A Trial of Strength

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH – PART 510 By Rob Williams

Chapter 510 – "THE CURE FOR BRANDON'S BUMMER"

IN THIS CHAPTER:

As a warm-up to the big party at the Grady House, movie-hunk Grady and his boy watch the homoerotic spectacle of Dr. Chad and his Aussie lover Adam fucking. But a cloud on the horizon is young Brandon's insecurity about his place in the tribe. After a pep-talk from high-spirited Grady, Brandon celebrates some great news by making love to Ranger Pete, a rugged master with the quiet sexiness of a man of authority. ___________________________________________________________________

<><> IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER <><>

Grady had been on location, filming action sequences for his latest Tarzan movie in the jungles of Costa Rica. At the end of the shoot he had been injured doing his own stunt.

He later explained to the boys when he got home. "It was the damndest thing. I was high on a tree branch and had to grab a dangling vine and swing to the ground – done it a million times before. But instead of grabbing one of the ropes disguised as a vine I grabbed a real one that snapped and I went crashing to the ground. Don't believe everything you see in the movies, guys," he chuckled. "Those tree vines would never support Tarzan or anyone else."

He ended up with a badly sprained foot and the studio gave him just two weeks off during which they shot scenes he was not in. The urgent need was to find a doctor who specialized in workplace and sports injuries. The obvious choice was Chad – the hunky doctor who was fairly new to the tribe (and new to man-sex) and the lover of Adam, the Aussie airline executive.

But Chad was unaware of Grady's movie-star fame and assumed he was a stuntman at the studio. So he was shocked when he took him to the hospital for X-rays and Grady was mobbed by fans among the staff.

Angry that he had been deceived', as he saw it, Chad threatened to stop treating him but a contrite Grady pleaded, "No, Chad, please don't give up on me. See, what you're saying now is exactly why I kept the truth from you. As soon as people find out about me everything changes and they stop seeing the real me, they see this ... thing'. And now it's happened with you.

"What I love about the tribe is they all treat me like just one of the guys, no special treatment – well except for a few good fucks along the way," he grinned. "Please, Chad, can't you forget all that nonsense at the hospital and go back to thinking I'm just, like, a stuntman or something?"

Chad was beginning to see the pressure Grady must be under all the time and his annoyance abated a little. Back at the Grady House Chad went over the X-rays with him. But Grady couldn't hide his boner and knew the doc's cock was hard under his scrubs. The horny actor pleaded for sex with the handsome, muscular doctor, who resisted at first.

Chad couldn't believe it. The man he had just seen mobbed as a macho heartthrob movie star was here begging to suck his dick. It was a combination of his athletic physique, a drop-dead gorgeous face, and the pleading look in the eye that pushed Chad over the edge.

"OK, mother-fucker, you asked for it." Chad ruled out butt-fucking Grady because of his injury but fucked his face in a long session that ended with Grady gulping down the doc's cum.

Then Grady's lover, the sexy Italian Mario, came in followed by their boy Brian. "Ah," he smiled, "I see your medical consultation is finished." Mario and Brian gazed in awe at Grady's face and Chad's abs dripping with cum. "And I see that you have forgiven us, dottore, for having played tricks on you. Grazie molto. Grady, I hope Doctor Chad has been taking good care of you."

"Oh, yeah. Top-notch medical care. You'll get no complaints from me." Chad, rather embarrassed, said "I have to call Adam."

"Of course you do, amico, but might I make a suggestion? Perhaps when Adam gets off work he would like to join you here, have dinner with us and spend the night. It would be our way of thanking you, Chad, for everything you have done for Grady today. "

Grady's eyes sparkled. "Say yes, dude. I might need you if I have a relapse or something."

"Grady, people don't have `relapses' from a sprained ankle. But sure, I'll ask Adam. We were gonna spend another evening at home by the fire but this would make a nice change."

Grady offered him a change of clothes. "I got closets full of stuff I never wear. You can have your pick. Better yet, let me choose for you – I know just what'll make you look way sexy. Man, you and that hot Aussie together ... I can just imagine ..."

"But in the meantime," Chad said sternly, cutting him off before he went too far, "I insist that you get plenty of rest before we start physical therapy."

"Oh I'll take care of that, sir," Brian said firmly. "I'll make sure he behaves."

"Tyrant," Grady said. "He will too, doc. Don't let that cherub face fool you. His word is my command."

"Eccellente," Mario said. Tutto è perfetto. And in two days, the biggest and best party ever."

========= CHAPTER 510 =========

<><> TWIN-BEDS OR KING-SIZE? <><>

In the master bedroom of the Grady House Doctor Chad gave final instructions to Mario and Brian for Grady's care, mostly centered on rest and minimum excitement before physical therapy would begin the next day.

"If we are to heal that badly sprained ankle in two weeks, as your studio is demanding, you have to follow my instructions. If you behave we should have Tarzan jungle-ready on time, swinging from those trees and yelling that yell as good as new."

"You wanna hear the Tarzan yell, doc?" Grady offered eagerly.

"I'll forgo that pleasure, Grady," Chad said archly. "As I told you, rest, no excitement, no yelling ..." he glanced at Brian, "and no lurid gossip to get you all riled up."

"Ah no, doc, there I draw a line. I die without gossip – like a ... like a rose without manure."

"Ugh, who writes your dialogue, man? Those similes need work."

"Hey, don't bust my chops, doc, I'm making this stuff up as I go. I'm lost without a script to read and a mark to stand on."

"Don't worry, doc, I'll make sure he behaves," said Brian. "If he doesn't I'll turn him over to you."

