t do it now I may never have the courage again. I asked Alex to come over, and she stood in front of me with a quizzical look on her face. I moved my legs apart so I could reach out and pull her close to me. Without saying anything I reached up and undid the tie on her robe and it fell open. My eyes locked on hers as I reached out and placed my hands gently on her breasts. I felt the nipples harden under my hands and I knew how much Alex enjoyed having them touched. She moaned softly s I played with her nipples for a while and I saw her close her eyes.

Her cock was pretty much level with my face and I could see it begin to harden as she grew more aroused. I dropped my hands from her breasts and I leant forwards slightly and kissed the tip of her cock. She opened her eyes wide and jumped at the touch which made her cock quiver, but I couldn’t afford to laugh and spoil the mood.

"Oh baby, "she cooed, "you don’t need to do that."

"I want to do it, and I need to do it now," I said as I looked up at her.

Her eyes were wide, and she twisted her lip between her teeth.

"Just be patient with me.”

She nodded and kept looking down at me.

I tried to remember what she had done to me and what had given me the most pleasure. Men should be the world’s best at sucking cocks as we know what works for us. We expect women to throw themselves without hesitation onto our cocks, yet it’s something that most men would never contemplate doing. Yes, we will go down on our women, but to do what they do to us is simply beyond the pale. I loved Alex and if that meant anything, this was something that couldn’t be ignored as it was part of her. She wanted to give me pleasure, and I wanted to give her pleasure in return. It was as simple as that. I was as nervous as a kitten but I knew this was something that I wanted to do and that I had to do it right now.

I kissed the tip again and Alex almost involuntarily moved her hips forwards and her cock slid away from my lips and down the side of my face. I heard her whisper "Sorry, baby" and she pulled back a little. Reaching out with one hand I gently stroked the shaft and again it twitched and seemed to grow harder, so I opened my lips and took the head into my mouth.

I don’t know what to expect and it surprised me how soft and warm and spongy it felt. I recalled what Alex had done to me, and I licked the head with my tongue and rocked back and forward and the head slid gently in and out of my lips. That dark voice in my head was saying ‘You’re sucking a cock’ and the other said ‘Yeah, so what? You love her’

"Yes, yes, please." She moaned and her head was thrown backwards as she arched her back.

I was still stroking the shaft, and I flicked my tongue on the little spot under the head which gets me going every time, and I was gratified to feel Alex twitch as I did so. She moaned again and her hands came down to rest on my head.

"Baby, that’s so good, I love that.” She was encouraging me and breathing harder now.

I remembered pleading with my ex to keep her teeth out of the way, not that she always did, so I made sure to be careful with Alex. She was getting aroused and as I slipped her cock between my lips, I felt the hardness grow beneath the softness of the skin. I started to move my head backwards and forwards faster and faster as I felt her cock getting harder.

"Ayyee," Alex moaned, and I felt I must be getting something right.

I kept one hand wrapped around the shaft and she was now thrusting her hips backwards and forwards, not always in time with me but it seemed to be doing the trick. Her movements accelerated and her cock began to twitch. I was scared she was going to come in my mouth but as her legs buckled, she said, "Urrggh, I’m coming," She pulled out of my mouth and her cum flew all over my chest. She almost fell but kept her feet and I leant forward one more time to kiss the quivering tip and I licked the cum that was still oozing from her slit.

I looked up into her eyes, smiled, "You taste nice too."

Alex was about to leap onto my lap but remembered at the last moment that might not be a good idea, and instead pulled me up to my feet, threw her arms around me and gave me a huge kiss.

"James, that was fabulous. Are you sure you haven’t done that before? Suspiciously good for a first time if you ask me. Oh, you made me so happy."

I had to laugh to see her so excited.

"I’m sorry, I don’t think that was good, but I seemed to get something right."

"James, that was perfect, I loved it, but let’s get you cleaned up."

I had forgotten that I still had cum all over my chest. She ran to the bathroom and came back with the cloth and carefully wiped my chest.

"I’m sorry about that, I was aiming for your face." She saw me stare, "I’m joking, I was in no shape to aim anything. It’s lucky it didn’t hit the window."

We both collapsed in giggles at that and she kissed me again.

"Was it so bad?" she asked.

I thought for a moment, shrugged my shoulders, "Well, it was alright, but I don’t think I'll be trying it again soon."

Her face fell but I couldn’t keep a straight face and started to laugh.

"Bastard, bastard, bastard" she shouted and went to hit me and pulled back in time.

"I am tempted to pull your stitches out with my tweezers. Look, I have to go do some work, but if you need anything, call me. You can use the MacBook if you want.”

She dressed quickly and gave me a last kiss and was about to walk through the door when she stopped and looked back.

"Oh, and don’t forget Kritsada is coming this evening to see us. We’re going to have drinks up here and then we’ll have dinner in the restaurant." With that, she waved goodbye and skipped down the stairs. I made myself a coffee, still with the towel around me and settled down on one of the loungers.

So, how did I feel about what had happened?

I honestly didn't know what to think. I hadn’t disliked it, and I enjoyed giving Alex pleasure that way. I enjoyed what she did to me, so why should it be any different for me? I was pushing boundaries which would have been inconceivable for me only weeks ago. What happened on the boat and afterwards had changed the way I looked at life. Life was not something that would go on and on forever. It could change in an instant, and it could be over in an instant. Nothing is fixed or permanent. Life was far more fluid than I had ever imagined, and I needed to embrace that if I was to enjoy my second chance at life. Plans we make can be dashed to pieces in the blink of an eye. As the proverb has it ‘Man plans and God laughs.’

I had broken so many taboos so far, and I wondered what more I would have to confront. I also realised I hadn’t blushed at all this morning - that had to be progress.

Alex had remembered to cancel my hotel room and had arranged for my stuff to be brought over to the flat. So, for the first time in more than a week I had something more than a pair of jeans to wear. I found a pair of shorts and slipped on a fresh t-shirt.

I had deliberately not checked my email since the boat trip and found my inbox was full. The video of the rescue had gone viral and my name was all over it. I googled ‘Cockatoo rescue’ as well as a few other phrases, and couldn’t believe the coverage the rescue had received. Alex and Areeya had screened me from the worst of it while I was in hospital, but I had to face up to it now. A lot of the mail was from friends saying they had seen the video and wanted to know if I was OK. Some of it was from crazies who probably stalked anybody who was famous for five minutes. The story was already out of the news, so I wasn't too worried.

There were offers for me to endorse products or requests for money to help a sick relative together with several offers of marriage from women, and one from a man. I was being asked to do interviews from almost everywhere, which I definitely wouldn’t be doing. There was even an author who wanted to turn it into a novel. The dross I binned and put together a message to my friends and acquaintances thanking them for their concern and assuring them I was fine and things were getting back to normal.

There was even one from my ex, telling me how worried she was and did I want her to fly out to Thailand to look after me. Now, that could make for an interesting visit. Maybe she could walk in on me in bed with Alex? That would be so ironic after what she had done. But, imagining what Alex’s reaction would be, I decided I didn’t have a death wish for me or her, so politely declined her kind offer.

There were a few messages from work assuring me I should get well before coming back to work. I sensed they were slyly happy about the publicity the firm had got from me being mentioned so much. There was even a press release from them saying how pleased they were that I was OK and that I had been working in Thailand for them, yada, yada, yada. There was also an email from HR complaining about the cost of my medical treatment.

More importantly, there were a couple from the temporary project manager who had arrived in Bangkok. She was asking if we could talk about the project, and if I was well enough could I call her? I didn’t recognise her name, Samantha White, but it was a big company, so not so surprising. That was a priority, so I called her straight away. It was the usual bad connection from Samui.

“Hi, James, thanks for calling. How are you?”

“Getting there Samantha, everything is sore more than anything now. How can I help?’

“I wanted to catch up with you and share some ideas for going forward, but I don't think we can do it over the phone if it's as bad as this.”

“Well, I'm not cleared to fly to Bangkok yet, so why don't you come over here?”

“Great, how about tomorrow?”

She was keen I thought, but I guess I would be as well in her shoes.

“OK, text me your hotel and flight details and I’ll pick you up at the airport.”

“Thanks, James, see you tomorrow.”

Alex and Areeya arrived back together and you know you can always tell when women have shared a secret. They have these little looks between each, ‘We know something you don’t.’ Either that, or men are paranoid around women. Anyway, I was sure Alex had told Areeya what had happened that morning. Not that I cared, I knew Alex kept nothing from Areeya and vice versa.

I had moved out to the balcony to lie down on a lounger. They came and sat next to each other on the one next to mine.

“How’s the boat, Areeya?”

“It’s going well, James. We drained and cleaned the tanks, replaced the batteries and checked all the wiring. There was damage to the superstructure from the AK47, but it's not too bad. My father has changed the fuel supplier and is suing the old one for the damages.”

“How is the wound, James?”

Before I could say anything, Alex butted in, “He had a little light exercise this morning which should have helped.”

Areeya grinned, and I knew for certain Alex had told her.

“Can I see the wound, James?”

I pulled up my t-shirt, and like Alex before her, Areeya ran her fingers along the track of the bullet and her touch on my skin was electrifying. Her fingers were feathery light and as she caressed my skin, I shivered from the touch.

I saw a wicked smile come over Alex’s face as she watched Areeya touching me, and she pulled Areeya onto her lap and kissed her full on the lips. Areeya kissed back and they made out right in front of me. I squirmed in my seat as Alex put her hand beneath Areeya’s t-shirt, pulled it up and cupped her breasts. Areeya broke the kiss and in one fluid move pulled her t-shirt up and over her head. She grabbed Alex’s head and pulled her face onto the left breast and I could see Alex’s tongue dart out and flick the nipple. I almost stopped breathing as the two of them made love right in front of my eyes.

Alex stopped sucking Areeya’s breast. "What are you waiting for? There’s another one of these you can use."

I didn’t need a second invitation, so I moved across and wrapped my lips around Areeya’s nipple. Areeya put her hand on her my head and I nipped her nipple with my teeth. I felt Alex's face next to mine as she continued to attack Areeya's other nipple. Alex broke off and turned her face and we kissed, tongues instantly duelling with each other. Areeya pulled my head away from Alex and she kissed me as Alex went back to kneading and sucking her breasts. I pulled back and tried to pull my t-shirt off but couldn’t get my arms above my head. Alex paused long enough to drag it up and over my head.

"Bedroom, now!" she ordered, and dragged Areeya and me though the door and to the bedroom. I'm not sure who was kissing who as we stumbled our way to the bed. Hands were everywhere as we collapsed on the bed. Someone was tugging at my shorts as I was trying to get Alex's blouse undone. She was kissing me and slipped her hands inside my shorts and released my cock which stood straight up. Areeya had slipped off her own shorts by now and she pushed me onto my back on the bed. Alex took my cock into her mouth and sucked it hard.

Areeya straddled me facing towards Alex and moved so her pussy was right over my mouth. I raised my head and licked along her slit. She was already wet and my tongue found its way between her lips to where her clit was waiting. Areeya was now moaning and pushing down on me as I teased her clit between my lips and sucked hard on it.

Alex was still sucking my cock, using her mouth almost like a vacuum cleaner. I felt her finger rubbing my rosebud and then she slipped a finger deep inside. The dual attack on my cock and hole was scrambling my wits. Areeya moved off me and ordered, "Fuck me, fuck me now." She got down on her hands and knees, Alex let go of my cock and pushed me behind Areeya. Sinking to my knees I lined my cock up with Areeya's pussy. She was so wet I slipped straight into her. I groaned as I drove into her and she pushed back against me. Areeya's head was at the edge of the bed and Alex moved in front of Areeya, slid down her knickers and pushed her cock into Areeya's mouth.

I was driving my cock hard into Areeya's pussy and she was now sucking hard on Alex. The sights and sounds in front of me were driving me to yet another level of ecstasy. Alex leaned forwards and we kissed over Areeya's back. I was so aroused that I knew I wouldn't last much longer.

Areeya started to buck and groan and I guessed she was ready to come. Alex pulled out of Areeya's mouth and used her hand on herself. I picked up the pace even more and exploded into Areeya's pussy, she tensed and then her release came as she yelled "Oh fuck, oh fuck…" Areeya flopped to the bed and as she did so Alex grunted and her cum splashed over Areeya’s face. Alex bent down and to lick my cum from Areeya’s pussy. Watching her tongue slide into Areeya’s slit made me hard all over again. Alex motioned me over, kissed me and I tasted my cum on her tongue.

The three of us lay there trying to catch our breath as we recovered our senses. In all my life I had not felt such intensity and animal passion. I had thought my nerve endings were on fire and speed racing through my veins.

Alex leaned over and kissed me first and then Areeya. We smiled at each other and then Alex giggled which set me off and suddenly we were all laughing. Eventually, we calmed down and Areeya went off to get cleaned up and Alex and I cuddled together on the bed.

"Did you enjoy that?" She asked.

"Are you serious?" I said, "that was about the most extreme thing I have ever done."

Alex laughed, "oh baby, you have a lot to learn, we've only just got started."

Chapter 9

Areeya came back into the room, gave me a kiss and sat down on the sofa with Alex and me.

“My father is flying in this afternoon, and will have dinner with us, then fly back tomorrow. He’s looking forward to meeting you, James.”

“Is there anything I should know about him before tonight?”

There was a little glance between the pair of them I almost didn’t catch. “You both share a taste for good whisky. We keep a bottle of GlenDronach for his use when he’s here.”

“What about his career?’

“My father was born here, but he left as soon as he could. He joined the Army and was promoted through the ranks. He spent a year seconded to the CIA and finished up as a Major in Military Intelligence. he met my mother while he was in the army when she had been a traditional Thai dancer. I was born a year after that. He was devoted to my mother, and it devastated him when she was killed in a car accident in Bangkok. My father had been a keen Muay Thai fighter and now owned a training gym and sponsored some kick boxers.”

I noticed Alex was very quiet as Areeya talked about her father, but thought nothing of it.

“I think he had built a network of contacts while he was in the army who helped him to build his business, once he left. He now has a property business,as well as electronics and some clubs and bars in Bangkok.” She smiled, “I think you’ve been to one?’

I laughed, but Alex was still quiet and seemed to be thinking of something else.

It was to be a relatively informal dinner, so she assured me that trousers and a shirt would be ideal. I had brought a respectable pair of trousers and a decent dress shirt with me so I felt I was good to go. It was obvious that Areeya was excited to be seeing her father but I couldn't fathom Alex’s mood. It was nothing I could put my finger on but she seemed to regard it with less enthusiasm than Areeya. Both of them had to get ready, and I knew that would take some time, so I had a quick shower and a shave, grabbed a beer and retreated to the balcony to watch the sunset and to listen to some Miles Davis.

Alex was the first to emerge onto the balcony. She had put her hair up in a formal style and wore a beautifully tailored linen sleeveless little black dress, with a simple string of pearls around her neck. Some expensive looking heels finished off the outfit. She looked so beautiful standing there in the fading light of the afternoon.

She saw me staring, "What?"

"You look stunning," I said, and for the first time I could think of, she blushed.

"Yes," she said, "I scrub up quite well, I guess. But this girl needs a drink. Can you be a love and get me a gin and tonic?" She still seemed a little ill at ease, and again I wondered why.

"One G&T coming right up."

As I came back out with the drink for Alex, Areeya appeared on the balcony. She literally stopped in my tracks when I saw her. She was wearing what I can only describe as a combination of traditional Thai dress and western haute couture. It was tailored to show off her wonderful figure yet also appeared demure at the same time. It had a long skirt with a sleeveless top, made of rich blue silk with red and gold accents and she wore gold jewellery on her wrist and around her neck.

Alex grinned, "OK James, you can close your mouth now and give me my drink, please."

I jumped as I realised I had been staring, "Sorry, but you both look ravishing tonight.'

"Nice save," said Alex. Areeya laughed and asked for a juice so I dashed off to the kitchen to get one.

Areeya used her mobile to call the restaurant staff who arrived with an ice bucket and a bottle of Champagne nestling in it, as well as a three quarters full bottle of whisky which I assumed was Kritsada's private stash of GlenDronach. One of the waitresses for the restaurant remained on the balcony to serve the drinks later on.

I felt distinctly underdressed compared to the girls, but they said what I was wearing was fine. Areeya's phone rang, "I guess that's him," and walked slowly down the stairs to collect her father. I saw Alex breathe out as if trying to release some tension and smoothed her hands down her dress in a nervous gesture. I couldn't work out why she was acting like this.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she snapped and then said, "Sorry, sorry, I'm always a little tense before I see him. He underwrites our loan for this place so it's important that I keep him happy."

"Oh, OK, this is him, I think," as I heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

I had no idea of what I expected Kritsada to be like, but as he jumped up the stairs in front of Areeya, I could see that he was different from her. She was graceful and elegant and he was more like a ball of energy that radiated outwards to affect everyone. The comparison with Areeya was marked and I can only presume she took after her mother. He was tall for a Thai, his hair cropped short and from his bearing it was obvious that he had been in the military.

You could see he was used to being the centre of attention and this occasion was no exception. He strode across the balcony to me and shook my hand in one of those handshakes using both hands that always make me think someone is trying a bit too hard to impress

Areeya arrived at his side, "Father, may I introduce Khun James, and James, this is my father, Khun Kritsada."

He was pumping my hand vigorously and looking me straight in the eye. It sounds silly but there was definitely alpha male posturing going on here. I kept the eye contact, placed my hand over his and smiled.

