Trial Of Strength (Book 13)

"THE RANGER & THE WILDMAN PLAY ROUGH"

Young Brandon has an attack of insecurity but his pal, the young redheaded chef Will, helps reassure him. The boys spend a day with their men – Brandon’s strong, handsome Ranger Pete, and Will’s stepdad, the tough shaggy construction boss Seth. The men play chess, where the stakes are high – winner takes the loser’s ass. One topman pounds the other in a wild no-holds-barred takedown.

In the previous chapter

The festive gathering of the tribe at the Grady House was approaching its climax.

The owners of the spacious house – the movie star Grady and his Italian lover Mario – had created such a relaxed and loving atmosphere that several of the couples there, who had lately been drifting apart, revived their former passion and reasserted their love. 

The concept of small loving families was also strengthened, which pleased the co-founder of the tribe, Bob.  “I see that as a great development.  A large family like the tribe is stronger if it’s made up of loving couples and small family components.  All we have to do is help with the logistics.”

One such strengthened family of four consisted of the company’s good-looking mechanic Pablo and his lover, the young black construction boss Darius, and their boys Tyler and Ryan.  Bob was quick to offer help with the ‘logistics’ as he called it. 

Bob’s lover, the rugged gypsy boss Randy, watched as Bob took charge.  Randy growled, “And I suppose you’ve got it all worked out as usual, dude.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say I have it all worked out, but I do have a few ideas.” Bob was referring to the house for sale across the street from the tribe’s compound, which he thought would be perfect for the young family of four.  He discussed the possibility of Darius and Pablo buying the house and, as a skilled financier, he offered to help them apply for a loan and secure a mortgage.

As co-leaders of the tribe, as well as lovers, handsome businessman Bob was known by all the guys as the brains of the outfit, and the macho construction boss Randy, the brawn.  And as Randy said later, “Dude, when you act all brainy, I gotta get brawny and go a bit wild.

Which Randy later did in a dramatic display of force and passion in a remote part of the grounds.  Watching his virile lover take charge of things had excited Randy sexually.  He tied Bob to a tree and was so turned by the homoerotic sight of the shirtless musclehunk that he jerked off to a massive orgasm.  He fell to his knees before the man he idolized and sucked his cock until Bob blasted cum all over the gypsy’s face in a spontaneous hands-free climax.

Randy untied Bob who sank to the ground and they lay on the grass, panting in each other’s arms.  Randy grinned, “Buddy, there is no one, absolutely no one in the world like you.”

“And thank god there’s only one crazy gypsy like you, Randy.  The world’s not big enough for two of those.” 

They sighed deeply, held onto each other, and were beginning to doze off when they heard a deep voice. “Well, well, look what we have here.”

They looked up at the man towering over them – their buddy, the blond muscle-cop Mark.

=========    Book 13: Chapter 5    =========

<><>    Drenched    <><>  

At the big weekend gathering of the tribe, the cop Mark was walking through the spacious grounds of the Grady House with his lover Jamie and their buddy Nate, all of them barefoot wearing only boardshorts.  Mark was a little ahead of them as he walked into a grove of trees and stopped in amazement.

Lying in a grassy clearing were the two founders of the tribe – the rugged gypsy Randy and his lover, handsome business executive Bob.  Both were shirtless in jeans and had clearly just had exhausting, wild sex.  Their spent cocks were hanging out of their open jeans, Randy was smothered in cum and Bob’s cock was still dripping with the final drops of a gushing orgasm.  On the ground was a discarded rope, evidence, no doubt, of a bondage scene.

The blond muscle-cop Mark had long been in love with both men, and now smiled down at them.  “Well, well, no need to ask what you two have been doing.  “Hey guys,” he shouted, “get your butts in here.”

Mark’s young lover, the blond surfer Jamie, came through the trees, with his long-time buddy, the sexy young Aussie Nate.  They too stopped in amazement and stared down at the men, lying together on their backs on the grass.”

“Hey guys,” Randy grinned leaning back on his elbows.  “Sorry, but you’re a tad late for the main action.”

“No need to apologize, stud,” Mark chuckled, “you look just fine the way you are.  What do you think, boys?”

“Too right, mate,” Nate said in his Aussie drawl. “I’d say these blokes can stay right where they are and leave the rest to us.”

“Wonder who fucked who,” Jamie said.

“No one got fucked,” Bob smiled.  “But the blowjob and jerk-offs were epic.”

“Sure looks like it,” Mark said, “jizz everywhere.  Think we should clean them up, guys?”

Jamie and Nate grinned roguishly at each other and chorused, “Nah.”  Nate added, “just the opposite I’d say mates.  Dunno about you but I’ve got a massive boner.”

“OK, guys.  Let’s do it.”

The two boss-men could have protested but they were tired, no fight left in them.  Besides, they were still in afterglow.  It felt good lying here on the grass ... so what if there was a tad more cum?”

Actually, it was more a torrent than a tad.  Mark and the boys stood around them, pulled their dicks out of their shorts and stroked hard.   What they were looking down at was, as Nate said, pornographic – two hot-looking guys, lovers, with chiseled features and sculpted, cum-soaked bodies.   “Enough to make anyone bust a load.” Mark grinned.

