A Trial of Strength

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - PART 355 By Rob Williams

IN THIS CHAPTER:

The two hostile rival jocks, Tommy and Danny, share a bed with stunning results: "What the fuck you doing, asshole? You coming on to me?" Best buddies Brandon and Brian also share a bed with predictable results: "OK, dude – sixty-nine it is." Grady, the hot new movie star and his lover Mario spring a surprise on their nervous young houseboy Brian who stares in shock. "Do you really mean it, sir?"

CHAPTER 355 – "ASSHOLE – YOU COMING ON TO ME?"

************ In the previous chapter *************

The rivalry between Tommy and Danny was coming to a head.

Tommy, the tall blond ex-gymnast with square cut features and a flawless physique – the Golden Boy as he was known – was the house manager for Steve and Lloyd at their large house in the Hollywood Hills. Danny, the sexy young man with the lithe, compact body, tousled hair and cute face with a hint of cheekiness under his basic shyness, was the chef and house manager at the Grady House, home of the hot new movie star Grady and his Italian lover Mario.

One of the other boys who often worked at the Grady House, Brandon, had voiced his concern to Bob, one of the two founders of the tribe (along with his lover Randy). "Sir, I'm worried about Danny, especially when he's with Tommy. Tommy often comes over to help out when we have company and there's, I dunno, something kinda ... tense between him and Danny.

"`Course you remember when they both worked at that luxury hotel Tommy was the assistant manager and was real mean and arrogant with Danny who was just a waiter. I thought they'd kinda got over that but ... I dunno," he frowned, "there's something a bit weird going on that I can't put my finger on. It's kinda like a pot that's simmering and about to boil over."

Bob went to the kitchen, chatted with Danny, and casually raised the topic. "I hear you've got a big party planned up here for when Grady and Mario get back from their promotional trip abroad, and Tommy's coming over to help. I guess you work with him quite a lot, eh? How's Tommy doing?"

"Oh, still as pushy as ever," Danny said impulsively, and immediately blushed. "Sorry, sir, I didn't mean ... It's just that, lately we don't get on well ... he really seems to dislike me. Maybe he never got over that assistant manager gig where he looked down on me. And yeah, he's coming here this afternoon to help us plan for the party."

When Bob left the house he puzzled over what Brandon and Danny had said about Tommy, but he couldn't help feeling there was a piece of the puzzle missing. It wasn't just residual animosity between them – that didn't fit somehow. A phrase Brandon had used stuck in his mind – `something a bit weird that I can't put my finger on'. That was exactly how Bob felt.

Tommy arrived at the Grady House for the meeting with Danny, his young assistant Brian, and Brandon. Brian and Brandon, who were both in wheelchairs, were best buddies. But almost as soon as the meeting began the trouble came to a head as Danny and Tommy started arguing about their different concepts for the party. Their animosity built until it ended in a brawl between the young chef and the arrogant gymnast. With the help of Brian and Brandon an uneasy truce was called, but tension still hung heavy in the air.

A bit later Brandon discreetly called Bob with an idea. "Sir, I had one of those lightbulb moments when the fight was over and Danny and Tommy stood up and – guess what?" His voice dropped dramatically. "They both had boners in their pants. Now I know you'll say that could just be the adrenaline from the fight but ..."

"... but you thought that was the missing piece of the puzzle, eh? I was coming to the same conclusion. Well, there's one way to find out, if you guys don't mind a little conspiracy with your old pal Bob. Listen, Steve and Lloyd are coming to our place tonight for dinner with Randy and me, so I'll call now and have a word with Steve. Here's what I want you guys to do..."

Brandon and Brian loved being in a conspiracy with Bob and their chance for action soon came. When they rejoined Danny and Tommy Danny said, "Wow, there's a whole bunch of work still left to do on this thing. It could take us late into the evening if you guys are up for that."

Brandon nodded enthusiastically. "Sure. Actually, Pete's away in San Diego tonight so, rather than sleep alone, I could stay the night here if Brian don't mind me bunking in with him."

Brian grinned, "Sure thing dude, provided you don't wanna sleep in any of the guestrooms. I just put clean sheets on all the beds for when the guys get home, so I don't want those rooms messed up."

Just then Tommy's cell phone rang, he looked at the screen and said, "I gotta take this, it's Steve." Brandon and Brian grinned at each other – right on cue, they thought.

"Yes, sir, of course, sir, I understand. OK, sir, thanks for letting me know." Tommy shut off the phone. "Steve and Lloyd are having dinner with Randy and Bob and they'll be staying the night there `cos Steve don't like to drive when they've been drinking. The twins will be cooking them breakfast too so I'm off the hook until noon."

"Perfect," Brandon smiled with a conspiratorial glance at Brian. "We can work late and you can stay the night too, Tommy." Brian frowned dramatically and Brandon said, "What's the matter, dude? Oh, right, you said you don't want the guest rooms messed up. We don't wanna make more work for you – god knows you've got enough to do right now." Then he brightened. "Never mind, Tommy could bunk in with you, eh Danny? You've got that massive California king bed Mario bought for you."

Immediately Danny and Tommy made signs of protest ... "Nah ... not possible ... bad idea ..." But the logic of Brandon's argument was overwhelming and it was clear they were protesting too much, so eventually they had to grudgingly agree. But as Danny went back to the kitchen and Tommy returned to the dining room neither seemed happy about sharing a bed. The other two boys however, high-fived each other gleefully. "The plot thickens," Brian laughed.

As Danny expected, the meeting lasted almost to midnight and there was still an undercurrent of tension between Danny and Tommy. Brandon looked at the clock. "Shit, is that the time? Guys, I'm bushed ... I'm done." Brian agreed, "Me too."

"I think that goes for all of us," Danny said. "Let's call it quits for the night and resume in the morning. Thanks for all your help guys. We made great progress."

