by Parker, Ali
“I’ll be right here, holding up this wall.”
I found Hayden and Jared staring at a display of tools with an informative display about how the pyramids were built. “Hey,” I said.
The two of them jumped. They stared at me with guilty faces. “Hey,” Hayden murmured.
“I think your bus is leaving soon. Did you guys enjoy it?”
“Yes,” Hayden answered, clearly not pleased to have me bugging her.
“Good. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Actually, can I go to Beth’s after school? We are going to work on our research papers.”
I looked at Jared, then her. “Just you and Beth?”
Hayden made wide eyes at me again. “Yes, Mae.”
I smiled. “Fine. Be home by nine.”
“I will. Thanks, Mae.”
They both walked away, falling in line with the rest of the students. I waved one last time before going back to check on Tyson. He was in the same spot.
“Are you okay?”
He looked at me and let out a long breath. “Yes.”
“Thank you again for doing this. I know you made an impact.”
“I hope so.”
“I should probably get going. You need to decompress.”
“No,” he answered quickly.
“No?”
“I was going to put out some new items for a display. Would you like to help? I’ll order dinner.”
I thought about it for a few seconds. “Are you sure? I don’t want to crowd you.”
“You won’t be crowding me. Do you need to get back to the museum?”
I offered him a smile. “No, I don’t. I would be happy to stick around. I would love to learn from the master.”
“Great. I’ll show you to the back and you can ogle all my goodies.”
Once again, he was making me think of sex. On purpose, obviously. “I will gladly ogle your goodies.”
“At least I know these are safe from you,” he teased. “I am going to be much more careful about what I say around you. I don’t want you to get any ideas and scoop me once again.”
“I don’t need to listen to you. I can find my own things.”
He grinned as he pulled out his phone. “What are you in the mood for?”
It was my turn to turn the tables on him. “Hmm, are we going to be dining alone?”
He put the phone down and looked at me with such intensity I nearly melted where I stood. “Everyone will be gone. I’ll make sure of it. We’ll be all alone. Just you, me, and the ghosts that cling to these artifacts.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Ew. That’s not exactly romantic.”
He chuckled and picked up his phone again. It was just dinner, I told myself. We were going to enjoy a nice dinner while checking out some cool artifacts. Nothing more.
Chapter 42
Tyson
I opened the crate with the coins I wanted to put on display. Mae was right beside me, watching with rapt interest. I moved aside some of the packaging the items had been stored in. She leaned forward, closely examining the items.
When she stood up to look at me, she was smiling. “These are nice. I didn’t think you were interested in the small things.”
“Absolutely. They don’t exactly get my juices flowing like some of the more intricate items, but coins are just as important to telling the total story.”
She nodded. “I agree. Our daily lives include money. We buy food, shelter, and basic necessities. It’s only right to include it.”
“I was thinking to arrange them based on the years they were used.”
“I think you should give people something to better understand the value of a coin or money back then.”
I was puzzled and intrigued. “What do you mean?”
“Let’s say a pizza costs twenty bucks. Which one of these coins would buy something like a pizza? A car? A house?”
The light went on. “I get it. That’s an excellent idea.”
“I know.” She grinned.
“You are so humble,” I teased.
“When I’m good, I’m good. In this situation, I’m good.”
“I would love to get some of your ideas on my other displays,” I said.
She softly giggled. “Tyson, that would be helping the competition.”
I pouted. “Am I really the competition? Isn’t your love for history more important? Can’t you set aside the idea we are competitors?”
She raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. “Could you? Would you like to help me fill in the back story on the statue?”
She had a point. “Maybe I could be persuaded to do so.”
“With?” she asked.
I raked my eyes down her body before raising them to linger on her mouth. “Your help with my displays.”
She smiled. “We’ll have to see. I don’t know if I’m satisfied with just your help with the statue. Maybe I want more.”
My phone beeped, alerting me that our dinner had arrived. “Hold that thought. Our dinner is here.”
I walked to the door, unlocked it, and took the bags of Chinese from the delivery driver. I gave him a tip, locked the door, and walked back to the storeroom. Mae was inspecting a coin with a magnifying glass.
She looked up and inhaled deeply. “It smells amazing. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until just this moment. Are we going to sit down in here?”
I slowly shook my head. “I have something better in mind.”
“Oh?”
“It’s a little something I’ve been working on.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Oh? And what would this be?”
“Take these,” I said and handed her the bags. “I’ll be right back.”
I quickly went into my office and grabbed the small plaid blanket that had once been used in a display until I realized it ruined the authenticity of the grouping. I tossed it over my arm and walked back to the storeroom. I caught Mae munching on an egg roll.
“I couldn’t wait,” she said with a shrug of her shoulder.
I chuckled. “I have to remember to feed you more often. I’m going to start carrying Scooby snacks in my pockets.”
“That is a good idea.”
“Follow me, you little thief.”