Which is exactly what they did.  Mark yelled, “OK, guys, you ready? All together now ... yeaahh!”

Randy and Bob stared up at the three stiff dicks as they erupted.  They howled with laughter as they were swamped with semen from the cop and the two jocks, splashing down on their faces and bare chests.”

“Wow, will you look at that, mates!” Nate drawled.

“Look at what, guys?”  Their buddy Zack had just come into the clearing.  “What’s all the noise about ...” he stopped short ... “Holy shit,” he grinned down at the two hunky leaders of the tribe lying on the ground drenched in semen.  “Man that’s hot, all the guys should see this ... hell, we could sell tickets.  “Hey, Darius,” he yelled, “spread the word.  Y’all gotta see this.”

“Word sped round the group and in minutes the clearing was crowded with men and boys all gawping as the spectacle.  Zack yelled, “OK, the line forms here, men.  Take your turn.”

From then on it was Semen Central, as the white juice poured down on the lovers from all sides.  Bob and Randy laughed as they shielded their faces, and each other, from the downpour, when suddenly Grady broke though the crowd.  “Hey can anyone join?” he grinned and threw himself down on the ground between the writhing men, his face and body turned upward to get his share of the shower.

That surprising move inspired the crowd to even greater effort, encouraged by the chance to shoot their jizz all over the famous muscle-jock action hero, wearing the red shorts of his movie role as lifeguard captain. There were still many men and boys to go, with some of the more potent ones going back for seconds.

But eventually the crowd was sated, cocks were drained, and Grady gabbed his own cock and added his own gushing contribution the mass of sperm running over his face while he yelled, “I love you guys.”

Randy got to his feet and pulled Bob up beside him.  Together they pulled Grady up between them and raised his arms in triumph, all three men with cum streaming down their bodies.  The crowd’s cheers were deafening, and when he could make himself heard Grady shouted, “OK, I’m ready to go back to work ... a place where I’m treated well, flash-bulbed and idolized, not like this gang of dickheads who treat me like shit and drown me in jism.”

“Aaah!”  The unruly crowd mobbed him, pushing and shoving until he fell laughing into Mario’s arms, a happy, satisfied man.

<><>    Madcap To Mellow    <><>

The crowd followed the three victims to the pool and pushed them in to wash off the juice of so many horny men.  Zack grinned at Mark.  “That pool better have a real strong filter to handle all that thick creamy jizz.”

An excited Tyler said to Eddie, “That looked totally awesome ... did you get it on video, dude?”

“Nah, I wanted to but Mario don’t like videos of Grady like that, and he’s right.  Sure, I keep them in a safe, but if a video like that ever sneaked out it would be curtains for his career.”

By now everyone was crowding the bar for pre-dinner drinks.  Mario joined Randy and Bob at a small table and raised his glass.  “I drink to you, signori, with thanks for everything you and your big, wonderful family have done for Grady and me.  At the start of the weekend I confided to you that Grady was exhausted after that grueling publicity tour, treated everywhere like royalty.

“Well, he is Hollywood Royalty, Mario.”

“I know, Bob, but he hates that side of it.  When it overwhelms him he craves the reverse, to be as just one of the guys.  He loves all the teasing, being pelted with bread, spit-roasted by Adam and Chad, and now smothered in the cum of the whole tribe.  What he said just now – ‘I’m ready to go back to work’ – was ... how you say ... musica to my ears?”

“Mario,” Bob said, “anytime you want any of us to help Grady in his stressful life, we’ll be ready.”

From then on the mood of the afternoon shifted from madcap to mellow as men and boys wound down from their weekend exertions and thoughts turned to their week ahead.  Bob knew better than anyone that a lot of good seeds had been sown, but much work would be needed to make them blossom.

The final dinner that evening included an elaborate tribute to the chefs and their helpers, and expressions of gratitude from the leaders of the tribe for the gracious hospitality of Mario, Grady and their hardworking boy Brian.

For good measure Grady rose to add his thanks, but when he became long-winded – (“which reminds me of a story I once heard...”) – he was pelted with chunks of bread, a response he had hoped for, one that was becoming a ritual at these gatherings and made him howl with laughter.

The atmosphere around the table was bitter-sweet, with warm memories of a joyful weekend tinged with regret that it was coming to an end – until the next Grady-House party.

<><>    Concerns Over Brandon   <><>

A few of the guests left after dinner, but most strung out the pleasure for another night and left next morning after an early breakfast, the last meal served by the chefs.  The party broke up and men and boys went off to their jobs – on one of the four construction sites, or in the business office. 

Some went to jobs outside the tribe – the cop Mark to patrol the streets on his motorcycle, the Marine Hassan back to his military base, Doctor Chad to his hospital, and Forest Ranger Pete “back to the woods”, as his boy Brandon teasingly dubbed it. 

No mind was more focused than Bob’s, who was determined that plans made in the heady days of the party didn’t wither and die. 

For starters, he had a meeting with his office manager Brandon and they dispatched Brandon’s young computer expert Ryan, along with Pablo’s boy Tyler, to the construction site where the excited Tyler was to become the manager of the new mechanics’ parts warehouse, an arrangement that thrilled the boy as he would be working close to his hero Pablo.