Brian and Brandon exchanged knowing smiles and wheeled themselves out of the kitchen and took the elevator up to Brian's room. As Danny and Tommy left the kitchen Danny sighed, "Look, man, I know this is a bit awkward. I mean, we're not what you'd call best pals right now. Face it, I don't like you much and you don't like me, and I don't care for the idea of sharing a bed with you any more than you do. But it's only for one night, so ..."

"Yeah, the feeling's mutual, man, but ... no sweat. Once this project's over I'll be gone back to Steve's house and we won't be seeing much of each other, thank god. Any contact we have will be strictly business."

They got to Danny's large room with its king-size bed and there was an uneasy moment before they turned their backs on each other and began to undress. They tried not to look at each other but there were so many mirrors (Randy's doing) that glimpses were unavoidable.

Tommy saw Danny kick off his flip-flops and pull off his T-shirt, exposing his lithe well-muscled young body. With his tousled hair and handsome features he was quite a sight as he pulled back the bed covers. When he dropped his shorts and walked round in just his tight white boxer-briefs stretched over his hard round butt Tommy looked away quickly.

Tommy unbuttoned his shirt, it fell back off his chest and he shrugged it off. Steve and Lloyd were always turned on just by watching him strip to the waist and showing off the ripped, sculpted torso of a gymnast. It was not lost on Danny either, who watched him ease off his loafers and pull down his black pants. He was wearing black briefs that showed off his spectacular ice-skater's butt to perfection.

The two men tried not to make eye contact as they went to the bathroom to brush their teeth. "There's a brush over there you can use," Danny said curtly and they stood side by side at the twin sinks looking in the mirror at themselves but not each other – except for sideways glances.

Then it was bedtime. Without a word Danny climbed in his usual side of the bed and Tommy got in the other. With a muffled "'Night" they turned their backs on each other, clinging to their respective edges of the bed. It was late and they were tired after a long day's work and closed their eyes expecting sleep to come right away.

But it didn't. In fact sleep wouldn't come at all."

********************* CHAPTER 355 *********************

For many long minutes the two young men lay motionless, almost as if afraid to move, and pretended to be asleep. Neither wanted to admit, even to themselves, the inconvenient fact that they had erections in their briefs.

They both sought to rationalize it in their minds. Danny often had a hard-on as soon as he went to bed and usually jerked off to get rid of it. Tommy had not had sex for some time – since he last fucked with his boss Lloyd – so it was natural, he thought, to feel horny. It would soon go away. Neither boy would accept the possibility that his bed-mate was the cause of the boner.

But jacking off was obviously not an option so they silently cursed and fought for sleep. Of course, the more they tried to lose consciousness the more wide-awake they remained. When at last they started to feel drowsy their bodies relaxed, they stopped clinging to the edge of the bed and rolled toward the middle. But the minute their backs touched they recoiled and instantly sought the safety of the edge of the bed, wide awake again.

This time Danny knew there was only one thing to do. He waited until he thought Tommy's breathing had settled into the long, deep breaths of sleep, then stealthily pushed back the covers, slid off the bed and tiptoed to the adjoining bathroom. He pulled his rigid cock out of his boxer briefs and peed into the toilet, hoping his boner was just a piss hard-on. But, dammit, it stayed as hard as ever. Nothing for it but to jack off.

He stood in front of the mirror and tweaked his nipple with one hand while jerking off with the other. He usually found himself sexy enough to cum while looking at his own flexed body and didn't need to conjure up any other masturbatory image. But this time he had no choice. The image he kept seeing in the mirror, despite mental contortions to dismiss it, was that of Tommy.

He hated himself for thinking of the man he disliked so much but he couldn't stop. He recalled the sight of the handsome blond athlete shrugging off his shirt and standing bare chested, his tight black pants clinging to his slim waist, his thick gymnast's thighs and that incredible ass. He almost busted his load right there but cursed himself and jerked his hand away from his cock.

But the image would not go away, and he inhaled sharply as he again recalled the muscular jock pushing down his pants and admiring his near-naked body in the mirror, his skimpy black briefs stretched over the globes of his amazing ice-skater's butt.

Mechanically Danny was stroking his cock again, but, dammit, he would not allow this fantasy of his rival to make him cum. So he pulled himself away from the mirror and opened the door a crack to make sure the coast was clear ... but froze in his tracks. Tommy was not asleep. Lying on his side, the sheets pushed back to his waist, he was clearly jacking off.

When Danny had gone to the bathroom Tommy had quickly grabbed his stiff cock and started to beat off. Tommy often jerked off looking at his own flawless naked body in the mirror and now, lying on his side, he could see himself in the wall mirror so he pushed the sheet down to get a better look at his torso.

But he was having a parallel experience to Danny's. Even as he stared at his own reflection he kept thinking of Danny taking his clothes off and walking around the bed in only his white boxer briefs. This was a guy he resented, the once humble young waiter who was now in charge of the grand house of a gorgeous young movie star and his lover. Tommy told himself he didn't like him but had to admit he looked really sexy however hard he tried to deny it.

Danny was still standing in the bathroom looking through the crack in the door and stroking his dick. There was something even hotter about Tommy jerking off looking at his own reflection and Danny stared at him in a daze. But when he felt his orgasm approaching he jerked himself back to reality and shoved his cock back in his briefs.

What's wrong with me, he thought ... almost busting a load watching the man I dislike so much? Feeling angry at himself he closed the door quietly, went back to the toilet and flushed it. The noise had the required effect because when he opened the door again Tommy was motionless under the sheets. Hearing the toilet flush he had quickly abandoned his jerk-off attempt and faked sleep again – frustrated as hell.

The situation for both men was even more annoying than before. At least their only problem initially had been their unexplained erections and inability to sleep, which they could rationalize away. But now they had to admit to themselves that when trying to jerk off they had been visualizing the other man, which had almost made them cum.

