Private 02 - Private Paradise

eyebrow. “Isn't it like, our choice if we don't mind risking it?” She and her sister exchanged another look. “I've never been in a real hurricane before,” she said, a little thrill in her voice. “Sounds exciting.”
    Carla felt her patience spread a little thinner. “You can watch the excitement from your hotel in St. Thomas, but right now, you have to get down to the dock. All the other guests are waiting.”
    Kayla sighed heavily, unfolded her mile long legs and got off the couch. Karena followed. Moving at roughly the speed of a banana slug, they wandered upstairs to the bedrooms. Carla followed. “For now all you'll need is your passport and enough clothing for a few days.”
    Ignoring her, Karena stopped at the upstairs storage closet and yanked out a full size steamer trunk stamped with a well known designer logo. She dragged it, grunting, into the first bedroom and started emptying the contents of the dresser into it.
    Carla held up her hands. “Karena, we don't have time for you to pack everything. Once the storm passes we'll either get you back here or make sure everything is returned safely at no cost-”
    “ Yeah, right,” Kayla said as she marched in with an armload of shoes. “Like you people aren't going to be going through and looting everyone's stuff as soon as we leave?”
    Carla curled her fingers into a fist as she resisted the urge to slap her. “We're all evacuating the island so no one will be here to loot. Even so, no one on my staff would dare steal from a guest.”
    Karena let out a snort. “Right. Tell that to my friend who had her panties up on eBay.”
    Carla's jaw clenched and she realized short of hogtying the girls and loading them onto the golf cart, she wasn't getting out of here until the girls were ready. She dove into the fray, gathering up armloads of clothes, shoes, and lingerie and cramming it into the trunk and two suitcases the girls had brought.
    The walkie talkie on her hip beeped. Carla paused in her packing to answer. “Carla, where are you?” Bryce's voice was slightly frantic as it crackled over the receiver.
    “ Just helping the Waters get packed up and ready to go.”
    “ Well you need to get down to the dock, now. Everyone's loaded up and we just got notice that the storm is moving faster than we initially thought.”
    Carla clipped the receiver back on her hip and grabbed a suitcase, ignoring Kayla's squawk of protest. “You heard him girls. Edina's going to hit soon, and if we don't get you off the island, all your precious Louboutins and Louis Vuitton luggage will get carried off by the storm.”
    Should have used that as my opener, Carla thought, because suddenly the girls sprang into action, packing up the last of their belongings at warp speed. Carla huffed as she lugged the first suitcase out to the cart. Rain had started to fall, and she felt the fat drops pelt the top of her head. She went back up stairs for the other suitcase and found the girls struggling to lift the trunk.
    “ You take the suitcase,” Carla said to Karena, “I'll help with the trunk.” Even with her regular workouts, Carla struggled to lift her end off the floor. “Jesus Christ, is this thing lined with lead?”
    Kayla ignored her, grunting as she managed to lift the trunk about two inches off the floor.
    Heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs. “Carla, what the hell are you still doing here?”
    Carla turned to see Sam in the doorway. His dark hair was wet and rumpled, rain dripped down a face tight with anger, and his wet shirt clung to every swell and dip of his muscled torso.
    “ Ooh, did you come to rescue us?” Kayla cooed. She dropped her end of the trunk, sending Carla lurching forward as it threatened to jerk her arms out of the sockets.
    “ Just helping the twins pack up a few things.”
    Sam's eyes narrowed at the huge trunk. “We can't take―”
    “ They won't leave without it,” Carla said through clenched teeth. “Just help me get it out to the cart so we can get out of here.”
    Sam reached for the trunk and hefted it onto his shoulder like it was nothing. God you're strong, Carla thought as she watched the muscles in his arm and shoulder ripple under the weight of the trunk.
    “ I know,” Kayla said, staring at Sam like he was a steak and she was a very hungry lioness. Carla felt her cheeks heat as she realized she'd said the words out loud. “Imagine those big strong hands, running all over―”
    “ Okay, let's go,” Sam said, and