"Oooh, scary," Grady said with wide-eyed simulated fear.

"Chad," Mario said, "he's in one of his moods. Let's get out of here so you can call Adam, and we'll leave him to gossip with Brian like two old fishwives."

After they left, Brian's brow wrinkled in thought and he asked Grady. "Sir, what is a fishwife?"

"Not quite sure, dude. Probably something they have in Italy. Two things I do know ... it ain't good ... and ain't us, whatever Mario says. So OK, kiddo, where were we? Oh, I know, I was gonna ask you about Chad and Adam. I mean, what gives there – all this monogamy stuff?"

Brian squeezed beside him on the big recliner chair and began. "Well, sir, the way I see it ...."

Meanwhile, Chad was in the garden on the phone to Adam telling him of Mario's invitation for them to have dinner and spend the night there.

"Sounds like a plan, mate," Adam said in his sexy Australian drawl. "Matter of fact, Nate's been wanting to invite his pal Jamie to the house to hang out together, so he'll stay there with Molly and come up to the Grady House tomorrow to help with the party prep. I'm about to leave work at the airport now so I'll come straight up to you there."

"Er, before you get here there's something you should know. I, er, face-fucked Grady."

Adam roared with laughter. "Good on ya, mate."

"You're OK with that?"

"Too right, I am. It's kind of a rite of passage when you first go up there. It's amazing. The guy is known all over the world as this hunky, macho action-star, but the tribe knows him as a fun-loving guy who can't wait to get fucked – either end will do. So how was it?"

"Well, I mean he's totally drop-dead gorgeous so watching my cock drive into his mouth was a major turn-on. And he gulped down every last drop of my jizz. You sure you don't mind?"

Adam chuckled, "Depends what you mean by `don't mind'. I'll have to punish you, of course."

Chad grinned. "I was kinda hoping you'd say that. They chatted a while longer, then Brian came wheeling himself up to Chad, who put his phone on speaker. Brian said, "Grady dozed off, sir. It's been a long day, what with the flight home and all."

"Good, I want him to get all the rest he can. I believe in treating patients holistically – mind and body, you can't separate the two. Oh by the way, I've got Adam on the phone here."

"Hey Brian," came Adam's voice. "Thanks for the invite, kid, and I'd love to come and spend the night there with my man Chad."

"Sirs, we can offer you a choice of guestroom – one with twins beds or one with one large king-size. Which would you prefer?"

"What?" the men said in unison. "What kind of question is that? Adam asked.

Brian giggled. "Just kidding, sirs. We've already made up the king-sized."

"You little devil," Adam said. "Looks like someone else needs to get punished."

"Any time you like sir."

<><> NURSE RATCHED IS OVERRULED <><>

When Adam arrived Brian buzzed him in from his cellphone. Brian was with Grady who had just woken up from his snooze and asked drowsily, "Who was that?"

"Adam, sir." He went to the window and looked down. "Yeah, and Chad is there to meet him. They're running to each other and ... wow, will you look at that?"

"Let me see, let me see," said Grady eagerly. He hauled himself off the bed, grabbed his crutches and hobbled to the window. "Man, those guys are in love. Have you ever seen guys kiss that long? Are you timing it kiddo?"

"Of course, sir, over a minute already. I'll wait till they get up to their room then go and welcome Adam. Mario likes us to do that, but he's prob'ly busy with Danny and Will in the kitchen."

"Let me come too, dude. I love looking at those two hunks together and fantasizing about ..."

"Sir, I'm under the doc's strict instructions to make sure you don't put any pressure on that foot yet." When he saw Grady pout like a little boy Brian said. "Well, I suppose it would be the polite thing to do, so you can go, but only if you take the wheelchair."

"Aye-aye, sir, you're the boss."

So a few minutes later two wheelchairs trundled down the long hallway to the guestroom assigned to the lovers. Brian knocked and called, "Sirs, it's Brian. Can I come in and say hello?"

"No worries, mate," came the cheerful Aussie response. "Come right in."

Brian opened the door and wheeled himself in, followed by Grady. The men were still facing each other, with their shirts unbuttoned as if they had been groping each other's chests. They pulled apart and Adam smiled broadly at Brian who said, "Welcome to the Grady House, sir." Then to Chad, "Doctor, Grady insisted on coming too, so I thought it would be OK provided he used the wheelchair."

"Quite right, Brian. Adam, Brian is in charge of Grady. He's being a great physician's assistant, really firm with my unruly patient."

"He's being a tyrant, a regular old Nurse Ratched," Grady pouted. Then he broke into a gleaming smile, reached up and shook Adam's hand. "Hey, good lookin' what's cookin'? – apart from that smokin' hot boyfriend of yours – who incidentally is also being a tyrant. Dude, I might need you to help me plot an escape from this hell-hole."

"G'day mate," Adam laughed. "If this place is a hell-hole it's one I'd gladly be trapped in."

"Sorry about the wheelchair and all, Adam – another of the demon doc's rules. Means I'm talking to your crotch instead of your face."

"Not that there's anything wrong with that, mate," Adam chuckled. "Happens to be bulging right now `cos of this Greek God standing next to me."

"And that's why we should leave you alone, sirs," Brian said. "Looks like you were about to ..." He tugged at Grady's chair. "Come on, sir, we're what my pal Eddie calls `de tropp'."

"Damn," Grady grinned, "you guys look so fucking hot together. Can't we stay and watch?"

Grady's casual bluntness surprised the lovers and Brian protested. "Sir, they are guests in your house and need their privacy. It's my job to see that you ..."

