PheroMoans
Chapter 6
TOO SWEET
Morning
Friday
A sharp knock rattled the door, reverberating with a sense of urgency through the room. Another knock followed--louder, harder--insistent enough to pry Mark from the depths of sleep. He blinked, disoriented, the ceiling above him unfamiliar in the faint morning light. But then he became acutely aware of the warmth and weight of the woman lying across his chest, her steady breathing beginning to quicken as she stirred.
"Mom! Mom, are you alive in there?" The voice from the other side of the door was young, impatient, almost demanding--another knock and a louder one.
The woman blinked awake, her body stiffening as she registered the sound. She let out a groggy groan, propping herself up on her elbow. Her expression shifted from drowsiness to a sudden awareness that matched his own. Her gaze darted to him, a momentary flash of guilt or worry crossing her face before she gave a hurried nod.
"I'm awake!" she called through the door, her voice hushed but with an unmistakable undertone of urgency. "What's wrong, honey?"
The boy's voice came through muffled. "We're leaving for school--me and Matt. Just wanted to say bye."
Mark's heartbeat steadied slightly, and the reality of the situation settled over him as she fumbled out of bed, tugging the comforter around her shoulders. She pressed a finger to her lips to ensure Mark kept quiet. He watched as she padded softly across the room, the door's lock clicking open as she cracked it just enough to peer out at her son.
"Hey, kid," she whispered, a hint of relief coloring her tone.
"Mother," Aaron says.
"Nice hoodie you got there."
"Dad brought it."
"Okay, it's an ugly hoodie."
"Aaron, come on!" Matt screams.
Through the narrow opening, Aaron's eyes flickered curiously toward the dim room behind her. "Alright. See you later, Mom."
"Love you, Honey." She closed the door softly, letting out a long, slow exhale as she turned back toward the bed, meeting his gaze in the quiet that followed. The morning had begun with a jolt, but he sensed, beneath the initial shock, that this was just the beginning of a very long day.
"Well, I guess this is an awkward morning after sex?" Autumn says, peeking her head out of her bedroom door and going to the closed front door of her apartment. "They're gone." The thick cotton comforter dropped to the floor; Mark grinned at the sight of her exposed body.
"Nice," Mark says, his joints popping as he stretches his arm.
"They're gone," Autumn says, leaving the room. She looks back at the approaching Mark. "You hungry?"
Mark's eyes scanned her up and down. "I can eat." Autumn smiles, her eyes lighting up from the attention.
"Food. I'm talking about food." Autumn smirks.
"Define food." Mark wraps his arms around her waist, connecting his lips to her neck.
"Down, boy," Autumn says, wrapping her hand around his head. As the kiss stops, she holds her gaze at him.
"You okay," Mark says slowly, almost reluctantly. She looks away, and the faint glisten in her eyes betrays the truth.
"Yeah, just thinking. So, what do you want for breakfast?" Autumn leads him into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator. She bends over, not leaving much to the imagination for Mark's view as she searches.
"I feel like you're teasing me," Mark says, slapping her ass; Autumn takes it in stride as his handprint etched on her ass.
"Maybe. What time do you need to be at Lennox for your bratty friend again?"
"1000, it's currently 0730, so we got time."
"Do you like scramble bowls?"
"It's been a while since I had a scramble bowl."
"Great, sit in the living room, maybe put on some music. Helps me cook."
"Let me guess, country, right," Mark grabs the remote and scrolls to the country music channel.
"Wow. How racist of you to assume I listen to country music." Autumn says, rushing over to grab the remote and almost tripping over a small stepping stool.
"Careful," Mark says as she grabs the remote from his hand. She clicks a couple of channels over to the Metal station.
"Better, my ex was a country guy, which is one of the many reasons he had to go besides the cheating, eh." She says as the remote jettisons from her hand into his chest.
"Did he ever get physical with you?" Mark raises his eyebrows at his question as she turns around and walks back toward the kitchen.
"yeah," she says almost in a whisper. "I'm not going to tell my boys that, though, they love the asshole." Autumn cracks open some eggs into a pan.
"Well, that's nice of you, but shouldn't they know? I know if I were them, I would want to know."
"That's future Autumn's problem. Besides, he is living in hell paying that child support."
"If you say so," Mark says, sneaking up behind her...
"I thought I told you to go in the living room. I can't concentrate with you behind me like that."
"You want some help."
"Oh, you can cook?" She turns her head into another kiss.
"I'm a world-star Michelin Chef."
"A world-star chef working at Everyday Earth makes sense to me." Autumn let out an unexpected laugh, the sound bright and high-pitched as his fingers found that sensitive spot on her sides. "Stop, I'm going to burn myself."
"I'll kiss it. Let me make the grits."
"Fine, but don't disappoint me. Also, how do you like your eggs?"
"Sunny side up, I'm feeling froggy."
"Well, leap over to the cabinet to get the grits."
The kitchen filled with the soft clinks of dishes as the early morning hummed quietly. Mark stood by the stove, stirring a pot of creamy grits. His movements were unhurried. He added a sprinkle of salt and a generous pat of butter, watching as they melted into the bubbling mixture.
Beside him, she cracked another egg into the skillet. She glanced over at him, grinning as he stole a peek at her work with an approving nod.
They moved comfortably around each other, picking up where the other left off without a word. Mark leaned over Autumn's shoulder to grab a spoon, giving her a playful nudge as he checked the grits. She laughed, nudging him back, then turned her attention to slicing sausage links, adding them to the skillet. The smell of savory spices soon mingled with the eggs and grits, filling the air with a warm, mouthwatering aroma.
He gave the grits one last stir, the texture now thick and smooth, and set the pot on the counter, reaching for two bowls. She quickly layered in the fluffy scrambled eggs, adding bits of golden-brown sausage as he spooned a hearty helping of grits. They added a sprinkle of cheese, which brought the dish together.
With a satisfied sigh, they admired their work, a simple but delicious breakfast bowl perfectly blending their efforts. Autumn grabbed two spoons and handed Mark one as they leaned against the counter, sharing bites and laughing softly. They savored both the meal and the cozy, unhurried rhythm of the morning.
"Damn, you did these grits up," Autumn says, pointing her spoon at Mark.
"Thank you, Thank you." Mark gives a playful bowl. "I used to watch the Food Network religiously with my mom."
"Ah, a mama's boy explains a lot."
"Shut up; like I was saying, I practiced recipes alone during summer break. My friend Emma was my guinea pig.
"Lucky her."
"You should have seen me the first time my dad and Mom had me cook; I was in tears."
"Ahh." Autumn chuckles. "Poor baby."
"God, I was such a little bitch then."
"Well, that changed the mood." Autumn tilts her head. "A little harsh on yourself; there is nothing wrong with being sensitive. I make sure I let my boys know that."
"Sure, If you say so."
"I do, Mark Morgan, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on."