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“It’s a surprise,” I answered, anxious to show her my latest venture. I pushed open a door, leading into a dark room.
“Uh, this is only a little creepy, Tyson. What is this place? I’ve never noticed it back here before.”
A row of soft blue lights on the floor guided the way into the Egyptian Sky room. I reached for the panel on the wall, input my code, and waited.
Mae gasped. “Oh my god!” she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand.
She handed me the bags and stepped into the room. There were millions of stars in the night sky, along with a quarter moon. In the background, there was a large pyramid highlighted with soft blue lights. An Egyptian city skyline with a 3D effect graced another wall. I turned back and added the sounds. It was a combination of nocturnal bugs and the occasional sound of a harp in the distance.
“I have no words,” she whispered, bending her head back to look up at the ceiling.
“No words?” I questioned.
I walked toward her, putting down the bags of food and then spreading the blanket out in the space that would soon hold benches for sitting on. She looked at me. “This is just incredible. When do you plan on opening this?”
“Maybe a week or two?”
“Tyson, this is so incredible. I am absolutely floored. I don’t even know how to describe all this.”
“Sit,” I said, taking my own seat on the blanket.
She sat down with the most serene look on her face. “I want to hate this.”
“Why would you want to hate it?”
“Because it is so fucking awesome. You are going to have people coming here just to see this.”
I loved that she was as impr
essed with the display as I was. She could appreciate it with me. “I am working on holograms,” I told her. It was a secret I had been keeping for too long. I was eager to share it with someone and I knew she would love it. “I want to have an Egyptian city come to life. People would be working in the city, having meetings, and even building a pyramid.”
“Tyson, I am just absolutely impressed. This is beautiful. I might have to buy a season pass. I want to hang out in here always. It’s romantic and serene and just so… I’m gushing. I don’t mean to gush but it’s just everything.”
Her excitement was exactly what I wanted to hear. I loved that I could give her a little piece of heaven on earth. “Thank you. It really means a lot to me that you are impressed with it.”
She slapped my arm before digging into the bags and pulling out cartons. “You know this is amazing. Don’t be humble. This is fucking awesome. I’m going to move in here. Where is the bathroom?”
I laughed and unwrapped my chopsticks. We both munched down on the variety of food I ordered. We didn’t bother with the plates. We passed boxes around, trying what the other had. We had swapped so much spit at this point, it was silly to try and be formal. Plus, I liked that we could be totally relaxed with each other. I didn’t want to compare our relationship to an old married couple, but times like these made me feel like we had a close bond.
“Today was good, huh?” I asked.
She smiled again. The stars from above casting her in a white light that gave her an ethereal look. “You know it was. I saw the looks on those kids’ faces. I was in the crowd with them. I heard their comments.”
I groaned. “Oh god, what did they say?”
“Uh, let’s see. All the girls were giddy and have a crush on you. The guys thought you were cool. In general, it was very positive. They liked what they saw. And I think they will actually remember some of the stuff. You might have just found the next archeologist.”
“Not just me,” I reminded her. “You were awesome. I think all the boys were crushing on you.”
“I guess the history teacher was right. We make a great team.”
I grinned. “We do. Imagine what we could do if we were a team.”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she reached for another box and began to eat. I watched her as she stared at the pyramid. The gentle sound of a harp started to play. We were still working on the background music loop. After we both stuffed ourselves, I tossed the cartons into the bag and pushed it to the side.
“Would you like to lay down and look at the stars?” I asked.
She smiled and very daintily lay down, tugging her skirt down as far as it would go. “Wow. Can you imagine how bright the stars would have been without any light pollution from lights in a house, porch lights, and streetlights? No satellites flying through the air or planes. Just a beautiful, clear sky.”
“It would have been stunning,” I agreed.
“Do you think the slaves worked all night to build those pyramids?” she asked. “The moon and the stars would have provided some light.”
“I wouldn’t doubt if they were forced to.”
“How sad but I would imagine it would have been much cooler. And the backdrop they got to work against—well, it’s breathtaking.”
I laughed. “Have you seen the size of those stones they had to haul? I’m not sure they were looking at the backdrop.”
“I bet you they did. I wish we could travel through time. I don’t think I would want to live in the times we are so fascinated with, but I would love to just peek in.”
“You’re a voyeur,” I teased.
She giggled. “I guess I am. You can’t say you aren’t. You would jump at the chance to watch these people up close and personal.”
I turned to look at her. “You are right. I would pay a great deal just for a day.”
“You know you are going to have to have security in here,” she said.
“Why? I have cameras.”
“Now who’s a voyeur?” she said with a laugh.
“I’m not watching people. Please tell me you have security cameras in your place?”
“I do, but I don’t have a boom boom room.”
“A what?”
“This place is dark and romantic with lots of floor space. It’s like an aphrodisiac. Couples come in here and sex is going to be on their minds. If they come in here and aren’t a couple, they will be by the time they walk out of here.”