They were confused and angry, feeling even more antagonistic to the other man, and tried even harder to sleep, which of course had no effect. They not only still nursed straining erections but, having been at the brink of orgasm, their urge for release was even stronger. But still they couldn't rid their minds of the sight of the other near-naked man, a man who was lying only a few feet away in his underwear!

In frustration Danny turned over on his back and mindlessly moved his arms sideways on the bed. Tommy, cursing himself for clinging stupidly to the edge of the bed, let go and his body slid a few inches back. Suddenly Danny felt his outstretched hand touch something ... the thin cotton of Tommy's briefs covering his ass. He pulled back abruptly and Tommy did the same.

They had made contact, unintentionally or ...? Neither was aware of the other's sexual imaginings of a few minutes ago but the electricity that ran through them after that glancing touch confirmed a sensual feeling that they had both so far suppressed.

It was probably inevitable that the contact would be repeated, by accident or design. The only difference this time was that when Danny's fingers grazed Tommy's ass they didn't pull away – and neither did Tommy. As long as it was Danny doing the touching Tommy could convince himself that he was not guilty of anything. But when Danny's fingers started to rub lightly against his ass through the thin fabric he had to react.

"What the fuck, dude? What, you groping me or something?"

"Hell no," Danny said, faking drowsiness. "I was asleep." They both knew that was a lie but nothing more was said. Trouble was, their dicks were now pulsing and each knew he wanted to touch the other. They started to rationalize. Didn't mean anything, Danny thought. You could dislike a dude and still feel physically attracted to him. Tommy took secret satisfaction that Danny had made the move, and he determined never to reciprocate.

Tommy turned on his back and for a while they both lay still beside each other. Danny's cock still throbbed and he wondered if his accidental touch had had any effect on Tommy. Didn't hurt to check it out. His hand strayed slowly over to the body beside him and almost imperceptibly grazed the briefs again, then moved surreptitiously up to the crotch. And he felt the bulge of his erection, his cock so stiff it poked up out of the briefs.

Amazed, relieved, excited, Danny impulsively pressed down on the bulge ... and instantly regretted it. Tommy sprang into action, threw the covers off them, twisted up onto his knees astride Danny, leaned forward and pinned his wrists to the bed above his head. He gazed down at him, eyes blazing and yelled, "You fucking pervert, grabbing my crotch when I was asleep. What, you were gonna make me cum in my sleep? Fat chance kitchen boy."

Shocked by the violence of Tommy's reaction Danny gazed up at him in fear and humiliation – flashing on their hotel days and becoming again the humble young waiter intimidated by the vindictive assistant manager. As in those former days Danny's eyes grew round with fright as he waited for more verbal abuse.

Tommy too was transported to those days when he had so often berated the boy and had seen that nervous expression on his innocent young face. Back then his heart was cold, but now, suddenly, he was swept with a wave of ... what? Remorse, sympathy, affection, or simple lust? Whatever it was it drove out his anger ... and he impulsively fell on top of Danny and pressed his lips against his in a clumsy, frantic kiss. Their bodies pressed together, their crotches churned hard against each other and their hearts beat wildly.

Animosity, resentment, confusion all went out the window as they were consumed by the pent-up craving for release in their shorts. Danny arched his back up, pressing his bulge against Tommy's who writhed on top of him. And this time, at last, there was no holding back. They stared into each other's eyes, their bodies shuddered together and ... "aaagh!"

The eruption that had been building since they entered the room was simultaneous as they felt the sticky wetness flooding their underwear. They kissed again, passionately this time, grinding their bodies together as they cocks pumped jizz against each other.

But as their cocks drained so did their spontaneous surge of lust. The reckless act shocked and embarrassed them and Tommy pulled back and leapt off the bed. He paced round the bed, his muscular body heaving in rage and confusion. "Fuck you, boy, you fucking seduced me. Damn you, asshole. I'm sleeping on the couch. I hate your fucking guts man."

"No you don't, dude," Danny said, suddenly seeing things clearly for the first time. "You don't hate me ... I don't really think you ever did deep down. Whatever ... But I'll tell you this. I may have disliked your hostility to me but I've never hated you." Tommy's rage dissolved, he stopped pacing the floor and stared down at Danny, who continued talking in a soft, calm voice.

"I've never told anyone this but when I used to jerk off in my little room at the hotel, as I did most nights, a lot of the time I was thinking of you. You treated me like shit, but you were so fucking gorgeous I couldn't stop thinking about you – your handsome face, your perfect gymnast physique ... and that ass. Some nights I even fantasized about shoving my dick in it and that made me cum bucketsful.

"And, since I'm spilling my guts here, I'll tell you something else ... the same thing happened tonight. Sleeping next to you I had a roaring hard on and, when I thought you were asleep I went to the bathroom to jack off in the mirror. But I couldn't rid my mind of the sight of you taking your clothes off and it almost made me spill my load.

"But when I looked through the crack in the door and saw you on the bed jacking off looking at yourself in the mirror I got mad at myself and came back to bed. So now you know, dude. And I don't blame you if you still want to sleep on the couch."

To Danny's surprise Tommy broke into a hesitant smile. "As we're talking turkey here, dude, I may as well come clean too. Sure, I was looking at myself in the mirror but I kept flashing on the image of you in those tight white briefs. It almost made me cum and that pissed the hell out of me. So when I heard the toilet flush I pretended to be asleep." He shrugged sheepishly.

There was a long silence as the boys looked at each other nervously, not sure where to take this next. Finally Danny said, "Please don't sleep on the couch, dude." He pulled off his briefs, lay naked on his back and patted the bed beside him. "Come to bed, Tommy."

"OK," Tommy replied

Tommy pulled his briefs off and lay down on the bed, closer to Danny than before but still keeping a `respectable' distance between them. Danny grabbed a towel from beside the bed, wiped the cum from his crotch then handed it to Tommy. "Here," he said. "Thanks," Tommy replied. They were still tiptoeing around each other with monosyllables but eventually turned on their sides facing each other, propped up on one elbow.

