Page 96 of Chasing Shelter

“I always wanted a rainbow in my bedroom growing up. Decided it was time I gave it to myself. No rules about rainbows in this house.”

I suddenly wanted to pick up a paintbrush and cast her entire house in every color imaginable. But I knew it was more powerful if she gave it to herself. And it said something that she was letting Keely—lettingme—into it all. “You’re finding your magic again.”

One corner of Ellie’s mouth kicked up, making the specks of yellow paint on her cheek catch the light. “I guess I am.”

I moved into her space, unable to resist the pull of everythingthat was Ellie, dying to catch a little of the sunshine that was her. My lips brushed across hers once, twice, and then I took the kiss deeper. My tongue stroked in, needing more of her taste—a taste I knew would haunt me for the rest of my days.

Ellie moaned into my mouth, and my dick stiffened. I forced myself to pull back, knowing if I didn’t, I’d be doing things I definitely shouldn’t while my daughter was in the next room. Ellie’s eyes were unfocused, and she blinked a few times as if trying to clear her vision. “What was that for?”

“Maybe I needed a little of that magic, too.”

Wariness slid into Ellie’s expression, instantly setting me on edge, but she didn’t look away from me. “What are we doing?”

A fair question, one I’d been wrestling with. “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “But for the first time I can remember, I’m okay with that. No plan, no destination.”

“Just seeing where it leads and having fun?” she asked, a little of that uncertainty melting away.

I stepped a little closer, into that danger zone. “I know I don’t want to hold myself back from you.” It was more truth than I normally offered. Because it gave the other person power. And that wasn’t something I relinquished easily.

“I don’t either. Even though I should.”

My gaze roamed over her face, searching those pale green depths. “Why?”

“Trace, I’m a mess. I don’t know up from down. What I want to do for a career. What I want my life to look like. Who I want to be. It’s not fair to tie you up in that.” She took a deep breath. “And I don’t want my involvement with you to skew figuring that out.”

“Are you listening to some ridiculous pop playlist that makes me want to jab an ice pick into my eardrums?”

Ellie frowned. “Well, that’s rude, but yes.”

I grinned at her. “Told you I hated that stuff.”

“You did…” A glare took root in her expression.

“Baby, you don’t give a damn that I hate it. You’re still listening. You’re being who you want to be. Rescuing a goat and a feral dog andpainting a rainbow on your wall. You’re you, and you don’t care that I wouldn’t do any of that.”

Ellie stared back at me for a long moment, a million things flitting across her expression.

My grin widened. “Honestly, I think you’d do the opposite of whatever I say because you love pissing me off. You rearranged my cabinets.”

A laugh bubbled out of her. “Might do your linen closet next.”

I pinned her with a hard stare. “Don’t you dare.”

Those beautiful lips twitched, and then she sobered, looking into my eyes. “I’m not afraid to go against what you want. Why is that?”

I lifted a hand, my thumb ghosting over the specks of yellow paint on her cheek. “Sometimes, we need a brutal moment to teach us what we won’t stand for. You’ve had a few of those lately. Hate it for you. But it also broke you free.”

“Free,” Ellie whispered.

I pressed a kiss to her temple. “You stood up to me at Haven. Told me what you wanted and what you didn’t. Put me in my place. You’re not going to let anyone walk all over you again. Trust yourself. I do.”

“Chief,” she whispered, emotion clogging her voice.

“Proud of you. You can kick my ass any day.”

I felt her laugh more than I heard it as she pulled back. “Thank you.”

The genuine emotion in Ellie’s voice, in her eyes, nearly brought me to my knees. “Blaze?—”

---