Sunrise Canyon (New Americana 1)

Standing, he turned to watch the dawn creep over the mountains. He’d done all right here, helping with the students and the horses. But when it came to what really mattered—his daughter—he was out of his depth. It didn’t matter that he’d already begun to love her, or that the feel of her trusting little hand, creeping into his, was the most healing thing he’d ever experienced. This wasn’t about him. It was about Paige and her tender young heart. To save her from hurt, he would break his own heart and go. It would be the only right thing to do.

Kira had come up behind him. He felt her touch as she laid a hand on his shoulder.

“You should get married, Kira,” he said. “Find a good man who can be a father to my little girl.”

“Oh, Jake—”

He turned to look at her. She was gazing up at him, the dawn light pale on her face. Tears glistened in her eyes.

Driven by a hunger too sharp to control, he caught her in his arms and pulled her close. She gasped, then softened against him as his mouth pressed those sweet, sensual lips, nibbling, devouring. Her arms clasped his neck, pulling his head down to deepen the kiss. Her body arched to meet his, slim contours of her breast and hips molding to him through her robe. Jake groaned, half-embarrassed as his male response kicked in. He wanted what any man would want. It wasn’t going to happen, of course. In fact, he was crazy to have kissed her in the first place. But with Kira in his arms, so soft, warm and fiercely yielding, he’d be damned if he wanted to stop.

The sound of a car coming up the road broke them apart. That would be Consuelo, arriving early to start preparations for breakfast. Kira spun away from him, stumbling a little. Her hair was wild, her mouth deliciously swollen. Knowing what to expect, Jake watched her pull herself together—spine erect, chin up, expression under control. The Kira he remembered was back.

She turned away, then swung to face him. “This didn’t happen!” she said. “Do you understand? It never happened!”

With that, she wheeled and fled toward the house.

* * *

With the morning under way, Kira forced herself to close one mental box and open another. With six of her students shoveling out the stable, under Jake’s supervision, it was time to deal with Heather. She wasn’t looking forward to it.

She led the girl to her small private office, showed her to a chair beside the desk, then closed the door. “This is a first for me, Heather,” she said. “I’ve never had a student show up pregnant before. You’ve done well here, but I’m afraid we can’t keep you in the program. Working with the horses might not be safe for you or your baby.”

Heather looked peevish. “So who have you told?”

“Not a soul. That would be unethical. But you can’t go through this time alone. I met your parents when they brought you here. They

seem like nice people who truly care about you. I’m going to hand you the phone. You’re going to call them and ask them to come and get you. You can tell them about the baby now or later. That’s up to you.”

Heather took the phone, laid it on the desk and pushed it away. Her face broke into an impish grin. “Boy, I really had you going, didn’t I?” she said.

“What?” Kira stared at her in utter disbelief. “You mean you were joking? You’re not pregnant?”

“No way!” Heather laughed, flashing her braces.

“And you didn’t have sex with your sister’s boyfriend?”

“That creep? I wouldn’t let him touch me for a million dollars! In case you’re wondering, I’m still a virgin—for now, at least.” She laughed again.

Kira took a moment to breathe and count to ten. “I don’t like being lied to, Heather,” she said. “How do I know you’re not lying now?”

The girl gave her a smug look. “I can prove it. I’m on the rag. Take me into the bathroom and I’ll show you. Or if that’s too gross, ask my roommates. They know.”

Out of patience, Kira stood. Worry about this girl had kept her awake most of the night. “Let’s not make this a bigger deal than it already is,” she said. “I’ll give you a pass this time. But you’ve lost my trust. If I catch you lying again, you’ll be out of here. Understand?”

Heather gazed up at her like a scolded puppy. “Okay. But don’t you think it was funny?”

“No, I don’t. Now go outside and get to work.”

* * *

Kira stood on the porch and watched Heather scamper across the yard to join the others. Had she told the other students about the prank she’d pulled? Probably—or at least her roommates. The girl was hungry for attention. This story would be one way to get it.

This morning, under Jake’s supervision, the students had led the horses out of their stalls and loosed them in the paddock while they cleaned the stable. After that, each of them would get to choose the horse he or she wanted to work with for the rest of the session.

Kira didn’t anticipate any trouble. Most of the students had already picked their favorites. They would draw numbers to determine the order of choice. But even for late choosers, there wasn’t a bad horse in the lot. Like humans, the mares and geldings had their personal quirks, but all of them were docile, sensitive and well-trained. Once the horses were chosen, there would be days of groundwork, followed by saddling and bridling, then, finally, mounting and riding. The last part of the session would be devoted to trail rides in the desert and mountains, ending with an overnight campout in a high meadow. Not everyone would finish the rigorous course. But Kira had watched many troubled youngsters build confidence, overcome fear and acquire new self-respect. She would do her best to see it happen for this group.

Kira’s pulse skittered as she caught sight of Jake among her charges. He’d been absent at breakfast this morning. Maybe he’d wanted to save himself the embarrassment of facing her. That, or he was avoiding Paige. Maybe both.