Page 38 of Tide and Seek

Smirking, Max said, “Aww, that’s too bad.”

“Maaxx,” I drawled, fake scowling.“That’s not nice.”

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.