Throwing down the latest copy for the Old Pitt campaign, Brian sighed aloud. What was the point in trying to sell that shit? He'd give Old Pitt a million dollars if they'd pull that swill off the market. His phone buzzed. "Yeah."

"Your eleven thirty is here."

"What?" He couldn't believe it. "You didn't say anything about an eleven thirty appointment this morning."

"It just came up," Cynthia said and he could swear she was grinning on the other end of the line.

"Bitch," he growled and dropped the phone, straightened his desk and tried to figure out who it could be. Probably that putz from Old Pitt. Well, he didn't have to worry, he wasn't after his ass anymore. He smiled. He had all the ass he could handle.

And then in walked his eleven thirty appointment. Without knocking. Swinging a picnic basket in his hand.

Justin sauntered over, wearing a red and white hooded jersey. He set the hamper down on top of Brian's papers. Went and locked the door, closed all the blinds, then returned and leaned over the desk and smiled. "Ready for lunch?"

"Depends on what you've got in your basket."

Justin stood. "Let's see." He took hold of the zipper on his jeans. Brian's lids lowered partway over his eyes as he watched Justin's hand slowly descend. It seemed to take forever and by the time the teen had completely unzipped his jeans, Brian's cock was stiffening inside his briefs.

Justin reached inside his pants and cupped his crotch, rubbed the mound of his dick. Brian's eyes never left his groin. Removing his hand, the teen walked around and stood between Brian and his desk. Dropped his jeans to the floor and stepped out of them. Brian reclined in his chair, poised to enjoy the show, entranced by the sight of the teen's cock nestled snugly in his white jockstrap. Placing one foot on the edge of Brian's seat, between his legs, Justin leaned back onto the desk and began stroking himself again. "See anything you want?" The shape beneath his jock expanded, thickened.

Brian moved forward in his chair and replied huskily, "Everything."

Separating his balls from his cock, the teen gave equal attention to both sac and prick, cupping his balls and squeezing them, jacking off his meat. Hands busy at his crotch, Justin asked, "Do all of your clients get such personalized service?"

"The lucky ones do." Sliding his chair forward, he pushed Justin's hands out of the way and opened his mouth around the bulge in his briefs. Justin gasped as Brian sucked on his cock through his underwear, palms cupped around his bare ass. Brian nipped him, giving his dick head and shaft little love bites until Justin began to moan deep in his throat. He licked his thighs, loving the taste of his skin but unable to stay away from the main attraction for long. The teen could feel Brian's teeth grazing his cock head even though it was protected beneath soft cotton. The man was growing dizzy, the feel of Justin's dick in his mouth combined with his scent making his head swim. Using his teeth, Brian drew Justin's jockstrap down around his hips, over his hard-on. Justin bit his lip waiting for Brian to take him inside his mouth but the ad exec pulled away and unzipped his own trousers. Stood and stripped off everything.

Spreading his thighs, Justin welcomed his lover, hands roaming over his muscular shoulders as they kissed. Brian lifted him, eased him onto his back. Pushed Justin's shirt up and nibbled on his tits. They stiffened in his mouth, as his tongue washed over the fat nubs repeatedly. He grabbed Justin's jock and used it to rub his cock. The teen gritted his teeth as the soft cotton buffed his sensitive skin. He could feel his dick growing larger under Brian's strokes. Not only that, but every now and then the man's fingers would slip down behind the cup and brush against his hole making his entire body throb. Finally, Brian released him and pulled the jock completely off. Justin's cock bobbed between his legs awaiting further stimulation. But Brian had other plans.

He moved to the black leather sofa and waited. He didn't have to do so for very long as Justin followed him post haste and climbed onto the sofa, standing with one leg pressed against the back. Taking hold of his cock, he fed it into Brian's open mouth, pushing a little harder than normal, nearly gagging the man in his eagerness. He withdrew and the next time was gentler yet just as insistent. The only sounds in the room were his heavy breathing and the sucking sound his cock made as it exited Brian's mouth. Soon his dick was covered in saliva and harder than he could have ever imagined. His balls, round and firm, slapped against Brian's chin each time he thrust into him. He couldn't believe Brian was allowing him to do this. It felt incredible, fucking Brian's head.

Each time the teen withdrew, he took a shallow breath in preparation for the next thrust. This was the first time he had ever permitted someone to do this to him, to fuck his head with abandon, and it was making his cock ache, he was so turned on. Wanting to taste him, to lick him a little longer, he grabbed Justin's ass and held him close the next time he drove his dick inside his mouth. Then, hungrily, he sucked on his meat, loving every moment, going wild over the taste, the texture of his lover's cock. His tongue sought out every bump, savored each ridge. With Justin's dick buried in his mouth, he lapped at his balls, wanting all of him, wanting him now. Above him, Justin began to whimper. He was so fucking hard. And what Brian was doing to him felt so good. Brian pulled away, freed his cock, then began licking up and down the turgid shaft, saliva smearing on his skin as Justin's dick rubbed against his face.

