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text, but he’d resisted. Between his own disgraceful termination and the guilt of what he believed Kyle was going through, Jim couldn’t let his heart rule his actions anymore.
    Kyle smiled. “No. Public companies are a little more procedure heavy. My boss talked with HR, and it became bad behavior versus potential discrimination because I’m gay. Would they have treated a straight couple the same? But I got a warning and seminars and all that crap. Lots of jokes in the office, but it was my first offense and all.”
    Jim stared at the sexy muscled man. “You wouldn’t have sued.” He admired Kyle’s smart boss for wanting to keep a good employee despite a mistake. No one was perfect. Jim hadn’t grown or learned anything from his last job, but he was looking at life a bit differently now. Career wasn’t everything.
    “No, but Debbie protects her people. I do my job. I do it well. Just a little bad judgment about where I conducted my personal life. Debbie’s words yesterday were you could’ve at least gone into the men’s room .”
    Jim laughed. “She sounds like a character.”
    “She likes marketing and sales guys who know and use the equipment. That’s our advantage. Our job is to make sales and get the leads. She’s here to run interference with corporate crap and to ride us to get as much out there as possible so we hit the numbers. Bonuses are pretty good.”
    “You want to work with me?” Jim asked.
    Kyle nodded. “We’ve got a lot in common. Wrestling fetish aside, you and I get along great. Arthur likes you, and he’s straight so he won’t hit on you. You’ll fit in if you stop playing defense and get on the company team. Be yourself.”
    “I need to clear the air if we do end up working together. I shouldn’t have gone off like that. Who you sleep with at shows isn’t any of my business. I kept you at arm’s length for my career. At least, it’s part of what I told myself. I couldn’t resist the sex, but we didn’t have any commitment. You can take all the room keys you want.” He’d planned the little speech and fumbled it a little. They could be co-workers. Air cleaned and a fresh start as of now.
    But he didn’t want to leave. Free of the family owned company and their policies, Jim wanted to try something different. To see if Kyle wanted to quit cruising and servicing random guys.
    “Actually, I’m glad you went off. You’re a hard man to read so you can get honest with me like that any time. Arthur told me to give up three shows ago. I don’t take no for an answer.”
    Jim took a step closer. The attraction drew him in. “You’re a good salesman.”
    “That’s part of the problem. A salesman has to be nice and charming to everyone. I take all the business cards and pass them on to the right regional guys to follow up. I don’t hook up with potential customers.”
    Jim lifted an eyebrow.
    “Okay, on the rare occasion I have. When I was in my early twenties, of course. But if I wanted to hook up without career fallout, I can go to the gay bar and get laid. That room key that guy put in my pocket, I had Arthur turn it in as lost to the front desk. I don’t need drama when I’ve got a good guy I really am crazy about.” Kyle pulled his hands out of his pockets and grabbed Jim by the jeans pockets and pulled him close. “Still hate me?”
    The reality sank in that Kyle played the charm for sales. For all the fighting, sex and talking they’d done, he could tell Kyle wasn’t selling him a load of crap now.
    “Never.” Grabbing Kyle by the front of his shirt, Jim kissed him hard. Kyle dropped back to sit on the sofa and pulled Jim with him.
    When the kiss deepened, Jim leaned back. “One more thing.”
    Kyle flopped back in defeat. “You’re killing me.”
    “No, really. I know what you’re talking about when you mention how you were in your early twenties. I worked for a different company, and I fell for it. Married guys who said they weren’t. Guys on the