Page 7 of Tide and Seek (Dr. Maxwell Thornton Murder Mysteries #8)

Royce

We didn’t talk about James when we turned off the lights and went upstairs. As we stripped out of our clothes and Max turned on the shower, he seemed deep in thought, as did I. Our earlier carefree mood had been dampened by James’s visit, whether we liked it or not.

I’d have had to be blind not to realize that Max and James had once been lovers.

Not only had James dropped plenty of hints, but he’d thrown longing glances toward Max the entire visit.

I wasn’t naive. Max and I had both lived a nice long chunk of life before meeting.

We both had a past and we’d both had other lovers.

But James’s obvious infatuation with Max had made the visit awkward.

I’d already been struggling a bit after seeing Max’s fancy beach house, so coming face to face with the kind of man he’d once been attracted to while living in LA had stirred insecurities I hadn’t known I had.

There was no denying James was more like Max than I was.

They were cut from the same expensive cloth, both raised with money, both bound by their love of medicine.

It was difficult not to feel like an outsider.

“Royce?” Max’s tentative voice broke through my thoughts. “Are you coming in?”

“Yep.” I grimaced and headed into the large shower, closing the glass door behind me.

As I stepped beneath the rainfall showerhead, warm water spilled over me in a gentle cascade.

The temperature was perfect, and Maxwell immediately moved up to me, slipping his arms around my waist. His mouth was warm and insistent as it covered mine.

I responded, craving the reassurance his taste and touch gave me.

“Wanted to do this all day,” he murmured, reclaiming my mouth again in a hungry kiss.

I groaned softly, running one hand through his dampened hair while the other slid down his back. The heady scent of jasmine soap and vanilla filled the steamy shower, as Max pressed closer, grinding his hips against mine. Our tongues danced together, tantalizing and making my heart race.

God, I loved Max so much, it was terrifying.

I didn’t want to ever lose this. The very thought of that took my breath away.

When he touched me like this or looked at me like he couldn’t live without me, I wanted so much to believe that what we had was real.

That our love could last, no matter how different we were.

“Feels so good to finally touch you, Max,” I muttered, leaning into his touch.

“Yes.” His eyes were dark blue and serious. “I’m so happy you’re here with me,” he whispered.

“Are you, Max?” I hated how needy I sounded, but I couldn’t seem to help it. I absolutely believed that Max loved me. Still, it was hard not to wonder if he’d believed he’d loved James too.

“No question.” He cupped my cheek, giving me an unguarded smile. “I love you, Royce.”

“I love you too.” I pinned Max against the marble wall, rocking against him.

I pushed my face into the crook of his neck and tried to push away my insecurities.

I did my best to focus on his scent and the warm feel of his naked body against mine.

I concentrated on his sounds and taste, and yet the intrusive thoughts lingered.

Max and James undoubtedly spent nights together in this beach house.

How many times did James trap Max against these marble walls, the same way I’m doing now?

Does Max miss being with a sophisticated man like James?

Max made a tiny sound of frustration and stopped kissing the side of my neck. He pulled back, studying me. Little drops of water glistened on the tips of his thick, dark lashes. “What’s wrong?” he asked softly.

“Nothing,” I lied.

He touched my cheek. “You seem distracted.”

“I’m sorry.” I grimaced.

“Are you not in the mood anymore?”

“I’m in the mood,” I mumbled, unwilling to explain what was going on in my head. I wasn’t sure saying it aloud would help, and worried it might even make things worse. “I’m always in the mood with you.”

“You sure?” he wrinkled his brow. “Are you too tired from the trip?” He sounded understanding, but there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

I shook my head. “I’m not too tired.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Are you positive? You seem like you’re a million miles away. I don’t want to force you.”

“Force me? You’re not forcing me to do anything.” I cupped my hand around the back of his neck and tugged him closer. “I ain’t too tired, Max.” I took his mouth hungrily, and he shivered against me.

When the kiss ended, he was breathless and smiling. “That’s more like it.”

I smiled back at him, determined to shake off the ridiculous insecurities eating at me. I was sabotaging myself by giving into my fears. I needed to get a grip. “I hope you have lube in here. I really want to fuck you, Max.”

