“Steak?” Reed asks, his eyes lighting up because I’m sure he’s figured out it’s not a bad thing to be compared to.

“Chelsea.” My tone is curt and displeased.

She straightens her computer bag over her shoulder, her gaze taking in every inch of Reed. He’s looking exceptionally attractive today. A gray suit instead of his usual blue. His jacket hangs open displaying a buttoned-up vest underneath which his tie is tucked into. His usual mop of hair is gelled to perfection and a satin-mustard handkerchief that matches his tie peeks out of his front pocket.

“Who dresses you? A Nordstrom’s personal shopper?” Chelsea asks the question I was just wondering.

Reed chuckles, holding his hand out for Chelsea. “Reed Warner, and I take pride in the fact that I’m a big boy now and can dress myself.” He gives her a playful wink.

She accepts his hand, her eyes still roaming over him like he’s too much for her to take in all at once. “Definitely a steak.”

“Chelsea, I think you have an early morning call, right?” I say and nod toward the building.

Her gaze flickers to mine. She could say anything at this moment and that scares me more than Reed’s close proximity.

“Yeah, I’ll leave you two alone. Very nice to meet you, Reed Warner.”

“You too…Chelsea?” he questions since I never properly introduced them.

The sidewalk is filling in with everyone rushing off to work before the start of the day.

“Sorry. Chelsea Walsh,” I point to her. “Reed Warner.”

“Nice to meet a friend of Victoria’s,” Reed says. “Tell me, what’s the secret to getting her to accept a date with me?”

My cheeks heat as Chelsea pretends to think about it. “She’s a tough one for sure.” She taps her lips with a newly manicured nail. “Bribery is probably your best option.”

“Bribery?” Reed questions and glances over at me.

“You just need to figure out what it is she wants most.” She gives me a meaningful look and then looks back at Reed.

“I am a lawyer, so that should be somewhat easy.” The smug grin on his face says he’s playing.

“I better get upstairs before the boss comes in. See you up there, Victoria. I hope to see you again, Reed.” She nods in his direction.

“You’ll see me again. I’m relentless when I want something.”

“That’s for sure,” I mumble.

“Refreshing to see a man who doesn’t give up on what he wants.”

I clear my throat and they both look over at me. “Bye, Chelsea.”

She waves her fingers in the air. “Bye.” She turns on her heels, running right into a man. He grips both her arms to allow her to find her footing again.

He’s wearing jeans, a t-shirt and a black leather jacket, his hair mussed in multiple directions. Not in an I-don’t-care way, but in a sexy, I-just-got-fucked kind of way.

“Hello, there.” Chelsea’s voice oozes seduction. “Care to escort me to my building?”

The man laughs, staring down at her with a promise of reckless, casual sex that will surely leave her legs wobbly. Huh. Maybe I get the bad boy obsession a little bit after all.

“Didn’t I see you in the courtroom just last week?” Reed says next to me.

“Huh?” The bad boy stares over at Reed and it’s clear the moment he recognizes him.

Chelsea turns, the guy still holding her up. “You’re a criminal?” she asks him, half with disgust, half with what sounds like intrigue.

The man nods.

Chelsea stands back.

“What are we talking? Murder? Robbery? Armed robbery?” I’m not sure if Chelsea is hoping he was there for a misdemeanor or a felony.

“You should move it along.”

Reed’s stern voice has him taking the suggestion and he winks, his brown eyes almost promising Chelsea that they’ll have fun another time. Then he crosses the street to the sound of brakes slamming and horns honking at him.

“Did you see that chiseled jaw?” Chelsea’s head circles around like she’s about to pass out.

“I saw that he’s unfamiliar with a crosswalk,” I deadpan.

Reed raises his eyebrows at me. “I better get going so I can stay on schedule this morning.” His warm body stays close to me.

“Thank you for the ride.” I smile politely.

“You’re welcome.”

His teeth bite down on his bottom lip and I wait for whatever else he wants to say.

