I squirmed my way further under the sheets, doing my utmost to construct a linen burrito. Caleb perched on the edge of my bed and watched me with those deep, unreadable eyes of his.

I could only imagine what he was thinking about. My pulse pounded as the possibilities played in my mind. Maybe he was judging me for freaking about hypnosis before.

“Annie?”

Maybe he was comparing me to all the other girls he had done this with before.

“Annie?”

Maybe he was distracted by how pink and childish my room looked.

“Hello, Annie?”

Maybe he could tell how impossibly nervous I felt to do this at all. I thought I was masking my anxiety well, but you could never know how other people saw you and . . .

SNAP. His fingers clicked in front of my eyes and I suddenly looked up, smiling sheepishly. “Oh sorry, just got lost in thought.”

He gave a small, reassuring chuckle. “For a second I thought you were already hypnotized.”

“Yeah totally, so hypnotizedddd,” I answered, forcing an unconvincing laugh of my own.

He placed a hand on my leg over the sheets. I reached out and took it in mine, clinging to it like the edge of the pool at the deep end. “Are you sure you want to do this Annie? You don’t have to.”

I wanted to say, *“No, of course I don’t want to do this! I’m terrified to lose control of myself. You might put me under some evil spell and make me a mindless sex slave. But you’ve been nothing but kind to me, so I’m choosing to trust you. Although I have no idea how you think you can get me into a trance when my heart is pounding into my throat. So good luck!”* But of course, I said absolutely none of that. Instead I just squeaked out, “Yes I’m sure. You’re ok with my terms?”

Terms. I sounded like a lawyer negotiating a contract. “My client will allow you to mind control her, but only a little.” Not exactly sexy. He blinked for a moment before the smile resurfaced. It was slight, but I could see it. I had disappointed him by not wanting to go too far the first time.

“Yes, I’m fine with them. No sex today, just trance. It makes sense to ease you in. Maybe a few flirty suggestions, but I’ll stop you if things go too far.”

“I’ll stop YOU if things go too far, mister,” I corrected.

“Right of course. But if you didn’t, just know you can trust me.”

I squeezed his hand. If I didn’t believe him there was no way I would have agreed to this. “I’m going to trust you until you give me a reason not to.”

“You remember your safe word?”

“Yes . . . It’s pumpkin,” I said, nodding. I picked it because of how a magic carriage turns back into a pumpkin. Maybe that was a silly reference, but I was quickly getting beyond caring. If he was allowed to like hypnosis, I was allowed to like fairy tales.

“Ok then let’s get started. There’s no need to be nervous. Just pick a spot on the ceiling and stare at it.”

I did as he asked and anchored my vision to the corner of the room where the ceiling met the wall.

“Now Annie, I want you to just relax. Take a deep breath in and let it out slowly. Just allow your breathing to fall into this smooth, relaxing rhythm.”

I let a wave of air fill my lungs and then released it. The relentless thumping of my heart did slow down a bit.

“I want you to imagine the number one hundred floating in the air before you. That number represents how awake and alert you feel right now.”

I did my best to picture the numbers floating in the air, a one followed by two zeros, all written in flowing, cursive script.

“I’m going to ask you to count down from one hundred. Every number you count drains more and more of that energy away, making you feel sleepier and sleepier.”

“So you just want me to count? Oh sorry, am I not supposed to ask stuff like that?”

He ran a hand down the edge of my burrito. “No, it’s ok to ask questions. Yes, just count down from one hundred and allow each number to guide you into a deeper state of relaxation until you finally drift to sleep.”

I wasn’t sure how counting would put me to sleep. I mean, it was pretty boring. “One hundred?”

“That’s very good, Annie. You’re already feeling that energy and alertness drain from you.”

I didn’t expect him to break in and talk like that, but I tried not to let it throw me off. “Ninety nine.”

“Every number comes more easily than the last, like sands slipping through an hourglass.”

I tried to imagine an hourglass and the numbers, but I couldn’t hold both images at once. “Ninety eight.”

“Feeling more tired and more relaxed with every number now.”

If anything, concentrating on counting was just making me feel more awake. “Ninety seven.”

“The words just drift out effortlessly, like you don’t even have to think about them, don’t even have to think about anything at all anymore.”

The words still felt like they took effort to me. “Ninety six.”

We gave up around eighty five. 

