Chapter 3:

Monday morning Kinnetik

"These boards are for shit!" Brian yelled and slammed them down on his art director's desk.

"Why is it that you cannot produce boards the way I ask you too? Kinnetik stands for quality, we are different, we are new, we are sexy, these boards are nothing like what I asked for!"

"We are a little understaffed ever since we had to let Bill go, I am sure it will all be easier once we hired the new artist, Mr Kinney"

"When is he getting here?"

"I have scheduled an interview for 1pm, but I don't think we'll need to interview him for long his portfolio is fantastic, I will probably just go through the contract with him and then have him do some work to make sure his portfolio is really his."

"He is that good huh?"

"Yeah, I did some research and found out that he has done some work in advertising before, though just as a freelancer with a firm that provided Vanguard with graphic arts, he submitted a few works as samples, here is his portfolio, his name is Justin Taylor"

'Justin Taylor? I can't believe it, that little shit, what was he thinking, did he think he could just come back and work for me, or was it just a coincidence, Justin had left town three years ago'

Still Brian had never stopped thinking about him, the day he had found out Justin had left the Pitts, had left him, Brian had stayed at home and got drunk, no trick after Justin could ever satisfy the need that he had developed ever since meeting the blond although he would never admit that.

"Taylor"

"Hello, this is Brian Kinney, I am looking for Justin, I am his.. ah, I am a friend"

"Justin doesn't live here anymore he moved to his grandparents in Maine" and with that the man on the phone had hung up.

Brian had always wondered how Justin could just leave him after telling him that he loved him over and over again, but then again who could ever really love him, he was a mess, a royal mess!

"I want to sit in on that interview" When Tom his art director raised a brow Brian quickly added

"I am done with the crap the art department produces and despite the fact that I have given you free reign down here on who to hire I still have final say!"

If this Justin was really his Justin he had to make sure he got the job, O god did he really just think about him as his? Brian shook his head and walked back to his office. He couldn't concentrate all morning he kept thinking about Justin, their first time, Brian had never been so gentle with any of his tricks. Yes he always made sure they enjoyed themselves, but with Justin it was different, he wanted Justin to experience pleasure that no one else could give him. He wanted to mark him in his own way. If Brian hadn't made it his rule not to sleep with his employees, he would have gone to find someone to fuck to get rid of his raging hard on, and the images of Justin beneath him, although he feared that they wouldn't go away. The truth was that Justin was the only trick he had ever fucked more than once and as a result he was the only one Brian had fucked and talked to. He knew Justin, or he though he did, Brian reminded himself. He was going to find out why he left after that night especially without saying a word and why hadn't he called him when he got back to the Pitts. He had to find out without sounding like a deserted boyfriend and then he had an idea. He would take him to the Diner for dinner and Debbie would find out for him. Brian smiled at that thought and when Cynthia knocked on his door to remind him it was almost 1, he had regained a certain kind of composure.

JUSTIN POV

Kinnetik

'I can't believe he put his agency in the old bathhouse, but then it is so Brian' Justin thought and smiled, Brian, he was going to see Brian, his hands were shaking, and he had to take a couple of deep breaths before walking into the building. Justin was wearing a pair of tightly fitting jeans, and a dark blue sweater that made his eyes seem even more blue, those two items were the only cloth he owned that were fitting for a job interview and he hoped it would be enough. Brian always wore suits but then again Brian looked gorgeous in a suit, Justin on the other hand somehow looked overdressed, unlike Brian who could pull off a suit in a gym.

"Justin Taylor, I am here for an interview with the head of the art department!" Justin said in a firm voice to the receptionist.

"Right this way Mr Taylor if you could wait a few minutes, Tom will be right there with you"

Justin walked into the rather large conference room, not knowing where to sit he turned around to look at the room. As he faced the back wall, his breath caught in his lungs, on the wall there were four paintings, they were a series, four paintings of a dance club, blue and green light surrounding the two figures in the middle, dancing so closely that it was hard to identify where one began and the other one ended. The series made it look as if the figures were actually moving. The small JT in the right hand corner was almost invisible. Justin hated artists who had to mark their work too obviously as it ruined the flow of the art most of the time. Justin smiled, so Brian had bought them, he was so glad, he had hated to sell these but at the time he needed money and when someone offered 10,000$ for them he just couldn't refuse, it meant he could afford tuition and his living for another year. Justin was interrupted in his thoughts as the door opened and in walked a nice looking man in his 40s holding what looked like his portfolio.

