A Cook’s Tale

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The trials and tribulations of the crew and passengers of interplanetary transport vessel, The Santa Claus continues in A Cook’s Tale.

After a horrific breakup, Erron Murfin is bitter, homeless, and friendless. When the cook’s position on the Santa Claus presents itself, Erron decides to escape his current circumstances and join the crew. On board he reconnects with family friend Gamin Wells, whose own secrets and issues begin to surface upon Erron’s arrival. The least of which is the reason the pair haven’t laid eyes on one another in over twelve years.

As Erron settles into his new duties, the men on board take an interest in their newest crew member. Among those intrigued by Erron are polyamorous couple, Barrus and James. Despite Erron’s cautious nature, he’s drawn into a triad relationship with the pair.

But there’s something about Gamin…

Is Erron too damaged to confront his own feelings?

Will his past prevent him from finding what he needs?

Excerpt:

Beta Deck was situated like a large dormitory. All the rooms ran in a loop with a central facility containing a gymnasium, lockers, lavatories, and shower room. On a non-hetero vessel, the layout was dubious to say the least.

Since the majority of the crew was off-ship, Erron felt bold enough to enter the locker room. In his quarters, he’d stalled for a bit, deciding how to proceed. What was considered normal on the Santa Claus? Did the men walk around half-dressed? Less than half? There were a lot of factors in fitting into an established community. Towel over his shoulder, he stepped through the doorway into the locker room. The gymnasium could be seen down one end and the shower room was visible down the other. He wondered what it would be like with a dozen men all stripping down and showering together in one room together. The likelihood for something tawdry to happen seemed high.

Gamin’s clothes lay over the bench and the sound of water running told Erron the chef beat him here. Not surprising really, Gamin had been on the ship for years, this was his home, and Erron hoped he’d soon feel the same.

Stripping off, Erron dropped his garments in the same fashion as Gamin. Peeling off his briefs, he felt a sudden surge of awkwardness. He was about to get in the shower with Gamin. The nervous giggle tried to rip out of his mouth, so he choked it down. He was being childish.

“Took you long enough.” Gamin said. The chef hadn’t looked in Erron’s direction as he held his head under the spray.

“I had to find my towel.”

Erron hung his towel on the hook near the doorway, and selected a shower with a buffer of one nozzle between them. The control panel beeped as Erron touched it, but nothing happened. Over and over, he touched the pad only to be mocked by the same tone.

“It’s voice activated,” Gamin said, barely looking over his shoulder. “Just tell it the temperature you want.” Erron’s face heated up; he couldn’t bring himself to admit he couldn’t muster the nerve to use the shower last night after they turned in. The ship was too quiet, and too new.

Ducking his head slightly, Erron leaned forward and spoke to the black panel. “Forty- two degrees Celsius.” A torrent of heated water rushed over Erron, the delicious heat the first step in washing away what felt like months of grime and sad reminders of his derailed life. The cheap inns he’d been forced to rent after being evicted had lousy facilities. This… this was a small piece of chocolate decadence.

“Like your showers pretty hot?” Gamin continued to face the wall as he soaked himself.

Erron angled his hips, keeping his privates out of view. “I’d forgotten how nice it feels.”

For the first time he could remember, Erron felt self-conscious. The fitness membership expired shortly after the breakup, but Erron hadn’t lost too much tone. He’d never be large and imposing, his frame didn’t allow it. A lean body and smooth skin could still turn heads. The treatment responsible for his hair growing in green made all the rest on his body the same color. Jade colored hair on his arms and legs was too odd and a green pubic zone made him feel like a perverted clown, so it had to go. There was nothing wrong with him, but why he felt the need to hide himself, he couldn’t say. He certainly never acted this shy in front of the troops during the war. It was more than a bit hypocritical when he peered over his shoulder at his showering partner.

Tall and thick, with coarse hair on his arms and legs, Gamin’s size and sturdiness were a stark contrast to Erron’s smaller stature. Wisps of fur reached around the sides of the chef’s rounded belly that matched the meaty globes of his behind. Everything about Gamin was solid and manly. The peppering of gray on his head and beard fit him as well.

It was true, he probably shouldn’t be looking, but Erron had never seen Gamin this way in all these years. Not even shirtless at the park when he was growing up. From what he could see, the view wasn’t half bad; Gamin had nothing to be ashamed of. What he did notice was how deliberate Gamin was being at not looking at him.

“You’re a lot bigger than I remembered.” Erron couldn’t help watching Gamin soap his body while continuing to face the wall. It had been a long time since he’d had any opportunity to be with a man. While it wasn’t his plan to be with Gamin, as long as he didn’t turn around, Erron could enjoy the show. He prayed Gamin wouldn’t turn around. That would be mortifying.

“Yeah well, I’ve had time to eat a few good meals.”

“It looks good on you.”

Gamin chuckled as lines of lazy suds followed the contours of his back and between the crevice of his haunches. “Thanks. You’ve changed a lot over the years too.”

“I’m not a kid anymore.”

“No. No, you’re not,” Gamin said, drenching his head under the spray.