Raw Silk

by Lisabet Sarai

  Somtow answered with a smile of his own. “Please call me Somtow. It is the custom here in Thailand to call people by their first names. The pleasure is mine, David.”

  The two men stood for a moment with their hands linked, studying each other. Kate felt distinctly awkward. “I was going to take David to Suda’s restaurant, for a taste of authentic Thai food.”

  “An excellent idea,” said Somtow. “Would you mind if I joined you?”

  Kate’s discomfort grew. “Well, David just arrived last night, and we really have not had any time to talk. Perhaps some other time…”

  “It’s okay, I’d be delighted to have Somtow come along,” David broke in as her excuses faded off. “You two can even talk business. Everything here is new and interesting, to me.”

  The three of them strolled the two blocks to the restaurant, an informal open-air place with linoleum tables and vinyl chairs, on a quiet side street. It was busy, full of Thais eating, talking and drinking Mekong, the local whisky. When the proprietress saw Somtow, however, she hurried over to seat them and serve them herself.

  “Sawatdi kha!” she exclaimed, with a respectful wai. “Welcome.” Kate realised that everyone knew who Somtow was.

  “Shall I order for all of us?” he asked Kate and David. “The Thai menu includes many dishes that do not appear on the English version.”

  “Sounds great,” said David.

  “Can I assume that you, like Katherine, enjoy spicy food?” There was just a hint of mischief in Somtow’s voice.

  “Definitely. Back in Boston, Kate and I have to work hard to convince the waiters in the Thai restaurants that we really did want the food hot, as hot as they would make it at home.”

  “We should have no problem satisfying that request here,” said Somtow with a smile. He launched into a long discussion with the owner in animated Thai, gesturing and pointing to the menu.

  David turned to Kate with a grin. “This is fantastic. A lifetime dream fulfilled.”

  Kate was still feeling uncomfortable in the simultaneous presence of her two lovers. On the other hand, they both seemed perfectly at ease. She was sure that Somtow knew who David was. Meanwhile, though Somtow’s behaviour had been perfectly proper and above reproach, she suspected that David might guess Somtow’s true role in her life.

  Somtow completed the apparently complicated process of ordering and turned his attention back to the two Americans. “Would you like to try a Singha beer, David? Or perhaps some Thai whisky? I know that you have a meeting this afternoon, Katherine, so I will not try to tempt you. But you are on vacation, are you not, David?”

  “I suppose you could call it that,” said David quietly. “Mainly, I’m here to see Kate.”

  Kate blushed at the naked emotion in his voice.

  “However, I do want to experience what Thailand has to offer,” he continued. “We’ve had Singha in Thai restaurants at home. So let’s order some whisky.”

  “David, it’s execrable stuff. They sell it for fifty cents a bottle.”

  “Katherine,” chided Somtow. “Have you tried it yourself?”

  She shook her head, embarrassed at her outburst. She was on edge, she knew, and making a fool of herself.

  “Then why not allow David to make his own evaluation?” Somtow signalled the owner and soon she brought a bottle of brown liquid labelled in Thai, a bucket of ice and tongs, and two glasses. Somtow loaded each glass with a few cubes, then poured an inch or two of the liquor. He handed David one of the glasses and lifted the other himself.

  “To Katherine,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye.

  “I’ll drink to that,” said David, “And to new experiences.”

  Kate had a sense of déjà vu. She recalled her first evening with Somtow, in the garden.

  David took a sip, and began to cough. “Whew! That is strong.” He tried another, smaller nip. “But you know, it doesn’t taste bad at all.” His third drink was larger.

  “May I try it?” asked Kate, feeling left out in spite of herself.

  “Of course.” David passed the glass to her and she sipped at cautiously. It burned her tongue and throat, but did have a pleasant, slightly sweet flavour, more like brandy than whisky.

  Somtow was watching her with a smile on his lips. “You see, Kate. You should perhaps not make judgments without personal experience.”

  Kate felt certain there was deeper meaning to his comments. Was he making a reference to the planned showdown?