Justin couldn't stand it any longer, he wanted Brian's meat in him somehow, in his mouth, his ass, he didn't care, he just wanted it. Stepping down from the couch, he crouched at Brian's feet and took hold of his cock. Lapped at the head, his tongue encircling the broad cap, tracing the edge. He slid his lips along the length of Brian's prick until nearly the entire shaft was enclosed in his mouth. Brian sighed as the teen sucked him hard, his lips tight around him, tongue busy swirling about driving him crazy. Justin's hands scrabbled at his chest, nails raking over his tits causing him to hiss and gasp, twisting his torso to escape but not trying very hard cause the torture was only increasing his arousal. Letting Brian go, Justin used the tip of his tongue to lap at his cock, the organ bobbing between them, red and hungry. Brian cupped the back of Justin's head with one hand and used his free hand to rub his cock over the teen's swollen lips, making a game of Justin's attempts to entrap it. Jesus, each time Justin's tongue connected with his skin, he wanted to scream. He was so hot, so hard, so ready to fuck his tight hole. Grabbing the back of the sofa, he lifted one leg, draped it over the teen's shoulders, and Justin dove for his balls. He hissed between his teeth as his hot little boy lapped his scrotum until it was shiny. His balls began to draw up in their sac, and Justin sucked each one slowly, not intending to miss an inch.

Brian pulled Justin off his cock and licked his lips. Without being told, Justin rose and opened his basket. Removed the tube of lube and a couple of condoms. Grabbed Brian's tie as well. Returning to his lover, he dried off his cock with the tie and unrolled the condom over it. Handing Brian the lube, he turned around and bent over.

The sight of the teen's luscious bottom made him a little light-headed. It always did. Such a perfect ass, so pleasingly shaped, so firm. The skin creamy and smooth. And nestled there, in the center, was his hole. Wrinkled pink lips guarding the entrance to his insides. He dropped the lube on the seat beside him, took hold of Justin's ass, pressing his fingers into his flesh, and spread his hole open. Justin gave a little cry as Brian's tongue teased him. Sweat dripped from his forehead onto the floor below him. He held onto his knees in an attempt to keep his balance but it was hard with Brian eating out his ass. Licking around and over the teen's hole, Brian breathed his pleasure against Justin's skin. The lips of his ass tightened then relaxed. Unsnapping the top on the lube, Brian wet his fingers, Then, with one hand on his left buttock, Brian eased a finger inside Justin's hole. The teenager gasped and screwed up his face as Brian's finger slid in and out of him, slowly at first but gradually increasing speed. When the second finger joined the first, he was ready to cry out but he caught his bottom lip between his teeth and fought the urge.

Brian kissed his ass as he continued to finger fuck him. He licked his cheeks and nibbled a little on them, the sharp nips in counterpoint to the smooth strokes. He loved the feel of Justin's hole around his fingers, so tight, so warm. Slippery with lube. And each time the teen whimpered a spasm gripped his balls and went straight up his cock. He couldn't hold out much longer. His dick yearned to be buried to the hilt. "I want to fuck you," he whispered against Justin's flank. "Ready for your ride?"

"Do it," Justin replied breathlessly. "Do me."

Giving him a few more strokes, Brian removed his fingers and slid his hands around Justin's waist. The teen backed up and straddled Brian's legs. Slowly lowered his ass onto his lover's rampant cock. He moaned as he was penetrated. Stopping halfway down his shaft, he took a deep breath and pushed again. This time he didn't stop until Brian was completely encased inside. Taking a moment to adjust, he rose up again and began fucking Brian's cock with his ass. Brian held onto him just at the juncture of his hip and pelvis with one hand and fanned the other over his chest, attempting to maintain a grip on the bouncing boy. He whispered in his ear, "Fuck me, fuck my dick. Fuck it. Tighten that hole. That's it. That's my little boy. I'm gonna fuck you so hard..." And Justin gave a long, low moan. Afraid that someone would hear him, Brian rolled his tie into a ball and pushed it into the teen's mouth.

Justin continued to writhe about in his arms, working his ass on and around Brian's dick. He bucked on his lap, impaled on his lover's cock, and clamped down on the tie in his mouth. God, it felt so good, having Brian's dick inside him, fucking every inch of his hole. Pumping his hips up and down, he forced his asshole along the length of Brian's shaft, feeling it expand impossibly inside him, wanting it to lengthen even more.

