Page 18 of Tide and Seek (Dr. Maxwell Thornton Murder Mysteries #8)

His smile widened. “I know.” He lifted his glass of wine and took a sip, holding my gaze with an amused expression.

I chuckled and broke my piece of fish with my fork. The scent was smoky and mouthwatering, and the first bite had me groaning. “Damn, that’s good. I guess that crazy contraption really is a grill.”

“It probably doesn’t hurt that I slathered the fillets with a pound of butter and fresh garlic before you put them on the grill either.” He took a bite of the fish and nodded his head in approval. “That is good.”

We sat in silence for a bit, just enjoying the sunset, the delicious food, and the sound of the ocean waves on the beach.

The gentle breeze ruffled Max’s hair and his cheeks were flushed from the wine.

My heart squeezed as I studied him. I was relieved we’d talked through my insecurities.

Once we got past our interview tomorrow with Detective Hartley, all I wanted to do was focus on me and Max for the remainder of the trip.

“So what do your instincts as a cop tell you?” Max asked, looking up suddenly.

“About what?”

He gestured with his chin toward the beach. “About that woman’s death. Do you think it was just a random attack? Or do we have the beginnings of a serial killer in our midst?”

I grimaced. “I have no way of knowing. I doubt it’s a serial killer. They’re not as common as people think. More likely it was a jilted lover or something more mundane.”

“Can you ever truly call murder mundane?” He sighed, eyeing his half-eaten fish.

I frowned. “Don’t even think about not finishing that piece of fish, Max. You’re too darn thin. You have to finish your dinner.”

He gave a little smile. “You sound like my mother. Well, I mean, not my mother, but you sound like a normal mother. The kind that nags their children to finish their supper because there are children in China or Africa who are starving.”

“Your mother didn’t nag you to eat?”

“Not really.” He finished off his fish, even though I could tell he was only doing that for my benefit.

We chatted a bit more about the body on the beach, drank the bottle of wine, cleared the table, filled the dishwasher, and then went for a swim in his fancy pool.

Floating on my back in the balmy water, I said, “Man oh man, this is the life.”

Max chuckled. “I like pampering you, Royce. You don’t get spoiled enough.”

I smiled and lifted my head. “You don’t think so?”

“Nope.” He bit his bottom lip, eyes glittering. He was a few feet away, treading water. “While we’re here, I’m going to see to it that your every need is met.”

I laughed. “I gotta say, I like the sound of that, Max.”

“Do you?” he murmured.

“Absolutely.” I lowered my legs so my feet touched the bottom of the pool. “But I want to tend to your needs too.”

“Just having you here with me is enough. I still can’t believe you’re here, swimming in my pool with me. It’s so surreal.”

“Oh, come on, Max, I’m sure there are other things you need from me.”

Max sniggered and swam over to me, slipping his arms around my neck and winding his legs around my hips.

“Well, if you’re going to drag it out of me, I was going to suggest we explore the delights of beach sex later tonight,” he said, a little smile playing around his lips.

“But after discovering a body on the beach, the idea seems less appealing.”

“Definitely.” I shuddered.

“Sex in front of the fireplace is also high on my list of fun things to do with Royce.”

Grimacing, I glanced toward the house. Because of the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, the inside of the home was illuminated. It looked like a showroom. “There are an awful lot of uncovered windows in that room. Not sure I want to put on a show for the neighbors.”

Or more to the point, James.

Looking amused, Max said, “True. The front room is lit up like a Christmas tree. Anyone nosey walking on the beach could potentially see in, and a fire in the fireplace would make it difficult to hide.” He kissed the side of my neck, his breath hot against my wet skin.

“The pool is private, though. Dark. No one can see us unless they’re standing over us. ”

“True enough.” I smiled, tightening my arms around his waist. I gave a wary glance toward C.J.’s home, but it was dark. Apparently she wasn’t home yet. “Remember the first time we had sex?”

“Of course,” he said softly. “It was in my pool after we shared a pizza.”

“We barely knew each other, but I found you intriguing.” I nuzzled the delicate skin beneath his ear. “You were so different from anyone I’d ever met. Kind of prickly, but I was attracted to you anyway. I couldn’t believe it when you made a move on me.”

“I was as surprised as you.” He bit his bottom lip. “But you were surprisingly sexy for a hick.”

“Hey.” I splashed water at him playfully. “Be nice.”

He smiled. “Regardless of my judgmental thoughts, I couldn’t help coming on to you.”

“That’s more like it. What I’m hearing is I was irresistible.”

“You kind of were. I simply had to pounce.”

I murmured, “I wasn’t complaining.”

He smirked, rocking his hips against mine. “No, you were receptive, as I recall.” He kissed me, opening his mouth to my tongue. We both moaned and the kiss deepened. His fingers slipped beneath the waistband of my trunks, and he squeezed my bare ass.

I walked us closer to the side of the pool, pressing him against the wall, leaning my weight on him.

