"Uh--" Carlos was glad that he hadn't been drinking something at that moment, or the resulting spray would have hit someone back in Brazil. /There go my ears again./

He loved the way George was looking at him, and the tone in her voice, but--damn. Present company made that--er um--heh..../Dammit, I'm being ganged up on!/ He laughed a little.

"Guess it depends on the activity, then," he managed fairly cheerily, giving George a wink. /I'm getting you for that later. And not much later, either./ "But making things, I'm new at. I'd kill for some proper tools, honestly."

Sheepish look. "Uh. Not literally, promise."