Next, Bob turned his attention to the much-discussed purchase of a house across the street by Pablo and his lover Darius, for them and their boys, a family of four.  Bob went over to see the current owners, to alert the grateful old couple that he might have found a buyer for their house, subject to loan approval by the bank.

Then he pored over the tax returns of Pablo and Darius, which he himself had prepared, and compiled a loan application for the boys.  He took it to the bank manager who, over the years, had become Bob’s friend.  They worked on the application together, made a few adjustments, and Bob got the manager’s assurance that the loan would eventually be approved.

Bob went back to the office and gave Brandon the details to enter into the boys’ personnel files.  “OK, Brandon, I’ll be in my office at home if you need me.  Your staff is a bit depleted, though, as Ryan’s away, so are you sure you can manage with just Vic and Noah?”

“No problem, sir,” Brandon smiled.  “We’ve got all the new computer programs ticking over nicely now, so we can manage. 

“Good.  Because we don’t want a repeat of that time not so long ago when you burned out from overwork and worried your man Pete.  If it all gets too much be sure to alert me.

“I’ll be fine, sir, don’t worry.  I’m sure I won’t have to bother you.”

As Bob walked over to the house he shared with Randy, he frowned, wondering if Brandon’s assurance to him had sounded just a little too confident.  Bob knew that Brandon took pride in his job as office manager, pride that could spill over into a false belief that he could cope.  Part of that, Bob thought, was a spillover from his fierce independence that, even in a wheelchair, he could do most everything the other guys could.

In his home office Bob opened his laptop, got to work and put the issue of Brandon out of his mind for now.  But there were several reminders during the day.  At lunchtime Bob paid his usual visit to the kitchen, with his customary, “Everything going OK in here today, guys?”

The twins smiled and Kevin said, “As you see, sir, ticking over nicely.  We decided to give each of the chefs generous time off this week, to compensate for all the hard work they all did up at the Grady House.  Felipe is off today so he can spend the day with Jamie and Nate before they start work again on Grady’s movie.  Ah, and here comes Will.”

“Hello, sir,” the young redhead said brightly, carry a pile of empty lunch boxes, the top one tucked under his chin.  Bob ran forward.  “Let me help you with those, William.  You just got back from delivering lunches to the construction crews, I see.

“Yes sir, and to Ryan and Tyler in the warehouse.  They seemed to be getting on like a house on fire.”

“Delighted to hear it,” Bob smiled, “though maybe not the best analogy as they are setting up a warehouse full of flammable parts.”

“Yes, sorry sir,” Will grinned.  “Now I promised to take Brandon’s lunch over to the office.  He’s working through the lunch break.”

“He is?” Bob frowned.  He considered going to tackle Brandon again but decided that the boy would find it demeaning that the boss was checking up on him so much.  Again the subject left his mind as Will said,” I’m getting Wednesday off, sir, and it’s my dad Seth’s day off too so we’ll spend it together, mostly in Seth’s house next door.  I’ll cook him lunch and dinner over there.  He works so hard, I’m looking forward to pampering him.”

“Sounds idyllic,” Bob smiled.  “OK, I won’t hold you up anymore, Brandon will be getting hungry.  Make sure he stops working to eat, and doesn’t bolt his food.”

This time Bob couldn’t quite push the subject from his mind, but he thought he would let it ride a bit longer and have a word with Pete later.  However, the opportunity came sooner than he expected.

Bob was at his desk, a little late going down to dinner, when Randy came stomping in, bent down and kissed him.   He was still in his sweaty work clothes and Bob playfully pushed him away – “Ugh”, you smell like the city dump.”

“You always get off on it when I stink.”

“Don’t fool yourself, Randy. Go take a shower, you’re not sitting at the dinner table like that.”

“You have a mean mouth on you, you know that.  OK, OK, grouch.  But first I want a proper welcome home.”  He hauled Bob up from behind his desk, pulled him into a bearhug and kissed him ravenously.  He reached down and felt Bob’s hard-on in his slacks.  “Ready for sex, I see.”

“You know I am, always with you, but you’re not getting any until after dinner.”

“OK, just testing – checking to make sure you’re ready for it.  Does my ego good.”

“Idiot.  Stop talking nonsense, and shower fast.  The guys will be expecting us at dinner on our first day back in the house.”

“Fuck you, man.  Which I will later.”

Randy stomped off to the bathroom shedding clothes as he went.”  Bob picked the dirty clothes up off the floor, rolled his eyes and sighed, like an indulgent mother with a messy child.

<><>    Worse Than I Thought    <><>

They were, as always, warmly greeted at the dinner table, Randy now wearing clean jeans and T-shirt which, as everyone knew, Bob had insisted on.

As they sat down together Bob realized that Pete was on his own with an empty space beside him for Brandon’s wheelchair.  “Where’s Brandon, Pete?” Bob asked.

“Still working in the office, Bob.  Says he’s finishing up a few things.”

“Oh dear,” Bob murmured and stood up.  “Let’s go see what’s up, Pete

As they walked toward the office, Pete frowned, “I’m worried, Bob.  Remember that breakdown he had a couple of months ago?  I’m afraid he’s getting close to another one, or something like it.  He always talks about pleasing you, Bob, as well as me.”

