The day had been perfect. Jared hummed happily to himself as he prepared dinner. He’d done a platter of nibbles as an appetiser. They were all bought foods; pâté , pesto, and smoked salmon. After all, no one wanted to spend too long cooking when they could be having fun.

He’d decided to do a cheese fondue for the main course. For him, the dish was as richly decadent as it was comforting. He could never explain how it managed to tick both boxes for him. He’d purposely brought the right kind of forks, a rounded-bottom dish, and burner for keeping it warm.

He was creating a classic fondue with Gruyere and Emmenthal cheeses, mixed with a small amount of a more spreadable cheese, a glug of good Sauvignon Blanc that they could drink with the meal, and a splash of kirsh. There was plenty of fresh bread for dipping, and there was salad as a side dish, if anyone wanted some. He expected the salad would probably accompany a light lunch the next day.

To follow such a rich dish, he’d brought fresh fruit, and a large tub of chocolate dipping sauce, into which he was going to stir some brandy when they were ready to eat.

The sounds of his friends chatter and laughter made him smile, and there was a steady stream of visitors into the kitchen area while he prepared the fondue. He loved to cook, so he was more than happy to do this for them.

He snuck a quick look over at Casey. His friend was wearing a T-shirt, and boxers, and Jared’s cock reacted. He quickly looked away. Sarah and Amber were in flannel pyjamas, and Chase wore just pyjama bottoms. He glanced down at his sweat shorts. They didn’t leave much to the imagination if his dick misbehaved. His T-shirt wasn’t long enough to hide a give-away erection.

They didn’t need to wear anything more. The cabin was gloriously warm, and Casey kept the real fire burning merrily away. Jared looked over at the wood pile and pursed his lips. The supply was running low, so he’d need to get some from the pile at the back of the cabin in the morning before starting breakfast.

His gaze shifted to the merrily-twinkling tree standing next to the fire. That had been Amber and Sarah’s idea. Since Casey never seemed to be home at Christmas, and they knew he never bothered for just himself, they’d decided to make sure that even though it was mid-September, they would have their own Christmas while in the cabin. It was a very sweet idea.

He tasted the fondue, and grinned widely. Perfect. Pouring it into his serving bowl, he carried it through to the table to an impromptu fanfare from his friends. Laughing, he headed back to the kitchen to collect the basket of bread and the bottle of wine.

“Right.” Jared picked up a fondue fork, and waved it like a conductor’s baton. “You all know the drill, grab yourself some bread, and dig in. There’s salad if you want. Just yell out.”

He sat down, and caught Casey’s eye. Something made him cock his head quizzically. “What?”

“Nothing.” Casey shook his head. “You’re just ... amazing. This is incredible. I’d pile on so much weight if we -- Well, I’d pile on the weight. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Jared stared at Casey for a moment, but his friend just smiled and began to dig into the fondue with abandonment. Jared speared his own piece of bread, and dipped it in the fondue. He’d been so sure Casey had been about to say something else.

“What’s for dessert?” Chase tapped his arm, and drew him from his reverie.

Sarah laughed. “You’re just starting your main, and you’re already thinking of dessert?”

“What can I say? I have a sweet tooth.” Chase took a mouthful of bread, and chewed, a look of bliss on his face. “But this is pretty excellent, my friend.”

The compliment warmed Jared, and he smiled. “Thank you. Dessert is fruit with chocolate sauce. You won’t want anything heavy after this.”

“Yum.” Chase smacked his lips loudly, making everyone laugh. “Man, am I glad you offered to cook. It’d be beans on toast if I’d offered.”