“Thanks.” Beau lifted the mug to his lips and took a long drink.
Finn waited until he was finished before asking, “Rough trip?”
“Just some mild turbulence, but my passenger was white-knuckling it for a while there.”
“You were showing off again, weren’t you?”
Beau grinned. “Just a little. She said it was her first time, so I took it easy on her. I gotta say, she did better than most.”
“Where is she now?”
“Settling in. I invited her to join me for a drink, but sadly, I don’t think she’s going to take me up on it.”
“Smart woman, huh?”
Beau chuckled. “That she is. Beautiful too. But she’s here for ten days, so I’ve got time.”
Beau could be tenacious when he wanted something, and more often than not, women eventually gave in to his charms. Finn normally didn’t care, but for some reason, he didn’t want Beau sniffing around the new female, not yet. Not until he had a chance to discover why her scent had affected him as it did.
Finn spotted Arthur chatting up Cougar Mae and got an idea. “Since you’re free, there’s someone I want you to meet.”
“Who?”
“Mae. She’s interested in personal tours.”
Finn led Beau over to Mae, where Arthur was trying valiantly to keep her interest and failing. Finn didn’t know who he felt sorrier for—Arthur or Mae.
Her glazed-over eyes brightened when she saw Finn.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m on my way out, and I wanted to make sure you two met. Mae, this is my friend Beau, the guy I was telling you about. Beau, Mae.”
Leaving them to get acquainted and feeling only slightly guilty, Finn once again made his exit, but this time, instead of going to the ice hut, he went into one of the maintenance sheds and shifted into his bear. He had to know more about the new guest. As a man, he couldn’t go peering into guests’ rooms, but as a polar bear, he definitely could.
The lodge was set up in a semicircular shape. A large, three-story main building took up the middle section, housing public areas, such as the lobby, bar, gift shop, restaurant, and observation deck. The private guest rooms were located along each side arc.
Finn padded over the packed snow on his snowshoe-sized paws, pausing frequently to lift his snout and sniff the air until he found what he was looking for. When he did, he almost wished he hadn’t.
Lainey
IF THERE WERE SUCH a thing as heaven, Lainey was pretty sure it was something like this. Hot, fragrant water. Pulsating jets gently massaging away aches and pains while she sipped complimentary champagne and watched gorgeous ribbons of multicolored lights rippling in the night sky.
I could live here, she thought drowsily.
Movement on the ground caught her attention. She lowered her gaze to the deck railing in front of her, shocked to find a real, honest-to-goodness polar bear watching her.
The beast was huge, at least nine feet tall when standing on two legs, as it was. His paws—she instinctively knew it was a he—were the size of hubcaps against the railing. He extended his snout nose toward her and sniffed, and then he pinned her with the hypnotic gaze of an alpha predator.
Other than the occasional twitch of his nose, he remained still as their staring contest continued. Afraid to move, she took in his luxurious white fur, dagger-sized black claws, and ... green eyes?
No, that couldn’t be right. Polar bears had brown eyes. Didn’t they?
She blinked, rationalizing that it was a trick of the deck lights reflecting on the water. Her heart beat a heavy tattoo, so loud that she was certain he could hear it. When the bear’s gaze flicked past her and into her room, she realized that the audible pounding wasn’t in fact coming from her chest, but from the interior door to the suite.
“Room service!” announced a male voice.
Lainey pulled herself out of the hot tub, keeping her movements slow and nonthreatening. Her body was now so warm that she didn’t even feel the biting artic air, but she donned the complimentary robe anyway and walked backward until she was inside. The bear’s gaze remained fixed on her, but otherwise, he didn’t move.
“Room service,” repeated the young man when she opened the door.
She recognized him as one of the boys who’d carried her luggage earlier. Mike, she thought.
His friendly smile faded when he looked at her face. “Is everything okay, ma’am?”
“Yes, fine. It’s just ... there was a polar bear watching me!”
The young man’s smile was back instantly. “Yeah, they do that. They won’t bother you though.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Mike entered the room and carried the covered tray to a table in the living area. He looked out toward the deck and laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure. They’re nosy but friendly, as long as you keep your distance. Just don’t leave your doors open, and you’ll be fine. Enjoy your dinner, Dr. Swann.”
Lainey thanked him. After she closed the door behind him, she went back to the French doors and looked out, but the bear was gone.
Chapter Five
Lainey
Lainey awoke bright and early the next morning, convinced that her overtired mind was to blame for turning an unusual event into a surrealist one.
Was it conceivable that a polar bear had been wandering around the lodge last night? Absolutely. In fact, that was why she’d chosen Aurora Falls in the first place.
Had the bear been gawking at her in the hot tub with a possessive, almost human look in his eyes? Of course not.
She dressed comfortably and went to the in-lodge restaurant, pleased to find a sumptuous breakfast buffet being set up. The dining room was fairly empty. Only a few tables were occupied, and other than looks of mild interest and friendly nods, the other early morning diners didn’t pay her any attention. That was fine with her.
A woman came out of the kitchen area and saw her standing there by the unoccupied hostess podium. “Sit anywhere you’d like, hon. Coffee or tea?”
“Coffee, please.”
“Just made a fresh pot. I’ll bring it right out.”
“Thanks.”
The woman inclined her head toward the buffet. “Grab a plate and help yourself. If you want something we don’t have, you can tell me when I bring your coffee, and we’ll get you taken care of. I’m Alice, by the way.”
“Thanks, Alice. I’m Lainey.”
Thus far, everyone she’d met was so welcoming and accommodating. She wondered if all the people in Aurora Falls were that nice or if it was just those who worked for the lodge.
Lainey checked out the buffet. Some dishes she knew, and some she didn’t, but everything smelled fantastic. She filled her plate with a variety of tiny bites, anxious to sample it all without regard to calories or fat content. She was on vacation after all, and vacations were designed for indulgence and occasional bad choices.
She was on her way toward a small table in the corner when a voice called out, “Hey, Doc! Over here.”
Beau, the pilot who’d brought her to Aurora Falls, smiled and beckoned with a wave of his hand. He seemed like a nice guy, and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she wasn’t particularly social in the morning.