Tommy grinned, "We've had a weird kinda history, you and me, dude."

"You can say that again," Danny smiled back. "One thing I always wanted to know is, when we both worked at the hotel, why did you give me such a hard time? You picked on me much more than you did to the other waiters."

Tommy frowned in thought. "I've often wondered that too, but I think I know now. I kind of resented that you were so good-looking and deep down I wanted you."

Danny chuckled, "But you were gorgeous, dude – arrogant but gorgeous – you could have had anyone you wanted, you the assistant manager and all."

"Yeah but that was the problem. I was your manager and I was arrogant. Having sex with a lowly young waiter would have been a come-down for me. Stupid, I know but, pride mixed with insecurity can do that to a man. And it got worse when we both came up to town and you ended up with this incredible job managing the big house of a hot young movie star. I resented the hell out of you. That's why I was so hostile to you. I guess somewhere deep down I still wanted your body but how could I stoop to sex with a guy I disliked so much?"

He paused and let that thought percolate a while. Then, "So why did you dislike me all this time, Danny? Was it because of the way I treated you at the hotel?"

"Nah. I got over that pretty quick after we left there. No, the only answer I have is that I disliked you because you so obviously disliked me."

They stared at each other and, of all things, started to giggle. "That's plumb crazy," Tommy said.

"I know. Totally weird. Seems we've both been crazy all this time, keeping each other at arm's length even though, deep down, we both wanted each other." Danny shrugged. "Well, at least we've both just busted out loads together. That's a start."

"Yeah it's a start," Tommy smiled and his eyes wandered down to Danny's cock. "So what do you call that, dude?"

"I call it a boner. What do you call yours?"

"A boner."

"Huh, two guys, two boners ... you do the math," Danny grinned. "What a fucking load of bullshit, dude. Come here."

And they were on each other – in each other's arms, kissing frantically, grabbing, grappling, rolling over the bed. "Shit you feel good, dude," Tommy panted. "I always knew you would feel like this."

"Man, you are fucking gorgeous, Tommy. Hell, dude, we've got so much lost time to make up."

And that's what they did, made up for lost time, rolling off the bed and all over the floor until Tommy was on his stomach facing the wall mirror with Danny kneeling behind him, gazing down at his spectacular ass. "Shit, man, I could cum just looking at that thing."

Tommy looked up at Danny in the mirror. "Well don't just look, asshole, do something."

Danny grabbed a nearby jar of lube, greased up his cock and pushed his fingers inside the warm membrane of Tommy's ass. "All those times in my bed I rubbed one out thinking about this ass, and now ... and now ..." He pushed his cock between the perfect white globes ... "and now I'm gonna fuck it!"

"Aaagh!!" Their screams echoed round the room as Danny's long rod buried itself deep inside the spectacular ass, paused, shuddered, then pulled back and drove in again. Tommy looked back over his shoulder and said, "Yeah, dude, that feels incredible ... Fuck me, dude ... yeah fuck that ass."

Danny leaned forward, braced his hands on Tommy's muscular upper back and rose up off his knees onto his feet on the floor, so his whole body arched over him, his only points of contact his hands, his feet ... and his cock buried in the Golden Boy's ass. He pulled his hips back ... then dropped the whole weight of his body down on him, driving his cock in deep like a piston Again Tommy screamed and raised his head, staring in the mirror at the handsome young jock pounding his ass.

"Fuck, I love that prick in my ass, dude. Fuck me, punish me for all those times I yelled at you."

But it wasn't retribution Danny wanted – he wanted to make love to the beautiful young gymnast he had lusted for all this time without admitting it. But he knew it now and jackhammered his ass, rising and falling over the flawless body shuddering beneath him.

Eventually Danny shifted position and Tommy raised himself on all fours, his arms stretched forward, palms on the mirror with Danny kneeling behind him keeping up the relentless attack on his ass. Tommy gasped, "Man, it feels so fucking great, it's gonna make me cum ..."

"No," Danny said, "not like that, dude. Like this ..."

Suddenly Danny pulled his cock out, rolled over and lay on his back on the floor. Surprised, Tommy leapt to his feet and towered over Danny smiling down at him. "So, kitchen boy," he teased, "that's what you want. You want this?" He raised his arms and flexed his biceps in a bodybuilder's pose, showing off his flawlessly sculpted body just as he did so often for Steve and Lloyd and as he had done in the past for paying clients at the hotel.

Danny's cock pulsed as he stared up wide eyed at the magnificent young athlete posing naked above him, mesmerized by the sight of the hard pecs, ribbed abs, tight waist and muscled thighs of a gymnast. Danny grabbed his own cock and began stroking it faster and faster.

But Tommy said, "No, dude, don't cum. This is what's gonna make you cum." He dropped the pose, reached behind him and pushed his fingers into his own well-oiled ass, then used the lube to grease his own cock, stroking it sensuously and gazing down at Danny with a dazzling smile.

"This is what you want, don't you? You've watched this ripped blond athlete so many times and lusted for him deep down. Now here he is standing over you buck naked, and you know what he's gonna do? He's gonna fuck your ass, dude. You are gonna get your ass reamed by the Golden Boy. You ready for that?"

In response Danny grabbed his legs behind the knees and pulled them back, displaying his willing, waiting ass. "An invitation too good to resist," Tommy smiled. He drooped to his knees, pushed his shoulders against Danny's raised legs and his cock against his ass. "This is what you want, Danny," he said gently and slowly eased his cock inside.

"Aaah!" Danny sighed deeply as the cock slid all the way deep inside him. "Yeah, that's it ... man, it feels so good." He looked up at the square-cut features, blond hair falling over the high forehead. He reached up and ran his hands over the tanned flesh of Tommy's chest, down the cleft between his hard pecs, over the ridges of his washboard abs. "Dude, you are so fucking beautiful. Now I remember why I jerked off so often thinking about you ... thinking about this, you over me with your rod in my ass."

