Page 25 of Her Dark Priests
“Not at all. Afraid I’m rather a meat and potatoes man myself,” he replied, taking another drink.
“You do seem very... I mean, you weren’t...” I wasn’t sure how to come across without sounding offensive or hypocritical.
“Out of place? Not what you were expecting?” He sent me that disarming smile again, and I felt warmth begin to grow inside me.
“Yes, that was it. Sorry.”
“Not at all. To be fair, I am usually based at the university. I’m not really allowed around artefacts, so I tend to keep to the books and journals and keep out of trouble.”
I frowned. “Why aren’t you allowed near artefacts?”
“Um, well, I’m a little clumsy, and I tend to accidentally... well, break things. Pottery and I do not go well together.” I laughed, and he grinned at me. “But as for Egypt, well, I grew up here.”
“That does surprise me.” I took another bite of my meal, fully enjoying the heat of the spices.
“Yes, well, my pasty skin colour aside, my father worked at the embassy in Cairo for fifteen years, so we lived in an apartment in the city. I was sent to school in England when I was ten and went to university there too, but I’ve always loved Egypt. It just has this pull on my heart...” His warm green eyes fixed on mine, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. My heart began to thud in my chest again, and my fork fell from my fingers with a clatter on the table. The noise broke the connection, and Wesley reached up and removed his glasses. He took out his handkerchief and began to polish them. “Sorry, that sounds daft.”
“I don’t think it sounds daft at all,” I murmured softly. “I’ve only been here a couple of days, and the idea of leaving just breaks my heart.”
He looked up sharply, placing his glasses back on his nose. “You’re leaving?”
“No, no, of course not. I just meant... I’m really starting to love this place too, and I’m already dreading the summer ending and having to head home.”
He looked relieved, and for some reason, that made me happy. I reminded myself I had no idea how long it would take West and Davenport to catch up with me. They could be frogmarching me home by the end of the week. A holiday romance was not what I needed, especially after what happened with Jasper, but I was never one for taking advice, even from myself, and we talked for hours as the evening became night and the Milky Way spread out across the sky like some beautiful painting on the ceiling of a temple.