" Sawasdee Khun Kritsada, it is an honour to meet the esteemed father of my friend."

He seemed happy that his little challenge had been met, and he smiled even more broadly. He clapped me on the shoulder, "James, please, it's Kritsada and I am delighted to meet you." His English was clear and precise as you would expect from an officer.

We all jumped a little as the waitress popped the Champagne cork and prepared to pour some into tall Champagne glasses.

"James, I understand from my daughter that you too are a whisky drinker, no?"

"Yes, that's true it is a weakness of mine, I'm afraid."

He laughed, "Never let it be said that drinking whisky is a weakness, my friend. It shows true character in a man. Let's leave the froth to the girls and have a proper drink."

Areeya nodded to the waitress who delivered two glasses of Champagne to the girls and then started to pour the whisky.

"Make sure, they are proper measures too. I have a brought a fresh bottle with me so we won't run out." He was used to command and was not shy about doing so.

He turned to Alex, "Alex, I am so sorry, I haven't said hello to you yet." He moved across to embrace her and I swear I saw an almost imperceptible flinch as he put his arms around her.

"That's OK, Kritsada. I am always delighted to see you, are you well?"

"Oh, yes, Alex, most definitely well, thank you. Now let's get this whisky, shall we?"

The waitress brought across a silver server with two large measures of whisky. Kritsada took both and handing one to me, sniffed his glass and sighed with pleasure.

"Ah, I can smell the peat that was in the water they used to make this. Heaven. Tell me what you think, James. Or do you want some ice or water or soda?" The waitress was hovering.

"Thank you, Kritsada, I take it neat I'm afraid."

He smiled ever more broadly and almost bellowed "Excellent, me too." He turned to the girls, "I like this fellow more and more."

I held the glass up to the light and it was beautifully clear and bright. I brought the glass to my nose and there was a lovely nutty scent in the aroma, light but with infinite depth. I took a sip and the first taste was as if I was sitting in a pub in the Highlands, with a wood fire roaring in the corner and a howling gale outside. The second taste made me think the flavour of wood smoke from a fire burning somewhere in the far distance.

Kritsada said, "well, what do you think?"

I turned to him, "Sir, this is the best whisky I have ever tasted. I envy the Angels their share of this."

Kritsada beamed as it’s always nice to be praised for your good taste.

"Well said, James, well said. It’s a 24-year-old GlenDornach Grandeur, aged in sherry casks. I love it."

We each took another sip, and it tasted even better than the first.

"Good, good," he was all smiles. "Now, girls let us drink a toast to our James, who was so brave in what he did on the Cockatoo." He raised his glass and the girls followed suit. "To James, thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving the life of my treasured daughter and Alex. I will always be in your debt."

He drank from his glass and the two girls followed. I felt I had to say something.

"Kritsada, I do appreciate your sentiment and I was glad to be a play a part in what happened but I don’t think it’s right to say that I saved their lives."

Kritsada laughed, "It’s true what they say about Englishmen, they are brave and modest."

I am sure that nobody says that about Englishmen, but I had to say what I felt.

"Kritsada, please forgive me for saying this but I don’t think I was brave, I was frightened for us all and it seemed there was only one thing I could do. It could have all gone horribly wrong. Alex and your daughter may have died because of what I did. Alex played as much a part as me by distracting the pirate and then firing the rifle to scare away the pirate boat, and if it had not been for you alerting the coastguard so quickly, it might not have worked out all." I ran out of steam but I had said what I had been thinking ever since the boat trip.

"Young man, I hope you don’t mind me calling you that, but I do have the edge on you in age and experience. You are right, everything may have gone horribly wrong as you said. But it did not, and, therefore, we are spared the concerns of what might have been. Many lesser men than you would have rolled the dice and decided that the odds would be better for themselves by doing nothing. You, on the other hand, decided to stake everything on action. You risked your life to protect that of my daughter and Alex. You did not think for your own safety, but only theirs. If you had not thought more of them than yourself, then you would have risked nothing and done nothing.”

He paused and took another sip of the whisky.

“The ability to think clearly and then act under extreme pressure is a talent that few men are privileged to have. I have been in the army and in my fair share of action, so I know what I’m talking about. I sense you may feel guilty for having taken such a risk and then thinking what might have happened if your action had not been successful. Let us imagine that the worst had happened and your attack failed, it would have not made you any less brave or any more responsible for what might have happened in any way whatsoever. As a direct result of the course of action you took, the worst was averted, and you all survived. What you did, James, was bravery of the highest calibre. You almost lost your life to preserve others. It was your courage that set in train what happened. Yes, I in a small way, and Alex here in a much bigger way played our parts, but it was your actions that made it possible. That’s why you must forget any doubts you have and I am grateful for what you did. I salute you, James."

Kritsada stood and raised his glass, Alex and Areeya both now in tears stood as well "To James."

"Sir, I thank you for those kind words. I will also be eternally grateful that we all came through it." His words had hit home with me and they had lifted a heavy weight from me.

"James, if there is ever any way I may be of service to you, please do not hesitate to ask."

He turned to Alex, "My dear Alex, I am afraid that I am going to have to drag you away from your friends and splendid business here for a few days. It seems that we have a few small, shall we say, issues, in Bangkok that require your specialist knowledge. I assure you it won’t take up more than, say, three days of your time. It does mean, however, that you will have to accompany me to Bangkok tomorrow on our plane and, of course, we will fly you back the same way, when our business is completed." Kritsada was smiling as he said this, but his voice let us know that there would be no argument about what should happen,

Alex looked down at the table and then looked anywhere else but at me, "Of course, Kritsada, I am always happy to help with your business issues.”

We sat and chatted on the balcony for a while longer. Kritsada was a good storyteller, and he had us roaring with laughter with stories of Areeya as a small girl. She apparently had been a little princess growing up, and it was obvious that he still doted on her. It was understandable that he would be different with Alex, but even with all the laughter I was sensing that there was an underlying tension in the relationship. It struck me quite suddenly that there may have something personal between them in the past, strange as that might seem but who knows what might have happened in Alex's days in Bangkok.

We eventually moved down to the restaurant where the dinner was even better, if that were possible, than on the first night I ate there with Alex. Here she was in her element as a hostess and it was clear this was her domain. She had real talent in running the restaurant. Every dish that arrived on our table was beautifully cooked and presented and the meal passed enjoyably. Kritsada poured the last of the whisky into my glass.

“I’m sorry, Kritsada for drinking all your GlenDronach.”

He laughed, “James, it was a fitting occasion for two people who enjoyed it so much to send it on its way.” He roared with laughter again. “Besides, I have brought another bottle with me. Now, please excuse me, I am an old man and it’s late and I need to be up early tomorrow. Alex, I will see you at the airport tomorrow morning.’”

Alex nodded, “I won't forget, Kritsada.”

Kritsada shook my hand. “It has been my pleasure to meet you, James. Thank you again for what you did that night. When you are next in Bangkok, let’s renew our acquaintance over some more whisky. I apologise for whisking Alex away, but she will be back here soon. Areeya, will you ride me with me to the hotel? We have family business to discuss.”

After they left, Alex and I sat for a while on the balcony, her head resting on my shoulder, a nightcap whisky for me and glass of wine for her. We watched the night sky for a while in silence, then I asked her why she seemed so on edge with Kritsada.

"Did it show?".

"Not to him, I think, but it seemed to me you were a little wary.'

Alex was silent for a while and then said, "He’s a powerful man, James. He can be extraordinarily charming as he was tonight but, between you and me, there is a hard street thug beneath the sophistication. You would not want to cross him. If you make an agreement with him you need to make sure you understand every tiny aspect of it because he will make you stick to it. He will do the same in return but he demands his pound of flesh for sure."

"Is that why you have to go to Bangkok with him?"

I felt her stiffen slightly, "Yes, he has some trouble with the clubs and bars from time to time and he uses me as his troubleshooter. It is part of the agreement we have for him to underwrite the loan for this place.”

It sounded reasonable to me, so why didn’t I quite believe it?

"Anyway," she said, standing up and pulling me to my feet, "we have to get to bed because I have to fly to Bangkok tomorrow and deliver my pound of flesh."

She kept hold of my hand and pulled me across to the bed. She dimmed the lights and told me to lie on the bed. She hitched up her dress and straddled my waist. Unbuttoning my shirt she leant forward to my nipples and as I put my hands out to touch her she said sharply, "No touching, either me or yourself until I give you permission, is that clear?"

I was surprised by this, and I have to confess I felt a little frisson of excitement as she spoke. I nodded, but she wasn’t happy with that.

"Is it clear, I asked. Tell me."

"Oh, yes, it’s clear, I understand."

"That’s better, and tonight my pet, I want you to call me Miss Alex, is that clear?"

"Er, OK, I mean, yes."

"Yes, what?" she said and grabbed my nipple and twisted.

"Oww, I squealed, "Yes, Miss Alex."

"That’s better, my little pet," she said. "Now, do you trust me James?"

I looked at her a little nervously, "Yes, yes I trust you."

"Oww, " that was a tweak on the other nipple. The penny finally dropped, "Oh, yes, Miss Alex."

"That’s right, my pet."

She leant over to the bedside table, opened the drawer and pulled out something which she kept hidden behind her back. "Don’t move," she ordered, slid off the bed and moved out of my sight. I felt her grab my wrists, pull them together and then a sudden click and I realised with a shock that she had handcuffed me. My wrists were now held together above my head as I lay on the bed. She must have fixed the cuffs to something because however hard I tried I could not pull my hands down. I tugged and tugged but they wouldn't move.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, unlock these things."

Alex came back into my field of vision and she had taken her dress off, because she was now wearing a black bra, knickers and stockings attached to a suspender belt. I could hear the click clack of her heels on the bedroom floor. For the umpteenth time since I met Alex my mouth fell open as I stared at her and with its usual mind of its own, my cock started to respond.

"Come on, let me out of these things," I pleaded with her.

In response she leaned across and gave me another nipple tweak.

"You won't get anything unless you speak to me properly."

"OK, OK, Miss Alex will you let me out of these things?"

"Not until I’m good and ready."

She moved to the bottom of the bed quickly undid the belt and pulled down my trousers and left them down by my ankles. I was now completely immobile. The cuffs held my hands and ludicrously my trousers kept my ankles together.

She slipped off her heels and sat on the end of the bed facing me. She stretched out her legs until her feet were level with my cock. I barely see what she was doing as I could only raise my head so far off the bed. I twitched as I felt something touch my cock and I suddenly realised she had it held between her stockinged feet. She was sliding her feet up and down with my cock trapped in between them.

The feeling of the nylon stocking moving against my skin was like nothing I had felt before. I could only lie back and groan with the sheer erotic charge of it. After a few minutes of this exquisite stroking she slid off the bed and moved up to the bedside table. She took something out and I felt my head being lifted and then total darkness. She had pulled a blindfold over my face and now I was blind as well as tied up. I could her moving about on the floor and I tried to shift the blindfold but I couldn’t do anything about it.

I felt something brush my nipples, and I jumped, "Alex, cut it out, this isn’t funny."

She didn’t reply but now I felt something brush my cock and jumped again. This time though, my damned cock decided to betray me and started to get hard. Whatever it was felt soft and was made of strands of some kind of material. She continued to brush around my cock with it which of course responded and grew even harder.

"I see you do like that," said Alex.

My traitor of a cock did seem to like it and was now fully erect. I felt Alex’s hair brush my tummy, and she gently blew across the tip of my cock. It jumped, then I felt her take the head into her mouth to lick and suck around the head. Not being able to move this was something akin to exquisite torture as she flicked the head repeatedly with her tongue.

She let it drop from her lips and then there was a sharp sting across my belly.

"Oww, what was that for?" I squeaked.

"That’s no way to address me, is it?" She said sharply and there was another sting across my nipples this time.

"What?" I got another sting across my now tender nipples.

“Oh, I mean, no, Miss Alex."

It must have been some kind of whip and she now gave me a slap across my cock.

"Oww that hurt," I squealed. My traitorous cock though decided otherwise and now stood straight up.

"That hurt, Miss Alex, if you please. And if you’re wondering what this is, my pet, it’s a leather tasselled whip, one made especially for me with a unique handle."

I felt something pushing at my lips and I opened up in surprise and the thing slid into my mouth. It was cold and smelt of rubber but I suddenly recognised the shape of a cock. I gagged and Alex withdrew it a little before sliding it in and out of my mouth.

It tasted horrible and I felt sick.

"Murrrghh," was what I heard coming from my mouth and Alex pulled it out, "it’s OK but I’m sure it’s not as much fun as the real thing, my pet."

She had climbed on the bed to sit on my chest and then I jumped as the rubber phallus was replaced with her erect cock.

"Now that’s much better, isn’t it?" as she eased her cock in an out of my mouth. It was true the contrast between the hard, cold rubber and a real cock was a revelation. A real cock is warm and soft yet with hardness beneath the skin. I started to suck and use my tongue and was rewarded as Alex’s cock twitched and there was a moan from her. I felt Alex change her position once more, and as her mouth slid over my cock I felt her cock brush past my lips.

I took it into my mouth and we licked and sucked each other. I had almost forgotten about the cuffs but to be honest not being able to move and in the dark heightened my senses to an incredible degree. I felt the veins pulsing in her cock and every small movement was intensified in the darkness of the blindfold. I tried to match her moves with my cock on her own and every time she did something I tried to follow.

She let her lips slide over my cock one more time and then moved away again her cock plopped out of my mouth.

Alex whispered close to my ear, "Do you trust me, James?"

I nodded, unable to speak.

"Remember that, "she said and moved down to the bottom of the bed.

I felt her raise my ankles and pulled my trousers down and over my feet. She moved up the bed once more taking the head of my cock into her mouth. I was now desperate for some release.

My cock popped out of her mouth and she sat up on the bed. She pushed my legs apart, something cold was smeared over my hole and then suddenly her finger slipped inside. I squirmed but didn’t protest as she moved first one finger and then another around inside me.

She said, "Remember, trust me."

She moved her fingers out and then I felt something much harder at the entrance. I flinched as I realised what this was. Alex tried to push the dildo that she had used on my mouth into me and I instinctively resisted. "Relax, my pet," she cooed and pushed a little harder. I felt it begin to slide in and suddenly, with a searing pain it was past my ring and inside me. Alex moved it gently to and fro and the pain of it entering me slowly eased. She moved faster and then a bit deeper and I squirmed as it filled me up.

"Relax, relax," she said, which was easier said than done.

I felt it pop out of me and there was a sudden sensation of emptiness as it slid out. Immediately it came out I felt her move closer and she pushed my legs into the air and onto her shoulders. I guessed what was coming next and my whole body tensed.

"Just relax, baby, it's going to be OK." I heard her say and then her cock was pushing at my hole.

Oh my God, I thought, this is it. If I did this, then nothing else would ever be the same. There would be no turning back, no, it was only a joke.

"Push down, baby, push down," she said and then she pushed her cock forwards into my hole, and I pushed down.

This hurt more than the dildo as she pushed it but it felt a lot bigger. I heard her grunt and then she was in. It felt so much better than the dildo. It was warm and alive and slid much more smoothly. Alex slowly moved her hips and the pain gradually eased as she moved in and out.

She reached up and flipped off the blindfold and I looked down to see her smiling at me as she pushed forwards into me.

It only struck me at that moment.

I was being fucked.

Chapter 10

We woke early as Alex had to be at the airport to catch the flight with Kritsada at 7am. He was picking Alex up from the flat in his car as he headed off to the airport. I was going to the airport later as I had to collect Samantha from her flight for our planning meeting. Lying in bed and watching Alex got ready to leave, I didn’t think I could ever tire of watching her . She had a bag already packed so when the car arrived, she sat on the side of the bed and kissed me

"If you can’t be good, be careful," she said. I smiled as I remembered the guy who last told me that. It seemed like half a lifetime ago.

"Why are you smiling?" she asked.

"Nothing, someone said the same thing a while ago, and I ended up ignoring it completely."

"Don’t ignore it this time," she pouted, hit me on the arm, kissed me one more time and disappeared out of the door.

I have to admit I was sore from last night. Whatever they tell you, anal sex hurts the first time. Now, my backside and my wound were both aching. I got up and gingerly made my way to the shower.

It’s true, love hurts.

I stood under the hot water for a long time to revive me. Feeling somewhat better, I made breakfast and texted Areeya asking to find out where she was.

She was down at the boat again, supervising the last of the repairs and would take Cockatoo 3 out for a short shake down trip. Did I want to come with her? I reminded her I had to meet my colleague from Bangkok today but would Areeya be free to join us for dinner tonight? She would love to, so I booked a table downstairs.

It was time to head out to collect Samantha so I slung my laptop case over my shoulder, winced as I had forgotten about my side and braced myself for the taxi ride to the airport.

Samui's one runway airport is small and pretty with the arrivals and departures in typical Thai style buildings and open to the air on all sides. It's a far cry from the usual chrome and glass airports and a perfect way to begin or end a visit to Samui. The flight from Bangkok landed before 10am and so there I was, holding a hand written sign with Samantha's name.

The plane pulled onto the apron and the passengers piled into the little golf cart affairs that ferry the passengers from the plane to the terminal. As they all came through, I realised I wouldn't have much trouble spotting her amongst the returning locals and the shorts and flip flop wearing tourists. Sure enough there was only one potential candidate I could see.

