“Hmm… that is a shame, but I suppose I will allow it,” Riley said with a hint of a smile. A careless wave of his hand, and our desserts were cleared from the table.

I flinched to see the barely touched cheesecake taken away—it felt so wasteful.

“Are you sure I can’t tempt you with an aperitif?” Riley offered.

“A… a what?” I asked.

“An after-dinner libation.”

“You mean… alcohol?” I grimaced at the thought. “Ugh, I never want to touch alcohol again as long as I live.”

Riley’s eyes narrowed. “Good,” he said curtly. “I want you to never put yourself in such a situation again, and as you don’t know your limits, it is best if you abstain.”

Only then did I realize that he wasn’t just teasing; it had been a test. I reddened at the memory of Friday’s party—was it really only last night that those horrible guys had tried to take advantage of me? If I had been more responsible, if I hadn’t been out there dressed in only that little bikini, drunk out of my mind, then—

The realization was a sobering one. Then none of this would have happened.

“Excuse me, Riley,” I said, putting my cloth napkin on the table.

Riley straightened in his seat, his eyes narrowing. “Where are you going?” he demanded, and his tone froze me in place.

“To… to the… little girls’ room,” I explained, feeling myself flush in embarrassment and hoping he would get the hint.

He relaxed and nodded. Still burning, I hurried to the restroom. It was frightening what Riley could do to me, making me feel so unsure and childlike. And yet—

The ladies’ room was empty, and I went straight for the sink, turning on the faucet to let cold water run over my hands.

It had barely been a day, but the flood of memories of our time together felt like a lifetime. Chinatown and Little Italy, the crowds and the smells and the colors. Driving by Ground Zero and not knowing how to explain that dark day to an unknowing god. Being forced into a small SoHo boutique where Riley bought me the dress and shoes I was now wearing (a storm-blue sleeveless pencil skirt affair that made me look like an adult, high heels in a silver hue and a Kate Spade bag to compliment the lot). Even if he had let me, I couldn’t bear to see the final price. I was sure it was more money than I could spend in a week, much less a single purchase.

“You can’t wear that to dinner,” he had purred, motioning to my jeans and sweater ensemble as the saleswoman handed me the newly purchased items. “Change here.”