“No,” Paige complained. “I want to go with you. To your room.”
She wiggled under Cash’s arm and stood on her tiptoes. She tried to kiss Cash again, but he turned his head away with a sigh. Paige was so drunk that she barely noticed. She fell against Cash’s chest and didn’t move.
When the elevator doors opened onto the fourth-floor Cash pulled Paige out into the hallway. He looked to the left and then to the right.
“Which way?” he asked Paige.
“Huh?” Paige asked.
“Your room,” Cash explained. “Which room is yours?”
“What floor are we on?” Paige asked. Her eyes were barely open.
“The fourth,” Cash told her. He tried to be patient, but he wanted to get to his room and go to sleep.
“I’m on the…” Paige began, but she couldn’t finish the thought. Her head rolled to the side and landed on Cash’s chest.
“God,” Cash mumbled. “Just my fucking luck. Get stuck with some drunk girl and…”
“Cash!” a voice said from down the hall. “Where you been?!”
Cash looked down the hall and saw Asher hurrying toward him. Asher stumbled slightly, but quickly caught himself. When he reached Cash, he slapped him on the shoulder and grinned.
“At the bar,” Cash answered. “What about you?”
“I just walked Yvonne to her room,” Asher said with a wink. “That girl… Man… I can’t even tell you.”
“Good,” Cash said. “Don’t.”
Asher laughed and looked down at Paige as if he’d only just noticed she was there. He looked back at Cash with raised eyebrows.
“Who’s this?” Asher asked. “You find yourself, someone, too?”
“No,” Cash said firmly. “She’s just drunk. I’m trying to get her back to her room, so nothing happens to her.”
“Always the chivalrous one,” Asher said.
“I try,” Cash groaned. He shifted his arm on Paige’s shoulder and looked around. He wished he knew where to take her.
“Third floor,” Paige mumbled suddenly. “304. That’s my room.”
“Are you sure this time?” Cash asked. He sounded skeptical.
“Yes,” Paige nodded. She was still drunk, but she sounded as sure as she could be.
“Thank God,” Cash mumbled. “I’ll see you around, Asher. I’m gonna get her downstairs.”
“I’ll take her,” Asher said.
“What?” Cash asked. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“Relax, man,” Asher laughed. “Who do you think I am? I’m going back down to the bar. I’ll drop her off in her room on the way.”
Cash thought about it for a second. He trusted Asher, of course. He trusted every guy in the clan, but he felt like it was his responsibility to get Paige to her room. Eventually, his desire to be alone trumped his chivalrous nature.
“Thanks,” Cash said. He allowed Asher to pull Paige from his arms. “I really didn’t want to go back downstairs.”
“No worries,” Asher said. He supported Paige quickly. “Have a good night.”
Cash watched as Asher carried Paige back toward the elevators. They got inside, and Cash turned around. He walked slowly back to his room, his exhaustion suddenly hitting him. He hadn’t realized how tired he was until he was alone.
When he finally made it back to his room, he fell on the bed without undressing. His eyes closed almost immediately, but his mind was racing. He couldn’t fall asleep. Thoughts of Lani completely consumed his mind.
Cash’s phone buzzed in his pocket and pulled him back to reality. He pulled it out of his pocket and squinted down at the screen. There was a text message from Asher.
“Got her to her room,” it said. “Headed to the bar.”
Cash nodded and threw his phone down beside him. He was glad Asher took Paige off his hands. He didn’t know much longer his patience would have lasted. It wasn’t Paige’s fault that Cash was easily annoyed. She didn’t have a chance, especially not when his mind was so focused on Lani.
Lani.
Cash pictured her face in his mind as he closed his eyes again. Her big hazel eyes and brown hair. The way her cheeks flushed as they flirted. More than once, Cash thought about brushing his knuckles lightly across her cheekbones. He stopped himself, knowing it wouldn’t have been appropriate.
Still, it was hard to talk to Lani and not reach out and touch her. His fingers longed to feel her skin. Cash fell asleep quickly, his thoughts of Lani turning into dreams.
