Chapter 2

“That was a long time ago,” Ian pointed out.

“Yes, I imagine it was,” the man said. “Still, a great loss.”

“Definitely,” Ian said, and then remembered what he wanted to ask the man before anyone else came into the lobby. “So, is it possible to see the pyramids?”

“There’s actually a view from the room I’m assigning you.”

“No, I mean when no one else is around.”

“You’d like a private audience with them?” the man asked in a way that was sarcastic and flirty all at the same time.

“I guess you could say that,” Ian answered, shrugging his shoulders.

“Well, most evenings, there’s a laser light show. Your timing is rather impeccable though. If there were a night to get out there on your own, tonight would be the night. It should storm at just the right time tonight for the laser show and any other events to be cancelled. After that, you could find yourself alone out there.”

“How do I get to them?”

“Let’s discuss that while I show you to your room. If you’ll follow me, I’ll lead you the back way. It’s the same way we’ll use later.”

Ian followed the man around a corner to a door. It led to a small hallway, and the man turned and began to climb a staircase.

“This really is the back way,” Ian said, surprised at how small the staircase was.

“Yes, I wanted you to see it because, as I mentioned, it’s the one we’ll use later.”

“I should pay you for this, right?” Ian asked.

“Most people do.”

“You take a lot of people on these private tours?”

“Only the people who interest me,” the man said.

The man’s back was to Ian, but if tones could convey a smile, Ian imagined that this man’s would.

“Is two hundred dollars okay?”

“Whatever price you feel is fair works for me,” the man said and then stopped at a door. “We can talk about all that this evening. Right now, you should settle into your room.”

Ian watched as the man opened the door to a rather charming room. The bed looked comfortable and snug. There was a desk against the wall, and a few pictures and other objects d’artin frames, but what caught Ian’s eyes was the view. A large window almost filled the wall that was opposite the door. Although the rain was coming down somewhat strongly, in the distance, Ian could still see the dark shadows that were the pyramids.

Ian stood in the doorway still admiring the view, until he felt the man’s hand on his arm.

“You can watch it all evening until we leave, but for now, you should go in your room,” the man said, his voice almost seductive.

Ian turned to the man, smiled, and walked into the room. “Aren’t you going to show me around the room?”

“Is that an invitation?” the man asked, still in the hallway.

“Of course it is,” Ian said.

“That’s what I hoped,” the man said, crossing into the room. “You’ve seen the view. Everything else is similar to any other hotel you’ve visited.”

“None of the others had you in them,” Ian said with a smile.

“And this one won’t for long,” the man replied.

A look of disappointment crossed Ian’s face. For a second, he had hoped that the man might put a move on him in the bedroom. Ian was not opposed to the idea, but the man was walking back toward the door.

“Aren’t you going to stay for a minute?” Ian asked. “I thought you wanted that invitation.”

“That was just a formality. One should never enter the room of another without permission,” the man said, placing his hand on the door.

“How very thoughtful,” Ian replied.

“When the storm has passed, I’ll come for you here,” the tall, handsome man informed him

“I’ll wait with bated breath,” Ian said with a smile, realizing that not only did he sound horribly cheesy, but he was also starting to feel more excited about seeing this man again than he was about visiting the pyramids.

“I’m glad to hear it,” the innkeeper said, his eyes deep and brown. “And sometimes I enjoy a phrase I haven’t heard in a while.”

Ian started to respond, but the man closed the door and was gone in just a second. Had he just read Ian’s thoughts again?

Ian placed his bag on the table and kicked off his shoes. It had been a long day, and he could use some relaxation. The innkeeper hadn’t specified how long it would be before he came back, but Ian imagined that it would be awhile. Ian looked out the window again. The pyramids were big and dark in the shadows, and he was sure that he could feel their power. Tonight, he would be near them, and if he wanted to savor the moment, he had work to do.