A Trial of Strength

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - PART 230 By Rob Williams

IN THIS CHAPTER: Randy and Bob have raunchy morning sex. Later Mario's relationship with Brandon reaches a make-or-break climax. "Brandon laughed at Mario's horseplay but was dazzled too by the fantasy of the naked cowboy riding his cock. A cowboy hat perched on his tousled black hair, Mario raised his arm triumphantly and whooped like a cowpoke riding a bucking bronco, his ass impaled on Brandon's cock."

Chapter 230 – "The Italian Cowboy"

Nestled between Randy and Bob in their big California King bed Brandon was in heaven. Invited by Randy into the `inner sanctum', as some guys called the master suite, Brandon had watched the two gorgeous men make passionate love that ended up with Bob fucking Randy.

Then something happened that Brandon could never have dreamed of. As they lay together Randy had said in his ear, "OK, here's the deal. Now Bob always gets his ass fucked when we go to bed, but you may have noticed that didn't happen tonight. He turned the tables on me. But I believe he still wants to get fucked so I'm gonna delegate the job to one of my crew, a guy I can trust – a guy who's proved today that he can get the job done. You still got a boner, kid?"

So Brandon had done the unthinkable – he, the new boy, had fucked and cum inside the ass of this beautiful man, the man they all loved, the head of the house – and Randy's lover. And now here he was between them, his cock still nestled in Bob's ass, and waiting for sleep to come.

He smiled to himself as he realized all this was actually "homework" set by Dr. Steve at the end of his therapy session. Brandon had explained to his friend Mario, "See, Steve says I'm borderline sexually compulsive, the way I jack off all the time, so he wants me to concentrate on relationships rather than just fucking. His idea is for me to watch couples making love in their own way so I'll understand that, even if the sex is hot, even rough, love is at the root of it. He wants me to watch without jacking off too much."

As he snuggled between the sleeping men Brandon's mind drifted over the events of another extraordinary day today, which had begun by Randy making him a member of the crew building the new office next to the house. He had given Brandon the important job of checking in the building supplies as they arrived. After work he had watched a homoerotic leather scene between Zack and Darius – and now this with Bob and Randy.

Was his homework assignment complete, he wondered? Maybe not. He had still not seen the fireman Jason and his boy Ben make love, not to mention the Aussies, Adam and Nate. Then there was the muscle-god soldier Hassan and his boy Eddie.

And best of all, tomorrow evening there was dinner and a movie with the classy, handsome Mario. Mario was reluctant to call it a date but, Brandon thought, a boy can dream, can't he?

And then he really was dreaming – fast asleep between the masters of the house.

Randy woke next morning to the smell of coffee. Groggily he opened his eyes, squinted and saw Brandon wheeling his chair across the room from their kitchen. He had a big tray in his lap set with a coffee pot and three mugs.

Randy jabbed Bob from sleep. "Hey, buddy, wake up. Get a load of this – room-service. What the hell time is it, kiddo?"

"Five a.m., sir. The twins are already setting up breakfast outside and I thought you might want some extra time to go over the supplies inventory before work starts at six-thirty. That is the time you set, sir," he added with a mischievous grin.

"Shit, boy, you're a fucking slave-driver. But the coffee smells good. Hey, Bob, wake up you lazy fucker." The bedclothes stirred and Bob's head emerged from the sheets, blinking and smiling. With his tousled hair and a growth of stubble on his chin Brandon thought he looked more gorgeous than ever. "Hey," Bob frowned at Brandon. "Aren't you the guy who had your dick in my ass half the night?"

"That would be me, sir," Brandon grinned.

Randy growled, "Stop with the memory lane shit, will ya? Where's that coffee? I need something to wake me up.?"

"I can think of something else that would do the trick better than coffee," Bob said suggestively.

Randy looked at him and his grumpy expression turned into a smile as he, like Brandon, was turned on by the tousled look of his lover, especially when Bob pushed the sheets down to his waist where they stuck up like a tent over a long pole. "Godammit," Randy said with fake crankiness, looking down at the muscled body with its thin sheen of sweat, "don't you ever give me a rest?"

"Not if I can help it," Bob said. "Especially when I'm looking at a scruffy blue-eyed gypsy who's just woken up."

"OK, kid, hold the coffee," Randy grumbled to Brandon, "this won't take long." He got up on his knees and pulled Bob's legs high in the air. He hawked up a load of spit and blasted it down at Bob's ass, then another. This was Randy at his most raunchy like a guy having quick, rough sex in a back alley. He pointed his thick cock at Bob's hole then drove it in hard with a loud grunt of satisfaction.

Bob shuddered and moaned, ignoring the pain. This was the tough construction boss he loved the most, a man who had no time for foreplay – more like an animal getting his rocks off in a quick morning fuck. He plunged his cock in again, then again, deeper each time as Bob gazed up at him.

Brandon watched mesmerized. This was the raw lust Steve had warned him of, all physical, no tenderness. No, he realized he got that wrong when he saw the passion in the men's eyes. Crude as it may seem, this quick morning fuck was another expression of the love between them, the warm familiarity of waking up together every morning just like this. Brandon's cock was hard under the tray on his lap.

