The Millionaire Claims His Wife by Sandra Marton Page A

some guy at a piano, playing a three-handed version of ‘The Man That Got Away.’” Chase lifted his arms to the sky, then dropped them to his sides. “What was wrong with her hearing the day her old man tried to give her some advice?”
    â€œIt was advice I’d tried to give her, too,” Annie said coldly. “I keep telling you that.”
    â€œWhat was the use of my talking,” Chase said, ignoring her, “if she wasn’t listening? She did what she wanted and now she thinks she can lay it off on our divorce?” Chase’s mouth thinned. “I don’t think so.”
    â€œShe’s not trying to lay anything off. She’s upset.”
    â€œShe’s upset? What about everybody else? Does she think we’re busy yakking it up and having an all-around good time?” Chase’s face darkened. “Do you know what it was like, having Nick turn up at the door to tell me Dawn had run off and he couldn’t find her? Do you have any idea at all of what that kid and I went through?”
    â€œYelling won’t help, Chase.”
    â€œNeither will playing the patsy.” Chase rammed his fist against the wall. “If only you’d put your foot down sooner.”
    â€œDammit,” Annie said fiercely, “I did!”
    â€œI don’t know what you did. I wasn’t here for the past five years, remember?”
    â€œAnd whose fault was that?”
    Chase and Annie glared at each other, and then Annie blew out her breath.
    â€œThis is pointless. There’s no sense bringing up the past. Dawn needs our help. We can’t let her walk away from Nick and her marriage for the wrong reasons.”
    â€œI agree. Damn, if only she’d made do with simply moving in with Nick. Why’d she have to rush into marriage?”
    â€œA little while ago, you were furious because she had moved in with him!”
    â€œDidn’t you teach her any self-control? If she hadn’t let her hormones get the best of her—”
    â€œHow dare you? How dare you talk about self-control? If you’d had any self-control at all, we might still be married!”
    â€œI’m tired of defending myself against that old charge, Annie. Besides, if you hadn’t treated me as if I had leprosy—”
    â€œThat’s right. Blame it on me.”
    â€œI don’t see anybody else in this room to blame it on.”
    â€œI hate you, Chase Cooper! I hate you, do you hear? And I regret every time I ever let you touch me!”
    â€œLiar!”
    â€œLiar, am I?”
    Chase reached out, caught Annie’s shoulders and yanked her to him. “You were like warm butter, in my arms, right from the beginning.”
    â€œOnly because I was so innocent!” Annie set her teeth and tried to twist free. “I was a baby when we met. Or have you forgotten that?”
    â€œYou were the hottest baby I’d 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€œExcept when you found out there was more to life than bed.”
    â€œOh, yeah,” he said, his lips pulling back from his teeth, “yeah, you sure taught me that lesson. ‘Not now, Chase. I’m not in the mood, Chase.”’
    â€œAnd whose fault was that, do you think?”
    â€œYou didn’t see me rolling over and turning my back to you, did you, babe?”
    â€œDon’t ‘babe’ me,” Annie said furiously. “And if I rolled away from you, it was for a dam good reason. I didn’t feel anything anymore. Did you expect me to pretend?”
    â€œIs that what you do when you’re with Hoffman? Do you pretend he turns you on?”
    Annie’s hand shot through the air, but Chase caught her wrist before she could connect with his jaw.
    â€œYou know damn well you didn’t have to pretend when I made love to you,” he