Private 02 - Private Paradise

herself off so completely the second they stepped outside the villa that she might as well be wearing a full suit of armor, there was no way Carla had been able to shut off the obvious passion she felt for him as completely as she wanted him to think.
    And now, thank God, he had his proof. Now all he had to do was find that chink in her armor and crack it wide open once and for all.
    When Chris excused himself to make a phone call, Carla stood abruptly and said, “I should go check on their progress in the kitchen,” and hurried off.
    Sam followed, stopping just inches behind Carla's stiff back which was clad in a t-shirt she'd retrieved from her place. “Looks like everything is still fine here,” Sam said over her shoulder. Earlier, the kitchen staff had cleared out and inventoried the cost of the spoiled food, and they were in the process of making the list of goods that would need to be restocked.
    Carla turned, that bright, fixed smile Sam had come to so detest his first week stretched tightly across her face. “You know Sam, I've been so grateful for your help―”
    He took a step closer, forcing her to back farther into the corner outside the kitchen door. “Don't tell me that's all you're grateful for, baby.”
    The smile disappeared in a tight line. “With Chris here to help me with everything, there's no reason for you to be involved. You've had a rough couple of days―”
    “ And nights,” Sam said, repeating the step retreat routine. He knew he sounded like some cheesy soap opera lothario, but he couldn't help himself. It was too much fun watching Carla's cheeks light up with color, her dark eyes narrowing and snapping with life.
    “ I need some space Sam,” she said, dropping all pretense of politeness. “It will be a lot easier for me to get this done without you breathing down my neck. So why don't you go rest up or something and Chris will tell you when we need you.”
    Sam bit back an angry retort and tried not to take offense. Carla was wary of him, and with good reason. He couldn't expect her to open up and give in, no matter how mindblowingly good they'd been together. “It's not my style to sit around with my thumb up my ass doing nothing when there's work to be done. Besides, the employee dorm was one of the buildings that was hardest hit. If I want to rest at all in the next few weeks, I'm going to have to find another space to stay.”
    Carla jumped as the kitchen door swung open and she gave a brief smile and nod over his shoulder to whoever it was. She turned her focus back to him. “I'm sure we'll be able to find a guest room that will work. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find out where we are on gathering the belongings of the guests who were forced to evacuate.”
    When she would have brushed by, Sam caught her by the arm and gently, but firmly, pushed her back into the corner. Bracing his hands on either side of her head, he leaned in close and said, “I was figuring I could just come stay with you.”
    The kitchen door swung open again. Carla planted her hands against his chest and tried to shove him aside. “Will you please stop?” she hissed out between clenched teeth. “These people work for me, Sam. I can't have them seeing us like this.”
    “ Would it really be the end of the world if people knew we were involved?” Sam said back, not bothering to soften his voice.
    “ Shut up!” she whispered harshly. She looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was listening. Satisfied they were alone for the moment, she locked on him with a calm, steady stare. “Listen, I didn't want to be so harsh about this, but since you're not taking a hint I guess I have to be. There is nothing between us Sam. We are not involved. We are not lovers. We are not anything but coworkers.”
    Even though Sam had been fully expecting something like this from her, it didn't mean the words didn't sting. Hell, they would have been devastating if he thought they were true. Still he couldn't resist firing his own salvo. “It sure as hell didn't feel like nothing when you were coming so hard around my cock it felt like it was trapped in a vice.”
    “ Will you please keep your voice down?” she said with another thump to his chest. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, gathering her composure. She opened her eyes, and this time they held no anger, no heat, nothing but pure determination. “I won't deny there's a certain... attraction between us. And I won't deny that what