Samantha was wearing a white dress with a red, single buttoned jacket, and carrying a laptop case and a handbag. She was slender and pretty in that English rose, girl next door kind of way. I regretted that I just had thrown on my jeans and the Koh Samui Blue t-shirt. I guess I had slipped into the island way of life too easily. She saw the sign and walked over having picked up her small bag.

"Hi Samantha, I'm James. Pleased to meet you."

"Hi James, likewise. By the way, it's Sam. Only my mum calls me Samantha these days when she’s annoyed with me."

"OK, Sam it is, welcome to Samui."

We piled into a taxi for the usual white knuckle ride to her hotel. I had decided that we would have our meeting there and had pre-booked a small conference room. As we swerved between cars and overloaded trucks and the ubiquitous small motor bikes carrying entire families, we had a chance to catch up.

"How are you doing?" She asked straight off. "You went through quite an adventure."

"I'm good, thanks, Sam. The doctors say another week and I'll be good to return."

"You shouldn't rush back too early, you know. Make sure you are fully recovered."

I smiled to myself as it sounded like Sam was keen for me to stay away for a while. I discovered she was a year younger than me and had joined the company recently.

“What's your background, Sam?”

“I did my degree at Exeter and then I did a gap year travelling over her in Asia. I was familiar with the area so I think it helped them decide to send me when you got, you know.”

“It's OK, Sam. I don't mind talking about it.”

She went red, “Sorry, I didn't know what to say.”

“No problem, Sam. Do you a family?”

“No-one that would keep from coming out here straight way, Something else that was in my favour.”

"I'm glad to have this opportunity to show what I can do." She must have remembered who she was talking to as her eyes widened and she put her hand up to her mouth, "Oh, I'm sorry, James, that must have sounded awful after what you went through and everything." Her face went a lovely shade of pink.

I laughed, "Don't worry, I would have felt exactly the same."

She was clearly ambitious but also charming. I liked her straight away.

Sam checked into her room and I waited in the lobby for her to unpack and return for our meeting. She came back having changed into a pair of shorts and a loose cotton blouse through which I could see a lacy bra. From a Duty Free bag she pulled out a bottle of whisky.

“I heard you liked good whisky. Just a little present to cheer you up.”

It was a bottle of Lagavulin 16 Year Old Islay whisky.

“Very nice, Sam. That's kind of you, but you didn't need to.”

I liked her even more.

Right from the start Sam seemed capable and had picked up the project and was obviously on top of things. Of course, I thought to myself, the project plan was pretty good in the first place, but she had a good grip of what was happening. However, as was to be expected, fresh issues had come up during the time I had been away, and we got stuck into those. It was good to work with someone as capable as Sam and we made quick progress on problem solving and coming up with some workable solutions.

We broke for lunch and then worked on, but by 4 pm, I felt myself flagging.

“Sam, can we call it a day? I’m a bit bushed. Can we resume tomorrow?”

She assumed, I think, I was tired from the injury, but in reality I was suffering from the effects of my sessions the previous day and night.

“Sure, no problem, James.”

“If it's OK with you, I've booked a table in Lamai at Koh Samui Blue tonight. I’ve also invited a friend of mine if that's alright?”

“No, that's great, James. The company is paying, so why not? Where are you staying now?”

“With the friends I was on the boat with.”

She tapped her forehead, “That's where I recognise Koh Samui Blue from. It was mentioned on the news reports.”

To be honest, the bar and restaurant had seen a sizeable increase in business after the incident, so I guess maybe there is no such thing as bad publicity after all.

We agreed to meet at 8 o’clock and I headed off back to the flat. I took the chance of a quick sleep and then went for a walk to stretch my legs. I went up to Cockatoo, but Pao wasn’t there so I said hello to the girls there, had a beer and headed back.

Areeya turned up at 7, happy with the repairs. She felt the old fuel supplier must have been selling bad fuel for a while, as the boat’s performance, now the engines had been cleaned and with good clean fuel, was so much better.

She showered and got herself ready. I was treated to a wonderful show as she moved around the flat naked as the day she was born. Frankly, I could have watched her all night. Precisely at 8, the bar rang to say Samantha had arrived, and I popped down to collect her. She had changed into a white linen dress with a lace vee shaped panel around the neck that gave occasional glimpses of her breasts. It didn’t look as if she was wearing a bra either. Out of her business attire, she looked even more attractive.

"Hi Sam, glad you made it, let's have a drink upstairs and then we’ll come back down to the restaurant."

"Upstairs?" she looked puzzled.

"Yes, this is where I’m staying."

"Oh," realisation dawning on her, "Oh, I get it now.'

I took her out of the bar and up the stairs to the balcony where Areeya was waiting. She had changed into a dark blue strapless mini dress that clung to her figure. Areeya said "Sawasdee ka," and made a wai to Samantha. Sam responded in kind and they smiled at each other. Now, I may be male and, therefore, considered not in any way sensitive to such things but I immediately felt that there was a spark between these two. As I introduced them to each other, they shook hands, and it seemed to me they held the shake a little longer than absolutely necessary.

Sam asked for a white wine spritzer and Areeya a vodka martini. Sam said, "Oh, can I change my mind? A martini sounds like a great idea." I went through to the kitchen to make the drinks and when I came back, they were both deep in conversation on the sofas.

Sam said, "Areeya was telling me about the business here. It seems to be a nice setup."

Areeya smiled and talked a little more about Koh Samui Blue and then she mentioned Cockatoo 2.

Sam’s eyes widened as she realised exactly what kind of bar it was. "Oh my, I have heard about ladyboy bars, but I’ve never been in one."

Areeya said, "I have to go there after dinner to check up on it, so I would be delighted to go down with you." Now, I don’t if that was a deliberate double entendre or not, but I spluttered on my Scotch and thumped my chest, "Sorry, whisky went down the wrong way."

Sam smiled she would love to, it sounded fascinating. Watching the two of them I could see the little glancing smiles they gave each other and the slight brush of fingertips on each other’s arm as they talked and laughed. The way their bodies opened up to each other as they chatted and how their leant their heads together as they shared a joke. I felt like a third wheel on a bicycle. Interesting, I thought, maybe someone will get lucky tonight, and I didn’t mean me.

We moved down to the restaurant and went to town on the food and drinks. It’s miraculous how an expense account changes your dining habits. The food as usual was superb, and the time passed quickly. Sam was funny about her gap year travels in Asia with one of her girlfriends and Areeya was equally funny about running Cockatoo 2. Areeya said she ran the bars and Alex, the restaurant.

Sam said, "Alex? Wasn’t she the other girl on the boat with you?"

"Yes, that’s right, she’s in Bangkok on business at the moment."

"And you all live here?" Sam asked.

"Yes, Areeya and Alex have been kind enough to let me stay here while I recuperate."

"Oh," Sam continued innocently, "Only I thought Areeya told me earlier there are two bedrooms in the flat."

It was Areeya’s turn to splutter on her drink and tried to signal me with her hands.

"Yes, well," I was babbling now, "well, I guess the truth is Alex and I are in a relationship, and so two bedrooms are enough."

Areeya sighed, smiled broadly, "I had told Sam that I was staying on the boat while you recuperated."

I looked at each of them and then burst out laughing, "Well played, Sam. You stitched me up there beautifully."

Both girls roared with laughter and we toasted to love and whatever.

Sam was silent for a moment and then said, "Wasn’t there a hint of mystery about Alex?"

"Mystery? Why?"

"Well, when the story broke in the UK, I had a call from a journalist trying to track down your and Alex’s backgrounds. It was that he couldn’t seem to find any trace of a female student called Alex. It seemed there was only.a male student called Alex in that year."

This wasn’t good news, and I needed to change the subject. "Bloody press," I said. "They can’t get anything right. I wish they would leave it all alone. I’m sorry, but if you don’t mind, I am feeling a bit tired. I’ll leave you two to it. Sam, shall we say 10 tomorrow at your hotel?"

Sam said, "Yes, that’s fine, See you then and I hope you feel rested."

Areeya said, "I’ll make sure Sam is looked after tonight, so good night James." I saw the glance Areeya gave Sam when she spoke and I knew the inference was deliberate this time, and so did Sam.

As I left I heard Sam say, "So, Areeya, are you going to show me your Cockatoo?"

I was tired and after a final nightcap on the balcony I took myself off to bed. It didn’t take long for me to drift off into a sound sleep. It was sometime later that I woke and felt the need to go to the toilet. I had forgotten to close the blinds but there was enough moonlight tonight for me not to bother with the lights. I yawned and made my way to the toilet and relieved myself. It was on the way back I heard laughter coming from Areeya’s room. I could make out Areeya’s laugh and also a separate deeper chuckle. I could see a thin strip of light where the door to Areeya’s room hadn’t been closed properly.

The laughter came again, and I grinned as I realised it was Areeya and Sam. Go girls, I thought. I was about to go back to bed when that malicious little imp in my mind said, ‘Go on, have a quick look, it won’t do any harm. I tried to shake it off, but now the thought was in my mind and it wouldn’t go away. Tiptoeing up to the door I could see there was a small gap between the door and the frame, but I was about to turn around when the laughter turned to moaning. That got me and I nervously peeked through the gap. The lights in the room were dimmed, but there was enough to see what was going on.

Areeya was on her back on the bed with her head on some pillows, and Sam was sitting on her face. Sam had her hands out on the wall to brace herself as Areeya was using her tongue to lick Sam’s pussy.

I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I could not drag my eyes away from what was happening in front of me. Sam was driving her pussy onto Areeya's face and moaning and throwing her head back. Her breasts were larger than I had thought and the nipples were huge even in this light. I could see Areeya was now using her hands as well as her tongue on Sam's pussy and my ever misbehaving cock started to react as I spied on the two girls.

Sam climbed off and lay down on Areeya kiss and lick her nipples. I saw Sam use her teeth on Areeya’s right nipple to pull and stretch it, whilst with her left hand she pinched the other nipple and Areeya arched her back and moaned in pleasure. This went on for a while and Areeya was getting more and more aroused. Sam moved around into a 69 with Sam on top and I could see Areeya's hands pulling Sam's pussy onto her face. Both girls were going hard at each other and the sweat was glistening on their bodies in the dim light.

Sam stopped, turned round and said something to Areeya. They rearranged themselves on the bed, scissored their legs and Sam ground her pussy against Areeya’s thigh. Sam was now humping Areeya, and she was getting more and more aroused as this went on.

Areeya stopped and got off the bed. She moved out of my sight but I could still see Sam lying on the bed rubbing her pussy with her fingers. Areeya was still out of my sight when Sam looked up at her and a big smile spread across her face. At that moment Areeya came back into sight and I could see she was wearing an enormous strap on cock. She stood in front of Sam who licked her lips before kissing and licking the tip. Areeya looked down, flexed her hips and pushed the cock right into Sam's mouth.

Areeya pulled out of Sam’s mouth and moved up onto the bed. Sam rolled over and went down on her hands and knees. Areeya moved up behind Sam and teased her pussy first with her tongue and then with her fingers. Sam was moaning as slid the straon up and down her slit, but Sam was already moving her hips backwards, seemingly desperate now to have the cock inside her.

Finally, Areeya lined up and slipped the tip of the cock into Sam's waiting pussy. She teased Sam some more, easing it in and then drawing back out. She did this a few times and then drove the cock hard into Sam who shrieked loudly this time. Areeya threw a nervous glance towards the door and I stepped back to avoid being seen.

I don’t think she had noticed anything, and I edged forward again to the door. Areeya was now fucking Sam hard who was and pushing back hard on the cock every time Areeya thrust forward. Sam was writhing and moaning now and I thought she wasn't going to last long, but Areeya withdrew and pushed Sam onto her side, hooking Sam’s right leg up in the air. Areeya lay down and slid the cock into Sam from the side. Fucking and kissing her at the same time. Sam was rubbing her clit with her fingers and it was clear she was on the edge of coming, Areeya increased the rhythm even more until Sam tensed, arched her back and groaned as her orgasm shook her body.

It was at this precise moment that Areeya looked up, stared straight into my eyes and winked.

Chapter 11

I staggered back in shock. Areeya must have seen me when she glanced at the door. Either that or she was a witch. I banged my knee as I stumbled backwards and it was a miracle I didn’t scream.

I made it back to bed and slept fitfully for the rest of the night. In one dream I was running down the strip in Lamai with Areeya chasing me wearing a huge strap on. You didn’t need to be Sigmund Freud to understand what that was about.

Areeya’s door was firmly closed when I woke and no sign of Sam. I hoped she had gone back to the hotel because otherwise it might be one of those difficult conversations over breakfast.

After grabbing a coffee I left to meet Sam at her hotel, and I arrived to find her in the lobby looking cool and fresh. Impressive, I thought, considering what I knew had gone on last night.

“What did you think of Cockatoo, Sam?”

She grinned, “I loved it, James. It was great fun and the girls were lovely to me. I met Pao and she couldn't stop talking about you. She seems very fond of you.”

Sam arched her eyebrows and looked innocently at me, and I blushed.

We ordered coffee and sat down in the meeting room but before we started Sam said, "Look James, it’s none of my business what you do with your private life. God knows I’m not in any position to lecture people on how they should live their lives, but here’s a heads up for you. Your friend Alex has been rumbled. When the press get hold of a story they don’t let go of it. I told you that a journalist from a local paper where you went to Uni spoke to me about you, and they mentioned Alex. I didn’t want to say in front of Areeya last night, but this guy also said they had found out the Alex over here was the Alex from your old university. They also know you shared a house together at Uni. I don't know how they found out, but he was convinced there was a funny story - his words not mine - in this.”

She paused but I didn’t say anything and she pressed on, "He said the story got spiked because a bigger story came up, a local councillor got caught banging a scoutmaster or something. He did say though that they would come back to it once they had more facts."

She stopped, and I still kept quiet.

"I am sorry, but I thought you should know. You are a decent guy and after what you went through, it’s not fair that some shit stirring journalist should be able to rake up dirt and turn a wonderful story into some sleazy little farce. I wasn’t going to say anything until I found out you and he, she I mean, are together.”

"Thanks for the heads up, Sam. I appreciate it, and at least forewarned is forearmed. Did you say anything to Areeya?"

"No, nothing, that’s not my place, and I definitely don’t understand the dynamic you guys have going on over here."

Me neither, I thought.

"Sam, can I ask you to keep this to yourself?"

"Sure," she said, "but I don’t know if anyone else at the firm knows. The journalist only called me because I was the one coming out here, and I’m going to keep schtum."

"Thanks, I owe you one."

"No you don’t, in a way you’ve already done me a big favour."

I decided to let that one float away.

We worked on until lunch and then decided that was as much as we could achieve for now.

Sam would have to go back to Bangkok and make the changes we had agreed, and then we would see what else needed to be done. She changed to an earlier flight and I went with her to the airport.

“Sam, thanks, I really enjoyed working with you. I think we made a good team.”

‘Me too, James, it was a pleasure, and thanks for dinner last night, I had a blast.”

“So you enjoyed yourself last night?”

She paused for a moment, looked as if she was going to say something, but then changed her mind. But her cheeks had gone a lovely shade of pink.

“I had a great time, and I enjoyed meeting Areeya. I’m planning to come back for a longer stay as a vacation. Areeya said she would take me out on the boat.”

Somehow I kept a straight face.

We cheek kissed goodbye and then she was off to her plane. I took a taxi back to the flat realising that I hadn’t heard from Alex since she left and I sent her a text asking how things were going in Bangkok. I was a loose end and as Areeya was out at Cockatoo, I thought I would wander down there have a drink or two, have something to eat at one of the better places Areeya had told me about, and come back for some time on the laptop.

Cockatoo was heaving when I got there, the bar girls were all busy and there was no sign of Pao. I saw Areeya for a few minutes but she seemed tied uo, so I sat on a bar stool with a cold Leo beer and watched the world go by.

It gave me some time to think about what Sam had said about Alex. I was angry that some little scumbag was out there trying to dig up scandal on Alex. She had deliberately set out to keep her new life private and to have that violated made me angry. But had Alex known it would all catch up with her one day. What was that tattoo she had on her ankle? ‘There is no secret that will not be revealed.’

I decided it wouldn’t do any good to tell her now but leave it until she returned from Bangkok.

If it did come out, how would it affect me? Alex was at least out here where there was a more tolerant attitude to gender and, I was sure, wouldn’t be a problem. It forced me think again about what I wanted to do, the project would only last at best another 4 or 5 months, and then what? Did I want to go back to England? Right now that was the last place I wanted to go. I had no ties there, and then there was Alex.

I was in love with Alex, of that I had little doubt. I had always thought of being in love as a form of madness; scrambling your senses and making you do wild things whilst letting you believe you are doing them of your free will. It twists reality out of shape and skews your judgement. I shoved all these thoughts to the back of my mind, I had plenty of time to decide.

I strolled along the strip, politely resisting the bar girls, restaurant hustlers and the massage parlour girls. Although I was tempted to have a massage, I decided to eat first. I had a quick meal, headed back to Cockatoo, which was still jumping, for another beer and then walked slowly home. I was about to walk up the flat when my phone beeped with a text from Alex.

’hope u wont be lonely tonite. left u gift on bed. tmb if u lyk it XOXO'

‘Thx will do’ I texted back.

I was intrigued but remembering her last present for me was a pair of Thai boxing shorts, I was expecting a joke of some kind. I went up the stairs to the flat ready to text something sarcastic back, walked through the door and stopped dead.

Lying on the bed and wearing only a huge smile and a large pink bow on her cock was Pao.

"Sawasdee ka Khun James. Miss Alex say I your present. I have to look after you tonight. Give you massage with happy ending."

