Jonny lifted the little carving very gently, his big eyes shining and his plump lower lip caught between his teeth. Zach thought he looked like a kid with a new toy.

“God, this is incredible.” Jonny ran a thumb down one of the statue’s arms. “This was carved by a master. It had to be. No run-of-the-mill sculptor could’ve done this.”

“Makes sense.” Zach nuzzled Jonny’s hair. The satiny curls smelled like clover, with an undertone of male musk. Zach felt his body responding and sternly ordered himself to behave. “Tell me more.”

Jonny switched on the desk lamp. He was silent for several minutes, turning the carving this way and that, examining every inch. Zach watched, fascinated by his intense concentration. Finally, he set the statue on the desk and leaned back again. Zach wound both arms around his waist.

“Well?” he prodded, nipping Jonny’s ear.

“I’d bet my reputation that this is a fifteenth- or sixteenth-century European work. Italian, maybe, or Spanish. The marble, the rubies, the detailed carving ...” Jonny shook his head. “It has all the characteristics of a European Christian artifact of that era. Except it’s a spectacularly nasty sun god from a much earlier time.”

“So you think it’s supposed to be Moloch?”

“Considering some of the particular details, combined with the way the hands are held open to receive sacrifice? Yeah, I do.” Jonny twisted around and gave Zach a solemn look. “I can’t be sure right now, of course, but I believe this statue was carved for practical rather than artistic purposes.”

Zach frowned. “You can’t mean what I think you do.”

“No, not if you’re thinking it was something to sacrifice to. But I do think that it was made for someone who truly believed in Moloch, rather than simply as an interesting piece of art. All the right details are there. The only thing that doesn’t fit is the phallus.”

Zach nodded. “And I hate to think why that might be there if this statue is meant as a literal representation of a god someone believed in.”

“It’s certainly not something you normally see on a sun god.”

“Another thing that doesn’t make any sense.” Zach leaned his head against Jonny’s, one hand absently rubbing Jonny’s flat belly while they both stared at the strange statue. “Tell you what, that’s one big dick there. Proportionally speaking, that is.”

Jonny laughed. Reaching out, he ran the tip of one finger around the head of the marble cock, then down the shaft. The sight made Zach’s crotch throb. He let out a little involuntary groan.

“That turn you on, Zach?” Jonny turned his head and flicked his tongue over the angle of Zach’s jaw. “You wish it was your cock I was touching? I do.”

Zach’s mental switch went from working to need sex now in the space of a breath. He grabbed a handful of Jonny’s hair, pulled his head back, and kissed him hard. Jonny moaned and arched against him, one arm reaching back around his neck.

“Guess we didn’t take enough edge off, huh?” Zach squeezed Jonny’s cock through his jeans, tearing a needy little sound from the other man’s throat.

Jonny twisted out of Zach’s arms, stood, and yanked his sweater over his head. “Do you have condoms and lube?”

Zach watched with his mouth open as Jonny toed his shoes off and started shucking his pants. “I ... uh, yeah.”

Jonny stepped out of his jeans and underwear and kicked them aside. He stood there, un-self-consciously naked, stroking his heavy prick with one hand. Zach stared, mesmerized.

“Need you, Zach.” Jonny took Zach’s hand, pulled him to his feet, and pressed close. “In me. Please.”

“Oh,” Zach breathed against Jonny’s lips. “Yes. God.”