Page 69 of Carnal

"Welcome to Nassau,"the pilot announces. The plane's wheels hit the ground, and the sound of the brakes fills the cabin.

Excitement fills me. I've never been to the Bahamas, but I love the other Caribbean islands I've visited. For the last hour, I've tried to forget about my career fears. Tristano's right about Dante. I doubt he'd fire me, but I don't want him to change how he treats me or for him to have a different opinion about me.

I decide it's best to forget it for the weekend. Right now, there's nothing I can do to reverse the situation I'm in. A deal's a deal, and I agreed to Tristano's terms. When I get home, I'll make it clear we can't continue whatever is going on between us.

I turn toward him, beaming. "A weekend of sunshine. Good call."

Arrogance spreads across his expression. He rises and reaches for me, tugging me to my feet, asserting, "We're going to have fun, baby girl. Trust me."

Whenever he calls me baby girl, I get a little jolt of a high. It's strange since I've never had anyone give me a pet name. Nor would I ever have thought I'd like a man to call me that, but I do. It's another example of how the things I assumed I knew about myself, I don't. Between my love of submitting to him and crossing the professional line I've always had, I suddenly wonder if I ever knew myself. There are so many questions floating through my head ever since our first encounter, and all they do is spin faster the deeper I fall for him.

I'm not falling for him.

This is pure lust.

After this weekend, it's ending.

"Let's go," he directs, guiding me out of the plane and to the private car waiting on the runway.

It's pitch-black outside and after midnight. There are barely any lights on the runway. I wish I could see the turquoise water, but it'll have to wait until morning.

The driver pulls away from the jet. Tristano laces his fingers between mine. He leans close to my face. "Are you ready to run around naked all weekend?"

"Funny," I reply.

He cocks an eyebrow. "Who said I'm joking?"

I climb over him, resting my knees next to his hips. I slide my arms around his shoulders and pout my lips. "Aw. I was looking forward to swimming."

His eyes twinkle. He glides his hand over my spine. Tingles shoot straight to my loins. He murmurs, "Who said we wouldn't swim?"

"Are we going to a naked resort?" I ask, trying to bite on my smile.

He shrugs as more mischief fills his expression. "I have no idea."

I tilt my head. "You really didn't know where we were going?"

He grins. "Nope."

"Wow. I'm impressed," I admit.

"Why is that?"

"I don't think your other brothers would ever do anything spontaneously. They don't like surprises. I thought you were the same, but I guess not," I confess.

"I can assure you I'm not," he states. His eyes swirl with fun and something else I'm unsure about, but it's like a demon fighting with his inner happiness. It's mesmerizing, making me want to peel back more of Tristano's layers. And it strikes me further that after all these years of working with the Marinos and thinking I knew them so well, I really don't.

Tristano is suddenly a mystery I want to unravel. I always thought of him as Dante's youngest brother. In my eyes, no Marino was as sharp as Dante. Not that any of them are stupid, but I've witnessed Dante's brilliance since I was eighteen. Now, my gut's screaming at me that I've severely underestimated Tristano. His ability to trust whoever he delegated to set up our trip intrigues me. While Dante has full confidence in me, he wouldn't be able to handle not knowing where he was going. Yet, Tristano seems nothing but calm and confident in wherever it is we end up.

I shift closer to him and stroke the side of his head. I tease, "I can see you're a lot more fun."

He grunts. "You're just learning this?"

I wince. "Sorry."

"Don't tell me you thought Dante was the most fun," he adds.

I shake my head. "Nope."

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