I was so surprised that I burst out laughing and I saw Pao's face drop.

"You no like me, Mister James?"

"No, no, Pao, I like you a lot. You are lovely. I am not laughing at you. It's Miss Alex I am laughing at."

I sat down on the bed and Pao immediately put her arms around me. "I give you extra special massage tonight."

I laughed again, "Pao, OK, I Need to text Miss Alex and we can start." Pao went to pull my t-shirt off, but I stopped her for a minute to text Alex.

'lmao. Luv yr gift. bow sxci. thx. ilu.’

She must have been waiting, ‘ur v welcome. enjoy'

I put the phone on the bedside table and Pao got back to undressing me. She was behind me on the bed and pulled my t-shirt over my head. I felt her breasts pressing against my back as she ran her hands over my chest and tweaked my nipples which made my cock stiffen. She nibbled my ear, "I make you feel good tonight, Mister James." She jumped off the bed and undid my jeans.

I thought she was lovely, with a girlish face, slim body, beautiful breasts and a small but nice cock bobbing around in front of me. With my help she got my jeans down and the boxers went with them. Pao looked down at my cock which was now pointing straight up and giggled, "Miss Alex say you have nice cock, I like too."

God, was Alex even capable of being discreet? Probably not on the evidence so far.

Pao pulled me up and led me across to a massage mat which she had already rolled out on the floor. Pao spread a sheet over the mat and indicated I should lie face down. I had enjoyed several Thai massages when in Bangkok and they were wonderful. I never had the courage to go for an oil massage and the legendary happy ending, but I thought that was about to change tonight. Pao knelt beside me and I could hear her open a bottle and spread oil on her hands.

She kneeled with her legs astride my bum with her cock sliding in and out of my crack as she massaged my back in long slow movements. A good Thai massage is a gift from God and Pao was a skilful masseuse. Slowly and rhythmically she continued to massage me with her surprisingly strong hands. I was beginning to feel chilled as she continued to work on me with her magic fingers. I felt Pao move slightly, and I realised that there was something different about her massage, then I realised she was using her feet on my back; if anything that felt even better than her hands.

She leaned forwards to lie flat out on my back, her breasts pushing against my back and her cock rubbing up and down my crack. She moved rhythmically up and down my back and the oil made her slide increasing my excitement. Her nipples were hard, and I felt them slipping over my back and her cock was growing and sliding closer to my hole.

Her hands slipped up my thighs and into the crack of my bum. I felt her fingers rubbing on the area between my hole and my ball sack and my cock grew in response. “You like, James?”

I moaned and she giggled, “Not like first time in Cockatoo, Mister James.”

“I won’t run away this time, Pao.”

“Turn on your back, please.”

I rolled over only to find my cock now waving in the air; Pao giggled and gave it a quick kiss. Her lips felt heavenly on the tip but she changed position once more to massage my legs. Oh my God, this was so sensual, I wondered why I had waited so long to get one of these massages. She would move up to my groin and circle around my cock occasionally bumping into it and keeping me in a permanent state of arousal. She moved up to massage my chest and once again she would stroke down to my groin and brush it with her arm. This was torture and I wanted her to finish the job.

She sensed I was at boiling point. "You want happy finish now?"

"Oh God, yes, Pao."

She moved onto my cock, sliding her hands up and down its length. The touch of her hands and the oil felt like silk on my cock. She would bring me to the edge and then ease off to let me cool down again. She seemed to sense exactly the moment when I would be about to explode and then bring me back again.

"I can’t last much longer Pao."

"You want fuck me?"

"Yes, I want to fuck you now. Pao.'

She produced lube and smeared it on us both, lay down on her back, shoved a pillow under her bum and pulled her legs into the air with her arms, exposing her beautiful hole. The sight of her little pink rosebud opening up like this was so arousing I all but came on the spot. I stroked her with a finger around her opening and she moaned a little so I slid one finger inside and moved it in and out. She was jerking her hips back and moaning as I pushed my finger right into her.

I stroked her cock with my other hand and felt it grow and lengthen in my hand, a beautiful feeling. I pulled out my finger, moved up closer to her on my knees as she lifted her legs up onto my shoulders. Bringing the tip of my cock to her rosebud, I slid into her and pulled back before pushing in once more. Pao pushed back and her muscle opened enough to let me slide straight in. She moaned again, and I shoved harder and faster until I was in all the way, my balls slapping against her cheeks.

She was pushing hard back onto me, and I felt her tighten around my cock which was getting harder with every thrust. I reached out and nipped one of her nipples with my fingers and she squealed this time. I looked down to watch my cock sliding in and out of her, both of us grunting as her hips thumped into mine. She was using her hand on her cock which was now beautifully erect. I could see by her face she was close to coming, so I picked up my pace, driving my cock into her, making her buck and thrash as we fucked. She grunted once, her back arched up from the mat and she came in two or three spurts all over her belly, her cum mixing with the oil from the massage.

I was now desperate to come and felt that wonderful warmth growing in my groin and I jerked twice, pushed myself all the way into her and came deep inside. I felt spasm after spasm flood through me and I kept driving into her for a few more thrusts until, fully drained I collapsed on top of her. She grinned and kissed me on the lips, sweat mixed with oil making our lips slick and slippery.

I pulled out, rolled over and lay back panting after the exertion.

"You enjoy, Mister James?" asked Pao, in a worried voice.

"Oh yes, Pao, I enjoy much thank you.'

"You tell Miss Alex, I treat you well?"

I sat up and kissed her, "Yes, Pao. I will tell Miss Alex you are the best."

She beamed and stood up, "Come, we shower now."

This was the gift that kept on giving, for sure.

Pao and I showered, soaping each other clean; it was wonderful to have her wash my cock so gently and she giggled as I started to get hard once more, "Oh you ready again, Mister James?"

She moved close in front of me, her cock and mine now nestling alongside each other. She wrapped her hand around both cocks sliding up and down them. The sight and feeling of her cock up against mine was so erotic I was hard again in a heartbeat. Pao giggled again, "We go on bed this time?"

We dried each other and Pao led me by the hand back to the bed. I sat there watching her clear up the massage mat, thinking again how pretty she was.

My phone beeped. It was Alex. ‘did u enjoy gift?"’

‘no not nice at all’

She came back instantly, ‘liar look in corner of room and wave. I can c u.’

I spun round and there up on the wall near the ceiling was a small blinking red light. It was obviously a camera and I guessed she had been watching the whole thing.

‘pervert.’ I texted.

‘me? wat about u?’

‘LOL’ I texted back.

‘now take Pao to bed, I want 2 watch sum more.’

Finding my boxers I draped them over the lens.

My phone beeped again, ‘spoilsport’

I set the phone to silent and turned round to see Pao waiting for me on the bed.

As soon as I got to the bed Pao grabbed my hand and pulled me down next to her. She was giggling as we rolled around before she got on top of me and started to kiss and suck my nipples. This gets me going every time, so it wasn't long before my cock hardened again. Pao rolled over on her side and moved down so she could take me in her mouth. If there was ever to be a Nobel Prize for cocksucking then I would nominate Pao, the way she used her mouth on me was mind blowing. She used her tongue, lips, mouth, hands and even teeth to unbelievable effect. The sheer speed and energy with which she did this was getting me harder and harder.

She knew I was getting close, so she let me slip out of her mouth, "You want suck me?"

I nodded, and she scooted up the bed to place pillows under my head and then straddled my chest. Whilst I thought it was small earlier, now it was erect and pointing at me a few inches from my face, it looked plenty big enough. She cheek slapped me with it, then rolled it over my face before putting it to my lips. I kissed the tip which made Pao giggle, then sucked it into my mouth. It felt different from Alex's cock, smaller and with a different taste. Using the the flat of my tongue I licked the underside of the head and Pao responded with "I like."

I did this a few times and then sucked the whole head into my mouth and kept my tongue working on the underside. Pao’s cock was growing harder so I must have been doing something right. I put my hand on the bottom of her shaft and moved it up and down. She squirmed, then pushed her whole cock into my mouth. Her hands came down and held me in place as she moved her hips, forcing her cock in and out. I gagged and Pao withdrew and reversed her position on the bed into a 69. Her cock was above me and poking into my lips, so I opened my mouth and took her inside again.

Her warm mouth enveloped my cock, drawing me deep into her mouth and then out again. I tried my best, but I was a novice at this and I was being sucked by a ninja cocksucker. My climax was getting closer as that lovely feeling built inside my balls and then I shouted, "I'm coming, I'm coming." Pao rolled off me and lay on her back as I got to my knees and she used her hands to finish me and I spurted all over her breasts.

Using her tongue to clean up whatever cum was still oozing out of me, she grinned, "Miss Alex right, she say you taste good."

Was there nothing Alex wouldn't share?

Pao's cock was still erect, and I couldn't resist the temptation to reach down and stroke it. She moaned once or twice so I kept going and within a few strokes she twitched her hips, "I coming.”

Her cum arced from her cock and landed on her belly but some stuck to my fingers. Pao grabbed my fingers and licked and sucked the cum from them. She sank back on the bed, her smile as wide as her face. "Thank you, Mister James’'

"Pao, please call me James, I think we've been properly introduced now."

She looked puzzled at what I said, but got the gist of it, "OK, James.”

We both collapsed on the bed, but Pao wasn't finished yet and dragged me off to the shower to clean up for the second time that night. We could both fit under the overhead shower and it was bliss to stand under there with her, washing each other and giggling as we cleaned each other's cock and balls. Pulling her close I kissed her with the water pouring down over us and she surprised me by slipping a little soapy finger into my hole. I squirmed and she pulled out, "You no like?" she asked.

"Yes, I like it Pao, but I'm sore there so not tonight."

"Ah, OK, next time then, maybe?"

The prospect of a next time with Pao was something to dream about. We dried each other off, which involved more mutual fondling and giggling, and went back to the bed.

"You want me to go now?" Pao asked. "Miss Alex say OK to stay if you want."

"I would love you to stay, Pao."

She giggled again and gave me a kiss, then dragged me over to the bed and pulled me down.

"You want sleep now, James?"

"Yes, please, Pao."

We kissed and she cuddled up to my back, threw her arm across my hip and was asleep in seconds. I lay there for a while, listening to her gentle breathing and feeling the warmth of her body against mine, until I dozed off.

My ear being nuzzled and kissed from behind as I woke up. Mmm, that’s a nice way to wake up, I thought. I felt a hand slide over my waist to rub my cock. Even better, I thought. I remembered that Pao had stayed the night and rolled over to see Areeya’s face smiling back at me.

Chapter 12

If it were possible to jump two steps back when you're lying down, that's what I did.

"My God, where did you come from?" I looked around, “Where’s Pao?"

"I came in after you had gone to sleep and told Pao that I would take over from her. Is that a bad thing? I can call Pao to come back if you would prefer." Areeya had a big grin on her face. I rolled over to face her and grinned back, "Well, both of you together would be nice, but I couldn’t impose on Pao again."

"It would be no imposition for Pao, believe me. She has, how you say, the hots for you, James. Let’s save that for another time."

I smiled, kissed her on the lips and wrapped my arm around her and she snuggled up, her head lying on my shoulder. I stroked her hair and her fingers gently rubbed my chest and played with my nipples.

I asked her, "How did you get on with Sam?"

She turned and looked up at me, "Sam is great, I like her much," she giggled, "but I think you know that don’t you?"

"She likes you too, Areeya."

"Life is complicated, James. Or it’s simple and we make it complicated."

"True, Areeya, but sometimes we have no choice, it's what happens."

She looked up at me again, "James, what will you decide?" I knew what she was asking, and I had no good answer.

"I wish I knew, Areeya, I wish I knew."

"Choose wisely, James, much depends on your decision."

No pressure there then.

She took my hand and placed it between her legs and opened them and she was already wet. She laid one of her hands over mine, caressing her pussy with my hand. With the other hand she reached over and stroked my cock. We kissed and our bodies responded to the gentle touch of each other’s hands. Areeya removed her hand from mine and I continued to stroke her pussy. She shifted position, so I was on my side and she was on her back.

She raised her leg over mine which gave me access to her from the side. My cock was hard, even with her gentle stimulation, and I slid into her with ease. I moved slowly in and out and she turned her head to kiss me. I could also touch her breasts in this position and we made love slowly and blissfully.

Areeya began to breathe heavily and I thought she was getting close to her climax, so I thrust harder until without warning we came together, her orgasm shaking her body and mine flooding cum into her. Still connected to her I felt her orgasm as it came in waves, each one getting a little less intense than the last. I had stayed hard, moving in and out of her until I felt I had emptied myself.

We held each other for a long time, not speaking, kissing and caressing each other. I could have spent all day doing that, but Areeya had work to do in the restaurant as well as the bars, because of Alex’s absence in Bangkok. I had a hospital appointment later in the morning so I had to get moving too.

I headed off to the bathroom planning to have a shave and then a shower. I was shaving in front of the wash basin when the door opened and Areeya walked in wearing her robe. I was still naked but had long lost any embarrassment in front of Areeya. She asked if she could use the shower first and I said sure, go ahead. I watched in the mirror above the wash basin as she dropped the robe to the floor and walked into the shower. It seemed I was condemned to spy on Areeya in some form or another.

I could see her through the glass wall of the shower as she turned on the taps and stepped under the water. The sight of her with the water cascading down over her head and down her body was mesmerising. I tried hard to concentrate on shaving but my eyes were constantly being drawn back to the sight in the mirror. The water and the light made her dark skin glisten as she moved around under the shower.

She picked up a washcloth and shook some gel into her hands to wash herself. I almost dropped the razor as she worked her cloth up from her belly up and over her breasts. Her hands dropped down to her groin, and I nearly cut my nose off as she washed her pussy. She bent over to wash her bum and I almost passed out as I watched her. My cock was having a field day, and it was sticking out like a flagpole at the moment Areeya walked past. She pointed to it, "Please be careful, James, we don’t want to cut that off through not paying attention, do we?"

Areeya eventually disappeared downstairs, and I headed off to the hospital. The doctors were happy with my progress, the wound was healing well and I could at last leave the dressings off. They wanted me to come back once more to check, but it was good to get the all clear from them.

This, of course, meant that I was cleared to fly and there would be no more excuses about not heading back to Bangkok. Alex was due back tomorrow, and I had some big decisions to make. I needed time on my own to think so I headed up to the Hin Lad waterfall. It’s not the biggest waterfall in the world but it is at the end of a two kilometre hike so it’s not that crowded. The exercise did me good as did the fresh air, and I spent some time at the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, sitting and thinking with the sound of the falls as a backdrop. It was the perfect place to clear the mind and do some serious thinking. It’s a real shame that I left as confused as I had been when I arrived.

I ended up back at the flat in the early evening, did my emails and then headed out to Cockatoo for a drink and then something to eat. Alex was due back in the morning and I still didn’t know what I was going to say to her. Cockatoo was quiet when I arrived and the girls were out front en masse trying to entice some customers inside. Pao was there and came over and sat with me for a while. She giggled when I told her how surprised I was when I woke up and thought Areeya was her. I told her how much I had enjoyed last night and her face lit up.

I decided to head back to the restaurant for dinner as I was still on expenses. I didn’t relish eating by myself but Areeya was still busy running all the businesses whilst Alex was away. After a couple more beers I walked back and sat out on the deck eating and watching the sea in the darkness. I had finished dinner when, from behind, a pair of hands covered my eyes and I heard a voice whisper in my ear, "Hey big boy, you wanna go short time wit me?"

I whirled round and there was Alex, grinning from ear to ear. I jumped up and grabbed her for a big hug.

"I’m so glad to see you." I said, "but you’re not supposed to be here, I mean you’re not due till tomorrow."

"Oh well in that case, I’ll come back tomorrow." She turned as if to leave and I tugged her back, sat down and pulled her onto my lap. "Or I’ll stay then, shall I? Did you miss me?"

"Of course, I did."

"Mmm, from what I saw and heard last night you didn’t miss me so much."

"I should say right now thank you for my present, it was thoughtful."

"You’re welcome," she said. "I hear the swing shift did OK this morning too."

God, did these girls have to share everything?

She pouted, "Don’t I even get a kiss?"

"I can do better than that." I stood up with her arms still around my neck and I carried her across the restaurant and up the stairs. She was squealing and laughing in my arms all the way to the top of the stairs.

She said, "Someone’s feeling a lot better, I see," and kissed me hard on the lips.

I keyed in the number for the door without dropping her and walked across to the bed with Alex still locked to my lips. We fell onto the bed in a heap and we were kissing with our hands all over each other. Alex unzipped my jeans and dived onto my cock which was already hard . She moved so I could get my hands under her dress and pulled her knickers down. She rolled over on top of me so I could get her cock in my mouth. She was already hard and thrust her cock deep into my throat. Alex was pumping her head up and down on my cock so fast and deep I was as hard as a rock.

She pulled her cock out of my mouth and shouted," I want you in me, now."

She reached for the lube from the bedside table and got up to my knees and she smeared it over my cock and her hole. I undid my belt and dropped my jeans to my knees as Alex went down on her hands and knees in front of me and pulled her dress up over her hips. She reached back and pulled her cheeks apart to reveal her waiting rosebud. I grabbed the lube, smeared some on my fingers and teased her by rubbing my fingers over and around her hole. Her head had dropped to the pillow which thrust her bum even higher in the air. I circled her rosebud with my fingers and then slid one and then two fingers inside. Moving my fingers in and out made her growl in her throat and she yelled, "Fuck me now. I need your cock now."