Chapter 9
Lani
When the last pair of guests stumbled out of the bar, Lani breathed a long sigh of relief. She watched as the couple walked hand in hand toward the hotel lobby. Once they disappeared inside Lani closed her eyes and leaned back against the bar. She put her hand to her forehead and took a second to rest. Her mind was racing, and her body was on fire. It had been a long night.
“It’s over now,” Beth said. She nudged Lani gently as she walked by. “Just relax for a minute. I’ll wipe down the tables.”
“Thank you,” Lani said. She smiled gratefully at Beth.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Beth asked. Lani sighed and turned around to face her. She put her arms on the bar and laid her head on top of them. She’d been so busy that she hadn’t realized how tired she was.
“I’m just tired,” Lani said. “I’m exhausted.”
“Not what I meant,” Beth said with a sidelong glance at Lani.
“I know,” Lani sighed. “I just don’t know what to say. I feel ridiculous.”
“Girl, why?” Beth asked with a scoff. “It happens to the best of us.”
“Really?” Lani asked. She looked up hopefully.
“Oh yeah,” Beth nodded. “There was this guy that came in about six months ago. He was here for two weeks and my God, he was sexy. I spent those two weeks just gawking at him. It was sad.”
“Did anything happen?” Lani asked. She tried to keep her voice casual, but she could tell Beth could hear the interest hidden there. She looked at Lani with a scrutinizing stare.
“No,” Beth said firmly. “Nothing happened, but I wanted it to. My job was more important, though. And so is yours.”
“Is that rule really…”
“It’s the most important rule,” Beth interrupted. “I don’t know why. Don’t ask me to explain it. All I know is that anyone who dates a guest gets fired immediately.”
“It’s happened before?” Lani asked. Beth nodded conspiratorially. “Who? When?”
“Before your time,” Beth said. “Karen. About a year ago. The resort just opened, and Karen was the resident masseuses. She was only here for about a month before she met Bryan.”
“What happened?” Lani asked. She leaned against the bar. Her interest was more than piqued.
“They fired her,” Beth shrugged. “Management got word of the affair and fired her the next day. She left, and so did Bryan. From what I heard, they’re still together. I think they even got married.”
Lani smiled and said, “Then it was worth it.”
“Not exactly,” Beth said. Her face fell. Lani watched as Beth’s eyes grew dark.
“What do you mean?” Lani asked.
“I don’t know anything for sure,” Beth said. “These are just rumors.”
“Okay?” Lani said, pressing Beth to continue.
“I heard they got married not long after they left the resort,” Beth said. “But then something happened. I don’t know what exactly, but Karen ended up in the hospital for a few weeks.”
“The hospital?” Lani’s eyes widened.
“Yeah,” Beth said, shaking her head sadly. “The rumor is, Bryan went nuts one night. They got into a fight, and he just lost control. He shifted and… Well, he almost killed her.”
“Oh, my God,” Lani said. Her head was spinning. She couldn’t imagine any of the guests behaving that way. To her, they were all just men. Sure, they were bigger and stronger than most, but that didn’t make them d
angerous. Did it?
“It was crazy,” Beth said. “They think it was because she wasn’t his true mate, and he just never realized it. So, he completely lost control.” Lani’s face turned white as a ghost. Beth took a step forward and said, “Girl, relax. None of the guests are going to hurt you. The whole point of this place is to be a relaxing getaway. They won’t shift. Not here.”
“That’s not what I was thinking,” Lani said. She shook her head and pulled herself back to reality. It was true; she hadn’t been worried about the guests. She had been worried about one specific guest.
Lani couldn’t imagine Cash hurting someone. She only spent one night talking to him, but that was enough. No matter what, Lani knew Cash was kind. She could see it in his eyes when he looked at her and even when we looked at Paige. Cash was the most genuine guy Lani had met at the resort. He wasn’t there to get drunk or hookup. There was a look on his face that told Lani he was there for all the right reasons. Even if Lani couldn’t be with him, she still trusted he would never hurt her or anyone else.
“I know I’ve already said it,” Beth said, “But…”
“Don’t go there,” Lani said. “I know, Beth. I’m not stupid. I won’t cross the line.”
