CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
BELLA
Accepting the trip, throwing what I could into my luggage, heading to the airport and flying halfway across the country with Cade was crazy. I barely had time to think, let alone send a text to Lilly, letting her know I’d be in Utah through the weekend.
But I was also having so much fun.
When was the last time I’d just let go? Gone on a vacation? Done whatever I wanted for a few days without worrying about how I’d pay upcoming bills? Sure, I’d been earning good money for the past few months. But I hadn’t felt free to enjoy it, as if I had to be hustling every second of the day.
It was like Cade gave me permission to just... have fun.
And now, here I stood in the private, closed off, VIP Alpine Outfitters dressing room in Park City, wearing black ski pants, a purple sweater, a black and gold jacket, a gold knit hat, and matching black boots.
Cade lounged on the couch across from the full-length mirror.
When I zipped up the jacket and turned around, he placed his phone on the sofa cushion.
“I like it. Do you?” he asked.
I stepped back on the platform and examined the waterproof pants and heavy coat. “It’s fantastic.”
“You look like a regular ski bunny.”
“I feel like one.”
I grasped the mass of tags hanging off the jacket sleeve.
The whole outfit cost more than a thousand dollars, and it wasn’t the only thing in the “yes” pile.
A hunter green mock turtleneck dress, suede car coat, leggings, and oversized Fair Isle sweater already hung on the wall-mounted bar next to the sofa.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked again.
“You can’t ski in your underwear.” Cade bit back a grin.
Staring right at him, I unzipped the coat. “Darn, I wish I could.”
“Me too, but you might get too cold.”
“And then I’d have to warm up in the hot tub.” I shrugged out of the coat, and it fell to my feet. “Speaking of which, I’m getting a little hot in here right now.”
I crossed my arms over my stomach, lifted the sweater, then dropped it next to the discarded coat.
With Cade’s gaze still on me, I walked from the platform to the sofa.
The attendant had left us alone a few minutes before, shutting a thick curtain on the opposite side of the room as she did.
When I reached Cade, I straddled his hips, the nylon of the pants squishing and cracking.
“I don’t know how I can repay you for the new wardrobe,” I said into his ear.
He cupped my hips with his hands, and a small tingle went through me. “You don’t have to do anything.”
“But I want to,” I said, then kissed his ear, his jawline, and finally his mouth.
We crashed together, and his hands roamed my body, exploring the curve of my hips, then my side, and finally my breasts. When he unhooked my bra, I broke our embrace and lifted my chin.
“Right here?” I asked. “In the dressing room?”
He shrugged. “Think they’ll notice?”
I kissed him again. “If I scream, everyone will notice.”
He crashed his lips to mine. “Then I better pay for all this because when we get to my place, I’m going to make you do that all night.”
I lifted off Cade’s lap and got dressed, grabbing my leggings and sweatshirt from the pile on the stool near the mirror.
It didn’t take long to pay for the haul of clothing, all of which were beautifully made and fit for anyone on a luxury ski vacation.
And that’s what this was—luxury. It was one thing to know Cade was wealthy, to know he lived on the exclusive island I’d once called home, but it was another to see what his life was like beyond South Florida, what his wealth gave him access to, and how he used it.
And it was impressive.
The man got a reaction wherever he went.
We stepped out of the boutique, the glass door swinging shut behind us with a soft chime, and Cade hoisted three oversized bags of clothing into the cavernous trunk of his Mercedes SUV.
The late afternoon air was crisp, tinged with the scent of pine and snow, a sharp contrast to the humid weight of South Florida I’d always known.
As we pulled away from the curb, the engine’s low hum blended with the quiet anticipation settled in my chest.
The drive to Cade’s house in the Deer Valley section of Park City took fifteen minutes, though time seemed to stretch as the road unfolded before us.
The route wound through mountain passes, each curve revealing a new layer of beauty that made my breath catch.
Alpine vistas stretched endlessly, and the jagged peaks of the Wasatch Mountains pierced a sky painted in hues of lavender and gold.
We snaked past sprawling estates with stone facades, their windows aglow with warm light, and sleek luxury condos perched like sentinels overlooking the valley.
