###Chapter 16

Chapter 16

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Anthonia was in the kitchen, making some strawberry banana smoothie for the kids, Henry and she.

The kids are back from school and are currently busy with their assignments.

Blossom was asleep, still sucking on her pacifier. She has been awake all day, luckily she's asleep now. She slept as soon Anthonia fed her her milk.

She had her iPod in both of her ears, swaying and humming to the song been played.

***I don't want to be twenty something. . .

Till in my head about. . .

Seventeen in my bedroom talking you said by now we. . .

Paint the walls of our shared apartment

You're still everything I want so what're you doing now. . .

You probably got the job you like. . .

I'm making money off the songs I like. . ***

She held an invisible microphone, bringing it to her mouth. Her head shaking up and down, making her soft, long brown hair bounce to the direction of her head.

***I ain't a Barbie girl. . .

I'm living in my own world. . .

Ain't plastic, call me classic. . . ***

As she turned to put the cups of smoothie in the freezer, her eyes fell on Henry's own.

The emotion or emotions in his eyes are hard to describe but it was so evident in his eyes as he stared as her.

She bit down on her lips, nervously. Nervously? Yep, she was nervously, gripping on the tray the cups of smoothie was on.

He took slow and cautious steps towards her, heightening her nervousness. When he got to her, he took the tray, setting it on the counter at his back before facing her back.

He leaned in, his eyes in hers but soon fell on the lips that was between her teeth. He caged her with both hands on each side of the counter she was leaning on.

" Why are you doing that?" He asked; his voice alluringly low and raspy.

She snapped her eyes to his in utter confusion, her bottom lip still between her teeth. " Doing what? Making smoothie?"

He tilted his head, chuckling at her cluelessness of what that action is doing to him. " I meant your lip, you are biting your lip. Why?"

She raised her brows at him, transfixed at the spot he held her between his hands. " Because it's mine. " She replied, snarky.

With a sinister smirk on her lips, she bit on her bottom lip again just to see his reaction. Something flashed in his eyes before his eyes moved from her eyes to her lips in a rapid way.

As he lifted one of his hand to her face, she subconsciously lean back a little bit but that didn't stop him. It made him paused to study her face again before grazing her lip with his thumb.

He grazed his thumb on her bottom lip, gently drawing it out of her teeth's grasp.

Words can't start to describe how he felt when he touched her lips, it was soft like before when he saved her after drowning. But it wasn't technically a kiss but his lips touched her, nevertheless.

This. This single action of saving her pink plumb bottom from the grasp of her teeth ignited something unholily pure in him. Not even Betty could get the awesome reaction from him.

Anthonia took a sharp intake of breaths when his thumb came in contact with her lip. She wanted to get a reaction but she didn't expect herself to react to his reaction. And to her surprise, it was oddly comfortable and satisfyingly good.

His eyes giving out what he was feeling and wanted. His eyes masked with lúst as he stared at her then her lips then repeated the motion.

It was as if he was asking her permission to do something she knew deep down, she would regret but also like it.

" Do you know what this does to men?" He asked. He quickly corrected himself. " Does to me?" He cupped her chin with one hand, caressing her face but his thumb still lingering on her bottom lip.

He locked his jet-black eyes with her chocolate brown eyes.

Her eyes that never seem to be unalive, her eyes that was always full of life like she hasn't been through anything in life. Her bright lively eyes gleamed with a little bit of somewhat confusion, curiosity, anticipation and comfortability.

A heart-racing smile tugged at his lips, seeing the reaction he got from her and the effect he has on her as she used her parted lips to breath since her heart was overdoing it's job by racing more than necessary.

" What does it do?" She asked, staring deep into his black eyes that now held admiration.

How can someone quickly change expression?, She thought.

" What does it do to you?" She asked again when he didn't answer.

" You wanna know?" He replied.

" Yes. " She simply said.

He leaned in; his lips almost touching hers before he went to her ear and whispered. " Something. " He whispered in her ear and resisted the urge to bite her earlobe before backing away from her to met a glare from her.

He chuckled softly. " What?"

She scoffed, rolling her eyes and pushing him away. " You're such a. . ."

" A what?" He asked when she doesn't complete it. " An handsome man? A talented man? A really extraordinary person?"

Snorting, she placed the cups of smoothie in the freezer. " In your wildest dreams. " She muttered under her breath but he heard it and smiled.

She turned to face him, giving him another deáthly glare before walking out of the kitchen to the Living room.

" I've been thinking. " He started, following her to the living room and she groaned, facing him.

" That isn't a good thing but go on. " She replied.

" You seem like a good singer. . . "

She scoffed, cutting him off. " I don't seem like a good singer, I AM a good singer. "

" You are. " He agreed. " I thought that maybe you and I should hang out more often so maybe I could get an inspiration and advice from a fellow singer. "

Bringing her hand to her chin, she hummed in fake thoughtfulness and interest. " So. . . You are saying that I; Anthonia Cooper hang out more with you; Henry Harrison after the stunt you just pulled in the kitchen, huh?"

" Yes. " He responded.

" Okay, let's say I agree with this. . . " Waving her hands in the air, looking for the right word to describe what Henry was implying. " Shenanígan, " she found the right word, making Henry gasp. " Don't gasp, it is not like I could find another word to best describe it. So, as I was saying. Let's say I agree to this shenanígan, what will I get out of it?" She asked, teasingly.

She has come to enjoy Henry's friendship since this morning and wouldn't have it any other way but who said she couldn't and wouldn't tease him? No one, right?

" I will teach you how to swim. " He said.

She gasps, touching her chest in a over dramatic way. " Oh my, oh my. I've always wanted someone to teach me how to swim now I'll learn it free of charge from a whole Henry Harrison, oh my, oh my. " She gushed; sarcasm dripping from every single word. Rolling her eyes, she asked. " Why would I want to learn how to swim?"

" Because it could save you from drowning again and then someone won't have to save you from dying and giving you a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. "

" You gave me a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?!" She yelled, snappishly , startling Henry to flinch.

" Yes?" He replied in a rather questioning way, unsure of what she wants him to answer.

" That's the other time out lips touched each other. " She said, a little bit to loud but just both of them heard it since they were the only ones there in the living room.

" Yeah and I hope it isn't the last. " He muttered just to his hearing. " So, what do you say? Deal?" He said to her, stretching out his hand, she examined It before placing her hand in his.

" Deal. "