Descent (Black Heart Romance presents Heaven & Hell)

Chapter Nineteen
Hallie
The temple isn’t enormous, but it is impressive. It was built thousands of years ago on the banks
of the Nile River in Egypt and now it’s here, in this beautiful, custom built exhibit in New York City.
And for tonight, it’s all ours.
Calvin’s hand startles me when it touches the small of my back, but I’ve stopped in front of the
temple and he’s only urging me forward.
I move past the columns that resemble stalks of papyrus and enter the porch of the temple. It’s
within walls, but not closed in like the next room, so I don’t entirely feel like I’m alone with him.
Still, I feel the room shrink as he walks up behind me, then moves forward and examines the wall
beside me.
Unease crawls up my spine, raising the hairs on the back of my neck, but I glance outside the
temple at the table set up in front of the outer building, at the server clearing our dishes and the guard
standing nearby.
We’re not alone.
I tell myself that, but it doesn’t make me relax. He’s standing too close.
Carvings cover the interior wall. Calvin runs his hand right over one, causing me to suck in a
scandalized gasp and glance outside again. The guard is still out there, but he isn’t watching us at all.
“You’re not supposed to do that,” I tell him.
Side-eyeing me, his lips tug up in faint amusement. “And I would never do anything I’m not
allowed to do,” he says, his voice gently mocking.
I roll my eyes. “That’s not—This is different. This is a priceless piece of history on display at a
museum. The structure has been through enough, it doesn’t need your skin oils degrading it even more.
Not to mention, this was a church. It wouldn’t kill you to be a little respectful—”
I stop when he slowly raises his palm, then places it against the Egyptian carving on the wall just
to get a rise out of me.
I narrow my eyes at him, but decide not to reward him with further attention. I shift my focus
back to the wall and all the carvings, trying to focus on the artwork and not the needlessly challenging
man beside me.
I feel easier when he lowers his hand and starts gazing without touching, but I try not to let him
realize that.