Through Altair's words, Jacob is quiet, which in and of itself may well be a feat. He listens, truly listening and not formulating a plan, plotting his next move, his mind racing to argue, to make his own case against the words that, in the end, left no opening for argument. No matter what Jacob might say, all the things he wanted to say, Altair had made his choice it would seem. Even before Jacob truly knew there was a choice being made.

Straightening, forcing himself to step back so that his hands slid along Altair's waist before falling away back to his side. Chin lifting to meet that hauntingly beautiful gaze. "Very few men ever truly get what they deserve," he says, not speaking further of his thoughts that he might well be such a man. No matter how he might be feeling, he had no desire to put that onto Altair. It would serve nothing but to hurt a man that Jacob could easily have fallen for, working already to convince himself it was something that could have happened, not something that has.

"I should perhaps take my leave." He pauses, swallowing as his gaze drops a moment before looking up once more. "So that I don't risk making a fool of myself."

Before he's had time to think. Before he tried using kisses and soft words to plead his case. A must convince himself he lost before he tried, though perhaps he had tried at the party and given up his chance in not pushing his chance. Whatever the case, he suspects he will embarrass himself if he stayed there too long.