Randy had been right – it didn't take long. He drove his cock like a piston into Bob's ass and as Bob looked up at the ultimate male – powerful, rugged, black hair falling over his gypsy face, pounding his ass – he groaned, "Fuck me, sir. It feels so good. My ass is yours, sir."

"You bet your life it is, man. And I'm gonna fill it with jizz – like this!" He roared as one last massive thrust poured hot semen into his man, and Bob blasted cum up onto Randy's chest.

As soon as their heavy breathing slowed Randy pulled his cock out and sprang to his feet, shaking the last drops of cum from his dick. "Hey," Bob said, "aren't you forgetting something?" Randy grinned at him, sat on the bed, clamped his hands round Bob's head and pulled his face into a long, grinding kiss. Eventually Randy pulled back, stared at Bob, then dropped his head back on the pillow and turned away grunting, "Now where the hell's that coffee?" Bob smiled, shook his head and said softly to himself, "And good morning to you too."

Randy was all business as he pulled on his work pants, sat at the table and studied the plans he had been looking at last night. "Hey, kid – coffee," he said without looking up.

Brandon wheeled over to him and was about to put the tray on the table when he felt it wet underneath. He remembered now that, try as he might to stop his orgasm, he had lost his load watching Randy fuck Bob like a stallion in heat. The tray had been on his lap and he now blushed with embarrassment as he grabbed a cloth from the floor and wiped his cum off the bottom of the tray before putting it on the table.

Focused on the plans Randy glimpsed Brandon holding his tank top that he had tossed on the floor the night before. He took it and pulled it on, then felt the dampness. "Hey, kid, this your jism on my tank?" Brandon blushed again. "Yes sir, sorry sir. When I was watching you..."

"Ah no sweat, kiddo," he grinned. "Morning sex can be a big turn on – is for me. Anyway my chest is smothered with Bob's jizz so a bit more won't hurt." He rubbed the wet tank on his chest to soak up Bob's cum.

By now Bob was out of bed, had pulled on boxer shorts and sat with Randy and Ben at the table. "Hey, Randy, you're gonna shower before work, aren't you?"

Randy roared with laughter. "What the hell's the point? Half an hour on the job in that sun I'll be stinking of sweat anyway." He grinned at Brandon. "See, boy, Bob doesn't get what it's like for guys on a work crew like us, eh? We're too busy to give a damn about the smell of sweat and jizz, don't ya think?"

"I agree sir. Doesn't bother me at all." He grinned at Bob who smiled back, shook his head and said, "You guys ..."

For an early start like this the twins were in the kitchen before dawn preparing a big breakfast to keep the workers going until the lunch break. Bob (freshly showered!) came in and gave them each a warm hug. "You guys are terrific, you know, feeding these monster appetites, fuelling up the crew for the day." Kyle grinned without looking up from the stove. "You know we love it, sir. Being together in the kitchen is our idea of heaven."

"Yeah well there's another place that's even hotter than a kitchen. Brandon got his reward last night and it's your turn tonight. After dinner you report for duty in the inner sanctum – I know that's what you boys call it. After a long, hot day of manual labor Randy's so fired up he needs three guys to satisfy his appetites. And for once I'm not talking about food."

Bob went out to the long table set up by the pool where the guys were already gathering, and before long the noisy meal was in full swing. Brandon was sitting between Darius and Eddie, both of whom pumped him for details on his night with Randy and Bob, but Brandon wasn't `spilling the beans', Darius's code for telling all the secrets. "I don't think it's right to kiss and tell," Brandon said. "Sex should stay private."

"Not when it involves those two hunks," Darius protested. "Hell, dude, you should have filmed it. You did a great job on Zack and me. I've already edited your footage and tonight's the premiere of the movie starring yours truly," and he spread his arms taking a premature bow. "You're gonna be there aren't you? All the boys will be."

"Er, no, I can't, sorry dude," Brandon said. "I got a date – well no, I mean I'm going out to a movie." He glanced nervously at Mario sitting a few seats away on the opposite side, and bit his tongue at the use of the word `date'.

"Ah, come on, dude," Darius protested, "call a spade a spade ... it's a date. You and Mario have been making cow eyes at each other for weeks now."

Brandon blushed and Mario saved him, smiling at Darius from across the table. "It is true, amico, just dinner and a movie, definitely not – come si dice? – `a spade a spade', whatever that means. Just two buddies together and, no, we will not be filming it."

Well," Darius grumbled, "you'll be missing out. I guarantee my video will be a lot hotter than whatever movie you're gonna see. I'll let you know how many loads Eddie shoots, eh dude?" Eddie giggled and gazed lustfully at the young black leatherboy he had looked up to ever since they first met in the desert leather bar.

Brandon avoided eye contact with Mario. He had been embarrassed by Darius's typical bluster, but even before that he felt an unaccustomed shyness with Mario. Tonight was their first night out together and it sure felt like a date to him whatever anyone said. And to tell the truth it scared him.