  The food began to arrive, first one dish and then another, until the table was covered with savoury, fragrant platters. Most of them Kate did not recognise, but every one she tried was delicious. David appeared to be enjoying himself immensely. He ate with a hearty appetite while carrying on a lively conversation with their Thai companion.

  Somtow was even more charming than usual. He regaled them with tales of Thailand: history, myth, folk tales, jokes. Before long, Kate relaxed. Clearly, Somtow and David got on well, despite the fact that they were rivals for her affection.

  The table was littered with empty plates. Kate sighed in satisfaction. Then she looked at her watch and was alarmed at how late it was. She pushed back her chair. “I apologise, but I’ve got to go. I have an appointment on the other side of the city in less than half an hour.”

  “Forgive me, David, for abandoning you. Somtow, could you please make sure that David gets back to his hotel?”

  “Of course,” said Somtow, rising as she began to leave the table. “On the other hand, I am free this afternoon. If you do not have other plans, David, perhaps you would like me to show you around the city?”

  David had been looking slightly sleepy, but he perked up at Somtow’s suggestion. “I’d love it,” he said enthusiastically. “I need something to distract me so that I don’t fall asleep. This jet lag is murder.”

  “Then it is settled. Katherine, do not worry about David. I will take good care of him, and give him some introduction to our Thai ways.”

  I’m sure that you will, thought Kate ironically. The same way, perhaps, that you introduced me? Then she realised how petty the thought was. Am I jealous, she wondered. Silly me. Somtow was gazing at her with something like adoration. Meanwhile David was watching Somtow.

  “Have a good time, David.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I’ll give you a call at the hotel tonight. Maybe we can get together for dinner.”

  “Goodbye for now, Somtow. I’ll speak to you soon, and we can schedule some time to go over those business matters you mentioned.” She grinned wickedly at her prince, then turned to find a taxi.

  Her meeting ran late, and the traffic was even worse than usual. She did not get back home until after seven pm. Kicking off her shoes, she settled down on the sofa and dialled the Montien.

  The phone in David’s room rang and rang, but there was no answer. He must be asleep, thought Kate. I’ll bet Somtow ran him ragged, dragging him to every palace and temple in Bangkok. Deep down, though, she had other suspicions.

  She was tired herself, and still full from lunch. She decided take a shower, make herself a light snack, and go to bed early.

  Sometime around nine, her telephone rang. She expected it to be David, but it was Somtow.

  “I hope I am not disturbing you, Katherine,” he began. The contrition in his voice made her smile.

  “Of course not. Is everything all right?”

  “Well, yes. David and I just spent more time together than we had planned. I hope that you were not worried. I just dropped him at his hotel—he was exhausted.”

  “I’m sure that you and he had a very active afternoon,” said Kate, allowing just a little irony into her voice. Somtow seemed not to notice.

  “I spoke to him about the contest, Katherine.”

  “And? What was his reaction?”

  “First he laughed—a little sadly. Then he said that of course he would participate. I think that he would do anything for you, Katherine. He loves you dearly.”

  “I k
now,” she said with a sigh. “That doesn’t make me feel any better about all this.”

  “It is not your fault that you are irresistible.”

  “Oh, stop it, Somtow.” Kate was chuckling in spite of herself. Then Somtow spoke again, in a much more serious tone.

  “I need to see you, Katherine, before the contest.”

  “That’s not fair, Somtow. We agreed that I should not get involved with any of you until we all meet on Saturday evening.”

  “Please, there is something that I want to give you. Have dinner with me tomorrow night.”

  “Definitely not. I have noticed that you are especially dangerous at night.”

  “Lunch then. Tomorrow. Please, Katherine.”

  Kate hesitated. It was he who was irresistible, she thought.

  “Have you been to Chinatown yet?” he asked in a lighter tone, sensing that she was hooked.

  “No…” she began.

  “There is a restaurant on Charoen Krung Road that has been in continuous operation for more than one hundred years. I know that you would love it. Tell me that you will meet me there.”

  “All right, Somtow. But only for lunch. I don’t want you planning to have me for dessert.”

