Trial Of Strength (Book 13)

"LOVE IS MORE THAN JUST GREAT SEX"

Two wildly different threesomes – one driven by raw lust, the other by love and affection. First, horny action-star Grady, craving dominance and degradation, is spit-roasted by two lovers – handsome Doctor Chad and the macho Aussie Adam. Then in sharp contrast, the cop Mark and his two boys Jamie and Felipe, explore their tender family affections in the serenity of the Secret Garden.

In the previous chapter

The big news in the tribe was the return of their movie-star buddy Grady from a grueling ten-day publicity tour to promote his new big-budget lifeguard movie, still in production.

He had been accompanied by his Italian lover (and personal manager) Mario, and their friends Jamie, Nate and young Eddie who had shot a video of all the intimate backstage moments. But, as Mario now told the tribe’s co-leader Bob, “It was exhausting, amico, especially for Grady.  He totally overdosed on all the attention, the flash bulbs, screaming fans, keeping the charm going, making that fixed smile seem genuine.

“Now he wants the very opposite.  The word he keeps using is ‘ordinary’.  He wants an ordinary life for a while, a life where he’s not the center of attention, where people treat him as ... well, not as anything really ...”

“Just one of the guys,” Bob smiled. 

“Exactly, Bob.  He’s had so many days of people being flattering and respectful to him, now he wants to be teased, laughed at, insulted even. And there’s one crowd knows how to do that.  What I’m suggesting, Bob, is that he needs one of those big boisterous Grady-House parties.”

And so, the whole tribe came to the weekend party at the opulent Grady House and Grady got just the treatment he needed.  At dinner, he tried to make a speech and was shouted down under a barrage of bread chunks hurled at him from all sides with deadly aim, complete with obscenities.  “Fuck you all,” Grady yelled, raising a middle finger, and sat down howling with laughter, throwing his arm round Mario, who was thrilled to see his lover so happy.

The highlight of the evening was a showing of Eddie’s video in the large screening room.  It was met with gasps of admiration and surprise from the audience – a remarkable behind-the-scenes view of a movie star’s, which the studio intended to mold into a full-length documentary that would be wildly popular and bring tremendous publicity for the movie.

Eddie got a standing ovation and his man Hassan, a rugged Arab soldier, carried him bodily from the room for his reward.  In their guestroom the proud Marine said, “That standing ovation you just got might have given you a swelled head.  I need you to prove you’re still my boy.” 

“Er, by sucking your dick, sir?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

And so Eddie worked on the soldier’s huge cock, first with his mouth, then his ass, sitting astride him and riding his shaft like a rodeo cowboy riding a stallion.

After gushing orgasms they lay together on the bed, Hassan propped on his elbow and smiling down at him.  “It’s terrific being here at this party with you, kiddo.”

“I know, right? The Grady House gives epic parties – never know what’s gonna happen next.”

“You always keep your ear to the ground, kid, so take a guess. What is gonna happen next?”

“Well, sir, funny you should ask, ‘cos I was talking to Grady’s boy Brian. That kid knows all the gossip so well he can predict it.  We talked about Mark, Jamie and Felipe and their tangled web.  It’s tough on Felipe, but Brian said he’s got the answer ... tomorrow he’s gonna give Jamie the key to the Secret Garden here, and let it work its magic on all three of them.” 

Eddie barreled on. “Which brings me to the subject of threesomes, sir.  They can always be tricky.  Take Doc Chad.  Did you hear him talking to Grady?”

“No, I can’t say that I ...”

“Well, seems Grady hurt his foot on that tour of his, and the Doc said that after dinner he should come to the room Chad is sharing with his lover, the hot Aussie Adam, and get the foot checked out. So there you go, sir.  With his hungry ass, Grady won’t just be getting treatment on his foot.  Picture it ... dick-crazy Grady, the hot muscle-doc and the gorgeous Aussie. You do the math.”

“Eddie, the math escapes me right now, maybe because I’m so tired.  We should sleep.”

“Oops, there I go again, shooting straight from the lip. So I’ll zip it.” Eddie ran his fingertips across pursed lips and twisted the key at the corner.

Hassan grinned, “I don’t need no zip and key to muffle you, kid.  Try this ...” Hassan pressed his lips against Eddie’s in a hungry kiss.  “There, that did the trick.  Now we sleep.  That’s an order.”

Eddie responded like a young Marine – “Sir, yes sir” – and nestled happily in his man’s arms.

=========    Book 13: Chapter 2    =========

<><>    Grady & The Naked Aussie    <><>

After the boisterous Grady-House dinner for the whole tribe, couples, threesomes and even foursomes began making their tired, slightly tipsy way into the large house and up to the guestrooms assigned to them by Grady’s eager boy Brian.

Grady said to his lover Mario, “Dude, I told Doc Chad that I would go to his room for him to check out my aching foot.”

Assolutamente, amico.   It’s very important that you don’t let it get worse.  A week from now when filming resumes, you have to report to the location as Lifeguard Captain Hunter, racing along the beach and surfing the waves.  Any delay in shooting would cost the studio a fortune. 

“Anyway, I’ll still be here for quite a while talking with Danny, Brian and the boys – helping them clean up and checking on plans for tomorrow.  So go ahead, take your time and let Doctor Chad take care of you.”

Grady grinned wickedly. “That hunk can take care of me any day of the week.”