“Standing date next Monday,” he says.

“Not a date.”

He’s smiling before he even says the word I know is coming next. “Yet.”

“Never,” I singsong like the joke is getting old and roll my eyes.

He glances down the road to the courthouse and then back to me. “Tell Chelsea that guy isn’t the guy for her. Remember I’m the ADA. It’s my job to be able to tell the good from the bad.”

“I haven’t forgotten.” It’s one of the reasons I’m keeping him at arm’s length.

“I know you haven’t.” He frowns for a brief moment. “Have a great day, Victoria.” He runs his hand down my arm, a path of goose bumps chasing behind his touch.

“Bye.” The word comes out needy and breathier than I intended.

He grins then steps off the corner, raising his hand as he continues to look down the one-way street and reaches the other side without one squeal of brakes or honk of a horn. Stopping on the other side, he circles around and a case-winning smile crosses his face when he sees that I’m still watching him.

“Lovesick puppy!” Chelsea calls out from the entrance of the building. “I thought you were playing hard to get!”

I swivel on my heels and dodge the people walking along the sidewalk like I’m in a game of Frogger until I reach Chelsea.

“I’m not playing hard to get.” We step through the doors and I press the up button on the elevator.

“Sure, you are.”

We get on the elevator, and I’m thankful no one else joins us. Chelsea isn’t good at keeping her mouth shut in front of others.

“I am not. I just don’t want a relationship,” I say as I press the button for our floor.

Her face morphs to a stone-cold serious expression. “The man I just met practically has a sticker on his forehead that says, ‘I’m excellent in bed. Use me, abuse me, and toss me aside.’”

Diagnosis confirmed—Chelsea is nuts.

“No, he doesn’t. He has a ‘I’d be a devoted husband, fun dad and love you forever’ sticker.”

The corners of her lips tilt up until she notices I’m watching her and then she tempers her reaction. “Just sleep with the guy and get it over with.”

“He’s not that type of guy, plus—”

She rolls her eyes. “Every guy is that type of guy, Vic. What is it really?”

The bell dings, and the doors slide open, leaving us in the RISE foyer in front of the glass doors. We step off the elevator and I turn to face her.

“I haven’t dated anyone since the divorce. You think I don’t see what a wonderful guy he is? I do, and that’s why he can’t be my rebound guy.”

I walk through the glass doors and into my work area, Chelsea following behind.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. I thought we weren’t going out with him because he’s a lawyer and was the best man at your wedding? Now you’re bringing in a third reason?” Chelsea sits down in the chair across from me as I boot up my computer.

“There’s a host of reasons. Lawyers lie, yes, but technically he works for the public interest to put the bad guys behind bars, a noble profession. The best man thing is bound to cause trouble, but it really would be a great fuck you to Pete if I did sleep with his best man. Not that I would because of that.”

She leans forward in her seat and points to me. “He deserves it.”

“I’m not against ever getting married again, or dating, or living with someone, but right now I need to finish school. I need to make it, so my mom lives with me, not the other way around. I want to show Jade how to live your own life and let the man join your life, not become your life. Reed’s the type of guy who will gladly add us onto his shoulders—he’ll house us, feed us, clothe us, and love us.” My voice quivers despite my best effort to stop it from doing so.

“Vic,” Chelsea sighs. “You can have all that and get your degree and have a career.”

I shake my head. “Maybe, and Reed might be the person to allow me that, but what if he’s a rebound and I lose him because I’m not mentally able to move on yet? There’s a reason I haven’t dated in so long.”

Chelsea leans back with a forlorn expression on her face and I wish I was capable of reading her mind right now.

“I understand.” She stands and leans forward to squeeze my hand before walking down the hallway. “But at least screw him.” The echo of her laugh trails along with her as she heads into her office.

The office door opens and Hannah races in, her heels clicking faster than I’ve ever seen before. “Just the person I need to beg.” She points to me and doesn’t stop, but heads right into her office.

What now?