Every so often, a deer would pause at the roadside, its eyes glinting in the fading light, as if it, too, belonged to this perfect tableau.
I pressed my forehead against the cool window, my reflection faint against the panorama outside.
How could a place like this exist? South Florida had its own allure, but it was loud, vibrant, alive with chaos.
Park City was different. It was serene, almost reverent, as if the mountains themselves demanded silence to speak their ancient truths.
The landscape didn’t just surround you; it enveloped you, made you feel small yet inexplicably significant, like you’d stumbled into a secret the universe had kept hidden only for you.
My fingers traced the edge of the leather seat, grounding me as my mind spiraled.
This was the kind of place that whispered wealth.
Not the ostentatious kind, but the quiet, effortless kind that didn’t need to shout.
The air itself felt expensive, clean and sharp, filling my lungs with a clarity I hadn’t realized I craved.
I glanced at Cade, his profile calm as he navigated the curves with practiced ease, and I wondered if he noticed the magic anymore.
Did anyone ever get used to this? How could they?
“We’re right up here,” Cade said once he wound the car off the main highway and onto a private road that zipped up a section of one of the lower mountains. “Actually, the property starts here.”
“You own all of this?”
He nodded, his eyes on the road, his expression unreadable. “From here, we have access to one of the ski lifts if you want to hit the slopes tomorrow. Or even today.”
“I do not want to ski today.”
He laughed. “Good, because I have other plans.”
“You better.”
He drove the final ascent, only pausing to open a wide wooden gate with stone pillars. Once we passed it, the property opened to a large contemporary chalet with a brown stone facade that made the property blend in with the mountain and pine trees around it.
I gasped. “This is your house?”
“Yep.” He took his phone from the console, opened an app, and pushed a button that raised the door of the two-car garage on the far side of the house. “My property manager texted earlier that she has everything ready for our stay.”
I gaped at him. Is he saying he has on-call staff to care for this place when he’s not here? Who the hell is that rich? I decided not to ask. I could guess. Yes, there was absolutely no doubt the last few years had been exceptionally kind to Cade.
“It’s beautiful,” I managed.
“You’ve only seen the garage, Bella.”
“Well, it’s the prettiest garage I’ve ever seen.”
He turned off the car engine, escorted me out of the car, and asked if I wanted the nickel tour.
Of course, I did. A side door led us from the garage to the mudroom, which was already stocked with spare skis, mountain bikes, a snowboard, and other equipment.
From there, we entered an oversized kitchen with an open floor plan that seamlessly showed off a grand living room buttressed by a balcony that ran the length of the house and windows designed to frame Deer Valley, the mountains, and the alpine slopes around us.
Everything was a mix of marble, stainless steel, understated elegance, and contemporary furnishings.
The fireplace, with its gently flickering flames, provided such a cozy vibe, making it easy to imagine hot chocolates sitting on the plush rug placed before it.
“It’s embarrassing,” he said when we entered the main bedroom suite. “And now that you’re here, I’m thinking how embarrassing it is.”
“What is?”
He shrugged. “A lot of space for a single person.”
“It’s beautiful. And what’s more, it's yours.”
“I know but...” He kissed me again, his lips warm and tentative, perhaps seeking reassurance in the vastness of his solitude.
The room was a sanctuary, with a king-sized bed that seemed almost too large for one person, draped in luxurious linens that matched the calm, muted tones of the walls.
There was a walk-in closet larger than some apartments I'd seen, and a bathroom that resembled a spa with its dual sinks, a soaking tub under a skylight, and a shower with multiple heads for a rainfall effect.
Outside on the balcony, the night air was crisp and scented with pine.
Below us, the lights of Deer Valley twinkled, a stark contrast to the darkness of the surrounding mountains.
“I bought this place thinking I’d fill it with memories, with people, but.
..” His voice trailed off as he looked over the landscape, his gaze lost in the distance.
“It’s not about filling space, though,” I said, leaning against the railing beside him. “It’s about the people. About who you spend time with. Even if it’s just you—or now, us—here.”
Cade’s hand found mine, the warmth of his touch a stark contrast to the chill of the night. “So you’re saying I should be content.”
Yes, because I doubted that Cade realized how much he had.