Going Polar: A Stand Alone Holiday Howls Polar Bear Shifter Romance

by Abbie Zanders

Back in his den, he showered and changed before making the trek to his parents’ place to check in on Hildie.

  He knew he was busted when his mother hugged him at the door. Neither the icy brine nor the strong soap he’d used could completely erase Lainey’s scent.

  “Should I be worried or pleased?” his mother asked.

  “Neither.” He kissed his mother on the cheek and changed the subject. “How’s Hildie?”

  She frowned at him. “You come in here, smelling like that, and that’s all you’re going to say?”

  “Yep.”

  There was a reason protective mothers were commonly referred to as mama bears, and polar bear mamas were fiercer—and nosier—than most.

  “Finn! In here,” his sister called out, saving him from his mother’s interrogation.

  He took immediate advantage, swiping a couple of freshly baked, bear-sized cookies from the cooling rack and moving farther into the house. Hildie was in bed, propped up on pillows and looking uncomfortable. She patted the space beside her.

  He held out one of the cookies to her and sat down on the edge of the bed. “How are you feeling?”

  “Cranky. My back hurts, I can’t sleep, and Mom keeps coming in every fifteen minutes to fluff my pillows and shove food in my face.”

  “I heard that!” their mother called from the kitchen.

  Finn chuckled. “It’ll all be over soon.”

  “Spoken like a true male,” she said, exhaling heavily. “I’d much rather talk about you and why you smell like vanilla ice cream and mating musk. What’s her name?”

  He didn’t want to talk about Lainey with his sister any more than he wanted to talk about her with his mother, but the chances of him getting out of the house without talking to either of them were slim. Hildie was the lesser of two evils.

  “Lainey,” he said quietly.

  “She’s a guest at the lodge for the holidays?”

  He nodded.

  Hildie shifted in an attempt to get more comfortable. “Well, she must be something special to capture your attention.”

  “She’s ... not like other tourists,” he admitted. “She’s a vet from the States.”

  “A vet, huh? Does she know about shifters?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  “Why is that?”

  “We could use someone with medical knowledge and a vested interest around here.”

  Finn shook his head. “She doesn’t have a vested interest. She’s only here for the holidays.”

  “So? Turn on some of that Isberson charm and change her mind.”

  “She’s human, Hildie.”

  Hildie frowned and rubbed her distended belly. “Wouldn’t be the first shifter-human match around here.”

  That was true. He wouldn’t allow himself to think about that though.

  “Getting a little ahead of yourself there, aren’t you?”

  “Maybe. But I can tell you really like her. Your eyes are practically glowing.”

  “Drop it, okay?”

  Hildie frowned. “So, you’re just going to use her for sex until she leaves?”

  “You are cranky.” Finn got to his feet. “I love you, but I refuse to discuss this with you right now.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

  “Ooh, you’re going to see her again, aren’t you?”

  “None of your business.”

  “I knew it! Try to bring shifters into the conversation and see how she reacts.”

  “Good-bye, Hildie.”

  Finn’s mother was in the kitchen, but he had no doubt she’d been eavesdropping when she put a tin of cookies into his hands and said, “Be careful, Finn.”

  “I will, Mom.”

  Finn left his parents’ house, feeling more conflicted than he had when he went in. The worst part was, now that Hildie had planted that seed about Lainey sticking around, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lainey

  After Finn left, Lainey crawled back under the covers and caught up on some of the sleep she’d missed.

  Not that she was complaining. She’d take sexy times with Finn over sleep any day.

  The man was an attentive, generous lover, as concerned with her pleasure as he was his own. Bonus: he was a cuddler too. Being wrapped in those big, strong arms and held against that big, strong body had the same effect as sinking into the hot tub or curling up in front of the fireplace with a fleece throw.

  She refused to overanalyze that, choosing instead to simply enjoy it as she would every other self-indulgent pleasure while on her vacation.

  By mid-morning, her rumbling stomach forced her out of bed. After ordering room service, she took a long, hot shower under pulsating massage jets and then lounged around the suite, getting in some good reading time. It felt strange, not having anywhere to be or anything to do. She worked long and erratic hours, and when she did get a rare day off, it was typically spent trying to whittle down the long list of items on her to-do list.

  Keeping up the family farmhouse and surrounding property that had been left to her and Henry by their parents was a constant struggle. It hadn’t been so bad when Henry was around, but since he’d moved in with Vicki, everything fell on her shoulders.

  At some point after the holidays, she was going to talk to Henry about possibly selling again. He hadn’t been in favor of the idea the last time she brought it up, but something had to give. If she got the directorship, her schedule would only get busier.

  Lainey stretched lazily, appreciating the twinge and tenderness in parts that, until last night, hadn’t received much attention. Her love life was another thing that often took a backseat to everything else—not just because of her hectic schedule, but also because of her refusal to settle.

  Why was it so hard to meet a decent guy? One who shared her love of the outdoors and animals. Who had both passion and compassion? One who, when an emergency arose, offered his support instead of his resentment?

  Once again, an image of Finn came to mind. If only they didn’t live so far apart. If only they had more time to see where things could go. If only ...

