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and cruel. I’m not into the dominatrix thing. Now, I’ve got no chance. So Jim didn’t knock on your door after they heaved him out of the hotel?”
    “Nope. Guess I’m still single.” His phone rang and he saw it was his boss. “Now, let’s see if I’m still employed.”
    “Hey, Debbie,” Kyle answered the phone.
    “What the hell did you do?”
    Kyle walked away from the booths and headed for a more private area. “I’m sorry. I lost my head. Guys do that to you.”
    “I know but at a show? Caught? Come on. We pay for your hotel room.” She started to chuckle. “In the martial arts ring? Really?”
    “Yes. We were sparing, and it went too far. Look, I’m really sorry. Bad judgment. First time and last. I can’t take it back.”
    “Well, I talked with the HR guys. You’re getting a stern warning in your file, a two-day seminar on sexual harassment and appropriate conduct in the workplace. Arthur will be the lead on tradeshows until you can prove you can keep it in your pants.”
    Kyle felt a little lighter. “I’m not fired?”
    “No, you’re not. Between us, I had HR worried you’d sue us for discrimination if they even hinted at stronger discipline.”
    “Being gay finally pays off in the workplace.” Kyle gave Arthur the thumbs up.
    “You owe me,” Debbie said.
    “Still looking for another marketing guy for shows? You said you wanted three of us on this.” Kyle knew just the guy, and he was feeling lucky.
    “Yes. Why?” Debbie asked suspiciously.
    “Our top competitor’s best guy is free. Ping cut him loose.”
    “Your boyfriend got fired over this? Hope he’s suing.” Debbie chuckled. “That’s Jim? Your partner in crime? What’s his cell number?”
    Kyle rattled it off by heart. “And he’s not really my boyfriend. But he’ll have all their information, and he’s great. Arthur even likes him.”
    “Okay. I’ll talk with Arthur. But I’m not hiring a headache. If I do this—and believe me I want to screw the competition any way I can—but if …can you two work together? I don’t care what you do on your own time in private!”
    Kyle had no idea where they stood right now, but he’d started the late night rematches that had gotten Jim fired. At the very least, he could give Jim a chance at a good job at a less conservative company. “We can work together. Don’t worry about that. I think that was part of the problem. He was afraid I was after him for work secrets.”
    “You guys just keep whatever you do after hours, out of the office and public arenas. Let me see what I think of him first.”
    “Got it. Thanks, Debbie!” Kyle ended the call and took a deep breath. He was one lucky bastard!
    * * * *
    Three days after the big shame in Vegas, Jim walked up to Kyle’s apartment door and knocked. All his plans had been focused on putting that period of his life in the past. The unfinished business with Kyle nagged at him.
    When the door opened, Jim braced for the deep attraction he always felt with Kyle.
    “You lost?” Kyle stood there in a T-shirt and shorts.
    Jim almost tackled him right there. But things had only grown more complicated since Vegas. “I received a call from a woman named Debbie who said she’s your boss.”
    “She is.” Kyle nodded but didn’t invite him in.
    Jim looked around to see if Kyle was hiding a man in his apartment. “She said you gave her my number for a job. I have an interview tomorrow.”
    “Good. The old place fired you, didn’t they? Ms. Chen said you weren’t Ping material.” Kyle opened the door fully. “Come in.”
    “I got fired. Conduct and ethics. Thanks for the job lead.” He followed Kyle into the nicely furnished apartment with big screen TV.
    “I can’t hire you. That’s up to Debbie. She loves to snag the competition.” Kyle stuffed his hands in his pockets.
    “You didn’t get fired?” Jim had been out of the loop and until Debbie called, he didn’t know Kyle’s fallout. Jim had wanted to call or