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  That afternoon, Kyle called his brother and told him he was going to finally marry Max and he was already a father, a funny smile on his face. They talked for a good hour, and Mitch apologized for his part in screwing up Kyle's life.

  "I'm a dad," he said, hanging up the phone, sinking into the sofa cushions.

  "Yeah, you are." She patted his full stomach.

  "Let's go get her."

  She shifted, meeting his gaze. "No."

  "Max," he warned, frowning.

  "She doesn't know. Though I know she likes you—" Kyle beamed "—we have to ease into this."

  Kyle mulled that over for a few minutes. Mimi would be more than traumatized if she discovered he was her father.

  But that couldn't stop him from wanting to hold her in his arms, look at her with new eyes.

  "Is marrying me the first step?"

  She smiled, spinning the ring on her finger. "Yeah, it is."

  A little frown marred his brow. "I don't have to adopt my daughter, do I?"

  "No. Your name is on her birth certificate."

  She never hid it. He just didn't want to see. She'd dropped crumbs for him to follow, but Kyle was too caught in his own misery and need to see what was there. He questioned her for hours, found out her prewedding jitters made her forget to take a couple of her birth-control pills, then told her he loved her and would do his best to make up for the past years.

  "Don't bother. I hate it when you're trying to suck up to me."

  He laughed, kissing her, pushing her into the cushions. She was just getting started on stripping off her clothes when the radio crackled. They listened, frozen. Then Kyle realized they were his call letters. Maxie sighed and thrust him off. He crossed the room to answer.

  Jackson's voice barked over the radio.

  "Got a problem, an individual wandered off the path. Now she's stuck on a shelf, too scared to move."

  "She must be freezing!" Maxie glanced at the windows. The snow was falling in a light dust, but she knew how different it would be in the canyon.

  "On my way," Kyle said.

  "Roger. Tell Maxine to come, too."

  Kyle frowned, glancing at her and her brow furrowed. "Why? Need horses?"

  "Possible."

  Kyle frowned, rubbing his knuckles over beard stubble.

  Jackson clicked on. "Kyle. It's Mimi."

  Kyle's eyes flared, and he snapped a look at Maxie. She was already grabbing their coats and cold-weather gear. "On our way."

  "Hurry!" Maxie shouted. "Maxie—baby, don't panic."

  She whirled on him. "Don't panic? She's in the canyon, caught somewhere, cold, freezing—"

  He grabbed her arms, giving her a quick shake. "And we don't need to scare her."

  "This is our daughter, Kyle."

  Hard emotion played across his face. "We'll find her, Max. I swear it."

  Or die trying, he thought. His little girl needed him to be calm, and Kyle focused on gathering his equipment. He knew if the wind was high and the snow was falling, he would have trouble with the chopper. The blades could freeze. He warmed Maxie's truck engine, and helped her load two mules into the trailer.

  "I'll follow overhead," he told her, kissing her hard, then pushing her into the driver's seat. "Drive carefully," he warned. She nodded, grasping his hand and squeezing. "I'll get her out I swear."

  "I know you will."

  When they entered the rescue station, the Nature Girls were being picked up by their parents. But most lingered, wanting to help. Maxie was in a state of absolute panic when she confronted the guide.

  "Why did you leave her?"

  "Max—"

  She shrugged off his touch, bearing down on the guide like a cougar protecting her cub.

  "I had to get the other girls out first. They were all panicking. The team spotted her, but she wouldn't let them help her."

  "I'll get her."

  Kyle nodded to Jackson and Maxie grabbed his arm. "Not without me."

  "Let me take the chopper up first. She'll recognize it. Know that we're here. I can lower a rope."

  He was off the ground in minutes, circling to spot her. The wind was high and hard, and Kyle fought to steady the chopper. He'd done a lot of stupid, dangerous things in his life, he thought, but never one with good enough reason as saving his baby. Then he saw her. He rocked the craft and she tried lifting her hand to wave. It was worse than he thought. She was on the edge of a shelf. How she got there, he couldn't wonder. But when she tried to wave, she slipped. He couldn't lower a rope. Damn. Kyle couldn't leave without talking to her, easing the fear on her tiny face. He flipped on the loudspeaker.