“Basta,” Mario smiled.  “Don’t you ever think of anything but sex?”

“Not much, dude.  What else is there?

“Get out of here, Grady.  Andare ... ciao.”  Grady kissed him and left. 

The foot problem happened on the publicity tour when Grady had jumped off a stage to meet fans and landed heavily on his right foot.  It had ached ever since and he mentioned it to Doc Chad at the party.  The handsome doctor was head of surgery at a local hospital, specializing in sports injuries.  He often treated movie-set injuries too, notably stuntmen who were prone to sprained and broken limbs.

Grady would have preferred going straight to bed with Mario and getting fucked by him.  All the talk of sex during the day by the horny tribe had turned him on, and he was dying to feel a cock in his ass.  During the tour, he had made love every night to Mario, but he didn’t want to make too many sexual demands of his lover, as Mario too was tired after the tour, and the energy it took to arrange this party.

Brian had told Grady which room he had assigned to Chad and his hunky Aussie lover Adam.  Shirtless, in the red lifeguard boardshorts he had worn all day, he knocked at the door and it was Adam’s deep voice that said, “Come in.”

When he entered Grady gasped.  Having just stepped out of the shower Adam stood naked except for a towel round his waist.  He was tall and muscular, with solid pecs and ripped abs, a perfect physique honed by regular gym workouts.  The face was striking ….. strong, finely etched features, golden tan, short dark hair, and clear, confident brown eyes.

It took Grady a full minute to regain his compose, during which the bulge in his red shorts was unmistakable.  “Dude, I’m sorry to intrude just when you and Chad must be about to go to bed.”

“No worries, mate,” Adam said in his deep Aussie drawl, grinning at Grady’s obvious arousal “We’ll be awake for quite a while.  I should probably put some clothes on.”

“No ...” Grady said, rather too eagerly.  “No, don’t do that.  I ... I mean, it’s me barged in on you, it’s your room.  Stay just as you are.”

Adam heard the lust in Grady’s voice.  “OK, mate, but at least I’ll put on my boxers.”  He dropped the towel, and again Grady gasped.  Adam’s golden tan was in sharp contrast to the band of white flesh stretching from his waist down to the upper thighs. It was not only sexy in itself but accentuated the long, uncut cock hanging down from a thicket of black pubic hair and swinging lazily between his legs.

When he pulled on pale gray boxer briefs it was even sexier for Grady as he fixed his spellbound gaze on the long tubular shape stretching all the way down the shorts.  

Adam smiled at the stunned looked on Grady’s face, but ignored it.   “Chad’s just finishing up in the shower.  Take a seat, mate – I was just gonna have a brandy.”

Grady sat facing Adam who poured them both a drink.  Adam sprawled in his armchair, legs manspread, the bulge in his shorts on full display. It was not an exhibitionist gesture, simply a macho guy confident in his rugged Aussie masculinity.

He grinned, “Chad and I always shower together but he usually wants a few minutes to himself at the end.  He loves me to touch him and soap his muscular body, but when it comes to his intimate parts ... well, he’s not quite there yet and prefers to be left alone to wash them.

“See, Grady, Chad and I have a whole lot in common and totally love each other, but he’s not as outgoing as I am.  Sexually we have completely different backgrounds.  Me, when I lived in Sydney I was really on the scene – went to the bars often, leather bars mostly, and fucked often – usually a top, but not always.  So, you could say I’ve been around the block ... many times.”

“Man,” Grady grinned, “I bet you were a massive hit in the bars.  I can imagine all eyes turning to you when you walked in shirtless in leather pants.”

“Adam grinned.  “Let’s just say I’ve had my moments, mate.  Chad, now, he’s different.  He didn’t even know he was attracted to men until not so long ago.  And when we fell in love he made a condition that we stay monogamous.” 

“Huh,” Grady chuckled, “good luck with that one in this horny tribe”

“Too right, mate.  But gradually he’s loosened up, and now he don’t freak out if I have sex with another guy in the tribe.  Outside the tribe? – that’s a definite no-no.  Plus we have occasional three-ways, but I always have to make the running.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that I usually start by fucking the guy, then, if it turns Chad on, he joins in.  Makes life more interesting don’t you think?”  

“What does?” said Chad, coming out of the bathroom wearing only white boxers and toweling his mop of light brown hair.  Grady again looked stunned at the sight of the square-cut features and sculpted Greek-statue body.

“Ah, you’ll find out,” Adam said enigmatically, and they let the topic rest. “Do you want me to leave the room, mate, while you examine Grady?  Doctor/patient privacy and all that?” 

“No, stay,” Grady blurted impulsively.  “I mean, we’re not doing surgery or nothin’ are we doc?”

<><>    Doctor Chad Prods Grady    <><>

Chad reverted to his role of professional clinician and smiled, “Judging by your description of your symptoms, Grady, I should think the possibility of surgery is very remote.  I’ll do a superficial examination of your foot and ankle now, and in a couple of days I want to see you at the hospital for an X-ray, just to make sure.”

“Hmm,” Grady frowned.  “I don’t want this to go public, doc.  If word gets out I’ve been to the hospital, rumors will fly and the studio will get mad.”

“Grady, we’re used to dealing with celebrities.  I’ll have my nurse meet you at the hospital’s back door and she’ll bring you straight up to X-ray, which I’ll do myself.  Probably best to have one of the guys here bring you in a truck ... no limos or anything to attract attention.  Right, so in the meantime, let’s take a look at the foot.  Lie on your back on the bed please.”