"Bounce on me, baby. Bounce," Brian hissed against his throat. Pushing Justin forward, he clamped down on the back of his neck and on one thigh as he thrust upwards into his moist, warm bowels. "You're so hot. I love your ass. I love fucking your ass," he hissed. Then they shifted positions again and he leaned back, Justin laying against him, still thrashing about as he rode his cock, the muscles in his thighs getting a workout, driving his ass down upon Brian's dick and back up again. "Yes," he breathed as Justin's asshole tightened around him. "Give me that ass. Give it to me. Mmmm." As Justin flailed about, eventually sitting almost crossways Brian's lap, the man latched onto his tit, sucking the ring and his flesh, making Justin moan even louder into the tie.

Every time he came to the end of a stroke, he could feel Brian's balls brush against his ass and it was sending shivers up his spine. It felt so good... He'd dreamt about it all morning as he bused tables at the diner on the early shift. All he'd wanted was to throw off his apron, toss his pad and pencil onto the counter, and run down to Brian's office. When his shift had finally ended, he'd made himself go home and gather the things he needed before taking off for downtown Pittsburgh. And this was his reward for being patient. He lowered his hand and grabbed his cock. Moaned into the tie as the new sensation went all through him like a chill. Brian, having noticed Justin's actions, reached around and took hold of the teen's dick. Began stroking it.

Justin's head lolled back and he laid his hand on Brian's arm while the man pulled on his meat. He didn't think he could last much longer. Sweat poured off of him and his throat felt parched. His legs ached from being spread open for so long and his asshole was beginning to feel raw but he didn't want it to end, he wanted to be fucked forever. But when Brian's fist closed around the head of his cock, and he felt the first spasm in his balls, he knew the end was near. He ground his ass into Brian's lap and began moving his hips rapidly. God, he couldn'tcouldn't hold out, couldn't--Brian jacked his shaft with one hand and used the other to pull on his nuts. Screaming into the wadded up tie, he felt the first gush of precum which wet Brian's fingers and provided extra lubrication. Brian's slippery hands continued their work and his dick throbbed. A spurt of cum struck his chest and began rolling down his skin. Then another. He cried out into the tie as his dick released stream after stream of creamy cum and his chest became streaked with it. Running his hand up and down his cock a few more times, Brian coaxed every drop from his balls. Then cupped the fat sac with his spunky hands and gently rubbed it. Justin slumped in his arms. The tie cascaded from his mouth like a silken waterfall.

The head and shaft a dark, angry red, Justin sat on Brian's belly and pumped his cock with piston-like efficiency, determined to make him blow his load. Slowing down, he squeezed the head and then drew his fingers back over the shaft, massaging the area just below the edge of the cap. He rubbed his fingertip over Brian's piss hole eliciting a groan and a surge of sticky precum which he spread over the head. "Come on, blow. Blow your top. I wanna see it. I wanna see you come. I want your hole to open so wide I can see down into your balls," he whispered and Brian inhaled sharply, Justin's hand having jacked him hard. His toes curled, trying to grip the carpet as Justin tugged on his dick and his asshole tightened. He laid his head against the back of the sofa and grimaced. If he didn't come soon Justin was gonna rip his--Justin closed his fingers around the base of his balls tightening the sac around them and he grunted and released a squirt of cum that fell back down upon his thighs. "That's it, baby," crooned Justin, "gimme all of it. All...of...it," and he continued to yank fountains of cum from his lover's cock until Brian collapsed below him in relief, drained and exhausted.

A few minutes later, having recovered enough to move, Brian very nearly crawled over to his desk and buzzed Cynthia. "Hold all my calls and cancel whatever else I've got today. I'm going to have to work with my eleven thirty appointment all afternoon." Justin took the phone from him and hung it up. He kissed the teen hard and laid him on the floor, spreading his thighs with his knee. Justin's rosy-colored hole winked at him and he lowered his head. The things he did to please his clients...

He was right in the middle of licking cream cheese from Justin's belly button when the phone buzzed. "Shit," he grumbled, releasing the teen and answering Cynthia's summons. "What?"

"Ryder's coming to see you."

"Fuck." He signaled to Justin to get up. "Stall him."

"For how long?" she asked.

"Forever," he replied. "But I'll take ten minutes."

"I don't know..." she began.

