Love, Inherited

Ch. 21 - "Almost"

Hayden couldn't help laugh until tears poured from her eyes. Warren was beside himself. The reserved proper and always professional lawyer stood naked in the waves two hands under the water covering up his manhood which Hayden could only imagine was shrinking with the cold water.

The more she laughed the further away he stepped but Hayden couldn't help it. It was perfectly Dee. This was exactly how her life rolled, getting to the exact moment of almost reaching your deepest desire and ending up losing your shirt and looking like an idiot. Only this time she wasn't alone. Warren was with her, and by the time she controlled her laughter so were Tye, Angie, Star, and various patrons Hayden didn't know by name.

"It's not that funny Hayden. We have to get out of here you know!" Warren's serious tone and deeply embedded scowl only brought her another bout of laughter.

"It's perfectly hilarious Warren. It's totally what Dee would have organized. Maybe she did. Even if she didn't, I could bet you money she's laughing her ass off right now!"

Warren's face transformed under the glare of the moon. The brows lifted and his cheeks got the adorable dimples that showed up when his smile was genuine. He got it.

Within minutes he was back at her side, his arm draped around her shoulders laughing as they watched people undress and jump in like lunatics on a mission.

"We still have to get out of here somehow you know?"

Hayden rolled her eyes and without a moments hesitation strutted back up to the beach, grabbed her clothes and threw her top and skirt on. Only then did she put her hand on her hip and hold up Warren's like of clothing dating him to retrieve them.

In the most embarrassed and clumsy way Warren skulked to the edge and with both hands covering his private bits stomped to where she stood and with the speed of light jumped into his shorts causing everyone to give him a round of applause.

He bowed, grabbed Hayden's hand and ran the rest of the way up the beach back toward the front of the resort.

"You are seriously nuts Hayden. Everyone out there just saw you naked!" He said.

Hayden shrugged. I'm not afraid of being exposed, especially by people I love. Life's all about making the most of the moment isn't it?

He twirled her around and dipped her. "It certainly is" he said as he kissed her.

"I'm thinking, this being my last night here for a while, maybe we cold make the most of it together." As he spoke he nuzzled her ear with his lips, the vibration from his voice making her throat go dry and her insides quiver.

They walked side by side, her hand draped in his back pocket until they got into her room. As she reached to turn the lights on her swooped her off her feet and carried her to the bed.

Slowly and gently he undressed her, and recreated the kisses on the beach. Hayden felt an explosion of pleasure as he made sure the time he was away would be filled with memories of this moment.

He woke her at six, a finger swirling around her back followed by light brushes from a clean shaven face. "I've gotta go, my flight leaves in two hours."

She groaned and rolled over to kiss him not caring if she had morning breath and bed head. His eyes sparked and his face was bright and the green of his shirt brought out the small golden flecks in his deep brown eyes.

"You're dressed?  You're leaving now?  No fair!" She whined.

He kissed her forehead and she grabbed him in a chokehold. "I'll miss you Warren. Be good while you're gone. Don't forget me. And text me. Not that I'm needy. I'm not. I just want to know you're doing okay!"

He laughed and yanked in a lock of her hair. "I couldn't forget you if I tried Hayden. I'll be back before you know it. Try to stay out of trouble."

As he walked out the door Hayden felt wonderful. Sure, the best thing in her life was leaving for a month the morning after they'd finally made physical contact. But they had! And it was wonderful. And Hayden was confident he liked her as a much as she like him. A month was nothing!  She could do this.

She lay in bed a while longer and finally convinced herself that the coffee wasn't going to being itself into the bedroom. As she shuffled into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee with just a splash of cream a familiar beep came from her purse.

An excited squeal escaped her lips as she dashed for the phone sure Warren was already leaving an adorable message.

LOOKING FORWARD TO TONIGHT. PICK YOU UP AT 7. --AUSTIN❤️

Hayden plopped the phone on the table and smacked her forehead with her palm. Ugh. Life was always complicated. Even when she had he best intentions.

She sipped her coffee and got ready to spend the day with Angie going over schedules and manager duties. Tomorrow they would be relieving Mason of his duties and looking for s new Manager and Hayden needed to understand the job to help with the interviews. They would lose a lot of money buying out Mason's contract, but it would be better for all of them and Hayden couldn't work with someone trying to steal her home right under her nose.

Slipping on her khakis and a button down she grabbed her phone off the table to slip into her purse and saw the text again. Maybe it wouldn't be a horrible mistake to go out. As friends. Warren was her soulmate but Austin seemed like he could be a lot of fun to hang around. She would just have to make sure he knew it was a platonic friendship. Not a date.

Lots of girls had guy friends. Well, some girls.

She texted back before she could change her mind.

SOUNDS GREAT. SEE YOU THEN.

Turning off the light and closing the door she smiled. Things were totally going her way for once. A great boyfriend, a built in family, a new business and no worrying about making rent. It was all lining up like she's always dreamed. "What could go wrong?" She asked as she swallowed hard to try and digest the giant lump in her throat.

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Shorter chapter but a much quicker update.  I've been working behind the scenes on something new and exciting but I've promised myself no new story until the ones in progress are finished. Now that's a challenge!! Hope your enjoying the story. Let me know!!

Almost was released by Elvis in RCA in 1970. It was his 39th recoding and the name was actually "almost in love".