Chapter 24
Chapter twenty-four
Zac
Oh fuck. Oh fuck.
He’d messed up. Royally. He’d crossed a line and fingered his ex in the back alley. Not just an ex, but someone responsible for boosting or tarnishing his best friend’s business.
From the look on her face, Tabitha had also emerged from the sunny haze of lust and was instantly regretting getting swept away. There was only one thing to do.
Damage control.
“Tabitha, shit. I’m sorry,” he gasped, stepping toward her then rethinking the movement. Space, he needed to give her space. Room to think.
“No. It wasn’t your fault.” She swallowed, readjusting her clothes and hair. Looking anywhere but at his face.
“Yes, it was, I—”
“Zac. Just stop, ok?” She finally looked up and he thought he spied a glassy quality to her eyes.
Oh, god. If she cried—if he made her cry—he’d crumble into a pile of rubble and wait to be cleaned up by a street sweeper. He would never forgive himself. He stepped forward, reaching a hand up to touch her cheek, but she dodged him and began backing toward the main drag of town.
“Can we go back inside?” She cleared her throat and dashed a finger past her lashes.
Zac’s heart shattered, pounded into mush. He hurt her.
He was scum. Worse than scum.
“You go.” He swallowed the lump in his throat.
“But—”
“Really, I should leave.” Suddenly he remembered his open tab. Shit. He couldn’t dine and dash. And he sure as shit wasn’t going to go back in there. He pulled out his wallet and thrust a fist full of bills into her hands. “Here.”
A sly grin crossed her features as she looked at the cash.
“For services rendered?” There was an edge of teasing in her saddened voice.
“What?”
“If that’s the case, I should probably compensate you.”
She thought he was paying her for what they did in the alley? Oh, god.
“No, that’s not for you.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, tugging at the ends of his beard. He really needed to trim that thing. “Shit, no. My tab. It’s still open.”
She peered at the wad of bills and chuckled, “How much did you eat and drink in there before you joined the group?”
Zac groaned. He wanted out of this situation. To figure out what the hell he was doing. Regroup. Probably masturbate a little once he got home.
He wrapped his hand around her elbow and led her through the alley in the direction of the restaurant.
“Pay my tab and put the rest toward the group. Or tip the shit out of the server. I don’t care.
” He walked with her back to the beer garden and only then did he release her arm and step back.
He shoved his hands in his pockets and took another step back. “Tabitha. I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t. It’s fine. Forget it.” She turned and after a quick glance over her shoulder, walked back into the throng of customers.
Zac lumbered away from the establishment, a massive weight on his shoulders and a gut full of regret. Still, no matter what she said and despite what happened between them being a massive mistake . . .
There was no forgetting it.