Love, Inherited

Ch. 11 "His Hand In Mine"

Hayden and Warren mapped out their plan under the twinkling lights of a plate of food that made Hayden lose focus way too often. It was her first amazing meal since she's been in the island and she was happy to have found a place that she could end up sneaking off to and getting real food instead of bar food.

"I'd love to have a chef with half this much talent at the resort. Mason said good food is a waste of money, but I really feel like people want affordable healthy choices and great meals."

Warren looked up from his plate. His eyes full of sparkle like a young boy about to get into mischief. "Let's not take anything Mason says as serious business advice considering he's trying to run the business to the ground."

She took a drink of her freshly arrived carrot Apple cilantro juice and gave him a scolding stare. "We don't know it's him yet. We can't just go around blaming people for things without proof."

Warren lay down his fork and picked up her hand. "Hayden, I love that your nature is sweet and trusting. But you have to keep your eyes open. This is serious, without the resort you'd still have plenty of cash to keep you going but this was Dee's dream, her legacy. And the people that work there were like family."

The resting hand in hers made it hard to concentrate. No matter how good the food was Hayden couldn't chew. At that moment someone started a motor inside her chest and it vibrated in her ears. She wanted that hand to move, explore, touch, she wanted sex.

She yanked her hand from his and coughed into her napkin. The realization of what she just thought hit her like a bag of bricks. She needed sex. No wonder she had been a idiot and unable to concentrate. It had been months since she had been with anyone.

Warren laughed at her choking but kept staring as if to monitor if intervention was needed. She waved him off and laughed at how little she knew about herself. Sex. Thinking of sex at breakfast with a man she barely knew was very counterproductive. She needed to clear her head. Warren was right. This is serious.

"Ok. Sorry. I'm fine. Got it. And I get that. I already love the staff, the resort, and you, like family. I totally get the importance. Place the bid, get the trap set and let's see what's squirming in it!"

Warren's face crumpled and Hayden wondered what she had done to make that hurt look appear. Whatever it was she didn't ever want to do it again. Her heart pained just seeing it and she instinctively reached for his arm.

"I'm sorry. Should we not place the bid? What did I say?"

Quickly his composure changed and the business look reappeared. He straightened his tie and asked for the check.

"You're fine. You didn't say anything. I was just lost in thought. Everything will be ok. I'll make the bid and you'll get busy looking for any copies of those documents someone is using to say they have a right to sell.  Start complaining to Mason about how much you hate the resort, just in. Are its him and he wants to have a partner in crime. In no time I'll get back to my firm and you can run the resort however you want without worrying."

Hayden tried to recall what she had just done to make Warren so cold. She couldn't think of a single thing. As they walked to the car she placed her arm in his. He stiffened.

Sitting next to him in the car they passed a large tree bent over into a make shift bridge. To Hayden it was the ultimate natural beauty. She sucked in her breath and yelled "stop!"

Warren threw on the breaks and Hayden rushed from the car. She stood staring at it, took out her phone and snapped pics, and finally, rested her palms against the rough bark. Warren stood behind her, an amused look upon his face when he realized he was seeing a girl fall in love with and fondle a tree.

"This" said Hayden. "This is perfection.  A perfect picture of strength. See how the trunk has been shaped and formed by elements?  It's bent completely over but it didn't snap. And more than that, it still blooms because it won't be beaten."

Warren got the analogy instantly. "Like you."  It was a statement more than a question. And as tears filled her eyes with just how much this moment meant to her he leaned in and kissed her. Softly at first, impulse driven without sinking into his mind or his place in her life.

She kissed him back. Her lips finding more urgency than a gentle kiss, her tongue searching for an answer as to whether he could calm her passion or ignite her.

He placed his arm behind her and guided her to a flat grassy spot beneath the tree and used his thumb to wipe her tears. Hayden lay her head upon his chest, firm and warm with a steady strong beat to match her own.

His fingers danced across her arm and she stilled. Afraid to move and ruin the magic of the moment. "That's quite a tree, and you're quite a woman Hayden. I'm sorry I kissed you. I've wanted to since that first day in my office. Something about you just drives me insane."

She put his palm across her chest. "Feel that?  My heart's a bit nutty too.  I've felt the same way, I just didn't know what to do about it."

He laughed and Hayden felt her body shake with its vibration.  "What?  It's not that funny. You're my lawyer. There's probably rules.  I'm trying to be a grown up here."

Warren kissed the top of her head and sighed. "You're right. And you saying you feel like I'm your family should have been enough to squelch my feelings. I shouldn't have kissed you. I am your lawyer. And I can't step down because we need to save the resort."

He stood and held out his hand to help her up. "So we pretend this didn't happen, and we see what happens when this mess is over. Agreed?"

Hayden scrunched up her face and nodded. "I said I loved you like family to try and make myself believe it Warren. I don't want to jeopardize a great relationship with you by coming on to you because I'm lonely and my hormones go nuts when you're around me. I had no idea you had feelings for me. And okay. I temporarily Agree to put this on hold. But since we're forgetting about this day anyway, can we do it one more time, the kiss?"

In classic fairytale fashion Warren grabbed her by the waist, dipped her, and lay his lips firmly upon hers. Hayden felt fireworks explode in her chest. She felt like she'd give up breathing just to have this moment last a little longer. Warren's breath came quicker and she felt his muscles relax as he pulled her back up to a stand.

She backed up and coughed. "Ok, that was good. I mean, of course it was good, this is all good. I mean..,"

"I know what you mean. And yes, it was very very good. We've gotta get this business sorted. I can't be next to you for long and not remember that moment."

Hayden squealed with giddiness. She was doing it right. Yes she wanted to lay him down right now and inspect every inch of him. But she wasn't being impulsive. She was being a grown up.

By the time they pulled up at the resort they both looked miserable. Being a grown up sucked. She wanted sex.

################################
So there's an interesting twist for ya!! Who said I can't write romance?  Oh yeah, lol that was me. Take that inner critic. That. Was. Sexy. And awesome. Except for making my two favorite characters miserable. Bwahahahahah

Elvis released "His Hand in Mine"
In 1960. It was one of the songs for his debut religious album. This market was so accepted and became so popular that he would make a total of three of them❤️.