"Oh I dunno," Adam said with a roguish smile. "Actually I was about to punish Chad for having sex with another guy. And as you, Grady, are that other guy maybe you should share in that punishment by having to watch your fuck-buddy suffer. Come to think of it, maybe Brian should stay and watch too. I warned you earlier, kid, that I'd punish you too for mouthing off to me."

Chad was unnerved by the thought of having an audience. He was more conservative than Adam, less adventuresome, and was still coming to terms with his lover's free-wheeling Aussie spirit. But when he saw Adam's eyes sparkling and the roguish grin on his face he relented. "But you don't move or get out of that chair, Grady, or I won't be responsible for that foot."

"Aye-aye, doc. We'll back up out of the way. Forget we're here, guys." The two wheelchairs backed up to the wall and Grady whispered to Brian, "Enjoy the show, kiddo."

<><> HOTTER THAN ANY MOVIE <><>

Forgetting their audience was easy as the lovers focused on each other again and resumed what they had been doing. Their hands went inside the other's open shirt and explored the muscled chest and washboard abs. They dug their fingers into each other's pecs, then Adam squeezed Chad's nipples hard, making his chiseled features wince in pain."

"So, you thought you could fuck that muscle-jock's face and get away with it, man. You know there has to be payback for a stunt like that."

"And I suppose you're the man to do it, eh?" Chad taunted. He had learned from Adam how to play fantasy sex games. "OK, dude, let's see what you got."

Adam took a step back. "No, first let's see what you got, stud. Show me that body."

Staring into Adam's eyes Chad slowly unbuttoned the rest of his shirt, pulled it back off his shoulders and let it drop to the ground. Back by the wall Grady whispered to Brian, "Oh kid, will you look at that fucking body – total turn on. This is just what I wanted."

"Sssh," Brian hissed. "Don't let them hear you. They might stop." Grady grinned at him and used Eddie's famous vow-of-silence gesture of running his fingers across his lips and turning the key at the corner.

Completely oblivious of their audience the lovers continued their fantasy. Chad was now stripped to the waist in his medical scrubs pants. He eased off his shoes then slowly pulled on the drawstring at the pants' waist. "This what you wanted, man?"

"Too right, mate. Damn, you are gonna get it good. Let me see that ass."

Chad let the pants and his shorts drop. He stepped out of them, buck naked, his cock standing straight out stiff as a poker. He had also learned from Adam how to show off his gorgeous body. He ran his hands over his chest and shoulders and flexed his biceps. Then he turned round and Adam gasped at the sight of the perfect white globes of his lover's ass.

Grady gasped too but Brian clamped his hand over his master's mouth and they watched the scene in awed silence. "That ass is mine, mate," Adam drawled. He raised his leg, pressed his foot against his lover's butt and shoved him forward. Chad fell face down on the bed butt naked, his ass on display and totally vulnerable.

He raised his head and looked in the mirror at the Aussie standing behind him. Still in his black airline uniform his shirt was open down the front, his red tie hanging loose from the collar. He took his time, knowing what turned his lover on – and, incidentally, the man and boy watching in the background.

He took off his jacket and draped it carefully over the back of a chair. He shrugged his shirt off and folded it neatly over his jacket. His tie still hung loose round his neck and he grasped both ends, held the tie taut over his chest and flexed his arms slightly as he gazed down at Chad.

Chad had often watched Adam strip off his uniform when he came home from work – one of the things that turned him on most. And now the sight of him stripped to the waist in smart black uniform pants sent Chad wild with lust for the rugged Aussie. His ass flexed in anticipation and that was too much for Adam

"He knelt astride Chad's legs and slapped his ass watching the cheeks bounce under the blows as red handprints started to show on the white flesh. Instinctively Chad struggled to pull free, his muscles flexing in his broad back, but Adam said, "No you don't, big guy. I'm in charge now."

He pulled the tie from round his neck, pushed Chad's arms up and tied his wrists together, then tied the loose ends round the center post of the headboard. Chad groaned and flexed again, but then felt the euphoria of being immobilized, at the mercy of the muscle-jock pinning him to the bed."

"I knew it," Grady hissed softly to Brian. "I knew he'd tie him up. What a fucking fantasy, that macho Greek God bound naked, waiting to get his ass creamed." Grady pulled his cock from his shorts and stroked it slowly, careful not to cum too soon. Brian did the same and they both stroked in unison, their eyes focused on the homoerotic action.

Adam stood up, kicked off his shoes, unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants. His cock sprang out and he grabbed it. "See this, big guy? You know where it's going?"

"In my ass?"

"Too right, mate ... brace yourself." The naked Aussie knelt on the bed straddling Chad's legs and reached for the lube that Brian always made sure was beside every guest's bed. Chad watched in the mirror as Adan lubed his cock, then pushed a finger in his ass and massaged his prostate. Chad looked back over his shoulder and moaned, "Fuck, that feels good. Fuck me, man. I wanna I feel that dick in my ass."

"Sure thing," Adam grinned, "I always follow doctor's orders." He leaned forward and braced his hands on the bed on either side of Chad's upstretched arms. He arched over him, with only his hands and feet touching the bed, his cock pointing straight down at the waiting ass. He lowered his hips slowly until the head of his cock eased between the twin mounds. He paused, then let his cock slide quickly inside until it was buried deep."

Chad's reflex was to pull against his bound wrists, but then he gave in to the ecstasy of being dominated by the Aussie hunk. Grady and Brian pumped their cocks watching the two alpha jocks, one tied helplessly at the mercy of the other pounding his ass. It went on so long that Brian was close to his orgasm but Grady said, "No, wait ... watch how he finishes him off."

