Page 42 of Protecting Gina

“Just thinking about things. So you like this?” Wave spread one arm wide to indicate the area where they were standing.

Cass nodded. “It’s a nice campus. I like it. I think I’ll be happy here.”

“Good. It’s not too far away from the house.”

She spun in a circle, checking out the area. “I don’t know where I’ll end up, but this is nice. What do you think, Gina?”

Gina’s lips twisted up to one side. “I hope I like it here. So far, it has been nice. The weather seems good, too.”

Wave chuckled. “The weather is great here year-round.”

“That’s good. At least it’s not going to snow and have ice on the roads.”

Her words brought laughter. “No. Just sun, sand, and surf.”

“I can’t wait to go to the beach,” Cass said. “You know, I’ve never been.”

“That is something we need to take care of. We could go now, but I don’t want to rush you on your first trip to the beach.”

“I don’t have a swimsuit.”

He held up his hand. “Unless the water is calm, this isn’t the place you want to dive in and start swimming. Getting your ankles wet is good enough for now. Trust me, the undertow is harsh, and you don’t want to get pulled out to sea.”

Cass looked shocked. “I hadn’t even thought of that. How often does that happen?”

“Often enough. You just have to be careful and not go in too far.”

Cass nodded. “I’m good with going and just getting in ankle deep.”

Gina flashed a bright smile. “The beach sounds fun.”

Wave nodded. “Okay, let’s go to the beach.”

They weren’t ready for a long trip to the beach, but he would make sure Cass enjoyed her first trip to the beach. On the way over, they stopped at one of the beachwear shops and picked up flip-flops and a few towels. It wasn’t very warm, but the weather was good enough.

It made him happy to see Cass excited. She’d put up with a lot, and now it was time for her to enjoy life.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The beach was marvelous. Gina couldn’t believe how fresh it felt here. There weren’t a lot of people on the sand, but there were enough people that the beach didn’t feel deserted.

Cass looked so happy. She and Wave were running around, exuberantly shouting as they played with two dogs who seemed to be thrilled to have met them.

After a moment, Wave came over, his smile wide. He picked her up and swung her around. She clung to him, laughing as they spun.

His lips grazed over hers before he set her down. She was still laughing, and it felt good being so free here. Cass threw a ball for one of the dogs, who took off running.

“Cass looks happy.”

Wave nodded. “She is. I forgot that Mom wouldn’t take her to the beach. I’m glad she is here now.”

“Yeah. I’ve at least taken beach vacations, but it has been a while.”

“I don’t get out here enough, not for pleasure. Maybe it’s because we spend so much time in the sand training.”

She reached over and squeezed his arm. “The training has paid off.”

He threw back his head, laughter spilling out. “It’s the reason I became a SEAL. I just wanted the body and decided an incredibly dangerous career was the way.”