He had come to like Mario a whole lot, but that friendliness got mixed up with his sexual attraction to the gorgeous young Italian. Brandon would have fucked with him the first day they met, but Mario had held back. Was it just, as he said, that he didn't believe in sex until he got to know a guy – or was it simply that Brandon didn't turn him on in that way? He wondered if...

"OK, guys – work! Got a lot to get through today." Randy's commanding voice broke into Brandon's thoughts and mercifully saved him from any more speculation as he began his job and became once again a member of the crew.

The deliveries of building materials came thick and fast today and checking them in kept Brandon so busy he had no time to think about sex, even though he was surrounded by hot construction workers, mostly shirtless, their straining muscles gleaming with sweat under the hot sun. Between deliveries he watched Zack and Darius working strenuously together, a far cry from the master/boy bondage scene he had witnessed the day before.

And from time to time Brandon got glimpses of Mario, also shirtless in blue jeans and boots, his lean, perfectly proportioned torso flexing as he pulled up shrubs to relocate them and preserve them from the advancing construction. Brandon gazed at the beautiful Italian face tense with effort, smudged with dirt, his curly black hair falling over his forehead. At one point he straightened up, stretched his back, caught sight of Brandon and gave him a dazzling smile.

Brandon's cock jerked in his shorts and again he felt nervous about tonight. How could he keep his lust under control being out alone with this beautiful man? The lunch break came and he was relieved to find himself not sitting opposite Mario as he wouldn't have known what to talk about. Eddie diverted him with his stream of amusing chatter and then Brandon immersed himself in work for the rest of the afternoon.

When Randy called a halt at around four o'clock Mario came over to Brandon and said breezily, "So, amico, I am going to have a shower and a nap. Then I will come and pick you up at your apartment at, say, six p.m. – would that suit you? We can take in an early movie and afterwards we'll go to a good Italian restaurant I know in Los Feliz."

Sounds great, Mario," Brandon said as casually as possible, trying to hide his nervousness. "See you then."

He drove himself up the hill to his apartment and did what he assumed Mario was doing – showered off the grime of the construction site, then lay down for a nap. But sleep wouldn't come, he was so on edge, so after a while he got up and wheeled himself to his closet, trying to decide what to wear. Not too casual, he thought, but not too smart either. After all this was a casual date, wasn't it? Well, OK, not a date – just two friends out for dinner. T-shirt, then – no, too casual – dress shirt, maybe, and his one pair of slacks. No, too dressy."

He took a deep breath and decided he was being stupid. It was not an audience with the Pope, after all, it was dinner with Mario. First he pulled on a pair of tight boxer briefs so that his boner, which he knew he would have, wouldn't show. Then, out of his two clean polo shirts he chose the dark blue one. He had a new pair of blue Levis and went with those and his brown moccasins. He usually wore shorts as they were easier to pull on, but he managed, with some effort, to yank up the jeans and he was ready.

He wheeled himself to the full length mirror and studied himself. For a moment he had one of those pangs seeing himself in his wheelchair, knowing his outfit would look more impressive if he were standing up tall. But he dismissed that notion right away, looked at his watch and realized he had half an hour to wait. So he waited.

He tried to busy himself but that only made him more nervous so he took a deep breath, relaxed his shoulders and closed his eyes. He was actually close to drifting off to sleep when the doorbell rang and made him jump. He took another quick look in the mirror, ran his hands through his hair, then looked through the peephole in his door, as the cop Mark had once told him to. It was Mario, of course.

Trembling, Brandon opened the door and Mario jerked back in mock surprise. "Wow, where's that guy with the dirty face, covered in construction dust? You clean up well, amico, I must say. Assolutamente perfetto!" and he touched his fingertips to his lips in that European gesture of enthusiasm.

Mario's humorous tone banished Brandon's nerves as he gazed at the handsome young Italian dressed in a white, collarless Indian-cotton shirt that hung loosely over his torso, unbuttoned halfway down his chest. It was tucked into the slim waist of his tan slacks, and on his feet he wore open Benassi sandals. He managed to look stylish and casual at the same time – and very European. And as usual he had the light, musky smell of sandalwood cologne.

"You look great," Brandon said, "smell good too. I thought of wearing cologne but I don't have any."

"Mario chuckled, "Don't worry, amico. Cologne is kind of a European thing – American men don't use it much – afraid it might spoil their macho image. But hey, what are we doing here discussing body fragrance? Come on, if we hurry we can make the next showing of that new movie at the Los Feliz Cinema – the one you wanted to see."

In a few minutes Brandon was sitting in the truck Mario used in his landscaping work, chatting freely and feeling rather silly that he had been so nervous. He was with Mario – his amico.

The movie was an action movie – more of a chase movie, actually, with plenty of romance between the male star, a cop, and the heiress he was supposed to guard. As they sat shoulder to shoulder in the dark Mario's hand rested on Brandon's on the armrest. When the suspense heightened Mario squeezed Brandon's hand and the boy was grateful for his tight undershorts to prevent a tent pole in his jeans.