Suddenly Adam pulled out of his lover's ass, grabbed his waist and flipped him over on his back, his hands still tied, arms stretched up. Now they could stare at each other eye to eye. "That's better," Adam grinned. Chad slid his heels back on the bed and raised his ass. Adam drove his cock back in the ass, leaned forward and kissed him. He pulled back and smiled, "Now I can make love to you while I fuck you."

Adam fucked gently now, smiling down at the face he had come to love. He wrapped one hand round Chad's cock and stroked it with the same steady rhythm as he made love to his ass. His smile grew wider as he said, "I love the hell out of you, mate ... I love fucking that ass. I'm about ready to spill my juice in you."

"Right there with you, dude. Pump my dick ... make me shoot, man."

Adam reared back on his knees pounding his lover's dick and his ass, fired by the sight of the naked body writhing beneath him, arms stretched up like he was on a rack. He winced and howled, not in pain but euphoria as his cock spurted jizz all over his body and he felt his lover's cock erupting deep in his ass.

"Un-fucking-believable, kiddo," Grady said to Brian. "Let's do it ... yeaahh!" They shot their loads one after the other and Grady turned to the boy and kissed him.

Adam grinned down at Chad. "Good on ya, mate. Consider yourself punished." He pulled out, untied Chad's wrists and fell down into his arms. Grady and Brian stuffed their cocks back in their shorts and Grady said, "They'll be like that forever, dude, time for us to leave them alone. We got what we came for."

With a few thuds and clanks they maneuvered their wheelchairs through the door and Grady called back over his shoulder, "Thanks for the show, guys. Hotter than any movie I've been in. Hmm, now there's an idea ..."

<><> TROUBLING SIGNS <><>

Grady and Brian went back to the master bedroom where Grady heaved himself out of his wheelchair and back into his recliner. Soon Mario came in and said, "Sorry to have deserted you for so long, amici, but there was a whole lot to discuss with Danny and Will. I hope you weren't bored stuck up here all alone. You must have run out of gossip."

"Us, bored – never! And we weren't alone and we never run out of gossip. We created more."

"Che cosa? What have you two been up to?"

Grady grinned at Brian. "Take it away, kid,"

"Well, sir," Brian began with that wide-eyed look that Mario recognized as a launch into more gossip, which all poured out of the boy in a rush.

"Well, sir, Adam arrived and Chad took him straight up to their room, and it was pretty obvious they were gonna make love so Grady and me went to welcome them and sure enough they were getting it on so I said we should leave but Grady wanted to stay and watch ..."

"Typical," Mario scoffed, but with a twinkle in his eye.

"Anyway, sir, Adam said we should stay – like a punishment `cos Chad had face-fucked Grady and I had mouthed off to him. So we stayed, sir, and you ... will ... not ... believe." Brian was off and running.

"Adam made Chad take all his clothes off and pushed him face down on the bed with that awesome butt in the air, which turned Adam on, of course, and he stripped off his airline uniform and used that red tie of his to tie Chad's wrists to the headboard, I kid you not, sir. It looked totally hot and Grady and me almost rubbed one out, but we didn't `cos there was more to come and Adam, who was naked by now – totally awesome, by the way – fucked Chad while he lay on his belly and looked in the mirror at Adam

"Well, sir, there was a lot of dirty talk, then sweet talk and in the end Adam flipped him over and came in his ass while he jerked Chad off. I mean, sir, you should a' been there `cos ..."

"I get the picture," Mario laughed. "Your powers of description are excellent – which is not surprising considering the practice you've had with this man who's leading you astray up here."

"Astray?!" Grady protested. "I'm just helping Brian enlarge his vocabulary."

"Basta," Mario laughed, "I don't have time for this verbal jousting – we have a party to plan." His frowned. "But there is a matter you might help us with, Brian, as it could be something serious. I spoke to Bob who told me he has asked your pal Brandon to come up here with him tomorrow morning for our regular meeting about our finances. You know that Brandon does the bookkeeping for us here, and he does a great job.

"Well it was a routine request but Bob was troubled by Brandon's response and wanted to run it by you, as you and your boyfriend are as close as it gets. Would it be OK if I call Bob and put him on speaker so we can both hear what he has to say?"

Brian agreed, of course, and a few minutes later they were all listening to Bob on the phone. "Hey, Brian, how goes it up there? Grady behaving himself is he?'

"Not really, sir, but you know Grady."

"Not true," Grady interjected but was silenced by a sharp look from Mario.

"Brian," Bob said, "I needed to speak to you about Brandon. I asked him to come with me to the Grady House for one of our regular finance meetings and then to stay up there to help the other boys with all the party planning. Eddie and Ben and a few others are coming too.

"Well, you know Brandon, he's usually his cheerful self and agrees to stuff like that. But this time he was hesitant and seemed troubled. I asked him if anything was wrong but he said no and he reluctantly agreed to come. I thought it might be overwork `cos he's got stressed out before, but I don't think it's that – it's something else.

"Later I spoke to Pete about his boy and he's worried too that Brandon has seemed kind of depressed lately. Of course Pete has tried to get to the bottom of it but Brandon just clams up and says there's no problem. Obviously he won't open up to us, but that's where you come in. You two are boyfriends and share everything, so here's what I'm thinking.

"When Brandon gets up there tomorrow you'll naturally talk, so could you discreetly try to find out what's wrong? Of course, as Brandon is Pete's boy, Pete is the guy to handle it but, without betraying any confidences, perhaps you can give Pete a heads-up to help him."

