Furever Always (Furever Series)

by Meredith Clarke

  Cash walked across his hotel room to where his suitcase was. He opened it and pulled out what he needed for a shower. In the bathroom, Cash turned the shower to full blast and undressed quickly. He stepped under the hot stream of water and immediately felt his muscles relax. After months of living under the strain of his repressed urges, Cash was constantly sore and tense. This was the first time in a long while that he actually felt himself relax. The hot water felt amazing on his back.

  Cash took a long shower. As he let the hot water cascade down his back, he couldn’t stop his mind from wandering to Lani. Cash loved the way her hair fell around her round face and her shoulders. It took everything in him last night to not reach over the bar and brush the stray strands of her hair behind her ear. All Cash wanted to do was to touch her. As much as he hated her walking away from him at the bar to help the other customers, he didn’t mind sneaking in the views of her perfect body. Her curves were just how he liked them, like an hourglass and all Cash wanted to do was to wrap her long legs around his waist.

  Cash closed his eyes as the hot water fell around him. He let his mind drift to thinking about what it would be like to take her right there behind that bar. Cash let out a low growl as he felt himself start to get aroused. He slowly ran his hand down his chest and abs, imagining it was Lani’s hand. He imagined her grabbing his thickness in between her hands as he slowly started to stroke himself. Cash ran his hand up and down as he thought about how he would push up Lani’s short dress and lift her up so that she was sitting on the bar facing him. Cash gripped himself harder as he imagined driving himself deep inside her and the beautiful moans he knew that he would make escape her lips.

  His hand moved faster as he thought about pumping his hips and pulling Lani’s body close to his. Cash leaned forward slightly and placed his hand on the opposite wall of the shower as his hand moved faster and faster. He felt his heart rate quicken as he thought about thrusting deeper into Lani, her screams crying out throughout the bar. A rush pulsed through Cash’s body as he let himself release while he imagined how loud he could make Lani moan.

  The water felt slightly cold on Cash’s back, and he let out a slight laugh. Cash stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel. Cash dried off quickly and looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes were especially green that day, but there were streaks of red in the white. As relaxed as he felt, his eyes gave him away. He was still utterly exhausted.

  After getting dressed in fresh, clean clothes, Cash sat down on the bed and thought about what to do. It was almost lunch time, but he didn’t feel hungry. He wondered what the rest of the guys in his clan were up to. They were probably exploring the island with their new-found friends. Cash considered going off to find them, but he quickly thought better of it. Exploring the island didn’t sound appealing to him in the slightest. The only thing Cash wanted to do was see Lani again.

  The second her name popped back into his mind, Cash pictured her face. Her remembered the way she smiled sadly at him as he left. He still didn’t understand what prompted her to send him away, but he wasn’t angry. If anything, he was more intrigued than ever. Cash spent months sleeping around, but it wasn’t until he met Lani that he really felt a spark. For the first time, he felt a genuine connection with a woman, and he didn’t want to let that go.

  Cash checked the clock. It was only eleven thirty. Lani worked the night shifts; she’d told him so the night before. He considered trying to find her around the resort, but he didn’t want to seem desperate. Instead, he laid back on his pillows and drifted back to sleep.

  ***

  It was five o’clock when Cash finally opened his eyes again. He couldn’t believe he’d slept all day, but he was more surprised that no one tried to wake him. He expected Jackson or Zander to pound on his door and insist he joins them for some fun. Cash guessed they meant what they said the night before; he went to the bar with them, so they were leaving him alone for the rest of the trip. They had kept their word. Cash shook his head in disbelief. He was shocked.

  Cash pushed himself to his feet and scrunched his toes in the carpet again. The second he stood up, his stomach began to growl. He was starving. Cash rubbed his stomach and moved quickly to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth in a hurry before sliding his feet in a pair of shoes and hurried out into the hallway.