  She pushed those thoughts away, reinforcing her self-pledge to take each moment as it came and savor it while it lasted. All too soon, she’d be back home and in the thick of it, longing for a few hours of quiet time when she didn’t have to worry about anyone but herself.

  Here, now, she could do what she wanted, when she wanted, without feeling like she was letting anyone down. Well, mostly. She knew she’d disappointed Henry by not going to Vail, but she also knew that she would have been absolutely miserable if she had.

  She never would have met Finn, and that would have been a shame.

  When it got close to noon, Lainey dressed in layers and went out to the lodge’s rental shed to find Finn waiting with two sleek-looking snowmobiles, gassed up and ready to go. They were gorgeous machines, black with accents of bright blue and lime green, equipped with a center track underneath and dual short skis up front.

  “Are they as fast as they look?” she asked hopefully.

  His grin was positively feral as he handed her a helmet. “Faster.”

  “Then, what are we waiting for?”

  He laughed. “I knew you were a kindred spirit. All right, daredevil, let’s see what you’ve got.”

  SPENDING THE AFTERNOON snowmobiling with Finn turned out to be one of the best times she’d ever had.

  He hadn’t been kidding about the snowmobiles being fast. They zipped over the freshly fallen snow beneath brilliant sunshine, exploring trails beyond the Aurora Falls town limits. The scenery was breathtaking. Raw and starkly beautiful.

  Lainey knew from her early helicopter tour that the area included several diverse habitats. There was the ocean, of course. Boreal forests, consisting primarily of stunning pines and spruces. And tundra.

  Finn was familiar with all of them. He once again proved to be an excellent guide, his knowledge of local
plants and wildlife extensive. Because of the time of year, much of the flora and fauna unique to the area was dormant, but there was still plenty to see.

  Like animals. Arctic hares and white foxes, packs of wolves and the occasional wandering moose. They stopped along the shoreline several times to watch seals dive in and out of the water.

  And polar bears! True to his word, Finn took her out to areas where the creatures were known to gather. Most of the bears they encountered ignored their presence, but a few nosy ones did venture close.

  “Ice bears are the gentlemen and ladies of the bear kingdom,” Finn told her as several boars approached their snowmobiles and appeared to be checking them out. “They’re not generally aggressive toward humans unless they’re really hungry—or they think you’re particularly tasty.”

  That was when he pinned her with those gorgeous arctic-green eyes filled with heat and said, “On second thought, maybe it would be a good idea to put more distance between you and them.”

  At that point, Lainey had been glad her cheeks were rosy from the cold air because she was pretty sure they were flaming.

  Finn

  AFTER RETURNING THE snowmobiles to the lodge, Finn once again found himself fighting the urge to follow Lainey back to her suite. The only reason he didn’t do so was because others were around and eyeing them with interest, probably because they’d never seen Finn take a guest out on a private tour before.

  “Hey, Finn. Bill said he wanted to see you when you got back,” one of the guys called out. “He’s inside.”

  Finn thanked him and made his way into the lodge. He found Bill in the small office generally reserved for Alliance business. Bill was sifting through some papers and looked up when Finn knocked on the doorframe.

  “You wanted to see me?”

  “Yes, yes. Come on in and close the door.” When Finn did, Bill indicated that Finn should take a seat. “How’s Hildie?”

  “Ornery, as usual,” Finn replied with a grin. “She and Steve are staying with the parents. Mom’s in seventh heaven.”

  Bill chuckled. “Steve told me. It’s a shame about Doc Wilson, but I guess something like that was bound to happen eventually. The old guy’s got to be pushing eighty.”

  Finn agreed, fully aware that the topical chitchat was just a polite segue to the real reason behind his summons. He didn’t have to wait long.

  “How’s it going with Lainey Swann?”

  And there it is.

  Did Bill suspect that Finn had taken his request to entertain Lainey beyond acceptable boundaries? Had someone seen him going in or coming out of Lainey’s room?

  “It’s going well,” Finn answered honestly, careful to keep his voice and tone casual. “We took snowmobiles out on some trails today. Did a walking tour around town yesterday. She seemed to enjoy both.”

  “Good, good. I do appreciate the effort. Mo tells me she hasn’t been into the restaurant much, ordering in instead.”

  Finn was beginning to feel irritated on Lainey’s behalf. He understood Bill’s desire to ensure that everyone enjoyed their stay, but it was Lainey’s vacation. She could spend it however she pleased.

  “There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?”

  “No,” Bill agreed. He leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard, his brows furrowed together. “But the personalized attention hasn’t gone completely unnoticed.”

  Finn had a feeling he knew exactly who’d noticed. “Cougar Mae, I take it?”

  Bill’s eyes widened at the nickname Finn had given the woman and then surrendered to the smile he couldn’t completely contain. “I’m afraid so. She wants to know what she needs to do to get that kind of special treatment.”

  Nothing could make Finn voluntarily spend time with that woman, and he told Bill as much. “I’m sure Arthur’s up for it though.”

  “No doubt, but she doesn’t want Arthur. She wants you.”

  Finn shook his head. “Sorry, Bill, but no. I’m helping out with Lainey as a favor to you, but that’s where I draw the line.”