"Hello I am Tom, the art director. Why don't we have a seat."

Justin went to sit down on the chair Tom had pointed to, he was glad he did so quickly because he would have fallen over at the next words Tom uttered.

"Mr. Kinney will be joining us in a minute"

'Brian he was going to be in the interview' Justin's face went white and he had to do his best not to hyperventilate

"Don't worry, he barks more than he bites"

"What a nice introduction, Tom" came a voice from the door.

Justin jumped a little in his seat at that oh so familiar voice. 'How could it still make him feel so good, so safe, after all he hadn't spoken to Brian in three years. When the blue eyes met hazel ones, Justin knew that Brian recognized him. But there was something more, could it be anger?

Brian POV

Kinnetik

'I can't believe it's really him, God, he looks even better than I remembered, his hair, those lips, oh god, he had to sit down, as the thought of Justin's lips on his own and then on another, more hidden part of his anatomy made Brian react immediately. He hoped Justin didn't notice, he had no right to see what kind of power he still held over him.

"Well, shall we begin" Brian said without introducing himself

"Sure, So Mr Taylor, this is Brian Kinney, CEO and owner of Kinnetik, we would like to go over some minor points in the contract and than we would like you to give us a sample of your creative ability"

"Ok"

Hum, one word answers, he is nervous, so I make him nervous, his heart jumped a little, although he would deny it, he liked the thought that he could still make Justin nervous. As Tom went over the contract Brian focused on Justin, getting reacquainted with the view, he looked a little older although he still looked like he was barely legal. His posture has changed; he was holding himself up well. When Justin demanded changes to the contract that would allow for him to be able to refuse clients should he believe them to be against his values I looked up.

"I know…, I mean I heard that Vanguard worked with Stockwell, and I would have hated to work for a homophobic prick and while I know that Kinnetik has different values than Vanguard I also know that it is hard to keep a business going if refusing clients of such caliber. That's why I would like the clause, and I want to be honest I would rather quit than working for someone that is like stockwell"

Brian smiled at that, if Justin only knew that that was the reason why he was fired from Vanguard and founded Kinnetik.

" I am afraid Mr Taylor we do not usually incorporate clauses like that.."

"Its ok Tom, put that down but note that he has to explain to me why before he does it"

Justin looked at him for the first time then, really looked at him. Brian could have sworn that Justin knew it all, he had always been able to read him, better than anyone.

"Ah, uh Ok, I guess I will give this down to legal and they can make the changes while we go and see how you work. Tom got up and Justin and Brian followed him. Brian walked behind Justin, he just had to keep looking at his butt, he was just perfect, the perfect shape and the way those jeans were tight in the right places. Thank God he wasn't wearing one of those hideous cargo pants he used to wear all the time. When Tom stopped in front of his office Brian was so deep in his fantasies that he bumped into Justin from behind. Justin gulped as Brian put his hands on the blond's hips to steady himself.

"Sorry Sunshine" Brian murmured into his ear so quietly that only Justin could hear him.

God how he wanted to be with the blond, he wanted to hold him, hold him? Brian shook his head to get rid of those lesbianic thoughts. Brian Kinney does not want to hold people.

"Alright here is a concept for a new campaign we want you to transform Mr Kinney's notes into an image." Tom said as he handed Justin the notes for the board Brian had complained about earlier this morning.

"You can use all the equipment available and if you have any questions just ask me" How long do you think this will take you?"

"Rough Draft or finished product?"

"Rough Draft of course"

"Give me an hour"

Brian raised his brow, could he do it in an hour, he usually gave his artists over a day to produce the rough draft.

"You think you can do it that quickly?"

"Its not like I have to come up with an idea, you did that for me, all I have to do is draw them up and I saw you have the latest software so I am sure I will be able to do it."