Pulling out my fingers, I edged my rigid cock to her hole and rubbed it with the head of my cock. She twitched and implored me, "Now, for God’s sake, fuck me now you bastard."

I pushed at her and the head slipped in and then I pulled out before moving it back in again.

"You fucking bastard," she screamed, "Put it all in me now."

This time I drove my cock straight into her and she grunted as she felt the shaft penetrate her. She pushed back on me and I drove my cock deeper and deeper into her. She was moaning loudly now as I thrust myself in and felt my balls slapping against her backside. This was not like the gentle loving sex I had with Areeya this morning, this was raw, animalistic coupling driven by pure lust. I was fucking her as hard as I could and we were both grunting as we rutted on the bed.

Sweat was pouring from both of us and that made it seem even more feral. She reached back beneath her with a hand and squeezed my balls as I pumped into her. My cock felt enormous in her tight hole and it pushed me to pound her even harder. Her body was rocking as I thumped into her. I felt her tense and she gasped, "I’m coming."

Her cock twitched and her cum shot onto the bed. This made me push even harder into her and she responded by driving back into me. My climax exploded from my groin and into my cock and suddenly I was pumping my cum into her. I came and came, more than I could ever believe was possible. My legs gave way and we collapsed onto the bed with me still inside her.

Alex leant towards me, kissed me and whispered, "So, maybe you did miss me a teeny bit. I think you’ve been learning a few new tricks too, you rat."

I pulled out of her with a soft plop, and she grinned wickedly at me, "Tell me when you’re ready to go again, big boy."

Chapter 13

Alex jumped off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. I must have dropped off to sleep as I woke some time later, to find I was spooning up to Alex. She was having what sounded like a bad dream as she was almost shouting in an angry tone, "No, no more, I don’t want to do it anymore. Please don’t make me do it anymore, no more." I gently stroked her back, and she settled down, but then whimpered, "It’s not fair anymore, it’s not fair, you shouldn’t make me do it, everything is different."

I stroked her back again and wondered about waking her, but then she settled down again and seemed to slip back into a deep sleep once more. I wondered what had upset her so much, but who knows with dreams?

I must have dropped off again because it was morning when I awoke. Alex was propped up on one elbow looking at me. She was staring at me and I said, "What?"

"Nothing," she said, "except you are so beautiful when you are sleeping. I love watching you. You looked so calm and peaceful. You look as if you were in a happy place."

"Right here and now with you is my happy place."

She gently hit my arm, "You soppy old romantic," but I could see she was pleased.

"I see you’ve taken off the dressings." She said.

"Yes, the doctor was pleased with the progress and as long as I’m careful it should be OK." I replied, guessing what was coming next.

"Does that mean you’re cleared to fly?"

"Yes, it does.'

"What are you going to do?" she asked, as she twisted her lower lip between her teeth.

"Honestly, I don’t know, I have to go back to Bangkok. That’s for sure, but I don’t know when yet."

She turned away from me, put her hand up to her eyes, slid out of bed and walked over to the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

I got out of bed too, went to the toilet and when I came out, the bathroom door was still closed. I tapped on the door, "Alex, are you OK? Will you come out please?"

She eventually opened the door and I could see her eyes were red from crying. I reached out for her hand and held it without speaking. Was there some way I could signal to her how I felt about her.

I said something I never dreamt I would say, "Alex," I felt shy saying it, and looked away, "Would you please fuck me?"

She put a finger beneath my chin and moved my face up to make me look at her.

"Oh, baby, if that’s what you want, there is nothing more I want right now than to fuck you silly." She smiled sweetly at me, "Are you sure?"

I nodded, my heart beating like a piledriver. Alex took my face in her hands, pushed my head back and licked it with long upward strokes of her tongue like a cat. She nipped my earlobe between her teeth; an exquisite pain. Taking a nipple into her mouth, her tongue flicked it hard before using her teeth to stretch the nipple taut. She did the same with the other one before moving back up to my lips, biting one gently before kissing me, her tongue invading my mouth.

We kissed for a while, our tongues fencing and I was squeezing Alex's breasts as her hands were caressing my backside. She broke the kiss, grabbed hold of my hand and led me across to the bed. Alex kissed me again, this time dropping her hands to my cock. She took control, and I was happy to let her lead me. She pushed my head down onto her breasts, and her nipples came alive at the touch of my tongue, hardening into little points.

She took one of my hands and moved it to her cock, which was already growing. I wrapped my hand around the shaft and it grew harder under my touch, and my cock rose as blood pumped into it. I was breathing heavily now and made a sound deep in my throat as I became more and more aroused. Still kissing, Alex pushed me down flat on the bed and straddled my chest with her cock pointing straight at my face. I first kissed the soft purple tip then opened my lips and took it into my mouth using my tongue to lick and bathe around the head. Alex brought her hands down to the back of my head to ensure her cock stayed in my mouth.

Letting Alex take control of me was exciting; allowing her to lead me and make all the moves made everything much more arousing. It felt liberating for someone more dominant to be in charge.

She whispered, "Turn over, baby and get on your hands and knees, because I am going to fuck your brains out." Those words sent a shiver of excitement through me and although I knew what was coming this time, I wanted it so desperately.

I turned over and went down on my hands and knees, it felt kind of demeaning and exciting at the same time to be in that position, head down on the pillow and backside high in the air exposing myself. I felt Alex move up behind me and I jumped as I felt her tongue flick across my rosebud. She spread my cheeks apart, making me feel even more exposed and vulnerable. The feeling that swept through me as she continued to lick all around my hole was extraordinary. I had never known you could get so much pleasure from there. Her tongue forced its way past the muscle into my hole and I felt the blood pounding through my head and I felt dizzy with the sensations sweeping through me.

I felt her tongue disappear to be replaced by her fingers working lube into my hole. She pushed first one finger and then two inside me and I felt myself wince as she brought a third finger inside. Alex moved her fingers in and out and I felt both violated and aroused as she jabbed her fingers inside me. I felt myself as hard as a steel pipe now and she moved her other hand around to stroke my cock. The sensations of her fingers in my hole and on my cock at the same time blew me away. I didn’t know whether to push back on her fingers at the back or push into her hand at the front. My brain was in system overload.

Alex removed her fingers, and in their place, I felt the tip of her cock tapping at my hole. She pushed at the entrance and I tensed. She stroked my back, "Relax and push down, baby."

I did as she said, and she edged her cock into the hole and withdrew it, then pushed hard past my muscle and she was in. It was painful this time as well, and I heard myself grunt as she pushed her cock deeper inside me. It felt easier in this position and the pain eased faster this time. She moved her cock slowly in and out at first, then shoved harder as I pushed back. I bit my lip as the pain increased again but somehow this felt different, her cock filled me and it felt good to be used in this way. I have no words to describe why this was, but it felt right to have her cock inside me and for her to own me like this.

Her cock swelled inside me as she moved faster and faster, her balls slapping against my backside. Alex leant forward and to feel her breasts and hair brushing my back while she was fucking me made me delirious. I could hear her grunting as she drove her cock in and out of me until she stopped pushing for a moment, and then shoved savagely back into me, pushing me hard into the pillow. She paused and then repeated the same animal thrust for three or four times. I felt her cock expand and then she exploded into me, her cum pumping deep inside. Alex jerked as she climaxed, then fell forwards on my back and we tumbled down onto the bed. We lay there for a while, her cock still hard and inside me. She eventually pulled out, and I felt empty as her cock left me.

We cuddled on the bed, trying to recover from what has happened. Alex leant forwards, wiped the sweat from my eyes and kissed me gently.

"I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did, baby.".

I smiled, "Just let me know when you’re ready to go again."

She roared with laughter, stood up and did a crazy little dance, her cock flapping about wildly. It was the silliest and most erotic thing I had seen. We ate breakfast on the balcony and it was before 8 o’clock when my phone buzzed with a text. It was from Sam, ‘call me asap’

Probably a question about the project, I thought. I called and Sam picked up straight away.

"Hi Sam, What’s up?"

"Oh, hi James, look I can’t talk too much right now, but wanted to warn you, that bloody journalist has been sniffing around again. He’s called the company in Cambridge and asked if they knew, quote, ‘Their rescue hero IT whizz is living with a transsexual ex hooker in a Thai brothel’ unquote." The company over here hasn’t been involved yet but I hear they are throwing a hissy fit in Cambridge."

"Shit, sorry Sam, you’re a star, thanks for the heads up. Not that I can do anything about it from here."

She interrupted, "No, but you might want to get across here before the shit completely hits the fan."

"OK, I’ll think about that. Will you keep me in touch if you hear anything else?"

Alex was looking at me, bewildered by the conversation and the look on my face as I listened to what Sam had to say.

"What is it, what's wrong?"" Alex was grabbing my elbow as I finished the call with Sam.

I told her what Sam had told me the other day as well as what she had said on the phone.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. Why didn't you tell me straight away? You should have told me while I was in Bangkok."

"There didn't seem to be any real threat, I thought it would die away like everything else does. I didn't think it was urgent enough to disturb whatever it was you were doing in Bangkok."

"Oh? And what do you think now?" Alex snapped, her eyes blazing.

"Look, there's nothing you can do about it, is there? It's a grotty little newspaper back in England and even if it does get published, it will be a one minute wonder."

"Yea, and that grotty little newspaper happens to in the city where we went to University and will get read by the narrow minded little gimps there, whose only pleasure in life is gossiping about who is sleeping with whom, who will tell all their equally gimpy friends on the internet and it will be halfway round the world before breakfast."

She was now walking around the room and I felt a storm brewing.

"I have worked so hard to keep myself out of the news and here I am, going to be splashed across the press as, what was it? ‘A transsexual ex hooker in a Thai brothel’ I fucking hate them."

I was getting angry too, but with her, "Well at least you are a long way away, what are you worried about, it's no skin off your nose. It won't even make the newspapers here, and if it did, would it make any difference to what you are doing here? It might even get you some free publicity." Even then I knew that was cheap shot.

"What do you know? You have no idea what you're talking about." She paused; a thought had struck her. "Shit, I need to get hold of Kritsada quickly."

"Kritsada? What's he got to do with it?" I was baffled by this turn of events. "Anyway, I'm the one who has most to lose here?"

She turned to stare at me, "What?"

"I'm the one who is going to be a laughing-stock. When the company gets through with me, I'll be bloody lucky if they keep me on as a cleaner after this." It finally struck home what this might mean for me.

She shrugged her shoulders, "So what, you don't like the work, anyway. I need to get to Kritsada."

"So what happens to me doesn't count? What is it with you and Kritsada? Why is it so bloody important for you to talk to him about this? What is going on between you two?"

A thought smashed me between the eyes. "Are you lovers? Is that what this is about?"

Alex stared at me in astonishment, "Let's get this straight, you think Kritsada and I are having an affair? After everything I've done about what I feel for you since you got here, you honestly think I am having an affair with Areeya’s father?"

I was wild now, "It would explain everything, the way you behave around him. And the sudden trip to Bangkok, the instant he tells you to go. That wasn't a request from him that was an order and you went."

She shook her head, "I don't fucking believe this."

"It explains everything, the loans, the way you're at his beck and call, everything." I was gabbling now.

"You need to be careful what you say now. It explains nothing, you know nothing, and it would be better if you didn't know anything." She was holding herself back now, speaking slowly, her anger cold and threatening.

"What? So, I just have to trust you?"

She paused but her eyes slid away from mine. "Yes, you do. It isn't an affair."

"Well, if isn't an affair, what the fuck is it? You tell me you love me, but you won't tell me the truth?"

"I told you, you don't want to know the truth, trust me."

"And if I won't trust you?"

She shrugged, "Your problem, not mine."

That was it. I exploded. The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. "I wish I had never come."

Alex sat down, stared at me, her eyes flashing with anger, "What did you say?"

"I wish I had never come over here."

It was like the storm had broken, "FUCK YOU. I put my heart and soul on the line for you, I was happy here and I risked all that to see if I could chase a dream."

The red mist descended, what she said wasn’t fair, "Yes, and that was totally up to you, wasn’t it. It was what you wanted, and I happened to be on hand and you decided all on your own to take that risk. It’s not on me."

This argument had already spiralled out of control and we were hurting each other without even thinking of the damage our words could do; rage and frustration pouring out of both of us. We were two grown up children fighting in the playground, and it was about to get far, far worse.

"Do you want to know what I did in Bangkok?" she spat the words at me, "I warned you, remember."

"Yes I do."

"I was fucking men for Kritsada."

It took me a few seconds to register what she had said.

"What did you say?"

"I said, I was fucking men for Kritsada."

I had to sit down. I felt my world slipping sideways.

"What for, I mean, why?"

"It doesn’t matter; I am not having an affair with anyone, its business." She sat down too.

I shook my head, "What kind of business? I mean, oh, I don’t know what I mean. How can it be business?" My head couldn't bring this all together.

Alex put her head in her hands, "It’s part of the business deal we have on the loan that Kritsada underwrites for us. I had to agree to provide him with certain personal services to entertain business contacts with certain tastes, or to sleep with people so he can get information from them. I warned you that you would be better off not knowing. It was a high ranking British diplomat in Bangkok this time. The blonde kathoey is still in demand." She said the last words with a bitter pride in her voice.

My mind was spinning as I could not take all this in. I felt my pulse racing, and I thought I would faint.

I finally pulled myself together, "Why do you do it?"

"Simple, Kritsada was the only one who would underwrite our loan for this place. No-one else would give a crazy farang kathoey and her girlfriend a single Baht without it being underwritten. He agreed to do it so long as he could have his pound of flesh. I told you he was a thug."

"Why can’t you stop?"

"Because he would pull out of the deal immediately. He has me over a barrel. There are three years left on the deal." She sat back in the chair, looking out of the window.

"Does Areeya know?"

She snorted, "Of course she does. But even she can’t get him to change it, she’s tried, but he says a deal is a deal."

"So Kritsada pimps you out, is that right?" She flinched as if my words were a whip across her back

"No, it's not like that."

"Then what is it like? Because that's exactly what it sounds like." I was raging now; having to drag out everything bit by bit was making it so much worse in my eyes.

"And you won’t stop?"

"I can’t stop. I would lose everything I have worked for if I did." She bit her lip and wrapped her arms around herself, "I have to tell Kritsada about this, he won’t like the publicity, he always likes to operate in the shadows and this will not please him."

"And that’s what you’re worried about?" I couldn't believe how she was reacting. I felt like I was a passenger in an out-of-control car heading for the edge of a cliff and there was nothing I could do to stop it. In the space of a few minutes my life had turned into a car crash. I had to get out.

"Fuck, I can't cope with this. I'm going back to Bangkok to see if I can save my career."

She shrugged her shoulders, "Go ahead, but if you leave now, don't ever come back. I won't want to see you again."

The red mist had descended, and all I said was, "So be it."

She spun on her heel and walked out the door of the flat and down the stairs. Three hours later I was back in Bangkok.

Chapter 14

Maybe things could have been different, but I was so angry I couldn't think straight. I found myself in a taxi on the way to Samui airport, and I felt so sick at what I had heard I made the taxi driver to stop so I could throw up at the side of the road.

There was a seat on the next flight to Bangkok and by mid-afternoon I was back in the city. I booked into a hotel close to Nana Plaza and spent the afternoon stewing in my room, drinking Scotch from the minibar and raging at Alex, at Kritsada and above all at myself for getting dragged into this tragicomedy.

My head was throbbing from the effects of this morning’s argument and the volume of Scotch I was drinking. It wasn’t a recipe for clear thinking and the whisky exacerbated my already dangerous mood. By early evening I had drunk myself into a foul combination of anger and self-pity, at which point I decided that all I needed was to get out and have more drink so I made my erratic way to Nana Plaza. It has a host of bars and go-go clubs and a few kathoey bars. Already loaded with the hotel Scotch I topped it up with a few beers in a bar.

I had now reached the point where self-pity had degenerated into self-loathing and I decided I needed some company, so I headed up to one of the kathoey bars. Cascades I think it was, but to be honest it could have been any of them, as I wasn’t seeing that straight. As I sat down several of the girls came over, breasts barely contained by their bikini tops and bottoms that clearly showed what customers were looking for. I motioned to one to sit with me and she wiggled her way across and sat down on my lap.

"You buy me drink? What your name?"

"James, and yeah I’ll buy you a drink, why not?"

"I Ting. I like you."

Ting ordered the drinks and before they had even arrived, she had her hands inside my shirt and was wiggling her bum against my cock which, having a mind of its own, responded.

"What you wan do, James? You like cock or pussy?" said Ting, her mouth close to my ear which she then started to nibble. She slid my hand into her lap and onto her cock, which felt quite large. I left my hand there and rubbed it through her bikini which only made her squirm even more on my already excited cock.

"I want to watch the show first," I said, looking at her and finding it difficult to focus. The noise and the light show in the bar were scrambling my brain, already overloaded with alcohol. The girls were all on the multi-level stage at the centre of the bar. I know I was drunk but even in my state they looked fabulous. They all wore identical bikinis with numbers so clients could pick a particular girl they liked. Dancing and throwing shapes on the stage, these girls would have given the Sphinx an erection.

"OK," Ting said cheerfully, "then we go short time, maybe?"

Why the hell not? I thought. I had nothing to lose. It wasn’t only Alex who could go whoring in Bangkok.

"OK," but let’s have another drink first." Ting gave me a hug and continued to kiss and nibble my ear and slide her bum over my growing cock. My arm was around Ting and my fingers strayed under her bikini top and I started to rub her breasts.

