Midday?
I had been in there all night and morning?
I blinked against the glaring brightness as the sun blinded me and bumped into what felt like a statue.
“Whoa, steady there, birdie.”
The voice—so deep, so manly—grated on my nerves and made my blood freeze in my veins.
It couldn’t be because it was impossible. And yet—
I lifted a hand to shield my eyes from the relentless sun and looked all the way up into gray blue eyes that seemed to shine just as brightly as the sun.
Chase.
Mr. Fucking Liar.
Earth swallow me up whole!
I was so shocked I took a few steps back, then turned.
“What are you doing?” his voice, deep and dark, bellowed behind me.
“I’m going back.”
“Fuck, Laurie. No, you won’t.” His hand clutched my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.
My hands balled to fists, and for a moment my anger rendered me speechless, though I wasn’t sure whether to be angry with myself for calling Jude, with Jude for possibly calling Chase, or with Chase for not realizing that he was the last person on Earth I wanted to see.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I finally managed through cringed teeth.
“No need to thank me for bailing your ass out of prison.” The corners of his mouth curled into an arrogant smirk. I didn’t know whether to kiss him or slap that arrogance right out of him.
“Damn right, I won’t thank you. In fact, I’d rather go back than see you.” I turned my back to him, ready to ascend the stairs and disappear back inside. Countless excuses were already running through my head as how to best to persuade the police officer to let me back in.
Maybe:
“Remember the guy who bailed me out? I have absolutely no idea who that is.”
Or:
“I’m too beat to go back to the hotel. Do you mind if I wait inside so I can think hard about all the things I did do wrong because, in all honesty, I still don’t know?”
Actually, maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. My cell buddy, who I knew for sure was addicted to crack, had managed to smuggle drugs in, and asked me if I wanted to help share them around. She had been quite pushy about it, as if the dirty little packets were no more than herbal tea.
If I were to choose between dealing with her and Chase, which one should I take?
Obviously not Mr. Hot Pants.
I dashed up the stairs and had almost reached the door, when Chase’s hand pressed down on my shoulder again. “Whoa, Laurie. You think that’s a good idea? They really want to charge you.”
I stopped and exhaled a slow breath. “With what?”
“Exposing yourself in a public place, working as a prostitute, trying to solicit a client.”
I rolled my eyes. “Obviously, all not true.”
“I believe you, but tell that to them.” Chase let out a laugh.
Was that the slightest hint of glee I detected?
Oh, my god.
He was laughing at me.
I turned to face him, my face a mask of fury and burning anger. “Who the fuck do you think you are turning up here like this, anyway?”
He didn’t even flinch at my icy tone. “I’m your husband, obviously. And as such, it’s my duty to make sure you don’t spend the next five years in prison for ‘soliciting clients’, which I know you’re not guilty of, otherwise I would have reconsidered my decision.” He leaned forward. At first, I thought he was about to kiss me, but instead he whispered in my ear, “What did you do? Smash someone’s car to get a cop pissed at you?”
I scowled at him. “I did nothing.”
He stood back, eyeing me in puzzlement. “Are you sure about that? You can be quite hot-headed?”
“I’m so not—” I stopped at his smug expression and shook my head. Maybe I was a bit hot-headed. So what? “You don’t believe me?” I said instead.
He let out another chortle. “At this point I would believe anything, just not that you were soliciting.” He tugged at a stray strand of my hair.
I flinched. “Don’t touch me.”
“You had something stuck in there,” Chase said coolly and held up something pink, then dropped it to our feet. “I believe it was chewing gum. I don’t need to impose myself on a woman.”
Of course not.
Because no woman in her right mind would decline someone as hot as Chase.
And I was the lucky one to marry him.
Too bad he was a lying bastard.
“Oh.” I glared at him. My gaze met his stunning blue gray eyes and my breathing stopped for a few seconds.
Wow.
In the sunlight, his magnetic eyes were even more gorgeous than I remembered.