Tommy smiled, still massaging his ass with his cock. "Danny, I'm so sorry about those days. You were such a great kid and I treated you so bad. I used to walk past your room and look stonily at your door, but if I'd known you were in there jerking off, I... Buddy, please let me make it up to you – starting with this, with my juice in your ass. I'm gonna cum, dude, it's all for you ... aaah," he sighed as his cock shuddered and poured semen deep inside him.

Danny instinctively reached for his own cock but Tommy said, "No, wait ... wait." He let his cock drain, then pulled slowly all the way out and jumped to his feet. His cock was still dripping as he smiled, "Come on, Danny ... you know what I want now."

Tommy walked over to the bed and threw himself down on it on is back. Danny stood up and gazed down at the blond jock pulling his legs back just as Danny had done. He knelt on the bed, grabbed Tommy's raised legs and gazed down at him in awe. "Tommy, I think maybe I always loved you, but the crap of life got in the way somehow. Whether it was love or not, I sure as hell always wanted to do this to your sexy ass."

He entered him gently this time, the start of a loving fuck, just as Tommy had fucked him, and their eyes locked. He reached down and twisted Tommy's nipples in his fingertips, and Tommy reached up and tweaked Danny's. "I love that," Tommy said, his eyes brimming with tears. "I love your cock in my ass. Fuck me, dude, make love to my ass ... make love to me."

As Danny got closer and closer to his climax he said, "Now I know I must've always loved you `cos that's what I feel now. I wanna fuck you often, dude, if you want it too. Here it comes, buddy for the first time ... but not the last. I'm gonna cum inside you, dude ... oh yeah, yeah ... here it comes ... fuck ... oh fuck." He leaned down, pressed his open mouth over Tommy's and they shared the same breath while Tommy felt warm jizz pouring deep in his ass.

The passionate kiss lasted as long as Danny continued to pump semen inside him, and when at last they were still and their heartbeats subsided Danny pulled his face back, they stared at each other ... and started to laugh.

Suddenly all the tension and pretense of the past years evaporated and their true feelings burst to the surface with uncontrollable laughter. They rolled over the bed in each other's arms, kissing, nibbling, squeezing each other tight, unwilling to let go now that they had discovered each other. But at length they separated and, as they had at the beginning, lay on their sides, propped on their elbows grinning at each other.

"You asked if I wanted to do this often," Tommy said, "and to that I say, `hell yes!' Oh, man, we are gonna have so much fun, share so many things – talk about us, about work, about the tribe, and compare notes." And suddenly they were young buddies, giggling and gossiping together.

Danny's eyes sparkled. "Like, for example, I mean we've both got fucked by a lot of the guys in the tribe so who do you think is the best fuck ... apart from me of course?" he giggled.

"Oh, that's easy. Has to be Randy. I gotta say dude, much as I love being in bed with you, if that fucking big gypsy walked in here now and snapped his fingers I'd be on the floor at his feet. Dude, I'd crawl across the floor on my belly for him. Hell, what am I saying? I did crawl across the floor the first night he spent at the hotel. He made me do it, made me beg him to fuck me ... and then he did fuck me with that monster dick of his while Bob watched."

They roared with laughter again and Danny said, "Dude, just wait till the other guys hear about what's happened here. They'll never believe it."

Actually two of the boys knew already. Brandon and Brian were lying together in Brian's bed their eyes gleaming as they listened to the laughter coming from down the hall. "Mission accomplished I'd say, dude," Brian grinned.

"You reckon?" Brandon chuckled. "So they're an item. Now we have to find someone for you, kiddo."

With a deep satisfied sigh Brian turned over on his side and nestled his back against Brandon who folded his arms round him from behind. That was the way they always lay whenever they shared a bed together ... Brandon in the protective role.

Brandon and Brian shared the same disability of being unable to walk and having to use wheelchairs, but the similarity ended there. Of the two Brandon was by far the more self-assured. From his earliest days of the tribe he had projected a resolute image of fierce independence, his mantra being that he could do anything the other boys did – except walk.

And Brandon had rescued Brian from a life of solitude and depression. Uncle Mike, the bar owner in the desert, had told him of his nephew who lived in an old trailer park way out in the desert, overwhelmed by his disability. Brandon had immediately gone out there and showed Brian a living example of someone similarly afflicted but who, far from giving up on life, had embraced it with courage and determination.

Brandon had brought Brian to the tribe in the city and had instilled in him some of his own optimism. They had naturally become best buddies, and now here was Brian, the houseboy for the famous Grady and his Italian lover Mario.

But as they lay together, still flush with their triumph bringing Danny and Tommy together, Brian thought over Brandon's words. "Brandon," he said, "what you said about finding someone for me. I don't think that's very likely for a boy in a wheelchair. I mean, why would anyone give someone like me a second look? You've taught me to accept the challenges, but I can't see anyone else willing to take them on. With me they'd be getting the whole damaged package."

"Dude that is so not true!" Brandon pulled Brian round to face him. "Kiddo, that sounded a lot like self-pity, and what have I always told you about that? Your own worst enemy, right? And anyway, what you said is bullshit. Hell, look at me. Being in a wheelchair never stopped me from doing anything and I'm accepted as a useful member of the tribe. I never needed any special treatment, except for ramps up to doors that Randy installed without me even asking.

"And best of all I'm Pete's boy. That gorgeous hunk of a Forest Ranger didn't see a boy in a wheelchair, he saw a boy he liked and admired and eventually came to love. We have a great life – plenty of sex, entertain at home, go out on bike runs, the works."

"Yeah, that's true, Brandon, but I'm not you. I'm more timid than you are, don't have all that confidence you have. When I look in the mirror I don't see a boy who has much to offer a guy."

