"So, Mr. Brown... that is our presentation," Brian finished, watching through his peripheral vision as Justin lined up the boards, side by side... so that the potential client could clearly view all aspects and stages of the proposal.

Brian had struggled through the entire presentation, his gaze was unerringly drawn continuously to Justin. Sending Justin to the adjoining room last night had perhaps not been his wisest of decisions. He hadn't touched his blond all morning. That had been the most difficult test of his self-control yet; in conjunction with how he had tossed and turned in his bed last night, agonizing over Justin's nearness.

He was distracted in business. Brian didn't like it. In addition, he was on edge. His gaze caught and held Justin's nervous one, both of them desirous for the meeting to be over. At this moment, Brian didn't care how this meeting ended. He cared only about one thing. He needed to be inside of his hot little blond, and he needed it soon.

Justin gasped as he read the stark need in Brian's eyes. This wasn't at all good. They were both caught up in the excitement of their new relationship, a desire that still needed constantly to be fed. Justin looked away briefly and toward Leo Brown, thankful that his attention seemed to be focused on the boards... and not the lustful interplay between him and Brian. His eyes returned to his boss and dominating lover, finding that Brian's gaze hadn't wavered from him. Justin watched as Brian smiled at him, subconsciously wetting his lips as Brian's eyes trailed up and down his body encased in the designer label suit that he had purchased for him.

Brian's nostrils flared, his jaw twitching as he watched Justin's tongue peek out to slide across his lips. He arched a brow, his eyes speaking in volumes that a payday would be attached, whether teasing him had been intentional or not. Brian believed the gesture to have been an innocent reflex, however that didn't much matter. It served as another golden opportunity to bend his submissive to his will. He couldn't wait to be alone with him. Brian anticipated the continuance of Justin's training with the greatest of enthusiasm. As he glanced at Leo Brown, he forced himself to concentrate on the matter at hand. Business first... and then, pleasure. So much pleasure.

Leo Brown flickered a glance over Justin briefly, dismissing him entirely before he turned to face Brian. "This is quite the reversal from your standard pitch to lure me away from Vangard."

Brian glanced over at Justin briefly, before he turned the Kinney smile of confidence on the prospective client. "Yes, it is, Mr. Brown. Let's just say some extremely innovative and inspired ideas came my way."

"I see," Leo Brown murmured derisively. "I'm not quite sure how to respond, Brian. This wasn't what I expected when I agreed to meet with you... although, I had been warned you have been distracted lately. Off your game, even."

"Off my game?" Brian queried sharply. "I'd really love to hear where you came across such misguided information..."

Justin looked back and forth between them apprehensively, unable to shake the bad feeling he had about this exchange. During Brian's entire presentation he had felt Leo Brown's eyes on him - assessing and judging him. Justin didn't think that the prospective client looked upon him favorably. "Uhhh, Sir... perhaps I should give the two of you some privacy."

"Stay," Brian clipped out without even returning his gaze to Justin. Inwardly he was fuming... but not at Justin. Someone had obviously divulged aspects of his private life to Leo Brown. The questions being - who and why? He knew he had been blatantly obvious regarding his interest in Justin from the moment they had met. It had to be someone close to the situation. One that would know how to use it in a way to discredit him. Brian's lip curled as he realized who was to blame. Kyle. It was the only logical conclusion. Kyle would have known precisely how to use the information. Brian could clearly envision Kyle running to Gardner Vance and being paid handsomely for his part in sabotaging Kinnetik's chances of acquiring Brown Athletics.

Lowering his eyes, Justin answered in a whisper, "Yes, Sir."

Leo Brown sneered. "What a subservient employee you have here. Tell you what, Brian... I could use such a meek lapdog on my staff. Sign his contract over to me and I'll sign with Kinnetik."

Justin gasped, earning him a glare from Brian... a look of warning instructing him to be silent. Their eyes connected and held for a moment, Justin looking away feeling confident of Brian's ability to handle this unpleasant situation in the quickest manner possible.

Brian's nostrils flared, his eyes darkening in rage. He'd always thought Leo Brown to be an asshole, but this was not only unexpected... it was unacceptable as well. In between clenched teeth, Brian spat out, "Fuck you. We're done here. Justin's contract isn't for sale... and neither is he." Brian's gaze softened slightly when his eyes fell on Justin, his rage far from abated, but a realization that wasn't exactly a new one finally becoming much more clear. "Gather up your boards, Justin. They won't be left here."