“I’m afraid that must be my fault, Pete.”

“No, no, I wasn’t implying that. No way it’s your fault, it’s just the way he is. I think he’s afraid if he messes up or misses deadlines we’ll think it’s because the wheelchair slows him down.”

“Dammit, Pete, I thought he was beyond all that – that he ignores that chair the same as he wants everyone else to ignore it.”  As they went into the office Brandon barely raised his head from his laptop.  “Hey Brandon,” Bob said cheerfully, trying to sound casual.  “I found this guy sitting all alone at dinner.  I think he’s missing someone.”

At last Brandon looked up with a stubborn expression.  “Please don’t sugarcoat what you’re doing sir, it’s rather insulting.  You’ve come to tell me to stop working because Pete asked you to.  You’re ganging up on me.  I can’t stop now until I’ve finished this.  Three guys quit the construction crew and Randy hired three more, so I have to close out the old personnel files and create three others.”

“Brandon,” Bob said gently, “payroll doesn’t go out until Friday, four days from now.  It’ll keep.  You already ate lunch at you desk, you can’t eat dinner there too.”

Brandon looked up defiantly, slammed his laptop shut and snapped, “OK, sir, you’re the boss.”  He wheeled himself to the door and down the short ramp that Randy had built.  Bob looked at Pete and sighed.  “Worse than I thought,” he murmured.  “He has to take time off.”

The three of them resumed their places at table, with Brandon wheeling his chair sullenly next to Pete.  There was an awkward hush round the table for a while until the loud chatter resumed. They all discretely avoided eye contact with Brandon or Bob, all except for the young redheaded chef Will who glanced meaningfully at Bob. 

Will was a close friend of Brandon and knew exactly what was going on.  He saw the stubborn set to Brandon’s pursed lips, and caught the troubled look in Bob’s eye, even though Bob managed a weak smile, with a shrug of his shoulders.  Will turned to his stepdad Seth sitting next to him, and spoke softly.  Seth listened, then grinned and nodded with a quiet reply.

Will took a deep breath and looked at Brandon.  “Hey, dude, I have an idea.  Seth and me have this Wednesday off and we’ll be spending it relaxing around his house next door.   Why don’t you and Pete spend the day with us?  I’ll cook lunch and dinner and we’ll have a nice laidback day.  Long time since we all spent time together like that.”

Brandon stared at him coldly.  “Dude, I know what you’re doing.  You’re only saying that ‘cos you feel sorry for me.  I hate for guys to feel sorry for me, because of the wheelchair or whatever else.  You’re ganging up with Pete and Bob and I don’t appreciate that.  I thought you were my friend.  Apparently not.”

Stung, Will recoiled and his freckled face blushed deep red.  Tears brimmed in his eyes and he looked down at his food to hide his embarrassment.  

Brandon loved Will, one of his oldest friends, and was shocked to realize what he had just said.  He reached across the table and cupped Will’s hands in his.  “Dude, I’m sorry, you know I didn’t me that.  You’re my buddy and I insulted you.  I don’t what I was thinking. I don’t ... can’t ...”

He faltered to a halt and Will rescued him.  “Hey, no harm done, Brandon.  You can snap away all you like, we’re still pals.  Come to the kitchen with me.”  Will stood up, came round the table to Brandon and they made for the kitchen, leaving an embarrassed silence behind them.   

There were always plenty of private squabbles between guys in the tribe, but it was rare for the whole tribe to watch someone they love falling apart in front of them.  A stunned Pete said, “Should we go to them Bob?”

“Nah, you know what I always say, Pete.  If we leave it to the boys they can usually sort stuff out for themselves.  And Will is a good friend.”

“He’s the best,” Randy agreed. “If young Red can’t solve the problem no one can.”

<><>    Will’s Heart-To-Heart With Brandon    <><>

When Will and Brandon went into the kitchen there was an awkward silence at first, but Will soon broke the ice.  “You know, the twins and I usually sip wine while we work in the kitchen, and there’s half a bottle left – a very nice Pinot Noir.  We should be able to polish it off between us.”  He brought the bottle and two glasses to the butcherblock table in the middle of the room and sat facing each other.

“Will,” Brandon said, “I don’t know why you’re being so nice to me after I insulted you in front of the whole tribe.”

“Ah, that’s what friends are for, kiddo, to forgive and forget.  I know you didn’t mean it.”

“But why did I say it, Will, especially after being just as rude to Pete and Bob, men I love?  I just don’t know why.”

“I think I do, Buddy,” Will said casually, taking a casual sip of wine.

“You do?  So tell me, Will.  What’s going on with me?”

Well, it’s overwork of course, but it goes deeper than that.  You know, the other day Bob was in here chatting with the twins about food and cooking, and he used a word that stuck in my mind.  He was saying that when some chefs tackle mild, bland food – like cod, say – they overcompensate by loading it up with herbs and spices and it smothers the true taste.”

“So ...?”

“So that was the word – overcompensate, and that’s what’s going on with you.”

“Overcompensating for what?”