"Just do it and I'll owe you. Big time," he added, hanging up the phone. "Get dressed. Now." They scrambled to find their clothes, painfully aware that it didn't really matter if they were dressed or not, a blind man could tell they'd been fucking for the past two hours. But, by the time Ryder knocked on the door--five minutes later--they, at least, were presentable. And the cum stains on the couch had been wiped clean. Of course, the smell of sex hung in the air like a smoky cloud. And where there was smoke, there had definitely been fire. Even now Brian's dick pressed against his trousers. And Justin...Justin had this look on his face like he'd been in an opium den: sleepy-eyed, face and neck flushed... Brian couldn't begin to imagine the tongue-lashing he was going to get when Ryder got him alone.

Marty stepped into Brian's office and immediately wished Cynthia had succeeded in getting him to postpone his visit. He hadn't bought her excuse for a minute that Brian had been in the middle of a creative onslaught and was furiously working on the Old Pitt account but he hadn't expected his top account exec to be in the middle of an afternoon tryst with his teenaged lover.

To his credit, Justin stayed on the sofa and tried to make himself invisible. If Brian ever wished super powers existed like in Mikey's comic books, it was now. Not only would Justin benefit from invisibility but he wished he were invulnerable because Ryder looked pissed enough to empty a clip in him. "Marty." Should he say something about Justin or let it go? Well, it wasn't like Ryder hadn't seen him. "You remember Justin."

"Of course," Ryder said, not daring to look around at the teenager. "Could I talk to you for a minute?" He turned and paused. "In my office."

"Sure." Brian waited until Marty had left then cursed. "Fuck." Closed his eyes. "I am so fucked."

Justin grimaced. "Sorry."

"Maybe you should go home," Brian suggested. Greatly subdued, Justin gathered his things and packed them away in the basket. Just before he left, Brian peeled himself out of his chair and kissed him gently on the lips. "I'm not angry with you."

Instantly cheered, Justin asked, "What do you want for dinner?"

Thinking about his impending meeting with Ryder, he replied, "A new asshole."

As he sat across from Ryder, aware of the man's anger and disappointment, Brian tried to come up with something that would put a positive spin on the situation but he couldn't. So he said nothing.

"Old Pitt is thinking about pulling the campaign," Ryder said at last. "They're not convinced it's working."

"It isn't working," Brian agreed, "because no ad campaign in the world can convince someone to drink piss if what they really want is beer."

Ryder took a deep breath. "Maybe if you spent more time on the campaign and less time fucking your boyfriend..."

A hot flash went all over Brian and he replied, "I could work on that goddamn campaign morning, noon, and night--and, believe me, it feels like I have--and it wouldn't do any good. Their product sucks."

"We told them we could sell it."

Angry that his commitment had been called into question, Brian replied, "Well, we were wrong."

"Well," Ryder retorted, "I've asked them to give us another quarter to turn things around."

Glancing up at the ceiling to give himself a moment, Brian asked, "Are you giving the account to someone else then?"

"No." Marty fixed him with a glare. "This is your baby, you take care of it."

Brian bit back his first response and stood. "Fine."

"I want you to put together a new strategy by next week. We're taking a meeting with the sales rep on Wednesday."

"Wednesday?" Brian asked incredulously. "That only gives me one more day this week and two next week."

"You have the weekend," Marty pointed out to him.

Saying nothing, Brian made for the door.

"One other thing." Brian paused. "This is a place of business. If he wants us to come up with an ad campaign for him, tell him to make an appointment and we'll set up a meeting. Otherwise, keep him out of your goddamn office."

Hours later he was still steaming. He barely tasted the food on the plate before him, he was so busy recounting all of his grievances against Ryder. Silently. On the surface he seemed calm. Of course, he had to be. Justin had invited Mel and Lindz over to the loft for dinner. Gus crawled around on the floor at their feet and he was constantly looking down to make sure the baby was safe.

"Brian?"

He looked up. Thought that Lindsay had spoken. "What?"

"I asked you if you could watch the baby this weekend."

"No."

"So much for wanting to be a part of his life," Melanie said accusingly.

"I have to work," he replied and that did it. He pushed away from the table and picked Gus up, stalked into the living room.

Mel and Lindz turned to Justin. "I kind of got him in trouble with his boss."

"It wasn't you," Brian said. He returned to the dining area and leaned against the counter with Gus in his arms. "It was just bad timing." He moved his head as Gus tried to stuff his fist in his mouth. "And I do have to work this weekend. I should have stayed late tonight but--I promised Justin I would do this. So get off my case." With that he pushed away from the counter and carried Gus to the bedroom.

Lindz waited until Brian had disappeared behind the opaque glass walls to lean over and whisper, "What happened?"

"I paid him an office visit," Justin replied, his face having gone red.

Mel laughed, understanding immediately. "And Ryder caught you."

