“Keep it up, Professor, and I’m going to have no choice but to kiss you. I don’t care who can see us,” Ed teased.
A light blush stained Max’s cheeks, but he didn’t say anything in response. Just shook his head. Ed was definitely kissing him later.
“How many times have you been here?” Ed inquired, changing the topic to something safer than what he wanted to do to Max when they were alone.
A loud bark of laughter jumped from Max. “Too many times to count. Dozens. Hundreds, probably.”
Ed snorted. “That would explain why it seemed like you knew the ticket seller and how you knew some of the names of the guards as well as the tour guides.”
“Visiting Karnac is like my first stop on my coming-home tour,” Max stated.
“I’m sorry, what?”
Max stopped and looked up at him, his brows bunching together for a second in thought and then brightening again. “Ah! You said that you’re from North Carolina. That your family lives there, right?” Ed nodded. “When you go back for a visit, are there certain old haunts that you go to every time?”
Ed rubbed a hand on his neck, his grin turning crooked. “A few. There’s this one hole-in-the-wall diner that serves the best fried green tomatoes I’ve ever had. And don’t you dare repeat that to my mother. I’d have to hear for the rest of my life that I’d betrayed the family for not thinking hers are the best.”
A snicker slipped from Max and he pointed at Ed. “We’re going to put a pin in this notion that I’m going to ever be in a position to talk to your mother.”
Fuck.
Had he said that?
Yes, he had. Never in his life had he considered bringing someone to meet his family. Mostly because his family was a bit loud and crazy and his mother would immediately try to feed Max until he burst. But now that Max had pointed it out, he couldn’t get the idea out of his head.
Yes, this was a good idea.
He wanted Max to meet all of his family. He wanted Max there on Christmas and for a summer cookout so Max could witness the ongoing argument between his father and uncles about charcoal versus gas. Hell, he had little doubt that Max would be right in the middle of that with his own, very educated opinion.
He wanted all of that and so much more.
This…this could be a problem.
He pushed it to the back of his mind for now and tried to concentrate on what Max was saying. His main priority needed to be keeping Max alive so he could find his lost tomb.
“Karnac is my hole-in-the-wall diner. Cairo is good for a visit and a base, but I almost always find myself in Luxor when it comes to working a dig. And one of the first things I do when I reach Luxor is to visit Karnac. It’s like paying homage to the old gods and reacquainting myself with a place that has always felt like a second home to me. From Karnac, I usually head to the West Bank and spend some time at the Temple of Ramesses the Third at Medinet Habu and then, if there’s time, I’ll hit up a couple of my other favorite tombs. They usually vary from there.”
“It’s like visiting old friends for you,” Ed murmured.
“Very much.” Max shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers and led the way to the café.
“Have you ever brought anyone else here?”
“I’ve met a couple of colleagues here when they got into town so we could discuss our plans for a dig or brainstorm problems we were having. But a friend…” Max paused and glanced over at Ed, a weird little smile forming on his lips. Oh, Ed needed to inform him that they were on the fast track to becoming so much more than friends. “No, never.”
“Friend, huh? Don’t you think this feels like more of a date?”
Another loud laugh burst from Max. “Better a date than another infamous Professor Sutton lecture.”
“Pfft, infamous. You’re an amazing storyteller. Your students have to love you!”
“They love my lectures, hate my exams. I’m notorious for my complicated essay exams and term papers.” There was no missing the look of pride on Max’s face.
They strolled down the street to the café Max had mentioned and popped inside for some iced coffee that was more akin to what they might see in New York than Luxor, but Max was right. Total tourist trap.
With their drinks in hand, they settled under an umbrella at a small table.
“I don’t want to talk about me anymore,” Max suddenly announced when he was nearly done with his drink. “I don’t know anything about your family. You said you returned to North Carolina, but that’s it. Are they all there? Is that where you’re originally from?”