Grady chuckled.  “Last time a guy gave me the that order I was in real trouble.  It wasn’t my foot he was interested in.”

“Grady,” the doctor said sternly, “this is serious business, not something to joke about.  If the foot gets worse I’ll have to forbid you to work, and the movie schedule will be shot to hell.  And when the studio asks for my report I’ll tell them you just wouldn’t take the injury seriously.”

“You’re just a big ol’ bully, doc.”  Grady pulled a long face and glanced over at Adam who was sprawled in his chair again, with a roguish Aussie grin on his face.

“Better do what the doc says, mate.  He can be real mean if you disobey, as I know from experience.”

Chad snapped, “Stay out of this, Adam, or I’ll ask you to leave.”

“Ooh, sent to my room with no supper – and no brandy.  I’m ever scared.”

“Ignore him, Grady, and let me check you out.”  He pulled the injured foot up off the bed and said, “OK, while I probe, tell me when it hurts, on a scale of one to ten, ten being worst.”

“Holding the foot with both hands he rotated it gently, watching Grady’s face carefully to see when he winced.  Grady looked up at the seductive hazel eyes staring down at him, and his cock stiffened.  Then, “Ouch ... er, that was a three, doc.”

“Good, as I expected.  Now I’m going to prod ...”

“Prod, doc?  Last time a guy prodded me ... Mario as I recall, early this morning ...”

“Concentrate, Grady.”  Chad jerked his thumb hard into his ankle.

“Ow, that was a five, doc.”

“See,” came Adam’s voice, “I told you he could get mean.  Better behave, dude, or he’ll send you to your room too.”

“That was a good sign, Grady,” Chad said, ignoring Adam.  “It means it’s probably just a minor strain.  A bit more ...”  He pressed a few more points and Grady said, “One ... one ... two.”

“Very good.  Now, last thing, I want you to put your foot flat on my chest and push hard, see if that causes any pain.  He guided Grady’s foot and planted it in the cleft between his pecs.  “Right, now press your foot steadily against me while I brace myself against it.  No jerking movements, and if it hurts, stop.”

Grady did as instructed while Chad tensed and held steady, jaw clenched, muscles flexing under Grady’s foot as he braced himself hard.   “Any pain?” he grunted.

“Not in my foot, no, doc.  Can’t say the same for other body parts.”  The sight of the near naked muscle-doc, flexing like a bodybuilder, drove Grady wild.  He fantasized that the handsome doctor was straining against him, about to drive his cock in his ass.  Grady’s shorts tented under his rigid tentpole cock, a happening lost on no one, least of all the good doctor.

With a disapproving frown Chad stepped back, grabbed the foot and lowered it back on the bed.

Ignoring Grady’s obvious lust, Chad made case notes on a clipboard and said, “As far as I can tell it’s nothing more than a mildly sprained ankle.  You wouldn’t have been able to push back on me without pain if it were anything more serious.  But in view of the stakes involved, I still want you to come to my hospital after the weekend so we have time to correct any underlying problems we find.

“In the meantime it’s crucial that you don’t put any sudden pressure on the foot.  No running or jumping – that’s what caused this in the first place.   And when you’re resting, try to keep the foot elevated.

“Like this?” Grady grinned.  He hooked his hand behind his knees and pulled his legs back, feet high, in the classic ass-display move of a man waiting to get fucked.

Exasperated, Chad said.  “OK, Grady, my examination is finished.”

“Yeah, but mine ain’t.  Move over, mate.”   Adam had got up from his chair.

<><>    The Doc & The Aussie Tag-Team Grady    <><>

Adam took Chad’s place behind Grady who still had his legs raised.  The handsome Aussie grinned down at him and suggestively stroked the bulge in his shorts.  Then he pulled them down and let his long shaft spring free.

Adam looked over his shoulder at Chad and asked, “OK with you, mate, if I examine your patient’s butt?”

“He’s not my patient anymore, Adam, so you can do what you like with him.”  Chad’s tone had softened and he was smiling, so Adam was reassured that he was OK with him fucking Grady.

Truth be told, Chad was more than OK.  Over time, as Adam’s lover, he had come to accept three-way sex with others and had learned to enjoy watching the macho Aussie plough another guy’s ass.  He knew that, when it was all over, it would be him, Chad, who would wind up in bed in Adam’s arms, their relationship even stronger now that he had relaxed his ‘monogamy’ requirement and given Adam the sexual freedom he needed.

Adam was in full dominant mode, a stance he had perfected as a head-turning leather master striding into the leather bars of his native Sydney. 

His piercing brown eyes stared down at the handsome, hungry action-star and he said, in his deep Aussie drawl, “Just to make clear, mate, I’m not doing this ‘cos you’re this hot-shot movie heartthrob. I’m gonna ream your ass cos you’re a macho muscle-jock who loves to take it up the ass, and I’m a top man who loves to fuck.  So, you ready?”

“Yeah ...”

“Can we try that again?” Adam growled.

“Yes, sir.  Please fuck my ass, sir.”

“That’s better.”  Adam stood on the floor at the foot of the bed, grabbed Grady’s ankles and pulled his legs up high, lining up the hungry ass with cock.  Grady stared down at the long straight cock. It was uncut, but so hard that the foreskin had pulled partway back off the head.

