Longer than he's known her. That gets under the captain's skin. He's not usually bothered by the fact that there's a mass of people here who've known Buffy longer than he's known his own best friend, but the way this other man puts it just rubs him the wrong ways and gives fuel to that spark of jealousy. He knows what he wants to say, but is holding back from saying it and thankfully the voice of the Enterprise's computer— "Atmospheric analysis complete." —gives him valid reason to turn away.

"And that's how it should be," he says simply, generally without indicating what, exactly, he means. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got work to do."

Click goes the tablet.