The cool breeze of the night managed to subdue the heat that was haunting my body after receiving Cher’s instructions on how to “reward” a man. Trying to calm my heart that was pulsating blood wildly through my body I segued the conversation to a subject that I was curious about while enjoying the cool air surrounding me.

“Do I smell?” I asked Cher.

“When do you not smell.” She answered jokingly to receive a playful fist pump from me on her shoulder. “I’m serious, somebody has told me that I smell a particular way.”

“Perhaps it’s time to switch from deodorant brand.” Cher reasoned as she glanced at her phone to see what time it was.

I shook my head, “I also thought that but they said that it wasn’t the deodorant that they were smelling but my body odor.” I asserted thoughtfully. Mark kept speaking of how my scent soothed him, but he was the only person who had ever told me that.

Bending to my side, Cher dipped her nose in the crook of my neck, taking a whiff of it before pulling back and wearing a pensive expression. After taking a moment to analyze my scent she deliberately shook her head, “I don’t smell anything, but I do know now that you’re into Nivea.” She grinned.

“You’re sure? They told me that I smelled like strawberry with a hint of chocolate.”

Hearing those words Cher’s grin widened as her eyes gleamed knowingly at me. “And with they you mean mister Mark Moore.” She sang his name out as she wiggled her eyebrows teasingly at me while shimmying her shoulders in to me.

“No~.” I drawled pushing her away, but then quickly stared at her with interest shining in my eyes. “What makes you think that I was talking about Mark?”

“Because Brandon always tells me that I smell like vanilla and to me he smells like the rain forest. Did you know that back in the days people choose their partners based on their pheromones? That was the closet thing to a soulmate.” Cher narrated what she had read on the internet to me and I listened intently to it.

“Really?” I asked perplexed.

Cher hummed as she nodded, “Yeah, really. Only your soulmate’s scent is fragrant to you. So, I guess that you have found your soulmate.” She chimed jovially.

My best friend was celebrating with happiness that I had found my other half, but I stood there astonished as I let the information sink in to my mind. Even if I wouldn’t believe this information about pheromones and their role of connecting people to each other I couldn’t deny that Mark’s scent soothes me. It was a calming scent with the ability to untangle every knot in my muscles to then turn me placid. It gave me the secure feeling that I’m home and safe.

It was like God got bored of the unremarkable process of humanity and thus sought for entertainment and decided to pair up an ordinary girl with a murderer to add some flare in his kingdom.

“April!”

“Cher!”

 Both our names got called out simultaneously by our men who came driving in from opposite directions. Brandon parked right in front of us while Mark parked on the other side of the street, having their head sticking out of the rolled down windows.

Cher’s face lit up at the sight of her fiancé, not noticing the apprehensive expression that I wore on my face as I wasn’t prepared yet to be alone with Mark. Cher skipped over to Brandon. Brandon leaned over the front door window with his forearm resting on the edge, readying himself to receive Cher’s kiss.

“How was your day?” Brandon enquired with a blown up smile as he wasn’t able to keep his delight that he felt from Cher’s kiss at bay.

“It was good.” Cher answered, carrying the same expression on her face as she gazed into his eyes. They were so absorbed in each other’s presence that they had totally disregarded my existence, forcing me to regain back their attention by forcing out an awkward cough from my mouth. Hearing the exaggerated coughing sounds coming from me, Brandon finally diverted his attention from Cher to me.

“Hey April! You’re here too?” He sounded surprised. I rolled my eyes at him before sauntering my way to them, standing next to Cher in front of the front door window. I stretched out my arm, forming my hand in to a fist and Brandon did the same thing, meeting me half way to fist bump me.

“You would have noticed me if you would stop acting like lovestruck teenage boy.”

Brandon chuckles lightly, “What can I say, it’s difficult to ignore a beautiful woman.”

At his typical provocation the corner of my lips pulled into a lopsided-grin before I folded my arms in front of my chest. “That makes sense since Cher never saw you as dating material back then until you serenaded your love for her."

My mock filled words earned a dramatical gasp from Brandon who had to place a hand on his aching heart to sooth the burn. “Ouch…”

I only arched up my brows urging him with my eyes to try me again. Cher chuckled at our childish bantering. “Before you’re going to continue with hurting my man’s ego there’s something that I wanted to give you.”

