Chapter 2

I was curled up late at night, deep into a drama binge, when my phone lit up with a notification. Someone had finally replied to the lost-and-found post I'd made days ago.

My heart did a little flip. I'd had that bracelet for years. I'd honestly almost given up on ever seeing it again.

I quickly added the finder. Their profile picture was a black kitten, which was both cute and kind of cool.

It looked weirdly familiar. In fact, at a glance, our icons—my white kitten and their black one—looked like a set of matching couple avatars.

We agreed to meet at the school field in ten minutes.

When I got there, it didn't take long to spot Lucas standing under the dim lights. His messy hair cast shadows over his sharp features, and those pretty eyes with their distinct upward tilt were unmistakable.

I blinked in surprise. "Hey, Lucas. You're the one who found my bracelet?"

His eyes sparkled, and his lips curled into a slow, teasing smile. "Yes. And you remember my name?"

I gave an awkward little laugh. "I've heard Ethan mention you a lot."

His smile froze for a second. He looked down at me, his long lashes fluttering, and there was a hint of hurt in his eyes. "Oh, I see."

He opened a small box, and inside, my bracelet was carefully protected.

I was so excited. "Lucas, thank you so much! I've been looking everywhere for this."

As I reached for it, my fingers accidentally brushed against his.

A shadow seemed to cross his expression, and his voice dropped to a soft, deep murmur. "Let me put it on for you. Wouldn't want it slipping off again."

Caught off guard, my heart did a little somersault. I just nodded quietly.

His cool fingertips brushed against my wrist, and god, his hands were gorgeous. As a certified hand-appreciator, I was completely captivated.

Before I could even think, the words just tumbled out: "Can I see your hand?"

A second later, I realized how forward that sounded. But Lucas just offered his hand without a moment's hesitation.

The next thing I knew, I was completely under his spell, holding his hand and studying it like it was a piece of art.

Suddenly, a familiar, drawling voice cut through the air—Ethan. "Don't think you can sneak off. Come on."

Then Ethan and his friends were heading our way. In a flash, Lucas grabbed my wrist and pulled me into a secluded corner, the space between us suddenly vanishing.

He leaned in, his voice a rich murmur right by my ear, ending with a soft sigh. "Ethan's got a bit of a temper. If he catches us like this, it'd be hard to explain, don't you think?

"He seems to have the wrong idea about me, and honestly... it gets to me. I just don't want you getting caught in the middle, Josie.

"But they can't see us over here, so take your time."

His warm breath brushed against my ear, and I felt my cheeks burn. I stammered, "O-Okay. Sorry, I'm kind of obsessed with nice hands. Sometimes I just can't help myself."

He let out a soft laugh. "As long as you like my hands, Josie." I couldn't make out his expression in the dark, but I heard him ask, a little cautiously, "So, whose hands do you think look better, mine or Ethan's?"

I froze for a split second. Please, like anyone would bother checking out Ethan's hands. "Yours," I blurted.

A flash of pride flickered in his eyes.

*****

That night, I was flicking through social media when I spotted Lucas's latest post: [The unloved one is really just the side piece.]

I stared at my screen, totally baffled. Still, I gave him a polite like anyway.

Just then, my phone buzzed with a message from him. Lucas: [Still up?]

Me: [Just about to hit the sack. Aren't you up too?]

He sent me a photo. [Just sorting through some stuff.]

I zoomed in and my breath hitched. In the reflection on the glass, I could see him at his desk, wearing nothing but a loose black robe. His smooth skin and those unfairly attractive collarbones were on full display.

I stared, feeling my face grow warm. My thoughts were heading somewhere very inappropriate, very fast.

I typed out a hurried reply: [Goodnight.]

He sent back a cute sticker of a puppy rolling around. [Goodnight, Josie.]

I took a deep breath and instantly shut off my phone, my heart still pounding.