Page 33 of Crossing the Line
"Let me see."
He didn't.
He felt like he'd already made a fool of himself because he'd turned to look at her like he was one of Pavlov's dogs and she was the bell.
"Don't make me twist your arm." Her voice had gone from shock to concern and now there was a not-so-thinly-veiled threat.
Like she was more than willing to hurt him to see how badly he was hurt.
And that made him smile.
Yeah, he was a little crazy in the head.
"Let. Me. See."
Hank's voice reached his ears. "You better let her see it or she might knock you over the head to get her way."
Bixby turned his head in time to see Janice nail Hank with a glare.
"Don't make me call Jenny."
Hank held up his hands in surrender. "Hey! I was helping you!"
Janice smiled and Bixby smiled in response.
"I know, but I'm pretty sure Jenny would be here in a heartbeat to see the chicks again."
Hank dropped one hand to his side, his hammer held lightly in it, but his other hand lifted to rub at the back of his neck.
His friend's cheeks reddened. "She's already hinting that she wants me to build a second coop. One at our house."
Janice nodded knowingly. "She's going to see you as even more of a hero."
Bixby heard her words, and his brain started to slowly work them over, but then Janice turned her head and her gaze met his.
"Now," she nodded. "are you going to let me see your hand?"
He didn't fight her any longer.
He loosened the tension in his arm, and she smiled as she looked at his hand.
Damn. She was still heartachingly beautiful.
He watched her as she turned his hand one way and then another, looking carefully over his thumb.
"Well?" Hank called out. "Is it going to fall off?"
Janice lifted her head and turned to look at Hank.
"I've got some wood glue. We can put it back on!" He started laughing. His shoulders shook and he almost dropped his hammer. "I've got an industrial staple gun. We can use that if you think it'll hold better."
Janice rolled her eyes.
Okay, he didn't 'see' it because she was looking at Hank, but he swore he could feel like, like the Force.
"Hank?"
Bixby's shoulders straightened in reaction to the sound of Janice's voice. It had that 'disappointed mom' sound to it and was likely to make any self-respecting man straighten his posture if he was within earshot of the sound.