Leo Brown laughed. "Don't take it so personally, Brian. Leave the boards here and I'll get back to you..."

"Do you seriously take me for that kind of a fool?" Brian growled, moving closer to Leo Brown. "I can't stop you from taking Justin's ideas to Vangard, but it won't be with his boards."

Cold, disdainful eyes flickered over Justin. "If I decide to approach these ideas, I'm certain any artist can create the same effect."

Brian placed his hand on Justin's back, pushing him forward. He turned to face Leo Brown looking at him as if he'd just spoken the most asinine words he'd ever heard. "If you believe that... you're an even bigger fool than I had thought."

Justin and Brian headed toward the elevator, neither of them looking back once. When the elevator enclosed them in solitude, Justin bit at his lip looking at Brian nervously... uncertain of how he should approach him. Brian had just walked away from an account worth millions of dollars... essentially for him. Justin knew Brian could have signed the client, but after Brown's disgusting suggestions; ones that Justin believed had been more to antagonize Brian, his volatile and dominant boss seemed to be repelled by the idea. That was intriguing in itself. The more he played it out in his mind, the more he came back to the same conclusion. Brian really cared about him. Deeply, in fact. He couldn't be happier about that.

"I'm sorry, Justin... and I don't say that lightly. In my philosophy sorry is bullshit. However, it's the case here." Brian sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. "You shouldn't have been subjected to that."

Shrugging his shoulders, Justin answered, "It's nothing, Sir. When you urged me to be silent in one telling glance, I knew you wanted to handle it. That's what I did. What I will always do."

Brian smiled, curling his hand behind Justin's neck, pulling him forward for a slow, drugging kiss. Mouths moved together for several moments, before they finally separated. Brian moved back to look deeply into the beautiful blue eyes. "You are incredible, Mr. Taylor."

Justin blushed. "Thank you, Sir. And you are on all counts unbelievable."

"It's true. I am," Brian agreed, his lips curling under as he looked at Justin closely. "That being so, I am man enough to admit when I'm wrong... and to make changes accordingly. We'll discuss them when we return to the hotel."

"Changes?" Justin asked, his eyes widening... a mixture of curiosity and alarm assailing him. Teasingly, Justin asked, "Did you change your mind? Are you planning on selling my contract to Leo Brown?"

Brian reached out to playfully swat Justin on the ass. "I don't think I even need to tell you that such an exchange wouldn't even be legal. That's irrelevant anyway. I would never let you go..."

Justin caught his breath as his gaze was captured by smoldering hazel eyes. "I'm very glad of that. So, are we going back to Pittsburgh now?"

As the elevator doors swished open, they stepped out and toward the limo waiting outside. Brian confirmed their destination with the driver, before sliding in next to Justin. He smiled at Justin. "No, we stay the weekend just as planned. Unless you change your mind after we talk."

"You're beginning to alarm me about this talk. Has something changed regarding our personal relationship?" Justin asked, his body tense from all the uncertainty he now felt.

Brian reached over, sliding his hand up and down Justin's leg. "Relax, Justin. I want you just as much as ever. In fact, I will show you that after we've talked. However, I don't want to do that in the back of a limo..."

"Okay, Sir." Justin looked out the window for a moment, before turning back to see Brian staring straight ahead... lost in apparent thought. "I'm sorry about Brown Athletics. I guess Leo Brown wasn't quite ready for my ideas."

"Nonsense. They were good ones, Justin. Brilliant. We were sabotaged before our arrival." Brian's eyes flared as he thought back to Leo Brown's treatment of Justin. "I wouldn't sign with Brown Athletics if Leo Brown begged me on bended knee. I won't tolerate such disrespect shown to my staff... most particularly to you."

Justin beamed from inside and out. Brian really cared about him. This more than proved it. There was so much he wanted to say... words he hoped Brian wanted to hear. As he turned to meet the warm regard on Brian's face, he felt that the revelation of his feelings would be more than welcomed. Justin had never thought he could fall in love so quickly... Yet, he knew that was exactly what had happened. He had always been so level-headed, but that had all been thrown out the window the day he met Brian Kinney. Justin decided he would make a bold move today. He would tell Brian that he loved him. He hoped that Brian responded in kind.

Little did Justin know that his normally confident and dominant boss was struggling in the same way. Unbeknownst to both of them, once the admissions were made, their lives would never be the same again.

TBC