While Joey Graziadei kissed a whopping seven women during his Bachelor debut — Jess Edwards, Daisy Kent, Allison Hollinger, Lexi Young, Maria Georges, Lea Cayanan and our current leading lady, Jenn Tran — Jenn decided to keep her lips on lock during the premiere of season 21 of The Bachelorette, using her smooches sparingly during the two-hour episode.
While seemingly each and every man was hoping that they would share a smooch with Jenn Tran on night one, believe it or not, the New Jersey native set some strong boundaries and only kissed one man during the premiere of season 21 of The Bachelorette. Well, with the exception of a few hand kisses from Hakeem Moulton, Brian Autz and more…
Jenn — the first Asian-American lead in the history of the Bachelor franchise — said that she would be marching to the beat of her own drum during season 21 of The Bachelorette, and after just one episode, it is safe to say that she already has.
Nonetheless, who was the lucky lad? Fortunately we got you covered.
Jenn Tran only kissed Sam McKinney during her Bachelorette debut
Despite kissing him on the cheek earlier in the evening, Jenn took it upon herself to lock lips with Sam McKinney — a 27-year-old contractor from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — later on in the premiere of season 21 of The Bachelorette, just moments after handing him the coveted First Impression Rose.
For those who are unfamiliar, the First Impression Rose is the first rose of the season, ensuring safety to a single contestant prior to the rose ceremony, usually the man who made the greatest impression on the leading lady. It is a huge honor, especially because it came with Jenn’s only kiss of the evening…
It sounds like Jenn made a great choice, because based on Sam’s official Bachelorette biography — as well as what we saw from him during the premiere — he seems like the total package:
“Sam brightens every room with his dazzling smile. His tattoos and muscles might look tough on the outside, but Sam swears he’s a total softie. He’s always been a relationship guy and says his ultimate dream is to be a loving husband and father. Sam has been in love before and is extremely loyal when it comes to his partner. Cheating is his number one dealbreaker, and he is looking for a partner as loyal as he is. When Sam isn’t working in contracting, he loves riding motorcycles, golfing and watching Sons of Anarchy. For Sam, this journey is all about finding his forever, so here’s hoping he can find that meaningful connection with Jenn.”
Despite “[finding] that meaningful connection with Jenn” on night one, will Sam McKinney coast his way to finale night, ultimately popping the question (or not… #IYKYK) to Jenn Tran in the end? To find out for yourself, catch brand new episodes of The Bachelorette each and every Monday on ABC, because the remainder of the season is sure to knock your socks off.