  Downstairs, Cash found his way to the hotel restaurant. He sat down at a back table and waited for someone to take his order. When the waiter walked over Cash ordered quickly, his stomach still growling.

  “Cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate shake,” Cash said. He handed his menu to the waiter who smiled and hurried toward the kitchen.

  Of all the things on the menu, Cash thought the cheeseburger looked the most familiar. The resort prided itself on being exotic. Fancy. Cash was neither of those things. He was a simple guy who liked simple things. When the waiter brought his cheeseburger, he gulped it down quickly. The fries and chocolate shake didn’t last long either.

  “Anything else?” the waiter asked, stopping by Cash’s table a few minutes later.

  “No, thank you,” Cash said, shaking his head. “Can you charge this to my room?”

  “Of course,” the waiter nodded. “Name?”

  “Andrews,” Cash said.

  “Got it,” the waiter said. “Have a nice night.”

  “Thanks.”

  Cash stood up and stretched his arms over his head. Now that he was full there was only one thing he wanted to do. He turned toward the hotel doors and hurried outside. The bar was right around the corner form the restaurant and Cash hoped Lani would already be there. When he walked inside, he wasn’t disappointed. Lani was standing behind the car, pouring a drink and talking animatedly with a guest. Cash stopped to watch her.

  Lani’s hair was down that night. It fell is soft waves around her face and over her shoulders. The faint hints of red that Cash noticed the night before were even more prominent now. He smiled to himself as she tucked as stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes sparkled when the sun hit her. Even from a distance, Cash could see how beautiful they were. He took a deep breath and walked over to her.

  “Good evening,” he said as he slid onto a barstool. Lani looked at him with a shy smile before reaching down for a whiskey glass. She poured him a shot before he had a chance to ask. “You read my mind.”

  “I’m good like that,” Lani said. Cash grinned appreciatively and took a swig of his drink. He was happy to see that Lani’s flirtation had returned. He was worried she would be distant after she had kicked him out last night.

  “You really are,” Cash said. He stared into her eyes, trying to convey everything he felt for her silently. Lani’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked down at her hands.

  “So,” she said. “How’d things go last night?”

  “Last night?” Cash frowned.

  “With that girl,” Lani reminded him. “Paige or something.” Cash could easily tell that she was fishing for information. She was worried that he had hooked up with her after they left. Cash slightly smiled it himself. That was fun to know that she was worried about him hooking up with someone else.

  “Oh,” Cash laughed. “Well, my buddy put her to bed in her room so I could get some sleep. She was pretty wasted.”

  “Yeah, she was,” Lani said. She nodded in agreement and smile. Cash saw a look of relief wash over her face.

  “Not exactly my type,” Cash continued. “I like my women when they can stand on their own.”

  Lani laughed and said, “Well, it was sweet of you to make sure she got back to her room safely. Most guys wouldn’t have done that.”

  “Maybe not,” Cash shrugged. “I guess I’m not most guys.”

  “Maybe you’re not,” Lani smiled.

  The night progressed much as the previous night had. Cash and Lani talked and flirted. They were in their own little world for most of the evening. Each time Lani slipped away to serve another guest Cash watched her carefully. This time, h
e didn’t bother to hide his interest. Sometime between falling asleep and waking up that morning, Cash decided to go for it with Lani. There was something about her he just couldn’t let go of. Their connection was strong. He knew she was worth pursuing.

  “Hi,” a voice said from behind Cash. He turned around to see a tall brunette looking down at him. “Can I buy you a drink?”

  Cash shook his head. “Thank you,” he said. “But, no thank you.”

  The brunette shrugged and walked away. She wasted no time finding someone else to flirt with. Cash smiled to himself and turned back around. Lani was standing at the other end of the bar, but she was watching him closely. Cash grinned at her and wagged his fingers. Lani laughed and shook her head.

  For the rest of the night, every time a woman approached Cash he denied her. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake he’d made the night before. The last thing he needed was another Paige getting in the way of his plans for Lani.