She was completely unmoved by this and even lent over to talk to one of the bar girls sitting next to us. She swayed back onto my lap and whispered in my ear.

"You wan two girl, short time?"

By this time the drink had taken away my foul mood and left me with that dangerous alcohol high that not only wipes away inhibition but also robs you of any sense.

"Sure," I slurred, "why bloody not, find me a friend."

"My fren Bell, she like you.'

"Bell and Ting, that sounds great, we could start a band." She looked at me as if I was mad.

"You wan go short time now?"

"Yeah, let’s go Ting, and Bell, where’s Bell? Bell and Ting, I love it."

Ting grabbed the girl who had been sitting next to us and after I had paid a king’s ransom for the drinks and the bar fine, we headed upstairs. Ting was tall and slender, long dark lustrous hair down to the middle of her back and a wiggle that could hypnotise. She put her arm through mine and was happily chatting away to Bell.

If I had been capable of sensible thought, I might have remembered the night I met Pao at Cockatoo and had been so scared I had literally run out of the bar. How times had changed.

On top of Nana Plaza there are short time rooms that can be rented by the hour, and that’s where we headed. Ting asked me for the money to rent the room and Bell grabbed my hand and pulled me over to one of the rooms. Bell was pretty with a round girlish face, nice big breasts and a cute bum. She smiled all the time and giggled as I flopped onto the bed. She came and sat astride my lap, unbuttoned my shirt and kissed me.

Ludicrously, my arms got caught in my shirt sleeves and I fell backwards on to the bed. I lay there giggling as Ting arrived who pulled my shirt off. Bell now took off my shoes while Ting unbuckled my belt and unzipped my trousers. I was still lying on my back with my legs over the edge of the bed. Ting stood up and in one practised move the bikini top came off and the bottoms pushed down. I could see even from my prone position on the bed she had beautiful breasts and a tiny little cock. How sweet, I thought in my drunken state. She dropped to her knees and wrapped her lips around my cock which, despite the amount I had drunk was already hard. She knew how to suck cock and she was lapping, licking and sucking with her tongue as well as her hands to get me excited. Bell had climbed onto the bed, "You wan suck cock?"

I had one small moment of doubt and then the alcoholic bravado kicked in and I said "Yeah."

Bell knelt at the side of my head and fell forwards on her hands with her cock dangling above my lips. I reached up and with my hand pulled her down towards me. Bell’s cockslid in through my lips and she was much bigger than Ting. She slipped it in and out through my lips and as I licked and sucked, it grew inside my mouth. I thought I would choke at one point but she eased up and although I gagged once or twice, I found I could cope.

She was driving her cock into my mouth and I reached up to fondle her breasts.

“You like my cock, huh? Suck it deep. You suck my cock good.”

Ting stopped sucking, sat up and rolled a condom on me. With her back to me she squatted over me, reached behind her and moved my cock with her hand until it touched her hole. She bounced up and down once or twice as I started to penetrate her, then she pushed down hard and I was inside her.

I could see Ting’s back as she rose and fell on my cock and I felt myself tight within her as she moved her hips from side to side as well as up and down. It wasn't long before I felt my inevitable climax growing and my hips twitched and I exploded into Ting. She kept bouncing but then eased herself off my cock, slid the condom off and threw it in a waste bin. Bell was still facefucking me and I signalled for her to stop.

"Turn over," she said, "I wan fuck you, big boy."

I was sobering up now, but I did as she said and got down on my hands and knees as she moved behind me. I watched as she ripped open a condom wrapper and rolled it over her cock. Ting moved around the bed and climbed up in front of me, slapped my face with her cock and then pushed it into my mouth. She was smaller than Ting and I took her all the way in. I felt Bell put lube around and in my hole and yelled as she pushed her cock straight into me. The pain flared and then she smacked me on the bum as if to say shut up. The sting of the slap took away the pain as she drove her cock hard in and out.

She was big and getting larger as she thrust her cock into me, pushing me onto Ting’s cock. I thought I’m being screwed at both ends and started to giggle, but stopped as Bell gave me an extra hard thrust. The pain had had eased now, and I tried to move backwards in time with Bell’s forward movement. She slapped my bum again as if I was a horse and quickened her thrusts. I lost all hope of keeping up with her and she kept pushing hard, then moaned once, her cock swelled inside me as she came. She pulled out, and I fell on the bed letting Ting’s cock slip from my mouth. As I looked up at them standing over me a stunning flash of clarity exploded through my addled brain, You bloody fool, what the hell are you doing? You should be with Alex.

I started to cry and as tears flowed down my cheeks, I felt so lost and lonely. All the anger and frustration from today that had been dulled by the alcohol and the sex burst out, and I sat there on the bed between the two kathoeys, bawling my eyes out like a child.

Bell and Ting were a little scared by my outburst and I tried to tell them that everything was OK that it was too much drink. I think they believed me, and I gave them a big tip. I wanted to get away as fast as I could and found my way back to the hotel. Sitting on the edge of the bed with tears rolling down my face again I hated myself for what I had done. The alcohol was now bringing me down and wave after wave of guilt and shame washed over me. By fucking Ting and Bell I had been seeking revenge on Alex for what I believed was her betrayal of me. How stupid can a man be?

For the first time in my life I cried myself to sleep.

I woke up the next morning with a hangover, a mouth like the bottom of a parrot’s cage and the biggest case of guilt I had ever felt. The first two could I could sort out with aspirin and lots of water; the guilt would take a lot more than that to expunge.

I looked at the clock, 9 o’clock. A headache had kicked in hard, drumming across the back of my eyes, and I needed water, painkillers and coffee, in that order. Possibly a priest too, I thought. I needed to talk to somebody, and I knew of only one person I could call. I dialled Sam’s number hoping she would pick up, but it went to voicemail, so I left a message asking her to call me back. Dragging myself out of bed, I tried to throw up and failed. My hands were shaking, but I managed to shower and shave and got my body at least in presentable condition, I wish I could have cleaned up my mood as easily.

Sam called back, and we agreed to meet in the hotel lobby for coffee. She arrived, kissed me and then took a long look at me.

"James, you look like shit."

"Thanks, Sam, that’s good, because I feel much, much worse."

She raised her eyebrows in enquiry, but I shook my head, “Later Sam. I need some coffee first.”

I ordered an espresso and as the caffeine woke me up a little. “Sam, can you fill me in on what's happened with the company and then I promise I’ll tell you about me.”

“The story about you and Alex is all over the UK gutter press and it has got the company running around like headless chickens. They are trying to get hold of you and have told me that if I see you, I was to get you on the next flight back to London. James, as far as I'm concerned I haven’t seen you and I don't know where you are.”

“Thanks Sam, you’re a mate, but I don't want to get you in any trouble.”

“Don't worry about me, what the hell happened to you?”

That simple question burst the dam gates. I put my head in my hands and took a deep breath.

“Alex and I had a huge row. Long story short, for various reasons I thought she was having an affair with Kritsada.”

Sam looked shocked, “Areeya’s father?”

I nodded. “It gets worse. I confronted her and it turned out that in return for underwriting Alex’s loan he gets her to have sex with people he wants to influence. If she doesn't he’ll call in the loan.”

“Fucking hell, James.”

“I know, but that's what he's like. We had a massive bust up, and I stormed out and came back to Bangkok. She told me never to come back, and I got smashed last night, hence the rather fragile appearance.”

I left out the other events of last night. I didn't think it would help my cause. Sam looked shocked.

"Sorry, Sam, I appreciate you listening, I had to tell someone."

"Don’t worry mate, happy to lend you an ear. What will you do?"

"I wish I knew, Sam."

"James, look, tell me to back off if you want, but do you love Alex?"

I took a big gulp of coffee and thought for a moment before replying, "I have never felt like the way she makes me feel. When I’m with her, I feel more alive than I can believe. Being with her is like a ride on a roller coaster, half the time you don’t know if you are upside down or going to plunge into the ground, but she’s like speed in my veins. I felt like my life was running at half speed until I met her, and when we were apart, I couldn't stop thinking about her. She takes my breath away."

“On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say that’s a 10, James.”

It was this short talk with Sam that opened up my eyes to what I had done. I flopped back in the chair and realised that I had thought only of myself and not about Alex. I was supposed to love her and yet all I had done was to think about what it meant for me. My face burnt with shame as I realised she was the real victim here, not me. She was tied into this foul contract and I had totally ignored what she was going through and how she must be feeling. She had tried to protect me and like an idiot I had accused her of having an affair with Kritsada. The memory of my words to her scorched like sulphur in my brain.

I loved Alex and had been a colossal fool to react and behave as I did. I felt sick again but this time for a different reason. Kritsada’s words about courage being the ability to make the right decision under pressure came flooding back. I had flunked that test this time. Had I thrown away the most important thing I had ever had in my life?

"I know I love her, Sam, but I don't know if I can handle this thing with Kritsada, and she doesn't want to see me again."

She thumped me hard on the arm, "That's just self-pity. Snap out of it. I can guarantee that if she loves you, there will be a way to get her to see you again. Is there anything you can do with Kritsada?"

"I've met him and by what I've heard he won’t budge. He’s a thug, and he holds people to a deal." I thought of Alex and what she had said about a pound of flesh. That made me feel worse as I realised how unhappy Alex was. That was the reason she behaved as she did around him. I held my head in my hands and moaned with guilt and self-recrimination. Then I remembered the dream she’d had, that must have been about her trying to break free from Kritsada. I felt my heart break as I thought about what she must have gone through in Bangkok. I had to get her back somehow.

"So, you won't even try?" said Sam sarcastically, "Why not go to see him. Surely there's something you can say to him?"

An idea flashed into my head, maybe after all there was something I could do. "Sam, you are a genius and I love you."

"Thanks, but what for?"

"If what I'm thinking of works, I'll know tomorrow afternoon and I'll tell you then." I kissed her as she left and spent the rest of the day planning what I would have to do the following day.

I felt elated because I had an idea that could work and scared to death because if it went wrong I would need to find a small hole somewhere in the world and crawl into it. I went to bed that night as nervous as a kitten, woke early the next day, made two appointments for later in the day and then booked the earliest flight out to Samui the following day. I prayed to whichever God would listen that my plan would work. I set out from the hotel to my first appointment of the day.

That evening I took Sam out to dinner and told her my plan and what had happened during the day. She was apprehensive about it and wished me luck but I knew this was the best chance I had to put things right. I had to get it right the next day or everything would crumble around my ears.

Chapter 15

I caught the first flight out to Samui and as soon as I landed I rang Areeya on her mobile. She must have recognised my number because she picked up but didn’t say anything.

"Areeya please don’t hang up. I need your help."

There was silence but at least she didn’t hang up.

"Areeya, I need to see Alex. I know you probably don’t think much of me right now but you know I am honest and I need to see Alex."

"She doesn’t want to see you, James."

At least she was talking now.

"I know that, and I can understand why, Areeya, but I have to see her, and I promise I won’t hurt her again."

"You’ve hurt her more than enough already James, why should I help you?"

"Because I did something wrong and I want to set things straight. You know me and if you have any feelings left for me, please help me to see her. I give you my word I will not hurt her again. I cannot undo what I have done, but if I can talk to her, I can make amends, Areeya. Please?"

Silence again.

"How can I tell that you won’t hurt her again?"

Still talking, that’s good I thought.

"Areeya, You have my word that I have something to say to her that will go some way to making up for what I did. The worst that will happen is that I will go away and never return."

"And what would be the best?" Areeya asked.

Good girl, I thought, she’s at least considering it.

"Areeya, it may still mean I have to go away, but at least I may have a chance to set things right."

Silence again.

"Where are you James?"

“Samui airport.”

"What? You’re here?"

"Yes, I Have to see her, Areeya."

"I will call you back." The line dropped and so did my hopes. I walked around and bought a beer and a sandwich. There wasn’t anything else to do there. An hour later, the phone rang, and I grabbed it. It was Areeya.

"James, I am trusting you with my life here. If this goes wrong and you let me down, Alex will never forgive me and I will find you and hurt you so badly."

"Areeya, you are an angel and you won’t regret it."

She snorted, "Come straight to the flat. I have told her there is a journalist who wants to write a story on the restaurant."

"OK, OK and thank you, Areeya." The line dropped and I ran for a taxi. For the first time ever I wanted a Thai taxi driver to go faster.

My heart was pounding as I reached Koh Samui Blue. I had bet the farm on this move and if it went wrong, I would lose everything. I walked slowly and deliberately up the steps to the flat and could see Alex sitting with her back to the door and Areeya looked anxious.

Taking a deep breath I counted to ten and walked through the door. Alex stood up and turned towards me smiling. Her smile froze as she saw me and the blood drained from her face.

"What the fuck is this?" she screamed, "Areeya, what the fuck have you done? I don’t want to see this bastard. Nor you if you helped set this up." Areeya’s face went white, and I jumped in, "Don’t blame Areeya, this was my doing. I need to speak to you."

Alex interrupted and yelled, "I will blame whoever I fucking well like and I don’t need to listen or talk to you. You had your chance, now fuck off."

I hoped that once she had blown up she would calm down, but the odds on that didn’t look good right now.

Areeya said, "Alex. I think you should give him one last chance. If he isn’t worth it, I will personally throw him down the stairs."

Alex looked furiously at Areeya, then at me and back to Areeya. She seemed to be making a decision on which one of us to go for first.

"You have five minutes and then you can piss off back to where you came from." At least she had stopped saying fuck, which might be a good thing.

Alex sat in one of the chairs at the dining table. She turned away from me and had her arms folded across her chest. Areeya was beside her and looked anxiously from me to Alex, desperately hoping she had done the right thing.

"Alex, I am truly sorry for what I said and the way I left and I will be sorry until my dying day. I thought only of myself and that is unforgivable. I should have thought of what you were going through and I failed you at the moment you most needed me. However, much I wish I could, I cannot undo what I said and did then. However, I want to see if I can make some amends for what I did. I want you to listen for five minutes and then if you want I will leave and you will never see me again."

"This had better be good," she hissed, still not looking at me.

"I made two appointments in Bangkok yesterday. The first was to hand in my resignation to my company with immediate effect. I am no longer have a job."

Alex turned even further away from me.

“If you're here to tell us you're going back to England, you could have saved the air fare.”

I took a deep breath and went on, "I told you I had made two appointments yesterday; resigning was the first, the second was with Kritsada."

Areeya's mouth opened wide and Alex froze in her chair.

Areeya said, "My father? Why?"

"He said after the pirate attack that if there was anything he could do for me, I should not hesitate to ask. Well, I went to him and asked for two things. The first was easy. I explained that I had resigned and that if I wanted to stay in Thailand, would he be able to use his influence to help me find a new job. He said that would not be a problem. He would be more than happy to help me."

Areeya asked, "But you said, if you want to stay?"

"Yes, Areeya, if. Because that decision is not mine alone." I replied, looking towards Alex.

She was still turned away from me but she was now definitely listening to what I was saying.

"I had gone to ask for two things from Kritsada. The second was much more difficult for me to ask and for him to give. I told him I knew about the secret contract he had with Alex and that I thought it was wrong for him to hold her to such a deal. I said I wanted him to release Alex from that part of the contract and in a way that would not affect the wider business relationship with you."

Alex sucked in her breath in and Areeya looked disbelieving, "But my father would not break a contract willingly made, it would go against everything he believes in."

Alex turned to stare straight at me.

"Areeya, I am sorry, but I have to say that what your father did with Alex is despicable, it's little more blackmail."

Alex jumped down my throat, "Don't you dare bring Areeya into this, I made that deal on my own and she has tried everything she can to change her father’s mind."

I turned to Areeya, "Areeya, I don't blame you in any way for what your father did, I know you love Alex and you wouldn't have been a part in this, but I still think it was wrong."

Areeya looked as if she was about to cry. "James, this had brought great shame to me that I could not change my father's mind over this." She blinked away tears from her eyes.

I paused a moment and went on, "I was so angry at him I wanted to storm in and threaten him with exposing him for what he does."

"Fuck, tell me you didn't do that," Alex looked aghast.

"No, I'm not that stupid. I know that would have been worse than useless with him. Areeya, I think you underestimate how much your father loves you. Because of that I thought I might be able to use the debt he feels he owes me to change his mind. I suspect there would be no other circumstance in which he would agree to such a proposal, but in this case I thought that whatever he feels me might outweigh everything else. Your father, rightly or wrongly, feels I saved your life. He asked me to go away so he could think about it. He called me yesterday afternoon and told me that he would do this for me, but in return I should consider his debt to me repaid. I thanked him, but explained that I needed to come and tell Alex this and to ask what her decision would be, it was not a decision I could make for her. I did tell him that whatever Alex's answer would be, I would consider any debt to be settled in full."

Alex and Areeya were absolutely still, neither of them moved a muscle.

"Kritsada asked me why I was doing this and I told him I thought it was the honourable thing for him to do. I told him again that if Alex had not done what she did when we were attacked then we all would have died. I still believe that Alex was the most courageous of us all that day. He doesn't understand that at all, but he said he would give his word it would not affect the business relationship he has with you. For him, I think it was a hard decision but in the end he valued what I had done for Areeya above his deal with Alex. I have to give him an answer tomorrow."

There was silence in the room; the only sounds were from waves washing against the beach and a car horn somewhere on the strip in Lamai.

"Alex," I said, speaking to her directly this time. "It’s up to you to decide whether to accept Kritsada’s offer. I will give your answer to him tomorrow and you know he is a man of his word. He will honour the new arrangement."

