The Millionaire Claims His Wife Read Free Page A

prissy tone?
    â€œOh, I can’t complain.” He forced another smile, and waited for Annie to pick up the ball. She didn’t, so he plunged into the conversational waters again. “Matter of fact, I don’t know if Dawn mentioned it, but we just landed a big contract.”
    â€œWe?” she said, in a tone that could have given chilblains to an Eskimo.
    â€œWell, Cooper Construction. We bid on this job in—”
    â€œHow nice,” she said, and turned away.
    Chase felt his blood pressure shoot off the scale. So much for his attempt at being polite. Annie was not just cutting him dead, she was icing the corpse, craning her neck, looking everywhere but at him.
    Suddenly a smile, a real one, curved across her mouth.
    â€œYoo hoo,” she called softly.
    Yoo hoo? Yoo hoo?
    â€œHi, there,” she mouthed, and waved, and damned if some Bozo the Clown at a nearby table didn’t wave back.
    â€œWho is that jerk?” Chase said before he could stop himself.
    Annie didn’t even look at him. She was too busy looking at the jerk, and smiling.
    â€œThat ‘jerk,’” she said, “is Milton Hoffman. He’s an English professor at the university.”
    Chase watched as the professor rose to his feet and threaded through the tables toward the dais. The guy was tall, and thin; he was wearing a shiny blue serge suit and he had on a bow tie. He looked more like a cadaver than a professor.
    He had a smile on his face, too, as he approached Annie, and it was the smile, more than anything, that suddenly put a red film over Chase’s eyes.
    â€œAnne,” Hoffman said. “Anne, my dear.” Annie held out her hand. Hoffman clasped it in a pasty, marshmallow paw and raised it to his lips. “It was a beautiful ceremony.”
    â€œThank you, Milton.”
    â€œThe flowers were perfect.”
    â€œThank you, Milton.”
    â€œThe music, the decorations...all wonderful.”
    â€œThank you, Milton.”
    â€œAnd you look exquisite.”
    â€œThank you, Milton,” Chase said.
    Annie and the Prof both swung their heads toward him. Chase smiled, showing all his teeth.
    â€œShe does, doesn’t she?” he said. “Look great, I mean.”
    Annie looked at him, her eyes flaming a warning, but Chase ignored it. He leaned toward her and hooked an arm around her shoulders.
    â€œLove that low-cut neckline, especially, babe, but then, you know how it is.” He shot Hoffman a leering grin. “Some guys are leg men, right, Milty? But me, I was always a—”
    â€œChase!” Color flew into Annie’s face. Hoffman’s eyes, dark and liquid behind horn-rimmed glasses, blinked once.
    â€œYou must be Anne’s husband.”
    â€œYou’re quick, Milty, I’ve got to give you that.”
    â€œHe is not my husband,” Annie said firmly, twisting out of Chase’s embrace. “He’s my ex-husband. My former husband. My once-upon-a-time-but-not-anymore husband, and frankly, if I never see him again, it’ll be too soon.” She gave Hoffman a melting smile. “I hope you’ve got your dancing shoes on, Milton, because I intend to dance the afternoon away.”
    Chase smiled. He could almost feel his canine teeth turning into fangs.
    â€œYou hear that, Milty?” he said pleasantly. He felt a rush of primal pleasure when he saw Hoffman’s face turn even paler than it already was.
    â€œChase,” Annie said, through her teeth; “stop it.”
    Chase leaned forward over the table. “She’s a wonderful dancer, our Annie. But if she’s had too much bubbly, you got to watch out. Right, babe?”
    Annie opened and shut her mouth as if she were a fish. “Chase,” she said, in a strangled whisper.
    â€œWhat’s the matter? Milt’s an old pal of yours, right? We wouldn’t want to keep any secrets from him, would we, babe?”
    â€œStop calling me