Page 46 of A Billionaire Rebel

Finally, out of desperation, I settled on a light blue corset-style dress that Jamie had gotten me for Christmas but that I had yet to wear. A just above the knee hemline flared out enough that it made walking easy, but not so much that I worried I’d flash someone if I turned too fast. A pair of dressy sandals completed the outfit. When I looked in the mirror, I had to admit that even when Jamie wasn’t here, she still helped me.

That didn’t, however, stop me from being nervous until I opened the door and saw that Damon was in dress slacks and a dark short-sleeved shirt that emphasized his broad shoulders and chest. He’d grown some scruff since he’d shaved for the memorial service. Seeing me notice it, he rubbed his hand over his chin.

“Should I have shaved?”

“No.” I went up on my toes and kissed his cheek. “I like it.”

He captured a lock of my hair and twisted it around his finger. “I like your hair down.”

I blushed. “Thank you. I usually wear it back when the weather’s hot or if I’m working. It gets in the way otherwise.”

His hand brushed my jaw as he released my hair. “Seeing it down makes me think of what it looks like, spread out on my pillow when you’re beneath me.”

My jaw dropped.

Well, damn.

A sheepish smile curved his lips. “Did I embarrass you?”

“Surprised me,” I clarified.

“Hopefully, it won’t be the first time tonight.” With that cryptic statement, he held out his arm. “Shall we?”

Until now, I hadn’t realized how much of the time we’d shared so far had been spent worrying about him. He wasn’t through grieving, I knew, but he seemed better than he had before. Whether it was the closure that had come with the memorial service, or the simple fact that he’d been stressing about it and now it was done, he looked like something heavy had been taken from him.

Being wrapped up in watching him, I completely missed that we’d arrived at our destination until Damon parked. Except it didn’t look like a parking lot exactly. There were only a couple cars here, and we were behind a building.

“The owner lets me park back here with management,” he explained as we walked toward the front of the building.

It was only then that I saw where we were. Glitter Karaoke. I’d heard of it, but it was beyond my budget. Not insanely expensive, but still more than I could afford at the moment. Good reviews, but definitely not the kind of place I imagined Damon wanting to go simply because he must get mobbed with requests to sing.

His grip on my hand tightened as he opened the door and we went inside. The way the hostess greeted us told me she didn’t just know him by reputation, and the fact that her clear attraction to him didn’t cause her to give me dirty looks made me already like the place.

“Your usual table,” she said as she took us to a fairly private corner. We could see the stage but weren’t in direct line of sight for most of the other customers. After taking our drink orders, she left.

“I’ve been coming here for years,” he said as I opened the menu. “People recognize me, but no one ever gets too pushy. Sometimes I sing, and everyone usually likes it, but it’s never expected of me, and no one asks. I’ll probably get a half dozen to a dozen autograph requests and maybe a couple selfies, but it’s never anything that takes over my night.”

It must have been hard for him, not only being known as one of the Holden Enterprises heirs, but also an award-winning musician. He could never know who liked him for him or go out in public without risking a mob scene. He wasn’t one of those celebrities who courted the spotlight, but rather treated it politely and hoped it would do the same in return.

It didn’t take long for me to see the truth of what he’d said. After we ordered food, a guy who looked to be in his mid-twenties came up and shyly asked for a picture, quickly adding that he was sorry for interrupting our date. I’d reassured him and taken the picture with his phone.

The warm smile Damon sent my way told me it’d been the right thing to do and say. Other women might’ve been upset at the interruption or flaunted the fact that they were Damon’s date, but that wasn’t me. I enjoyed seeing that he was respectful and sweet in every aspect of his life. I had no doubt all he would need to do was ask and security would make sure he wasn’t ever disturbed, but he hadn’t done it.

“The food here is amazing,” I said as I finished off the last of my meal. I very much preferred quality over fancy names.

“It is,” he agreed. “Pretty much everything they make is great.”

The lighting shifted, catching my attention. Damon grinned, clearly knowing what that meant. Based on the gleam in his eyes, I had a sneaking suspicion I knew what was coming.

When the first person took to the stage to sing a decent rendition of “Wind Beneath My Wings,” my suspicion was confirmed. I really hoped that meant I’d get to hear Damon sing.

“What do you want to sing?”

My head snapped back. “What was that?”

His smile widened. “I heard you singing next to me at the service. You have a great voice.”

Shit. I’d forgotten about that. Kalini had sung the one Holden song where she took the lead, and I’d sung along with her, more under my breath than anything else, but he’d still apparently heard me.

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