  "Hey, short stack. I'm coming down for you, okay?"

  She nodded, her cowboy hat gone, her hair whipping in the wind. He rose out of the canyon and landed quickly. Maxie was on the pad and ducked, racing to the craft. He told her the situation. She already had the mules saddled. Horses were too skittish for the narrow trails.

  Jackson was ready to mount up.

  "No, I'm going," she insisted.

  "Max, you're not trained."

  "Yes, I am. She's my daughter, and I know the trails and ruts better than anyone. I'm going in!"

  Kyle grabbed her against him, holding her tight. "It's okay, it's okay." He met Jackson's gaze over the top of her head, a plea in his eyes. Jackson looked ready to deny them, then nodded sharply. "Come on."

  She moved the mules to the trail entrance, loaded with extra thermal blankets and a jacket. They put on bright orange parkas. Kyle had to crush the urge to race to Mimi. His features were mapped with worry, and when he met Maxie's gaze, he offered her a reassuring smile.

  He would succeed. He wasn't ready to lose when he just got his life back.

  * * *

  Twelve

  « ^ »

  Kyle found her first and quickly slipped from the saddle, his gaze darting to where his daughter sat twenty yards above him. "It's amazing that she got up there in the first place."

  "The guide said she was a little sad during the outing," Maxie said guiltily.

  "She heard us arguing the other day, heard you cry. In fact she made me promise not to make you cry again." His face creased deeper. "One I quickly broke."

  "Oh, Kyle—"

  "Now, what I want to know is," he interrupted, "if you're going to wear white when you marry me."

  She blinked, taken aback.

  "Well, after the past two days—" he wiggled his brows suggestively "—I'd say you were on your way to scarlet."

  She smiled, nudging him, loving him more for recognizing her fear. He'd been talking casually to her the whole way down, forcing her to make plans for their future rather than linger on the terror both of them were feeling.

  As he stood beside the mules, Maxie watched his quick, practiced moves as he stepped into the climbing harness, checked waist straps, his boots, his supply of pitons, the coil of nylon rope. Then he turned to her.

  "Let's get her." He helped Maxie into her equipment, though he doubted she would need it. Mimi wasn't that far up, but Kyle wanted the assurance of pitons locked into the canyon wall and Maxie nearer to the ground to steady ropes.

  He hoped Mimi wasn't injured.

  Kyle started climbing, his razor-point boot tips sticking into the softer granite, his gloved fingers grappling for purchase. He ascended quickly, getting closer and closer to her, yet forced himself to set pitons in the wall, run cord through the metal loops. Then he climbed higher and saw the fear in his daughter's face.

  "Hi, short stack."

  "Hullo, Mr. Hayden."

  He longed for the moment when she'd call him Daddy. "Ready to go to Mom?"

  She nodded shakily.

  "You'll have to come to me, Mimi." The ground was too delicate around her, and he was afraid his added weight would disrupt her already precarious position. "Jump into my arms."

  She shook her head wildly.

  He tried once more and she refused. Kyle plucked the radio from inside hi
s jacket and spoke to Maxie. "She won't come to me."

  Maxie stared up at them and spoke into the handset. "Mimi, baby. Do what Mr. Hayden says. He loves you sweetie—he won't let anything happen to you."

  Kyle met Mimi's gaze, praying his love for her, the love that had come without thought or reason, showed enough for her to see. He held out his arms. "Come on, short stack, come to me. I promise you won't fall."

  Mimi bit her lower lip, indecisive, then nodded, leaning out, teetering for balance. Then she leaped into his arms. The impact made him slip a little, and Kyle clutched her, the locked piton jerking them to a stop.

  Kyle closed his eyes and thanked God. He held her a moment longer, then smoothed her hair back. She tipped her head, staring trustingly into his eyes.

  "Thank you," she whispered, and clutched her arms around his neck.

  Kyle felt like a king.

  He radioed Maxie, and she tightened the rope, hooking it on the mule's pommel. They started down. Kyle worked slowly, speaking gently, yet Mimi kept apologizing for causing trouble, for getting stock up here and telling him she was really, really cold.