“For being in a wheelchair, dummy.  Look kid, you want everyone to ignore your wheelchair and we do – treat you like one of the guys.  But here’s the thing – I don’t think you yourself can ignore the wheelchair.  I mean, you’ve always prided yourself on being able to do most everything the other guys can do ... and you can. 

“But I don’t think deep down you quite believe that, so you’re always trying to prove it – to Bob and Pete, but mostly to yourself.  When you lived alone years ago, every day was a struggle to get through the day all by yourself.  But you know what?  Even though your life’s great now, you still see every day as a challenge, to prove you can be perfect at everything you do.

“Cos here’s the deal, Brandon, you’re afraid that if you make a mistake or fail to complete something on time, like your stupid payroll, guys like Bob will think it’s because the wheelchair slows you down.

“Of course, that’s total bullshit, Brandon.  The fact is, we all make mistakes, we all come up short sometimes, but we just apologize, or laugh it off, and get on with life.” 

“But Will, I always want Pete and Bob to be proud of me.  That’s why I work so hard.”

“But dude they are proud of you, you must know that.  And they’re proud of you not because you do well for a boy in a wheelchair, but because you do well, period – as an office manager and a lover.  They forget about the wheelchair, like you want everyone to.”

“You really honestly think they’re proud of me, Will?” Brandon asked plaintively.

“Dude, you prob’ly don’t know that when Bob does the rounds, and comes in here after visiting the office, he’s always in a good mood.  He says he never has to worry about the office ‘cos you’re in charge and do such a great job.  As for Pete, you only have to see the look in his eyes when he smiles at you to know he’s eaten up with pride – and wants to eat you up too.

“Those kids Vic and Noah love and respect you too.  Just don’t push them too hard, the way you push yourself. Don’t turn them into workaholics too.

“Look, Brandon, the bottom line is this – If you keep on with this workaholic burnout stuff, you draw attention to the damn wheelchair.  But if you allow yourself to be human, make mistakes and correct them like everyone else, if you close the office at five o’clock and leave things unfinished, then you really are one of us, and we’ll all forget the damn chair even exists.  You won’t be Superboy, you’ll be just like one of us.  And I thought that was the name of the game.”

There were tears in Brandon’s eyes as he looked at his freckle-faced friend sipping the last of the wine with a satisfied expression, having had his say.”

“Dude,” Brandon asked.  “That offer you made about Wednesday.  Does it still hold?”

“Of course it does.  It would be great for Seth and me to have you and Pete there with us.  We can get a bit scratchy with each other sometimes, so you two would be good for us.  You think you can swing it?”

“I know Bob would give me the day off, after all this. And Pete has so much accrued comp time I’m sure he could get Wednesday off.  So yeah, I can swing it.  Something to look forward to.”

“Terrific,” Will laughed.  “Now let’s get back to the table before I faint with hunger.”

“And thanks for the pep-talk, buddy.  Just what I needed.”

When they returned to the table the smiles on their faces brought sighs of relief all round.  Seth gave his boy Will a thumbs up, and Bob smiled at Pete, “Told you so, Ranger.” 

When Brandon was back beside Pete he asked him about a Wednesday break and Pete nodded enthusiastically.  Then Brandon tapped a spoon on his class for attention, but the din was so loud no one heard.  Randy boomed, “Listen up, guys.  Brandon has something to say.”

All eyes turned to Brandon, who said, “Gentlemen, in the last few days I’ve been an idiot. I made mistakes and I apologize to everyone.  Will told me that it’s human to make mistakes, and if you apologize your friends will forgive you.”

“Too right mate,” shouted Adam in his Aussie drawl, followed by loud cheers and applause.

Brandon raised his hand for silence.  “I especially want to say sorry to my man Pete and my boss Bob for giving them a hard time.  And one last big shoutout to the two guys in the office, Vic and Noah.  I’ve been pushing them hard lately and they never once complained.  Sorry guys, from here on things get better.”

The boys blushed and Pete kissed Brandon’s cheek.  “Well done, kiddo.  I’m proud of you.”

Opposite them, Randy ruffled Will’s red hair.  “You did great, Red.  Whatever you said to your buddy worked like a charm.  You’re quite the peacemaker – you’ll grow up to become Bob one day.  Er, not to be selfish or anything, but that special Scotch of mine ...”

Will smiled.  “Johnnie Walker Blue Label, right here, sir.”  He produced a bottle he had been nursing under the table.  “I brought it out from your private stash in the kitchen.”

“You’re a champ, Red.  Remind me to fuck you one day soon, with Seth’s approval, of course.”

Will grinned.  “Any time you like, sir.  Just say the word.”

<><>   Civilizing A Wildman    <><>

Before Wednesday came, Bob met with the boys in the office and made arrangements to take over in Brandon’s absence.  “I’ll work with you on Tuesday, Brandon, so you can bring me up to speed on your latest activities.  Then I’ll replace you on Wednesday ... if you guys don’t mind me being your boss for a day,” he smiled at Ryan, Vic and Noah.  In fact they loved the idea of showing off their skills to the tribe’s sexy boss.

Seth arranged for his foreman to run his construction site, and Randy said he would check in to make sure things were running smoothly.  Pete had no problem taking a comp day off, and Felipe filled in for Will in the kitchen.

