Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Links: Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Short Story
Jace and Tal are exploring a space ship they have found abandoned, figuring there may be some parts they can salvage. Although they are cautious, the ship seems to be completely empty, along with most of the rest of the planet. When Tal finds a sturdy table with some restraints attached, the guys decide to take advantage of the rare treat and indulge in some hot, kinky sex. They are both shocked when, as things wind down, they hear a voice on the comm from a man who has been watching them all along.
The owner of the ship, Cruz, tells them he is far away but enjoys watching. His ship is no longer running, but he offers to hire Jace and Tal to repair it, as well as to provide an occasional show for Cruz that he can watch from a distance. The guys are a bit hesitant, not knowing if there is a catch or if they can really trust Cruz. But the money would be great in finding a place for them to settle, and they definitely don’t mind a little exhibitionism, so they decide to take on the work.
As the ship gets repaired, the guys get to know Cruz as they talk to him through the comm. Both Tal and Jace realize that they really like the man, and feel a connection with him. When the ship is finally repaired and the guys return it to Cruz, they will meet the man behind the voice for the first time. And just maybe there will be a chance for something more for the three of them now that the job is done.
Fringes is a fun short story with a nice little menage twist. Jace and Tal are a really likable couple. You can feel how much they love one another and how connected they are right from the start. They are a team at work and also in the bedroom. They like to play with kink (mostly bondage and spanking) and we can see the adoration they have for one another, and the real care and attention they show each other. This is a short story, but I felt like we get to know their personalities and the way the interact very well given the short space.
Cruz we get to know to a much lesser extent. The guys spend a lot of time talking with him and interacting remotely, so I could fairly easily imagine how they could have forged a bond they wanted to pursue even before they met in person (though things do get serious with him quite fast). But as a reader, we don’t see most of those conversations on page, so I felt more removed from Cruz and the relationship between the three of them. Still, I liked his character and enjoyed seeing the three of them come together in the end.
The world building here is nicely done. Again, this is a short story so there isn’t time for tons of expansive detail. But I did feel like we got a nice sense of the world and the technology and there is definitely a futuristic feel to the book that works well.
So this was a fun one. I really liked Tal and Jace together and found them a really endearing couple. I think the ending comes together nicely and I liked how this one played out. So if you are looking for short, sweet, and sexy with a nice bit of futuristic world building, then give this one a try.