They were in high spirits as they left the theater, disagreeing about the movie. Mario was surprised at Brandon's insight into movies, something he had gained from watching so many of them alone at home in his former solitary life – when he wasn't watching porn. Brandon had not liked the movie as much as Mario and gave very precise and articulate reasons why.

They had an animated conversation over dinner, punctuated with gusts of laughter as Mario pointed out the good points of the movie, only to be shot down by Brandon's references to similar but better films. It was the love scenes he mostly objected to, especially the ones where the hero and heroine were in imminent danger and chose those very moments to have sex.

"That would never happen," Brandon said decisively. "They were supposed to be falling in love but all they did was fuck. I mean, it's OK to hype up the action but you can't mess around with love. What they did had nothing to do with love. It was just `slam-bam thank you ma'am'."

Mario roared with laughter, loving the eagerness and animation blossoming in this bright and lovable boy, blinking earnestly behind his black-rimmed glasses. "Oh, I forgot," Mario said, "that's what your homework from Steve is all about – watching couples to see if they're in love. So you're an expert now."

"Well," Brandon shot back, "expert enough to know there was no love in this dumb movie, just a lot of bonking. And anyway I thought you were the expert with your theory of holding off on sex until love brings you to that point. But the thing is, how do you know when you've reached that point?"

It was lucky that the restaurant was dimly lit so Mario didn't see Brandon blushing, afraid he had crossed some kind of forbidden line. Anyway at that point, animated as he was, he raised a fork-full of spaghetti that promptly slid off the fork and onto the napkin in his lap. Brandon looked up in embarrassment but then sputtered with laughter as Mario said, "Amico, if you were as expert with spaghetti as you are about love your dinner would not be in your lap right now."

Brandon mocked him: "You are so – `ow do you say? – stupido."

"Ah, I see my Italian lessons are paying off." They stifled their laughter as a waiter discreetly removed the offending spaghetti and gave Brandon a clean napkin. Brandon had never felt so relaxed or so happy in his life. As they talked, teased and laughed together Brandon even forgot the beauty of the face opposite him and just loved being with Mario, having fun.

This lightness of spirit continued as they got into Mario's truck to drive home, but as they got closer to their neighborhood Brandon started to tense up. What next? Would Mario just drive up their street straight past the house, take him to his apartment at the top of the hill and kiss him goodnight? Or would he stop at the house instead and invite him up to his room?

Brandon had already slept in Mario's bed, without sex of course, but somehow tonight was different. Feeling the way he felt after such a great evening this seemed like a make-or-break moment. As they started up the hill the suspense mounted.

They got closer and closer to the main house .... and drove straight past it and on up the hill. Brandon's heart sank. It wasn't so much that he wanted sex with Mario (which he did) but he had had such a great time that he didn't want it to end. He wanted to be with Mario – to stay with him. He wouldn't ask for sex, wouldn't ask for anything – just to be with him. The feeling was so overwhelming that maybe it was ... could it be ... love? Well whatever, it obviously wasn't going to happen.

Suddenly Mario slammed on the breaks so hard Brandon lurched forward. "Wait! I forgot something." Brandon held his breath. `Here it comes,' he thought and didn't dare to look at Mario. Mario banged the side of his own head and said, "Stupido, I forgot." He took hold of Brandon's chin and pulled his face round to look at him. "I forgot, amico ... I have ... in my room ... some of the best, most creamy Italian gelato you have ever tasted in your life. It goes beautifully with coffee and brandy. Shall we...?'

His heart pounding Brandon managed to adopt a casual tone. "Sure, that would be great." He could never have imagined that ice-cream would be his savior – but hell, whatever it took.

Mario did a quick U-turn, pulled up at the gate of the house and leapt from the truck. He went round and opened the passenger door, pulled out the wheelchair and unfolded it. He gestured elegantly at the chair and said, "Your carriage awaits, sir." He reached into the truck, took Brandon in his arms and lifted him out. Brandon held his breath as he felt Mario's chest pressing against him through the light fabric of his shirt, his strong arms cradling him, his green eyes smiling down at him as Mario said softly, "I had a wonderful time tonight, Brandon."

Brandon's sparkling eyes answered for him and Mario laughed, "It was an evening that demands gelato – the best in the world. And that's what we shall have, mi amico."

He lowered Brandon gently into his chair and they went through the gate.

Once in Mario's room he busied himself in the small kitchen space that Randy had built into all the boys' rooms. He pulled a table cloth, cups, dishes and spoons from the drawers and dumped them into Brandon's lap. "There, make yourself useful, amico, we shall do this in style, end our evening with – come si dice? – with a flourish." Brandon happily spread the cloth on the small table, set out the cups and bowls, then wheeled himself over to a small bunch of flowers by the bed and put them in the middle of the table.

A few minutes later Mario approached and Brandon laughed. Mario had buttoned his shirt to the neck, tied a black apron round his waist and had a napkin folded over his arm. "Caffè, signore?" he said in his best waiter voice. "Yes," Brandon replied haughtily, "and then, waiter, I think I'll have ice-cream and your best brandy."

