Here, he retaliated just as much -- brushing his cheek against hers -- all scruff and soft at the same time, his lips ending up right against her ear. "Look at you," he murmured, "looking out for the little guy."
He took the plates he needed, stepped back too with a crooked smile that was only short lived because pancakes were a bitch and he did have to flip them. "Americans do that all the time. Brunch, innit? S'pose we could blame marketing and media for it all, but mostly I just do what I like."
One pancake down, he spatula-ed the thing onto a plate.