  “No one catching your eye?” Lani asked after Cash rejected the fourth girl of the evening.

  “No, there is,” Cash said, and he gave her a bright smile.

  “Oh?” Lani asked. She reached below the bar for a few extra ingredients. She threw them into her mixer before slamming the lid down and shaking it vigorously.

  “Yeah,” Cash answered. “She’s just a little busy tonight. You see, she’s working.”

  Lani’s movements slowed slightly. The ice in the mixer rattled softly for a fraction of a second before Lani quickly picked up the pace. She cleared her throat and smiled nervously. Cash grinned back. He wasn’t nervous at all. He knew exactly what he wanted.

  “Well,” Lani said. “That’s too bad.”

  “It really is,” Cash sighed. “But, I was thinking about asking her when she gets off. What do you think?”

  “I mean, if you think it’ll work,” Lani shrugged.

  “In that case,” Cash said. He leaned across the bar. “Lani, what time do you get off work tonight?”

  Lani looked around herself quickly before she answered. “Midnight,” Lani smiled.

  “Perfect,” Cash said. “I’ll hang out until then.”

  “That sounds like a great idea,” Lani said. She finished shaking the drink and poured into an empty glass. She held up one finger telling Cash she would be right back before she hurried over to another guest. She handed them their drink and slid back over to Cash.

  “You’re beautiful,” Cash said abruptly. Lani looked at him, her face full of surprise. She smiled and shook her head slightly.

  “Why are you here?” she abruptly asked.

  “What do you mean?” Cash asked with a frown.

  “I mean,” Lani began. “Why did you come here? To Bear Ridge Resort? You don’t seem like the kind of guy who would need the place.”

  “And what kind of guy is that?” Cask asked.

  “The kind of guy who needs help finding a girl,” Lani said bluntly. “And that’s not you.”

  “It’s not?’ Cash raised his eyebrows.

  “No,” Lani said with confidence. “It’s not.”

  “How can you be sure?” Cash asked playfully. “You just met me.”

  “That’s true,” Lani conceded. “But, I know I’m right. Take tonight for example. You’ve already had four women hit on you, and it’s not even ten o’clock.”

  “So?” Cash said.

  “So, you don’t have a problem finding women,” Lani said. “Which brings me back to my original question. Why are you here?”

  Cash looked down at the drink in his hand. He contemplated his answer. There were so many reasons he was at Bear Ridge. Kurt’s orders. His struggle to control his bear form. But Cash hadn’t realized the real reason he was at Bear Ridge until he met Lani.

  “I’m here because I’ve been struggling,” Cash said slowly. The moment the words left his lips he felt his muscles relax slightly. He had been nervous of what Lani would think when she finally figured out the real reason he was there. However, he knew that he needed to tell her the truth. Lani was not some girl that he would lie or make excuses to. “Ever since my Alpha found his mate, my bear form has become more dominant. I’ve had a hard time keeping that part of myself under control.”

  “Why?” Lani asked. Her face softened as Cash spoke.

  “Because we have a biological need to mate,” Cash explained. “Which sounds animalistic and weird, I know, but it’s the truth. When an Alpha finds their true mate the rest of the clan begins to feel certain side effects. We get angrier, more frustrated. We shift more often. For me, as Beta, it’s worse. My emotions have been crazy for months now. So, I came here to find my mate.”

  “Really?” Lani asked. “I thought you said you were only here to watch over the guys from your clan?”

  “I lied,” Cash said. “I didn’t want you to think I was just like every other guy here. The truth is, I didn’t believe I would ever find my mate. I’ve never met anyone worth sticking around for. Back home, I searched and searched, but I never found anyone that made me… excited. I guess I didn’t really understand why Kurt wanted me to come here until I met you.”

