Heartless

Natural Disaster

She's a natural disaster
She'll tear the land in two
She's running to be running
'Cause that's all she knows to do
She's a tumbleweed rolling
A river running wild
A hurricane blowing
She's the calm after the storm under an Appalachian sunset sky
---- Natural Disaster, Zac Brown Band

She couldn't do it. 

They'd walked the block back to Luke's apartment building and gotten inside.  He'd shut the door and gently pulled her close, his large hand sliding up her leg, reaching for the bottom of her skirt.  And she'd realized that she made a horrible mistake. 

He was so hot she could barely see straight, but she didn't do casual sex.  Not even for a few hours where she could forget everything else. 

She made a brief effort at talking herself into it when his mouth softly landed on hers.  God, this guy knew what he was doing. 

But she started to shake and he lifted his head, looking down at her with concern.  "Hey, are you okay?" he asked.

"No, I- I c- can't do this," Rae stuttered out.  "I'm sorry, Luke." She spun away from him and headed for the door.  "I'm really, really sorry.  This was a big mistake."  She threw the words back over her shoulder as she pulled the door open. 

"Wait!  At least let me get you home," he called after her.  But she was already moving down the hall. 

"No need," she said over her shoulder.  She was hustling toward the elevator. 

Luke cursed under his breath and grabbed his keys from the table by the door.  He went after her, wrapping his fingers around her elbow just as the elevator door opened. 

She whirled on him, a panicked look on her face.  Luke immediately dropped her arm and put his hands up, stepping back.  "I'm not going to hurt you," he said quickly.  "You've been drinking and I just want to make sure you get home safely.  At least let me call you a cab," he offered softly. 

She nodded and Luke pulled out his phone and made the call.  He pushed the button for the elevator again and they waited in silence.  When the doors slid open, Luke waited for her to get in and followed her, pushing the button for the lobby of the building. 

"You don't have to wait with me," she whispered.  "I'm so sorry about this."

"You don't need to be sorry," he said quietly.  "I apologize if I did anything -"

"No!" She cut him off.  "It- it wasn't anything you did."  She shook her head.  "It's me."

Luke didn't know how to respond to that.  Frankly, this whole situation was bizarre. 

They were silent until the cab arrived.  Luke opened the door for her and she slid inside.  Before he shut the door, he reached a gentle hand to turn her face toward him.  "Take care of yourself, Rae," he whispered.  Then he stood up and shut the door, before walking back into the apartment building.

*****
Rae managed to keep it together until she got home.  She arrived at her apartment, shut the door and leaned against it.  And let the tears come.

After awhile, she finally cried herself out and headed for her bedroom, stripping off the stupid dress that she'd been talked into wearing. She managed to put on shorts and a t-shirt and made her way to the kitchen to get some water.