Page 7 of Tennessee Trouble

Fuck me…

April’s right. One night of fun. Let’s do this.

“Then you have yourself a personal tour guide.”

3

BRANDT

Her eyes are the color of Southern Brothers’ Party Mode with strands of green, gold, and a deeper honey brown weaved in. I can’t help but get lost in them, wanting to dive in head first and go swimming. There’s something about her drawing me in like a moth to a flame, and I know deep down that I couldn’t walk away if I tried, even though we just met.

I don’t even know her name.

“Where do we start?” I ask, adrenaline pumping through my veins.

“At the beginning, of course,” she answers, as if it were obvious. Grabbing my hand, she leads me over to the Wink & Shine tent, weaving around an older couple talking to a volunteer who is handing them two sample cups. “Wink & Shine, the only shine on the market made for women, by women.”

She hands me a small, red plastic cup, the size of a shot glass, filled with a clear liquid, the distinct scent tickling my nostrils. I’d know that smell anywhere—it’s fueled many dreams, and been the kick starter for quite a few adventures along the way. But this time, there’s more to it. Something sweet. Something light and airy. Consider my curiosity piqued.

“I was thinking maybe names,” I joke. “I’m Br-”

“No,” she cuts me off.

Errr…what?

“I mean, we both know what this is. Right? You’re just passing through and we’ll never see each other after this, so…why not keep it simple? One night only. No names. Just wherever the night and the moonshine lead us.”

Just wherever the night and the moonshine lead us….oh, this girl’s trouble…

My dick twitches, my mind going straight to the gutter with ideas of where the moonshine could take us, but I manage to keep my composure. Barely. Enough that I still come up with something to help me charm her to the point that she might consider letting it lead us that way.

“I have to call you something.”

“Errr, good point.” She looks around, eyes landing on something off in the distance. “Luna.”

“As in the moon, cute. Well, Luna, I’m…Brewer.”

“As in your job.” I shrug. It was as good a choice as any given the situation. She giggles, holding up a mini cup of her own. “Well then, Brewer, to wherever moonshine leads us.”

We toast, and I toss back the taste of Wink & Shine. Smooth, sweet, and with a hint of a familiar twang I can’t place, the high proof liquor goes down easy, hitting almost instantly. Catching me more than a little off guard.

“Oh…wow…”

“Good stuff, huh?”

I nod. It is. Much better than I anticipated. Yes, it’s fruity, and it doesn’t pack as much of a punch as something like Ol’ Reverend, but it’s still good. Clean, crisp. Something that would be wonderfully refreshing on a hot, sticky, Southern summer afternoon.

“Not what I was expecting, I’ll say that.”

“You were expecting all sugar, weren’t you?”

She cocks out one hip, the smug look on her face that she knew exactly what I was thinking making her look even cuter. I want to kiss the smirk right off her.

“Admittedly, yes.”

“That’s what everyone thinks. And that’s not the point of Wink & Shine. Yes, it’s geared toward women, but not the ones who are looking for something sugary and sweet. There’s plenty of that on the market. This offers flavor and fun, while still providing that glorious burn.”

“You sure seem to know a lot about it.”