Page 104 of Moonshine Lullabies
He took a sip and gave a satisfied, “Ah!”
I took it and sipped but I coughed, like a pussy.
“Holy hell, but that’s good shit,” I said.
“Isn’t it?” he asked with a rakish grin.
“It is,” I declared. “But if we get fucked up, where we gonna stay?”
He winked at me and pulled the keys for Alina’s place out of his pocket.
“I checked. They’re at La Croix’s daddy’s ol’ place and started cleaning it out. Guess he decided it’s finally time to do something with it.”
I nodded. “Poor Len. He’s had a rough row to hoe, and it ain’t need to be that way,” I said with a sigh.
“Just like any of us, I think” he said and took another sip of the Moonshine.
“You trying to get me fucked up so my clothes fall off?” I demanded, and he laughed and nodded.
“Something like that,” he said, handing the jar back.
I drank, and sighed, tossing my head back to look at the moon high above us.
“Such a pretty name for such a wicked drink.” I held up the colorless liquid to the moonlight, watching it shine through it.
“You’re so fuckin’ beautiful,” he said out of nowhere and I looked back at him, laughing and asking, “What?”
He grinned and said, “You heard me just fine, Jessie-Lou Gaudet.”
I snorted and shook my head and it turned into a nod.
“Yeah, I did,” I agreed.
“You gonna drink that?” he asked, and I laughed and took another sip and passed it to him.
He sipped and leaned over knocking his shoulder into mine and I smiled.
“You know,” he said. “Ain’t no universe where you’d be someone’s property in the traditional sense of the word… but you know that’s not what it means to men like me an’ your brother, right?”
I looked at him and reached for the jar. He handed it over and I took a bigger swallow than the previous ones and asked, “Are you askin’ me what I think you’re asking me?”
He huffed a laugh. “That depends on what you think I’m asking,” he said.
“You asking me to be your ol’ lady?”
He nodded. “Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m asking you,” he said.
I swallowed hard and took another drink and he said, “Whoa, slow down,” and took it from me, taking another sip of his own.
“I mean, if you’re serious and – and you really want that, thenyeah,” I said.
He shook his head and chuckled. “Hell yeah, I want it, but the question is doyou?”
“Are you kidding me?” I demanded. “Yes! Yes, oh my, God!”
He nodded and said, “Good, because you’re the last woman that’s ever gonna be on the back of my bike. Period.”
He took a sip and passed the jar and I shook my head a bit incredulous and asked, “Can we take this to go?” and I held it up.
