The little twerp's frown

Bentlee's POV

"Bentlee! Lee!!!!!!"

I looked up to see who was calling my name.

I couldn't see who they were, so I lowered my line of sight and finally caught the tiny person.

It was Toby, the boy from the supermarket a while ago.

He ran from a man's grasp and approached my table.

"Hi" he smiled like he had just seen a diamond.

"Hi Toby" I said back to him. He was a good kid, had annoying tendencies, but was a good kid overall.

He stared at her platter in wonder.

"Wow"

"Do you want to join me?"

Toby nodded enthusiastically before turning to the man that sat across from me.

The little boy visibly frowned and eyed Zeke up and down before taking the seat beside me.

Toby turned to me and blushed lightly.

I called for the server again to let Toby order what he wanted.

"Where's your dad?" I asked the little boy.

And he pointed towards the door.

A man at the entrance began walking towards us.

I had some time to analyze his features.

He had brown hair and hazel eyes.

He was dressed simply and his jawline was as sharp as a sword. He was attractive, I would say.

He looked exactly like Toby, which amazed me.

The man stopped at our table and greeted us with a warm smile.

He was facing me, hence most of his gestures were directed at me.

"We were passing by when he saw you. I was surprised he remembered"

"Oh really?" I smiled back.

"Though, I don't think we got to meet that day, I'm Bentlee, you can call me Lee" I extended my hand.

He shook it and spoke, "I'm Erik".

...,....

Zeke on the other hand watched the exchanges that happened between Bentlee and the boy and then Bentlee and the Dad.

He noticed the little boy giving him dirty looks and he rolled his eyes.

Was he trying to intimidate me? I ought to smack him, Zeke thought.

His attention on the boy was short-lived when the Dad began to speak to Bentlee.

He was smiling like he had just met her, and from their exchange, it seemed he was just meeting her.

The man's eyes moved from her to his son and then Zeke.

Zeke was silent and observant, he could tell the man's look was not just a mere look but a questioning one.

As if asking or trying to decipher what he and Bentlee we're....friends? A couple?

Zeke's expression gave nothing away and surprisingly, so did Bentlee's.

The server brought the snacks and placed them before the little boy.

"Would you like some as well?" Bentlee asked the man.

"Oh, I was out running an errand, I'm not done yet so I can't sit"

Toby looked a his dad with begging eyes, pleading with him for something in particular.

And the man added, "but can you please watch Toby for me while I go run the errands? I promise it won't take long"

Toby sighed.

"Ummm..... Sure" Bentlee said looking at Toby and the Zeke.

With that the man said goodbye and left.

....

Zeke's POV

After the man had left, I watched how the two people before me began to interact.

It looked like an owner-pet dynamic.

The boy was like a little dog that wanted it's owner's attention badly.

And Bentlee was the uncaring owner.

Perhaps she doesn't like kids?

His thought was interrupted by Bentlee taking a bread roll from the boy's plate, buttering it up for him and placing it back.

The little boy blushed slightly and her gesture.

I rose my eyebrow at her gesture.

Was she the tsundere type?

Bentlee resumed eating her desserts once more.

She took a big bite of her cupcake and moaned in a low tone.

Toby was focused on his cupcake as well, but I heard it.

"So good, fuc-" she said savouring the taste before stopping herself from finishing what she wanted to say.

Her eyes shot to me and I smiled.

So she DID care whether her actions affected the little twerp.

She cleared her throat and tried licking off the icing that stuck to her lips.

Those lips, how did I not pay attention to them?

Her lips were full, pink and looked soft.

Her tongue peeked out of her mouth and glided oh-so-slowly over her top and bottom lips, one after the other.

If we weren't in a pastry shop, I would swear that she was trying to seduce me.

So kissable.....

Zeke sighed and adjusted his posture, he needed to focus on his plate, not her lips.

"Lee" the boy said looking at his half-eaten cupcake.

"Hmm?" Came her reply.

"Who's he?" The boys eyes shot towards Zeke.

There was no trace of a smile or a calm ambience around the boy.

Before Bentlee could answer, Zeke spoke.

"I'm her boyfriend"

Bentlee's eyes widened, making Zeke smile devilishly.

Her eyes were asking what he was doing, and he didn't respond.

"B-b-boyfriend?" Toby lost his voice and confidence.

"Yes, little man. Boyfriend" Zeke nodded.

Bentlee was sipping her juice when she heard Toby speak.

"I thought I was your boyfriend" he said

And Bentlee spluttered into her drink.

Zeke's arm was behind her in a swift move, gently rubbing her back.

She was still coughing while Toby staring at Zeke with dislike for rubbing her back.

"Are you okay?" Zeke asked, his voice low and husky. His face was etched with worry and patience.

A blush crept onto Bentlee's face as she stared at him.

He didn't break the contact they had.

It felt like they were in their own world.

Except the little twerp was frowning.

He didn't like the Mister.

Zeke's hand that was placed on Bentlee's back in one position moved slightly, causing Bentlee to stop breathing for some seconds.

He moved again and again until it was rhythmical.

Bentlee swallowed. His touch felt like it was directly on her skin.

She was lost again.

.....

~Tsundere is a Japanese term for a character development process that depicts a character with an initially harsh personality who gradually reveals a warmer, friendlier side over time~