"You are in luck, sir. I cannot answer for the quality of the brandy, but our gelato is `il migliore del mondo' – the best in the world. He went away and came back with the brandy, two glasses and a bowl full of scoops of different colored gelato. "Allow me, sir." He spooned out some gelato and held it to Brandon's lips. He opened his mouth and sucked in the ice-cream with an "mmmmm" sound, but some of it dripped down his chin.

"Scusi, Signore, allow me." Mario removed Brandon's glasses, bent down and licked the ice-cream off his chin, then off his lower lip. Then he pushed his tongue between Brandon's lips and kissed him, tentatively at first, then with increasing intensity as Brandon reciprocated and their mouths were locked together in their first really romantic kiss since they met.

Finally Mario pulled away and Brandon stared up at him stunned, his cock stiff in his jeans. Despite his boner he didn't think of fucking, as he would have done only days ago. He just wanted to kiss him again – to lie beside him and kiss him again and again. But, breaking the spell, Mario straightened up and resumed his waiter role, replacing the spoon in the ice-cream. "You see, signore – best in the world. How did it taste to you?"

"Mmmmm, wonderful." Brandon grinned. "And the ice-cream wasn't bad either. Er, does the owner of this restaurant allow the staff to sit down with the customers and talk to them and... maybe ... well ... kiss them?"

"Signore, in this restaurant I am the only waiter and I am the owner too, so I make the rules."

"In that case sit the hell down," Brandon laughed and pulled Mario down into a chair at the table. "And I suggest a rule that, if the customer requests it, the waiter has to talk to the customer and kiss him on demand. And another thing ... lose the waiter look." He reached forward and unbuttoned Mario's floppy shirt down over his chest. "I prefer it like this." He lightly stroked the smooth flesh under the shirt."

Mario was laughing as he grabbed Brandon's wrists and said, "You are so much fun to be with, amico." His eyes sparkled. "What about the waiter making love with the customer? Do you think the restaurant rules would permit that?" Again, Brandon was stunned but managed to collect himself. "Well, the customer is always right so I ... I think the rules would allow it if the customer wanted it ... that is, if by making love you mean..."

"... I mean the waiter sitting here over coffee, brandy and the world's best gelato, talking to his best friend, gazing into his eyes, knowing that soon he would take him to bed and make love to him. Do you think the customer would want that?"

"The customer has wanted that for a long time, as the waiter knows very well. Here have some brandy." Brandon poured some for them both and they clinked glasses.

"Ciao, amico," Mario said softly. "Salute ! – here's to us." Brandon felt like he was floating and impulsively threw his head back with peals of laughter. Their love making began right there, gazing into each other's eyes as they sipped brandy and swallowed the creamy gelato. Brandon felt he was living in luxury in this small but elegant room, sure now that he was in love with the beautiful Italian. Loving and being loved must be one of the world's great luxuries, he thought.

At last Brandon grinned at Mario and said, "Er, I can't keep up with the rules of this restaurant but I seem to recall the word `bed' being mentioned." Mario stood up. "You are absolutely right, signore. Allow me. He pulled the wheelchair back from the table and scooped Brandon out of it. He carried him to the bed, saying, "It feels as if I am carrying you over the threshold – which in a way I am, I guess."

He laid him on the bed, stood up and pulled off his soft cotton shirt. He picked up his brandy glass and raised it in a toast to Brandon lying before him. "Per il mio ragazzo – to my boyfriend. Ti amo, Brandon." Brandon had to hold back his orgasm gazing up at the stunning sight of the dark-haired, square jawed Italian, shirtless, his muscular torso narrowing down over his six-pack abs to the stylish brown belt of his slacks round his slim waist. This was the man who had just told him he loved him – in Italian no less.

Mario leaned down and pulled Brandon's shirt off over his head. Then he took off his moccasins, unbuttoned his jeans and pulled them off over his feet. He stood on the bed and gazed down at the near naked boy, in only his white boxer briefs showing the clear outline of his rigid cock, running right up to the waistband.

Mario shook his head and sighed, "Che bel ragazzo – so beautiful." He kicked off his sandals and dropped his slacks, leaving on the black briefs clinging to his hips. He dropped to his knees, leaned forward and pulled the waistband of Brandon's boxer briefs down just over the head of his cock. He bent down and licked it, sucking on the pre-cum dripping from it. "Mmmm, tastes good," Mario grinned. "Almost as good as the gelato."

Brandon couldn't believe that at this culmination of his sexual dreams ... he was laughing. Mario lay down beside him, each of them still in their briefs, and propped himself on his elbow, smiling down at Brandon's laughing face. "Good – making love should be fun, amico. You were right, though, what you said of the movie – you can't mess around with love. So none of that `slam-damn thank you man' for us."

"That's slam-bam," Brandon grinned, "and personally I wouldn't mind a little slam-bam myself."