“Sorry I guess I’m just not good at being hypnotized,” I offered meekly.

Caleb did his best to keep up his friendly demeanor, but I saw the disappointment lurking behind his eyes, disappointment in me. “Look Annie, it’s alright. That may just not be the best kind of induction for you. We can try some other things. Everyone relaxes differently. What usually helps you fall asleep?”

I wanted to say “Well usually I fall asleep in a mound of stuffed animals that make me feel warm and cuddly and safe.” But I couldn’t tell him that. He might judge me or insult me or maybe, maybe . . .  he would just be happy it worked. With a resigned sign, I unwrapped my silken cocoon and climbed out of the bed. “Promise not to judge me?” I asked as I approached the closet.

Caleb ran a hand through his hair. “I think if anyone’s going to be judged here, it’s me. You’re not the one with the hypnosis fetish.”

I opened the closet and the stuffed menagerie came tumbling out onto the floor. I bent down and took Wally, my koala, from the top of the pile. “This is Wally. I usually sleep with him.”

Caleb looked extremely amused. “Looks like I’ve got some steep competition if I want to be the one you sleep with instead.”

My face flushed immediately. With all the hypnosis talk, I had almost forgotten why I was doing this in the first place. “Well I don’t know about that,” I murmured on my way back to the bed.

“But in all seriousness, no judgement here. I used to sleep with the same stuffed dog until high school. Now are you ready to try again?”

“No!" I gasped. "I need to hear about this puppy first. What was its name?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, trying to brush past it.

“You want to hypnotize me?” I asked, poking his arm.

“Yes,” he sighed.

“Then the name please.” Suddenly, I was having a ton of fun.

He buried his face in his hand and spoke into the creases of his palm. “Dig Dig.”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t quite catch that.”

“It was a stuffed husky named Dig Dig.”

“THAT’S ADORABLE!” I squealed.

Even through his facial hair, I could see Caleb was the one blushing this time. “Now can we get back to the hypnosis?”

I set Wally up on my lap, still stifling laughter at the images of Dig Dig. “Yes, we can. I feel much more relaxed now.”

He took his own deep breath and then returned to the calm, low voice he had been using before. “Ok, I have a different approach I’d like to try. I want you to go ahead and take a deep breath for me and then let your eyes close.”

I closed my eyes, though I couldn’t help giggling a little as I tried to calm my breathing.

“Now I want you to think of the last time you felt a deep sense of peace and relaxation. Can you tell me what that was?”

I combed through my memories. As a naturally anxious person, I didn’t feel overwhelming peace too often. At first, I wasn’t sure if any of my experiences from college fit the bill. But my thoughts kept circling around one moment in particular. “When we were on our first date, on the way home, when we saw the first fireflies of the year,” I said quietly.

“That’ll work perfectly, Annie. I just want you to concentrate on that memory. Try to picture it in as much detail as you can. Remember the warm, humid air. Feel how it made everything slow and heavy and sleepy.”

I did my best to hone in on the memory. The air had been thick and warm that night. As I tried to recall it, a heaviness settled over my limbs. The warmth of my sheets became the warmth of the late Spring night. I nestled deeper into the feeling.

“Remember the gentle darkness of the night. It was like you and I were just floating in our own island of light, while everything else in the world faded to velvety blackness. None of it mattered then, just like none of it matters now. Everything and everyone outside of this moment just fades into oblivion now. You know you’re safe here with me, so there’s no need to think about anything else.”

The breath escaped my lungs and took all my tension with it. Caleb was right. I had only been thinking of tonight for the last few days. Forgetting everything outside of this moment felt easy and natural.

“And even in this deep, peaceful memory, you know that I’m right here with you. Remember the feeling of my hand in yours, making you feel safe and cared for. Know that this experience is for you as much as it is for me. I’ll be right here with you every step of the way.”

My recollection drifted back to the puddle, when he stopped me from splashing my dress. I did feel safe with Caleb. Even when he had told me about hypnosis, he hadn’t made me feel pressured. Granted, that didn’t stop me from freaking out. But even then, he had been patient and given me space. My head lolled to the side, nuzzling the plush foam of my pillow.

“And remember the light of the fireflies. A thousand, flickering points of light, drifting through the air, weaving in endless patterns in the night sky. Your eyes just followed them so easily, so effortlessly.”

