Mesmerized

Lips

He has a thing for her lips.

There, he admits it.

He has a thing...for her lips.

And how could he not when he's daily presented with them. How could he not take notice of how plump they are, or how sexy it looks when one of the corners tilt up into a smirks or how they shine when she wears one of those glosses

Gosh.

There's no way in hell that he wouldn't take notice. He could stare at them all day when she's talking, his mind short circuits when she shyly bites the lower portion of them or when she licks them.

He's so glad that he has a good amount control over himself, otherwise he doesn't know (he knows) what he would've done because of those lips.

And then one week, his brain basically mocks him, saying: "self-control? Who is she?".

It's a Saturday, and he's sitting in the chair in front of the big screens, throwing a ball up as high as he can and catching it.

Obviously, he's bored.

Jasper is watching re-runs of old dog judge episodes on the couch, but Henry can see his eyes fluttering close every couple of minutes.

He doesn't even bother asking who's helping the clients out in Junk N' Stuff.

The elevator suddenly dings and he looks up, ready to grunt out a greeting to Charlotte when she walks in.

He opens his mouth to speak but within a second, all the words die on his lips.

Again.

He stares.

At her lips.

She's wearing a bold red lipstick.

And its shiny.

And it attracts his gaze like a magnet.

He vaguely recalls that she told him that her older cousin had send her a box full of make-up. And he, in pure Henry fashion, had just said "oh, cool", to which she had rolled her eyes and continued the conversation with Jasper, who had been more enthusiastic about it.

Really, it's his own fault. He really should've seen this coming.

He doesn't know how a color could make such a difference though.

It's just a color.

Some tint on the lips, that happens to be glossy and attracting his eyes to the bow-like shape of them and has him thinking about whether it would transfer if he were to-

He mentally curses.

It takes everything within him to stop himself from standing up, walking over there and kissing her senseless.

He's really considering it.

Considering putting an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

And about leaning down and biting her lower lip, teasing her before he moves in closer and closer and then-

He groans.

Fuuudge.

In an effort to calm himself, he closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath. He feels, dazed, confused, his heart is thumping like crazy. He's having all types of reactions to this.

And he really needs to get himself under control.

When he opens his eyes again after deeming himself sane enough to do so, he finds her looking directly at him.

There's a look in her eyes that he can't identify. It's dark and...something.

They stare at each other for what seems like ages. Everything falls away and the only thing- the only one- he can see, is her. The air between them is wracked with so much tension that he swears he can hear the electricity crackle. And when her teeth catch her lower lip, biting it in a way that he's been fantasizing about just then, he's pretty sure that he's spontaneously combust. He's just about snapped. And he's so ready to follow those instincts that are telling him to kiss her senseless.

And then Ray walks in.

"Get a room you two!" he yells out playfully as he heads over to the auto-snacks machine.

Or it sounded playful. The look he sends Henry though, makes him think that Ray knows exactly what he's been thinking about, and exactly how much this whole incident is affecting him.

Henry looks away from him only to catch the gaze of Jasper sitting casually on the couch, lazily eating from a bowl of popcorn, wide-awake and giving him the same look.

He turns back to the computer.

He tries to concentrate.

And he's also considering breaking into her house one of these days, finding that lipstick and destroying it.

For his own sanity.

But that's stupid.

Because she would probably just buy a new one.

And even though it costs him his sanity, he really, really loves that color on her.

--------------------

Tbc.