  Maxie was there, reaching for her, grabbing her tight, raining kisses over her chilled face. She reached for Kyle, bringing him close, and his arms surrounded his family.

  "Can we go home now?" Mimi asked, glancing between the two and ending on Kyle.

  "Yeah, short stack. We have to. I'm hungry."

  She giggled and fell into Kyle's arms. Maxie smiled, letting him put her on the mule and talking to them both while he removed the equipment and stored it. Then he swung up into the saddle and led them out.

  Kyle glanced over his shoulder at Maxie and Mimi. They were nuzzled tight and he wanted to hold them, wanted to ease the worry in Maxie's eyes that Mimi might get sick now.

  They were out of the canyon in a couple of hours, the paramedics checking Mimi, then letting her mother take her home. Kyle rode with them, leaving the chopper, not willing to spare a moment apart from them.

  Once inside the house, they rushed to get Mimi warm, her mother forcing her into a bath, drying her hair and dressing her in tons of flannel. Mimi ate a quick sandwich, but Kyle made her a mug of hot chocolate laced with vanilla. His daughter grinned up at him, thanking him sleepily from a mountain of comforters, and he could see she was sleepy.

  He stood in the doorway, the empty mug in his hand, and Kyle felt a little left out when Maxie tucked Mimi in, then sat to read her a story.

  "G'night, Mr. Hayden."

  "Night, short stack." I love you.

  Maxie glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Kyle, then turned back to the book. Mimi stared between the two, ending on her mom.

  "You're different."

  Maxie looked up from the book. Her daughter was a sharp cookie, and it didn't surprise her that she recognized the change between her and Kyle.

  "Why do you say that?"

  Mimi grinned hugely. "You look at each other different. Smilin' a lot." She tilted her head. "You love him, don't you, Mom?"

  Maxie inhaled and tried to hide it. "Yes, I do."

  Something in Mimi burst and she looked down thoughtfully at her hands. After a moment she looked up and her eyes bored into Maxie's, as if she knew her mom was hiding something from her. Suddenly, with a yawn, Mimi sank into the soft comforter and closed her eyes.

  "That's nice, Momma."

  Maxie smiled tenderly, tucking the covers around her before leaving the bed. Kyle stood at the door, his arms folded over his chest his back braced against the jamb. She came to him, sliding her arms around his waist and laying her head on his chest. His arms enfolded her.

  "I'm so glad you're here."

  He rubbed her back. "So am I."

  She tilted her head to look at him. "I think she knows."

  "I want her to."

  "Come on." She jerked on him. "Let's get something to eat, and we'll talk about our strategy."

  Kyle smiled down at her, straightening, his hands lowering to the sweet curve of her buttocks. "Don't I get a reward for rescuing her?"

  Maxie brushed her mouth over his, lightly, hungrily. "Oh, yes, a big one."

  He pulled her from the doorway, gently closing it after them, then returning to leave it open a crack.

  They talked and ate and played with each other, and Kyle made warm, slow love to her in the living room, before a roaring fire, giving her more and more of his heart and she held it gently. She'd been waiting years to hold it this gently.

  In the morning, Kyle stood in the kitchen, staring at the drawings, the school papers tacked to the fridge with magnets shaped like vegetables. He wanted to be around when she presented them proudly, be there to pick her up when she fell, to protect her from under-the-bed monsters and too fresh boys. But he wouldn't be, not yet at least. He wished Maxie would trust him more, to believe what he felt, that delaying would be worse.

  Half the night they'd talked about how to handle telling Mimi he was her father. Kyle wanted to do it right away and get on with any problems they might encounter. He knew one thing—the news had to come from him. But Kyle was the new guy, and Maxie knew their daughter better than him, a point that gnawed on his guilt. It was his fault he hadn't been there, and he was trying to get over it. Not telling Mimi the truth was stopping him.

  But he was out of time, for the next day or two at least. He had a business to run. A business he'd let stand still for almost two weeks while he discovered what it was like to really live again.

