Page 52 of Sunset Catchers

This is mine.

“Anyway, this was one of my favorite movies growing up.”

“I’d love to watch it with you.”

Again with the love to. It’s too much, this earnestness. It lacks casualness. Indifference, I know how to deal with. But this, this is hard for me.

“Well, then Levi, prepare to be entirely amazed because this movie, my friend, is a masterpiece.”

I press play, and for the next hour and thirty-eight minutes, I watch my favorite movie with Levi.

“Honestly, it was pretty good. A solid three out of five.”

I make a noise of protest, deeply offended.

“Rating rejected! This movie is a solid five out of five. Perfect score. I mean, the driving scene! Freddy shifting gears for Poppy changed my life. And when he comforted her!! Also, the sisterhood storyline!!! Cinematographic perfection. I’ll accept no criticism!”

His forehead crinkles with lines.

“I thought the point of a film club was to watch a movie then share our opinions?”

“Yes, it absolutely is,” I confirm bobbing my head. “We watched a movie, and now you agree with my opinion on how good or bad I think it was. And I do the same thing for you.” He throws his head back against the couch, half-laughing half-sighing.

“I’m not even sure why I’m surprised.” He mutters it more for himself than he does for me, so I don’t say anything, opting to get up from the couch to stretch my body with my arms raised above my head.

Levi’s attention falls on the exposed band of skin on my stomach. They linger on for a long second. I pull on the hem of my shirt clearing my throat, he looks away. We both get on with cleaning the snacks from the couch, bringing them to the kitchen counter.

“I’ll walk you to your cottage,” he tells me.

“You don’t have to do that. It’s a fifteen seconds walk.” He could just lean out the front door, and he’d see me walk over to mine with an unobstructed view the whole time.

“Enough time for a rogue killer to grab you.”

“Fair point,” I concede. “Also, I’m scared for my life now, so thank you for that.”

He snorts. “Come on. I won’t let the big bad wolf get you.” A shrieked stop blurts out of my mouth. His hands land on my shoulders to reel me toward the door.

This is the third time Levi has touched me.

The first time being at that meeting at Kit’s house, when I ran into him and he settled his hands on my hips for just a second to steady me. The second time was when he guided me inside Ben’s coffee shop. And now this.

Sure, plenty of guys from my long list of hook-ups have had their hands on me before. In way more private and sensitive areas, might I add, but none of it ever felt similar to how it feels right now. The way Levi touches me, though, it’s different. He enthralls my body with these sweetly innocent and barely there touches that leave permanent invisible marks behind.

His hands fall away once we take on the porch stairs. I instantly miss their warmth, especially since the night is cold. In the darkened sky, stars are shining bright. We can see so many of them here, compared to back home.

“That’s the big dipper.”

Levi is pointing to the sky. “You know the constellations?”

“Literally just this one.”

I chuckle.

Ten seconds later, we walk up the stairs of my porch. I suddenly feel weirdly flustered about the situation. We watched a movie, and he walked me to my door. This evening is leaning too much into the realm of date.

“Thanks for tonight. It was bearable. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Bye.”

Next thing I know, I’m closing the door in Levi’s face, leaving him absolutely puzzled on my front porch.