We let go of each other briefly to shed our trunks, and then we moved together again.

He leaned in and captured my mouth in a possessive, hungry kiss.

I gave a needy whimper as his warm finger slid down my ass crack.

“Nothing has changed. You still drive me nuts,” he said as he lightly rubbed his fingertip over my asshole.

I shivered, instinctively pushing back against that probing touch, and my heart raced at the salacious look in his eyes.

“Can I have you tonight, Royce?” he whispered.

“Haven’t had you in a while and I need it. ”

I nodded, mouth dry with excitement. Before Max, I’d rarely bottomed.

But since Max enjoyed topping too, I’d learned to be more flexible.

Either way it was always good with Max. But tonight, I wanted him to take me as much as he wanted that.

I needed to feel how much he wanted me. I wanted to be joined with him in a way that broke me open and forced me to give a vulnerable part of myself over to him.

“We’ll need lube,” I said.

“I’m on it. I stashed a bottle downstairs.” His smile was cocky as he swam toward the steps, and then hurried into the house. Seconds later, he was back, jumping into the pool and splashing me. He surfaced with a grin, holding up the bottle. “Ta-da.”

“Well, looky there.”

He wiped water from his face and took my hand, leading me toward the steps. “Come with me, cowboy.”

I rested my elbows on the edge of the pool so that my ass was exposed. It had been a mostly sunny day and the cement was still warm against my chest. My heart was racing, and I felt breathless with anticipation. “This position work?”

“Oh, yes.” He smoothed his hands over my bare butt cheeks, a low rumble in his throat. “You have such a nice ass, Royce.”

I smiled at him over my shoulder. “Gee, thanks.”

His lips twitched, but he didn’t say anything.

Despite Max’s obvious hunger, he took his time with me, using slick fingers to open me up.

I closed my eyes, moaning as he finger fucked me, loosening me so I could take his cock without too much discomfort.

I was so lost in the moment, any inhibitions I’d felt earlier were long gone.

I doubt I’d have cared if James himself was standing over us taking notes.

By the time Max pushed his thick cock inside me, I was more than ready to be taken.

I cried out in pleasure as his stiff length tunneled deep into my aching hole.

He held my hips in place as he thrust into me, water sloshing as he took me deep and hard.

His grunts were harsh and guttural as he pumped in and out of me, his breath hot against the back of my neck.

“You like it when I’m inside you, don’t you, Royce?” he rasped.

Groaning, I nodded, finding it difficult to speak.

I felt so full and sated, my eyes stung with tears of gratitude.

I’d never experienced this level of intimacy with any other man.

Only Max could take me to this place where I was willing to be laid bare.

Where I’d let him see how weak and needy I truly could be.

He whispered, “I love you so much, Royce.”

“Love you, Max.” I pressed back onto his thrusting cock, reaching around to dig my nails into his thigh, needing something to ground me. To be so thoroughly taken was almost too much to handle.

He kneed my thighs wider, slipping deeper still and we both groaned.

My knees scraped against the cement steps of the pool as my orgasm began to build, aching and hot, deep in my groin.

His hips moved faster, and his fingers dug into my sides.

I couldn’t think straight. There was only the hard slide of him, the musky scent of sex, and the waves crashing on the beach.

“Jesus, I’m not going to last,” he grated out. “You feel too good.”

“Come in me, Max,” I pleaded. “I want it.”

He thrust hard a few more times, obviously struggling with control. I was the same, barely holding on. All I could think about was coming. My entire body was covered in goosebumps and aching for release. He grunted, his body stiffened, and I felt him swell deep inside me.

“Oh, shit, I’m c… coming,” he growled, and I felt the hot flush of his seed as he came inside me. He thrust faster and harder as he spilled his release, panting harshly against my tingling flesh.

“Max,” I groaned, convulsing with ecstasy around him. Three thick spurts of cream erupted from my cock, painting the blue tiles of the pool wall, slipping down into the churning water.

We were both breathing hard as he finished inside me, but after a few achingly sweet minutes, we fell silent, still intimately joined. He nuzzled the back of my neck, his breath heated against my damp skin.

When he eventually pulled out of me, I gave a sheepish laugh and glanced around. “So much for not wanting to put on a show for the neighbors.”

He smiled, looking relaxed as he perched beside me on the steps of the pool. “C.J.’s not home and James and Luke are too far away to matter.” He leaned back on his elbows, staring up at the dark sky. “That was exactly what I needed.”

“Yeah. Me too.” I blew out a breath. “It was a crazy day.”

“Tomorrow will be better.” His voice was full of confidence. “We’ll look at the security video, talk to that detective, and then put all the negativity behind us.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I said agreeably, stroking my palm down his back. “What do you say we go take a hot shower and make an early night of it?”

“Yes.” He stood and held out his hand to me. “Old people like us need lots of sleep. Just ask Luke.”

I chuckled, grabbed his hand, and we headed into the house.