No Strings... by Janelle Denison Page B

never, ever, wanted to be blindsided like that again.
    So yeah, he understood that kind of deception, and was surprised that he and Chloe shared a very similar past. The revelation was unexpected, and made him feel a strange, emotional bond with her.
    The waiter came by with their dinner salads, and once he was gone Aiden returned to their conversation. “How did he change?” he asked gently.
    “At first, it was all very subtle and I didn’t even realize what he was doing,” she said as she pushed her lettuce leaves around on her plate before taking a small bite. “But little by little, he started controlling every aspect of my life. Since we were engaged, it seemed logical to me that we open joint checking and savings accounts together. He monitored everything, which I didn’t have a problem with until he started criticizing me for spending even a penny more over his budget, even if it was basic necessities that I needed. Yet he never had to account for anything. He obsessively checked my texts and emails, and accused me of sneaking around on him when he had no evidence. He caused problems at the ad agency where I was working, and alienated all my friends so I had no one left but him.”
    The pain in Chloe’s gaze spoke volumes. “Neil also developed an explosive temper I’d never seen before. He was so certain I was having an affair with one of the guys at the office, that one night when I stayed late with Simon to finish up a campaign for the next day, Neil came to the office and physically assaulted the poor guy in front of my coworkers. A few days later, I was conveniently laid off.”
    Her mouth flattened into a thin, bitter line. “In short, he turned into an asshole. And I was so gullible and stupid I didn’t even see it coming until after he cost me my job at the agency.”
    Instinctively, Aiden reached out and placed his hand over hers, giving it a comforting squeeze. “That doesn’t make you stupid, Chloe. Just trusting.”
    “No, stupid, ” she reiterated adamantly. “My mother has a history of hooking up with these same types of men, the kind that charm their way in, then take over everything. I saw it growing up, over and over again, and I swore I’d never let any man have that much control over my life... It’s kind of ironic though, the first guy I get really serious about ends up being a jerk who could have been handpicked by my mother.”
    Finished with his salad, Aiden pushed his dish aside. “Where has your dad been in all this?”
    A hint of sadness passed over her features. “He died in a motorcycle accident before I was born. I never had the chance to know him.”
    “I’m sorry,” Aiden said, blown away by everything she’d just shared. “At least you found out about Neil’s tendencies before you married him.” Aiden hadn’t been that fortunate.
    She stared at him as the waiter cleared their salad plates and set down their dinner dishes. Her expression turned contemplating, and he knew she was analyzing him now that she’d just laid herself bare emotionally.
    “Why did you get divorced?” she asked as she picked up a piece of her salmon with her fork.
    He took a bite of his steak. His rib eye was just the way he liked it—seared on the outside and medium rare inside. While he appreciated that Chloe had played the game fairly and had answered her question honestly, he didn’t want to add his own depressing story about his marriage and divorce to tonight’s conversation. And luckily, he had a legitimate excuse not to.
    “I plead the fifth,” he said, and grinned at her. “The question about serious relationships was yours to answer, not mine.”
    She wrinkled her cute little nose at him. “You suck, Landry.”
    A teasing glimmer returned to her eyes and he chuckled. “Yeah, I do suck,” he said, purposely using the playful innuendo to lighten up their exchange. “Are you sure you want to have that discussion?”
    “I’m sure it would be a far more enjoyable