What the hell? “Thank you,” I said sweetly, and sat down across from the woman he’d called Nieves.

The other woman smiled, her dark pink lips framing perfectly straight, white teeth. “Nieves Romero. Nice to meet you.”

She actually sounded sincere.

“Ms. Romero is just leaving,” Rock said.

“Why?” I asked. “Why don’t the three of us have dinner?”

Rock sent me a dark glare.

I simply smiled. I’d called him to cancel, but he hadn’t taken me seriously. Then I’d come along anyway like a lapdog. So why not throw him for a loop now? I found the idea oddly exciting, plus this woman offered me a glimpse into Rock’s past—something he hadn’t been overly forthcoming about.

“That’s not what I had in mind tonight,” Rock said gruffly. “Besides, the cops have already been called.”

“You can take care of that,” I said.

“Sure you can,” Nieves agreed. “Call off the dogs.”

The maître d’ approached the table and addressed Nieves. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I made a mistake. This table is reserved for Mr. Wolfe and his guest. You erroneously told me you were his guest. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“I’ll be joining Mr. Wolfe and his guest,” she said.

“No, she won’t be,” Rock insisted.

“I’ve had to summon the police at Mr. Wolfe’s insistence,” the man continued. “If you’d like to leave now, we can avoid you being escorted out.”

Rock glared at her.

He was serious.

Bummer. I was hoping to get some information about Rock.

“Fine.” Nieves stood with a huff. “I’ll be in touch, Rock.”

“Please, don’t be.” He thanked the maître d’ and then sat down in the vacated seat. “I’m sorry about that.”

“So tell me,” I said. “Who exactly is she?”

“I told you. A blast from the past.”

“I’m looking for a little more detail here, Rock.”

He sighed. “We dated, okay? I’m sure you already figured that out.”

“Yeah. I guess I’m looking for more specific information. I mean, she must have meant a lot to you if she thinks she can hijack your dinner plans.”

“It meant more to her,” he said. “When things got serious, I ended it. This all happened almost a year ago. I haven’t heard from her since, until she showed up in my room last night.”

“She was in your room last night?”

“Yeah. She got someone to let her in. I had the night manager fired this morning.”

“Hmm. Normally I wouldn’t condone getting someone fired, but he shouldn’t have let her in your room.”

“Damn right.”

The waiter came by to take our drink orders. Rock ordered the expensive bourbon he’d had at the bar that night. I stayed with sparkling water.

“Tell me about her,” I said.