Furever Always (Furever Series)

by Meredith Clarke

  “Of course,” Cash said. “They’re family. Plus, I’m the Beta, so it’s my job to look after them.”

  “Beta?” Lani raised her eyebrows.

  “Second in command,” Cash explained.

  “I know,” Lani nodded. “Impressive.”

  Cash smiled and took another swig of his drink. He and Lani spent the rest of the night talking and flirting. When she walked away to serve another guest or to get something from the back, Cash tried not to gaze at her. He didn’t have much luck. She was completely and utterly captivating. Cash still didn’t know if Kurt was telling the truth about love at first sight, but he definitely felt something for Lani. Something strong. Something intense, and he was willing to sit at the bar all night to just be by her side.

  Chapter 7

  Lani

  As the evening went on, Lani found herself drifting over to Cash more and more. Their conversations became brief as the bar filled up with guests, but Cash didn’t move from his seat at the bar. Lani worked quickly, serving guests at lightning speed so she would have a chance to talk to Cash again. Between every drink, Lani was back in front of Cash, smiling and flirting. Lani couldn’t explain it. There was something about Cash that just made her want to be near him.

  Lani wasn’t aware of her behavior for most of the night. Flirting with Cash came so naturally to her that she didn’t even realize she was doing it. His dark hazel eyes looked more green than blue, and Lani could not take her eyes off them. She found herself drowning in their depths every time he looked at her. When she thought he wasn’t paying attention, Lani peered over the bar at his body. His dark hair was cut short, but that didn’t stop Lani from imagining the way her fingers would feel running through it. His flannel shirt was loose, but when the wind blew just right, it clung to his body. Lani could make out the outline of his abs. Her heart pounded in her chest.

  “You should check on the pool,” Lani teased as she passed by Cash with a drink for another guest. She handed the guest her drink and smiled mischievously at Cash.

  “You’re hilarious,” Cash said with a scowl. He looked over his shoulder at the rambunctious crowd in the pool. “Not happening.”

  “Oh, come on,” Lani said. “It could be fun. Your true love awaits.”

  Cash glared at Lani, but she knew he wasn’t really angry. She laughed easily. Cash’s face broke out in a goofy grin that made Lani’s stomach flutter nervously. She moved down the bar to take a few more orders. By the time she was done making those drinks, more guests were lining up at the bar. Lani glanced around her nervously. It was the busiest time of the night and her fellow bartender, Beth, wasn’t there yet. Lani and Beth always worked together during the evening shift. Allie only worked days.

  When Beth finally arrived, Lani breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over to her. With Beth’s extra help, she would be able to continue talking with Cash instead of drowning in drink orders.

  “Get ready,” Lani said to Beth. “It’s going to be a crazy night.”

  “I can tell,” Beth sighed. “Let’s hope it goes by fast.”

  Lani and Beth went to work pouring drinks and taking orders. It was almost an hour before Lani could make her way back over to Cash, but her eyes found him every few minutes. She couldn’t help it. He was like a magnet, pulling her attention to him again and again. No matter how much Lani fought it, the urge to look at Cash was too strong.

  “Girl, you have got to stop staring at that boy,” Beth whispered in Lani’s ear.

  “What are you talking about?” Lani asked, feigning innocence. Her cheeks flushed. She didn’t realize she was so obvious.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Beth said. “You have not been able to stop staring at the poor guy all night. Look away, honey. For all our sakes.”

  “I’m not…” Lani sputtered. “I just…”

  “Hey, I don’t blame you,” Beth shrugged. “He’s fine as hell, but you know the rules. Bryce will have your ass if you don’t pull yourself together.”

  “Nothing’s going on,” Lani insisted. “We were just talking. Flirting a little. It’s harmless.”

  “You think the boss will see it that way?” Beth asked with a raise of her eyebrows. Lani had told Beth all about her struggles with Bryce over the past few weeks. Beth had told her that she noticed him paying a lot more attention to her than the rest of the bartenders as well. Her only advice was to ignore Bryce as best she could though, and that eventually, he would get the hint that she was not at all interested in him.

