Trapped in the Valley of the Kings

by Blue Jones

  He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve and pulled out some protein bars and a two-liter bottle of water from his bag as Jude watched him with surprise.

  “Bloody hell, Mary Poppins. What else have you got in there?”

  “None of your business.”

  “Did I see whisky?”

  Will frowned. “It’s for medicinal purposes only.”

  “Medicinal, you say?” Jude looked pointedly at his ankle and back to Will again.

  Will snorted. “Fine, go crazy.” He pulled out the bottle and tossed it to Jude, who caught it with a smile.

  “I never drink alone.” Jude unscrewed the cap, took a swig, then held it out for Will.

  Will sighed and reluctantly took the bottle. Anything to shut the idiot up. He swallowed a few big mouthfuls. Maybe if he got good and drunk, he could ignore the heat. He’d thought it was hot up in the cave, but now, stuck in the chamber below, the heat had increased to almost unbearable levels.

  Jude picked up the unopened water bottle and held it up to Will until he rolled his eyes and clinked glasses with him.

  “I can’t believe I found the tomb,” said Jude.

  Will paused. “You found it?”

  “Well yeah. I mean, I was the first in the chamber.”

  “Only because you’re a clumsy idiot who fell through a hole.”

  Jude shrugged. “Well, I was the first to reveal everything.”

  “Only because I gave you my flashlight and told you to switch it on. Why the hell is it your discovery and not mine?”

  Jude thought for a moment. “I was in the cave up there before you.”

  “I was up there this morning before you’d even landed in the country.” Will glared at Jude, and Jude didn’t seem to have an answer. But the longer Will glared at him, the more mutinous Jude’s expression grew.

  “It’s not your discovery,” said Jude.

  “It definitely ain’t yours,” growled Will.

  “You sound like a five-year-old.”

  “Do not.”

  Jude snorted a laugh and smiled sweetly, until he seemed to remember they were midargument. “We could just share the discovery. Put both our names on it.”

  “I don’t share bylines.”

  Jude shrugged and took another sip of whisky.

  “You don’t even need this,” said Will.

  “What do you mean?”

  “They’re still writing articles about the pretty, blond Boy Wonder taking the archaeology world by storm at Stonehenge.” Will couldn’t stop the bitterness showing in his voice, and it pissed him off. He grabbed the whisky back to focus Jude’s attention on something else.

  “First of all,” Jude responded, “my whole team discovered that Stonehenge was built two hundred years earlier than everyone thought, not me. And second of all, you think I’m pretty?”

  “I never said that. That’s how they write about you. Lazy journalism.”

  “Lazy because they’re stating the obvious? As in I’m obviously pretty?”

  “Stop it.”

  Jude blinked at him. “So. If I don’t deserve this, are you saying you do?”

  Will shrugged and took a long gulp of whisky before Jude snatched it off him and took a sip himself. “I haven’t made a major discovery in a long time.”

  “What else?” asked Jude.

  “That isn’t enough?”

  Jude shook his head, and Will gave it a bit of thought. What else was wrong with his life? Jesus, that was a rocky road to go down. “My name is mud to all these people. I haven’t had a paper published since the last guy I shared a byline with dropped out of science and joined a semireligious cult who worship fucking lizard men from the planet Jupiter or some shit. I’m a laughingstock now. Guilt by association.”

  Jude didn’t say anything.

  “Don’t pretend you’re not aware. We both know how unexpectedly gossipy this industry is.”

  “I might have heard a little something.” Jude took another sip. “So that’s why you don’t share bylines anymore.”

  “Bingo.” Will took back the whisky. “Plus I’m single,” Will continued. “Nearly forty. Still don’t own a house. I’m never in one country long enough to settle down anywhere. I’m not even 100 percent sure I haven’t chosen the wrong career. I mean, what if I was supposed to be a drummer in an alternative rock band?”

  To his credit, Jude didn’t laugh in Will’s face at that revelation.

  “You think your life is bad?” asked Jude.

  “I know it is.”

