"Well, you managed it well enough!" Espio answered, though there was a little less force behind the words than he might have liked, and again that distinctive brightening crossed his scales. "Although..."

No. Stubbornly, he shook his head. No, he couldn't admit that he liked it - liked that someone took a moment to pay such full attention to him, liked that it was Ace.

"Never mind. And anyway, who do you think you're flirting with?"