“I didn’t tell my date she had to sleep with me. I just told her that she needed a ride back into town and I needed to release some stress.”
“I didn’t threaten to hurt the man. I just told him I needed some cash and I had a gun.”
How about: “That’s a real nice looking family you got there. Would be a shame if something bad happened to any of them. I don’t mean anything by that. I’m just saying it would be a shame.