  “Hah. Mine’s worse. Try this. My best friend moved to Italy to start a vineyard and make her own wine. I’ll basically never see her again. My house has termites and probably needs rebuilding from the ground up. Plus my boyfriend left me. At Christmas. And, on top of that….” Jude’s voice wobbled, and he seemed to pause for a second to regain control of it. “On top of that, he took my cat. He said since he paid the rescue center admin fee of ten dollars when we adopted him, legally the cat is his. And he took him. He doesn’t even love him, not as much as I do.”

  Will had never seen anyone look so miserable. Jude sniffled wetly and rubbed a hand over his eyes, and Will couldn’t help but reach out to comfort him. Jude immediately shifted closer to Will, his warm body pressing up against Will’s. He slung an arm over the smaller man’s shoulders and stroked his thumb back and forth over Jude’s upper arm, the fabric smooth under his fingers.

  “He sounds like a complete asshole.”

  “He is.”

  Will pulled Jude a little closer and let himself enjoy the coconut scent and softness of his hair. “But you still don’t win.”

  Jude sniffed again and looked up at him.

  “I got one more,” said Will. His stomach churned with nerves. It was less a competition now to win the discovery of the tomb and more a mission to make Jude feel better about his life.

  “Go on,” whispered Jude.

  Will glanced down and was surprised to find that he couldn’t see his own heart pounding through his chest. He took one deep breath. “I’ve been in love with a guy for a year. And he doesn’t know it. Pathetically in love. I think about the idiot all the time. But he doesn’t even know we’ve been together. And I’m never gonna tell him.”

  “Why not?” Jude asked quietly.

  “Because he doesn’t like me back. And I’ve had enough rejection and humiliation to last me a lifetime. Two lifetimes. I’m done. I’d rather never be in another relationship again than go through more of that. I’m a coward, I know. But, there it is.”

  “How could he not remember you’ve been together?”

  “I’m pretty easy to forget.”

  Jude frowned up at him. “So, both our lives suck equally.”

  Will nodded. “How are we going to figure out who gets it?”

  “We really could just share,” Jude suggested again.

  “Not a chance, kid.”

  “Don’t call me that. Look, I promise I won’t join a cult sometime in the future and retroactively embarrass you.”

  Will ignored him. “Pass me my backpack.”

  Jude reached for it, stretching as far as he could without disturbing his ankle, and tossed the backpack to Will.

  Will didn’t relish being called Mary Poppins again, but regardless, he rooted around in the front pocket and brought out a deck of cards. “We’ll play for it.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Do you have a better idea?”

  “I guess not. But….”

  “But what?” Will asked, exasperated. Why couldn’t Jude ever make anything simple?

  Jude licked his lips, almost nervously. “If we’re going with your idea for the method, I have to decide what game we play.”

  “Okay, sure.” That seemed fair. “What’s it gonna be?”

  Jude grinned. “Strip poker.”

  He should have known.

  “And it’s not because I’m a perv. It’s because I’m too warm, and I want to get s
ome of these clothes off.”

  “Sure it is.”

  “Okay, okay. Maybe I’ve also missed that torso of yours.”

  Will’s head shot up. “What do you mean?”

  “It got pretty sunny in Stonehenge, if you remember. There was definitely some shirtless archaeology going on.”

  Will felt his cheeks redden. “Whatever.”

  “Don’t get all shy, you big lug.”

  “I’m not shy. I’m just hot.”

  “I’ll say.”

  Will took the joker card and flipped it at Jude’s head. He batted it away, laughing, and Will shuffled the cards and dealt a hand each.

  “It’s nearly Christmas, y’know,” said Jude.

  “Who cares about Christmas?”

  “I do. I’m going to set my alarm for midnight. So we know when it happens.” Jude fiddled with his watch and pressed some buttons to set an alarm, frowning with concentration.

  Will was trying to be cool and unaffected by this entire situation. It would really help if Jude could stop being so cute.

  TWENTY MINUTES and several rounds later, they were both shirtless, and Will was trying to help Jude out of his black jeans. Which wasn’t easy with an injured ankle they were both trying not to knock.

  “Could you have chosen a tighter pair of jeans?” Will grunted as he tried to pull them down over Jude’s surprisingly muscular thighs.