"Of course, sir. I know how to do that `cos, like you say, Brandon and me talk about everything."

"Great, I knew I could depend on you, Brian. Pete is coming up there tomorrow as there's something we have to talk about – regarding Brandon, actually, on another matter. So that's it for now, Brian. I'll let you get back to Grady and his injured foot – and to all the gossip."

"Hey, man," Grady interjected again, "what makes you think Brian and me gossip all the time?"

"Because I know you, Grady," Bob chuckled. "You're injured, you can't run around, so I can imagine you two squeezed into that recliner of yours chattering away like ..."

"Like two old fishwives? Mario already accused us of that and we don't even know what it means. Well fuck you both – hey, that's a thought – maybe both at the same time? Love you, handsome. Say hi to that savage gypsy of yours ... mmm ... makes my mouth water."

Mario grinned. "See Bob? Assolutamente impossibile. See you tomorrow, amico."

<><> BRANDON OPENS UP TO BRIAN <><>

That evening it was a relaxed dinner for seven. Will was staying the night with Danny to make an early start tomorrow. Adam and Chad would be sleeping in the guestroom. And of course there were the hosts, Grady, Mario and Brian.

Even though, at Dr. Chad's insistence, Grady was still in a wheelchair, he was, as usual, the life of the party in the company he loved best, far from the bright lights and flash-bulbs of his public life. They had an early night as tomorrow would be a long day of party prep for all of them.

In the morning Brian, as always, got up early and helped Danny and Will with breakfast, a casual buffet affair. The first arrival at the house was Brandon. He was early for the business meeting with Bob and Mario so Brian took the opportunity to have his talk with his boyfriend. He had spoken to him the previous evening by phone but had not mentioned the topic Bob had discussed. He preferred to do that in person – eye-to-eye.

When they got to Brian's bedroom Brian gushed, "Dude I am so glad you're here `cos I have sooo much to tell you – Grady, Doc Chad, Adam, you have no idea."

Brian smiled weakly instead of his usual eager embrace of Brian's gossip. He had said very little so far and Brian decided to take the bull by the horns. "OK, dude, what's up?"

"Nothing. What d'ya mean?"

"Come on, dude, this is me, your best buddy. I can tell something's wrong. If you can't tell me who can you tell?"

"You've been talking to Bob haven't you? When he spoke to me yesterday I could see he was worried about me, but I didn't wanna say anything in case it got back to Pete."

"In case what got back, dude?"

Brandon took a deep breath ... and took the plunge. "It's been coming on for some time, this feeling, but it came to a head last week when Pete told me some of the other men and boys were going rock-climbing in Malibu Creek, and did we want to go. I could tell he wanted to so I made an excuse and said I had a ton of work to do but he should go have fun, I wouldn't mind."

"Why did you tell him that?"

Brian saw his eyes moisten. "It's this fucking chair, Brian. Rock-climbing in a wheelchair? I don't think so."

"Dude that's ridiculous. Pete took you to that gym with a climbing wall and you did great."

"Yeah but they made all kinds of special arrangements for a kid whose legs don't work, like hanging from ropes and stuff. But I don't want that! I don't want to be treated special `cos I can't walk. And if I'd gone rock climbing with the other guys it would have been all about me and practically carrying me up with them. It's so damn humiliating dude. The killer was, I saw how much Pete wanted to go – but his boy, his own boy, would have held him back."

Brian said gently, "Brandon, we all get into funks like that sometimes. I do but Grady makes me laugh my way out of it. Hell, I was in a funk for the first eighteen years of my life, hiding away in that old trailer in the desert with no friends and no love – till you came and talked me out of it. You said the wheelchair didn't stop you – you could do almost everything the other boys do. So you brought me to the tribe – and look at me now. Dude, the other boys will be up here soon to help with the party and it'll be a bunch of fun."

"But that's just the point, Brian. You know how it is, all the excitement, everyone running around bumping into each other – and falling over my wheelchair. It's so embarrassing. Sure, they pretend there's no difference between them and us, but they're just being polite, tiptoeing round the subject.

"And when the meal is ready and Randy calls for the chefs and helpers we all line up and the other boys take their bow while you and me are at the ends of the row doing stupid wheelies. I mean how dumb is that?"

There was a sudden silence and tears came to Brian's eyes. "You think we look ridiculous, dude? I never thought of that, but I guess you're right – maybe we are."

Brian was shocked at what he had done. "Dude, I didn't mean you. Grady and Mario love you and you do a great job keeping this house together."

"But what's the difference, dude? If you look and feel ridiculous, so do I. I see what you mean. Maybe I'll stay up here while they're all going crazy and laughing. `Cos maybe they'll be laughing at me too."

"No, no, it's not like that, Brian. I've seen the way you operate here and you do a terrific job. It's different for me `cos Pete's a Forest Ranger, a real active guy, and when we go out, there am I rolling along beside him trying to keep up. Your job keeps you in this house and they all love what you do. Nobody laughs at you. Mario and Grady sure don't."

"Mario and Grady don't do what?" came a voice from the door as Grady came in.

<><> GRADY'S TALE OF THE TALENTS <><>

"Laugh at me, sir."

"Sure we do kiddo. Hell, what were you and me doing most of yesterday, but laughing our heads off? And Mario and me laugh at each other all the time. What's life without laughter?"

Suddenly he stopped, noticing the heavy atmosphere in the room and seeing tears on Brian's cheeks. "Hey, kids, I obviously barged in where I don't belong." He was now walking with crutches, with Chad's permission, and he bent down and wiped the tears from Brian's cheeks and kissed him.