My attention deviated from Brandon back to Cher. My head tilted to the side, curiosity to this something filling my eyes.

“Love.” Cher stretched out her hand at Brandon, her hands beckoning for something. At her sign Brandon straightened his composure, before getting something from the glove compartment, placing it gently in Cher’s hand.

I glanced down at the envelop that was dedicated to me, “What’s this?” My eyebrows furrowed as I received the letter, before looking back at Cher who was grinning from ear to ear. My eyes then shifted to Brandon that shared the same expression as Cher’s.

“It’s a wedding invitation, an invitation to my wedding.” At the sounded words that got released form Cher’s lips my brows that were knitted together released their tension as my jaw went slack.

Seeing my surprised expression Cher continued, “It’s going to be next month. We have already decided on the venue place, but we still have to send out invitations and we also still have to look for a dress. I wanted to give the invitation to you in person since you’re my best friend and my maid of honor.”

Overwhelmed by the emotions crashing into me I found myself glomming on to Cher, standing slightly on my toe to wrap my arms tightly around her neck. Cher had to stumble back from the sudden force, but was able to reclaim her footing quickly. “Are you sure that you want me to be your maid of honor?” My voice sounded muffled as I spoke in the crook of her neck.

Cher hugged me back, one of her hands patting my quivering back. “If not you, who else?” She giggled.

“Not her at least.” Brandon interjected himself into the emotional conversation to receive a sharp glare from Cher that shut him up completely. She then slightly pushes herself away from the embrace so that she can see my face. Unshed tears were clouding my eyes. “You should bring Mr. Moore with you.” Cher added, nodding her head at the car that was waiting across of where we were at. At her words the tears in my eyes instantly evaporated into nothingness.

I turned my head to see Mark watching us intently. Cher waved at him as a greeting and Mark responded with a curt nod of acknowledgment wearing a polite smile on his face but I knew that he was getting impatient.

“Uh…” I started with a wobbly smile. “Sure, I will.” I gave Cher one last hug and waved Brandon goodbye before making my way to Mark.

“Hi.” I greeted Mark as I stepped into the passenger seat.

“Hi.” Mark greeted back monotonously. Noting the dullness in his voice and the lack of focus in his eyes as their attention were trained on Cher and Brandon, but especially on Brandon, causing the skin between my brows to fold up.

Why is he staring at them? I thought anxiously as the pensive expression on his face gave me an unsettling feeling.

Placing my hand on his shoulder I tried to garner back his attention. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

His eyes shifted from my friends back to me. His bright blue eyes that shone brighter than ever because of the streetlamps took in my worried expression before the corner of his lips moved up a fraction. “Nothing, what’s that?” He jerked his head to the wedding invitation in my hand and I couldn't help but scrunch up my face as I noticed how he tried to deviate the conversation to something else.

“It’s a wedding invitation for Cher’s and Brandon’s wedding. It’s going to be held next month and they told me to take you with me.”

I saw how his eyes wandered back to Cher and Brandon who just drove off while responding to me with a mindless hum that made me frown my lips.

“Seriously what’s wrong Mark? You’re behaving really odd right now.” I remarked, feeling agitated before adding with a troubled voice, “Did my friends do something wrong?” He didn’t seem to be angry but the way he was looking at them was as if he was observing them.

But why?

The shakiness in my voice managed to grab his attention again. Seeing the worry reflected in my eyes he released a dazzling smile that made me skip a beat, before he leaned in to capture my lips with a kiss. “There’s nothing wrong, my sweet little kitten. I was only wondering when I would get my reward.” He spoke against my lips in a low alluring voice, beguiling my mind away from matters that were of importance. At the word ‘reward’ my heart stuttered and Mark smile turned mischievous.

Not able to gaze at those intense blue eyes any longer averted my eyes away so that they would be looking outside instead. “You will receive it when we get home.” I answered shyly, feeling the tips of my ears turning red.

My mind replayed the instructions that were whispered in my ear by Cher. There was no way that I would execute it inside the car while having the chance of unwanted eyes peeking inside the car. Even the birds flying across the city can become our witness and I felt mortified by the mere thought of it.

“Well let’s not waste time anymore then.” Mark said before stepping hard on the gas paddle, sending me backwards against the chair from the sudden force of it.

