Offered to the Triplet Alphas

Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Hot & Bothered

Leo’s body pressed against my back as he guided my hands, his fingers warm and firm over mine. The heat from the grill wasn’t the only thing making my skin flush.

“Like this,” he murmured, his lips barely an inch from my ear. “You need to arrange them by density. Mushrooms cook faster than peppers.”

I tried to focus on the vegetables, but all I could think about was how his chest felt against my back, solid and warm. His hands dwarfed mine as he helped me thread the pieces onto the skewer.

“I’ve worked in kitchens before,” I pointed out, trying to sound normal despite the flutter in my chest. “I was a maid for years, remember?”

Leo chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest and into my back. “Cooking and grilling are different beasts, sweetheart. Trust me on this one.”

He adjusted my grip on the skewer, his fingers sliding between mine in a way that felt far more intimate than the simple act deserved. When he spoke again, his lips brushed the shell of my ear. I shivered when his breath danced across my skin.

“Hold it like this,” he whispered. “Gentle but firm.”

My breath hitched. Was he still talking about grilling? The double meaning wasn’t lost on me, and from the smirk I could feel against my ear, it wasn’t accidental.

“Now you try,” he said, releasing my hands but keeping his body flush against mine.

I fumbled with the next skewer, hyperaware of every point where our bodies touched. The vegetables kept slipping off as my usually steady hands trembled.

“I’m usually better at this,” I mumbled, embarrassed.

“Are you?” His voice dropped lower, lips grazing the sensitive spot just below my ear. “I bet you’re good at a lot of things, Hazel.”

Heat crawled across my skin that had nothing to do with the grill in front of us. I bit my lip to stifle a gasp when his hands settled on my hips.

but his touch was doing exactly the

the small of my back as I attempted to finish another skewer. When I finally

he praised, his voice a low rumble. “Now for the

his chest pressed firmly against my back. The contact made me

steadying my wrist. “We don’t want to ruin all your hard

on the grill, but when I

need to learn how

free hand slid from my hip to my stomach, fingers splaying wide across my abdomen. The possessive touch sent shivers up my spine, and

I turn them?” I asked,

hot enough,” he replied, and I could hear the smirk in his voice. “You

met my shoulder—right where a mating mark would go. The brief contact made

whispered, not sure if I was asking him

vibration traveling down my

was about to reply when Levi’s

food ready yet? We’re starving over

absence of his warmth left me feeling strangely bereft. When I turned to look at him, his expression was calm and collected, as if he hadn’t just been pressed against me, driving me crazy with

done,” he called back, shooting me a knowing smirk.

by how easily he’d switched modes while I was still trying

to the grill with burning cheeks. “Grilling

my ears. “We can

and vegetables to the table. My hands still trembled slightly, and the throbbing

looks amazing,” Liam exclaimed as we set the