Page 31 of In Darkness and Dank

Kittisak was surprised how much the idea of actually leaving saddened him, and he knew it had everything to do with the gorgeous monster sitting beside him—the monster who had such strong arms, a sweet smile, and luscious, full lips…

There went that damn brain damage again, making him want to do something very, very stupid.

Fuck.

“So, uh, I kinda wanna look at your junk.” Kittisak blushed at the unintended innuendo, and he was glad Shu didn’t catch it. “Your treasure. Chezoro. Can we go back?”

“Yes. We see chezoro and nap.” Shu slipped forward into the pool. He turned to take Kittisak’s hands. “We go?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” Kittisak grabbed Shu’s hands and squeezed, smiling down at him. He thought about kissing Shu again, and wow, this would have been such a perfect moment.

As Kittisak shifted forward, his legs came around Shu’s sides, and just a few more inches would have put him right up against Shu’s chest and in his arms. The waterfall was the most romantic backdrop Kittisak could think of, and the entire lagoon had fallen eerily silent as if all the creatures were holding their breath, waiting to see what was going to happen. The sun made Shu’s skin glitter, and it would have been so easy to lean in close and claim a kiss from those beautiful lips.

Bejo, Kittisak recalled.

That was the word Shu had used, and Kittisak wished he had the balls to say it.

But he couldn’t.

Kissing was a very, very dumb idea, and that was the absolute last thing he needed to do. Jerking off together this morning was bad enough, and the erotic memory only added to the tension brewing between them at this very moment.

Nope. Couldn’t do it.

Kittisak slid his leg over to drop into the water beside Shu instead of in his arms, his heart pounding up in his throat. He took a deep breath and puffed out his cheeks to show Shu he was ready to go.

Shu smiled, and there was something sad and longing in his expression that Kittisak couldn’t quite place.

He didn’t have a second to question it as Shu dove into the water, dragging Kittisak with him. Shu cut through the water at extraordinary speed, and he brought them into a big, twisting tunnel. This couldn’t have been the same one they used earlier, but it was apparently connected to the cave.

After a maze of lung-burning twists and turns, they popped back up there.

Shu helped Kittisak out of the pool, and Kittisak snagged his boxers from the ledge where he’d left them. The air in the cave was less humid than it was outside, and the fabric had almost fully dried. He paused to step into them as he followed Shu over to the cluster of shelves and broken furniture.

“My chezoro,” Shu said proudly.

“Wow.” Kittisak laughed. “You have a lot of chezoro.”

“Yes. Find. I find much.”

Kittisak went for the clothes first, picking through tattered T-shirts, a thick bathrobe, and the parka. He was delighted to find a pair of purple swimming trunks. They were way too big for him, but there was a drawstring he could tighten them up with.

“Can I have these?” Kittisak asked.

“Prrrrp.” Shu frowned. “My chezoro.”

“Please? Look, maybe you’re used to walking around naked, but I’m not.”

“Naked?”

“Naked.” Kittisak gestured to his body. “No clothes. Want clothes, please.”

“Clothes.” Shu pointed to Kittisak’s boxers.

“More clothes than this, okay?”

Shu hummed thoughtfully. “Trade,” he said after a moment. “Trade chezoro.”

“Trade what?” Kittisak snorted. “Did you miss the part where I’m naked? I don’t have anything to give you unless you want my raggedy boxers.”

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