"Well that's not what you are going to get, my friend." Mario leaned down over Brandon and licked the shape of his long cock through his briefs. It was a simple act but one of the most erotic Brandon had ever felt as Mario clamped his mouth over the soft cotton and exhaled so his hot breath bathed the cock underneath. Then he licked the shape of the balls and closed his mouth over the ball sac straining under the white fabric, breathing warm air over the bulge.

Brandon was driven wild and in former days would have shot his load. But now, with Mario, he wanted the feeling to go on and on. He was discovering the erotic joy of denied ejaculation – letting himself approach the brink of orgasm, then pulling back until the next near-climax. But there was something he wanted desperately and felt free enough to ask for it. "Dude, are you ever gonna suck my dick?"

"Pazienza," Mario laughed. "Although now you mention it..." He pulled the shorts down and watched the stiff pole spring up. "Ah, che bello," he sighed. He licked up the length of the cock then took the head in his mouth and swallowed the whole long shaft. He pulled back and dropped down again with a muffled groan of pleasure. Brandon gazed spellbound at the dark Italian face sucking his cock with increasing energy, and he now had real trouble denying his cock the eruption it strained for.

As Mario made love to his friend's cock he reached up and squeezed his nipples, making Brandon gasp, "Aaagh, that feels so hot I ... I'm not sure if I can ..." But still he held back as the sculpted face rose and fell on his cock. Just in time Mario pulled off and said, "I would love to drink your juice, amico. Could you do that for me?"

"Try and stop me," Brandon laughed, as Mario once again took the cock deep into his throat. And one time was all it took for Brandon to tense and sigh "aaah...." At long last, this was the moment. After so many weeks of waiting, he felt his cum race up his cock and pour into his friend's mouth, a fantasy he had jerked off thinking about so many times. Mario moaned in ecstasy as he swallowed hard, tasting the bitter-sweet torrent of liquid flowing inside him.

Suddenly Mario pulled off, moved up the bed and closed his mouth over Brandon's in a kiss generously lubricated by the creamy juice swilling in Mario's mouth. Brandon sucked in his own semen, then exhaled it back into Mario in an act that was not simply physical to Brandon – it was an act of pure love.

Mario broke apart and said, "Amico, you are so sexy and my cock is so hard I have to cum. You know what they say – `a mouth for a mouth and a cock for a cock" ..." He sprang to his feet, pulled off his briefs and let his cock spring free. He dropped to his knees astride Brandon's chest, put his left hand behind Brandon's head and pulled his face toward him. Holding his cock in his other hand he smiled. "I have heard that you have gained some of Eddie's expertise. So, show me how much you love me, amico."

It was true. One thing Brandon had learned over the last few weeks, thanks to the expert Eddie, was how to suck dick – and it seemed it had all been for this moment. `Show me how much you love me?' Sure he would. As Mario slid his cock into his mouth Brandon clenched his throat muscles around it, trapping it in his mouth. "Aaah" Mario gasped. "Please, I ..." Brandon relaxed his throat and allowed Mario to pull back halfway before squeezing it again.

Eddie had shown him how to create a rhythm so he was in control of the fuck, allowing the face-fucker to reach the edge of orgasm, then releasing his cock so it relaxed. Mario had never felt anything like this and was driven wild. All his natural reserve and poise collapsed as he said, "Merda! ... that is so fucking ... oh man, I've never ..." His voice rose to a shout, "Oh fuck ... fuck ... aaah ... fuuuck..." Brandon saw the beautiful body shudder over him, the square jaw clench, the gorgeous face thrash from side to side as Mario's cock erupted in his mouth.

Brandon reached up and ran his hands over Mario's rounded pecs, then squeezed his nipples making him scream and blast another load that Brandon swallowed in big gulps. Mario's breath was heaving, his heart pounding as Brandon squeezed the last drops of semen out of him. He pulled out, fell onto Brandon and kissed him. Then he gazed into his sparkling eyes. "Wow, that much eh? You love me that much?"

"A lot more than that," Brandon grinned. Mario flipped him over, nestled into his back and put his arms round him. "I'm glad to hear it, `coz from now on you are – how you say? – stuck with me, amico. But now we should sleep – work tomorrow – six thirty. Mustn't be late and make Randy mad."

They had been lying together and fidgeting restlessly for half an hour when Mario said, "Are you asleep?" "No." "Can you sleep." "No." "Why not?" Brandon turned onto his back. "You know why not."

Mario sighed deeply and pulled himself on his knees straddling Brandon and smiled down at him. "You know, amico, Steve wanted you to learn that fucking is not essential to love. But I prefer what Shakespeare said – `If fucking be the food of love, fuck on'. Well, I know that's what he meant to say." Another peal of laughter from Brandon as he gazed adoringly at Mario.

"But at least," Mario continued, "we can be civilized about it." He reached over to the bedside table, opened a jar of lube and dipped his fingers in. Displaying his lube-coated fingers he said, "This, amico, is what separates man from the animals ... this, my friend, is civilization."

Brandon began to laugh again but then gasped as he felt Mario's fingers massaging his hole. He pushed them inside and Brandon sighed deeply. This is what he had wanted for so long. When they first met he had wanted to get fucked by the hot Italian stud because he lusted for him. But now he wanted to get fucked by his friend because he liked him – because he loved him.

