The Competitive Edge (2) by Talya Andor

Author:Talya Andor [Andor, Talya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: M/M romance, contemporary, Appetite
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Published: 2013-05-28T12:00:00+00:00

Recipe Eight

There was no down time between winning or losing one challenge and returning to the kitchen the next day in the competitive micro-universe of the Five Stars show. Alex woke. He bumped into Nik coming out of the bathroom already fully-dressed, and in his dazed state, it was an effort to not press a kiss to Nik's mouth as he steadied himself on Nik's shoulders.

"I'll make coffee," Nik promised, twisting away before Alex could act on his impulses.

There was already a camera up the hallway, and Alex fiercely wished that it wasn't there.

"Mm," Alex mumbled, hitching up his boxers. "You're too good for me."

"Too good to you," Nik corrected sharply over one narrow shoulder.

"Eh, yeah," Alex agreed with a vague wave. "My English …" He trailed off, shutting the bathroom in lieu of ending the conversation.

No amount of long, hot soapy showers were going to substitute for having Nik in his arms. It made him less grumpy and semi-alert, however, and when Nik passed over a travel mug of coffee, Alex was in a state resembling human and presentable once more for the studio and their continuing endeavors.

It was an endurance sprint and Alex had never been inclined toward marathons. They had been functioning without a break for so long, cameras filming their every waking moment, that it would be a little strange to return to a life without scrutiny. Alex was excited, though.

One of them was going to win a great deal of money and prestige very soon.

They walked into the Five Stars kitchen, which seemed echoing and sad without their fellow contestants. "What should we …?" Alex wondered aloud, gesturing to the empty stations and wondering if one of them should move over so that they were side to side. Before he could figure it out, Cadence walked into the kitchen, a spring in her step. Behind her was a taller man with dark hair and an olive complexion. He was handsome in a rough-hewn sort of way and wore a cut-off top that bared muscled, tattooed arms.

Alex squinted. He recognized the man from some magazine spread or another. The large shaded star tattoos on each side of his neck were especially distinctive.

"Good morning, chefs!" Cadence chirped.

Alex waved, murmuring something along with Nik's subdued, "Good morning."

"We have a surprise for you today." Cadence smiled. "You didn't think we would progress to the finale so easily, did you?"

Alex blinked. He hadn't thought they had had an 'easy' time of it so far.

"Today's Pilot Light challenge has a twist," she said. "Please welcome back some familiar faces, as well as one new competitor."

"What?" Alex exclaimed, clutching at Nik's shoulder. They stood riveted in place. A door opposite the studio opened, and Roy and Catriona trooped in, followed by another person who Alex recognized at once from catching up on all previous seasons of Five Stars of San Francisco. It was Adrian Minotti, semi-finalist from the last televised season of Five Stars.

Nik shrugged him off and folded his arms, his expression annoyed as he surveyed the chefs entering the room.

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