Bob always loved to see how the tribe rallied at times like this when one of their number needed help.  He said as much to Randy who grinned, “There you go again, buddy, arranging everyone’s life for them like a circus ringmaster cracking a whip.  I told you at the Grady-House how it turns me on watching you take charge.  I also told you what you can except – except I’ll be the one with the whip.”

“Randy, after a full day at the office I’ll be dog tired.”

“I’ll be the judge of that, dude.”

So everything fell into in place, and when Wednesday came Pete and Brandon had the luxury of not having to leap out of bed and dress for work.  Pete made leisurely love with his boy, then Brandon left Pete dozing and ran eagerly across the street to Seth’s house to help Will with breakfast.  When he went into the house he heard Will clattering around the kitchen.

Will’s freckled face broke into a smile and he tossed an apron and chef’s hat to Brandon.  It was Will’s strict rule that anyone preparing food in his kitchen wore the standard dark green apron and a toque, a white chef’s hat.

“Hey, Brandon, welcome to our home.  We’re gonna have a great day.”

“I know, right?  I left Pete dozing in bed but he’ll be here soon.”

“Seth’s still in bed too,” Will said, “so I thought we’d set up a proper cooked breakfast for the guys in the garden.  I’ve left a coffee pot and cups out there for when they get up.  See those eggs over there?  Could you crack them and whip them with a little butter and milk for omelets?”

The close friends chatted as they worked. Will said, “The garden’s pretty much a wilderness but Seth says he’ll ask Finn and Mario to tart it up once they’ve got their landscaping business up and running.”  Will chuckled, “Right now it kinda matches wildman Seth himself.”

“I see what you mean,” Brandon smiled.  “Seth is what Bob calls a ‘man of the earth’, which is what everyone finds so sexy about him.  You and your stepdad are an odd couple in a way.  I mean, here you are, a gourmet chef, an expert on wines, learning the sophisticated ways of the twins, who learned from Bob.  And Seth is this craggy, sexy construction boss.”

“I know,” Will laughed.  “And like I said to you the other day, we have our scratchy moments like any couple. But we love each other a whole lot, he’s protective of me, and that overcomes all the differences.   Some of the boys ask me if I try to civilize him, but I tell them if I did that he wouldn’t be Seth anymore, not the real Seth.

“It’s a bit like Bob and Randy really.  There you have a sophisticated business executive from Marin County, a blazer-and-slacks man with a quick brain.  And his exact opposite, a shaggy gypsy from the mean streets of West Texas in greasy, sweaty work clothes who’s quick with his fists.  But you could never find two guys as close as they are, totally in love.”

Will grinned.  “Sure, Bob makes Randy change out of this dirty work clothes before dinner, and corrects him when he blurts out something off-color.  But he’ll never really change him, and doesn’t want to.  When Randy gets home from the construction site and bursts into their bedroom all hot and horny, Bob knows what he’s in for ... and he loves it.  Many’s the smart drees shirt that end up in shreds.”

“Do you ever correct Seth like that, dude?  I mean, you spend so much time together, you must have some things in common.”

Will chuckled.  “Sometimes I kick him under the table when he says something crude, or I subtlely suggest that he wear a different shirt.  But he loves to hear about my day and what I’ve been up to in the kitchen.  Oh, there is one thing I’ve done that’ll surprise you.  I taught him to play chess.”

“Chess?!”

“Yeah, can you believe it?  And he’s got surprisingly good at it.  See, chess calls for a lot of concentration, and when he comes home after a day of hard physical labor he’s ready to exercise his brain – a kind of relaxation.  He really gets off on it.”

“Pete is a good chess-player.  He’s taught me too, but I’m not very good.  I know the moves, but he always wins.  But I don’t mind at all ‘cos he always claims the same prize – my ass.  So who taught you to play, Will?”

“I taught myself.  Comes from my days living alone in my little studio apartment, before I met the twins.  I never went out much, I guess I isolated, so I taught myself to play chess to pass those long lonely evenings.  I played against myself.  First I’d play the white pieces, and after I made a move, I’d spin the board round and be the black player.  I’d spend hours doing that, all evening.”

Brandon’s heart went out to Will, picturing a solitary young freckle-faced kid with only himself for company.  He wheeled himself close, reached up and hugged him.  “I know how it feels to live alone, Will.  I lived by myself in a small bungalow, and probably still would be if I hadn’t met Eddie one day, and he helped push me up the hill with the groceries I’d bought.

I was proud of living independently but Eddie, God bless him, didn’t just leave it at that.  He enlisted the men of the tribe to help me.  I was amazed when Randy came in to install pull-down shelves. Then Zack came to install two air-conditioners, the cop Mark came to put in security features, like a peephole low in the front door, and fireman Jason came to install smoke alarms.”

“Wow,” Will smiled, “when the tribe rallies it really rallies.  Do you, er, ever miss living alone?”

“Nah, I thought I would, but what I’ve got now, living with my man Pete, beats everything.  You?”

“Well, I didn’t feel lonely on my own, not often anyway.  But meeting the twins made me realize what I’d been missing.  Like Alice, I realized I’d been living in a sepia world, and then I stepped through that magic door into a world of color.  Later, I reconciled with my stepdad ... and here I am.  I never looked back.”