“A dry fuck, mate, so you’re lucky I’m uncut – hurts less.”   Adam pressed the head of his cock against the hole and drove it steadily in.

Grady threw his head back, winced slightly and moaned, “Oh yeah ... feels good, man.” He concentrated on the brown eyes boring into his, then glanced down at the ripped body flexing as the shaft moved in an out of his ass with increasing speed.

Adam was standing on the floor so the weight of his whole body was behind the force of his fuck.  Chad watched his lover in awe, his own cock rigid in his shorts.  His gaze moved down to the movie star, his chiseled features wincing with a mix of pleasure and pain, his ripped physique tensing to absorb the attack on his ass. 

Without missing a beat Adam knelt on the bed and pressed forward against him, Grady’s thighs hooked back over Adam’s shoulders.  Adam grinned, “Foot still elevated, per doctor’s orders.”

Grady reached up and ran his hands over the fine black hair on the Aussie’s chiseled pecs, then over his eight-pack abs that rose and fell over him.  Adam growled, “I want you helpless, dude.  Must be the leatherman in me.”  He leaned forward between Grady’s legs and pinned his arms to the bed.  Grady sighed and willingly surrendered to the dominant topman.

Adam saw Chad stroking the bulge in his shorts, mesmerized by the spectacle of his lover ploughing the ass of the hot jock movie-star.  “Hey, mate,’ Adam said, “give me a hand ... work with me here.  Help me restrain this bloke.  Get behind his head.”

Chad did not hesitate.  The handsome doctor dropped his shorts and stood on the bed behind the captive’s head.  He lowered himself over Grady and knelt on his biceps.  Adam let go of Grady’s wrists and straightened up in his knees.   He smiled at his lover across their trapped prisoner, grabbed Grady’s cock and stroked it slowly, careful not to make him cum ... not yet. 

Chad grinned and stroked his own cock.  “Good on ya, mate,” Adam drawled.  “You look so bloody beautiful.  Don’t cum yet, though.   We ain’t finished with this action hero yet.”

As he knelt on Grady’s arms and stroked his cock, Chad’s balls were swinging over his face.  Grady opened his mouth and sucked them in, Chad almost sitting on his face.

Grady had come to the party wanting the reverse of the hero-worship he received on the tour.  Mario had told Bob, “He’s had so many days of people being flattering and admiring him, now he wants to be teased, laughed at, insulted even. And there’s one crowd knows how to do that.”

And there was one man in that crowd well equipped to do just that – the dominant Aussie leather-master Adam – with the help of his handsome lover.  It didn’t get more demeaning than this.  Grady was crushed beneath the two lovers, one fucking his ass and stroking his cock, the other sitting on his face, cramming his balls in his mouth.

Worse, in stroking his cock Adam kept bringing Grady to the edge of orgasm, then suddenly backing off, leaving him aching with frustration.  Adam grinned at Chad.  “It’s called edging, dude.  Drives a man wild, desperate to bust that load straining his cock.  Look at the pre-cum oozing out of it.  He’d be screaming the place down, begging for mercy, except he’s gagged by your balls crammed in his mouth.” 

Adam stared at his Greek-God lover, his biceps flexing as he stroked his cock.  “Damn, you’re gorgeous, so fucking hot.”  In a daze, crushed beneath them, Grady knew the men were making love to each other – and he was just a prop – an ass to fuck and a mouth to fill.  He had wanted to feel degraded, and this was it.  He was nothing, a helpless fuck-slave.

He felt Chad move.  He leaned forward over the trapped body, Adam leaned toward him and they kissed.  Chad’s balls pulled out of Grady’s mouth – to be replaced by is cock. Their passion for each other mounted as one fucked the captive’s ass, the other his face.  Grady had been spit-roasted before but not like this, pinned helplessly on his back. 

When the lovers’ mouths separated Adam groaned, “Damn, I can’t keep this up, mate.  You’re so fucking hot, I gotta cum.”

“Go for it, Adam.  I wanna watch you fuck the jock and jerk him off while I fuck his face.”

They stared hard into each other’s eyes and had never been so in love as at this moment.  They fucked Grady harder, his ass and face, but really they were making love to each other.  “I love you, man,” Adam panted, “I’m gonna cum ... I’m gonna shoot ... yeaahh!”

Chad saw Adam’s body tense, his muscles flex and with one last massive thrust he shot his load deep in Grady’s ass.  Adam’s fist tightened hard round Grady’s cock, his body bucked beneath them and he howled into the gag of Chad’s cock as he blasted hot creamy jizz all over his own writhing body.

Adam grinned at Chad.  “Don’t cum, mate, not in his mouth.  I wanna make the son of a bitch shoot again.” Adam pulled his dripping cock out of Grady’s ass, knelt by the side of the bed and leaned down to lap up the spilt jizz soaking his abs.  Chad pulled out of Grady’s aching mouth, got off the bed and took Adam’s place kneeling behind Grady’s butt. 

“No, Grady groaned, “no more.  I just I just busted a huge load and my ass is so sore I can’t take another cock.”

Adam laughed.  “Chad, you hear what I heard?  He can’t take any more?” He stared down at the exhausted Grady.  “Asshole, you don’t get it, do ya?  You’re nothing, just our fuck slave.  You’ll take as much as we dish out.  Get it?”

“Yes, sir,” groaned the broken jock.  He groaned when Chad shoved his cock in his ravaged ass, but when he stared up at the gorgeous face and body he knew he wanted the handsome doc to fuck him.