“Well, if you insist.” He laughed, looking happy now. He grabbed a small bottle of lube from the built-in shelf and handed it to me. “You sure you’re up to this?”

“Uh, yeah, Max.” I glanced down at my obvious erection. “I’m up for it.”

He smirked and then kissed me, his mouth eager and hot against mine.

It was obvious he wanted me every bit as much as I wanted him.

I needed to stop being an insecure idiot.

The past didn’t matter; what counted was now.

It didn’t matter how rich James was. Max loved me. He loved the life we’d built together.

“Turn,” I rumbled, my hands on his hips urging him to submit.

He obeyed, facing the marble wall and shivering as I slid my hands down to caress his buttocks. I leaned in to gently bite at the curve of his neck, sucking a mark into the tender, pale flesh. He moaned, his ass grinding back against me.

“Need you so bad,” he whimpered.

“Same, Max.” My voice shook as I rubbed my slick erection between his firm ass cheeks. It was hard not to just push inside him and take what I wanted. I needed this connection with him desperately. But I loved him too much to be selfish. “Stroke yourself, honey.”

He smiled shyly at the endearment but obeyed, adding some lube to his hands. He slipped one hand down to his cock and began stroking himself in slow movements. His cheek pressed to the wall, eyes closed. His lashes were dark and thick against his angular cheekbones, and his full lips parted.

I slicked one finger with lube, slipping it between his ass cheeks.

I rubbed over his tender hole, loving the way he gasped.

I carefully pushed one fingertip inside him and his body stiffened.

But I didn’t relent, and a low groan escaped him as my finger slid deeper, his tight muscles giving way, allowing me in.

When my knuckle pressed his puckered entrance, finger fully seated inside him, he gave a needy little whine.

I worked that single finger in and out of him slowly, loving the squeeze of his hot flesh.

I gently urged his feet wider, curving my finger and finding that hidden place inside him that made him whimper.

I stroked my finger over that little gland, loving the way his body arched back against my seeking hand.

“Royce,” he cried out, body shuddering. “Oh, fuck.”

I kissed his nape as I added another finger. He pushed back, pleading for more, and I obliged, adding yet another finger. I chuckled darkly as he took three fingers willingly, relishing his little desperate sounds. “You love this, don’t you, Max? You love being taken.”

His words were incoherent, but I got the point.

He liked it a whole hell of a lot. As eager as I was to be inside him, I wanted him loosened up properly so I didn’t hurt him.

I took my time, working my fingers into him in steady, teasing motions while my other hand explored his chest, pinching his flat nipples and stroking his firm abs.

I didn’t give in to his desperate pleas until I was painfully hard and trembling on the edge of release from the feel of him alone.

Making sure I was nice and slick with lube, I rubbed the wide head of my thick cock over his hole.

His hands were splayed on the marble walls of the shower, and he was panting in anticipation.

I pressed my mouth to his ear and whispered how much I loved him, then I pressed the head of my cock into his tight body.

“Fuck,” Maxwell hissed, his body trembling as I pushed inside him. But he didn’t retreat. Far from it. He pushed back against me, taking me deeper still.

My chest was pressed to his back, and my muscles trembled with the strain of controlling the need to brutally thrust. Once I was fully seated inside his tight heat, I slowly began to drive into him.

The tight squeeze of his ass was almost too much, and I groaned low in my chest. I hooked one arm around his waist and, because he seemed to be enjoying himself, I allowed myself to let go a little more.

I pistoned my hips faster and faster, lust surging.

“You like me inside you?” I asked, my lips brushing his ear. “You want it hard tonight, Max?”

“Yes,” he gasped, his voice breaking. “God, yes. Harder, Royce. Please, fuck me harder.”

I obliged, blood racing through my veins as I pumped in and out of his tight hole.

He cried out hoarsely, but his sounds were drenched with pleasure, not pain.

His ass clenched around me, hot and tight, and there was only the sound of our rough breaths and the slap of skin on skin echoing in the space.

His hands were pressed to the walls, the tips of his fingers white from the pressure.

Reaching around him, I squeezed his hard dick, stroking him, feeling his trembling body wound tight like a spring.

“So good,” he moaned.

“Love you, Max.” My voice was rough with need.

“Royce,” he whimpered, his feet scrambling for purchase on the tile floor. “I love you so much.”