Oh fuck,he thought, his heart racing.This is so wrong.
And yet.
And yet he didn’t try to escape.
“It’s, um, going,” Aaren croaked, his pulse thumping between his legs. Could Hades smell the musk of his arousal?
Because unlike the woodsy scents of alphas, the grassy scents of betas, and the floral scents of omegas, sex scents were the same from person to person, making them easily recognizable.
Hades leaned over Aaren’s shoulder to peer at the chicken, his broad chest pressing lightly against Aaren’s back. “Looking good.”
Then he stayed there, long moments of them just breathing together.
Aaren wasn’t even looking at the chicken anymore. He peeked at Hades’ stubble from the corner of his eye, secretly sniffing at that cherrywood scent.
I’m going to hell,he thought.
3
A SLIPPERY SLOPE
“Doyou think it’s time to flip the chicken?” Hades rumbled, his voice sliding down Aaren’s spine like a lover’s caress.
“Don’t you mean, ‘Choke the chicken’?” said Aaren’s mouth.
Silence stretched between them. Hades turned a little to watch Aaren from the corner of his eye.
Then it hit Aaren, what he had just said.
“Oh fuck,” he groaned, ducking his head to avoid Hades. Which was a good move because he did, in fact, have to flip his chicken. He hurriedly turned them onto their uncooked sides. “There. I flipped my chicken. Oh gods, why does that sound so wrong? It sounds like I just flipped my—my cock up and down. Who the hell even says that?”
“You, apparently,” Hades said, sounding amused. He stepped away, leaving Aaren’s back cold and lonely.
It’s fine. I don’t need an emotional support chest to lean on.
“If you give me your number, I’m going to name you ESC on my phone,” Aaren said.
“Oh? Like an escape button?”
“No, it stands for Emotional Support Chest. Like an emotional support animal, but yours is a chest.”
Hades nodded solemnly. “Good to hear that all you want from me is my chest.”
“And your money.”
“And my money.”
Aaren buried his face in his hands. “I suck so much.”
“Mmm. Do you really?” Hades’ voice dipped low and seductive. It lit up all of Aaren’s nerves. Then the alpha was behind Aaren again, except this time, he pressed himself flush against Aaren’s body, his bulge nestled against the small of Aaren’s back.
Aaren had never felt this hot in hislife.His breath whooshed out of his lungs; all he knew were the fingertips lightly tugging on his hips.
Just as quickly as he had appeared, Hades retreated, dropping smoothly back onto Ballus’ chair. “I’m looking forward to this meal.”
Aaren reeled with the loss. “Fuck,” he whispered.
He shouldn’t want to feel Hades’ hands all over his body, pressing firmly against his skin. Especially under his clothes and between his legs.