The fireflies had been beautiful. Their image lingered in my mind. They made me feel so peaceful and calm.

“Now I want you to imagine all your thoughts and worries and cares drifting out of your mind. Every thought becomes another little point of light and joins the dance of fireflies. Every thought goes from a distraction to a peaceful glow, guiding you down deeper into this beautiful trance.

I could see it all play out. The balls of light drifting from my forehead and my hair, and surrounding me. The sparse lights of the actual night had become a constellation of stars, whirling around me. My eyes followed the lights as they spun and swirled. I wasn’t thinking at all. No cares, no worries, just the lights.

Caleb kept talking, but I couldn’t focus on the words anymore. The light was too distracting. I just watched the pattern and let his words wash over me. The low, soothing sound of his voice just took me deeper. I could hear my own voice occasionally answering with a soft “Mmmmm.” Although I couldn't recall what I was agreeing to.

I didn’t know how long I watched the lights, but eventually my eyes lazily drifted open. I gave a few sluggish blinks. The dazzling display in my imagination had been replaced by the dim, lamplight of my bedroom. I looked around the room. “Caleb?” He had vanished. Wally was still in my lap, but no sign of Caleb. “Caleb? Where are you?” I hadn’t heard the door open.

Wally turned to look up at me with his button eyes. “I dunno. I haven’t seen him.”

“Thanks Wally. Wait Wally? You said that on your own, and your voice is so much deeper than usual!” I stared down at the stuffed Koala in shock.

Wally climbed up my chest to sit on my shoulder. “This is what I always sound like. Maybe you just weren’t listening before.”

I tried to speak, but my jaw just flapped without a sound for a moment. “I guess I wasn’t.”

“Yeah you probably didn’t even know I could fly.”

“Koala’s can’t fly!”

“We can’t talk either.” Then Wally lifted into the air and began hovering a few inches in front of my face.

“What!?” I watched the levitating koala in awe as he turned and began flying in circles around my dorm room.

“You could do all this stuff, this whole time? You must get so bored in here when I’m in class.”

He landed on my lap again. “Oh I wouldn’t worry about it. It’ll make more sense when you realize.”

Suddenly Caleb appeared from the ether, sitting on the edge of my bed and holding Wally. Then it all rushed back to me. He had been holding Wally and moving him around and talking for him. I slapped him playfully on the arm. “You tricked me!”

He smirked. “Well I didn’t exactly trick you. I just hypnotized you. Your subconscious knew what was going on the whole time.”

“I don’t feel hypnotized. I remember the fireflies and then things got kind of fuzzy.”

He laughed, the smile reaching from one side of his face to the other. “Honestly, you're responding really well."

"Ha! I don't know how just sitting here and hallucinating counts as responding well. I'm barely doing anything," I scoffed.

That only seemed to amuse him more. "Well you'll just have to take my word for it then." He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. I felt my face flush. It dawned on me that Caitlyn and I had both been wrong about hypnosis. Hypnosis wasn't an evil magic spell and it certainly wasn't role playing. Hypnosis was in fact, flying Koalas.

Caleb waved a hand in front of my face. "I guess you're going a little too deep. Looks like you're really spacing out today."

I blushed deeper. "No, I was just thinking."

"Well Ms. Just Thinking, are you ready to try something a little more intense?"

"More intense than hallucination?" I don't know if that's possible."

"Well, there's just one way to find out. Annie, watch the fireflies for me."

"Watch the fireflies?" That didn't make any sense. There weren't any fireflies here, and then there were. One small, floating spark appeared over his shoulder, and then another and a third. Eventually the room was full of little lights, bobbing and weaving through the night air. My eyes locked onto their swaying movements, totally captivated. I became aware of Caleb's voice talking again, but the words didn't matter at that point. I just needed to watch the fireflies.

Then just as suddenly as they'd appeared, they were gone. My eyes immediately went to Wally, scanning for signs of unusual behavior. But he just sat there as inert as ever. I looked up suspiciously at Caleb. "Nothing seems different."

He leaned closer. "Are you sure?" Then it hit me, the smell. Had Caleb put on cologne while I was spacing out? No way. But he couldn't have smelled like that before. I would never have missed it. He smelled like burnt cedar, smokey and musky. It stayed in my nostrils with a strangely intoxicating persistence. Every breath made the smell thicker and thicker. He went to pull away, but I followed him forward until I was pressed up against his chest.