  “Who cares?” Lani shot back. “We aren’t allowed to date them, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk to them, does it?”

  “No,” Beth laughed. “It doesn’t.”

  “Exactly,” Lani smiled.

  “Girl, just be careful,” Beth said with a shake of her head.

  Lani bounced away to talk to Cash again. She knew she was walking a thin line between being nice to one of the guests and flirting with him. But for some reason, she just could not stop herself. She wanted Cash, and she wanted him badly.

  “Having fun yet?” Lani asked. She put her arms on the bar and leaned forward. Things were slowly starting to slow down at the bar. Couples had formed, and they were all starting to leave.

  “Now I am,” Cash said. He leaned forward slightly so that he and Lani were almost touching. The air between them felt thick, and it took all of Lani’s willpower not to reach out and grasp his hand.

  “How’s your shift going?” Cash asked.

  “Pretty well,” Lani said with a nod. “Everyone’s drunk and happy, which means I’m doing my job.”

  “Pretty low standards you have there,” Cash joked.

  “Hey,” Lani shrugged. “Bartenders have more responsibility than you think.”

  “Oh?” Cash asked.

  “Yup,” Lani said. Her face was serious, but her tone was playful. “You don’t realize just how much goes into keeping everyone calm and happy. You bear types get kind of testy late at night.”

  “Do we?” Cash laughed.

  “You do,” Lani said with feigned authority. “If I didn’t know any better I would think you were werewolves. You know? Getting all riled up at the full moon.”

  “It’s worse,” Cash said, his eyes boring into hers, suddenly getting serious. “We aren’t controlled by the moon. But, we’re just testy all the time. Our animal instincts are always lurking just beneath the surface.”

  Lani’s skin felt hot as she listened to Cash’s words. She leaned further across the bar without thinking. After flirting all night, Lani’s attraction to Cash was growing more intense by the second. The way he looked at her didn’t help. Every time their eyes met, Lani felt like Cash was looking directly at her soul. When he looked at her, it was like he could really see her.

  It didn’t help matters that he had a habit of trailing his eyes down her body whenever he thought she wasn’t looking. Lani felt his eyes on her all night. Every time she moved, his eyes followed her, and she absolutely loved it. Now that they were face to face, he looked at her with flirtation and a hint of desire. Lani didn’t know if she imagined it, but she could have sworn he wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

  “Hey there,” a nasal voice said. Lani and Cash were so entranced in each other that neither of them noticed a woman appear next to Cash. She had dark red hair and freckles. Her eyes glazed over. She was clearly drunk. “Who are you here with, sexy?”

  Lani tensed as the girl threw her arms around his neck. The girl used one hand to turn his face in her direction. Lani held her breath slightly as she watched as Cash did his best to lean away from the woman.

  “I’m Paige,” the woman said, slurring her words together. “What’s your name?”

  “Cash,” he said through clenched teeth. “And, I’m not here with anyone, but…”

  “Perfect!” Paige said. “Come dance with me!”

  Lani pushed herself up from the bar and pretended to start cleaning the bar top. She didn
’t want Cash to think she was listening in on their conversation, but she couldn’t help it. Lani gripped the towel hard hoping to contain herself from yelling at the drunk redhead.

  “No,” Cash said. He shook his head and tried to pull Paige’s arms off him.

  “Oh, come one!” Paige pouted. “It’ll be fun! You can’t sit at the bar by yourself all night!”

  Cash glanced over at Lani for a split second and Lani wished his eyes would have lingered on hers longer. Lani felt a hot rage flow through her body, but she kept herself in check.

  “I’m really not interested,” Cash told Paige. “Maybe you should find someone else.” Lani’s heartbeat quicken.

  “I want you,” Paige said. She leaned closer to Cash. Lani knew her words were supposed to be seductive, but they just sounded desperate. Lani held her breath as she watched Cash’s face carefully, waiting to see his reaction.