Justin smiled and Brian was sure he had to make another trip to the bathroom if he kept that up.

"Well than come to my office at three!"

With that Brian turned around and returned to his office. Cynthia had a list of calls and emails he needed to take care of and the hour was over much faster than he thought.

"Brian, Tom and the new artist are here"

Brian smiled as he looked at the clock, 2:55, Justin had finished early

"Let them in"

"So Mr. Taylor show me what you got" Brian said, fully aware of the sexually innuendo only intensified by a tongue-in-cheek smirk. Justin blushed, a sight Brian loved, Justin had always been easy to blush

"I, uh, I made two posters, one in color, but I don't think it will look good in black and white so I changed it a little so it would work in newspapers as well, uh here.."

Justin said, nervously handing over the prints.

Brian looked at them for a moment, he couldn't believe it, Justin had adapted his ideas perfectly, and the results were even better than anything his art department had produced in years, more than that it was exactly what Brian had envisioned. Brian had to smile a little, he should have known, this was Justin after all, he had always been able to read him, understand what he wanted.

Brian was brought back to reality when Tom let out a sigh.

"well what do you think?"

"I think that the art department is in deep shit trouble!"

"huh?"

"Mr Taylor just raised the bar of what I expect from you 100%"

"You are hired Justin." Justin let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding and beamed at Brian. God that smile, Brian had missed that smile more than he knew. For a moment it was as if nothing else existed except for him and Justin. Justin, he was going to see him everyday from now on. Was he going to be able to handle that? He wanted to cross the room and devour him, but he had to wait. Justin was the one who left, he was the one who had to make the first move, wait, Brian always made the first move, well Justin had to show that he wanted him, had to explain why he left. Brian had no doubt that Justin wanted him as badly as he did. As well as Justin could read him, Brian was not bad at reading Justin either, the short breath and the slight fog in Justin's eyes were enough for Brian to know that Justin just imagined him naked.

"Congratulations Mr Taylor, when can you start?"

"What? Uh, I guess now, when do you want me?"

"You can start tomorrow!"

"Cynthia!"

"Yes Boss"

"Justin needs an office, when can it be ready?"

"Uh an office?"

"Yes an office and call legal and tell them to change his title and pay to assistant art director so he needs to have an office!"

"Sure thing Boss" Cynthia smiled at him, Brian had no doubt she knew who Justin was, somehow she always knew everything.

"Tom you still have full authority, but I trust you will show Justin the ropes, especially when it comes to the business part, I trust Justin has no experience in that." He said looking at Justin

"No, I don't"

"I want you two to consult each other on the creative aspects and compare ideas before distributing the projects. And Justin", God how he love to say that name, he loved it way too much "I trust you to translate my notes to the other artists"

"I will do my best!"

Justin POV

Assistant art director, he was stunned, Brian had always said he thought he was talented, and Brian was no one who would just give someone a job out of sentimental reasons.

"So, how was it? Did you see him?"

"Oh God Daphne, he is, I mean,"

"Yeah I get it, he is the love of your life, now on to the good stuff, did you two fuck yet?"

"Daphne!"

"What? Don't tell me you wouldn't if he offered. So you got the job?"

"Yeah, as of tomorrow I will be Kinnetik's new assistant art director"

"What?"

"I know weird huh? Brian loved the work I did so he promoted me right away?

"What did the art director say?"

"Tom? At first I was worried that he might be upset but he looked relieved, I guess he was sick of dealing with Brian alone, and I think he knows that I might be creative, I have no idea about the business aspect of things."

"So how was Brian?"

Justin closed his eyes for a second then smiled

"He called me Justin!"

"yeah well, that is your name"

"No Daph, he called me JUSTIN, God the way he looked at me when he said it. He still wants me!"

"Congratulations, so when are you going to get him."

"That is the problem, I don't want to fuck the boss, I mean I do but, I need to show the artists that I deserve the position before I can be associated with Brian, and besides I want more than a fuck this time, I want it all"

"So you are not going to go after him?"

"No not yet, I need to find out first what he thinks about me or if I am still just the trick that wouldn't go away"

"By the way you always described him to me you were always more than that!"

"I know that, the question is, does he know."