"And you, what will you do?"

I thought before speaking, "Alex, I have no job and I do not want to go back to England. There is nothing there for me now. If Kritsada can help me find a new job in Thailand, then I will stay here. If not, I will have to start over again, something that would have terrified me a few weeks ago, but now I look forward to it. I need to do something different. My time here has opened my eyes to a new life and I want to embrace it."

"And if I don't accept the arrangement?"

"Then I will tell Kritsada and I will leave Samui today and you won't see me again."

"And if I do accept?" she said, looking away again.

"Then I would stay in Thailand and ask you to forgive me for walking out on you as I did and to take me back."

She stood and walked over to the window and stared out into the distance.

She turned and asked me, "What made you go to Kritsada?"

"Honestly?"

“I need you to be honest with me.”

"Because I realised in Bangkok that I had thrown away the best thing that had ever happened to me in my life. I said things to you that day that were unforgivable and I wanted to try to make up for the hurt I had caused you. I know that I am a better man than the one who said and did those things. I fucked up, and I wanted to give you the opportunity to live your life in freedom without having that damned contract hanging over your head. And I finally realised that if I loved you, nothing else should matter."

Areeya sat there looking stunned and Alex moved away from the window and stood somewhere behind me.

My heart was thumping like a jackhammer as I waited for Alex to say something. I tried to read Areeya’s expression as she was looking straight at Alex, but her face was a mask. I heard the sound of Alex's heels on the floor as she moved behind me and I could smell her perfume as she moved closer.

She laid one hand on my shoulder, "James, no one in my entire life has done something like this for me." She sniffed and I think she was in tears, "but if I accept this offer, I am merely swapping one debt for another. I will be in debt to you I instead of to Kritsada."

I wanted to turn around to look at her but her hand pressed down harder on my shoulder and I stayed as I was. Something from a long-ago Bible study class flashed into my mind.

"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another." That's what the Bible says. You could not be in my debt as I love you." I silently gave thanks for a Catholic education.

She was silent for a moment and her hand rubbed my shoulder, "And what do you want out of this?"

I put my hand over hers on my shoulder, "I deserve nothing in return for this, Alex. What I would like is for you to give me another chance."

"James, I hated you, not so much for what you said, but for walking out the way you did and I never wanted to see you again. I was in pieces after you left and Areeya spent the entire night trying to stop me crying. For the second time you had left me and this time I couldn’t see any way back. When I turned round and saw you when you came in, I could have killed you. I can't afford to be hurt any more, James."

Areeya brushed a tear from her eye. This time I did turn round, stood up and put my arms around Alex.

"Alex, if you will have me back, it will be for good. I don’t know what I would do without you. I love you."

She put her hands up to my face and looked me in the eye for a heartbeat and then kissed me. I felt her arms go round me and she held me tight. Tears were now splashing onto my cheek and she said, "James, I accept and I want you to stay, will you stay?"

"Alex, there's nothing in this world I want more."

Areeya stood and came to join us. Soon all three of us were crying and laughing together.

Areeya pulled back with a straight face, "James, if you ever, ever hurt Alex again I swear I will hunt you down and cut off your cock, am I clear?"

Alex laughed, "no need, Areeya, It will already be in my purse."

Our hugging became more intense, hands infiltrated clothes. I turned to Alex and kissed her. and felt her hand on my cock. I looked down to see she had one hand on my cock and the other was under Areeya's short dress and rubbing her pussy through her knickers. In one elegant move Areeya lifted her dress up and over her head to reveal those wonderful breasts and I watched as Alex's hand disappeared down the front of Areeya's knickers. Areeya moaned and arched her back as she felt Alex's fingers invade her pussy.

I took one of Areeya's breasts in my mouth and sucked on her nipple. It responded instantly, the nipple hard as my tongue swirled around it. Alex, one hand still in Areeya's pussy dropped to her knees and unzipped me with the other. She pulled me out and engulfed my cock with her mouth. I was still sucking on Areeya when Alex pulled her head back, stood up with a mischievous smile, "Let's take this outside."

Areeya giggled and grabbed my cock and pulled me towards the door to the balcony.

"We can't," I said, "people might see us.'

Alex laughed, "So what?"

Areeya was dragging me along by my cock and Alex was pushing me from behind as we stumbled through the door onto the balcony. The balcony wasn't visible from below but there were buildings on either side from which it could be seen. I looked around nervously but there didn't seem to be anyone I could see.

"Are you sure?"

"Fucking positive. Stop being so English,” growled Alex.

She once again slid to her knees, unbuckled my belt and pulled my trousers and boxers to the floor. My cock had shrivelled, so she worked on it with her hands and tongue. Areeya stood behind me with her arms around me and undid the buttons on my shirt pulling it off. In a few seconds the two girls had stripped me naked. Areeya’s hands were all over my chest and nipples from behind and her breasts and her hard nipples pressed into my back as she nibbled my earlobe.

Alex's attention had got my cock hard again and she let me fall from her mouth, grabbed Areeya from behind me, lapping at her pussy. I watched in awe as Alex tongued Areeya and her hand reached out for my cock and stroked it. I turned Areeya's head towards me and we kissed, our tongues fighting as Alex worked on both of us.

There's something special about making love outside; feeling the sun on your skin and the breeze tickling you as it swirls around your body. There's a different intensity because of the risk of being caught and it ramps up the excitement to a fever pitch.

Alex stood up and pulled us all over to the sun beds and pushed me down onto my hands and knees in front of her. She was the only one of us left with clothes on and she now reached around to unzip her dress and let it slide to the floor and she stepped out of her knickers. Her cock was already pointing to the sky as she stood in front of me and taking her cock in her hand she rubbed it across my lips before pushing it into my mouth.

I licked the head of her cock and I could see her hands pulling and tugging her breasts. Areeya slipped beneath me on her back and drew my cock into her mouth. She torments my cock with her tongue, swirling it around the head and flicking the underside where I was so sensitive. She reached up and played with my balls as Alex pushed her cock deep into my mouth. I gagged but kept on sucking her.

Alex was breathing heavily and moaning as she ground her cock into me. Areeya slipped a finger into my hole as she went on sucking and making me squirm, earning me a cock slap across my face from Alex. I was already in sensory overload from what they were doing to me and I knew I couldn’t last much longer. Alex sensing this, moved away and pushed me aside. Areeya let my cock slip out, and she lay down face down on the lounger. She pushed her bum in the air and Alex shoved me on top of her. She was so wet, my cock slid straight into her pussy. I felt Alex stand on the bed behind me and she quickly lubed me, opened my cheeks with her hands and drove her cock into my hole. I lurched forward, driving myself deeper inside Areeya.

My cock was tight inside Areeya and Alex was pushing hard into me. Every time Alex pushed into me it pushed me onto Areeya. She was moaning loudly now as I crashed into her pussy and I was grunting as Alex was shoving her cock into me. I felt my head was about to explode and I couldn't hold back any more, I shouted "Fuuuuck" and came deep inside Areeya but I was still being driven into her by Alex who now felt huge inside me. She pulled out of me as she was about to come and her hot cum splashed onto my back.

Alex jumped off the bed and knelt in front of me. Areeya rolled me over and Alex pushed her still erect cock back into my mouth and I licked and sucked the cum that was still seeping from her slit. Flopping back on the bed, I looked up to see Alex grinning down at me.

"Now, that’s what I call makeup sex," she said.

I was startled to hear someone clap, followed by more clapping and then someone cheered. I looked towards the sound and over on the building to our right there were people standing on their balcony and applauding. I went bright red and ran for the door. Areeya waved gracefully to the watchers and casually strolled after me but Alex stood there, took a deep bow, blew them a kiss and walked slowly through the door. The clapping and cheers rose to a crescendo.

Chapter 16

We decided to have a celebration dinner tonight downstairs, and Alex disappeared to the restaurant to organise it. Areeya had to go to Cockatoo to sort out some issues they were having, and so I was left to my own devices for a while. We agreed we would all get together at Cockatoo for a drink before dinner.

The first thing I did was to email Sam about how the plan had worked out. I had an email back in seconds saying how pleased she was that things had panned out for me. She told me that my resignation had made the shit hit the fan in a big way back in Cambridge. There were rumours that senior people felt there had been a panicky overreaction to the press story and that it didn’t look good to clients that they had handled my situation so badly. Even that they might offer me my job back.

I laughed to myself at the thought of the bloodletting that might be going on back in Cambridge because of me. They had sought to make PR out of my experience and then dropped me at the first sign of trouble. They could stuff their job right where the sun don’t shine, I thought. I asked Sam to pass on a message that I would not want my job back. I was well out of it.

There were messages from friends and acquaintances that had read the story and wanted to know if it was true. I Told them that as usual the press had got everything wrong and they should disregard everything they read. I explained that I had fallen in love with Thailand and would be staying here. I didn’t particularly care if they believed me or not; I had burnt my bridges with the UK and there were now only a few people I cared about back there. I heard from someone that my delightful ex was telling the decreasing number of people who would listen to her that she always knew I had been ‘that way inclined’, and that was why she had left me.

One message in particular made me pay attention. It was from a good friend in the firm back in Cambridge and whilst he was asking the usual questions about the press story there was something he wrote that intrigued me. He said he had heard a rumour that someone in the company had been leaking stuff to the press about what was happening out in Thailand. He didn't have a name, and he stressed that it was only a rumour. I sent him my standard reply about the press story and assured him I was doing fine, but I asked him to keep his ear to the ground and to let me know if he heard anything more.

I sat back and thought about this. There had been a niggling thought in my mind about how the press had come by the information for their story. It had seemed surprising that they had put together the story so accurately and quickly. OK, the words they used were over the top press hyperbole, but the guts of the story, I had to admit, were accurate. I had forgotten all about this niggle over the past few days as I had been worrying about more important things. I shook my head and dismissed it because it didn't matter anymore.

Alex came up from the restaurant, plonked herself down on my lap for a while, and we kissed and talked about how sorry we both were and how stupid we had both been. We soon found we could laugh with each other again and swore that we should never let a fight like that happen again. More kissing followed until it was time to head off to meet Areeya and we walked hand in hand down to Cockatoo. It turned out to be a busy night, and the bar was heaving. It was Full Moon Party time on Koh Phangen, another island close to Samui, but there was always an overspill to Samui. Pao spotted me, shrieked and ran over to jump on me, her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. Alex stood back, grinning all over her face as Pao said, "Welcome back, James, Pao missed you."

I looked over to Alex and raised my eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Looks like you have a friend for life."

I smiled at Pao for I was genuinely fond of her,, "I’ve missed you too Pao, but can I put you down now please?"

She giggled and let go of my neck, kissed me and ran off.

We had a few drinks and a lot of laughs with both the bar girls and the customers and I felt it was like coming home. Areeya was bouncing around because she had heard Sam was flying down from Bangkok for the weekend and they would be staying on the boat. I looked at Alex to see how she felt about this and all I could see on her face was joy that Areeya was so happy.

I shook my head and wondered how big our hearts had to be to make this arrangement work. Finally, we decided it was time to head back for dinner and the three of us walked back arm in arm, laughing and joking to the restaurant where Alex had arranged a small private area for us. The chef and the kitchen staff surpassed themselves with the food they prepared and it was late by the time we finished and headed back up to the flat. We sat out on the balcony with a drink, watching the stars and listening to the music from the bars along the strip. We were far enough away for it not to be a real problem and we could enjoy chilling out together.

Alex cuddled me on one side and Areeya on the other and I thought about how lucky I had been to have redeemed myself today, and what an enormous fool I had been to put myself in such danger of losing Alex and Areeya. I had been given something few people ever get: a second chance at life after the pirate attack and yet I had been stupid enough to almost throw that chance away through being so blind and pig headed.

I had gone inside to fetch myself a Scotch and some beers for the girls when Alex asked me to sit down as she and Areeya wanted to talk about something.

Alex started, "Firstly, do you have any plans about what you want to do next?"

"You sound like my mother.”

That earned me a thump on the arm from Alex and a stifled laugh from Areeya. Alex thumped her for good measure.

"No, I don’t. I’m going to call Kritsada tomorrow with your decision and I will ask him then if he is still willing to help me. Your decision may have changed his mind on that."

Areeya jumped in, "No James, you are mistaken, my father, whatever his other faults, will keep his word to you."

I nodded to Areeya, I was sure she was right.

Alex went on, "Listen, we have an offer for you, no, two offers actually, that we would like you to think about. The first is that we need someone to help us with our technology for the business. We are getting bigger and we need to invest in some technology to help us grow. Ordering, stock control, invoicing, accounts, it’s all being done by hand at the moment and we need to do something about it or it will swamp us soon. Is that something you could help us with?"

I nodded, "It’s right up my street. I normally deal with bigger companies but the system and process design is no different, the solutions may be smaller, but that's detail."

Alex looked at Areeya, "Areeya said that would be the case, she understands more of this than I do.”

"I would be delighted to help. It wouldn’t take too long to design something that would help you be more efficient, reduce overhead and grow with your business."

Alex shared a glance with Areeya and they both smiled. "Thank you James, we had hoped you would say yes."

I smiled back, "I’d be happy to help. What’s the second thing you mentioned?"

I caught another glance between them, and I suddenly felt that this would be more interesting than the first and was the one they really wanted to talk about.

"James," Alex began, "you remember we told you we were planning a new venture?"

"Yes, you mentioned it the first night we met. You didn’t say what it was though."

"Well, we weren’t absolutely sure it would get approved but it has passed the final hurdle, or should I say we've paid off the last person we needed to." She looked at Areeya, who nodded confirmation. Alex went straight on, "Western tourists, male and female, have an insatiable curiosity for ladyboys, for one reason or another. Our idea is to bring a high quality ladyboy cabaret show to Samui. There are one or two small revues here in Chaweng but they aren’t good and we want to do a show that will have local performers as well as top names from Bangkok."

I nodded, "That sounds like a great idea, the shows I’ve seen in Bangkok are fabulous, it would be great to have something here."

It was true; some of the ladyboy shows in Bangkok are big productions and are packed out with tourists drawn in by the ladyboy mystique. I had been taken to the Calypso cabaret at Asiatique on the Chao Praya and it was a great show, with the beautiful ladyboys lip syncing and dancing in beautifully produced routines.

Alex went on, "I’m glad you say that because Areeya and I are fully stretched with what we are running at the moment and we’re looking for someone to help us run it."

"OK, and who do you have in mind?" I asked, not seeing what was coming.

Alex looked at Areeya, who said, "You, James."

"Me? Are you both mad? Why me?"

"Just hear us out" said Alex.

"But I don’t know anything about ladyboys."

Alex paused and looked at me, "James, that’s not strictly true because we know you have some personal experience in that area." She couldn’t keep a straight face and broke into a laugh. I had the sudden and uncomfortable feeling she somehow knew or guessed about what had happened in Nana Plaza. I knew I would have to confess to that sooner or later, but now didn’t seem the right moment.

"Yes, well, alright, but that’s nothing to do with running ladyboy shows."

Areeya smiled, "Yes, you’re right, but there’s nothing to say you can’t learn. Besides it’s not that you would be on your own. The whole operation is planned and almost ready to go. We need someone smart and sharp to get it off the ground and to make sure it’s running smoothly. Think of it as setting up a new system. How would handle a new project? Analyse it, break it down into its component processes and make them work together. It’s no different. We have someone in Bangkok to handle that end of things and the venue here is sorted. The vital thing for us is to have someone here who we can trust. There are too many people here who would want to rip us off. We have a good lawyer but it’s someone on the spot we need, a problem solver and fixer. We know you, James. You can think on your feet, not many people would have been smart enough or brave enough to take on my father in the way you did."

Alex chipped in, "You said you wanted to do something different, have new experiences, this would let you do that."

I was speechless, I had never in my life expected this. The oddest thing was I thought about how it might work, and then of course, why it wouldn’t work.

"But I don’t speak Thai," to me that was a clincher.

Areeya replied, "No problem, we’ll get you an assistant who can translate for you. In fact, I have the perfect person in mind."

"I don’t know," I started to whine a little.

"Look, we don’t expect you to answer today, think about it. We need an answer soon though, and if you have questions, then we’ll be here to answer them."

I shook my head; I still couldn’t believe what they were offering me, but there was one question I needed an answer to straight away.

"Does Kritsada have any hand in this?"

"Does it matter?" said Alex sharply. I knew the answer straightaway, but I wanted them to tell me.

"It matters to me and if I am going to be involved, then I need to know everything."

Alex and Areeya exchanged looks and there was an almost imperceptible nod from Areeya to Alex.

"Yes," said Alex, "Kritsada has put money in the venture, but it’s not that much, we needed a top up over what we could get secured against the two existing businesses."

"How much?" I asked.

Areeya answered this time. "It’s about 100,000 US dollars."

"Thank you for sharing that, and there are no other conditions in the contract?"

Areeya and Alex both looked away, and Alex looked back first, "No, there’s nothing else, James, that’s it."

"I’m sorry, but I needed to know." Neither Alex nor Areeya responded. "Look, let me think about it. It still sounds crazy to me but you two seem to think I could do it, so I should consider it and give you my answer in the next few days."

Alex said, "Ok and if it helps, there is a ladyboy cabaret in Chaweng, why don’t you go up there tomorrow night and have a look at the competition."

She went on, "There is one condition though, that you should be aware of before you make your decision."

I was puzzled, "What condition?"

