He waited her out for a minute, still on edge, just a little. It seemed the slap was the only assault he'd face today, which was fine. He had deserved it after all and even if she didn't feel better afterward, she did seem to deflate a little. That he could work with.

After another moment, and her confirmation that the slap hadn't worked, he reached out tentatively, one hand wrapping gently around her arm to pull her toward him as he closed the gap between them. Carefully he wound his arms around her and squeezed tight. "I am sorry I hurt you." He murmured. No matter how much he tried to defend his intentions, at the root, he'd hurt her and he hadn't meant to. For that he was truly sorry.