The Millionaire Claims His Wife Read Free Page B

that!”
    â€œStop calling you what?”
    â€œYou know what,” Annie said furiously. “And stop lying. I’ve never been drunk in my life.”
    Chase’s lips curved up in a slow, wicked smile. “Sweetheart, come on. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the night we met.”
    â€œI’m warning you, Chase!”
    â€œThere I was, a college freshman, minding my own business and dancing with my girlfriend at her high school’s Valentine Day dance—”
    â€œYou were never innocent,” Annie snapped.
    Chase grinned. “You should know, babe. Anyway, there I was, doing the Mashed Potato, when I spied our Annie, tottering out the door, clutching her middle and looking as if she’d just eaten a bushel of green apples.”
    Annie swung toward Milton Hoffman. “It wasn’t like that at all. My date had spiked my punch. How was I to know—”
    A drumroll and a clash of cymbals drowned out her voice.
    â€œ...and now,” an oily, amplified voice boomed, “Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Babbitt will take their very first dance as husband and wife.”
    People began to applaud as Nick took Dawn in his arms. They moved onto the dance floor, gazing soulfully into each other’s eyes.
    Annie gave Milton a beseeching look.
    â€œMilton,” she said, “listen—”
    â€œIt’s all right,” he said quickly. “Today’s a family day, Anne. I understand.” He started to reach for her hand, caught himself, and drew back. “I’ll call you tomorrow. It was...interesting to have met you, Mr. Cooper.”
    Chase smiled politely. “Call me Chase, please. There’s no need to be so formal, considering all we have in common.”
    Annie didn’t know which she wanted to do more, punch Chase for his insufferable behavior or punch Milton Hoffman for being so easily scared off. It took only a second to decide that Chase was the more deserving target She glared at him as Hoffman scuttled back to his seat.
    â€œYou are lower than a snake’s belly,” she said.
    Chase sighed. “Annie, listen—”
    â€œNo. No, you listen.” She pointed a trembling finger at him. “I know what you’re trying to do.”
    Did she? Chase shook his head. Then, she knew more than he did. There wasn’t a reason in the world he’d acted like such a jerk just now. So what if Annie was having a thing with some guy? So what if the guy looked as if he might faint at the sight of a mouse? So what if he’d had a sudden, blazing vision of Annie in bed with the son of a bitch?
    She could do what she wanted, with whom she wanted. It sure as hell didn’t matter to him.
    â€œAre you listening to me?” she said.
    Chase looked at Annie. Her face was still shot with color. It arced across her cheekbones and over the bridge of her nose, where a scattering of tiny freckles lay like sprinkles of gold. He remembered how he used to kiss those warm, golden spots after they’d made love.
    â€œI know what you’re up to, Chase. You’re trying to ruin Dawn’s wedding because I didn’t do it the way you wanted.”
    Chase’s eyebrows leaped into his hairline. “Are you nuts?”
    â€œOh, come off it!” Annie’s voice quavered with anger. “You wanted a big wedding in a big church, so you could invite all your fancy friends.”
    â€œYou are nuts! I never—”
    â€œKeep your voice down!”
    â€œI am keeping it down. You’re the one who’s—”
    â€œLet me tell you something, Chase Cooper. This wedding is exactly the kind Dawn wanted.”
    â€œAnd a damn good thing, too. If it had been up to you, our daughter might have ended up getting married on a hillside in her bare feet—”
    â€œOh, and what that would have done to Mr. Chase Cooper’s image!”
    â€œâ€”while some idiot played a satyr in the