laugh. That much was true enough. Rory would probably think it was a great idea. Hell, Rory would think having sex aboard one of the floats in the three o’clock parade would be doable.
What scared Kyle was that he was beginning to agree.
No, no. It’s a very, very bad idea. Bad, Kyle. Bad. No biscuit.
He admitted it wasn’t just the lurid fantasies he’d been having that had him on edge. It was Observation Day for Rory. In other words, Kyle had to shadow Rory all day, watch him do his rounds, and make sure Rory had everything down pat. It was like a final exam, and if Rory passed, training would be officially over. They would work together only if they happened to be scheduled for the same shift. Even then, they would only cross paths now and then while inside the Park.
He sighed unhappily as he checked his image in the full length mirror. For the first time he could remember, Kyle wasn’t looking forward to seeing another Groundskeeping actor graduate. The truth was, he was going to miss working with Rory all day, maybe more than he should, considering all the trouble they’d gotten into together. He got the distinct impression work would never be as much fun again. He was distracted, pinning on his nametag, when a hand clamped down on his shoulder, and spun him around. He was shocked to find Charlie standing behind him and felt his stomach lurch with apprehension.
“Hey... it’s Kyle, right?” Charlie’s handsome face creased with a warm smile.
Smile? At him? Kyle frowned. Something was up, and whatever it was, he didn’t like it, not one bit. Why would Charlie, who’d never so much as acknowledged Kyle’s humanity before, and who’d already had a couple of run-ins with Kyle’s protégé Rory, want to talk to him? “Uh, yeah. Kyle. That’s me.”
“I’ve seen you around. Look, I just wanted to make sure there are no hard feelings, you know, over what happened with that jackass you’re training. I mean, I don’t hold you responsible for his assholery, you know?”
“Rory’s not a jackass,” Kyle stated firmly. His frown deepened. “He might be a little misguided, but he only did what he thought was the right thing.”
Charlie put up both hands, as if to deflect Kyle’s anger. “Sure, sure. Look, whatever problems I have with him, they don’t involve you. You and me, we’re good, right?”
Oh, something was definitely up. “What do you want, Charlie?”
“Just to make sure that you don’t get the wrong impression of me, that’s all. I’ve been watching you, you know? You’re cute. I was hoping you and I might, you know, catch dinner or something.”
Kyle resisted the urge to look over his shoulder to see who Charlie was really talking to, certain that it couldn’t be him. “Me and you? On a date?”
“Yeah. We could eat food, catch a movie. What do you say?” Charlie cocked his hip, and his smile held a promise of something a lot more fun than a simple dinner date.
Kyle wouldn’t have been more shocked if Happy Hamster himself walked up and tried to jerk Kyle off. Charlie had been the focus of many of Kyle’s fantasies, but earlier, before Kyle found out what a supreme asshole Charlie could be. Since Kyle met Rory, Charlie had definitely been relegated to the back of Kyle’s fantasy bus. “Uh, I don’t think so. Thanks, but I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Although Kyle was sure Charlie tried to hide it, there was a new edge to Charlie’s voice that belied his pouty lip and sad, puppy dog eyes.
“Both.” Kyle was positively shocked at his temerity. He would have never dared been so cavalier with Charlie before. Charlie knew people, people who could make Kyle miserable, and keep him in Groundskeeping forever. He didn’t feel that way anymore, not after Charlie had tried to get both he and Rory fired. Now, he found he could care less if Charlie imploded on the spot, and actually found himself sort of wishing Charlie would. It gave him the courage to turn
What scared Kyle was that he was beginning to agree.
No, no. It’s a very, very bad idea. Bad, Kyle. Bad. No biscuit.
He admitted it wasn’t just the lurid fantasies he’d been having that had him on edge. It was Observation Day for Rory. In other words, Kyle had to shadow Rory all day, watch him do his rounds, and make sure Rory had everything down pat. It was like a final exam, and if Rory passed, training would be officially over. They would work together only if they happened to be scheduled for the same shift. Even then, they would only cross paths now and then while inside the Park.
He sighed unhappily as he checked his image in the full length mirror. For the first time he could remember, Kyle wasn’t looking forward to seeing another Groundskeeping actor graduate. The truth was, he was going to miss working with Rory all day, maybe more than he should, considering all the trouble they’d gotten into together. He got the distinct impression work would never be as much fun again. He was distracted, pinning on his nametag, when a hand clamped down on his shoulder, and spun him around. He was shocked to find Charlie standing behind him and felt his stomach lurch with apprehension.
“Hey... it’s Kyle, right?” Charlie’s handsome face creased with a warm smile.
Smile? At him? Kyle frowned. Something was up, and whatever it was, he didn’t like it, not one bit. Why would Charlie, who’d never so much as acknowledged Kyle’s humanity before, and who’d already had a couple of run-ins with Kyle’s protégé Rory, want to talk to him? “Uh, yeah. Kyle. That’s me.”
“I’ve seen you around. Look, I just wanted to make sure there are no hard feelings, you know, over what happened with that jackass you’re training. I mean, I don’t hold you responsible for his assholery, you know?”
“Rory’s not a jackass,” Kyle stated firmly. His frown deepened. “He might be a little misguided, but he only did what he thought was the right thing.”
Charlie put up both hands, as if to deflect Kyle’s anger. “Sure, sure. Look, whatever problems I have with him, they don’t involve you. You and me, we’re good, right?”
Oh, something was definitely up. “What do you want, Charlie?”
“Just to make sure that you don’t get the wrong impression of me, that’s all. I’ve been watching you, you know? You’re cute. I was hoping you and I might, you know, catch dinner or something.”
Kyle resisted the urge to look over his shoulder to see who Charlie was really talking to, certain that it couldn’t be him. “Me and you? On a date?”
“Yeah. We could eat food, catch a movie. What do you say?” Charlie cocked his hip, and his smile held a promise of something a lot more fun than a simple dinner date.
Kyle wouldn’t have been more shocked if Happy Hamster himself walked up and tried to jerk Kyle off. Charlie had been the focus of many of Kyle’s fantasies, but earlier, before Kyle found out what a supreme asshole Charlie could be. Since Kyle met Rory, Charlie had definitely been relegated to the back of Kyle’s fantasy bus. “Uh, I don’t think so. Thanks, but I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Although Kyle was sure Charlie tried to hide it, there was a new edge to Charlie’s voice that belied his pouty lip and sad, puppy dog eyes.
“Both.” Kyle was positively shocked at his temerity. He would have never dared been so cavalier with Charlie before. Charlie knew people, people who could make Kyle miserable, and keep him in Groundskeeping forever. He didn’t feel that way anymore, not after Charlie had tried to get both he and Rory fired. Now, he found he could care less if Charlie imploded on the spot, and actually found himself sort of wishing Charlie would. It gave him the courage to turn
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