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What in the what? Is she trying to hypnotize me? Hold it together, man! The bungalow is within reach!

“If that’s what it takes.” I suck on the inside of my cheek, trying not to appear too enthusiastic.

I’m so close, I can taste it. But if she sees how much I need this, if she sees how desperate I am, she may back out from pure spite.

“Fine,” she says.

“What?” My voice falters.

Now I’m the one who’s shocked. For a millisecond, I black out from happiness, but then I regain control of my logical brain.

Something is wrong. That was too easy. Suspiciously easy.

I stand tall, puff up my chest, and make myself appear larger because my internal warning system is flashing neon red.

Abort! Abort!

She circles me and continues. “Let me drive away in this Jeep and leave you on top of this mountain with the truck, and you have a deal.”

Her voice is saccharine sweet. Something about her talking this way makes my brain turn soupy. I almost miss the most important part. You know, where she leaves my ass on top of a mountain at night to fend for myself.

My Little Miss Naughty.

“Soph, no. Even I wouldn’t do that.” Amelia sits back up to protest.

Sophia shoots her a really? look.

“Okay, certain people I would do that to, but this is real life or death.” Amelia attempts to reason with Sophia. “It’s scary out here.”

An animal screeches in the bushes, and Amelia yelps.

Sophia’s eyes glitter with power. They’re so captivating, I can’t help but stare at the deep pools of ice. I could fall in and freeze there for eternity.

For reasons I can’t explain, I want her to leave me here. I want her to get everything she’s ever wanted, no matter how much it hurts me. Something about her shifts everything inside me, like, I would destroy myself and the world to make her happy.

My brain isn’t in control anymore. Something else is, and that something else is dancing in my pants. This is nothing more than attraction. I lift my chin and lie to myself.

Robotically, I hold up my key fob and dangle it in the moonlight. In this scenario, we’re right back to where we started. It’s a replay of what happened in the car-rental facility. A do-over. A restart.

Will I give her the key, or won’t I?

“Not this again.” Sophia shifts her weight, appearing put out.

She remembers our meeting, and I am thrilled. I may be crazy hopeful, but I think there’s a wobble on her lips. It’s a tease of a smile that wants to break free.

“You know you want them.” I jingle the key ring again, smiling brighter.

Come on little hell kitten, give in to me. Play with me. I’ll let you win. I’ll give you anything.

“How about you place them in my hand, like a gentleman.” She resurrects our little inside joke. She’s unwilling to give up an iota of power. She’s perfection.

I step forward. Instead of dropping the keys into her palm the way she wants, I grab her wrist, fingers encircling her skin, and place the keys in her hand with the other. Now, my hands clasp hers. We are connected.

Time stops. Literal sparks fly. A zap of static electricity shocks our skin.

Simultaneously, we jump away from each other at the warning of danger, but it only makes me want to touch her again. She’s lightning, and I’m determined to catch her in my arms.

You’d think in this humid air, static would be impossible. My guess is she’d zap me under any conditions. This thing between us is bigger than the both of us. Tina would say it’s Mana, a life force flowing through everything.