Then he lowered himself into a chair and said, "OK, kids, me Tarzan – me solve everyone's problems. It says so in the script. So tell me your worries and I'll swing down from the trees and solve them – even if it means scooping you up and carrying you off to my lair."

Grady's infectious silliness made them both smile. Brandon said, "It's all my fault, sir. I stupidly came in and poured out my troubles and made Brian depressed." He repeated to Grady everything he had just told Brian. "But I didn't mean it applied to Brian too, sir, `cos you and Mario love him and everything he does for you."

Grady frowned in thought, serious for once. "Guys, the way I see it, life is all about talents and how you use them – or not. Let me tell you a story of a young guy who thought he had no talents – limited education, dropped out of high school, worked part-time jobs like waiting tables. He thought he was pretty much a loser.

"One day he was working out at the gym shirtless and this guy comes up and says, `Have you ever thought of becoming a model?'. Well, I ask you, how many times have guys and gals heard that pickup line in Hollywood. But this guy was actually on the level, a modeling agent, and the gym jock did look kinda handsome – with a great physique, though I say it myself.

"Long story short, turns out he had a talent for making love to the camera – wearing nothing much more than bikini briefs and a big smile. He ended up on billboards all over town, and when a major studio decided to start a new franchise of big-budget Tarzan movies they auditioned hundreds of actors for the starring role

"Must have been something about his guy (who thought he had no talents, remember) `cos he got the role. And from then on he became internationally famous with tons of money and a great big house – this guy who had not long ago been scraping by on waiter's tips.

Turned out he did have a talent after all – a talent for acting and looking sexy, and a talent to amuse. But there was something a hundred times better than all the money and fame. He fell in love with this gorgeous guy called Mario and they joined a great big loving family of men and boys. And the actor asked this cute kid to become his boy, and fell in love with him too.

"Not bad for a guy with no talents don't you think? But guys, if you asked me to work a computer or manage money, or run a busy office I wouldn't have a clue where to start `cos that's not my talent. But it's yours, Brandon, a brilliant talent and this whole group of guys loves you for it. Most of all they love you, and even better than all of that there's that sexy rugged Forest Ranger who's crazy in love with you and asked you to become his boy.

"'Course, if your job included racing through the jungle and swinging from trees you wouldn't be much good at that. Fortunately, your particular talent calls for sitting at a desk. And you don't even need one of those fancy desk chairs with wheels `cos you've already got one, so you save on office furniture too," he grinned.

"As for you, Brian, you wouldn't be much good at running through the jungle either. But your talent, a rare one, is for loving and helping the actor who gets exhausted from running through the jungle and from all the fame and stuff, and comes home stressed out and just needs to veg out and catch up on all the local gossip.

"Kiddo, don't you ever, ever imagine that anyone laughs at you. No, we laugh together, you and me, a whole lot. You are the sunshine of my life kid and I don't ever wanna see your tears again, `cos they make me cry."

`Hey what d'ya know, that's the longest speech I ever made without a script. And it's left me parched. I'm gonna go down to the kitchen, see if Danny can rustle me up a long cool drink. Don't forget kids, no more tears. That's an order from your old pal Grady."

<><> THE BLADE FALLS OFF THE AXE <><>

He left the boys much happier about themselves. They smiled at each other and Brian said, "Dude, one thing I don't understand is why you didn't go to Pete when you started to have these bummer feelings. You see what just happened here – Grady just blew all my clouds away. You're Pete's boy and he would do the same for you."

"No, no, I can't tell him and you mustn't either. Pete knows I'm weak physically and I don't want him to think I'm weak in the head too. He's a real tough guy and wants me to be too."

"That's bullshit, Brandon. Everyone gets on a bummer sometimes and they go to their best friend for help. You just spilled the beans to me and Grady, but it's Pete you should have gone to. You'll have your chance real soon `cos I hear Bob is bringing him up here."

"He's bringing Pete? Why? Maybe Bob wants to talk to him about me. No, if Pete hears all this stuff from anyone it's gotta be from me."

Just then Brian's cell phone rang and he looked at it. "It's the gate – probably Bob and Pete. Hello, sirs, welcome, come right in." Brian pressed a number to open the gate. "Better get down there, dude and intercept them."

Brandon wheeled himself out of the room and sped down the hall to the elevator. He rushed out of the house just as Bob and Pete walked round from the garage. Pete's face lit up." Hey, kid, you're in a hurry – where's the fire?" He knelt beside the chair, took Brandon's face in his hands and kissed him."

Flustered, Brandon said, "Hello sir, I didn't expect you to come ... Sir, I gotta talk to you about something."

"Sure, kiddo, of course. But can it wait just a bit `cos I gotta have a quick talk with Bob in Mario's office before you guys have your business meeting?"

Brandon felt a stab of panic and he looked anxiously from one man to the other. Bob smiled, "It's OK, Brandon. I just need to take your man away for a bit, and I promise to give him back to you as soon as possible. Won't be long."

Pete ruffled Brandon's hair and they left him feeling bereft. Brian wheeled out to him and looked at him wide-eyed. "Well? What's up, dude?"

"I think I'm busted. Either I'm gonna lose my job or lose Pete, or both."

"Wow, when you get paranoid, dude, you don't hold back do you? You need a session, or three of four, with Doc Steve. I think he calls it acute anxiety. You are one hot mess, boy."

That brought a weak smile to Brandon's face. "Guess I do sound like a basket case, at that."