"Almost. Cynthia warned us but he knew what was going on."

Covering her face briefly, Lindsay shook her head. "You two."

"I can watch Gus if you want," he volunteered. "Brian'll probably be at the office all weekend and I can keep him here."

Lindz and Mel glanced at each other to see if they were in agreement. Then Mel replied, "We owe you."

Hearing Gus gurgling and giggling and his Dadda laughing, Lindz caught Justin's eye and added, "We owe you a lot," and he knew she was talking about more than babysitting.

After they'd gone, taking the baby with them and promising to return with him early tomorrow, Justin loaded the dishwasher and tried to keep quiet as Brian sat at his desk and scribbled some notes on a legal pad. Sitting at the table, he sketched a little while listening for any clue that Brian might be ready to put his work away and go to bed. But as the clock counted the minutes to midnight, the ad exec showed no signs of stopping. One o'clock came and went and now two was just around the corner. Justin wondered how badly he would get reamed if he tried to get him to go to sleep. And then Brian stopped, laid down his pencil, and stretched. Seemed to see Justin for the first time in hours. "Why are you still up?" he asked.

Justin shrugged. "Waiting for you."

"I'll be at this for another hour or so. Go on without me."

"When are you going into the office?"

Brian shook his head. "I don't know. Around eight, I guess."

Taking a chance, Justin suggested, "Come to bed. You can't stay up all night and then work all day tomorrow."

On the verge of arguing, Brian suddenly felt a yawn building up inside. Released it and rubbed his face. "Nothing's coming anyway." He stood and cut off the lights in the living room. Justin went around and did the same in the rest of the loft and met him at the doorway to the bedroom. Brian slipped his arm around his waist and kissed him softly. "Thanks."

Morning came too soon and Brian stumbled from bed and took a shower while Justin put on the coffee and toasted a couple of bagels. By the time Brian emerged from his shower looking just as tired as he had when he'd gone in, Justin was spreading veggie cream cheese on the bagels and pouring a couple glasses of guava juice. Throwing on a pair of black and grey pinstriped Kenneth Cole pants and a maroon tricot shirt, Brian came into the kitchen. Grabbed the carafe of coffee and carried it and the mugs to the table. Went back for the sugar and cream. Justin followed with the rest of their meal and they ate together, neither of them saying very much, just enjoying a half hour of peace. Finally, with the dregs of the coffee staining the bottom of his cup, Brian stood and gathered his notes from the previous night, shoved them into his briefcase, and found his coat. Justin rubbed his back and leaned against his arm. "Tell Gus I'll see him when I get back."

" 'kay."

They kissed and Justin watched him pull up the door to the elevator, close it again, and punch the button for the first floor.

Wishing he were anywhere but here, Brian sat hunched over his desk racking his brains for a new angle on the Old Pitt campaign. Sex hadn't sold the beer so he needed something else, needed to take it in a different direction. He would have called Bob and Brad in but they were next to useless in a crunch. As a matter of fact they were next to useless period. Fuck. Justin was a better advertiser than those two and he'd never done it. Christ. Now that he'd thought about Justin he found himself unable to concentrate on his work, imagining the fun Gus was probably having with the teenager. "Wish I could be there," he whispered and threw down his pencil. He could see the baby with Justin, sitting on his lap as the teen showed him one of his drawings or read a story to him or just talked to him. Justin was really good with Gus. And, even though he had never told him so, Brian thought he never looked sexier than when he was with Gus, his love for the baby suffusing his features with a joy that caused him to glow. He smiled, remembering one afternoon they had spent together, all three of them laughing on the bed, the baby ecstatic to be with his Dadda and Justin. Brian wondered what the baby made of them. Wondered what to make of them himself. It made him laugh and it scared him, how much he had come to love Justin, to need him...just--to breathe sometimes.

He'd picked up the phone before he realized what he'd done. Put it back down. They'd still be there when he got home. Right now he needed to concentrate, needed to come up with a new concept to save the Old Pitt campaign--and his position in the firm, cause that's what this really boiled down to: him being the best or being an also-ran, a has-been. He didn't doubt that Ryder had his eye on some young, new hotshot desperate for a chance to show the partners that he or she had what it took to make it. He remembered being that young hotshot himself once upon a time. Remembered when the prospect of spending a weekend at work wouldn't have meant shit to him. He'd have done it and gone out Saturday and Sunday night, got up on Monday morning and gone into work and not bitched a moment about all the time he'd put in. He'd been hungry back then. And now...now he missed his lover and his son and he wished to hell he could be with them rather than sitting alone in the tasteful office that he'd worked so hard to attain.