"Brian, will you get over that! When I look at you I see a success story, an active guy who's taking care of this big house with two of the best bosses in the world – a gorgeous move star and his sexy lover – and they're both crazy about you. Hell, most guys out there would give anything just to have their picture taken with Grady, and you get to sleep with him sometimes, for god's sake, and have sex with him and Mario. Don't get much better than that, kiddo."

Brian smiled and his frown disappeared. "I know, you're right, buddy. `Course, I'm still just the houseboy but most guys would be thrilled to have just half what I have."

"Which half?" Brandon teased. "Grady or Mario? Come on, who's your favorite?"

Brian gave a shy grin. "Don't be stupid, dude, I could never make a choice like that. Those two are so in love, always together, so I think of them kinda like one person – joined at the hip as the saying goes. Grady's the rowdy one, Mario's more laid-back, but they are both totally gorgeous, as kind and generous as it gets, and I love them both. I love them so much that sometimes I get scared that if I lose my job here I wouldn't have them in my life.

"Jesus," Brandon said, "what is it with you today, kiddo? First self-pity and now paranoia. You ain't gonna lose your job, asshole, and anyway, you know Randy and Bob would never let anything bad happen to you. Whatever happens you'll always have your friends, Danny, Eddie, Ben, not to mention me. I'll always be your best buddy, and I ain't exactly chopped liver, am I?"

That made Brian laugh out loud. "Dude, you are the best friend a guy could have. I love you, Brandon."

"Oh yeah?" grinned Brandon, determined to lighten the mood. "Enough to suck my dick?"

Brian giggled. "I will if you will."

"Deal. Sixty-nine it is. Scoot round."

They pushed the sheets back and scrambled round so they were lying head to toe. Their cocks were half hard already and Brandon said, "OK, we're both Eddie-trained so I'll race you for the boner. They clamped their mouths over the other one's cock and slowly swallowed it all the way back in their throats. They paused with their faces in the other's pubic hair, then pursed their lips hard and drew their mouths back up the length of the stiffening rod.

As soon as Brandon felt Brian's dick get hard he pulled off and shouted, "I won." Brian broke free and said, "Bullshit, dude, you're as hard as a rock. It's a draw."

Having determined they were evenly matched they went back to work. It was, as Brandon would describe it later, `synchronized sucking', as the two young friends applied all their Eddie-taught bag of tricks. Starting out slow they increased the pace until their faces were banging back and forth and the rods became pistons in their mouths.

As intense as their efforts were it did not stop them talking. Brian would pull off for an instant and yell, "That all you got, pussy-boy? Come on, eat it." Brandon countered with "Don't talk with your mouthful, dickface. Shut up and suck." They were choking with laughter, but not because of the plug in their mouths as they were masters at giving head with no gagging, ever.

Brandon reached over Brian and slapped his ass while he sucked and Brian did the same, even harder. They ran their hands over the other's chest and squeezed his nipples. Then they teased, pulled off the cock and licked the head lightly in a contest to see who would beg first. That would be Brian who pleaded, "You're driving me nuts, dude. Suck it ... suck it all!"

"Talking of nuts ..." Instead of sucking dick Brandon lowered his head, licked his buddy's balls then opened his mouth wide, sucked the balls in and clamped his lips round the scrotum.

"Fuck you," Brian yelled and gave Brandon the exact same treatment. They pulled back on the balls, stretching the scrotum in another challenge to see who would submit first. That was Brandon who released the balls and said, "Dude, that almost made me cum. I wanna cum in your mouth. Please, man, you win. Get off my balls and suck my prick or I'll shoot juice all over the bed."

Brian pulled back off the balls. "That would be a waste of good jizz, dude. I wanna drink it ... all of it ... race you, dude."

And so that's what they did – and it didn't take long. This time they went for the kill, their mouths pounding the cocks, judging when the other was about to climax, coordinating their orgasms as they had synchronized everything else. At last Brandon knew the time had some and he pulled off and yelled, "I love you, dude." Brian pulled back and said, "Me too, let's do it."

They slammed down on the cocks one last time and, with their faces buried in pubic hair, they gulped hard, clenching their throats round the head of the captive cock. There was no defense against that and they uttered muffled howls and swallowed the warm jizz that blasted against the back of their throats.

It was a point of pride not to lose any of the juice so they swallowed hard, gulp after gulp. And near the end they both pulled off and splashed the last of their load onto the other boy's face. By now they were laughing uncontrollably and Brandon wriggled round so they were face to face. They licked the cum off the other boy's face, kissed, licked some more, kissed the eyes, then finally lay still beaming at each other.

And suddenly the phone rang. Brian frowned and picked up. "Ciao, bambino. It's Mario," came the cheerful, lilting voice. "Mi scusi for calling so late, amico, it must be – what? – about one a.m. there. It's seven in the morning here in Rio. I tried to reach Danny but his phone doesn't answer, he must be asleep. Were you asleep?"

"No, sir, not at all."

"You sound breathless, amico. Have you been doing something naughty?"

"No, sir. I've been sucking Brandon's cock," he said innocently.

There was a peal of laughter from the other end. "Is he there with you? Put the phone on speaker. Hi Brandon, have you been taking good care of our beautiful houseboy?"

"Excellent care, sir. He'd be the first to tell you that."

"Bene, bene. Listen, Brian, we got in very late last night after Grady's last event and he's exhausted. He's still asleep."

"Well don't fuck him, sir," Brian said earnestly. "Let him sleep."

Another peal of laughter. "I love you, bambino ... grazie tanti, that's good advice. But we have to get up soon, and that's why I'm calling. We were going to fly out of here tomorrow morning on United, but Warner Studios just called to offer us a ride on one of their corporate jets that's leaving for California at noon. That means we'll be home around six, seven p.m. your time, much earlier than you expected. You think you and Danny can cope with that?"

