Changing Focus Read Free Page B

behind. Soon he’d have no need of the blanket, but he knew he’d always seek out the sensual feeling of the soft material on his naked skin.
    No longer a mystery, he had the scent of this unknown female in his head. And the Great Spirit had smiled on him by putting her in his home. For just a moment he thought about getting dressed and going to introduce himself. Then he remembered the time.
    Though he knew she roamed her room below him, it didn’t seem prudent or good business to go knocking on his guest’s door this close to sunrise. He’d just nap, wait until breakfast and introduce himself then.

Chapter Two
    O livia glanced back at the window even as she pulled her robe closed. The massive wolf had intrigued her, jumping around in the snow like that. She’d awakened from another of those disturbing dreams just after two. Once again she’d dreamed of running, of chasing something small and fast, of warm blood and the scent of fear in the air.
    Odder still, she’d awakened naked, though she knew she hadn’t gone to bed that way. The door to her room had also been unlocked, though she distinctly remembered locking it before getting into bed. And why on earth had her sheets been slightly damp as though she’d lain down wet from a shower?
    She banished the random thoughts and poked at the fire. Such a luxury, having a fireplace in the room. Putting the poker away, Olivia wandered around, enjoying the forced air system under the floorboards that kept her bare feet warm without socks or slippers.
    Having never been a real fan of winter sports, or even winter for that matter, staying in a lodge like this one was a whole new experience for her. Still, this had to be one of the nicest places she’d been in since starting her career as a photojournalist. The bed was huge. The mattress was one of those air-filled ones that could be adjusted to the individual’s preference for firmness.
    The bathroom boasted a huge garden tub as well as a separate shower stall with three strategically placed showerheads. There was a double sink and a vanity area complete with soft lighting, perfect for someone to sit and put makeup on. Olivia smiled at that thought. Her makeup routine usually consisted of a mildly tinted moisturizer and a quick sweep of lip gloss.
    The whole lodge boasted the most comfortable hotel furniture she’d ever sat on. The main room with its array of comfortable couches and chairs scattered about in a welcoming pattern held a huge fireplace that cut through the wall to also grace the dining room on the other side.
    Small and intimate, the dining room only seated twenty people at a time. She’d been told it was reserved mainly for guests of the lodge and that the townsfolk didn’t come out this far just for dinner. Seeing as how the nearest town was about twenty miles of frozen road away, she hadn’t been surprised. As the only guest staying in the lodge proper at the moment, she’d been assured that the place would be filled in a few weeks. Olivia tapped her lips reflectively.
    For her story to really pan out the way she envisioned it, she needed more people. And she needed the owner of the lodge to show up. She gave an exasperated sigh. He’d agreed to her visit several months ago during an email exchange, so she’d thought he would be here to meet her.
    Even without the owner, her requested tour of the grounds had surprised her. The seven private cabins for those who didn’t want to stay in the main lodge had individual style and flair. Some could sleep as many as six while others were more intimate-obviously made for couples.
    The main lodge also housed a state-of-the-art exercise room not to mention a sauna and whirlpool. The brochure in the room explained that the lodge conformed to the old Norwegian tradition of a “family-style” sauna, meaning both sexes shared the room.
    Sighing, she moved back behind the desk and flipped open her laptop. The email from her editor blinked accusingly at her.