Rubbing his eyes, he refocused his attention on the notes in front of him, but he didn't see them. He saw, instead, Justin sitting on the bed with Gus in his arms, his blond head bent over the baby's darker one. God, things had changed. He blinked. Change. Things had changed... What was it about change? He'd once told Justin that he hated needless change but the truth was he really hated change of any kind. He was a creature of habit and his habits had served him well until he'd met a certain blond-headed twink outside of Babylon. Who would have ever thought he'd be able to alter those habits to the point that he found himself in a relationship? Again, after having sworn he'd never do so. He guessed if he could change anyone could. And look at what he had gained. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all. He glanced at his notepad. Maybe change wasn't... Suddenly he began scribbling at a furious pace. He had it. Fuck Ryder and fuck the young hotshots waiting for his spot on top of the heap. He grinned. Fuck 'em all.

Justin glanced up to see Brian coming through the door. "I thought you wouldn't be back until late."

Laying his briefcase down on the desk, Brian came and took Gus from Justin, kissed the baby, then leaned over and kissed his other little boy. "I finished early."

Not believing that Brian was completely done, Justin asked, "But you're going in tomorrow, right?"

"Wrong." Brian beamed at Gus. "Hey, Sonny Boy, how about you and me and the Boy Wonder spend Sunday together? Would you like that?"

"You mean you're done?"

"Yep." He smiled at the look of astonishment on Justin's face. And then the look of disbelief was replaced by one of simple pleasure.

Justin stood and said to Gus, "Your Dada's a genius, did you know that?"

With a shit-eating grin on his face, Brian amended that, "Advertising God."

Kissing the man briefly, Justin shook his head. "You're something else."

So the next day they got up early to feed Gus then lounged around drinking coffee and watching Cartoon Network, the bright colors and crazy sounds appealing to the younger set. Brian closed his eyes and tried to ignore it and to steal some additional sleep before the day officially began. As usual, Justin already had it planned down to the microsecond. Maybe, Brian thought, if he tried really hard he could convince the teen to spend a quiet day at home. At that moment Justin and the baby shrieked. Okay, maybe a not-so-quiet day.

But they didn't stay in, instead they got dressed, got the baby ready, and went in search of brunch. Settled on a bookstore with a cafe in the back. Snagged a table outside where there was a slight breeze and Gus could people watch. Of course, what really sold them on the cafe was the fact that all of the brunch items were served with Strawberry Mimosas. Beneath the shade of an umbrella, sipping their drinks, they could almost imagine they were back in the Bahamas. "Next time we'll have to take Gus," Justin said. "He'd love parasailing," he teased.

Brian replied, "My kid's smart enough to keep his ass on the ground where it belongs."

"I bet my ass looked pretty good from where you were standing."

Remembering the sight, Brian declared it to have been, "Fuckably delicious," and Justin shivered.

After brunch they took a stroll through the park and Justin strapped on the baby carrier and swung on the swings while Gus gurgled in delight. Brian, in a rare show of playfulness, got in the one next to them, although his legs were way too long and all he could really do was rock back and forth. Still, Gus loved it and would reach out his hand to his Dadda.

"You think he knows that you're his dad?" Justin asked and Brian shrugged.

"Who knows what kids think? I hardly know what you're thinking from one moment to the next."

"That's because I'm complex."

"I think the legal term is insane."

Glancing around to make sure they wouldn't be overheard, Justin replied, "Cock happy."

Brian laughed. "You're a bad influence on Sonny Boy."

"You're a bad influence on me," he said and moved his swing closer to Brian's, close enough to kiss. Which they did. Then parted. Goofy smiles on their faces. "Can you imagine going to Gus' class on Career Day?"

"I do have a career, you know."

Justin grinned. "I forgot: Advertising God. You can take Gus to the office with you on Take Your Son to Work Day and show him all the things Cynthia does for you."

"Like gossiping and doing her personal email and sending out letter with typos"

"And getting you coffee and making sure you get to your meetings on time and that you don't look hungover when you are hungover..." Besides Cynthia saving their asses on Friday, Justin felt grateful to her for a number of reasons: she'd been one of the few people to talk to him at Ryder's party, she'd sent flowers to the hospital while he was recovering, and she'd taken him out to lunch at this really trendy spot once he'd been released.

Brian stood. "I think this calls for a field trip."

"To where?"

"To the office. And Gus can see where Dada works to make lots of money so he can write those oh so generous checks to Mommy."

And off they went. Piled into the Jeep and burned rubber getting to downtown Pittsburgh. Pulled into the parking garage and into his assigned space. "One day it'll have my name on it," he announced. Then they took the elevator up to the twentieth floor where his office was located. The firm itself actually occupied three floors, with the executive offices on the uppermost floor and the other employees' offices arranged by rank. Brian liked where his office was located, near the elevator for quick getaways and far enough from the main executive suites that he had some privacy.