They grinned at each other, in the warmth and intimacy of a shared experience of life – living alone, then joining the tribe and falling in love.”

Will jerked them out of their reverie.  “OK, kiddo.  Breakfast’s ready.  Let’s stop gabbing and take care of our men.

<><>    No Holds Barred    <><>

When they came out to the garden with loaded trays, Seth was already at the table, groggily sipping coffee.  He was wearing the same undershorts and baggy tank top that he had slept in, and Will grinned at Brandon and rolled his eyes. He put his tray down on a side table. “Hey dad, you want me to bring you a T-shirt and shorts?’

“Nah, I’m fine like this, kid, thanks.  Here gimme a kiss.  And yeah, I brushed my teeth – I know how stinky breath turns you off.  He pulled Will’s face down into a grinding kiss.  “Hmm, great way to start the day, eh?  Hi, Brandon, how you doin’?  My boy taking good care of you?”

“Yes thank you, sir.  But we’re supposed to be taking care of you. Breakfast is served.” Brandon quickly transferred food and dishes from his wheelchair tray table to the large breakfast table, and Will did the same from his tray.  Just then Pete came in, wearing cargo shorts and one of his gray Forest Ranger T-shirts.

“Sorry I’m late, guys.  Must have dropped off again until I reached over in bed and my boy wasn’t there.  Thought I’d find you here, kiddo.”  He bent down and kissed Brandon.  “So who d’you have to fuck to get a cup of coffee round here?”

“Not me, dude,” Seth said with a throaty laugh. “I’m giving it away for free.”

“Your ass or the coffee?” Pete chuckled.

“Not my ass, that’s for sure, Ranger, I’m strictly a top man.  But you are looking as smokin’ hot as ever ... I’m surprised we never really got together before.  I’ve fucked plenty of guys but never a Ranger.”

“Well, we’re all together now,” Will said, “so dig in everyone.”

All four sat round the table and Pete and the boys were quiet at first.  Not so Seth, who had no impulse control and said whatever was on his mind.  He had a knack of speaking with his mouth full, and as he picked up a sausage and chomped down on it he said, “I’ve always admired the expert way you handle that wheelchair, Brandon.  But Pete, don’t you find it kinda limiting?”

“Dad,” Will hissed, “it’s not polite to ask stuff like that.”

“No Will, it’s fine,” Pete said.  “We’d much rather people come right out with it, rather than pussyfoot around it like it’s a ‘disease that dare no speak its name’, eh Brandon?”

“Absolutely, sir.  Will and I were talking about that the other day when I was having another meltdown.  Everyone knows that I like to be treated just like all the boys, but Will said that by avoiding a topic, like a wheelchair, gives it all the more importance.  So like Pete said, I’d rather talk about it in the open.”

“Oh, sorry guys,” Seth groaned, there I go again. I never pussyfoot around, but I sure can put my foot in my mouth, like I just did.”

Pete helped himself to juice and smiled, “So Seth, what did you mean by limiting?”

“Oh shit ... well, I mean, like sex and all.”

Will tensed again but Brandon grinned.  “Good question, sir.  A lot of people wonder, ‘but what do they do in bed’?  So, I’ll set your mind at rest.  Of course, making love is much more than just fucking.  We kiss, we cuddle, we talk, sometimes talk dirty and jack each other off.  And when it gets to butt-fucking we have no problem.

“I lie on my back, hook my hands behind my legs and pull them back, and Pete zeroes in.  Blow jobs?  No problem there either – we just lie there and suck.  Or Pete stands in front of me, pulls out his beautiful cock, and I lean forward and suck.  Or, he kneels on the floor and blows me while I sit there.  Quite often I whack off just watching the gorgeous hunk take off his uniform and get naked.

The only thing I can’t do is kneel on the bed and butt-fuck the Ranger.  So I lie on my back, he climbs on board and sits on my dick, which is always rock hard of course – I mean, just look at the guy.  I bet when he walks through the forest in his uniform, even the trees get erections – trees are phallic to start with – not to mention the animals.   So there you are, guys.  Sex when your legs don’t work?  No problem.  Does that answer your question, sir?”

Seth laughed.  “Ask a dumb question you get a gutsy answer.”  He applauded and Pete and Will joined in.  Will leaned over and kissed his cheek.  “You’re fabulous, dude.”

Brandon grinned at Pete who was gazing at him with a big smile and tears in his eyes as he mouthed silently, ‘so fucking proud of you, kiddo’.

In his cocky, no-holds-barred speech Brandon had released all his hang-ups and insecurities about life in a wheelchair.  “Good,” he smiled.  “Now we’ve put that one to bed, maybe we can talk about something else than stupid wheelchairs.”

The subject wasn’t mentioned again all day.

<><>    An Unusual Game Of Chess   <><>

The mood had lightened, the men and Will had a heightened respect for Brandon and there was a sense that, from now on, anything goes.  The conversation ranged far and wide, and Will happened to mention, “By the way, dad, I found out from Brandon that Pete’s a chess expert.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say expert,” Pete smiled modestly, “but I flatter myself that I’m pretty good.”