Mario was lubing up his long cock. He wiped his hands clean on a towel, draped Brandon's legs over his shoulders and pressed his cock against his hole. Reaching forward, he twisted Brandon's nipples lightly. Brandon moaned and opened his eyes wide as Mario said, "This is how it feels, amico, when fucking and loving are the same. And I do love you, Brandon."

Slowly he eased his cock inside Brandon's ass, inch by inch, until it came to rest deep inside. Tears started to flow from Brandon's eyes as his fantasy came to life – what he had dreamed of for so long was actually happening. He was being fucked, he was being loved, by the gorgeous Italian – by his friend.

Mario pulled back slowly and began an exquisitely tender massaging of the boy's warm ass. Since coming to this house Brandon had been fucked quite a few times, but never like this. It wasn't so much a physical sensation in his ass as a warmth, a tingling, that suffused his whole body. They were joined bodily but the sensation was more spiritual than physical as he gazed through his tears at the exotic green eyes smiling at him.

Mario leaned forward, their faces came close, and Mario said, "You see, mi amico, this is how it will be from now on."

"Will you do this to me often?"

"As often as you like, amico – fucking and loving and usually both together as I am now." He pressed his lips against Brandon's and they kissed lovingly while all the time Mario's cock moved gently in and out of his friend's ass. Brandon was moaning loudly into Mario's mouth, and Mario suddenly pulled back. "I know, amico, I am very close too, but I don't want us to cum like this. I have something else in mind."

He pulled his cock from Brandon's ass and stood up on the bed, looking down at Brandon's cock that stood erect as a flagpole. He dropped to his knees astride Brandon's chest and said, "Making love is a splendid thing, amico – a wonderful mix of passion, tears and laughter. Well, we've experienced the passion and the tears ..." he brushed the tears from Brandon's cheeks. "Now for the fun."

Quickly he lubed up his fingers and pushed them inside his own ass. He wiped his hands, picked up his discarded shirt and tied it round Brandon's neck like a neckerchief. He spread his arms to the sides and smiled, "As a boy I always had dreams of being a cowboy and riding a stallion. And some dreams do come true." Suddenly he sat hard on Brandon's cock, all the way down to the pubic hair.

They both howled and Brandon stared wide eyed at the extraordinary sight. The naked, muscular, square-jawed Italian was glorious, his unruly black hair flying as he rode his cock, bouncing on it faster and faster. Laughing gleefully Mario said, "You want fantasy, amico? I'll give you fantasy". He reached under the bed and pulled out ... a cowboy hat. "I got this at the rodeo in Reno and saved it for just such an occasion as this."

Brandon laughed as Mario planted the hat on the back of his head, then reached forward, grabbed the cloth round Brandon's neck and pulled his head gently off the bed. Holding his free arm up triumphantly he whooped like a cowboy riding a bucking bronco, hanging onto the reins with one hand.

Brandon was spinning in a whirl of conflicting emotions. He was laughing at Mario's playful exuberance but was dazzled too by the sight of the naked cowboy riding his cock, his hat perched on the back of his tousled hair that spilled over his forehead. It was laughter and lust, two boys at play, two men in love. And always that exquisite sensation in his cock spearing the cowboy's ass.

The ride lasted a lot longer than rides at the rodeo as this cowboy could not be thrown. "That's the hottest cowboy I ever saw," Brandon laughed. "Come on, ride him cowboy – ride that cock."

"Yes, and I will make you shoot a load of jizz in the cowboy's ass."

Brandon yelled, "I thought it was always the cowboy did the shooting."

"That too," Mario laughed. "Here, I'll show you ... Yeah!!." His muscles flexed as he held onto his hat and blasted a long stream of cum that splashed down on Brandon's chest and face. As Mario sat down hard on his cock Brandon exploded in his ass but his scream was choked off by the cowboy's semen flowing into his open mouth.

Mario waved his hat triumphantly in the air. "King of the rodeo – my dream come true."

"I'll say," Brandon laughed, "My dreams too – all rolled into one."

Slowly Mario pulled his cock out and fell forward next to Brandon, kissing him and licking his face clean of semen. "We'll clean up in the morning," Mario said as he snuggled beside him.

Brandon turned over, pressed his back against Mario's chest and, after a moment's thought, asked, "Do they even have cowboys in Italy?"

"Only one,' Mario said. Me – as you saw for yourself." Brandon giggled, but Mario said, "And now my handsome young stallion we have to sleep or we'll be so out of it at work tomorrow that Randy will fire us."

"I don't think so," Brandon grinned. "Bob wouldn't let him, not two guys in love. I've heard Bob say often – `Love conquers all'. And he should know."

They didn't need an alarm clock. Early next morning they were startled awake by the door crashing open and, as they rubbed the sleep from their eyes, they squinted at – Eddie and Ben. Eddie was hopping up and down in agitated suspense. He looked down at the pair lying naked together with Mario's arm round Brandon's neck and said, "So, are you two an item now?"