The proud papa carried his son inside and showed him his awards, "This means your Dada is better at his job than anyone else;" and the sofa, "This is where Dada and Justin--" Justin covered his mouth before he could finish his sentence and Brian laughed. He sat in his chair and placed the baby on the desk. "And this is Dada's desk where he--" and he heard a sound and stopped. Frowned. "No one's supposed to be here." Handing Gus to Justin and telling him to stay put, Brian went to investigate.

The noise sounded like it was coming from Ryder's office but why would Ryder be here on a Sunday? He hadn't pulled a weekend in years. That's what staff were for. As he neared the suite he could hear voices. One of them was definitely Marty. He could see that the door was open and he knocked on the frame as he walked inside.

At his entrance, Ryder and Darren Johnson looked up guiltily. Brian crossed to where they were seated around a table. "What are you doing here?"

"Just going over some--" began Ryder.

Brian glanced at their papers. It was a mock-up and copy for an Old Pitt ad. And not one that was part of the current campaign. "What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"That's an ad for Old Pitt. A new ad." Comprehension dawned. "I thought this was my baby and I was supposed to look after it."

"It is."

"Then what's this about?"

"Insurance."

"Insurance?" Brian pressed his lips together in an effort not to explode. "I've worked here how long? And how many times have I ever fallen down on the job?"

Coolly, Ryder answered, "What about the Telson account?"

Having had his nose rubbed in that all year Brian replied, "We didn't get that account because I wouldn't put out."

The shock of his answer caused Johnson's eyes to widen and he'd spoken before he had a chance to clamp down on the urge. "What?"

Gaze fixed on his boss, Brian explained. "He said he was attracted to me. Invited me to his hotel room."

"Did you go?" asked Marty.

"Your exact words were, 'I don't care what you have to do, just make sure where he wants to go is with us.' " He watched as Ryder's face froze. "But his wife called about their kid. Said she'd broken her arm. So I left."

"But he didn't want you to." Marty looked away. "Why? Why'd you leave?"

"Maybe I realized that there were some things even I wouldn't do for an account." That said, he headed for the door.

Ryder tried to explain, "Brian--"

"Save it. You're a partner, you can do whatever the fuck you want. You wanna spend Sunday here with Darren, that's up to you. I've got better things to do with my day."

Angry that his effort to make peace had been rebuffed, Ryder asked, "It's obvious one of them isn't working on the Old Pitt account, so what are you doing here?"

Brian paused as he was walking out of the door. "I brought my son by to see where I worked."

Ryder nearly choked and he wasn't eating or drinking anything. "Your son?"

"Yeah," replied Brian, "my son. Gotta go. He's waiting for me." As a parting shot, he added, "With Justin."

The sound of the door shutting was nothing compared to the sound of Ryder's jaw hitting the table. Even Darren Johnson was smart enough to realize that the lines had been drawn and that something had just happened which no one would have predicted ever happening: Ryder and his protege were on opposite sides of the table.

By the time they reached the restaurant, Brian had calmed down considerably. Securing a high chair for Gus, he settled the baby in and charmed the waitress into heating his bottle so Sonny Boy could eat while they did. Although he had managed to put a lid on his anger, he hadn't forgotten the incident by a long shot but he tried to keep cool about it.

"So what are you going to do?" Justin asked, unable to let it go.

"About what?" A subtle hint that went unheeded.

"About Ryder's ad."

"He's a partner, he can do what he wants."

Justin lifted an eyebrow and looked sideways at Brian. He wasn't fooled for a minute. Brian would never let something like that go unless he was feeling mighty confident. "Your ad must be pretty good."

"It is."

"Better than Ryder's?"

Brian tore off a piece of focaccia and chewed it. Swallowed. Then said, "I didn't get a good look at it."

"Liar," Justin grinned. "Is your ad better than his?"

"Fuck yeah," Brian replied and he turned to Gus. "Don't tell your mom I said that." The baby gurgled, just happy to be with his Dadda and the two men laughed, just happy to be together and with the tiny tot.

Brian got wind of the Tuesday meeting Ryder had set up with the people from Old Pitt via Cynthia and the grapevine. There was talk that two of the other partners were upset with Ryder for his unprecedented move. The third partner kept silent. Which meant he really disapproved. Brian followed his wise example. He had brought in a lot of business during the years he'd worked for them and they knew his worth. If Ryder wanted to second-guess him, let him. Especially with a talentless schmuck like Darren Johnson.