  Before Lani could hear Cash’s response, Lani was pulled away by another guest. She rushed to take their order and hurried through the drinks. When she handed them to the guest, he pushed them back at Lani with an impatient grunt.

  “This isn’t what I asked for,” he snapped. “I asked for two Pina Coladas and two Sex on the Beaches.”

  Lani glanced down at the drinks and realized he was right. She’d made the wrong drinks. Frustrated, she dumped them out and started over. The whole time, her attention split between the drinks she was supposed to make and the who girl draping herself all over Cash. Lani’s stomach was in knots, and her face was on fire. She wanted nothing more than to throw Paige out of the bar.

  When Lani finally made the proper drinks, she handed them over to the guest with a quick apology. She turned to walk back over to Cash. He was still sitting in the same spot. Paige was standing beside him with her hands on his shoulders. Cash looked uncomfortable, but he was still talking to her. He didn’t make her go away. Lani seethed and stormed off in the opposite direction. So much for him not being interested in the women here, she thought.

  “What’s up?” Beth asked, catching a glimpse of Lani’s angry expression.

  “Nothing,” Lani snapped. She grabbed a towel and furiously wiped down the back counter. Beth watched her with raised eyebrows.

  “Nothing?” she repeated. “Tell me another lie. What happened?”

  “I’m just an idiot,” Lani said. “You were right.”

  “About what?” Beth asked.

  “That guy,” Lani answered simply. She continued to wipe down the counter with alarming speed. Her jealousy and anger were getting the best of her, and she needed to calm down.

  Beth looked around and spotted Cash at the other end of the bar. He was still talking to Paige, but he kept glancing away from her.

  “He doesn’t look all that interested in her,” Beth said with a shrug. “He looks more cornered than anything.”

  “He could get away from her if he wanted to,” Lani said.

  “Calm down,” Beth laughed. “You can’t do this.”

  “Do what?” Lani asked.

  “Get jealous over a guest,” Beth said. “Flying off the handle? Losing your shit? This isn’t you. Pull it together and get back to work.”

  “It’s not that simple,” Lani began, but Beth cut her off with a look.

  “It is,” Beth said. “What did I just warn you about?”

  Lani looked over at Cash and Paige. Her heart raced, and she felt nauseous. Deep down she knew Beth was right. Paige leaned over and started to whisper something in Cash’s ears and something inside of Lani completely snapped. Without thinking, she marched to the other side of the bar and stood in front of Cash. Pure white hot rage started to course throughout her body. She cleared her throat loudly and waited until Cash and Paige both turned to face her.

  “Lani,” Cash said. “Can I get another drink?” He started to smile, but the look on Lani’s face stopped him.

  “I’m sorry, sir, but we’re going to have to cut you off,” Lani said. Her voice was firm. There was no hint of her playful nature from earlier. She needed to get Cash out of the bar as fast as she could. She couldn’t stand to see him there with Paige anymore.

  “What?” Cash asked.

  “It’s company policy,” Lani said simply. “You’ve had more than the bar allows. You’re over the limit.”

  “You’re kidding,” Cash said. She watched him search her face for some sign that she was joking, but there was none. She was holding her ground, as much as it hurt her to do so.

  “I’m not,” Lani assured him. “You’ll need to head back to your room now, sir.”

  Cash stared at Lani for a few seconds before getting to his feet. He searched her eyes again questioningly, but she just stared back at him. Lani tried to keep her face emotionless. Beth was right, Lani had let things go too far with Cash. She wasn’t just flirting, she was attracted to him, and that was definitely against the rules of the resort.

  Now, she had no choice but to distance herself from Cash. Lani knew she couldn’t bail out on the end of her shift, so her only option was to make Cash leave. He looked so hurt and confused as he turned to exit the bar, but Lani didn’t care. He was obviously just being friendly earlier. He wasn’t interested in Lani. He made that pretty clear when he let Paige fawn all over him. Lani was only the bartender, after all. None of the guys came to Bear Ridge to flirt with the help; they came to meet their true mate.