  Lani froze at Cash’s words. He watched her face change, and he wondered if he freaked her out. Lani glanced around them, making sure no one was watching before she reached across the bar. She laced her fingers in his and smiled at him. Cash felt electricity shoot through his hand. At that moment, he knew he was right. Lani wasn’t just worth sticking around for. She was worth everything.

  Chapter 11

  Lani

  Lani held onto Cash’s fingers for a few seconds. The minute that their hands touched, she felt a jolt of electricity course through her body. She squeezed them gently before she let go and quickly pulled her hands away from him. She looked around nervously and cleared her throat. When she looked back at Cash, he was smiling at her. She exhaled sharply and smiled back. Just looking at him sent shivers up and down her spine. He was gorgeous, and everything he had just told her only made her want him more.

  In all her life, Lani never met someone like Cash. He opened up to her so completely in just a short time. She was shocked. Intrigued. Attracted. But most of all, she was flattered. Cash was clearly a man that women wanted. After just two nights at the resort, he was already the object of desire for many of the female guests. Lani watched women look him up and down when they walked by. She saw the sly grins that crossed their faces. She knew they wanted him. But now, he wanted her, and she wanted nothing more than to be his.

  Lani’s could barely breathe as she went about her job. She made drinks and served them with a smile. She tried to keep her face normal, but her insides were doing flips. Most of Lani’s relationships had ended badly. She had a history of attracting douchebags. Last night when she had met Cash, she was afraid that he was like all of those guys. But now, she knew that Cash was different. Lani couldn’t pinpoint how exactly she knew that, but she did. Maybe it was the way he looked at her. Or, it was the way he admitted his feelings without a second thought. Or even the way he looked after his clan members. Whatever it was, Lani couldn’t wait to get off work that night.

  “It’s almost midnight,” Cash said as Lani walked by. She looked at him over her shoulder and winked. Cash laughed and finished his drink.

  “What do you want to do after?” Lani asked.

  “You choose,” Cash shrugged. “I’m new here after all.”

  “Okay,” Lani agreed. “I have an idea.”

  It was a slow night which meant Lani got off two hours before closing time. At midnight, she hurried over to Beth and asked if she needed anything. Beth shook her head no and gestured for Lani to get lost. Lani smiled and stepped out from behind the bar. She looked around for Cash, but he was nowhere to be seen.

  Lani’s stomach sank. Had Cash changed his mind? Did he decide to go back to his room? Lani moved toward the back of the bar near the pool. She stepped out into the fresh air and looked around. When she was about to give up, she spotted Cash sta
nding off to the side of the pool. He was half hidden in the shadow of a palm tree. Lani smiled and walked over to him.

  “I thought you left,” Lani said.

  “I said I would wait for you,” he reminded her.

  “Yeah, but I didn’t expect you to be hiding,” Lani teased.

  “I didn’t want you to get into trouble,” Cash shrugged.

  “Trouble?” Lani asked. She knew the risk she was taking, but Cash didn’t. There was no way he could have known that her job was on the line right then.

  “I could tell by the way you were looking around,” Cash said. “You looked nervous. It was easy to guess.”

  “Ah,” Lani nodded. “Yeah. Technically employees aren’t allowed to date the guests.”

  “I figured,” Cash said. “Does that change your mind about tonight? If you don’t want to, I…”

  “I do,” Lani interrupted, and as soon as she said it, she knew she meant it. “I want to spend time with you.”

  Lani blushed as she spoke. She wasn’t used to being so open with guys. It usually took her a few dates before she started expressing her feelings. For someone who was usually confident, Lani felt completely out of control around Cash.

  “Where to?” Cash asked.

  Lani smiled mischievously and said, “Follow me.”

  ***

  Cash and Lani left the resort and hiked up a small hill. They walked around the back of the property line where no one would see them and set out. It was a short hike. Only about twenty minutes from the resort. Lani couldn’t think of anywhere better to take Cash. She led the way up the winding path in silence. Cash stepped closer to her and reached for hand. Butterflies erupted in Lani’s stomach at his touch.