Page 21 of Elsie's Strong Shelter

He’d spent the night in Elsie’s bed.

The thought had flames of desire burning so bright inside him, it didn’t matter that the sun was hidden. His blood hummed louder with each spin of the tires, and by God, he hadn’t even touched her.

Okay, so he’dtouchedher, but not in the way that should leave him feeling like a hormonal teenager. She’d fallen asleep on his shoulder, her body wrapped around him like a blanket. He hadn’t wanted to disturb her so he’d let her sleep, rousing her only moments before she needed to wake Jimmy. The last thing he wanted was for Jimmy to walk in on him in bed with Elsie. He’d never met Mrs. Sweet before this morning, and he didn’t need Jimmy mentioning that Dean had already slept with her daughter—no matter how innocent the night had been.

The simple act ofsleepingtogether created a type of intimacy he’d never experienced. A type of intimacy where a solid foundation for something so much more could be built. He may have been too scared before, terrified of being burned again, but Elsie had shown him a type of loyalty that couldn’t be faked.

He turned off the highway and the truck bounced over uneven roads. A few houses dotted the landscape showcasing large tree-filled yards with trees separating neighbors.

Elsie shot off a flurry of text messages then stared out the window. “Are we close?”

“Just a few more minutes.” He dipped his chin toward the phone clutched on her lap. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Just making sure Jimmy’s all right. Thanks for letting Boo go with him, by the way.” She huffed out a humorless laugh. “My parents must really love Jimmy if they let him bring home a dog, even if only for a short visit. I was never allowed to have one.”

“I’m glad Boo’s giving him some comfort. I’d be lost by now without him. Nothing like man’s best friend when times are tough. It’s a shame you never had a pup. Boo can be your honorary dog. Yours and Jimmy’s.”

“Don’t tell him that or Jimmy will never give Boo back!”

The humor in her voice gave him a glimpse of the Elsie he’d known the past year. He wanted to hear her laugh, hell,bethe one to make her laugh. Make her smile. Give her all the things she’d always wanted.

A lane veered to the left, and he took the muddy route. A largeNo Trespassingsign was secured to the ground with a wooden stake. The number on the chipped mailbox told him he was at the right place. He just hoped Keith was there. If the guy had answered his phone or returned a message, they could have avoided this whole trip. If they’d come all this way to find an empty house, he wouldn’t be happy.

The cluster of trees opened up and revealed a dingy double-wide trailer. A rusty pickup was parked on the gravel driveway.

Elsie leaned forward as if the seatbelt was the only thing holding her inside the vehicle. “Looks like someone’s here.”

He studied the area around the trailer as he parked. Patches of weeds overtook grass and wind threatened to bring down a dilapidated shed in the backyard.

“Could Mila be in that shed?” Elsie asked, a tremor shaking her voice.

“I’ll make sure to check it out before we leave. No stone left unturned, okay?”

Blowing out a long breath, she nodded. “Mila and I have discussed what we’d say if we ever saw Keith again, but now my mind is blank. All I want to know is if she’s here.”

“You say as much or as little as you want. Hell, you can stay in the truck. I got this.”

“No. I want to look him in the eye when you ask him about Mila. Nothing else matters.”

Dean hopped out of the car and met Elsie at the hood of the truck. Her jaw was locked, eyes hard as she walked beside him. He rested a hand on the small of her back to offer whatever support he could.

A low growl reached his ears seconds before a big brown dog lunged forward. The dog strained against the thick chain holding him back and barked.

Elsie jumped and stumbled against Dean. Her hand flew to the base of her neck.

Before Dean could reassure her that the dog couldn’t reach them, the trailer door flew open and a man stood in the doorway with a rifle dangling at his side.

Dean maneuvered Elsie behind him and cursed himself for not having his sidearm in his hand. He held his palms high. At least he could show Keith he hadn’t come with an intention of violence. “Are you Keith Brookstone?”

“Who’s askin’?” The man scratched the top of his head, spiking his unruly brown hair. A couple days’ worth of stubble covered his jaw and his bloodshot eyes spoke of a man with alcohol swimming in his veins.

“My name is Dean Kingston, and I’m looking for Mila.”

“Mila who?”

Elsie’s body tensed and she shot out from behind him, hands fisted on her hips. “Seriously? Mila who? How dare you standthere and act like you don’t know the name of the woman you abandoned. The woman you got pregnant then left. How do you sleep at night?”

Keith grinned and showed off a row of yellow teeth. “Oh, that Mila. I ain’t seen her in too many years to count. Now get off my land. I don’t take well to strangers. Neither does Sal, over there.” He used the barrel of his gun to point to the pissed off dog.

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