some guy at a piano, playing a three-handed version of âThe Man That Got Away.ââ Chase lifted his arms to the sky, then dropped them to his sides. âWhat was wrong with her hearing the day her old man tried to give her some advice?â
âIt was advice Iâd tried to give her, too,â Annie said coldly. âI keep telling you that.â
âWhat was the use of my talking,â Chase said, ignoring her, âif she wasnât listening? She did what she wanted and now she thinks she can lay it off on our divorce?â Chaseâs mouth thinned. âI donât think so.â
âSheâs not trying to lay anything off. Sheâs upset.â
âSheâs upset? What about everybody else? Does she think weâre busy yakking it up and having an all-around good time?â Chaseâs face darkened. âDo you know what it was like, having Nick turn up at the door to tell me Dawn had run off and he couldnât find her? Do you have any idea at all of what that kid and I went through?â
âYelling wonât help, Chase.â
âNeither will playing the patsy.â Chase rammed his fist against the wall. âIf only youâd put your foot down sooner.â
âDammit,â Annie said fiercely, âI did!â
âI donât know what you did. I wasnât here for the past five years, remember?â
âAnd whose fault was that?â
Chase and Annie glared at each other, and then Annie blew out her breath.
âThis is pointless. Thereâs no sense bringing up the past. Dawn needs our help. We canât let her walk away from Nick and her marriage for the wrong reasons.â
âI agree. Damn, if only sheâd made do with simply moving in with Nick. Whyâd she have to rush into marriage?â
âA little while ago, you were furious because she had moved in with him!â
âDidnât you teach her any self-control? If she hadnât let her hormones get the best of herââ
âHow dare you? How dare you talk about self-control? If youâd had any self-control at all, we might still be married!â
âIâm tired of defending myself against that old charge, Annie. Besides, if you hadnât treated me as if I had leprosyââ
âThatâs right. Blame it on me.â
âI donât see anybody else in this room to blame it on.â
âI hate you, Chase Cooper! I hate you, do you hear? And I regret every time I ever let you touch me!â
âLiar!â
âLiar, am I?â
Chase reached out, caught Annieâs shoulders and yanked her to him. âYou were like warm butter, in my arms, right from the beginning.â
âOnly because I was so innocent!â Annie set her teeth and tried to twist free. âI was a baby when we met. Or have you forgotten that?â
âYou were the hottest baby Iâd ever seen. The first time I kissed you, you were like fireworks going up. All I could think of was having you to myself, for the rest of my life.â
âExcept when you found out there was more to life than bed.â
âOh, yeah,â he said, his lips pulling back from his teeth, âyeah, you sure taught me that lesson. âNot now, Chase. Iâm not in the mood, Chase.ââ
âAnd whose fault was that, do you think?â
âYou didnât see me rolling over and turning my back to you, did you, babe?â
âDonât âbabeâ me,â Annie said furiously. âAnd if I rolled away from you, it was for a dam good reason. I didnât feel anything anymore. Did you expect me to pretend?â
âIs that what you do when youâre with Hoffman? Do you pretend he turns you on?â
Annieâs hand shot through the air, but Chase caught her wrist before she could connect with his jaw.
âYou know damn well you didnât have to pretend when I made love to you,â he
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