“Why are you laughing?” he asked, his face frustrated and confused.
I caught my breath and then laughed some more. He watched me like I had lost my mind. When I could finally breathe enough to form a sentence, I said, “You just called me a Disney Princess porn star.”
Cruz kept his frown at first, and then he slowly started to grin. “It was the best example I had.”
I took a sip of my drink. “I don’t look like Snow White.”
“Yeah, Lila, you do. I once wondered if birds dressed you every morning. I was eight at the time, so it made sense back then.”
I laughed again. I had to. He was right. The old Lila was very Snow White-like. She was proper, poised, polite. And boring. That was my past though.
“Okay, I agree. I was very Snow White-like but not anymore.”
Cruz stopped smiling. “Yeah, I noticed.”
“Let’s try this again,” I suggested. Then pointed at a bar across the street. “Let’s try there,” I suggested.
“No way in hell,” he said as he took my elbow. “I’ll pick the place.”
“What was wrong with that place?”
“I’m not ready to take you into a topless bar.”
Oh. “Okay, yeah. You better pick the place.” I agreed.
“How’s your drink?”
“Good. Sweet,” I told him.
“Yeah. Never tried a hurricane. I don’t like sweet,” Cruz said then steered me into another bar with open doors and live music. This time it was more Cajun type music. “I need another drink. You’re coming with me.”
I followed along beside him, and this time the bartender was a man. However, he also was checking Cruz out. I didn’t blame him. Cruz was something to look at. I just didn’t let myself look at him. At least not for long.
I scanned the place, watching the people dancing and drank more of my hurricane.
“Come on, Snow White,” he said once he had his drink.