As Chad got to work on his ass, Adam, kneeling by the bed said, “Here’s the deal.  My mate here is gonna pound the ass I already shredded, and he won’t stop until he cums inside you.  And that ain’t gonna happen until you shoot another load.”

“No, man, I can’t ... not again.  I’m done, finished.”

“Like I said, asshole, you’re done when I say your done.”

Adam bent down and sucked Grady’s drained, limp cock in his mouth.  And when Grady felt the strong throat muscles clamp round it, it sprang to life.  He looked up at the naked doc’s ripped body, arms holding his legs up high, flexing as he fucked.  Then he looked down at the epic sight of the macho Aussie topman on his knees sucking his cock.

He knew he was lost, he surrendered completely.  He had never felt so degraded, used by two dominant hunks, butt-fucked, face-fucked, a helpless tool used by the men to make love to each other.  In the end it was the rugged squared jawed face of the Aussie that did it, sucking his cock while his lover fucked his ass.  His groans grew louder and at last he yelled, “I submit, sirs, I give up ... aaagh!”

His cock erupted a second time, this time in Adam’s mouth, while the doc blasted semen that mixed with the juice of his lover in the sobbing jock’s ass.

<><>    Treated Like Trash    <><>

As all three recovered their breath and heartbeat, Adam and the doc were full of concern for Grady.  They had treated him harshly and wondered if they had gone over the top.

But a gleaming smile from the ‘fuck slave’ put their minds to rest.  “Guys, I tell ya, there were times on that tour I overdosed on the cheers, adoration and flashbulbs, and when I got back to the hotel room I fantasized about the reverse, being treated like trash – degraded, used and humiliated by guys who used me as a toy in their lovemaking. 

“But I never thought it could be this good.  Did me a power of good.  Made me realize I’m just a guy – though maybe one with raunchy habits and needs.”

“Will Mario be OK with this?” Chad asked.

“He’ll be thrilled.  For the whole tour he was the only guy I had to vent my sexual needs in the privacy of our hotel room.  Jamie, Nate and Eddie were terrific companions, but I was wound so tight it took Mario making love to me and fucking me, to totally relax me.  He kept me sane.

“Of course I’ll tell him what we did – every gory detail.  We tell each other everything.  And he’ll be thrilled that for once he doesn’t have to fuck me last thing when we go to bed.  He winds up as exhausted as I am.  But I should get back to him.  Guys, I had an awesome time.”

“Too right, mate, us too,” Adam grinned.  “Anytime you wanna be treated like trash, you know where to come.”

“And before you go,” Chad added, “I gotta put my doc’s hat on again and warn you about keeping weight off that foot until I’ve X-rayed it.”

“I’m already following your orders, doc.  I kept it elevate all the time, didn’t I”?

“With a little help from your mates,” Adam chuckled. 

Grady kissed them both, grabbed his shorts and left the room.

Adam smiled at Chad.  “You OK, mate?  That wasn’t too rich for your blood?”

“Not with you, Adam, you could make me do anything.  I had a blast.  But in the back of my mind I knew that, after all the wild sex games, I would wind up in bed with your arms round me.  For me that’s always the best part.  I’m crazy in love with you Adam.”

“Good on ya, mate, and me with you.”  Adam threw himself on the bed, gazed up at Chad and raised open arms, his rugged features beaming with that seductive Aussie smile.  “So come to bed, lover.“

<><>    Brian Plants A Seed    <><>

When he left the room Grady walked jauntily along the hallway butt naked, trailing his shorts behind him.

An accented voice behind him said, “That was a long medical exam, amico.”

Grady turned to see Mario who had just come up the stairs.  “And a thorough one, dude,” Grady chuckled.  “Where have you been?”

“Long planning session with Danny, making arrangements for tomorrow.  What’s your excuse?” Mario smiled. 

They had reached the master suite’s double doors at the end of the hall and when they walked in, their boy Brandon was there to greet them with a big smile. 

“Hello, sirs.  I set up brandy and aperitifs and waited to see if there’s anything else you want.”  He looked curiously at Grady.  “What happened to you, sir?  I thought Doctor Chad was just going to examine your foot. Why did he make you take your shorts off?”

“Not Chad, kiddo ... Adam.  Long story.”

“Which you are about to tell us,” Mario said.  “Can you stay, bambino?”

“You have to, Brian,” Grady agreed.  “You have to know everything to be my gossip-master.”

“Well, sir, I am due to spend the night with my boyfriend Brandon and his man Pete, but they’re making love right now so I can stay with you for a while to give them their space.  I’ll pour the brandy.”  He rolled his wheelchair up to the low coffee table and the men sprawled on the couch opposite him, Grady still naked..  “Should I take out my notebook, sir”

“Nah, better commit this one to memory, kiddo.  I get nervous when stuff I do is in writing or, worse still, photographed.”  He took a gulp of brandy.  “OK, so ... I went to Chad and Aam’s room where the doc raised my foot and pushed and probed.  He told me I should keep the foot elevated ... and that’s what set Adam off.  Said he wanted to examine my ass ...”

Grady went though the whole dramatic scene, sparing no details, while Brian stared wide-eyed and Mario smiled, knowing that this was exactly the kind of demeaning sex Grady craved, to counteract the adulation on the tour.

When Grady finished, Brian asked, “Did it hurt, sir?”