 …

The door to our bedroom was swung wide open by Mark who strode inside with full excitement while I was dragging my feet behind him. We were still wearing our work clothes, but our shoes and coats were discarded of at the entrance.

Mark spun sharply around, mirth spilling from his eyes as he looked at my fidgety form. Spreading his arms out he spoke with expectation freighting his voice, “I’m ready to receive my reward.”

Well, I am not ready to give it! “D-Don’t you want to eat first?” The words tumbled from my tongue as I tried to prolong the time before my doom.

“I can also give you your punishment now if that’s what you want.” Mark rose his brow up tauntingly at me and I knew that I couldn’t keep running away, so with a resigning sigh approached Mark who was still standing there with his arms stretched out. Bringing my hands out to grab his tie I loosened it to toss it aside earning a surprised look from Mark.

“Is my kitten going to undress me?”

My body was riddled with jittering nerves that I couldn’t hear Mark’s question as I was too focused on not messing up the task. My fingers that were trembling like crazy spread the collar around his neck open to give me better excess to his neck and shoulder. “Don’t move.” I ordered with shuddering breath, and Mark didn’t question, he listened to my demand and made sure to not even lift a finger.

Standing on my toes to have better reach whilst my fingers were curled in Mark’s collar attacked his neck with butterfly kisses until I reached the interjection between his neck and shoulder. I decided to take a small bite at the spot as revenge for his earlier bite to feel him hum in response as if he was enjoying it.

“What nice, it feels like a kitten is dosing me with love with her soft and sweet gesture.” He hummed in contentment while closing his eyes to savor the feeling.

I then, bit by bit, started to descend whilst letting my hands roam over his white shirt- feeling every groove of his taut muscles prodding through it before they landed on his belt. At the slight tug of his belt Mark’s eyes flew open as they darted down to see me unbuckle the belt as I crouched down on my knee.

Finally understanding what I was about to do he called to me with a staggering breath, “Kitten, you don’t have to do this. I don’t want you to do anything that you aren’t ready for.”

At his coaxing voice my heart swelled with inexplicable affection. I would have normally taken this chance to bolt, but I found myself unable to move from my spot. Watching Mark’s heated gaze and the desire to see his face overtaken with pleasure dominated and pushed my body to advance with my plan. He had pleased my body multiple times so I wanted to return the gesture.

“I want to,” I simply said, unzipped his pants to release his rigid length. I felt my breath going shallow and my throat going dry at the sight of the taut organ. I was amazed that this managed to fit inside of me.

Mark watched me hesitantly grab his manhood, before releasing a sigh at the feeling of my fingers engulfing it. Doing what Cher had told me to do I begun to move my hand back and forth to receive a pleasure filled sigh from Mark. His manhood felt warm in my hand and I could feel it throb, making me wonder if it will fit in my mouth, but I decided to brush those thoughts away and bent down to kiss the head of his shaft before slowly enclosing my mouth around it and I heard him hiss.

My eyes were trained on Mark’s face, watching the delirious swirling in his eyes and I felt my confidence soar giving me the push to start moving- bobbing my head up and own, sucking him to hear him curse under his breath,

“Fuck, Kitten, fuck!” despite my order of not moving his hands flew to hold the side of my head as support to keep him from staggering. I smiled internally, euphoria washing over me that I had the power to push him over the edge. That I wasn’t the only who goes weak at the touch,

He groaned in pure bliss and before he was about to burst, grabbed me by the arm to pull me away from his manhood, and in blink of an eye he had my back against the bed with him hovering above. Confused to why he stopped me I asked worried, “It didn’t feel good?”

Mark leaned forward to kiss my lips and my cheeks were aflame. “It was amazing.” He praised. “But I don’t want to come before I make you come.” He pecked my lips again to then deepen it. His tongue rubbed against mine, turning my mind and tongue utterly numb that I totally disregarded the hands that were clutching my blouse to rip it open at the chest.

Buttons flew off and got scattered around the room. My eyes swirled wide open. I glanced down at my bra that was exposed to the air.

“Sorry, I can’t hold it back anymore,” Came the jagged voice of Mark, and I had to swallow a lump that got stuck in my throat at the sight of his carnivorous eyes that wanted to swallow me whole.