  Maxie entered the kitchen, sliding smoothly into his arms.

  "She still sleeping?"

  "Like a rock."

  His lips curved. The only time his daughter was still, he thought.

  He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then her mouth, "I know you want to take it slow—"

  "Please, Kyle, give it just a couple of days."

  "A couple days, Max, that's it."

  She smiled gently. His determination was heartwarming. He wanted them both and quickly. "What I'd really like is for you to move in so I could wake up to you every morning." But they couldn't. It wouldn't set a good example for Mimi.

  His hands smoothed over her behind, his fascination with that part of her body making him hard with just touching it. "I love you, baby."

  "I know. I live for it."

  Maxie kissed him, her heart aching a little. He moved with her toward the door, his arm wrapped around her waist. It was going to be dull without him for the next couple of days or so.

  Kyle kissed her once more, then stepped away, striding quickly down the steps to his chopper. The rescue team had kindly brought it to him. So much for my rule that no one flies her but me, he thought, forcing himself not to look back. He was in the air before he chanced a look at her. She was on the porch, leaning again the post, watching him leave her again.

  Later, Maxie was working in the barn when Mimi burst in.

  "Where is he?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

  Maxie ignored her daughter's sharp tone, sensing she was still overtired and needed more sleep. "Good morning, sweetie, you shouldn't be outside."

  "Where did he go? What did you say to him to make him leave?"

  Frowning, Maxie faced her daughter, the currycomb in her hand. She'd had tantrums before, like any kid, but never so vicious. "What are you talking about?"

  "He's my daddy!"

  Maxie's eyes widened. Oh, God.

  "I heard Grandma and you talk about my daddy. I heard you call his name when you cried. He's my daddy, and you made him go away again!"

  "Mimi, honey, calm down. You don't understand." This was too much, too soon.

  "I hate you!" Mimi shouted, tears in her eyes.

  "Wait a minute, young lady," her mother warned. "That attitude is going to get you grounded big-time."

  "I don't care. You made him go. I hate you!" She stomped her foot, then whirled about, racing back to the house. Maxie started to follow, then stopped. She needed to cool down, she thought, plopping down
onto a hay bale and covering her face with her hands.

  A half hour later, Maxie returned to the house, bracing herself for another fight with a six-year-old. What she found was an empty house.

  Kyle entered his offices, a clipboard in his hand as he scanned the next week's appointments. Too few, he thought. "Randy?" Kyle called to his assistant and bookkeeper. "Is this all?"

  "Yeah. But I got six calls this morning. Two coming just to see what your choppers look like. Oh, you have a guest."

  Kyle's gaze jerked up and pinned Randy. The younger man nodded to the closed office door.

  "A female. Real looker, too."

  Maxie. He strode to the office, shoving open the door. He froze at the sight of Mimi behind his desk. How did she get all the way here? He glanced around. Alone apparently. This was not good, he thought and tried for calm. He popped back out of the office, scribbling Maxie's number on a pad and telling Randy to call and let her know where her daughter was.

  "Hey, short stack."

  Mimi looked up, and Kyle felt as if hit by a sledgehammer at her teary eyes.

  "Hullo," came sullenly.

  "What are you doing here?" He tossed the clipboard on the sofa and came to sit on the edge of the desk. "Where's your mom?"

  "I don't care." Mimi pouted, folding her arms over her chest. "I hate her."

  His brows shot up and he straightened a bit. "Whoa, little lady. Is that a nice thing to say about your mom?"

  "I don't care. She made you go."

  "What makes you say that?"

  "You left," she said plainly.

  "I had to go to work."

  Her lower lip curled down.

  It was clear she wasn't seeing the logic. "Mimi," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "How did you get here?"

  "I walked."

  Good God, that wasn't possible, and the alternative made his gut clench. "All the way?"

  "No." She looked at her hands, then glanced up. "A lady gave me a ride."

  Kyle came off the desk, looming like a taunted bear. "And you took it!"

  Mimi cringed. "Yes," she said in a small voice.

  "Sweet mother of God, Mimi. You could have been kidnapped, or worse! Do you realize that?"