"Dude, you gotta look on the bright side. "When I was down in the dumps recently Grady sang me a song and made me learn it. Goes something like this ..." Brian took a deep breath and sang, slightly out of tune: "You gotta accentuate the positive/ Eliminate the negative/ Latch on to the affirmative/ And don't mess with Mr. In-Between."

Brandon laughed, "You'll never make it as a singer, dude. Don't give up your day job." The mood had been lightened and they chatted a while longer until Mario came out to them. "Ciao ragazzi, I hate to break this up but Bob just called me and he's ready to start our meeting up in my office. Shall we go, Brandon?"

Brandon looked like a man going to the gallows as he rolled along beside Mario, but Brian gave him a cheerful thumbs up. As they went into Mario's office Bob and Pete were sitting behind a conference table and they smiled warmly. (A good sign? Brandon thought, clutching at straws.)

Mario sat beside Bob, and Brandon faced them all, feeling a bit like an applicant for a job, or an employee about to lose one. Bob said, "Thank you for coming, Brandon. You may be surprised to see Pete here but I needed to talk to him first as you're his boy. You should know that I have also had long conversations with Jamie who has been your boss. (Has been? Brandon thought. Sounds worse and worse).

"The situation is this, Brandon, (here we go, he winced) the construction company and all the support staff have grown a lot lately and it promises to get even bigger. Up to now you have been in charge of payroll (up to now ...?). But (knew there'd be a `but') there's another, human, side to the management of personnel called Human Resources.

"So far the managers have individually tried to cope with personnel issues, but they hate getting into stuff like Worker's Comp and severance pay. What's been lacking is an expert who deals with that and can make personnel decisions. So we need to put someone in charge of all that – in short, a Human Resources Director. (Definitely being shunted aside). And we would like to offer that job to you, Brandon."

He went blank, still waiting for the axe to fall ... but it seemed the blade had dropped off before it fell. He gulped. "I ... er ... I, er ..."

"Before you reply, Brandon let me give you a few more details. The job caries a lot of responsibilities – not to mention the utmost discretion as you would know not only how much each employee earns but all of their personal issues too. Your duties would cover all the construction sites, plus the guys at the tribe's compound, everyone on our payroll excluding, of course, men such as Pete here, Hassan, Chad, Adam, and Jason who have separate careers.

"It would involve regular visits to the various worksites to confer with the managers, and you would attend all directors' meetings and hiring interviews. Randy chooses his own crew by gut instinct but once hired you would take over from there. The bosses would consult you in any disciplinary action, even firing if that's necessary, to get your input on correct procedures.

"You will no longer report to Jamie but directly to me. Jamie has long wanted to shed personnel matters and concentrate on the broader issues of budgets and bringing new sites on line so he heartily endorses this plan. You would have Ryan to help you create whatever new computer platforms you deem necessary. Oh, and the job comes with a hefty pay raise, of course."

Bob paused for breath while a stunned Brandon blinked behind his black-rimmed glasses. "Before we go any further, Brandon, I want to ask you this – and I need you to think hard about it. Do you see any impediment to your undertaking an important position like this?"

There was a heavy silence in the room until Brandon said quietly, "Only this, sir." He patted the arm of his wheelchair.

Bob looked confused. "Only what, Brandon?"

"This, sir, my wheelchair."

"I don't understand. It's never been an issue before. You would be traveling around more now but Randy built ramps up to every building as you know, and you drive your own truck. Incidentally, Randy feels you should have a new SUV which Pablo and Darius would easily convert to hand controls as they did with the truck. You've always been totally independent before so I don't see any problem on that score. The real question is, Brandon, do you feel up to the job? Is it a yes or no?"

Brandon glanced at Pete who was nodding eagerly. "I know I could handle the job, sir. Thank you for the offer. I'm very grateful for your confidence in me. So it's a yes, sir."

"Excellent. Thank you Brandon. Now let's get on with the rest of our agenda. Shouldn't take long, and then I'm sure you and Pete will want to celebrate your promotion." Bob smiled. "Mario has already had one of the guestrooms made up for you."

Mario reached over and squeezed Brandon's hand. "Congratulazione, amico."

<><> THE RANGER'S PRIDE AND JOY <><>

Pete left the meeting early as it had to do mostly with the Grady House finances, nothing to do with him. Brian took him upstairs to the designated guestroom and on the way Pete told him the good news. When the business meeting was over Bob hugged Brandon and congratulated him again, then Brandon sped outside and nearly ran into Brian who had been waiting for him.

"Dude, I heard the news. I called Eddie so it's all over the grapevine already. I am so pleased for you. Wow, Director of Human Resources. Er, you're not gonna go all grand on me, are you? Like, we're still buddies ain't we?"

"Dude, we're boyfriends, fuck-buddies, lovers – and a shoulder to cry on when we're bummed out. But right now I gotta go upstairs to Pete. He's waiting for me. Later, dude ..."

When Brian wheeled himself into their guestroom Pete was lying on his back on the bed in white T-shirt and brown denim jeans. He propped himself on his elbows and smiled as Brandon wheeled up to the bed. "So here comes the new Human Resources Director. Kid, I am so damn proud of you. You've come a long way in the tribe and you deserve all of it. So what did you want to tell me earlier?"

"Oh. Oh, that, sir. I guess I was in one of those wheelchair funks, feeling sorry for myself and afraid you'd find someone else who could keep up with your active lifestyle."

