by Hart, Taylor
She nodded. “As amazing as The Bullet is, I would soon be out of supplies—water, food.”
Giorgia entered from the kitchen area. “Mr.—”
He held up his hands. “No last names please, Giorgia. Let me introduce Grace. She will be staying with us, and I will just be Chad for the rest of the trip.”
“Nice to meet you. She is beautiful, no?” Giorgia came forward and kissed Grace’s cheeks.
“She is beautiful.” He nodded. “She’ll be in the back rooms. I’ll take my normal set. The guys aren’t coming—the roads are closed. So just dinner for two.”
Giorgia wiped her hands on the front of her apron. “And some hot chocolate. I’ve already made it.”
He looked to Grace, who nodded and said, “That would be lovely, thank you.”
She carried herself well and didn’t seem at all uncomfortable with the staff.
Giorgia brought out the hot chocolate and a plate full of Danishes, and winked as she returned to the kitchen.
Grace pulled out her laptop, and Chad breathed out in relief. “I have to get some work done. Maybe I could join you on the couch with this remarkable view?”
Her welcoming smile warmed him anew. Then she looked back at her screen, and her face took on the look of concentration that had attracted him at first. Her eyes widened as though the words on the page were fascinating even to her. Her lips were fuller, almost like a pout, but formed in concentration. And he could tell the world around her quieted. Then her laptop dinged, and a flood of notifications made the repetitive sound almost amusing, except that her face drained of color as she reached up to mute the computer.
“Everything alright?” He watched her, concerned.
Her expression did not clear, but she said, “Looks like I might need to respond to some of these.” Her sigh was the kind that tried to expel all her worries but didn’t quite manage to relieve the tension.
He pulled up his computer, and the same flood of notifications hit him. His nervous laugh sounded uncomfortable even to his ears. “Looks like I have some things to address as well. Maybe they’re just concerned with the storm.”
He opened the email from his dad first. After skimming it through, an uncomfortable feeling twisted in his stomach. Now that the story had leaked, Brilee’s father was even more insistent that Chad at least appear with her in public, take her on dates, and give the impression that they were going to give it a try. His father reminded him how important this merger would be for both companies and for his own future.
He scrolled through the rest of his correspondence, laughing a bit at his friends’ texts, They all assumed he’d found a local hottie, since he hadn’t responded to them. Apparently they were all down in Reno and making the best of it until the roads cleared.
After thirty minutes of dealing with work and real-world correspondence, he began to doubt the wisdom of starting up a new thing with Grace. The more he thought about it, the more he realized a new relationship with anyone was impossible, unless her name was Brilee.
He opened his mouth to start a conversation when she said, “Oh, Chad. What are we doing?”
He scooted closer, resting his laptop beside him on the couch. “I was about to say the same thing. The real world getting in the way of our fantasy?”
She nodded. “There’s so much.”
“Say no more. The same thing just happened to me.”
“It did?”
He took her hand. “Yes. So things are complicated for both of us. We know that, at least right now in our lives, this can’t really progress, right?”
Her hand squeezed tighter in his. “Right.”
“Then we’re okay. We enjoy the chalet, Giorgia’s cooking, the skiing, and then when the roads open, we go back to our normal lives, grateful we had this time together.”
She swallowed. “It’s a plan.”
But even as the words left his lips, he knew he was setting himself up for a great disappointment at the end of it all. The more time he spent with Grace, the more time he wanted to spend with her. Even though he didn’t know much about her, he liked her. The person she was at rest, the woman he saw—what she allowed him to see—intrigued him, and he couldn’t imagine a time when he wouldn’t want more.
Grace and Chad were the first two on the lift the next morning. She swung her skis back and forth as they rode to the very top of the mountain. The world looked vibrant white through her goggles. She had to hand it to Chad, he had come up with the best equipment for her to use. “Thanks for this,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll be cozy warm all day.”
Chad took off his glove, reached over and tapped his finger on her nose. “It suits you.” Then he leaned back in the chair and watched the large snowflakes fall on his mask. He opened his mouth and caught one of them on the tip of his tongue. “So tell me about this book you’re writing.”
She bit her lower lip, unsure how to respond. How much should she share? Surely he had heard her story, Brilee’s story. Unless he avoided all news outlets, which she doubted.
“I had an interesting experience this past summer working with a prominent senator on the Hill. We drafted a bill that would have safeguarded some really important women’s rights.” She cleared her throat, suddenly filled with emotion. “Not to mention, it would have protected a large group of children.” She turned away, her throat too constricted to allow speech.
“Would have?” His interested and concerned eyes encouraged her to share more.
“Yeah, well, I learned really quickly who makes the rules and who really writes the laws.”
Chad shifted in his seat. “What happened?”
She shook her head, grateful the googles hid her tears. “You’ll have to read the book. But I don’t think I’ll ever try to work on the Hill again.” Her tone didn’t sound as light as she had intended.
“It could still happen,” Chad said. “Sometimes these things take ten years or more. I’m impressed you tried.”