  “Of course, Katherine.” But, she realised, he did not promise.

  He gave her the address, then bid her goodnight. As she hung up the phone, she marvelled at his influence on her. He never commanded, he only requested. Yet she could no more refuse his requests than she could disobey Gregory’s orders.

  Kate took the bus to Charoen Krung Road. It was not far from DigiThai, no more than two or three miles, but it was a slow trip. The vehicle oozed through the heavy traffic. Pedestrians, tuktuks and dare-devil motorcyclists wove their way through the snarl of cars and trucks.

  Kate did not mind the pace. The bus was air-conditioned. She sat next to a window where she could watch the passing sights.

  The Chinese area of Bangkok was one of the oldest parts of the city. Tucked into a bend of the Chao Phraya, it was a warren of narrow streets, flanked by crumbling three-story shop houses. Charoen Krung, the main thoroughfare, was barely wide enough for two cars to pass. The traffic crept sluggishly along its length, but the sidewalks bustled with commerce.

  The street was lined on both sides with jewellery stores, their bright red signs blazoned with gold lettering in English, Thai and Chinese characters. Some were glassed in, protected from the heat and the dust of the road, but many had open fronts stretching a quarter block or more. Inside, the walls too were crimson. Kate saw long counters and display cases with glittering contents. Customers sat on stools at the counters, bending over the cases or haggling with the proprietors.

  In front of the gold shops, vendors hawked everything from fresh vegetables to movie posters. As Kate got off the bus, she took a deep breath. The air smelled different here. Mixed with the normal exhaust fumes, she caught spicy hints of anise and ginger. She passed a traditional medicine shop, its murky interior lined with wooden drawers holding mysterious roots and herbs. A pale ginseng root floated in a glass bottle, its hairy extremities vaguely suggesting a human figure. The wizened, bespectacled shop owner behind the counter looked up as she paused. Flustered, she hurried on.

  At the address Somtow had given her, she found a narrow door framed in Chinese script. There was no English sign. The door was open, and led, she saw, to a steep, carpeted stairway. The building smelled of age, but there were also some rich food odours that she could not identify.

  At the top of the stairs, she found a small antechamber made even smaller by the huge porcelain jars standing on either side of a curtained arch. She was met by an elderly Chinese man in a rusty black suit.

  “Miss O’Neill?” he asked, his accent making it difficult for Kate to understand him. She nodded. “Please come with me.”

  He held the curtains aside for her. They entered a cavernous room, two stories high. Fans turned lazily above them, hanging from the embossed tin ceiling. Round tables were scattered around the room, but only one or two of them were occupied. None of the diners was Somtow.

  “This way,” said her guide, gesturing toward the back of the room. Here, Kate saw, there were wood-panelled walls that reached halfway to the ceiling. As they came closer, she realised that these were enclosed booths made of teak or mahogany, arranged around a central corridor. Floor-length drapes of heavy brocade covered the entrances, ensuring the privacy of the occupants. Halfway down the corridor, they stopped, and the Chinese man knocked on the door post.

  Somtow’s voice was muffled by the curtains. “Come in,” he said, sweeping the draperies aside. “Come in, Katherine.”

  The interior of the booth was furnished with brocade-cushioned benches and a table covered in white linen. It was surprisingly spacious. There was no sense of being confined. The top was open; immediately above their heads, Kate saw one of the fans twirling slowly.

  Somtow closed the curtains and took her hands. “Thank you for coming. Please, make yourself comfortable.” She seated herself on the bench. He smiled at her delightedly. “Well? What do you think?”

  Kate looked around her. “Interesting,” she said. “I’ve certainly never seen anything like it.”

  “The Chinese conduct all important business over food,” explained Somtow. “and sometimes, discretion is important. The Three Moons restaurant has seen five generations of negotiations, deals, intrigues and coups. Not too mention illicit meetings and lovers’ rendezvous.”

  Kate just smiled at his enthusiasm.

  “In addition,” he continued, pouring them some tea, “the food is exceptional. I took the liberty of ordering Peking Duck for us. They need twelve hours advance notice.”