"Oh hi there," he said with feigned innocence.

"Hi," I said before burying my face in his neck. The smell was so much stronger this close to him. I wanted more. I needed more.

"You're awfully friendly tonight," he joked.

"Mmm well you didn't smell this good last time. Maybe if you had, I'd have let you hypnotize me right there," I said before planting a tender kiss on his neck. The taste of him went far beyond the smell. Just the one faint touch sent a wave of tingles through my lips.

"I'll have to remember that for next time," he joked, trying to hold back his own laughter.

"Mmmhmmm," was all I could get out between kisses. I couldn't pull myself from his skin. The tingles grew more intense with every touch. I could feel a heat building throughout my whole body. Suddenly my pajama shirt felt downright suffocating. I pulled it over my head and heedlessly threw it to the floor.

His hands rose instinctively to my exposed skin. His touch ran up my side, before coming to rest on my breast. For a moment, I felt self conscious and wished I were better endowed. But that doubt disappeared as his fingers busied themselves with my quickly hardening nipples. Clearly I was enough for him, and the musky scent filling my breath was more than enough for me. The tingles that had danced across my lips had built into full blown fireworks, sending a jolt of pleasure tearing through me with every kiss.

"You sure, you're ok going this far?" Caleb asked me, through his massive, self-satisfied grin.

I responded by grabbing the back of his hair and pulling him into a passionate kiss. His lips struck mine like a lightning bolt. I had never been kissed like that before. That incredible taste came from every pore and filled my senses.

My fingers blindly felt their way to the buttons on his shirt and began popping them loose. I needed his skin against mine. Every breath, every touch only stoked the desire that was building in me further. Soon his shirt joined mine on the carpet. I clambered up and out from under the sheets. Throwing one leg over his lap, I clamped my thighs around him. The strain in his pants pressed insistently against me. I leaned my weight into it, grinding against his resistance.

Once Caleb could finally get his mouth free he gasped out. "Really Annie, you're going further than you said you would."

"I said that before I knew how you tasted," I whispered into his ear, giving it a playful nip. The rhythm of my hips sped up. They moved on their own now, spurred on by the wetness building inside me. I reached down and undid his belt. It took all my willpower to pry myself from his lap, but the allure of getting his pants off gave me the strength to do it. I sank to my knees, unzipping him with a rabid eagerness.

"Pumpkin! I think you should stop. The suggestion is working better than I thought it would. I don't want you to do something you'll regret."

But Caleb's concern couldn't pierce the veil of arousal overwhelming my senses. "That word only works when I say it." I pulled his pants down, dropping the fabric by the side of my bed.

He bit his lip and then said, "Annie, realize."

Suddenly the aroma that had driven me so wild dissipated.The fire between my legs went out like a bucket of cold water had been poured on me. Without the bleary haze of desire, my insecurities came rushing back. I blushed so hard it must have reached down to my chest. "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I'm sorry. That was way too forward. I don't know what came over me," I squeaked. I turned away from him, curling into a ball on the floor. He probably thought I was some kind of weirdo, throwing myself at him like that. He definitely wouldn't want to see me again after that.

I didn’t know what had come over me. I just totally lost all self control. My eyes started to sting and my breathing got tight. 

Then I felt the arms wrapped around me. Caleb had knelt down to join me on the floor. "Hey, hey, don't be embarrassed. That was crazy hot. If anything I'm the one who pushed you too far. I just didn't think you'd take to that suggestion so strongly. I should feel bad, not you." The gentle warmth of his embrace soothed my worries and I turned to face him.

I looked up into his kind, brown eyes. "Don't feel bad. That was the most turned on I've ever been, like ever, like ever-ever. I had no idea hypnosis could do that." 

He chuckled, the worry fading from his face. "It can do all kinds of things. But maybe we should stop for tonight. If we keep going, I don't think either of us will be respecting your limits."

A heavy sigh escaped my chest. "Ok, but on one condition."

"What's that?" A nervous tension filled his voice and his arms tensed slightly.

"We have to do it again! There are so many things I want to try."

All his muscles relaxed against me as the relief washed over him. "You've got yourself a deal. Now I should probably take you out of it."

"Take me out? How do you do that?"

"Annie, watch the fireflies for me." The flashing lights filled my vision again and the rest of the world blurred away.