Not edited. Thank @dragon1964 for the early update... she scares me... and she knows where I live!

Tara jerked back and her hand pulled out of his. This person in front of her was that Lucas. The Lucas who had the potential to make her hurt.

Now she was afraid.

She slid off her chair quickly and stepped away from the table... and him... before he realised what she was doing.

"Shit!"

Tara took another step back as Lucas stood up. Her face screamed the fear her mind held.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Lucas ran a exasperated hand through his hair.

"I'm not angry at you Tara. Fuck! I'm pissed that someone was talking and ruined what we started... but not you... I'm not angry at you. You have to believe me!"

With clenched hands she watched as he slowly moved forward. Her eyes were full of fear and her body was trembling.

What was he going to do?

"Tara... I'm not going to hurt you."

Her father used to say that too.

"Tara... look at me Tara. Please" His hands were outstretched in a silent scream of submission but still... she couldn't NOT fear him.

Why did men keep hurting her?

Lucas stood with less than a foot between them knowing that he'd stuffed up. Now how the fuck was he supposed to fix this?

"Tara" his voice was almost a whisper. "Talk to me sweetheart.

Don't freeze up please. I promise with my last breath that I won't hurt you again."

Her eyes met his and what she saw was pain. A raw, primal pain that shed never seen before.

Her eyes killed him. She was absolutely petrified of him. He resisted the urge to pull her into his arms and never let her go. He resisted wiping her damp cheeks. He resisted the need to kiss away all doubts of him that she had. She wasn't ready for that.

"You scare me."

He nodded sadly "I know. I'm sorry."

"I can't handle you be angry with me. I... I feel like..."

"Like I'm going to hurt you?" he inwardly winced as he panicked that things had gone back as far as this.

"Yes."

Lucas  looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes as he took in a breath that filled his aching chest before looking at her again.

God she was so beautiful.Resisting her completely was just stupid.

"Tara... I'm going to hug you."

She started to shake her head.

"Just a hug sweetheart. That's all. You can stop it whenever you want."

He closed the distance.

**********

Hi ho hi ho.... it's off to housework I go.... can't have the growing lynch mob tripping over my sons toys now can we?

MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!