I wasn’t expecting to meet anyone special that night—but then I saw her. She was standing by the balcony railing, sipping a cocktail while gazing at the city lights. The party had just begun, and most guests hadn’t arrived yet; the only ones present besides the two of us were half a dozen couples. I walked over without hesitation, letting my eyes roam over her body, admiring her the way a critic might study a masterpiece....