Tennessee Whiskey AU

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

"You better learn from your mistakes, or the cost will bleed you dry."

All that's ringing through my head is what the hell have I done? This seemed like such a good idea. Never in a million years did I think he would say no. Who in their right mind turns down the offer of hot sex with someone you're into? Maybe that's it. He was never interested. I mean maybe he was the other day, but that was before. Before I ruined everything by telling him about my past. How could I have been so stupid? I should have just left things light and casual. He hasn't made any moves on me since then. We've had kisses but maybe they weren't as heated as I thought. Maybe the passion that I felt was in my head. Doing my coat back up I start rambling. "Oh, God. I think I'm going to be sick." I cover my mouth with my hand. "I need to go, I'm sorry I shouldn't." I feel the sting of tears as I start to move towards the door. I just need to get out of here and be somewhere else.

"Sacr, wait." He goes to grab me but stops as I turn. Great he can't even stand to touch me anymore. "Scar, please darlin'. Listen to me. Just stop please." He finally gets me to stop by holding my hands.

"Darlin' please you have that deer in headlights look and it's killing me. Come here, come, and sit down." He starts moving towards the sofa. I follow his lead and walk numbly over to the sofa. I sit down on the sofa facing forward as he is sitting sideways facing me. I wrap my arms around myself and try to fold my body up. If I make myself small enough maybe he will forget I'm here.

"I need you to listen to me sweetheart, ok?" I nod meekly. This clearly isn't enough of a confirmation for him because he tilts my chin so I'm looking at him.

"Yes," I stammer. I've really started to lose the hold on keeping the tears back now, and I feel them start to run down my cheeks.

"It's killing me seeing you broken like this and knowing I did it."

"No, honestly you haven't done anything wrong. This is me. I read the situation wrong. I'm out of practice, I guess. You can't help that you don't want me."

"Wow, hold on. Is that what you think? What have I done since I've met you to make you possibly think that? Christ Scar."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you angry. I should just go."

"Hey, hey. I'm sorry. I'm not angry darlin'. I could and never will lose my temper with you. I promise to never do anything intentionally to hurt you. I say intentionally because I seem to have hurt you now when all I was trying to do was the right thing. I need to know you're hearing what I'm saying darlin'."

I nod my head but then something he's said finally registers with me and I shake my head in confusion.

"Wait, you kept going about this yesterday. What are you going on about? What is it you think is the right thing exactly?"

"With everything that's happened. I was talking with the guys. I didn't say anything I promise, I wouldn't do that. But they said that if I had feelings for you the worse thing, I could do was sleep with you. So I was trying to do the right thing and keep my distance."

I can't help it. I burst out laughing. Full on belly laughing. Oh, boy. We really are on different pages. We both kind of read this wrong. He's giving me a strange look. I mean let's face it I've gone from crying to laughing really hard in a matter of seconds. Yeah, that's the level of crazy you're dealing with here buddy!

"I'm sorry. I just need to understand. You were talking with the guys the other night. I feel sort of honoured unless it was in the context of worse date experiences type of conversation." I worry my lip between my teeth.