The lift reached the top, and she raised the tips of her skis as she stood and exited the lift. They skidded to a stop at the top of a ridge. Steep moguls speckled the hillside in front of her. A surge of adrenaline raced through her.
“Race you to the bottom!”
She dug in her poles and jumped out over the ridge, landing at the top of the first mogul. She pushed her skies through the powder, willing herself to go faster, willing the world to speed away, to leave all her hurt from this past summer behind. She hit each bump as though it was barely there.
“Wow!” Chad whooped. His laughter carried over as she bounced down the rest of the run and raced across a steep, smooth stretch. Ten minutes later, they reached the lift line together, totally out of breath.
“That was incredible!” Chad leaned into her, the pressure from his shoulder sending comfort through her, and helping to heal a part of her heart that no amount of racing through the snow ever could. “You’re amazing.”
“It feels so good to be out on the mountain again. I forgot how much I love this.” She pushed the goggles up onto her forehead. “Thank you. For all of it. I’m really glad I met you.” Even if this were it, just this one weekend, she believed what she said. She was glad she’d met Chad.
“I would never admit this to the guys, but after watching you shred a black diamond run full of moguls, I’m happy they’re stuck down there in Reno.” The pink of his cheeks and shy dip of his chin was so adorable she almost kissed him right then. Chad shifted the snow from his skis. “The snow’s a bit heavier than I thought it would be. But there’s nothing like being the first to carve down a mountain.”
They skied for three more hours, and when they stopped for lunch, she sipped her hot chocolate and asked, “So what makes you tick, Chad?”
“I don’t know. Talking to you makes me question all of my worldly motivations. But really, my whole life I’ve just wanted to expand what my dad started, be successful in my own right, and use the extra to do some good in the world.”
&nbs
p; If only the wealthy set she’d known her whole life had similar motivations. “That’s refreshing. I feel like everyone else I know is just trying to get ahead, no matter who they hurt in the process.”
She leaned forward with her hands on the table. “It’s all the wealth. It corrupts people, I’m sure of it. I don’t dare share some of what I saw going down during my time in Washington. Competing special interests groups, all of it. Makes me ill. If I never see another wealthy person, I’ll die a happy woman.”
Chad cleared his throat. His messy curls hung over his forehead, his cheeks red from exertion, eyes bright but concerned. “They can’t all be that bad, don’t you think?”
“They don’t know how they come across. They can’t even see it. Have you ever tried to tell a truly wealthy person no? Or tried to get them to do something just for the sake of doing something good? No productivity measures and no tax breaks.” She shook her head. She knew she was coming across as jaded, but she was good and tired of it. He couldn’t possibly understand. She stood, pulling her goggles back down. “You ready?”
They skied the mountain until the resort closed for the night, snow falling the whole time. On their last run, they skidded to a stop outside the basement door of the chalet. The ski staff gathered their equipment and took their wet things.
They stepped into the chalet in their wool socks, and Chad hobbled up the stairs. “I don’t know if my body will ever be the same. You have amazing endurance.” The condo smelled of hot chicken soup. “Bless Giorgia, she’s a saint.” After they’d eaten their fill and cleaned up, Grace felt her eyelids close.
“Come here, you.” Chad sat on the couch and indicated for her to sit on the floor in front of him. “I’ll work out the knots.”
She moaned with happy anticipation. “Really? Oh, yes, please. Then I’ll do you.”
He laughed. “If you make it that far. I’ve been known to put women to sleep I’m so good.”
She couldn’t help it. “You’re that good, huh? Do they fall asleep right away or…” She turned to him, her eyebrow raised.
He let his mouth fall open and raised both eyebrows. “Is this that kind of night? Cause if we’re talking about keeping women awake, I can switch gears.” He ran his hand down her arms and back up, his fingers lightly tickling her skin and leaving a path of happy shivers.
“Stop, that’s too fun.”
His eyes widened, and he tipped his head in question. Then he trailed his fingers lightly over her skin, down her arms and ran his index finger lightly across her collarbone.
Everywhere he touched lit with yearning for more. But she wasn’t sure she wanted to go down that road. “Let’s start with the knots.” She let her lower lip extend, just a touch. “Please?” She batted her eyelashes at him.
“Oh, boy. Turn around.”
She could feel his eyes roll but soon forgot as his fingers gently and insistently pushed through her upper back, her shoulders, and her arms. All the spots that were sure to be sore tomorrow received thorough attention, and she could hardly speak with how good it felt.
“I couldn’t help but notice your tears up there. What really went down when you were in Washington?”
For a second, she said nothing, but his hands lulled her into a half awake, luxurious, safe zone, and so she spilled it all. “I just really thought we could make a difference. Dad’s been donating to Senator Hall’s campaign for years. People always talk about how long change really takes, but I thought I’d be different. And then, one night, we were alone in the elevator. I don’t even want to talk about that.”
His hands stalled. “You sure? Did anything go down?”
“No, nothing physical. But I understood things might go smoother with the bill if physical interaction were a part of our relationship. I might even get to meet the president.”