“Just making sure,” Beth shrugged. “It isn’t any of my business if you do. I just don’t want to see you get tossed out of this place.”
“Trust me, neither do I,” Lani laughed. “I can’t go back to Chicago. Not a chance in hell.”
“That bad?” Beth asked, and she gave Lani a sympathetic look. Lani pushed herself off the bar and grabbed a towel. She needed to keep to keep busy while she discussed her past. She moved to the bar and began wiping down the table closest to her.
“Just messy,” Lani said while they worked. “Bad relationships. That kind of thing.”
“I hear ya,” Beth said. “I think that’s why we’re all here. We all came out to here to run from something.”
“You think so?” Lani asked. Part of Lani hated feeling like she ran. However, she desperately needed to be somewhere new. Being in Chicago made it too easy for her to go back into her bad habits of dating.
“Absolutely,” Beth said with confidence. “Why else would someone get a job on an island?”
“Freedom?” Lani suggested. “The great views?”
“Ha,” Beth scoffed. “Those things only last so long. No one moves away from home for great views. They move away because all their other options have failed them. They move away because home no longer feels like home.”
Lani thought about Beth’s words as she continued to wipe down tables. She and Beth collected all the free glasses and carried them to the kitchen. As attracted as she was to Cash, was he worth risking her new life here for? She barely knew the guy, but he had somehow made an impression to on her. It was as if something deep inside her body was calling her to be with him, which she did not understand. How could she feel this way about somebody she just met?
Once the front of the bar was taken care of, Lani got to work washing dishes. She set all the glasses in the sink to soak and ran hot water over them. Her mind was far away, but her hands moved of their own accord. After a few months, Lani could do her work in her sleep. Sometimes she felt like she was.
“Alani,” Bryce said, stepping into the kitchen. “I’d like a word, please.” A sense of dread started to form in her stomach. What did Bryce need to speak with her about?
“Sure,” Lani said. She walked over to where Bryce was standing. “What’s up?”
“Out here, please,” Bryce said. He jerked his head to the side and gestured for Lani to follow him out front. Lani frowned at Beth as she walked by. Beth just shrugged and continued her work.
Lani followed Bryce to the front of the bar and watched him walk over to a distant table. He motioned for her sit down. She did, still frowning. Bryce often found excuses to talk to Lani, but he never asked to speak with her alone. She had a feeling that something was wrong. She hoped that it didn’t have anything to do with Cash.
“I wanted to talk to you about your shift tonight,” Bryce said. His eyes were narrowed slightly as if he were analyzing Lani’s expression. Lani felt the blood slowly drain from her face.
“What about it?” Lani asked. She leaned back in her chair and waited for Bryce to explain himself.
“Well, I noticed you were paying more attention to one guest than the others,” Bryce said.
“I was?” Lani asked innocently. She kept her voice calm, but her heart fluttered nervously. Had Bryce really noticed how much time she spent with Cash?
“Yes,” Bryce nodded. He didn’t sound angry, but his eyes were dark. “You were. A man. He was sitting at the end of the bar. I noticed you continued to linger next to him. You spoke to him a lot. Is there a reason why?”
“Am I in trouble?” Lani asked quickly. She wanted to have a clear picture of the situation. So many times before, Bryce had cornered her to talk. He was notorious for sneaking up on her when she least expected it. She didn’t know if this was just another opportunity for him to be a little nosy or if she had actually done something wrong.
“No,” Bryce said. He shook his head and smiled, however, the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I just wanted to make sure nothing was going on.”
“Going on?” Lani asked.
“With you and the guest,” Bryce clarified. “You know the rules. I would hate for you to get into trouble. You’re a great bartender, Alani. I love having you around. The last thing I want is to see you leave.”
Bryce’s words were genuine. Lani could see how much he meant them, but they still made her uncomfortable. Every time she spoke to Bryce she felt like there was something he wasn’t saying. The way he looked at her was territorial, almost possessive. It was unnerving. Lani did her best to ignore it, but she hated being alone with him.