The last few hours I had tried to make myself believe that it was impossible for someone to be so beautiful. That it was all in my mind because I was so damn attracted to him. That time would open my eyes and help me see him for what he really looked like.
But now?
In real life, he was the most beautiful man I had ever met.
He was also the most wicked—able to transfix people with a mere glance. I wouldn’t have been surprised to find out that he had hit on someone to get me out.
“It’s great to see you again, Laurie,” Chase said nonchalantly, oblivious to my glare.
“How did you convince them to release me?” I asked. “It couldn’t have been easy.”
He cocked his head, the corner of his lips curling upwards. “I have my resources. And as it happens, I’m also a good actor.”
I snorted. “Yeah, more like an amateur. You’re not a professional.”
“So, Jude told you.” He nodded, like Jude’s revelation was no big deal.
I smiled coldly. “She told me everything.”
“That’s impossible. She doesn’t know anything about me.”
“Like what?” I crossed my arms over my chest and peered into his eyes, challenging him.
“Like that I’m happy to see you again.” His gaze brushed the front of my dirty black dress. “How’s your vacation been so far?”
I scowled.
He was making fun of me because he knew it’d get to me.
“Why are you here?” I asked, ignoring his attempt at rattling at my self-control.
His brows shot up. “To save you, obviously.”
“I didn’t need saving.”
“It didn’t look that way to me,” Chase said gently.
I stared at him as I tried to read his caged expression. His words carried a deeper layer to them. I turned around to watch the people walking past, some casting us interested glances.
“All right, you win.” I turned back to him and heaved an exasperated sigh. “I’m going back to the hotel, but if you think I’ll say thank you, you’re wrong. I have no intention of returning home, and particularly not with you. Thank you is about the last thing you’ll ever hear from me. I’m going home.”
I tried to wriggle my way past him to call a taxi, but he blocked my way—all hard body and stony expression.
“You can’t go home just yet.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Why not? Because you don’t want me to?”
“Look—” He took a sharp breath and exhaled it slowly, as he prepared his words. “You’ll have to stay for one week in case they want to investigate.”
Stay in Acapulco for a week?
After last night’s incident, I’d fly home and forget all about it or lock myself in my room out of fear of making another mistake.
“I’m also forced to stay,” Chase added quickly. “So, it seems we’re both stuck here.”
“Poor you.”
“I’d say lucky me. I always wanted to see Mexico, and now it looks like we’ll have a honeymoon, just like every other married couple.”
I scowled at his words.
Married couple.
“Married couple, my ass,” I mumbled. “I didn’t need saving, Chase. You shouldn’t have come.”
“I didn’t do it for you. I did it for us,” Chase said slowly, and I rolled my eyes. “I’m your husband. Even if we’re only married on paper and you hate me, it doesn’t change that little fact.”
I gave a snort. “I don’t hate you. I don’t care for you. That’s all.”
“I doubt it.” He smiled. “When you were in my bed, you liked me…a lot.”
I snorted. “That was back then. Things have changed in case you haven’t noticed. I’m different now.”
“No, you’re not, Laurie.”
I glared at him, hating the fact that he was right. “You wasted your time coming here. Maybe I did all that and more.”
“What?”
“All the things I was accused of,” I said.
A dangerous glint appeared in his eyes. “You fucked someone?”
I shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe I was on a way to a hot date.”
“You wouldn’t have done that.” His mouth tightened. “We have an agreement.”
“An agreement which isn’t worth shit because you lied about your name.” I smiled triumphantly. “For all I know we might not even be married. I mean if Chase isn’t your name, then I can annul the contract, right?”
“I dare you to do that and see how far that gets you,” he said coldly.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That you’re wrong.”
I raised my chin defiantly. I was wrong pretty often, but I didn’t need to hear if from someone as arrogant as Chase. “Wrong about what? That you’re a liar and an asshole? I think I have you figured out.”