Chapter Text
Suncream applied, they sat down on their respective loungers. Miranda, rather mortified about what she had just said, tried distracting herself by keeping a beady eye on Mia, over the top of the book she’d fished out of her beach bag.
“Anything interesting?” Max quizzed her, not particularly interested in what she was actually reading. It was more of an excuse to get her to talk again. After her initial quip of ‘shut up Max’, she had gone quiet on him. He really wasn’t fond of the awkwardness between them.
Miranda sighed, placing her book down on her lap. She still couldn’t look him in the eye, but she couldn’t ignore his question. “Well, I don’t think this would be your cup of tea. It's all to do with statistics and data research.”
“You’re right. Definitely not my ‘cup of tea’,” he told her, emphasising the way he said ‘cup of tea’ as if he wasn’t entirely sure what she meant. British idioms were still a conundrum to him sometimes and this was one of them. “Think I’ll take a snooze instead. Now that’s interesting.”
Miranda huffed. “Max, you do know we’re meant to be keeping an eye on Mia, don’t you? Why don’t you make yourself useful, eh? Walk past her and get us both a drink. Mine will be a Pina Colada without the alcohol.”
“Pina colada and a bad book, eh? Now where have I heard that before?” Max winked, referencing the time they were in conversation with private investigator Frank Bottomley.
“Yeah and you scoffed at the idea the first time around. Go–get us a drink! And don’t forget to keep an eye on Mia whilst you’re at it.”
“¡Sí, jefá!” Max mock saluted. Doing as he was told, Max walked up to the pool bar, in search of something to quench their thirst. It was nearly thirty degrees and the sun was blazing down on them both. Can’t have Frau Winter dying of thirst over there, can we? Their drinks ordered, Max discreetly walked past their suspect, who was eyeing up his ‘wife’ quite obviously.
“Think you’ve gained a fan,” Max smirked, passing Miranda her drink.
“Ehh? What are you on about? It's you that she likes. She had her eyes on you, the whole time you were at the bar,” she argued with him, accepting her drink and looking quizzically between her drink and Max. “This clearly isn’t a Pina Colada, is it? I asked for one simple thing Max!”
“Woah, woah, woah! If you let me explain, they were all out of Pina Coladas. So I got you something else you might enjoy. A ‘sex on the beach.’ But without the alcohol, obviously. So basically, just an ‘on the beach.’ No alcohol, so no fun which means no sex,” Max explained, grinning like a teenage boy at his appalling pun.
Miranda glared harshly at him. She did not find that funny at all. “You’re intolerable, you know that?”
“Admit it, you’d be lost without me,” he quipped, sitting back down and grasping her hand briefly.
The sudden, brief touch left an ache in her stomach that she couldn’t quite comprehend. Not quite butterflies, but the sort of fluttering ache you might find when something beautiful takes your breath away. A spectacular sunrise, perhaps. A pleasant, welcoming ache that she was experiencing more and more, when it came to Max Winter. She would be lost without him, but she’d never admit it to him. Deflecting from her true feelings, all she could come back with was a sarcastic ‘dream on, Max.’
Half an hour later, they were still nowhere with their suspect. Miranda was becoming increasingly impatient and the sweat beading on her face from the warm sun was making her uncomfortable. Their drinks had been depleted quickly and Miranda was pretty thirsty. Looking over towards Max, she wondered why he had suddenly turned quiet. He really is taking a nap! Unbelievable! She tried nudging him awake. Nothing. Either he really is asleep or he’s ignoring me. Most likely the latter, just to piss me off. A sudden brainwave entered her mind on how to entice Mia in their clutches. She was really thirsty and if her gut feeling was correct, then the plan might just work.
Reaching up off her sunlounger, she shuffled her feet into her sandals to avoid scalding her feet on the hot, sun-drenched pool tiles. She looked to Max, who still hadn’t moved an eyelid, and muttered something incomprehensible under her breath. Walking towards the bar, she met with Mia’s sultry glance. Max was right, she is checking me out. Miranda wasn’t sure why, but her walk had a sudden swagger to it, her hips moving somewhat seductively from left to right. Good job Max is asleep, otherwise he’d no doubt have something to say about it.
Sitting at one of the bar stools, Miranda waited for the barman to take her order. She glanced behind, careful not to let Mia know she was spying on her. Bingo, she’s on the move. My plan is working. Slowly, but surely, Mia was making her way over to the sunloungers where ‘Mr and Mrs Winter’ were currently residing. Watching her like a hawk, Miranda smirked as she watched their culprit quickly swipe her beachbag. Of course, Max was oblivious to it all. Down to you, Miranda.
Leaving her place at the bar, Miranda took a running pace at Mia. Her back was turned, so she had no idea that Frau Winter was hot on her heels towards her. Miranda leapt upon her, sending them both headfirst into the pool with an almighty splash, sending shockwaves of water onto the surrounding sunloungers…including Max’s.
“Scheisse…what the–?” Max cried, his nap abruptly interrupted. Blinking and adjusting his eyes to his surroundings, he could hardly believe the situation he was looking at. His Miranda, wrestling their suspect in the water. It was quite the show indeed. The lifeguard that was casually eating his bocadillo, suddenly jumped to attention. Shouting above the splash and commotion of the water, Miranda explained to him that she was a police officer. He, in turn, helped by gaining the strong, upper hand of Mia. Max was agog, swallowing the lump in his throat when he registered how drenched Miranda was. She rose out of the water like some greek goddess, albeit a very soaked greek goddess, but one nonetheless. Her hair stuck to her scalp, the beads of water glistening on her sun-soaked skin. She looked beautiful and he was mesmerised. Until that was, he registered the pissed look on her face, that was clearly meant and aimed for him.
“Nice nap, Max?” Miranda scoffed, the sarcasm dripping from her mouth. She brushed past him, knocking him slightly to the side.
“Errr–” Max replied sheepishly, jogging behind to catch up with her as their suspect was hauled from the pool. Lending a hand, he helped the lifeguard by securely cuffing and reading Mia her rights.
Wrapping the large pool towel around her sodden body, Miranda called Inés to let her know that the thief had been arrested and would soon be on her way to the station. Like a puppy with its tail between its legs, Max came to stand by her side, an apologetic smile gracing his face.
“Sorry. Forgive me?” Max pleaded.
“It’s fine. Inés says we need to get back to the office. Something’s come up,” Miranda told him. She was still knarked, but he did look genuinely sorry.
“Best get going. Come on then…Ariel,” Max smirked, bending down to pick up their belongings.
Max never saw the cussed fingers aimed at the back of his head. Probably for the best, really.