Page 29 of Two Tickets to Paradise

"Good," she squeezed his fingers. "I'm really glad you came with me, Vince."

"Oh brother." Cameron put the truck into drive, and they were off, almost throwing Vince back against the seat.

"Cam!"

Cora sat back in her seat and glared at her brother. "Jerk."

Cameron turned to look at her with a grin. "Love you, too."

EIGHT

Cora feltlike she was crawling out of her skin. As much as she loved her brother, she really hadn't expected him to be...

Okay, so she'd been too excited to think about how Cam was going to handle it.

She'd thought that he'd be happy that she'd brought someone with her. It was his suggestion because he knew that they could be called away at any time and didn't want her to be alone. Then again, she knew deep down under her naive thoughts that he wouldn't be okay with a guy going with her.

So before Cameron could make a 'thing' about the room assignments at the condo that he shared with some of his team, Cora took hold of Vince's sleeve and announced to Cameron that they were going to go for a walk around the lake.

Cameron was the only one who seemed opposed to the idea, but his friend Buck had grabbed him by the shoulder and gestured toward the back sliding door, telling them that the lake had some marsh areas.

"Don't worry," she explained as she'd pushed the door open and stepped outside. "If I fall in, Vince will pull me out." She'd looked back at Vince and grinned, happy to escape the tension with her brother. "Navy guys can swim, right?"

It didn't take her long to realize that Vince was a little quiet as they walked.

While the sunlight cast its light across the water of Enchanted Lake, she snuck a little look at him.

His gaze traveled from the ground in front of him and over to her and back again.

She hated the fact that he seemed so hesitant and she had a feeling that she was responsible.

"Vince?"

It took him a moment to look up at her face, leaving her heart stuck in her throat.

"Did I... do something?"

His smile was a little too quick and didn't quite reach his eyes.

She stopped and reached out a hand toward him.

It was a little surprising when he took her hand in his without any hesitation. It made her smile, hopeful that she hadn't messed things up. Dating wasn't something she did a lot. Bringing a guy to meet her brother? Never.

"Vince-"

"I'm worried that your brother is going to tie cement blocks to my ankles and drop me into this lake later."

"What?" She turned to face him and then looked over her shoulder at the patio doors of Cameron's condo. She didn't see anyone there looking out at them and turned back to Vince. "Why would he do that?"

"Your brother's a Marine."

"Yes." Cora nodded. "All of the guys who live in the condo are."

She waited a moment hoping for more information. When it didn't come, she tilted her head to the side and looked at him.

"And?"

His smile was broad, but it was also a little nervous. At least that's how she read it.

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