  “I know. And as I’ve said, I do appreciate it.” Bill exhaled. “My intentions were good, but perhaps it’s best if we back off, eh? Consider my request where Dr. Swann is concerned fulfilled. Enjoy the holidays with your family, and keep us posted on Hildie and the little ones.”

  Bill might consider the request fulfilled, but Finn wasn’t ready to walk away yet.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lainey

  Something had changed. After they’d returned the snowmobiles, Finn’s smiles had become more reserved, his overall behavior more polite and professional. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to put two and two together. Finn was trying to avoid any suggestion of impropriety. Exactly for whose benefit—his, hers, or the lodge’s—wasn’t clear.

  If he was attempting to protect her out of some sense of gentlemanly chivalry, he needn’t have bothered. It was a sweet and thoughtful gesture, but she’d stopped worrying about what other people thought a long time ago. What she and Finn did behind closed doors wasn’t anyone’s business, except theirs. They were both mature, responsible, consenting adults, and people needed to respect that and mind their own beeswax.

  But if his efforts were to protect the reputation of the lodge, that was a different story. Aurora Falls was a small, tight-knit community, and from what she could tell, tourism was the town’s primary business. Perhaps they frowned upon locals getting involved with guests. Hadn’t Finn referenced something along the lines of treading carefully around paying customers?

  In any event, she wasn’t the one who had to live here. In less than a week, she’d be heading back to Vermont, and Finn would be left to deal with any negative fallout from their time together.

  Hopefully, that wouldn’t happen. She liked Finn, maybe a little too much for someone she’d just met. Leaving was going to be hard enough without thinking she’d made things difficult for him in her wake.

  “Dr. Swann!”

  Lainey slowed her steps, allowing Mo to catch up. “Hi, Mo. What’s up?”

  “Are you enjoying your stay?”

  “Very much so, yes. Why?”

  “We haven’t seen much of you. I just wanted to make sure you were having a good time.”

  “I am,” Lainey assured her. “I’m afraid I’m not much for group activities.”

  “No worries. Not everyone is. I did want to let you know about our Christmas Eve festivities though, in case you’re interested.”

  Lainey remembered seeing something in the schedule of events but hadn’t paid much attention. After the welcome dinner, she wasn’t inclined to participate.

  “It’s very casual and laid-back,” Mo assured her when Lainey hesitated, searching for a way to politely decline. “After a special Christmas Eve candlelight dinner, we’re gathering in the indoor lounge on the second floor. We’ll be showing Christmas movies and decorating the big fir there.” Mo’s eyes sparkled. “Santa might even make a surprise visit to deliver gifts. His home base isn’t too far from here, you know.”

  Lainey laughed. “Good to know, thanks.”

  “I hope to see you there!”

  Lainey thanked her for the update and managed to get away without committing to anything. Truth be told, it didn’t sound too horrible, and it wasn’t as if she had other plans.

  Once back in her suite, she ordered dinner and started a fire, determined to not worry about Finn or overanalyze how they’d left things. They’d had a great time, and he was being careful. End of story.

  She was just finishing a scrumptious dessert when she heard a commotion that sounded awfully close. Walking over to the sliding glass doors, she peered out, flicking on the outside lights.

  She was completely unprepared to see a polar bear on the deck. It opened its mouth and made a sound kind of like a half-growl, half-bark, and then it moved closer to the glass, stood on two legs, and peered back in at her.

  The bear wasn’t nearly as big as the one she’d seen the other nigh
t, but it was still close to seven feet tall when standing up like that. Lainey didn’t know what to do. It was a beautiful creature, and it seemed more curious than threatening.

  As they stood there, staring at each other, another polar bear appeared at the railing and let out a loud roar, like a warning. The bear against the window returned to all fours and trotted to the railing before climbing over. She swore both bears turned to give her one last look before they disappeared into the darkness.

  Heart pounding, Lainey opened the door and looked out, catching only glimpses as at least half a dozen bears trotted off into the trees.

  A blast of frigid air reminded her that she hadn’t taken the time to put on a coat or shoes before rushing outside. She was just settling back down in front of the fire when a knock sounded at the door.

  Lainey rose to answer the door, her mind on the furry beast who’d been on the deck. What was it doing out there? Looking for food? Being nosy? Would it have dared to climb over the railing if she’d been in the hot tub when it happened by? And why had it looked at her with such intelligence in its eyes?

  Clearly, Aurora Falls was getting to her.

  She looked through the peep hole, the familiar tingles taking hold when she saw Finn standing there. She couldn’t open the door fast enough.

  “Hey,” Finn said softly, looking as handsome as ever in his worn blue jeans and boots. The dark green thermal he wore accentuated not only his eyes, but also his broad shoulders and muscular chest and arms.

  “Hey.” Lainey stood back in silent invitation. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing. I just wanted to see you again and apologize.”

  “Apologize? For what?”

  “For being rather abrupt earlier.”

  “No worries. I understand.”

  “I’m not sure you do,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck in that gesture she was coming to adore.

  “You mean, you’re not under a no canoodling with the guests mandate?”

  He grinned at that. “It’s complicated.”