Chapter 12: The Way He Kisses

Talking about the past, Anna's missing her parents hit her hard.

So many nights, she dreamed her mom and dad were still around, just like fifteen years ago, and she was still that girl wrapped in their love.

Not like now, fighting through life solo.

Seeing Anna's lips tighten and her eyes fill with deep sadness and pain, Charles's knuckles silently clenched. He got up, plopped down next to Anna, and threw an arm around her shoulder, cutting off the convo.

"Mom, when's grub ready? It's almost noon."

Alice snapped back to reality, glanced at the clock on the wall, and quickly got up. "Dinner's almost done, Anya, you two hang tight."

After a few steps, she stopped and called out to Cedric, who was sipping tea. "Cedric, get in here and help!"

Anna looked at Alice and tried to get up, pushing Charles's hand away. "Mom, let me help too."

Before she could get up, Charles hooked her waist and pulled her back into his arms.

Alice also stopped her, saying, "The kitchen's a smoke fest, Anya. Stay out here and munch on some fruit."

As she spoke, Alice rolled up her sleeves. "I'll cook today. Let Anya taste my cooking."

After Cedric and Alice went into the kitchen, Charles looked at Anna. "Missing your folks?"

"A little."

Charles looked closely at the corners of her eyes and, seeing no tears, spoke again, "I know a way to cheer you up instantly."

"What, ah!"

As soon as Anna spoke, Charles's hand on her waist suddenly tightened, lifting her onto his lap. Before Anna could react, he suddenly lowered his head and kissed her lips.

The living room and kitchen were super close, just over a hundred feet away, separated by a door. Cedric and Alice could pop out of the kitchen any second.

Anna was startled by Charles's move. She instinctively raised her hand to push him away.

"Charles..."

In the gap when she spoke, Charles seized the opportunity.

"Charles!" She dodged his kiss. "Mom and Dad are still here. Chill out!"

Charles's eyes darkened.

"So if they weren't here, it would be okay?"

'What kind of question is that?' Anna thought, narrowing her eyes, ready to retort.

The next moment, before she could answer, Charles scooped her up in his arms. Anna instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.

Noticing her move, he smiled in satisfaction.

"Since you are shy, I'll take you somewhere private."

Anna gritted her teeth. "Who's shy? Charles, can you chill a bit?"

"Why should I chill?" Charles quickly walked to the second floor. "You're my wife, of course, I can kiss you whenever I want."

Compared to the living room downstairs, the second floor was way quieter. Charles carried Anna to the first room on the left, kicked the door shut, and pressed Anna against the door, lifting her chin and kissing her passionately.

His hands found hers, his cool fingers locking with hers like a vice.

Charles might act all laid-back and indifferent most of the time, but his kisses? Total opposite. That deep, possessive way he kissed always left Anna defenseless.

Worried she might collapse if her legs gave out, Charles held her waist, his lips gently pecking her trembling ones.

"Your lung capacity isn't great; you need more practice."

Regaining her strength, Anna pushed him away.

After Charles kissed her, most of her lipstick was gone. "I'm gonna fix my makeup."

Charles eyed her rosy lips. "I'll help you."

Anna could hardly believe her ears. He would help her? More like made a mess.

In front of the vanity, as she took out her lipstick and was about to apply it, Charles intercepted it halfway. Holding her face gently with one hand, he focused on applying a thin layer to her soft lips.

After a moment, he put down his hand, satisfied with the result. "Done."

Anna raised an eyebrow and looked past him at the vanity mirror.

Pressing her lips together, Anna was quite surprised. She joked, "Mr. Percy, your skills are so good. How many women have you practiced on?"

Charles tossed the lipstick aside. Half-seriously, half-jokingly, he asked her, "If I said you were the first, would you believe me, Anya?"

Anna raised an eyebrow slightly. "With skills like that, it doesn't seem likely."

Charles chuckled. "Can't your husband be self-taught?"

"Oh."

Her perfunctory tone made Charles want to kiss her hard again.

Downstairs in the dining room.

Alice finally stopped after making twenty dishes.

At the table, Alice kept piling food on Anna's plate. In no time, Anna's plate was stacked high with food.

Seeing the growing pile of food, Anna's eye twitched.

Alice was in a great mood, putting a piece of each dish on Anna's plate.

"Anya, try it and see how my cooking is."

Anna first tried a Taquito. Just as she took a bite, Charles suddenly leaned in.

Holding her wrist, he took a bite of the other half of the Taquito.

Charles sat back, his eyes filled with a slight smile, looking at Anna and slowly chewing the Taquito.

After finishing, he looked away and seriously commented, "Mom's cooking is especially good today."

Alice glared at him. Then she looked at Anna.

Charles had taken food from Anna's hand. He could have just taken it, but he only bit a small part, leaving her a small half.

Anna looked down at the small piece of Taquito on her fork, bitten on both ends. She didn't know whether to eat it or throw it away.

Under the seemingly casual gazes of the others, Anna finally put it in her mouth. She chewed it quickly and swallowed.

Seeing her eat it, Charles raised an eyebrow, his mood seemingly much better.