Alex put a small box on the table, opened the lid and took out a small clear plastic device resembling a fat thumb which had what looked like a padlock attached. She held it in her fingertips, "Do you know what this is, James?"

I shook my head, "No. What is it?"

"It’s called a chastity cage, and it’s fitted over a penis and locked with a key. It makes it very painful for the wearer to have an erection." Alex spun the thing on her finger to demonstrate it.

"Ugh, but why are you showing it to me?"

"The condition for you taking the job is that if I catch you playing around with any of the girls in the show I will lock your cock into it and swallow the key, is that clear?"

I looked from her to Areeya and I couldn’t tell if Alex was joking. I decided to play it safe, "Well that won't be necessary as I wouldn't be doing anything with them at all."

Alex smiled, "Good, that’s the right answer." She looked thoughtful for a moment, spun the cage around on her fingers again.

"Thinking about it though, it might be fun to make you wear it, anyway."

She saw the horrified look on my face, "Don’t wet yourself. I would unlock it once a week," she giggled, "If you’re good that is."

Areeya could not keep a straight face any longer and burst out laughing.

Alex followed suit and through her laughter said, "You should have seen your face, I have never seen anyone quite as scared as that in my whole life."

I scowled as I looked from one to the other, both now crying with laughter. I grabbed it from Alex and had a good look at it and I shuddered as I thought about having my cock locked into it. It truly looked like an instrument of torture. Alex and Areeya were still howling with laughter and in the end I couldn’t stop myself joining in. Funny thing is, I wouldn’t put it past Alex to do it.

Eventually we all stopped laughing and Areeya said, "I’m off to my room. I think you two need some time together tonight."

She stood and kissed Alex and then me and headed off to her room leaving Alex and I on the balcony. We lay together on one the loungers, Alex’s head on my shoulder and I realised how good that made me feel. We talked quietly about how lucky we had been to meet again after all the years apart and how none of us know what will be around the next corner. Alex kissed me and I felt like I never wanted to leave her side. We drifted off to sleep holding each other in the warm night air.

I woke up a little later and thought we would be more comfortable in bed. I woke Alex, and as she went off to the bathroom, I decided that I should unpack my suitcase at long last. I took out what few clothes I had brought, and thought I nedded to get myself some new stuff soon. I found the Thai Boxing shorts that Alex had bought me what seemed months ago, but was only two weeks. Holding them up made me giggle, and I thought, why not? I’ll put them on tonight as a laugh for Alex, she did say wear them to bed after all.

I put my feet into them and pulled them up my legs and found they were probably a size too small for me which meant they cradled my cock and my bum quite tightly. I was about to take them off when Alex walked back in, "Ohhh, babe, you decided to wear them for me, you look so cute in them."

She pushed her hand down the back of the shorts grabbed my bum and kissed me, her tongue pushing into my mouth. My cock stood to attention and poked into Alex. She smiled and her hand caressed my cock through the shorts.

"Mmm, looks like someone likes the feel of these shorts," she murmured before kissing me again.

It was true; the touch of her fingers on my cock through the silky material was so sensual. I trembled with excitement as she continued to rub my cock. Alex had put on a short nightdress and as we kissed, I put my hands up inside the material and stroked her breasts, the nipples already hard. Her fingers continued to rub my cock, and I was already tenting out the shorts.

I squeezed her nipples between my fingers and she moaned in her throat. Still kissing she edged me backwards until the back of my legs touched the bed and I fell on my back onto the bed. She stood by the bed and hooked her hands beneath the nightdress and pulled it off over her head to leave her clad only in a small pair of knickers. Her cock was already poking up above the top of her knickers and I reached out and gently traced its shape through the material.

Alex giggled, and I hooked my fingers into her knickers and pulled them down far enough to allow her cock to pop out. It stood straight out and I thought she looked beautiful. I found it hard to accept that this beautiful woman was in love with me.

I pulled her towards me and kissed the head of her cock, making it twitch and jump. Caressing the tip with my tongue I then poked it into the slit as I heard Alex moan above me. She bent slightly and put her hand down and rubbed my cock through the shorts, the eroticism enhanced by the feel of the material. I started to move my hips to increase the pressure from her fingers.

Pushing her cock up against her tummy I ran my tongue up her shaft from her balls to the head and repeated this a few times. She moaned again and her legs buckled a little. I glanced up and I couldn’t break my gaze away from hers as I took her cock into my mouth, I felt calm, almost submissive to her. I felt my sole focus was her pleasure and I would do anything to make sure she was being fulfilled.

I sucked her deep into my mouth and I gagged but kept going. Using my hand as well on Alex’s cock I felt her grow even larger in my mouth. "Fuck, I’m getting close." Her voice was thick with excitement as she pulled out of my mouth, pushed me down and climbed on top of me in a 69.

As I took her cock back into my mouth, I felt her push down my shorts and she took me into her mouth. We both sucked hard on each other, and Alex pushed her cock deeper into my mouth. I felt it hit the back of my throat and felt my reflex kick in, so she eased back and then pushed in hard. This time I had it under control and took her shaft all the way in. She was using her tongue around my cock, driving me crazy as she took me deep into her throat and her hand was busy stroking it as well to keep me in a total state of arousal.

Her cock grew harder cock in my mouth and I knew her climax was approaching, so I sucked her as hard as I could. With a muffled "UNNNPPPH" she came into my mouth, and I took as much as I could but some splashed out around my lips. Seconds after she came, my groin tightened and I came in her mouth. I felt like I was high, so intense were the sensations flooding through me. Alex pulled away and my cock felt cold as it slipped out of her mouth. She lay down next to me and wiped away with her finger the cum that had spilled out of my mouth. She offered it to me, and I sucked it holding her finger in my lips until it was all gone.

"Holy mother, that was good,"

"It was alright, I suppose," I said, deadpan.

Her head jerked up to look at me and a tiny smile creased my lips.

"You are such a bastard James, and I will get you for this." She picked up a pillow and started beating me with it. I tried to grab her, and she screamed as I got my arms around her. Still trying to hit me with the pillow we collapsed, giggling like kids, back onto the bed. I held her tight and we kissed, the taste of each other’s cum lingering on our lips and tongue. We lay back, and I put my arm around her shoulders and she snuggled in close. Her hand stroked and played with my nipples as I held her tight. I looked down and her cock was lying across mine and that felt so right. I kissed her, "I love you Alex."

She grinned, "Mmm, I’m not sure, I’ll need to think about it."

I tweaked her nipple and she squealed, "Alright, if you insist, I love you too." She leant over and kissed me, her lips so soft and warm I could have kissed her forever. Alex put her hand down and took both our cocks in her hand and stroked them together. It was strangely calming to feel my cock alongside hers and I put my hand down too and replaced her hand with mine for a while. Her cock I realised with a start was bigger than mine and I felt a pang of insecurity until Alex kissed me again and I forgot everything except the feeling of her lips on mine.

We eventually broke the kiss and lay there listening to the sound of our breathing until we fell asleep. The last thing I could remember hearing was Alex saying, "Those shorts made your bum look sexy."

Chapter 17

I woke early the next day, my mind already full of what I needed to do. Alex had spooned up to my back during the night and she was snoring quietly, her hand laid across my waist. I interlaced her fingers with mine and she stirred but did not wake. I lay there for a while planning what I was going to say to Kritsada later that day. Once I had sorted out what to do, I eased out of bed and stood looking down at Alex. It had been a warm night and we had kicked off the covers, and she lay there naked, her breasts rising and falling with her breathing, her cock visible over the top of her knickers, and I had to fight hard to resist the temptation to wake her with a kiss on its tip. My heart did a little flip as she stirred in her sleep, and a small smile seemed to appear out on her face, making her look angelic in the light breaking through the balcony window.

I still could not believe that this girl was in love with me and I swore to myself there and then that I would never do anything again to jeopardise that love. I tiptoed away to the kitchen to make coffee and took it and the MacBook out onto the balcony. Checking my bank account it turned out to be in a pretty healthy state. I hadn’t spent any of my salary since coming out to Thailand, and I had some savings too back in the UK. Before I had met my delightful ex, I had rented out the house my parents had left me when they died, and that had more than paid the rent on the flat I shared with her. It meant I had been able to put away most of my salary, so I wasn’t rich by any means but not about to need food stamps. I hadn’t spoken to Alex and Areeya about living at the flat, but I felt I needed to start making some kind of contribution.

I sipped my coffee, watching the sun rise and feeling the warmth as it slid above the horizon. A germ of an idea had begun to grow in my mind after the conversation about the ladyboy cabaret last night and I used this moment of peace and quiet to put some flesh on the bones. I was interrupted when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around my neck from behind and Alex nibbled my earlobe.

"Morning Mr Hugh Grant." She whispered in my ear.

"Good morning Julia." I replied, and she nipped the earlobe.

"Oww, what was that for?"

"I hated Notting Hill, always wanted to be Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones."

"Me and my ear are glad we now know." I said, rubbing my ear where her teeth had nipped it.

She moved round and slipped onto my lap and only then did I realise she was still wearing only her knickers. She wiggled her bum against me and my cock woke up too.

"At least someone is glad to see me. I see you’re still wearing your nice tight shorts, or should I call them your knickers?" She smiled and kissed me on the lips.

Only then did I remember I was still wearing those damn shorts. I put my arms around her and we kissed and cuddled, watching the beach come to life.

"I need coffee, can you make me one please?"

I walked off to the kitchen and met Areeya coming out of her room. She was wearing the most beautiful silk robe and her hair was tousled from sleep and she had that air of waking up I find irresistible. She kissed me and patted me on the bum as she passed, "I like those, they make your butt look cute."

“Very funny, do you want a coffee too?”

She yawned and nodded at the same time. I brought the coffees out and Alex was now sitting on Areeya’s lap with their arms wrapped around each other, watching the sun rise. I felt not even a pang of jealousy as I watched them, happy that whatever God was up there had led me to these two beautiful people.

Alex looked across at me, "Areeya has come up with a good idea, James."

Areeya laughed, "Alex, why is that when you have an idea for James, you blame it on me?"

Alex grinned and, "I was thinking that if you are going to take the job with the show, you need to be more familiar with what being a member of the cast entails."

"Not sure what you mean, Alex."

"Well, you know the expression "walk a mile in my shoes?" she asked innocently.

I nodded, already fearful of where she was going with this. Alex stood up and came and sat on my lap and whispered in my ear, "I want you to dress as a girl, once, to see what it’s like."

"Are you crazy?" She wiggled her bum against my cock and I felt that damned traitor begin to get hard.

"Well someone thinks it’s not a bad idea," she whispered and licked my ear with the tip of her tongue and she moved my hand to her breast and her fingers sought my nipples.

"No, no, I won’t do it, I would look stupid."

She was now nibbling my earlobe and my nipples were hard between her fingers. I was caressing her breasts and beginning to pant as she continued to move around on my cock.

"Please, James, for me, it will only be once, it will help you understand what the cast have to go through."

My cock was now hard due to Alex’s wiggling, and she pushed one finger through my lips as she kept whispering, "You never know, you might like it. It will be between us, baby."

My cock was now painfully hard and Alex was still whispering in my ear, "Just imagine those soft silky knickers sliding up your freshly shaved legs and cupping your cock and balls, you will love it, sweetie."

I was now desperate to get relief and blurted out, "OK, Ok, but I want to fuck you now."

"Do you promise, James?" she was almost bouncing up and down on my cock by now and I couldn’t stand it any longer.

"Yes, yes, I promise."

"Thank you, sweetie, you won’t regret this." She raised herself a little, pulled down her knickers and tugged my shorts down a fraction to let my cock spring free. Areeya had come around behind my chair and she took over where Alex had left off by kissing and nibbling my ear and her hands found their way to my nipples. Alex turned around and straddled my lap to face me. She spat on my cock to give it some lubrication and eased herself onto the tip. I was desperate to get inside her, but teased me, touching the head of my cock for a few times, before she impaled herself onto my cock.

She moaned as it went deep into her and I grunted as I felt her tighten up around me. Alex moved up and down and I tried to match her movements. Areeya reached around, encircled Alex’s stiff cock with her fingers and stroked her as she rose up and down on me. Alex kissed me and then Areeya moved around and the two girls kissed right in front of me and this sent me crazy, the two people I loved most in the world were kissing in front of my nose whilst Alex rode my cock like a horse.

I felt my cock expand inside Alex and my climax travelled from my groin up through my cock and with one final huge thrust I came into Alex. She grunted and her cum spurted all over Areeya’s hand who pushed her fingers into my mouth and as I licked Alex’s cum from them, I could still feel my cock hard inside Alex. She kissed me and whispered, "Remember, a promise is a promise."

Right then, I was so spent I couldn’t have cared less what I had promised; I would have given her my right arm if she asked for it. Alex stayed on me squeezing the last drops from me and as she got up, I slipped out of her. She bent down to give my now deflating cock a kiss and a lick before kissing me one more time. She pulled up my shorts grinning, "It looks like you’re already wearing a pair of knickers."

I tried to give her a punch, but she danced out of my way. We all sat back down again, Alex gave Areeya a hug and disappeared off to the bathroom whilst Areeya came across and this time she sat on my lap. We sat there, her head on my shoulder and my arms around her waist. She gave me a kiss, "When will you call my father?"

"I was thinking about that. What would you think if I went to see him face to face?"

Areeya looked at me for a second, "I think it would be a good idea."

Alex came back, "What’s a good idea?"

"I was going to call Kritsada, but on second thoughts, I think I want to look him in the eye when I tell him. So, I think it’s best if I catch the next flight to Bangkok to see him and fly back tonight."

Alex looked uncertainly at me, "Do you think that’s necessary?"

"Alex. I think James is right. My father would appreciate hearing this face to face."

Alex still looked doubtful. "Alex, I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think it was a good idea. I promise I will be back tonight."

She bit her lip and nodded, "OK, but call me with your flight and I can meet you at the airport."

I kissed her and then Areeya and got going. I called Kritsada’s office on the way to the airport and by the skin of my teeth got the next plane to Bangkok. Three hours later I was waiting outside Kritsada’s office anxiously waiting to see him.

He walked out of his office and warmly shook my hand, "James, welcome back, I thought you would call me but this is most welcome to see you in person. Please come through."

His office was in the corner of the building with a wraparound view of Bangkok’s downtown. We sat opposite each other at a meeting table where he had positioned himself with his back to the window, so I had to squint to see him and I smiled to myself; he couldn’t stop playing power games.

"Sir, thank you for seeing me today." He nodded in acknowledgement.

"I wanted to give you Alex’s answer and to answer any questions you may have. Alex has accepted your offer to release her from the contract you had with her, she is grateful for your generosity, as am I, and for my part I consider any debt you felt you owed me is now paid in full."

Kritsada nodded, "James, thank you for telling me in person, I like to see the face of someone when I do business with them. Please tell Alex that nothing else will be affected by her decision."

I took a deep breath. "Sir, there is one other matter I would like to discuss with you."

He looked at me and his eyes narrowed, "Yes, what is that?"

"I have decided that my future is in Thailand with Alex and Areeya. I want to become part of their business and they have offered me a role in the new venture on Samui, but I would like to be more a partner with them than merely working there. I understand that you have generously provided capital for their new venture and I want to know if I could buy out your share of that business. Of course, I would compensate you for the loss of profit on your investment by paying back your original investment plus 10%. I can make the transfer within a month if that is acceptable to you."

His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t react at all. I stayed silent; the next move would have to be his.

"I must say James, you do like to put me on the spot."

"I’m sorry sir, but I wanted to ask you this face to face."

"As it happens, James, the timing of your request is fortunate. I have another opportunity that would be of benefit with that capital. However, I don’t think that 10% is sufficient return to justify my acceptance."

My heart sank, I knew that my savings plus selling my parent’s house would cover this and give me some left over but I didn’t want to pay more than 10%.

Kritsada stayed silent, his face impassive, and then he smiled, "But there may be a way for us to come to such an agreement. I have done some background investigation on you after the attack on Cockatoo and I was impressed by the reports. You are respected and capable in your field and I already know how resourceful and persuasive you can be. Don’t be upset with my paternal concern, I wanted to make sure I knew the man living with my daughter. It leads me to believe I could use your skills in my organisation. If you would be willing to provide me from time to time some, let’s call it, consultancy services, then I would be minded to look favourably on your financial offer."

An alarm bell started to ring in my head. “What exactly would these consultancy services be, sir?”

Kritsada waved his hand in a vague gesture. "Oh, it wouldn’t be anything that your skills would not be able to deal with, and all perfectly legal, of course."

If I had been more experienced, I would have known if anyone says something’s all perfectly legal, it is probably the exact opposite.

I was so keen to get this done that I didn’t think it through, "Sir, I am sure we can come to some arrangement in that respect."

He smiled, "Excellent, shall we shake hands on this?"

I reached over and took his hand, "It’s a deal, sir."

"I think this calls for a celebration drink, how about a glass of the GlenDronach?"

So, we drank to the deal in fine Scotch whisky. I had become part owner of a ladyboy cabaret that was yet to be launched and had agreed to be a consultant of some kind to a Thai businessman with shady business practices. I had well and truly burnt my bridges.

It was on the flight back to Samui that I realised what I had committed to. I had no idea how Alex and Areeya would react to what I had done and how things would pan out, but I now had a real incentive to make the ladyboy cabaret work. I wondered what I had let myself in for by agreeing to work with Kritsada, and I had also made a promise to Alex which I knew she would hold me to. I had no idea where all this leading me, but I couldn’t wait to find out.

To Be Continued