The First Spark

<p><strong style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>I have a very big problem ... in the form of one very petite woman. </strong></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Don't get me wrong. I adore women and if you ask any female in Sparkwood you'll learn the feeling is mutual.</span></p><p></p><p><strong style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>With one tiny exception.</em></strong></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Oriana Thorne is a literal thorn in my side-a plucky infuriatingly gorgeous pain in the rear who rents the store next to mine.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>We've disliked each other from the beginning or at least since she marched into my shop and started issuing demands. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Needless to say I didn't roll out the welcome mat after that meet-hate.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>I'd love to avoid the woman until the end of my days but as fate would have it I need her help.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Without her approval my plan to open a speakeasy beneath our shops is dead in the water.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Considering Oriana is as fond of me as I am of her winning her assistance will be no easy feat.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>So when a faulty lock forces the two of us to spend the night together it's anyone's guess if we'll survive until morning.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>But that's a chance I'm willing to take. What's the worst that can happen?</span></p><p></p><p><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>It's not like I'm going to fall in love with the woman...</em></p><p></p>