Page 20 of First Impressions of You

So he knows what we think of the people who work at administration instead of the park. His knowing smile confirms my suspicion.

“I’m Graham, by the way.” He leaves the beer on the counter and offers me his hand.

“Luiza.” I take his hand, but instead of shaking it, Graham brings our connected hands to his lips and drops a soft kiss on my knuckles.

“I have to say, you caught my attention earlier tonight, Luiza. I was just working up the courage to come talk to you.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“How do you know Olivia?”

“How do you know I’m here for her birthday?”

“Like I said, you caught my attention a long time ago.” Graham brings his beer to his lips, his eyes locked on mine. “It’d be impossible not to notice you.”

“She’s my sister,” I answer, ignoring his comments because I don’t know what to make of it. His eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “How do you know her?” I volley the question back.

He shrugs. “We’ve run into each other around the park before.”

I don’t even doubt him. Knowing my sister, that’s really all it’d take for her to invite him to her birthday. I mean, she invited Winter of all people.

And just like that, the person I’ve tried so hard to keep away from my thoughts invades them again like a gust of wind scattering things around, leaving a mess in its wake.

Damn it. I thought this guy was going to help keep me distracted.

“I’m—” I roll a curl around my finger. “I’m gonna go keep my sister company.”

Graham looks around, his eyes finding Olivia in the dancefloor surrounded by a lot of friends and having the time of her life. He cocks an eyebrow at me.

“Not this sister,” I explain. He follows my gaze to where Julia’s sitting by herself, a goofy smile on her lips. “That one.”

“How many of you are there?”

“That’s a topic for next time,” I tease and start walking away, but he stops me with a hand on my wrist. The same wrist that just a few hours ago was circled by another hand, belonging to a man I forced myself not to think about the whole night, whose image is now stuck on my brain as if it’s been tattooed inside my eyelids.

Flashes of our brief encounter burst in my mind. His hard chest pressed to mine, his lingering eyes swimming over my face in search of…something—I’m not sure what. And the burning feeling his hand left on my skin. A feeling I can’t find now that I have Graham’s fingers wrapped around the same spot.

“Next time?”

I lift a shoulder in a noncommittal response, hoping for a flicker of anticipation. Chasing what I felt before by being so close to Winter. But it’s fruitless. It’s like the moment he came back to my mind, my body entered a state of coldness not even the proximity of a man as hot as Graham is able to break through.

“I should get your number, then.” He raises from the stool stepping closer to me. “To make sure there is one.”

I give him my number. I let him raise my hand for a soft kiss on my knuckles again. All the while cursing myself for not being able to feel anything.

“What’s with the face?” Julia asks when I finally get to her. “I thought you were having a good time with that guy. He was cute.”

“I was.” I shake away the sour taste of the memories of Winter. “I did have a good time with him.”

“Then what’s with the face?” Julia repeats the question.

“It’s the only one I got,” I say forcing a smile. I don’t want to have to explain what’s gotten to me because I’m not even sure I understand it myself. My sister can read me too well to fall for it, but Cam approaches the table, saving me from a conversation I don’t want to have right now.

“You ready to go?” he asks her, his eyes bouncing between the two of us.

“You’re leaving?” I wail, draping my arms around her shoulder as if I could keep her here.

“I have an early class tomorrow.”

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