  Cash glanced back at the bar as he stood at the exit and caught Lani’s eyes one last time. She looked at him for a second, trying to keep her face neutral. It was no use, though. Her will broke and as she looked into his eyes and a small, sad smile formed on her lips.

  Lani watched Cash walk away with a sinking feeling in her stomach. She did the right thing. Cash needed to go so she could do her job. She needed to remember her place. Still, she spent the rest of her shift thinking about Cash and feeling miserable that she sent him away.

  Chapter 8

  Cash

  From the second Paige walked up to the bar, Lani had become a different person. She immediately distanced herself from Cash, and the lack of her warm presence made Cash’s skin feel cold. He knew she was annoyed by Paige, but he didn’t understand why. Did Lani really think Cash would ever be interested in someone as shallow and desperate as Paige? Cash shook himself. What the hell was he thinking? He barely knew Lani. Lani was just there to work, he told himself, she didn’t care if he flirted with every woman in the bar.

  Still, when Lani asked him to leave, Cash knew something was wrong. He moved through the crowd slowly, but he had to look at her one more time before he left. Lani was watching him go. When their eyes met, she smiled sadly. Cash wanted to go back and talk to her, but he turned and kept walking. He would probably only make her more upset if he tried to reason with her. He would go back tomorrow. He had to see her again.

  As Cash walked through the resort, he noticed that Paige was still following him closely, and his skin crawled. His mind was so wrapped up in thoughts of Lani that he hadn’t noticed Paige leave with him. He rolled his eyes and turned to face her. Her eyes were blue, and her freckles were prominent. Cash took in the red of her hair and the shape of her body. She was pretty in a simple sort of way. Her body wasn’t bad either, but Cash didn’t feel any attraction to her. Not like he did with Lani.

  “Listen,” Cash began, but Paige didn’t let him get another word out. She lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him hard and fast. Her tongue forced its way into his mouth, and he immediately tasted the fruity drink she’d been downing all night. Cash felt his stomach roll.

  He pushed her away easily and tried to talk to her again, but it was no use. She was hanging onto him with a vice-like grip. Cash let out a long sigh. Cash walked through the hotel, hoping he could shake her off in the elevator.

  Cash knew Paige was an easy win. He could take her back to his room and have his way with her. It would be a nice, quick release. Before Bear Ridge, that was exactly what Cash always wante
d. A willing woman to help him control his anger. Just a release. Something that felt good in the moment. Now though, Cash couldn’t stand the idea of being with Paige. The idea of sleeping with her made him sick to his stomach. He didn’t want just a release. He didn’t want something quick and meaningless. In fact, he didn’t even need it.

  For the first time in months, Cash felt fully human. He felt like himself again. All his anger and animalistic tendencies were gone. He didn’t need alcohol or sex to take his mind off his inner bear. The bear inside of him had been quiet all night. He didn’t even feel the urge to shift anymore.

  As Cash and Paige stepped onto the elevator, Cash let his mind wander back to the bar. He didn’t know what caused the sudden shift in his emotions, but he knew it had something to do with Lani. It was as if she was a breath of fresh air. Just talking to her calmed him down. She was able to break through his tension and make him feel relaxed without even trying. It was amazing and captivating. Cash knew the second he saw her that he wanted her, but he didn’t realize how much until that moment in the elevator. He promised himself he would go back to the bar the next day. And the day after that. Cash felt Paige lean into him and he rolled his eyes.

  “Where’s your room?” Cash asked Paige. He planned to walk her to her door and drop her off. He didn’t want to sleep with her, but he also didn’t want to leave her by herself. She was far too drunk. He was afraid someone might take advantage of her.

  “Fourth floor,” Paige mumbled. “I think.”

  Her arms still wrapped around Cash’s waist. He wrapped one his around her shoulder protectively and sighed. Now that he made up his mind about Lani, he felt bad for Paige. She was desperate, sure, but she just wanted someone to want her. That was what all the women at this resort wanted.

  “I’ll walk you to your room,” Cash said softly. “You should probably rest.”