His silence was so solid and thick she was almost afraid to turn and see his face. When she did, his steely hard expression thrilled her at the same time it concerned her.
“It happens, I guess. I’m not the first.”
His mouth was tight. “Doesn’t make it right.”
For the hundredth time that day, she wanted to kiss those lips. His reactions were everything she was looking for in a man but thought she’d never find. “True. So I left. In the middle of everything, I left the internship, left a pile of work on my desk unfinished. And a letter.”
“Letter?”
“Yes. Sitting on his desk, with a clear message that I better see some action or I’d share my story.”
“Ha!” He patted her shoulders. “Attagirl.” He leaned back away, so she moved to sit next to him on the couch. He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “And what’s happened since?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I went off the grid. No phone, no press. Except I think my parents publicly disowned me. I’m sure pressure from the senator had something to do with that.” She huffed.
“How could they do that?”
“They don’t know what happened.”
“You didn’t tell them? Have you told anyone?”
“Nope. Just you. I guess you’re the lucky one.”
He stared at her for a moment then reached for her hand. “You sure nothing else happened with this guy? Just a verbal proposition?”
She nodded. “That’s what happened.”
“So, what’s your book about?”
“Not that. Just the work I wanted to do, my experiences with my family, and my decision to walk away from it all, go off the grid.” She ran a hand over her hair, smoothing out the loose tendrils. “Of course, my parents want me to come back for their stuff—dinners and things, ugh. Otherwise, I’m disowned.”
His eyes lit with some kind of realization, but all he said was, “You have to finish this book.”
The strength of his confidence in her, his belief of all she said, warmed her more than anything else could. “Do you think people will want to read my story?”
“Absolutely. I’m just guessing at a lot of it, but it could be picked up all over the place.” His face had a new expression, sort of pained, and she wondered what he wasn’t saying. He sat forward, bouncing energy off of his toes. “How long do you need? To finish?”
“I’m almost finished with the rough draft. If I had a solid two weeks, I could get it to the point where I could send it to my friend in publishing to see what she thinks.”
“Okay, done. Stay here in the chalet.”
“What? How long did you rent this place?”
“Oh, um, we have it as long as you need. The guys and I were going to be up here for a month at least.”
“In between jobs?”
“Something like that.” He shifted then turned to her. “I mean it. Stay here, finish. I have to get back, and I’d be distracting you anyway, but I’ll return when you’re done. And I’d like to take you to dinner to celebrate.”
“You’re leaving?” Her voice sounded way more desperate than she wanted.
“I…I am. Tomorrow. I just found out a couple things I need to address back home, but I’ll be back for you.” He wiggled his eyebrows in a ridiculous manner. “And dinner.”
She couldn’t help the huge rush of disappointment that flooded her. Chad pulled her close. “You have made me feel things, taught me things, and changed me more than any other woman I’ve met. I don’t even know you, except I feel I do.”
“We started a good thing here. You sure you have to go? I could put off my book for a couple weeks…”
“No, finish.”
His abrupt answer startled her, but his face was full of smiles, so she nodded, grateful he cared so much about her project. “Thank you. Bear and I will be much more comfortable here.” She sat up. “But no knocking The Bullet. That thing is magical.”
He held up his hands. “No one’s knocking The Bullet. It saved me from near death by freezing.”
She laughed, and then he pulled her back up against him. “We could watch a movie.”
Her shoulders wiggled back, nuzzling against him. “Sounds perfect, as long as I can stay right here.”
His hand found the remote and clicked on The Godfather.
“What is this?”
“Chick flicks for the first date. The Godfather for the second.”
“Is that your method or something?”
“Worked so far.”
“Oh yeah? And how many women have fallen for your charms?”
“Jury’s still out.”
“How many have you tried it on?”
“Just one.”
She turned to him and sat up higher so their faces were inches apart.
“How am I doing?” He swallowed. “Are you falling for my charms?”
She searched his face, taking her time. “Jury’s still out.”
“What more do you need to know to finish your deliberations?”
“Just one more thing.” She pulled herself over so she leaned across him and brushed her lips across his. “Mmm. I think I might be falling.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “I’m gone already. You’re killing me, woman.” His lips hovered above hers for another two seconds. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”
Then his mouth covered hers, and a sense of security and completion filled her. She responded slowly, fully savoring his taste, his smell of spice and vanilla. She pulled on his lips with her own, pressing and responding to his insistence, washed away in the sense of rightness between them. Whatever came of the next few weeks, wherever her book took her, whatever life brought with her family, she wanted Chad to be a part of it.
Chad headed home on his helicopter, but Grace didn’t know he’d taken it. She didn’t know who he was, and didn’t know he was one of the wealthy she had defamed so completely.
But he knew who she was. Brilee Townsend. The very person his parents had wanted him to meet, from one of the wealthiest families in the world. He shook his head in wonder, not for the first time, as he thought about how that had worked out. And he didn’t know what to do about it now that he knew.
