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I head into the kitchen, past the couches, remembering how nice it was meeting and chatting with Thorn and his brothers last night. I came out after my nap, scared for a moment because I heard voices. We started introductions in the living area and I immediately felt comfortable around Thorn’s two brothers. Sten is taller than all three of them and slender, but strong. He’s also more talkative and likes to tell jokes. Rake, Thorn’s older brother was massive and a bit quiet and intimidating, but still very polite.
Burl and some of the men were kind enough to bring us dinner. I invited them inside to eat with us too, since there was so much food. Thorn didn’t look pleased, but how could we let them leave without asking them to join? It seemed rude. Plus, it gave me a chance to get to know these other males better. The three other ranch hands who entered with Burl seemed very pleased.
All eight of us sat together at the table beside the dark windows, with the glow of the fireplace in the background.
The food they brought was made by the cook, and I must admit I was having trouble eating. It wasn’t that great. Somehow, it was worse that the food I’d been given at the mansion. I tried my best to not complain and keep my face from showing my difficulty, but the male sitting beside me caught on quick.
Thorn laughed as he watched me try to eat. “You see the problem? This is why I need you here as backup.”
I nodded in agreement, thinking already of the ingredients I would order and the meals I wanted to make. I wasn’t lying to him when I said I could cook. I’m the type who’d always rather make a meal at home rather than go out to eat.
Thorn cut all my food into smaller pieces so I could easily “eat with my blunt human teeth.” Burl poured glasses of fire ale for all of us. Thorn blew out the huge flame of fire on the top of my mug so I could take a sip. It was surprisingly good. The ale helped loosen my tongue and I probably overshared about my life back on New Earth.
We chatted a lot at the table as we ate. It was a fun evening.
Sten and Rake were impressed to learn that I had grown up on a family farm. “You weren’t just a city girl, an urban human? Someone who has only lived in big cities your whole life?”
“No, that’s not me. My family has worked that land for generations. My brothers and sisters are all still there happily tilling the ground and planting seeds, tending to the animals. They love it there.”
“But you left?” Rake questioned.
“Yeah, I know. I wanted to work elsewhere. I’ve always had a wanderlust that no one else had. I wanted to see what was beyond the stars and meet in real life all these different species I’d heard about.”
“You like staying on this ranch even though it’s so remote and don’t wish you were still in a large city?” Percut asked.
“I’m not bothered by how this ranch is so far from the main cities. I think you’re all lucky to live in such a stunning location. To be truthful, this way of life is giving me nice remembrances of my childhood.”
Sten grinned and lifted his mug towards me in a friendly gesture.
“You’ll fit in,” Rake commented.
“Oh, thank you for saying that,” I giggled, taking another sip of fire ale.
In the end, after they all left, Thorn swept me up into his arms and carried me upstairs and deposited me on my bed. He said I’d had too much to drink. Probably true considering I passed out so quickly.
This morning I’m already familiar with the kitchen because last night I made Traq for our guests. It’s nice and clean this morning because despite all the dishes that were used last night, the cleaning bot took care of everything.
“Thank you, little guy,” I say to the over worked bot still trying so hard, now cleaning the floors. “I’m sorry there’s only one of you for this big house. It’s too much for you.”
I walk over and make some Traq the way I like and soon realize there is absolutely nothing else to eat here. The kitchen has everything that the high-tech kitchen at the mansion had, which I’d always snuck into, trying to make some human foods on my own with the food dispenser. I lived briefly on the Omega 9 space station and I’ve learned that newer kitchens on New Earth and in the main cities elsewhere in the four sectors are all reasonably standardized. This kitchen is gorgeous but the cupboards and the cooling unit for fresh food are bare. I start thinking of leaving to make my way over to the barracks to use the food dispenser.
The back door opens and I squeak with surprise as a male suddenly appears in the kitchen.
“Don’t worry,” Thorn chuckles. “It’s just me. I was hoping you’d be awake by now. I brought you some food.
“Not breakfast made by Newl?”
He laughs. “No, I know how you felt about that last night. Here,” he says. “This is the exact same meal I brought yesterday that I know you already like.”
“The kids meal again?” I tease. I feel so very comfortable around this male. I suppose it’s because he’s completely transparent with me. He’s brought me into his life with no compromise. I probably would’ve already met his parents except they are on an extended vacation, and if I’m still here when they return, I’m sure I’ll meet them.
Also, I can’t seem to keep my eyes off the perfection of his muscular stomach, exactly above his belt buckle.
“Yes, yes. And I brought the same meal for myself, so you won’t eat alone.” He takes our plates to the large dining table next to the kitchen, directly beside the wall of windows, where we ate last night with our company. “Do you feel well this morning?” he asks.
“I do. I think I drank too much fire ale last night, but I don’t feel sick this morning.”
“You are lucky.”
