Page 30 of The Love Raffle

Levi rubbed the back of his neck. “Test to know if we really like each other?”I like you already.

“Well, clearly we do if I said yes but it’s the second date so we’re still testing the waters.” She smiled, feeling more optimistic after he proposed that stupid idea.I guess it was sweet.“If you still remember my name after tonight, we can…if you want, we can maybe…kick things into high gear.” She made car noises and pretended to pull a lever.

Levi raised his eyebrows, surprised by the sudden sound effects. He smiled. “Alright. By high gear you mean…”

Amber noticed him inching closer. Their hips touched. “The real deal, I guess.”

Levi agreed. “I’ll bring my A-game then. Soyoudon’t forgetmyname.” He winked.

“Oh, please.” Amber waved a hand in dismissal. “I couldn’t if I tried. You’re on a billboard on my way to my workplace.”

Levi laughed. “Right. So even if I somehowruinedthis second date, you’d be constantly reminded of me everywhere you go.Thatwould suck, huh?”

Amber was giggling, and her tension eased. “Itreallywould.” They shared a laugh before she kicked off her shoes and brought her feet to the couch. “I know it’s cramped, but it makes things comfy, right?”

Levi took his shoes off too. He crossed his legs the same way she did. “Yeah, I feel like I’minyou right no— Wait, wait, wait.”

She grabbed a pillow and used it to hit the side of his head, laughing. “Levi!” Amber rolled her eyes playfully.

Levi was blushing furiously, but he laughed. “Let’s just watch a movie. The sun’s going to rise in like five minutes.” He took the pillow and set it aside.

“Of course. I forgot this was a late-night rendezvous.” Amber suddenly felt the strain of her day in her body and eyes.God, I hope I don’t fall asleep.She picked up the remote, chose something, and they settled in.

By the last stretch of the film, Levi was at the edge of his seat. He kept shoving Doritos one after the other into his mouth. Oscar’s warnings were far from his mind.

Amber swirled her glass of wine in one hand as she struggled to stay up. This movie was a rom-com she would watch in her room as a kid. She hadn’t been sure it would be Levi’s taste, but the guy seemed to love it. It was adorable.

Suddenly, in the movie, the lead actress left her true love out in the rain to go to her arranged wedding. Levi crushed his empty chip bag in frustration. “No! What on earth is happening? Go back to him!” His eyes filled with tears as he watched the guy standing there soaked from head to toe. “He came all the way from Pittsburg, Emily! From Pittsburg!”

Amber snorted.

Levi looked at her. “How are you not tearing up at this? It’s the ultimate betrayal!”

Amber covered her mouth to hide her laughter.

Levi could tell she was loopy. That laugh wasnottame. “One too many sips of red wine?” He was immersed in the film, but Amber needed some checking up on. So, he picked up the remote, paused the movie, and sat back with an arm over the back of the couch. If he lowered it, it would be around Amber. Or on her shoulders, rather.

Amber used the back of her hand to bar her mouth. She removed it and clapped, dipping forward.

Levi giggled. “Okay.Youare drunk.”

“I’m really not.” Amber wiped her tears away and turned her body to face his, resting her shoulder against the backrest of the couch. “It’s got to be something like four in the morning, right? And you have work?”

Why had she brought up the time? “So?” Levi liked the way her black hair bordered her face right now. It was a little messy but in the best way. He could smell the wine on her breath. He’d tried to stay as close as possible all evening. “You’re thinking of me when you’re the one who’sclearlyexhausted. Look at you.”

“Well, hosting a movie star took more of a toll than I thought,” Amber said.

Levi rolled his eyes at her joke. “Haha, very funny.” He brought one leg up to the couch, looking into her eyes. “Why acting?” he asked, leaning his shoulder against the backrest too.

Amber tried to blink away the sleep in her eyes. “It was always my escape,” she whispered. Those blue eyes of his were a phenomenon up close. His lips were usually full and pink but with the Doritos dust on them, they were kind of orange. Why was this so endearing to her? Levi may have been a hot shot, but he was just a guy at the end of the day, wasn’t he? “My parents would have their moments and as a kid, I’d stay in my room and watch movies on my small TV. It was my grandma’s. She left it to me after she passed. You see, when my mom would flee my dad, she would bring the two of us to my grandma’s house. To pass the time we would watch movies together and it became our thing.” Her brows furrowed. “I feel like I just trauma dumped all over you.”

Levi shook his head as she laughed. He noticed the rosy color of her face. “No, no, I asked,” he said softly. “And I’m glad you told me. Wow. That’s a sad story.”

Amber tapped him lightly on the arm. “How’d you get into acting? You’ve been Captain Evolution sinceyouwere a baby, right?”

Levi wanted to pinch her rising cheeks for her teasing. He knew she enjoyed poking fun at him. She’d said she wasn’t like this with anyone else. That brought a tingle to his chest. “My mom always wanted me to be a child star. My dad didn’t care much for it, but ever since I was a kid, she’d bring me to a million auditions, and I’d get a few roles, and blah blah blah. I went to a junior performing arts school and everything.”

“So, Wikipedia was correct.”

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