“Kiddo, when the action is that hot you don’t feel pain, just the ecstasy of getting spit roasted by two amazingly sexy hunks. It’s not love or anything.  Just the thrill of raw sex ... really raw sex. I reserve love for you guys – you’re my family.  Mario, for once in my life I’m not gonna ask you for a bedtime fuck.  Still sore back there.”

“I’m happy to hear it, Grady.  Much as I love fucking you, what I really treasure is sleeping with my arms round you.  I look forward to that all day.  For me that’s real love.

They chatted for a while longer, mostly Mario going over the plans for tomorrow.  Brian asked, “Sir, what about Mark, Jamie and Felipe?  I chatted to Felipe today while we worked in the kitchen and I think he’s still not totally sure where he fits in.  They all three love each other but he still gets kind of antsy over the actual sex thing – you know, three’s a crowd? 

“He said kinda what you just said about love.  Him and Jamie were best friends as well as lovers, kidding around, sharing their secrets as close friends do. A best friend is something he never had before in his life and, just like you said, sir, for him that’s real love.  I noticed when they’re all together everything’s fine until Mark makes little sexy gestures with Jamie.  Felipe turns his head away and his smile fades.”

“Molto astuto, bambino, very observant.  I can see why you deliver such high-quality gossip to our friend here.  But don’t worry.  This is the Grady House and we have ways of helping men see the truth.  I already have a plan.  Molto Bene, bedtime now, and don’t wake us up to early, Brian.  We’ll want to sleep in late.”

They said their goodnights and Grady pulled Mario into bed.  Brian wheeled himself down the hall to the guestroom he had assigned to Pete and Brandon.  He smiled to himself, knowing that the two had just had sex so now they could all relax and simply sleep together, as loving friends.   Mario was right, Brian thought.  There’s more to love than a good fuck.

<><>    Mario Hatches A Plot    <><>

The next morning the guests at the party were slow to stir.  Those who had made love late into the night were sleeping in late this morning.  Others were relying on morning sex to satisfy their raging hormones.  This was a very horny crowd of men and boys.

As a result, breakfast was a casual serve-yourself when-you-like buffet set out by several early-rising chefs – the twins Kyle and Kevin, and Danny and Tommy, two lovers who had risen together, in more ways than one.

The young redhead Will had the morning off so he could sleep in late with his stepdad, the rugged construction boss Seth.  Felipe was a later arrival at the kitchen to replenish the buffet, and to do early prep for lunch. 

The kitchen schedule for the five chefs plus Tommy, had been devised by Mario and Danny the previous night.  For some reason, known only to Mario, Felipe had been given lunchtime off, so after he finished the initial prep he was free to join Mark and Jamie at the buffet.  He had spent a blissful night with them, just cuddling, sleeping and dreaming, and had left them in bed this morning to make love.

Brian had extricated himself from the bed of Pete and Brandon where he had spent a blissful night.  He had been asked by Mario to keep a close eye on the trio of Mark, Jamie and Felipe, and report back to him so they could judge “when the time was right” he had said enigmatically.

Brian had keen antennas, honed by years of observing people closely to satisfy Grady’s thirst for gossip.  Now, as instructed, he watched the trio and still glimpsed moments of uneasiness under their otherwise relaxed and cheerful conversation. 

In mid morning, Mario and Grady made their appearance, sporting the usual afterglow that was a dead giveaway to all as to what they had been doing.  Brian gave his report to Mario, and Grady joined them, like three conspirators hatching a plot – which is just what they were.

As if on cue, Will had finally appeared, to report to the kitchen for lunch duty.  Mario waylaid him    and asked him to join the conspirators.  As Mario talked softly a smile spread over Will’s face and he said, “Leave everything to me, sir.”

There was a lot of lazing around, some nursing mild hangovers, a few swimming, and a mellow mood settled over the gathering.  When lunchtime approached Tommy came out to set up the tables, while Will walked unobtrusively out of the kitchen’s back door.  Carrying a large hamper he came over to Mario.  “Here it is, sir.  It has everything they could want, even three slices of my rhubarb pie.”

“Thank you, Will ... a valuable accessory to my plan.  OK, here we go.  Let’s see if it works. 

He picked up the hamper and walked across the lawn where Mark, Jamie and Felipe were chatting amiably.  Mario took a deep breath.  “Ciao, signori.  Are you enjoying yourselves?

Mark looked up and smiled.  “Hey, Mario.  I gotta say, you, Grady and your boys create such a great atmosphere here.  All sunshine and smiles.”

“Grazie, amico ... happy to hear you say that.  It’s a joy for us to see small families like you three relaxing together.  So, in the sprit of sunshine and smiles, Grady and I would like to extend an invitation to you. At every party here, we like introduce certain people to our Secret Garden.”

“Ah,” Mark grinned, “the famous secret garden we’ve heard so much about, eh guys?”

Jamie winked at Felipe. “Supposed to be magical, right?  Not that I believe in magic myself ...”

“Oh I do,” Felipe said.  “Like that day at the beach when I was feeling alone and desolate and I looked up to see a blond surfer skimming ashore.  When I plucked up the courage to speak to him, that was a magical moment for sure.  The surfer was you, Jamie, and look at me now.”

