A Touching Of Lips (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 29. Sponsorship.

As we reached Plaa Plaa Plaa, Ming knocked on the door as it was locked and the closed sign was up.

It was Pond that unlocked and opened the door.

"Welcome and come right in. Your reserved table is ready for you."

We let Pang and Sky enter before us, and Ming put an arm around my waist easing me gently in front of him, his gentlemanly behaviour making me smile.

Most of the tables and chairs had been moved leaving a large table in the middle. It was covered in a white tablecloth, instead of the pale blue ones that they usually had, and decorated nicely with candles and flowers.

"Oh!" Pang exclaimed, turning around and smiling at me. "It looks beautiful. You shouldn't have gone to all this trouble."

"Really?" I pretend to sound surprised. "You don't say! If I had realised I could have got away with just an apology, I wouldn't have done it."

Pang slapped me, and laughed. "Yes, you would."

"You will just love the food here," Pond informed as he pulled a chair out for Pang to sit down, with Ming pulling a chair out for Sky. "The owner himself is cooking for you tonight. All the dishes have been personally selected for you by Earth."

Pond winked at me, and I gathered from that I was meant to play along.

"What have you chosen then, Earth?" Pang asked, as she leaned against me.

"It's a surprise that you will have to wait to find out," I answered, relieved that I was quick witted enough to think of that.

I was quite amused that Pond was acting as waiter for the evening and was just itching to see how good he actually was. Ming was attentive to Sky, and being most charming, leaving me free to concentrate on charming Pang.

Pond handed Pang and Sky a blue coloured drink in a martini glass, with a slice of dragon fruit perched on the rim, and then handed one to Ming, and then me. "The drink is a non-alcoholic cocktail. Yacht just calls it Exotic Blue Dragon Fruit."

He then wheeled out a trolley of appetisers and stopped beside me. I hoped he was going to tell us what they were because otherwise I was sunk. Hit amidships and likely to go down with all hands. He must have read my thoughts because he instantly obliged.

As he took dishes off the trolley he announced what each one was. "These are Prawn Lettuce Wraps, zesty and spicy..., and these are Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimps..., and our special Thai version of the classic European dish, Calamari. It's fried squid in a picante batter with a sweet chilli dip sauce."

I leant into Pang and said quietly, "We had this the other night and it was absolutely fantastic."

Pond smiled and carried on. "There are also Coconut Giant Tiger Prawns that you can also dip into the sweet chilli sauce and finally we have Fish Cakes, and Crab Cakes. Please enjoy. Earth? If you require anything more ...., please let me know."

We all tried every dish and I served Pang some choice pieces. I felt a little guilty, but when I saw the smile in Ming's eyes I knew he understood, and wasn't jealous, and that I was only doing what had to be done.

Pond cleared the appetisers away and then brought out a large round terracotta dish containing, what he announced as, Fisherman's Stuffed Squid. He told us the squid was stuffed with a variety of different types of fish, seafood, as well as a host of herbs and spices. The soup-like sauce it was in, tasted to me like a lobster bisque, and a really good one at that. Rich in flavour, it was one of the best I have ever tasted and I've eaten in some of the best, and most expensive, places in Bangkok. Yacht's bisque certainly beat them all.