Hypnotized by Love

by Sariah Wilson

“By the way,” he said, opening one eye, “in case you do wipe my memory in order to steal my PIN number and I forget to tell you later, you look really pretty today.” All of the oxygen left the room.

“No. There’s a beautiful girl next to me. Someone I’ve loved my whole life.”

Because nachos got me. They were basically just tacos that didn’t have their life together.

“Are you feeling anxious? Because that’s actually pretty common,” she said. “They call it hangxiety. It’s because alcohol mimics GABA, which is a brain chemical that makes you feel relaxed and happy. And then when it’s out of your system, it increases glutamate, another brain chemical, which has the opposite effect and makes you feel restless, anxious, and worried.”

“Mason,” I breathed against his lips, not able to help myself. “I want to spend the rest of my life listening to you panting my name like that,” he growled in a possessive way that made little pinpricks of

sweat break out on my temples.

“Living in New York as a writer is your dream.” “You’re my dream, Sinclair.”

“You’d give up New York for me?” “I’d give up the world for you,” he said.

“One of the most important things I’ve learned over the years is about forgiveness. For ourselves and for others. For some reason, we see forgiving someone as a weakness or a failing.”

“It doesn’t mean you have to forget or condone what happened. It doesn’t even mean you have to ever speak to or see that person again. But forgiving someone means you don’t let them control you any longer. You get to replace all the heavy, negative feelings that weigh you down and focus on your own well-being instead.

“Sinclair, you’re never too much for someone who can’t get enough of you.”