“Why shouldn’t she be?” I said.

“I just didn’t know you and my sister were that close.”

“How would you know anything about her? Or about me?”

“Okay, okay. Calm down.”

He was right, of course. Riley and I hardly knew each other. Something was bothering her—something she’d been willing to share with a stranger, but she’d lost her nerve. That was why she’d insisted on inviting Rock to join us. He’d given her an out.

“Truthfully, she—” I stopped when I saw Riley returning out of the corner of my eye.

“Truthfully what?”

“She’s coming back,” I whispered.

He nodded. “Everything okay, Sis?” he said once she’d sat down.

Riley looked a little pale. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Good. Anyone up for dessert? I could go for a big slab of cheesecake myself.” Rock smiled.

God, he was so good-looking.

“Nothing for me,” Riley said, a little shakily.

He turned to me. “How about you? Or do I eat by myself?”

“I’ll have a cup of coffee.” I smiled. “And a bite of your cheesecake.”

He gestured to our server, who came over instantly.

“Yes, sir?”

“Do you have any cheesecake tonight?”

“Yes, sir. We have a wonderful New York Cheesecake with raspberry coulis.”

“Perfect. We’ll take two slices, and two cups of coffee.”

“Hey, I don’t want—”

Rock stopped me. “Just bring two. She wants to taste mine, and once she tastes it, she’s going to want her own.”

I couldn’t help smiling. He was probably right, though he had no way of knowing that. He must be used to women eating his dessert. Jealousy speared through me. Of course he was. A man like Rock Wolfe didn’t live a celibate life.

Pissed me off just thinking about all the women he’d most likely been with.

Calm down, Lacey.

Riley looked at her phone. “If you two don’t mind, I need to leave. I have an early shoot in the morning. I feel bad, since I invited you.” She nodded to me. Then she pulled out her wallet and a couple one-hundred-dollar bills.

“Put that away. We’ll just do it again sometime, and then it will be your turn. It’s okay.” Except that she was leaving me here with her gorgeous brother who’d try to lure me back into his bed.

And I’d probably go.

Still, I felt a concern for Riley as she mumbled her thanks and shoved the bills back into her purse. She was so young, and something had clearly been bothering her enough to want to talk to a stranger about it. A stranger who was also a lawyer.

She stood. “I’ll call you.”

“Of course.”

She smiled weakly and left the table.

I doubted she’d call me. She’d gotten up her courage only to lose it. She’d have a hard time scraping it together again.