“Well,” Mario smiled, “you don’t have to believe in magic, because the Secret Garden takes care of all that.  And like your surfer at the beach, Felipe, it heals a lot of wounds, visible or not.  I recall how Randy and Bob had hit a rough patch that was all smoothed over in the garden.  Pete and Brandon the same thing.  And young Noah and Vic fell in love with cowboy Charly there.

“And now we believe the time as come to offer the key to you.  And, to addolcire la torta ... how you say, sweeten the pie? ... I have brought you this basket, which contains lunch for three, courtesy of chef Will.  To have lunch in the Secret Garden is one of the true joys of the Grady House.  I do hope you give it a try.”

Mark looked at Jamie and Felipe who were smiling broadly, and Jamie nodded eagerly.”

“Seems like a yes vote to me,” Mark chuckled.  “Mario, your generosity and kindness is a perfect antidote to the ugliness I see in my job every day on the city streets.  Please thank Grady and Brian for us.”

“Amico, you can thank Brian yourself as he is the keeper of the key and will show you the way to the garden.”  He beckoned Brian over and said, “These gentlemen would like to take lunch in the Secret Garden, bambino.”

Brian gave them a beaming smile.  “This way, sirs, follow me.”  He picked up the heavy basket and rested it on his wheelchair’s tray table, then wheeled himself strongly across the lawn and through the grounds, followed by the family of three.  Mark smiled at the boys, and Felipe clutched excitedly at Jamie’s arm.

They came eventually to what looked like an impenetrable high hedge. But Brian found the spot where he pulled branches aside and revealed the ancient wooden door.  He turned the key and the door creaked open.  He backed up and handed the key to Mark. “Please lock the door when you leave, sir.   And this basket is yours.  As Mario would say, Buon appetito, signori.” 

In an instant he was gone.

<><>    Do You Believe In Magic?    <><>

Felipe had taken the basket from Brian and now carried it through the door with Mark and Jamie.  They closed the door behind them and stopped, as everyone did when first entering the garden, and listened to ... the silence, the deep stillness.  The garden was surrounded on all four sides by the dense high hedge that allowed no sounds from outside.

As they became attuned to the silence they became aware of the faint sound of trickling water, and they headed in that direction.   

Mario had let the garden run wild – tall grasses, brambles, untrimmed trees allowed to grow free.  And that freedom permeated everything, especially visitors to the garden. Mark and the boys followed a faint path and the sound grew louder until they arrived at a clearing by a stream with a tiny waterfall. 

The grass was shorter here and they settled down by the stream.  They smiled at each other, almost shyly, and Jamie said simply, “Incredible.”

Mark said, “Like you, Jamie, I don’t believe in magic, until I meet someone like Mario.  That man is magic – so gentle, warm and outgoing.  I’ve always admired his deep love for Grady – his constant aim in life is to take care of him.  And that can’t be easy, given his lifestyle where even their love has to be hidden from the outside world.  You’ve seen how Mario subtly questions any newcomer to the tribe before he can meet Grady.

“So here we are, guys.  What’s in the basket, Felipe?”

It was tacitly acknowledged that Felipe, being one of the chefs, would be in charge of lunch.  He opened the hamper, pulled out a blue tablecloth and spread it on an even patch of ground beside the stream.  “Wow, will you look at that,” he said.

They looked into the deep hamper and saw, as Will had promised Mario, everything needed for lunch – the food, carefully wrapped, plates, cutlery and wine glasses.  Felipe pulled out a bottle of Chablis and cast an expert eye over the label.  “Hmm, a very nice dry white wine.”  He extracted the cork, gave a glass each to Mark and Jamie, and poured the wine.  He poured a glass for himself and said to Mark, “Will you propose a toast, sir?”

“OK,” Mark smiled.  “To family.”

“To family,” they echoed, clinked glasses, then drank.  

“Hmm,” Felipe said, “very nice, would go well with fish.” He took a cloth off the basket’s contents and smiled.  “Ta-dah ... salmon, salad and baby potatoes.  Chef Will really knows his stuff.”

Within minutes the plates were set out on the tablecloth and the three men were eating, and sipping wine.  “Drink up, guys,” Felipe said, “Will put another bottle in the hamper.”

Nothing more was said for a while as the they relished the food and surrendered to the silence of the secret garden, broken only by the sound of trickling water and the breeze blowing softly through the long grass. 

Finally Jamie smiled at Felipe and said, “Happy, bro?”

“You remember, Jamie, when we ate lunch at the beach in Paradise Cove how I said I had never felt happier in my life?  Then later, when we made love, I said it again, and several times since.  And every time it was true – each time I felt a little bit happier than the time before.  It keeps going up.  And it’s true now.  I have never felt happier than at this moment.

“It’s partly the effect of the Secret Garden, I suppose, but mostly it’s being with you guys.  Can’t exactly put my finger on it ...”

“I think I can, kiddo,” Mark said.  “It’s family – being part of a small loving family.  But still, Felipe, I sense that, underneath that happiness, there was still something digging away at you that got in the way of full contentment.”

“You’re right, sir, and I worked out what it is. See, I fell in love with Jamie and then realized I loved his man too – you sir.  But this threesome thing was hard for me to understand and I had a real fear of coming between you two.”

Jamie said, “But I tried to reassure you that was nonsense, dude.”

‘Yes and I believed you especially when Mark told me his love for you was so strong that there was room for someone else, maybe a kind of brother for Jamie.”

“But ...?” Mark smiled.  “There must be a ‘but’ in there.”

