Free The Millionaire Claims His Wife by Sandra Marton Page A

Despite all his arguments, he knew his daughter was right. A frighteningly high percentage of marriages failed. And the breakup, when you’d loved someone as deeply as he’d once loved Annie, was the worst pain imaginable.
    But how could he let his daughter and her groom fail before they’d even tried? Nick had the right idea. He and Dawn had to get away from here. They had to be alone and unpressured. They had to go on their honeymoon, and Chase could think of only one way to make that happen.
    His daughter wanted a miracle? Okay. He’d give her one.
    â€œYes, you were right, about your mother and me.”
    â€œNo,” Annie said. “Chase, don’t!”
    â€œWe didn’t want to say anything until we were certain, because it isn’t certain yet, you understand, it’s far from certain, in fact, it’s very, very uncertain and altogether iffy—”
    â€œChase!” Annie cried, her voice high and panicked, but hell, he’d gone too far to stop now.
    So he ignored Annie, gave Dawn his most ingratiating smile and shot a quick prayer in the direction of the ceiling, just in case anybody who kept track of white lies was listening.
    â€œNo promises,” he said, “and absolutely no guarantees because, frankly, I don’t think the odds are too good but yeah, your mother and I have decided to at least talk about giving things between us a second chance.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    C HASE WATCHED as Annie paced the length of the living room.
    It was almost hypnotic. She went back and forth, back and forth, pausing before him each time just long enough to give him a look that had gone from anger to disbelief to a glare that would have brought joy to the heart of the Medusa.
    Aside from a quick burst of fury after Dawn and Nick had left, she had yet to say anything to him, but that was hardly reassuring. Another explosion was just a matter of time. Her white face, thinned mouth and determined pacing told him so. And he could hardly blame her.
    What in heaven’s name had impelled him to do such a stupid thing? To even suggest there was a possibility of reconciliation had been crazy. It was wrong. Hell, it was unfair. Dawn, falsely convinced she’d had her miracle, had gone off with hope in her heart...
    But at least she’d gone. That was what he’d wanted, after all, to give his daughter time to be alone with her husband, time to realize that the future of her marriage was not linked to the failure of his and Annie’s.
    Just because one generation screwed things up didn’t mean the next one would, too.
    Chase felt the weight lifting from his shoulders. What he’d done had been impetuous, perhaps even outrageous. But if it gave Dawn time to find her own way through the minefield of life and marriage, it was worth it. Who had he hurt, really? When the kids got back from their honeymoon—happy, he was certain, and concentrating on their future instead of his and Annie’s—he’d explain that he’d misled them, just a little bit.
    â€œAnd just how do you think she’s going to feel, when you tell her you lied?”
    Chase looked up. Annie had come to a stop in front of him. Her sweatshirt inexplicably but appropriately featured a picture of Sesame Street’s Oscar the Grouch. Her face was white, her eyes shiny and she was so angry she was trembling.
    Angry—and incredibly beautiful.
    A lifetime ago, she used to tremble that way when she lay in his arms. When he touched her. When he stroked her breasts, and her belly. When he moved between her silken thighs...
    â€œDo you hear me, Chase Cooper? How do you think our daughter will feel, when she finds out her miracle is a bucket of hogwash?”
    Chase frowned. “It isn’t as bad as that.”
    â€œYou’re right. It’s worse.”
    â€œLook, I was just trying to help her.”
    â€œHah!”
    â€œOkay, okay. Maybe I made a mistake,