“Of course not,” Lani said, forcing a small laugh. “I was just being friendly. He didn’t have anyone to, talk to and I felt bad. That’s all.”
“Really?” Bryce asked. He raised his eyebrows. Lani could still see the darkness in his eyes, but his demeanor seemed to relax slightly.
“Really,” Lani promised. “It was nothing.”
“Good,” Bryce said. He sounded like he was genuinely relieved. His smile widened, and it finally looked real. Lani tried to smile back. She stood up slowly, hoping to get back to the bar and finish up her shift.
“I should get back to work,” Lani said. “Otherwise we’ll be there all night.”
“Sure thing,” Bryce said. “I’ll come help you. It was crazy tonight. You and Beth can’t handle all that clean up on your own.”
“Oh, we’ve done it before,” Lani reassured him. She had had enough interaction with Bryce for one evening. She hoped he would get the hint and leave, but he didn’t. He just smiled and followed her back to the kitchen.
Beth was busy closing out the credit card receipts for the night, so Lani hurried back over to the sinks. She dropped her hands into the soapy water and pulled out a glass. While she scrubbed, Bryce walked over and stood beside her. Lani held back a groan that threatened to escape her throat. He smiled at her and held his hand out for the glass. Lani gave it to him and watched while he rinsed it. He placed it on the drying rack and turned back to Lani.
“I can handle the dishes,” Lani said, keeping her voice calm and professional. “Really, you don’t have to help me.” Come on Bryce she thought. Take the hint.
“I want to,” Bryce said. “Besides, what kind of boss would I be if I didn’t help out my employees from time to time?”
Lani smiled awkwardly and sunk her hands back in the water. She scrubbed each glass quickly and thoroughly, handing them off to Bryce as fast as possible. Maybe if she was quick, she could get away from Bryce, each time he took a glass, Bryce brushed his fingers lightly against Lani’s hand. She tried to hold out the glasses so he couldn’t reach her, but she was never successful. By the time they finished the dishes, Lani was ready to leave. Di
d he seriously not get that she had no interest in him?
“Anything else, Beth?” Lani asked loudly, stepping away from the sink.
“Nope,” Beth said. She typed a few numbers into the calculator with a flourish. “All done.”
“Awesome,” Lani said. She took off her apron and hung it on the hooks.
“Night, girl,” Beth said. “See you tomorrow.”
“See ya then,” Lani said with a wave. Bryce walked up beside her, so she smiled at him politely.
“I’ll walk you out,” Bryce said. Lani wished he wouldn’t, but she kept her mouth shut.
When they reached the entrance to the hotel, Lani hurried inside. She looked behind her and waved quickly at Bryce.
“Just a second,” he said. “Listen, Alani…”
“Yes?” Lani asked, trying to hurry him along.
“I just wanted to say,” he continued. “Just because you can’t flirt with the guests, that doesn’t mean there aren’t people here for you to flirt with. Fellow employees aren’t off limits.”
“Okay,” Lani said awkwardly. What was Bryce expecting? Her to just jump into his arms right there?
“I wasn’t sure if you knew,” Bryce said leadingly.
“Got it,” Lani said. “Goodnight, Bryce.”
With that, Lani turned and walked quickly away from Bryce towards her room. She didn’t look behind her until she was upstairs in behind her closed door, but she still felt like Bryce’s eyes were on her. She shivered uncomfortably at the thought.
Chapter 10
Cash
Cash slept in the next day. His body was still adjusting to the time difference of being on the island. When he opened his eyes, sunlight was streaming through the curtains. He squinted and rolled over to face the wall. He tried to block out the light, but it was no use. He was fully awake within seconds. With a groan, he stretched and pushed himself out of bed.
When his bare feet hit the carpeted floor, he squished his toes down hard. It had been years since Cash felt carpet on his toes. In the military, he lived in barracks with cold cement floors. After his transformation, he spent a few months in the hospital before being sent to the compound in Colorado. Cash’s cabin was nice, but the wooden floors were cold in the early morning. He hated putting his bare feet down. At the resort, Cash felt the feel of carpet again. He hadn’t realized just how much he missed it.
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