Free Going to the Chapel by Debra Webb

reluctant
to go. Chase knew before the woman turned around that it was
Caroline. The sleek curves outlined by the slinky red dress, the
long, long legs, the raven colored mane; he would know her
anywhere.
    A red mist swam before
Chase’s eyes. He blinked. Told himself that it was the dress, but
that was a lie. He had the sudden, almost overwhelming urge to
break something. Specifically the neck of the guy who’d kissed
Caroline. He watched, his anger growing, as she settled into a
chair and crossed those unbelievably long legs. Another guy stopped
by the table. Caroline shook her head in answer to whatever he
said.
    Chase slowly closed the
distance that lay between them. When she looked up and smiled, then
frowned when she recognized him, he came unglued.
    “ What the hell are you
doing here?”
    He wanted to snatch the
words back as soon as they were out of his mouth. But he was so mad
he couldn’t think straight. And he’d said just exactly what he
didn’t want to say in a way he hadn’t meant to say it.
    “ What did you say?”
Caroline looked at him as if he’d spoken in a foreign
language.
    He had to think of an
excuse...fast. “Henri was worried,” he said in a rush. “She
expected you home hours ago. She’s not as young as she used to be.
She doesn’t need to be up half the night worrying.”
    Caroline looked aghast. “I
called Henri. I told her I didn’t know when I’d be in. She told me to have a good
time, and that she’d leave the back door unlocked.”
    “ Sit down, Sheriff,” Julie
piped up. “Have a beer on us. We’re celebrating the scum of the
earth— men .”
    Chase wondered briefly how
many times they’d toasted the subject already. From Julie’s
slightly slurred speech, he’d bet several.
    “ Come on, Sheriff,” Sherry
added. “Caroline can’t go home now.”
    “ Are you checking up on
me?”
    He wanted to say no.
Dammit. He wished he hadn’t come. But it was too late
now.
    “ It’s late. We don’t
usually keep the door unlocked at this hour. I figured I’d better
come let you know.” Good one. Chase gave himself a mental pat on
the back.
    Julie threw up her hands to
garner everyone’s attention. “She could always come home with me.
Lord knows I’ll be sleeping alone tonight.” She hiccupped, then
giggled. “Lord knows I’ve slept alone every night.”
    It was Chase’s turn to
frown. “You’re not driving, are you, Julie?”
    “ Don’t worry, lawman,”
Sherry interjected. “I’m taking the bride home.” She patted her
ripe belly. “No drinking allowed while under
construction.”
    Caroline, her face
impassive, stood. She smiled, but it was brittle to say the least.
“Good night, girls. I had a blast. We’ll have to do it again before
I leave.”
    Julie smiled, a lopsided
gesture that spoke of one too many cold ones. “How about tomorrow
night?”
    Sherry waved them off. “Run
along, I’ll take care of Julie.”
    “ I’ll drive,” Chase
advised. “We can get the truck in the morning.”
    Caroline marched through
the crowd without a backward glance. Chase had a feeling that she
was the furious one now. She ignored the flirtatious remarks tossed
at her. He glared at the guys who did the pitching. Though he
couldn’t imagine how with those heels and that short dress, she’d
climbed into the passenger side of the Jeep before he could round
the hood.
    She didn’t utter a single
syllable the entire trip home. He grew more confused and irritated.
He wanted to shake her. To yell at her. But he had no right. He
shouldn’t even be feeling this way. It was just plain dumb. He
parked and skirted the hood only to find her already out and
smoothing the too short dress. She flipped her long, silky hair
over her shoulders and shot him a drop-dead look. The porch light
highlighted her murderous expression.
    “ If you ever humiliate me
like that again, Chase Garrett, I will do…something.”
    Her fury shouldn’t have
given him glee. But it did. He took a