  “Sorry,” Jude forced out between giggles.

  Will unhooked his fingers from Jude’s belt loops and sat back. “Look, if you’re not going to take this seriously….”

  “I’m sorry, I am. It’s just so ridiculous. Look at us.”

  Jude was half dressed, his jeans almost down to his knees. They were both slightly buzzed and covered in sweat from exerting themselves in the boiling hot chamber. Playing cards lay scattered all over the smooth rock floor, and Jude’s hair was almost all out of the band he kept it tied back with. Sweaty blond strands stuck to his face, and his cheeks were red. And they sat ten feet away from what could very well be the long-lost tomb of Queen Nefertiti.

  “I guess we are slightly ridiculous,” said Will.

  Jude smiled. “Let’s give it one more try.”

  Will grabbed the ankles of Jude’s jeans and pulled as Jude raised his body off the ground, using his hands braced against the rock. The jeans slid off easily this time, and Will quickly caught Jude’s injured ankle in one hand and lowered it gently to the ground. He folded Jude’s jeans and set them near his bag with the rest of their clothes. “Better?”

  “Much. Aren’t you still hot, though?” Jude nodded at Will’s cargo pants. Still intact.

  “Yeah.” Will was melting to death from the heat. “But we’re still playing, and I guess I’m not as much of a loser as you.”

  Jude turned his cards over. “I give up. It’s too hot to concentrate.”

  He obviously wasn’t too keen to see any more of Will. Will couldn’t blame him.

  “Let’s play something else instead,” said Jude.

  “Like what?”

  “Truth or dare,” Jude suggested.

  “I don’t know….” That sounded like a bad idea.

  “You choose first,” Jude continued. “Which is it, truth or dare?”

  Will panicked. “Dare?”

  Jude smiled wickedly. “I dare you to kiss me.”

  Will’s eyes widened, and his stomach plummeted through the floor. He tried to affect an air of cynicism rather than the pure panic he was feeling. “Are you kidding? Are we back in high school?”

  Jude shook his head. “No. We’re in an Egyptian tomb. Which hasn’t seen a living human being in thousands of years. I’m with the sexiest man I know, and we’re hot, sweaty, and nearly naked. If you don’t kiss me right now, it’s probably high treason, and I’m calling the police.”

  Will wanted to kiss him so badly. Jude was even more irresistible when he was like this. Playful but determined. Cute but hot as hell. Adorable, yet utterly confusing. “You’re not into me that way.”

  Jude looked confused. “Who says?”

  Will stood up. “I know you’re bored, but there’s better stuff you can do to amuse yourself than flirt with me.”

  Jude lurched forward and grabbed Will’s hand. “I haven’t been bored for one second since you found me.” Will paused and looked down at Jude. He gazed up wordlessly, still holding on to Will’s hand, his thumb rubbing tiny circles on Will’s palm, sending chills up Will’s spine.

  Apparently Jude had to be under the influence of alcohol, or at least not completely sober to be attracted to Will. Will knelt down by Jude’s side, still holding his hand.

  “Are you drunk?”

  “No,” said Jude.

  “Is this whisky-based sexual attraction?”

  “It’s whisky-based confidence.”

  “You’re always confident.”

  Jude snorted, then shook his head. “No I’m not. Please come back.” When Will paused, he continued. “I dare you to come sit with me.”

  Will could do that. He climbed over Jude’s lap and settled down next to him. Somehow they were still holding hands.

  “You owe me a kiss,” Jude whispered.

  Oh yeah. Will licked his lips. Jude’s lips parted slightly, and Will watched the curve of Jude’s neck as he swallowed. Even the beauty of Nefertiti’s golden chamber paled next to Jude’s face.

  Will leaned in, and they kissed. Jude’s lips were so soft. Will almost couldn’t bear it. Jude ran a hand gently all the way down Will’s bare arm as they kissed, from his shoulder to the inside of his wrist, and the delicate touch made Will shiver.

