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“Do I go back in from the same side or cross over?” she blurted.
“Over,” Adam said flatly.
“Are you sure?”
“Very sure.”
“How do you know?” she pressed.
“Because I’ve had stitches before?” he retorted thinly.
“Right, yes,” Ellie said carefully, sensing the thinness of his temper. “Very sensible. Crossing over.”
She jabbed the needle in again. This time, she managed to get the angle a little better. Pulling the thread through made her slightly less queasy.
She made another jab and started to feel better.
“This really isn’t so difficult,” she declared as she pushed the needle through his skin again.
“Great,” Adam said through his gritted teeth. “Glad you’re enjoying it.”
“There,” Ellie announced a moment later as she made her last pull through the end of the wound. “Do I tie it off now like one of my stockings?”
“Huh?” Adam returned as he raised an alarmed eyebrow at her.
“Same basic principles,” Ellie asserted with more confidence than she felt.
She finished the knot. A bit of thread hung from the end of the uneven row of black stitches.
“We need something to cut the—Oh!” she exclaimed as Adam thrust the torch into her hands.
He set the loose end of the thread between his teeth, pulled it taut, and yanked the machete from his belt.
A neat slice severed it right at the knot.
Adam shoved the machete back into place and eyed the wound with a frown.
“Your stitches are all over the damned place,” he complained.
Ellie stiffened defensively.
“They are perfectly fine, thank you very much,” she countered. “I should like to see you do any better.”
“Ihavedone better,” Adam retorted. “Just wasn’t gonna try with my left hand.”
At her answering glower, he shuffled a bit.
“But thank you,” he replied carefully. “Much appreciated.”
“We should bandage it as well.” Ellie turned, presenting him with her shoulder. “You may take my sleeve.”
“I don’t need your sleeve,” Adam said as he suppressed a sigh.
“It is still an open wound,” she pointed out. “It will take time to scab up properly and we cannot afford to wait around for that. Tear off my sleeve and wrap it up.”
Adam’s narrowed his eyes mischievously.
“So you want me to tear your clothes off you,” he clarified.
