Page 25 of The Only Shot that Mattered

Kenna glanced up at him nervously, but he simply smiled and winked at her before gesturing for her to walk in front of him.

As they made their way toward the back of the restaurant, Kenna noticed a few guys waving their way. She looked behind her and saw Damien nodding and waving back. He caught her eye and said, “Teammates. I’ll introduce you sometime.” And then she felt his large hand on her waist as they stepped into a private room. He leaned down so his breath tickled her ear at the same time he pulled her back into him. “For now, I want you all to myself.”

Kenna’s breathing hitched as she took in the feel of him but also the room. There was a small table set for two, but the rose petals filling the space and the soft music playing made her smile from ear to ear. The sounds of “I Found My Everything” by Mary J. Blige caressed her ears as she swayed slightly to the tempo.

The room glowed with the soft lighting the candles provided, and the smell of garlic and savory meats greeted her nose. Finally, she turned to Damien and lifted her brows. “I have several questions.”

He chuckled before releasing her and walking over to the table. After pulling her chair out, he said, “Sit first, Ken Ken.”

Slowly, she walked over to him and sat down in her seat. She waited patiently for him to sit in his own before she asked, “What was the plan if Cam had come? I mean, I’m sure he would have appreciated the romance of it all, but I think I would have felt a bit awkward.”

She giggled into her hand as she gazed at him, completely in awe of the experience he was giving her. Never in her life had she been a part of such romance, and it was only dinner with a few flower petals, food, and some tea candles. Still, the moment felt like everything to her, and she knew it would stick with her for life.

Damien threw his head back and laughed, and Kenna sat there and watched him, enamored by how fine he was.

“If Cam joined us, I would have made sure it was a comfortable environment for the three of us. Can I be honest though?” After Kenna nodded, he continued. “I’m happy it’s just the two of us.”

The intensity of his gaze made Kenna squirm. Though she felt the same as him, she felt too shy to admit it. Finally, she managed to say, “Thank you for all this.” She gestured around the intimate room. “And for inviting us. I’m not used to this level of…”

Her words trailed off because she didn’t know what word would best fit the way he had spoiled her. The room she was set up in felt like it was straight out of a movie. The private jet and this dinner, not to mention him tending to her like she was the most precious being in the world. She wasn’t sure how to wrap all that up into one word.

“Extravagance?” he asked, raising one brow.

She shrugged. “I guess that’s one word for it. Do you always treat women with this level of extravagance?”

She reached for the wineglass sitting in front of her and grasped it. She wasn’t much of a drinker, but she felt like the red wine could help calm her frazzled nerves.

Damien offered her a smile that had her panties soaked, but he couldn’t respond because he was interrupted when a server appeared. He was tall and lanky, with tattoos peeking out from under his black button up shirt. “Good evening. My name is Richard. We have several dishes for you to enjoy tonight, but is there anything you would like to drink besides wine and water?”

Kenna glanced at Damien before looking back up at a Richard. “I’m fine with water.”

“Perfect, and you, sir?”

“Water is cool. Do you mind bringing out all the food at once?”

Richard bowed slightly. “Of course, sir. Give me just a few minutes.”

When he disappeared behind the black curtain along the wall behind Kenna, Damien focused back on her, but she was the first to speak. “Are you in a rush?”

He chuckled, immediately understanding that she was referring to him asking for all their food at once. “Sort of. I have curfew at ten, and I plan to soak up every moment with you before that, but I also don’t want to be interrupted, which is why I asked for him to bring everything out together. Is that cool with you, Ms. Kenna?”

Kenna tried to hide her smile but failed as she nodded. “I’m cool with that. I’m surprised you didn’t want to go somewhere outside of the hotel.”

“Like I said, I’m trying to capitalize on my time with you. Plus, they have some of the best steak in the city here.”

“At a hotel?” She cocked her head to the side. She had never been to Atlanta before, but she’d heard about the food. She found it hard to believe that a hotel had the best steak in the city.

He grinned. “Trust me on this.”

For some reason, Kenna was ready to trust him with a lot of things.

“How was practice?”

“It was cool. I would have rather been back here with you.”

The way he held eye contact with her made her squirm but also turned her on. Damien seemed to be really intense when he wanted something, and he was making it really clear that he definitely wanted her.

“I honestly slept mostly. I wouldn’t have been much fun to be around.”

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