I chuckled. “I see what you mean. There will be benches in here.”
“Even better,” she quipped. “Then they won’t have to roll on the floor.”
“Great. I guess I will be hiring a security guard. I don’t want to be watching night-vision footage of two people getting it on.”
“Maybe you could put a little basket at the door filled with condoms,” she offered.
I rolled to my side, looking down at her. “Are you telling me you are feeling the effects of my boom boom room?”
She giggled. “No. I’m only offering you some friendly advice.”
I didn’t bother asking. I was going to take. I leaned down and dropped a soft kiss on her lips before pulling away and looking into her eyes in the muted light. I waited for the green light. I didn’t mind stealing one kiss, but I wouldn’t take more if she wasn’t willing to give it.
“Are we going to be the first to use your boom boom room?” she whispered.
My answer was another searing kiss. When I finally came up for air, I nodded. “It only seems right that we would be the first.”
“Too bad you don’t have those benches in here,” she said with a soft laugh.
I swallowed her laugh, plunging my tongue deep inside her mouth and savoring the kiss under the Egyptian sky. It was an aphrodisiac. I didn’t really need the ambiance, but it was a nice change.
Chapter 43
Mae
I opened my eyes, staring up at the beautiful night sky as Tyson’s mouth moved over my neck. I felt like I was floating. I could imagine lovers a thousand years ago doing what we were doing under the same sky. It would have been magical. It was magical.
I moaned, letting myself float away on the ecstasy he was stirring up. His hot mouth traced a trail of kisses down my chest as he unbuttoned my blouse. The front clasp on my bra sprang open. My breasts tumbled out and into his waiting hands. He lovingly sucked and nibbled on my breasts before continuing on his downward path.
He reached under me, finding the zipper on my skirt, and pulled it down. The sound blended with the sounds of crickets and harp music. Soon, he was tugging the skirt down my legs. My pumps were pulled off and tossed to the side. He rose to his knees and looked down at me with my blouse hanging open and my breasts spilling out.
“You are fucking beautiful,” he said in a reverent tone.
I sucked in a breath. His gaze was making me feel hot and twitchy. “Touch me,” I whispered.
He nodded. “I’m going to do so much more than touch you. I want to taste you.”
My eyes widened, and for a moment, I felt panic. I couldn’t explain it. His hands reached for my panties and pulled them down my legs. I was breathing hard. He bent forward, using one hand to open my legs. I didn’t know what to do. When his mouth covered me, there was nothing more I could do except enjoy the ride. He expertly worked his mouth over my most sensitive parts, bringing me to the brink of ecstasy before pulling back.
I groaned and writhed on the floor, my fingers threading through his hair, encouraging him to keep going. “Oh god,” I gasped when I felt the orgasm building to a point that it could not be stopped.
His tongue didn’t stop moving. He suckled me before increasing the pressure and nibbling at the sensitive flesh. I erupted into a burst of heat and flames. I couldn’t tell if the stars flashing before my eyes were real or part of the display. I cried out and let go of everything. All my inhibitions and worries were given up in that moment. I let myself go and loved every second.
His mouth moved over my belly as he m
ade a slow slide back up to my mouth. “Better than I could have ever imagined,” he breathed.
I cupped his face with my hand and kissed him soundly. “You are still very dressed.”
He smiled. “I was preoccupied with other matters.”
“I think you should focus, Mr. Helms. These clothes must go.”
He moved off me, quickly undressing while I sat up and took off my blouse and bra. He was standing above me. The night sky above him made him look like he was mingling with the stars. His dark hair was falling around his face and forehead. He was so fucking hot. I could look at him all day.
He dropped to his knees. I got to my knees and faced him. I reached out and brushed my hand over the tattoo on his chest. His hand cupped my cheek. In that moment, it was as if the world did not exist. It was just me, him, and the stars. My heart was pounding. It wasn’t excitement or passion but something far more intense. His gentle touch made me feel something so much more powerful.
I gave myself a mental shake. I didn’t want to go down that road. It was too dangerous. I took a step back from the emotions and went with the lust driving me on. I leaned forward and grabbed his face to plant a sensual kiss on him that had me writhing with need once again.
He gently laid me back on the floor as he came over me. When he slid inside me, it was as if I had been made whole. He was taking his sweet time. The frantic need that usually brought us together was gone. I felt languid and unrushed. My hands stroked up and down his back as he glided in and out of my body.
I felt the muscles in his back ripple under my touch. Usually, I found I kept my eyes closed but not this time. I looked up at the sky and lived in the beautiful moment. “So beautiful,” I whispered.
He dropped a kiss on my lips before changing up his tempo. “Beyond beautiful.”
I smiled. “The sky. You are beautiful, but this? All of this is just magical.”
“I want to make love to you under the stars every night,” he said in a husky voice.
I smiled. “I don’t think I would mind that at all, but I don’t know if I can get over here every night.”