Page 28 of Two Tickets to Paradise

Vince kept himself from rolling his eyes at the other man's answer. Of course he wanted to drive. And if he could, Cameron would like to run that truck over him. Vince had no doubt about that.

"I'll put the bags in the back." Vince saw Cora turn around to reach for her bag and he smiled at her enjoying the joy on her face. He knew he'd do whatever he could to keep it there. "Go ahead and get in."

Vince tried to ignore the drip of sweat down his back. He knew that he had to get his thermal off, sooner rather than later.

As soon as he lifted his duffel bag over the tailgate and into the back of the truck he bent over where he thought he was out of sight and reached up and over his head to pull of his Henley shirt. Instead of just grabbing the over shirt, he pulled both of them off. The rush of air along his back was a sharp relief. He straightened his posture a little as he tried to pull the two shirts apart so he could just put one back on.

"Uh, you okay, man?"

Vince turned, standing upright in a heartbeat. It wasn't Cameron, thank god. It was the man who'd pulled up in the truck.

Caught, Vince used part of his thermal that wasn't wet and wiped at his chest with it.

"Yeah. Sorry. I dressed for the weather in Chicago this morning."

Buck narrowed his eyes a little at him and Vince had the distinct impression that Buck could see right through him.

It was a good thing that Vince didn't have anything to hide.

"I didn't think about how hot it was going to be in Hawaii." True.

"Well, you better get in before Cameron takes off without you."

Vince stood up and looked over the bed of the truck and sure enough, he could see Cameron looking at him in the rear-view mirror.

And one red eyebrow lifted up.

Vince dropped his chin down and looked at himself.

Cameron could definitely see that he wasn't wearing a shirt.

Buck clapped a hand down on his shoulder. "Tread carefully, man. Axl's a big brother in every sense of the word.”

“Axl?” Vince had to ask.

Buck grinned at him. “It’s what the team calls him. Seriously, he's been looking forward to having Cora here for the holiday. I know he wasn't expecting her to bring a guy."

Vince nodded as he pulled his Henley back on. "I'm not here to cause problems. I'm certainly not going to hurt Cora."

"Good to know. Cuz I'd hate to have to bury a body here in paradise." Buck rounded the truck toward the passenger side. "You're sitting behind the driver. Cora's up front in the passenger seat."

"Sure," Vince managed a smile. "That's fine."

Buck chuckled as he continued to walk. "Sorry, son. No one asked you."

Vince settled his shirt and quickly folded up his thermal so he could tuck it into his duffel.

What a crazy adventure he'd gotten himself into.

He moved around to the driver's side of the truck and opened the back door. As he settled into the seat and pulled the seat belt across his body to buckle it in, he saw movement over the middle console and looked up.

Cora was smiling back at him, her hand reaching out.

He took hold of her fingers and gave them a gentle squeeze, his heart swelling in his chest at the smiling look in her eyes.

"Buckled in?" Her voice moved over his skin like a physical touch.

"Yeah," he nodded.

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