Brandon took a deep breath and said haughtily, "Mario and me don't believe in putting labels on things." Eddie looked gleefully at Ben. "So that's a yes then. Come on dude." As they ran from the room to spread the word Eddie turned round. "Oh, breakfast is on the table and Randy's on the warpath."

"Oops," Mario grinned at Brandon. "Better put in an appearance pronto." As they dragged themselves off the bed, Brandon into his wheelchair, Mario asked, "What is this `item' Eddie speaks of?"

"Oh, it means when two people are ... like ... together ...like ... a couple. You know ... in love."

Mario said, "And do you think we are this ... `item'?"

Brandon grinned. "You heard what Eddie said, `That's a yes, then'. He's pretty smart. I'd go with that."

Of course, word spread like lightning in this group, especially when Eddie was the messenger, and when Mario and Brandon made their disheveled appearance at breakfast they were greeted with a standing ovation. A coupling of two members of the tribe was always an event. Blushing, they took their places at table to the smiles of the men and enthusiasm of the other boys.

One guy who wasn't so enthusiastic was Randy, who was having a few problems with the construction project and, as Eddie had said, was on the warpath. As he walked behind them Randy said, "You two are late. You've got half an hour to eat breakfast and get your asses to work. What you been doing anyway? You stink of jism." He saw the glow in their eyes. "Oh I get it ... Well, I guess the smell of jizz won't be a problem for that crew. Probably turn them on."

His expression became less severe, his voice softer. He broke into a smile and ruffled their hair. "Congratulations, guys – about time, too. Just don't let it interfere with your work." He winked at them, then immediately the stern expression returned as he strode off, barking orders.

The seal of approval from the boss, especially when he was on the warpath, made them feel good and they would have liked to spend the day together – but duty called. The twins hovered attentively with food and coffee, anxious to see them get to work on time. Not surprisingly they were the last to finish breakfast, except for Bob who did not have to obey Randy's commands. (Quite the reverse actually.)

Randy yelled "Hey" but Bob raised his hand to indicate that he was talking to the boys – and that was that. Bob smiled at them and put his hands over theirs. "I'm so pleased for you both, and happy that you took your time about it. A relationship takes a lot of work and you've started out well. Seems like you learned the difference between fucking and loving, Brandon."

"Oh yes, sir, Mario showed me that. Sir, do you think I've done enough homework for Dr. Steve?"

"Well, you'd have to ask him that when you next meet, but my guess is he would tell you to pursue it a bit longer. See, as you've discovered from watching Mark and Jamie, Zack and Darius, then Randy and me, love is complicated and can take many different forms. Who could have guessed that Zack would tie his boy up and whip him to show him how much he loves him and that Darius would crave it?

"The other thing is that in this tribe sex flows pretty easily, so most guys feel free to fuck with any other guys in the group. That can be a challenge for new couples to grasp. Randy's rule is that you can fuck anyone within the tribe, but don't dare do it outside. Jamie made that mistake once and Mark almost threw him out. Now, though, they're more in love than ever.

"What I'm saying is, to get a full picture, you should watch a few more guys in action. Take Jason. People say he is in love with himself, but that's only the mirror image. He's vain about his looks is all – and who can blame him, he's so beautiful. I'm sure hundreds of guys still jerk off over his picture in the fireman's calendar."

"Actually, sir," Brandon said, "Jason has invited Hassan and Adam over for dinner on Saturday afternoon with their boys – Ben, Eddie and Nate. He invited me too. Do you think I could take Mario?"

Bob laughed. "I'm sure he'd be disappointed if you didn't. You two are the hot couple in town right now. And that will give you an ideal place to observe and complete your homework. Jason is the narcissist but I fancy Hassan and Adam are not far behind. Men as gorgeous as that must have their vanity too. And you'll learn that love between men always has a competitive edge. That's inevitable with alpha males, especially the beautiful ones – even if it's only competing to see who looks best in front of a mirror."

Bob grinned. "The only guy I know who has no personal vanity is Randy. But you only have to see him in action to know that he is the ultimate competitive male. They don't come tougher than him. He always has to be the boss – it's bred in the bone – and it's what makes him so sexy. Hell, I often wonder how he'd react if that guy Pete, the hot stud Ranger we met, ever showed up here. We'd all have a ringside seat for that one.

"Listen, talking of Randy, I'm getting really black looks from him so you better get to work. If he gives you grief I'll take care of it. He listens to me." (That was the understatement of the year, Mario grinned to himself.) "And congratulations again, guys. You'll be great together. Enjoy your visit to Jason's. And Brandon – take notes."

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 231

Hey guys, this is Rob Williams. I hope that chapter got you off, and I welcome your comments and suggestions, which can be very helpful in planning future chapters. E-mail me in confidence at rw6789@aol.com.

ALSO, I urge you to visit my Web-site www.atrialofstrength.com. You can read the whole story, all the many chapters, with extras, including pictures and biographies of all the characters and some other great artwork. Click on the `Our Story' tab to read the current chapter, or click on the green button to browse all the chapter synopses. Enjoy!