[He wants to tell himself he's just imagining the undercurrent in her voice that his ears are plenty familiar with, but he's not sure of that.He feels like he's backed himself into a corner, and he wants to run away, even if the spider's web of cracks along the surface of his shinbone makes that even more difficult.

Figurative running it is, then. He looks away in his most obvious tell.]

Yeah, you should be careful about who you 'observe' around here. I think you somehow gave the kid who lives with us the idea he's got a chance with you.