Page 75 of Carnal

She spins. Amusement fills her expression. "I thought he was going to have a heart attack."

I grunt. "Dude needs to chill."

Pina tilts her head and arches her eyebrows. "He values his job."

"So? He can still relax a bit. All that formal stuff is for the birds."

She points out, "He probably doesn't have the luxury of screwing up like you do."

"What does that mean? I don't have that luxury. You, of all people, understand how important it is I don't mess up," I declare.

Silence grows between us. Pina never blinks, and neither do I. It's one of the things I've always respected about her. Most women, and many men, back away when challenged by my brothers or me. Yet Pina steps right up to the plate when controversy rears its head.

She narrows her eyes, asserting, "People who aren't rich don't have the options you do. If you screw up, your papà isn't going to kick you out of the family business and leave you on the street, penniless."

I scoff. "Are you that naive after working for Dante all these years? Papà won't stand for mediocrity."

"That's not what I'm saying. You don't know the resort's rules or what Gulliver is facing. I know you're trying to be nice to him, and there isn't anything wrong with what you did. I'm just telling you that he probably needs his job and can't afford to take any risks," she claims.

"But I can?" I ask.

She smiles then slides her hands up my chest and laces her fingers behind my neck. "I'm not trying to insult you."

"You aren't."

"Then why are you so defensive right now?"

My heart pounds harder. "I'm not," I insist.

"Are you sure about that?"

I sigh then confess, "I know I grew up rich and have opportunities others don't. But I still work hard and have to be accountable."

"Tristano, I never said you didn't. I know the hours you and your brothers put in, which doesn't include what I'm not privy to."

The silence grows between us before she adds, "I'm sorry if I've upset you. I just know what it's like to not have a lot and to worry it'll be taken away."

I freeze for a moment, processing what she said. Then I ask, "You worry about losing your job? How can that be when you know Dante can't deal without you?"

Her face falls. She answers, "I haven't worried in a long time until recently."

The hairs on my arms rise. "You mean since we got together?"

She licks her lips then nods. "Yeah."

"You're worrying about nothing," I claim.

"Maybe. Maybe not."

I place my hands over her cheeks, firmly stating, "You are, baby girl."

She lifts her chin and squares her shoulders. "Let's not discuss work for the rest of the weekend."

My anxiety begins to diminish. "That sounds like a really good plan."

Her face lights up, making my heart do a double take. She smiles, and the entire world seems to disappear. She chirps, "Deal. Now, what should we do for the rest of the night?"

My cock hardens. All the thoughts I had on the plane while Pina and I discussed what we've made our subs do intensifies. I don't like thinking about her dominating other men. I know I shouldn't care. I have a past, and so does she, but the jealousy I felt while she mentioned what she used to do to her subs hasn't totally subsided.

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