Working steadily with the photographer and the people in artwork to finish his mock-up, Brian pretended he wasn't even aware of a competing proposal. Or, at the very least, not concerned about it. Then Cynthia came to him in the late afternoon and reported that the sales reps from Old Pitt had really liked Ryder's idea. Falling back on years of practice, he maintained an air of indifference. "That has nothing to do with me. My meeting is tomorrow." Packing his briefcase, he grabbed his jacket and slipped it on.

Cynthia watched as he strode to the elevator, cool as an October evening. That's why he was the best: grace under pressure, an indomitable spirit, and an irreproducible style.

Safely alone inside the elevator, Brian allowed himself to slump against the reflective surface. Glancing at the opposite wall, he saw his image, distorted in the metal.

Careful not to reveal any of his doubts to Justin, Brian spent a quiet evening at Deb's with the teen, then headed home, Justin in tow. He'd been unable to tell him outright not to come but once they reached the loft it became clear to Justin that Brian was in no mood for sex. Gently rebuffing any of Justin's attempts at foreplay, he stripped and crawled into bed. After a moment, so did Justin. He snuggled up against the man's side and nestled his head against his chest.

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Sure?"

"Just tired."

Although he didn't quite buy the excuse, Justin let it pass and contented himself with the feel of Brian's skin against his own. In a little while, Brian turned over and, reluctantly, Justin made to move to his side of the bed. Only, Brian reached back and stopped him. Smiling softly, the teen wrapped his arm around his lover's waist.

Scanning the faces of the people around the table, Brian imagined them naked and almost laughed out loud because he remembered telling Justin his secret--while the teen had sat naked and cross-legged awaiting Brian's advice about selling the Gay Straight Student Alliance. He hoped he had better luck with Old Pitt than he'd had with that venture. Of course, it hadn't been his fault the campaign failed. But it would be his fault if this campaign didn't take off like the fuckin' space shuttle. He remembered standing in front of the room the last time he'd come up with a campaign for Old Pitt, how cocky and self-assured he'd been. Well, he wasn't any less cocky and self-assured this time around cause he knew he had the goods. And he didn't mean in his pants either. As an added measure, Old Pitt had sent around two total breeders who wouldn't be tempted by him. He smirked to himself. Well...so they thought. He wasn't completely convinced there wasn't a guy in the world, straight or gay, that he couldn't have creaming his shorts in under two minutes flat. But he didn't need sex appeal to sell this campaign. This one would sell itself.

At a signal from Ryder, he stepped up to the easel and removed the cover sheet to reveal a mock-up of his new ad concept. A good-looking young man in his late twenties sat on a bed holding a baby. Golden sunlight streamed through the window behind them. He was showing the baby pictures. Lying near him on the bed was a photo album entitled, "Our Honeymoon." There were boxes in the room as if they had either just moved into the house or were moving out of the house. You could see the back of another person going into the adjoining bathroom but you couldn't tell if it was a woman or another man. On the nightstand next to the bed was a bottle of Old Pitt beer. And the copy read, "For the man who's unafraid of change. Old Pitt Beer."

"Today's young, urban professional is much more interested in stock options and mortgages," he said, "than in hanging out at the bars on Saturday night with his buds, eyeing half-naked women. So we appeal to that set. We present the stresses in their lives as something positive, something desirable: the baby, the beautiful house, the mate, all of those things in the best possible light. Literally. And to cap it off, Old Pitt Beer. To go along with their new lifestyle. A change from the beer they drank as party boys, this is a beer for the men they've become. We can tailor the ad for women and shoot it in a number of settings both inside and outside of the home. But basically the message will remain the same: Change is good. That's what this ad says. Change is desirable. Change to Old Pitt." His spiel finished, Brian glanced around the table at the other members of his team and at the sales reps.

The older man studied the mock-up and nodded. "I like it. Much better than the other ad. I think our people are going to go for it."

From her spot on the left hand side of the table, Cynthia gave him the thumbs up. He'd done it again.

The sales rep stood. "I'll let you know...this afternoon?"

"That'll be perfect," Ryder replied and he and the two men from Old Pitt left the room.

As the rest of the people in attendance filed out, Brian released the breath he'd been holding ever since he'd finished speaking and he wondered what would happen if one day he couldn't pull it off. Fuck it, he thought. All that matters is that I did pull it off today. He grinned to himself. I deserve a bonus.

A bouquet of Osiana roses was waiting for him at Deb's when he got off his shift at the diner. Showering and changing his clothes, he took the flowers with him and headed for the loft. Dada had finished taking care of business and was ready to play.

Heels Over Head | Stories