"Of course, sir, that's wonderful news. We'll have everything ready."

"Listen I have to run ... a lot to do before we leave. So we'll see you this evening. Ciao, bambino ... ciao, Brandon." And he was gone. Brian looked at Brandon, his eyes sparkling. "They're coming home!"

"So I heard," Brandon smiled."

"You think I should go and tell Danny?"

"Are you kidding? Interrupt two dudes who've just found out they love each other. Why do you think he didn't answer the phone? Tell him in the morning. Meanwhile, you kiddo have got to get some sleep. Busy day tomorrow."

"Brandon, I just wanna say I love you, dude. I'm so happy you were here to listen to all my stupid troubles." He turned over and snuggled his back against Brandon. "Will you hold me tight, please?"

"All night long, kiddo."

Next morning Brian got up first, wheeled himself down the hall and knocked on Danny's bedroom door. When there was no reply after two knocks he opened the door tentatively and peeked inside to see Danny and Tommy in each other's arms, still fast asleep. Obviously a busy night, Brian thought. He wheeled himself a few yards inside, paused and coughed. When he coughed again Danny opened his eyes blurrily and muttered, "Hey, dud, whassup?"

"Danny, I'm sorry to disturb you but Mario phoned late last night. He tried to reach you but ..."

"Oh shit so that's why my phone rang. I thought it was one of those robo-calls so I ignored it, and anyway Tommy and me were ..."

"Yeah, yeah, we know all about that dude – we heard. But listen, they're not coming back tomorrow evening as planned ... they got a ride on a private jet – you know, the studio – and they'll be home sooner – after six this evening."

"Jesus!" Danny threw the covers back and Tommy stirred. "You hear that, Tommy? Grady and Mario are coming home this evening."

Immediately the pleasures of the night before were forgotten, overshadowed by the need for action. Tommy said, "I don't need to be back at Steve's until noon so I can put in a couple more hours' work on the party while you do what you have to do to the house."

"Er," said Brandon from the doorway, "I can stay all day if you like. I'll call Jamie in the business office and I'm sure he'll agree to let me work up here instead."

"Great, thanks dude," said Danny, taking charge. "You two guys can work on the house and while Tommy continues with the party plans I'll be in the kitchen. They'll probably want dinner when they come in – something light and casual I think. If you guys come to the kitchen now I'll rustle up some breakfast real fast. He turned to Tommy and his voice changed from urgent to tender. "That sound OK to you, buddy?"

"Sounds perfect, big guy. Absolutely perfect." He pulled Danny's head toward him and they went into a passionate clinch. As the other two left the room Brandon grinned at Brian and murmured, "What a difference a day makes, uh?"

Brandon giggled. "You mean a night don't you dude?

The rest of the morning was a hive of activity until they paused for a break some time before noon when Danny and Tommy went upstairs before Tommy left. The other two went to the kitchen for a bite to eat and Brian said, "So how long d'you think it takes to say goodbye, dude?"

"Hmm, those two? – new love and all? About half an hour I'd say."

Brandon was pretty close to the mark because about forty minutes later Tommy poked his head in the kitchen with a big smile. "Bye for now, guys. I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot more of me around here from now on if that's OK with you?"

"Sure thing," Brian smiled. "What's fine for Danny is fine with us, dude."

A few minutes after Tommy left, Danny came in with a dreamy, dopey look on his face. "Guys, there's something I have to tell you ..."

"Save your breath, dude," Brian grinned, "we already know. We, er, we heard. I'm so happy for you Danny." He opened his arms up wide and Danny bent down for a warm hug. "Way to go, Danny," Brandon grinned and high fived him. "Couldn't have happened to a nicer fella."

"OK," Danny said. "I think everything's pretty much on track here. They'll be here in about five hours so let's get back to work."

The phone rang just before six – Mario saying they had just landed – and a short while later all three boys were waiting excitedly inside the gate for the sound of the limo. The guys had been away for over two weeks, a longer promotional trip than usual, and the boys' excitement was tinged with nervousness about seeing them again.

Soon came the sound of tires on gravel and then the soft thud of the limo doors closing. Danny opened the gates with the remote ... and there they were. While Mario said parting words of thanks to the driver Grady came striding in and, as happened so often before, they gasped.

He was totally gorgeous, like he had stepped from the pages of a magazine. His chiseled features were tanned and his hair was tousled. He was wearing the brown calfskin pants the studio wanted him to wear on publicity tours, the same ones Tarzan wore in the movie for the England scenes where he is Viscount John of Greystoke. A beige V-neck T-shirt clung to his muscular torso and showed off his golden tan to perfection.

As they stared in awe he flashed a gleaming smile and opened his arms wide. "Well this is a fine thing. You all struck dumb or something? No welcome for a weary traveler?"

Danny ran forward and fell into a tight embrace. "Welcome home, sir. We're so happy to have you back again." The other two boys watched from the background and Brandon saw in Brian's eyes a look of joy mixed with apprehension. After their talk last night he realized that Brian was so in love with Grady that his old anxieties of self-doubt and inadequacy resurfaced in the presence of this glorious man.

But Grady soon put a stop to that. As Danny turned away to greet Mario, Grady raised his hand to shade his eyes against the sun and squinted into the distance. "So where is he? Where's that boy ... hiding from me?" His handsome features broke into a dazzling smile and he pointed at Brian. "There he is. I'd recognize that smile anywhere. Come here, kiddo."

He strode forward, picked Brian up bodily from his wheelchair, wrapped his arms round him and whirled him round and round, his legs flying out behind him. "Damn, I've missed you, kid. Couldn't wait to do this to you again." He swung him round a few more times, then put him back in his chair. "Did you miss us? Say you missed us, kiddo."

"Of course I did, sir, something fierce."

