Changing Focus by Marilu Mann

could only see her mother in her, no trace of her father. Shelly hadn’t told anyone who Talia’s father was. In fact, she’d left the Pack shortly after Talia’s birth and had refused all overtures from any of the males there to come back.
    Picking up the sleeping child, he took the stairs to the third floor, straight to the smaller bedroom. Once he made sure she was tucked into bed and still sound asleep, he returned to Olivia’s room. The hallway stretched out before him like some endless corridor as he realized he’d been gone for an over an hour.
    He reached her door but paused. His ears detected no movement. The only sounds he heard were the slow, even breathing of a very sound-asleep woman. He rested his forehead on the door. “Sleep well, Olivia. ‘To sleep, perchance to dream-ay, there’s the rub.’”
    Turning quietly, he returned to the first floor to make sure everything would be ready for the morning. Explaining Talia’s presence to Olivia would be interesting, especially given the way their relationship had progressed. Then again, this might give him the perfect opening to discuss shifter culture with Olivia. If he could convince her that she was a shifter, she might be willing to discuss staying at Wild Haven on a more permanent basis…as his mate.
    Olivia woke, stretching and yawning. The silky gown she’d changed into when Micah left felt good against her skin, but since she still wore it, she felt safe in assuming he hadn’t returned to her room. Olivia allowed herself a momentary pout.
    Having seen the way his eyes lit up from within at the sight of her lingerie, she’d been looking forward to his reaction to the gown. But he hadn’t returned. She didn’t hear any movement above her, but that didn’t mean anything, she had no idea what time it was.
    Getting out of bed, she scanned the closet. She wanted to wear something sexy but not
too
sexy. If there were other guests in the lodge she didn’t want to give them the wrong impression, but she definitely wanted Micah to know what he’d missed out on last night.
    Thoughts of Micah led to the discussion they’d had the night before about her past. Olivia couldn’t believe she’d opened up to him the way she had. He’d been so understanding, so concerned, and later, so passionate. Her skin still tingled and her mind kept wandering to Micah with his hair loose and his body covering hers.
    Suppressing a shiver, Olivia dressed quickly, tugged her fingers through her hair and ignored her makeup. She practically skipped down the stairs, hearing voices in the kitchen. Remembering Micah’s request that she take her meals with him in the kitchen, she pushed the door open and stopped at the sight before her.
    A little girl, no more than five or six sat on the counter by the sink, swinging her legs against the cabinet as she sucked milk up through a straw. She didn’t look up as Olivia entered the room, but Micah did. He turned from the stove to smile at her. Four strides brought him to her side and his warm hand cupped her jaw.
    “Good morning. ‘O, beauty, ‘til now I never knew thee.’”
    “Good morning yourself. I see you have a helper this morning.” Olivia glanced at the child again, noticing her dark blonde hair and brown eyes. A quick look back at Micah showed an odd expression on his face. “Did a family check in last night?”
    “Not exactly.” Micah kissed her cheek then took her hand. “Olivia Decatur, I’d like you to meet Talia Genaro. Talia, this is my friend, Olivia. Can you say hello?”
    The child pulled the straw out of her mouth to smile at Olivia. “Hello.”
    “Hello, Talia, it’s very nice to meet you.” Olivia took the little girl’s hand, smiling when she giggled at their handshake. “Micah, she’s adorable.”
    “Yes she is, and hungry too. Why don’t you help yourself to the coffee? Talia, did you want to go find your books? I think they’re in one of the boxes in the living room.”
    “Okay.”