  Fuck it. So Jude didn’t remember their past. At least Will would get to have a partial rerun of the best night of his life. It would still be worth it. To touch him again, kiss him, be close to him. Their kiss deepened as Jude licked at Will’s lips, and their tongues met. Jude moaned into Will’s mouth, and Will spread his hands over Jude’s slick, naked back, his skin smooth and hot under his fingers. Will pulled him closer, and the feel of his naked chest pressed hard against Will’s was glorious.

  They parted, Jude breathless and panting. “Truth or dare?”

  “Me again?” asked Will.

  Jude nodded desperately, his eyes wide and unfocused, his hands on the back of Will’s sweaty neck, gripping hard.

  “Dare, please.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that,” Jude whispered in Will’s ear. Then he bit down on it and licked Will’s neck. He whispered again. “I dare you to fuck me.”

  A chill ran through Will’s entire body. He breathed in and out a couple of times to calm down, then put a firm hand flat on Jude’s chest. “If you promise not to bring up Mary Poppins again, I’m going to reach into my bag, find my lube, and fuck you into the floor of this tomb. Do you have any objections?”

  Jude shook his head, his pupils seeming to expand in response to Will’s words.

  Once Will had found the tiny tube of lube and a condom, he left his bag behind Jude and pushed him gently back until he was lying on the ground, using the bag as a pillow. Will stroked a thumb over Jude’s cheekbone, his skin almost unbearably soft. He ran his hand through Jude’s soft hair, down his neck, and firmly over his chest and flat stomach, Jude arching up to meet his touch. Will stopped his hands at Jude’s boxers, and when Jude grabbed his hands impatiently to push them and his boxers down, Will batted them away and leaned forward to nuzzle his face against Jude’s crotch. The soft fabric was a thin layer between his face and Jude’s hardening cock. He sucked at the hardness through the fabric, the heat and scent of Jude all around him. Jude moaned and grabbed the back of Will’s head, pushing his mouth more firmly against his cock. When Will couldn’t wait any longer, he pulled Jude’s boxers all the way down, letting Jude kick them off his good leg. Jude’s cock was dark pink, rock-hard, and beautiful. And Will needed it in his mouth now.

  He grabbed the base, licked slowly from his hand to the tip, then swallowed him down. He fl
uttered his tongue over the underside of Jude’s smooth, thick cock as he sucked his length. Jude jerked up, unable to control himself, thrusting his cock farther down Will’s throat, until Will choked. Jude croaked out an apology, but Will just paused for a second to catch his breath and carried on. Jude felt so good and heavy on his tongue, and he wanted Jude as far down his throat as he could get him. He sucked Jude down one last time, until his nose was pressing into Jude’s crotch; then he swallowed on his cock and then pulled off, Jude’s cock bouncing back against his own stomach.

  “Why?” asked Jude, almost whimpering at the loss of Will’s mouth. That single word was so sweet and uninhibited, it made Will want to hold him down and defile him in every way possible.

  “You want more?”

  “Please,” Jude whispered.

  Will grabbed his wrists and pulled them above Jude’s head, pinning them down against the ground. Jude looked beautiful beneath him. All lean hard muscle, laid out, open and wanting. Wanting him.

  Will transferred both Jude’s wrists to one hand and licked a stripe up his neck, from shoulder to ear. “You taste so good.”

  Jude shivered delicately.

  Will pulled up Jude’s legs and carefully arranged the injured one over his left shoulder. “That feel okay?”

  Jude nodded, his lids heavy and his lips still puffy and red from kissing. Will snapped the lube open and drizzled it directly onto Jude’s ass. Jude gasped when the cooler liquid met his heated skin. Will kissed his soft, sweet mouth again as his fingers explored Jude’s ass, and pushed the slickness inside him.

  The tightness around his fingers, combined with the feeling of Jude sucking hard on his tongue, was intoxicating. Will drew back reluctantly to catch his breath. His fingers were deep inside Jude now, and Jude quivered beneath him.

  “Ready?” asked Will.

  “Been ready forever,” Jude murmured.

  A hot jolt of lust hit Will, and he positioned his hard cock at Jude’s entrance, pausing for a split second before pushing into him, stopping once to let Jude adjust. As Will slid deeper inside, Jude moaned loudly and closed his eyes. He tipped his head right back and wrapped his legs tightly around Will like he never wanted to let go.