"I thought it might be that, and you do know it's bullshit, don't you, Brandon? Can't keep up? Remember that time we went hiking and a boulder fell and knocked me unconscious? Luckily my boy was in a wheelchair as he hauled me up and wheeled us both all the way out. Talk about tough! A regular guy could never have carried me all that way. But listen, something usually triggers bad moods like that in you. What was it this time?"

"Oh, that rock-climbing trip you went on, sir. I knew I would just slow you down and be a burden so I pretended I had too much work to do to come with you."

"Yeah, I thought that was just an excuse. Pity though `cos I had plans for us. I've been to Malibu Creek before and I know this real remote spot where no one ever goes, and I go there to meditate or just admire the view. This time I was gonna take you there and ... well, I know how you like to make love outdoors ..."

"I've been such an idiot, sir. I'm sorry. I would have loved that."

"No problem, kid. We can make up for lost time now if you're up for it. I've never fucked a Human Resources Director before."

Brandon smiled. "You've probably never even seen one naked before, sir. Until now ..." Brandon pulled off his T-shirt, then shuffled his shorts down and rolled expertly out of his chair and onto the bed next to Pete. The ranger wrapped his strong arms round his boy and kissed him ... kissed his eyes, his brow, his cheeks as his passion mounted. Then he pulled himself off him and got to his knees gazing down at him.

"You are such a beautiful boy, Brandon, and I'm so proud that you're my boy. Do you think H.R. Directors get fucked?"

"I can't answer for them all, sir, but this one does, especially by hunky Forest Rangers. I think it's in the H.R rule book."

"Well, we gotta obey the rules," Pete grinned, pulling off his T-shirt. Brandon gasped as he always did seeing the handsome hunk's sinewy torso, the broad shoulders, muscled chest with its light covering of hair, the long sexy waist and slim hips. "I could cum just looking at you, sir."

"Well we can't allow that. No sir." Pete leaned forward, gently removed Brandon's glasses and put them on the nightstand. He picked up the lube that Brian had left there but Brandon said, "No, sir. I really wanna feel it – like a punishment for behaving like a total idiot."

"Oh that's the way you want it, uh?" He pulled up Brandon's legs and hung them over his broad shoulders, then unzipped his pants, pulled out his cock and spat on it. "We don't have to be out in the wilds, kiddo, we can just imagine it."

"Don't matter where we are sir as long as I'm with you. Aaah, your cock feels so good touching my butt, sir. Oh yeah, let me feel it, sir ... kinda sudden, like. Aaagh!" He yelled as the Ranger's shaft drove in hard and deep, then pulled out and drove in again.

"Too rough?"

"No, sir. I wanna show you how tough I can be."

The next few minutes were unlike their usual tender love-making. Pete realized that Brandon wanted to prove to him, and maybe even to himself, that, he could be as tough as any kid, wheelchair be damned. Pete pounded his ass and growled, "I need my boy to be strong, to take it like a man. You think you're that boy?"

"I sure am. I can be as tough as any boy, tougher. Fuck me hard, sir, I can take whatever you dish out."

Pete jackhammered the boy's ass for a few more seconds, then slowed down and smiled at him. "Kid, I don't need to pound your ass to know how strong you are. I see your courage every day, in everything you do.

"But I love you for much more than that. When I look at you I forget all that stuff. I see a boy that I love, that I'm crazy about, and I love it that he loves me. You know what really turns me on? When I'm fucking you and watch you shoot your load without touching yourself. Then I know how much you love me."

Brandon gazed up at the handsome face, at the soft, kind eyes, with the quiet sexiness of a man of authority. "I love you so much, sir. Of course I'll cum for you." Pete smiled and made love to his ass and his eyes. When at last he touched Brandon's nipples, rolling them gently in his fingertips, he made the boy moan as his body shuddered ... and his cock spurted semen up over his heaving chest.

"That's my boy," Pete grinned, "and here's your reward ... oh yeah, I'm gonna cum in that beautiful ass, I'm gonna cum ... aaaahh." With a long, low sigh the Ranger poured semen deep inside the boy he loved."

Pete pulled out slowly and lay down beside him. "So, no more of this not-tough-enough nonsense, eh? And when you're bummed out about something, or just feeling depressed, as we all do sometimes, who's the guy you're gonna come to?"

"You sir, always. I promise. Sir, are you gonna stick around here for a while?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you. I've got a couple days off work and Mario's asked me to stay here all through the weekend. Only thing is, I'll have to share a room with you. Is that OK?"

"Hmm, dunno," Brandon frowned. "I'll have to run it by Human Resources. Oh, guess what, I am Human resources, so I say it's OK. A definite yes."

<><> "A TAD MORE, SIR" <><>

After their laughter died down Pete said, "Dude, don't you have to go down and help the boys?"

"I do, sir. They'll be depending on me. I'm the only one who can carry such big loads around on my tray table. Come with me, sir."

A few minutes later they emerged from the house and ran into Randy who had come up to do his regular security check on the grounds.

"Hey, Brandon, I heard your good news." Randy pulled Brandon up out of his chair, whirled him around and gently replaced him. He winked at Pete. "Human Resources eh, that's a fancy title. Listen, kiddo. You gotta watch out for me `cos when I wanna fire a guy I generally slug him and that's that. But I guess there's more to it than that."

"A tad more, sir. I don't think our insurance company would go for the slugging thing, and we don't want a lawsuit, do we? I suggest we give him generous severance pay with a non-disclosure clause to keep him quiet."

"An expert already, I knew it," Randy laughed. "This is some boy you got here Ranger. You must be mighty proud. Hey, guys, this is gonna be one hot weekend. So let's party ... Let the games begin."

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 511

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.

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