“There is, sir.  It was the sex that still troubled me.  Oh, I loved having sex with Jamie, then with you, sir, but I didn’t have the long sexual history you have with each other.  I guess I was a little envious when I would see you smile at Jamie and touch his hand or cheek, and I knew you both had hard-ons and wanted to make love.”

“You still feel that, Felipe?” Mark frowned.

“No, sir.  See, there were so many moments when I was with you both that made me happy” – even,” he smiled, ‘the happiest I had been in my life’ – that I realized that was it.  The happiness of that moment was it ... all the love, friendship and joy that I could ever want. 

Like right now, in this beautiful place.  Sitting here I’m not thinking about sex at all – worrying where I’ll fit in, who will fuck who.  And when you drank ‘to family’ sir, I felt my heart leap.  Maybe that split second was truly the happiest I have ever been.”

Suddenly Felipe blushed.  “Oh, I have been talking a lot haven’t I?  A bit like Eddie.  Sorry, I didn’t mean to blab away like that.  Must be the Secret Garden or something.”

Mark laughed.  “Now I see why Mario urged us to come here, gave us the key and asked the twins to give you lunchtime off from the kitchen.  This place is where guys come to pour their hearts out.  OK, Jamie, you’re turn next.”

“My story is less complicated,” Jamie smiled.  “Sir, you know how much I love you and our lives together, and that will never change.  Of course I was always the junior partner, always waiting on the bed for when you come home from work, always sure of your advice and protection.   

“I didn’t realize at the time that I also wanted someone closer to my own age where I could be the protector and advisor – like a brother who’d had a much tougher life than I had, and needed the affection and advice of a big brother. Someone I can gossip and laugh with, and share my highs and lows.

“’Course I didn’t realize that when I found such a brother we would fall in love with each other, and that you would love him too, Mark.  That was the icing on the cake.  I guess you could say that this is the happiest I’ve been too,” he smiled 

“But what about you, sir?  Felipe and I were talking the other day and saying we’re not entirely sure why you feel the way you do.  You don’t talk about yourself as much as the other guys do.”

Mark chuckled.  “No, I guess I do keep it buttoned up, eh?  Comes from being a tight-lipped cop I suppose.  But, as this strange little garden seems to loosen lips and make men eager to talk, here goes.

“I may have mentioned to you, Jamie, that way back I had a girlfriend, and we loved each other, I suppose, but there was always something missing.  I wanted a family, she just wanted to have fun.  Then one day my life changed when I pulled over a Mercedes driving unsteadily through Griffith Park.  When the driver lowered the window I was staring at one of the most beautiful men I had ever seen – Bob, of course.

“At that moment I knew what I wanted.  I took him to some bushes in the park and told him I wouldn’t give him a drunk-driving ticket if ... if he would strip naked.  He did, I pulled out my dick and busted a load just staring at him.

We parted quickly, but later I realized I still had his driver’s license, so the next day I went to his house to return it.  You know the story from there.  I fell in love with Bob, still am, but I still had this thing about wanting a family, specifically a son.  I wanted a guy I could nurture, protect, watch him grow.

“Then I met you, Jamie.  You were a smartass street-kid, but I saw something special in that needy kid.  Maybe deep down I saw the son I had never had, a boy who had lost his way in life and needed a strong man to set him on the right path – who better than a cop?

“The boy and I fell in love and then, years later, he met a guy at the beach who badly needed help.  He brought him home, like a brother, and I felt I had two kids instead of one.  My greatest joy, Jamie, was watching you pay it forward – showing the same kind of love and support to a troubled boy that you had once received.  I had once embraced a down-on-his luck kid, and now I watched that same kid wrap his arms round Felipe.

“You are both too old to be my sons, but still, I think of you as my boys.  At last I had the family I had always craved.  And that, guys, is why I proposed the toast ‘To Family’.”

There was a long silence after that as they watched water flowing down the little stream as it always would, even when nobody was there to see or hear.  It would flow forever, much like the love these three men shared.

“Is there any more wine, Felipe?” Mark asked.  Felipe filled their glasses again and Mark raised his.  “Another toast, guys ... to the Secret Garden.”

“The Secret Garden.”

Felipe looked in the hamper and said, “But wait – there’s more.  Will’s famous rhubarb pie if I’m not mistaken.  Now, or later?”

Mark said, “Guys, I think I’d like to explore the garden, be on my own a bit and let all this sink in as I breathe in the cool air of this amazing place.”

Jamie glanced at Felipe and said, “We’ll stay here, sir, maybe take a nap.”

“Good idea kids.  Won’t be long.”

Mark walked off through the long grass and dense trees, pushing the brambles aside.  On the far side, where he could no longer hear the water or anything else, he sat on a tree-stump and let his mind wander over everything he and the boys had said, expressing their deepest feelings as they never had before. 

And he realized one undeniable truth – that like the boys, he was at this exact moment probably happier than he had ever been.

After meditating for a while he wandered back toward the boys.  As he approached the clearing he heard no voices, and when he broke through the trees he saw why.  The boys were lying in the grass asleep, Felipe’s face resting on Jamie’s chest, Jamie’s hand wrapped round his friend’s head. 

Tears came to Mark’s eyes.  These were his boys, his family. 

He smiled and murmured, “Guess I do believe in magic after all.”

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

TO BE CONTINUED in “A Trial Of Strength” – Book 13: Chapter 3