"OK, guys," Grady said, "Mario and me are gonna go upstairs for a while ... things to do," he grinned sexily. "But wait down here, `cos we've got business to take care of." Mario gave them a mysterious smile and they went into the house. No-one had any doubts what they were going to do – what they always did as soon as they got back home.

So the three boys went to the kitchen to prepare the dinner and half an hour later the phone rang. Danny picked it up, listened, and put it down. "They want to see me upstairs."

"Me too?" Brian asked eagerly.

"No, just me," Danny said. He left and Brian looked at Brandon nervously. "They've never left me out before, dude. Do you think they're gonna fire me?"

Brian laughed, "After the hello he just gave you, kid? I don't think so." Even so, Brian waited on tenterhooks and it was a good half hour before Danny returned. "They want to see you now, Brian."

"Me?" Brian croaked hoarsely. With a nervous glance at Brandon he wheeled himself out of the kitchen, along the corridor to the elevator, up to the second floor and down the hall to the master bedroom. Their door was wide open and he rolled in. By this time he was shivering with nerves.

Grady was sitting on the edge of the bed, Mario in a chair beside him. They both wore loose T-shirts and boxers and had obviously just had sex. Grady got right down to business. "Brian, you like living here don't you?"

"Yes, sir. Very much, sir."

"'Cos we have something to tell you."

Brian's eyes opened wide. "You're gonna fire me, aren't you, sir?"

"Oh, bambino," Mario smiled, grasping his hands. Were you really afraid of that? How could you even think that? No, amico, but Grady does have something important to ask you."

Brian looked wide-eyed at Grady. "Brian, while we were away Mario and I had long talks about our relationship and where it was going ... and about you too. Brian, we want you to be our boy, for both of us. Is that something you would like?"

"Excuse me, sir?" Brian gulped in confusion, pulled his glasses from his pocket and put them on as if seeing Grady clearer would help him understand him. He tried to speak again but nothing came out as he opened and close his mouth repeatedly.

Grady laughed. "Kiddo, you look like a goldfish. I said would you like to be our boy?" There was dead silence and Grady looked disappointed. "Oh ... oh dear ... is that a no?"

At last Brian found his voice. "No, sir ... I mean yes, sir ... I mean no, it's not a no, sir, it's a yes."

"Phew, you had me worried there," Grady teased.

Brian looked startled and confused so Mario took over. "Let me explain, Brian. Mi amico there is no good at stuff like this. As Grady said, we were talking a lot about our lives together. We love each other very much as you know. We're a couple and always will be, and we want to take the next step. See, we want a little family. We want a boy, a boy we can love and take care of, and someone who loves us. And of course we chose you.

"At first we thought of adopting you but then Grady realized that if that became official, a matter of record, the media and the paparazzi would be all over you, and we wouldn't wish that on anyone. So you'll be our private boy, just like an adopted son minus the paperwork. I mean, we already think of you as family but this makes it official." Mario smiled and elaborated further.

"It won't be exactly like the master/boy thing the other guys have. We don't see ourselves as masters, just two guys in love, and you will be the boy of both of us. You'll still live and work here, of course and take care of us, and we'll take care of you and love you. Your duties will still include, well, you know, sexual stuff and sometimes you'll have to sleep with us. But the main thing is we love you a whole lot, Brian, and we think you love us. So how does all that sound?"

Brian's eyes brimmed with tears ... tears that started to flow down his cheeks. Grady said, "Hey, hey, kiddo, this is no way to begin. Come here." Grady picked him up from his wheelchair and sat him on the bed beside him. He pulled off his glasses and kissed his eyes. "First thing I'm gonna do is kiss these tears away."

Brian sniffed and dried his eyes, but then suddenly pulled back. "Oh, I can't sir. I can't do it. What about Danny? He's my friend, sir, and I don't wanna hurt him. He's the senior boy and..."

"Brian," Mario said gently, "there's no problem. That's why we spoke to Danny first. Of course he will always be part of the family, he already is, and he'll be in complete charge of the house and, in a way, your boss. He loves the idea and said he already thought of you as our boy. In fact he seems more cheerful than he's been for a long time and we kinda got the impression he's got something else going on."

"Oh he does, sir, didn't he tell you?"

"No he did not, kiddo," Grady with mock indignation, "and that's another one of your duties, to give me all the gossip. You know I love gossip and people tell you stuff they wouldn't tell me so you'll be my eyes and ears. So what's been going on while we've been away, kid? What gives with Danny?"

Brian's eyes opened wide and he said, "Well, sir, it all started when ..." And he told the whole story in a rush – from their early suspicions, Bob's intervention and their conspiracy that got Danny and Tommy in bed together. Grady stared enthralled at Brandon's round, earnest eyes and Mario smiled at them both, happy that his lover and their boy were both so happy. Brian ended breathlessly, "So that's it, sir, they're in love and they prob'ly always were, just stubborn."

"I knew it," Grady beamed. "I always said those two were made for each other, didn't I say that Mario?"

"You did not. You never said any such thing ... you're making it up."

"I did too," Grady objected. "Brian, that's another thing you'll have to do – referee when we have a fight. Oh, by the way, I do have to scold you about one thing." Brian looked startled. "When Mario called you from Rio and I was still asleep you told him not to fuck me."

"Oh ... oh no, sir," Brian said earnestly. "I only meant that you should get your sleep. I never ..."

Roaring with laughter Grady pulled him into a tight hug. "You are such a sweet kid, Brian. I'm only teasing you. Oh, kiddo, we're gonna have so much fun. And talking of fun, how are the plans for the party coming along? Day after tomorrow, isn't it, and we'll unveil the movie to the tribe. Hope they like it. And we'll announce the news about us and about Danny and Tommy."

Grady laughed merrily. "It'll be a real celebration. Hell, when that tribe all gets together they get so crazy you never know what's gonna happen."

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 356

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 invite 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. Click on the `Our Story' tab to read the current chapter, or click on the green button to browse all the chapter synopses. Enjoy