Page 30 of Breakpoint
“Definitely. Besides, I hate those,” she exclaimed as she reached for a piece of celery.
“I bet you thought I was going to charter a yacht and fly us to a private island for dinner.” Dani smirked.
Jaz shook her head. “No, I didn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because you haven’t won enough to afford that,” Jaz said plainly, like it was the most obvious thing.
Dani’s hand went to her chest in mock fury, but then she smiled. “You’re right, I can’t afford that. I’m going to come out in the negative after this week’s loss, with all the travel and training expenses. But someday?”
“Yeah, someday.” Jaz dipped a carrot into some hummus. “And, thanks for bringing healthy food, always watching my diet. ”
“Why are you?” Dani asked around a piece of cheese she had just put into her mouth. “You train nonstop and should be able to eat whatever you please.”
“First, once you pass thirty, it’s harder to eat what you want and stay in shape. Plus, my body is just built differently from most typical tennis players. I have a wider build, with big boobs, a butt and curves. I’m not six feet tall and thin, like you.”
Dani’s hand stopped, the carrot in her fingers frozen in midair. “Your body is gorgeous. Like ridiculously hot. Like even when you were a pain in the ass, I couldn’t help but stare.”
A warm blush crept up Jaz’s cheeks, suddenly flustered by her words. Only Lena had been overtly that forward with her. It was not something she was used to. Moreover, she saw the passion in Dani’s eyes. That she meant every word she said. “I’m not even sure how to respond to that.”
Dani broke eye contact and looked off into the distance. “It's probably better you don’t. Because what I really want to say and do shouldn’t be done in public.”
Dani was right. They were in public. And the playful banter, the lingering touches, the heated glances as they walked—it all culminated in a delicious, almost unbearable anticipation for that next kiss.
Dani brought her gaze back to Jaz and smiled. “So I’m changing the subject. What’s your favorite movie?”
Jaz laughed as she thought about the movie that was her go-to comfort flick. “Girls Trip.”
“Girls Trip?” Jaz could see Dani searching her memory bank. “I don’t think I’ve seen it.”
“Technically, it’s a romantic comedy, but more than that, it’s about having friends who will always have your back. It’s not just laugh-out-loud funny, it’s about taking time with the people you trust the most to let loose and know they will always have your back. I wish I had that.”
“Well, we’ll have to watch it next time,” Dani declared confidently.
“Next time? You’re mighty confident there will be a second date.”
Dani popped an olive into her mouth with a sexy smile. “Oh yeah, there will definitely be another date.”
The city lights twinkled as the projector hummed to life, casting a beam of light that cut through the darkness.
And for the first time in a long time, Jaz felt like she was simply…herself. The movie, whatever it was, didn’t even matter. She was already captivated by this experience.
Under the cover of night, Jaz slid her body closer to Dani on the blanket.
Dani took the hint, wrapped her arm around her, pulling Jaz closer into a light cuddle.
Somehow, she was here, on a date with Daniela Kappas and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Being this close to her felt… normal.
The pre-movie announcements faded, replaced by the opening credits of When Harry Met Sally rolling, but at that moment, she wasn’t watching the screen.
She glanced at Dani, her profile illuminated by the flickering light of the screen.
Dani’s eyes were fixed on the movie, but Jaz could sense a shift in her energy.
She finally turned her head; her eyes meeting Jaz’s in the dim light.
The question hung in the air between them, unspoken but undeniable.
No one had ever looked at her the way Dani did, the way she was right now.
The sounds of the movie faded into the background, replaced by the pounding of her own heart.
Leaning closer, drawn by an invisible force, their lips met. It was a soft, gentle kiss, a tentative exploration of lips that held the promise of something more. But it quickly deepened, becoming passionate, a release of the pent-up attraction that had been simmering between them all evening.
She was quickly reminded of what an amazing kisser Dani was.
Because nothing could compare to the electric press of Dani’s mouth against her own.
Running her tongue along the place where their lips met, she reveled in the subtle surrender as Dani opened her mouth to her.
The world around them, the movie, the other people, the city, ceased to exist. There was only the feel of Dani’s lips, the taste of her, the intoxicating rush of finally giving in to the undeniable pull that had been drawing them together.
They lost themselves in the kiss under the stars, but what neither of them saw was the cell phone camera beside them, capturing every moment.