  Kate laughed. “You are unbelievable. It seems that all you think about is food and sex.”

  “Not so,” Somtow protested in mock seriousness. “I will admit those are among my primary occupations, but I am also interested in business. You have not told me yet whether you will take the position I offered you.”

  “After Saturday, I will let you know. After Saturday, everything may change.”

  “I know,” said Somtow softly. “Still, I am looking forward to it.” He reached across the table and stroked her cheek gently. Something inside her melted. Her eyes grew wet, and so did her sex.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked after a moment. Kate nodded. He pressed a button on the wall that looked like an old-fashioned doorbell. In less than sixty seconds, there was a knock outside.

  “Come in.” The elderly gentleman and a much younger man entered with two trays. The steam rising from them made Kate’s mouth water. With remarkable speed, they set the food on the table, and left the cubicle, closing the curtains behind them.

  The food was wonderful, but they ate mostly in silence. Kate was surprised at Somtow’s uncharacteristic reserve. She felt a strange tension growing between them. She picked up a morsel of duck with her chopsticks and placed it thoughtfully in her mouth. Was it because of David, she wondered? Or the coming moment of truth? She watched Somtow as he used his chopsticks to pull the juicy flesh from the bone, then brought it to his lips. She was seized with the desire to kiss those lips, to run her hands over his smooth, firm limbs. She felt the pull of his body like magnetism.

  Of course, she reminded herself, she had been celibate for more than a week now, in preparation. She had to laugh at herself. A week without sex these days seemed like a year.

  Finally, she leaned back on the cushions. “I can’t eat another bite,” she said. “That was magnificent, though. Thank you.”

  “I love to please you, Katherine,” he answered. “As I am sure you know by now. As I told you, I have something for you. If you are finished, I will have them clear the dishes.”

  He rang for the waiter, and the dirty plates disappeared as quickly as they had arrived. The young man also brought them a fresh pot of tea.

  When the curtains were closed again, Somtow reached into his pocket. He brought out a blue v
elvet box. “I hope that you will accept this, Katherine, as a token of my love and respect for you. As something to remember me by, perhaps.”

  Kate wanted to refuse the box, but the look in his eyes stopped her. Silently, she took it from him and opened it.

  It was a sapphire necklace, an oval pendant on a delicate gold chain. It was unbelievably beautiful.

  Kate was overwhelmed. “Somtow, I can’t take this. This should be for your wife, not for me.”

  “Nong has her own sapphires, Katherine. And she has the honour and misfortune of being my legal wife. I want you to have something tangible, something precious, something to convince you that you are more to me than just a playmate and a diversion.”

  He was so sincere. Kate felt tears prick her eyes again. Without further comment she carefully fastened the chain around her neck. The stone sparkled in the hollow of her throat.

  “Thank you, Somtow,” she said softly. “I am deeply touched.”

  Her prince watched her, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “You look lovely,” he said. “Of course, you would look lovelier still if you removed your blouse.”

  “Somtow. You promised!”

  “Promised what?” he said with mock innocence.

  “That you would stick to the rules and would not try to seduce me.”

  Somtow grinned. “I am sure that I never promised that.” He leaned forward across the table. “I would never make a promise that I could not keep. In any case, I have a feeling that you really want to take off your top.”

  It was true, of course. The attraction that Kate had felt toward him during lunch was a hundred times stronger now. She glanced over at the curtains. They were tightly closed. “The management would never enter a booth unannounced,” said Somtow. “It would violate all the traditions.”

  Without a word, she pulled her silk shell over her head. Then she unhooked her brassiere in the front, and let it slide off her shoulders. She sat up straight, enjoying the hungry way that he eyed her bared breasts.

  “Ah, Katherine,” he sighed. “I see that I was right.” He picked up his chopsticks, reached across the table, and deftly caught her left nipple between them. “Quite stiff,” he commented approvingly. He applied a bit more pressure and the button of flesh swelled further. Her cunt muscles tensed and her clit tingled.