“Me too, buddy,” Seth said. “Bet that surprises you coming from a roughneck laborer like me.  But my boy here, taught me ... I think he was trying to give me a touch of class, but that ain’t ever gonna happen.”  His rugged features broke into wide smile and he stretched out his arms. “What you see is what you get, guys.”

“And a hot sight it is too, Seth,” Pete said.  “You just said we never tangled before, but maybe we could tangle over the chessboard.  What d’ya think?”

“Bring it on, dude.  I can whip your ass anytime.”

“You sound pretty cocky about that, Seth.”

“I’ll show you just how sure I am that I can beat you, Ranger.  What say the winner of the game gets to ream the loser’s ass?  Like I said, I never plugged a Ranger’s ass before.”

Will and Brandon exchanged excited looks, and Will said, “Sir, after Brandon and me have cleared breakfast away I’ll bring out the chessboard.  No time like the present.”

There was cheerful agreement all round and, when they had all eaten their fill, the boys got to work.  They efficiently cleared the table and as they carried everything back to the kitchen, Brandon said, “Dude, you think this is OK?  I know when I play chess with Pete he always wins and my ass is the prize.  But I’m his boy, after all, and I want it.  This is different.  I mean, Seth is a big, tough topman, and when he fucks a guy I reckon he’s into rough sex, eh?”

“You never know with Seth,” Will grinned.  “Under that tough, gruff look of his there’s all kinds a’ stuff going on. But don’t worry, whatever happens he won’t hurt Pete.  Seth likes him too much.”

Will got the chess set from the bedroom and they went out and he set it up on the cleared table.  He grabbed a white pawn and a black pawn, hid them and held out clenched hands to Pete.  Pete tapped one and Will opened his hand.  “White. Pete plays the white pieces, Seth the black.

The men sat facing each other, smiled and shook hands, and the game was on.  Brandon and Will sat together a little way back but with a clear view of the board.  And silence fell.

It soon became apparent that both men were evenly matched as they made a quick succession of opening moves.  Inevitably the game slowed as play progressed and the men concentrated intently on the board – and on each other.  In the long pauses between moves, their eyes met, but more like the expressionless faces of poker players trying to scope out the other’s strategy.

But the boys knew their men well and pretty soon Brandon whispered, “There’s something else going on here, don’t ya think dude?”

“You sensed that too, eh?” Will hissed quietly.  “This is more than just a chess game – those long penetrating looks.  When I get that look from my dad it means one thing – lust.”

“Same with Pete and me.  He gives me that look when he knows he’s won and my ass is grass. But with these two, who knows?”

It took a while for them to find out, as it was a fairly long game, with both evenly-matched men declaring “Check” at various times.  But it was clear that passion, or something like it, was mounting.  In the end the boys were proved half-right.  Sure there was desire in Seth’s eyes but the boys misread what kind of desire.  That was made clear when Seth made an obvious mistake and Pete declared “Checkmate.”

The chess game was over, but the real game had just begun.  Instead of looking devastated by his loss Seth grinned, “Fuck you, Ranger, and that strong silent thing you got going that’s so damn sexy.  I’ve seen construction workers bust a plank with bare hands, but the kinda strength you got makes you a real topman.  So, dude, you gonna claim your prize?”

It was now clear to the boys that Seth had thrown the game.  He had lost deliberately because the rugged topman wanted the Ranger to fuck his ass.  That was the desire in his eyes.”

That was obvious to Pete too, and he was glad he had not beaten Seth fair and square.  He reached across the table for a bone-crunching handshake, and they both stood up.  Brandon whispered to Will, “You OK with this, buddy?”

Will’s freckled face broke into a big smile.  ‘Course I am, dude.  Seth wanted this and I always try to see he gets what he wants – even if it’s your Ranger’s dick up his ass.  Come on, dude, let’s clear the decks.”

<><>    The Wildman Breaks   <><>

Will ran forward and slid the tablecloth out from under the chessboard.  He shook it out and spread it on the ground, then pulled a tube of lube from his pocket and tossed it down.  But Seth kicked it away with contempt.  “Nah, we don’t need that stuff. A man like you, stud, I take it dry.”

His eyes fixed on Pete’s, Seth pulled off his tank, dropped his shorts and stood naked before him.  Pete’s cock stiffened as he gazed at the tough construction boss, with his craggy features, shaggy hair and a hard body sculpted by years of physical labor.

Seth got down on the cloth on his back and grinned up at Brandon.  “Kiddo, you gave us all a lesson on how this works ... like this?”  As Brandon had described, Seth hooked his hands behind his knees and pulled his legs back.”

“Exactly like that, sir.  Then I watch my man strip.”

Towering over the naked laborer Pete pulled off his T-shirt, then kicked off his sneakers.  He dropped his shorts and undershorts and stood buck naked, muscles gleaming in the morning sun, his long, thick cock standing out like a pole.  Seth stared up at him and growled in his gravelly voice, “Here it is, man, my ass is yours.”

Pete dropped to his knees behind Seth’s ass and pressed the head of his cock against Seth’s hairy ass.  “You sure you want it dry, dude?” 

“No other way for men like us,” Seth grinned.  “Come on ... take me.”

It was a forced entry.  Pete’s dry cock didn’t slide in, he had to force it.  It pushed slowly inside him and Seth’s eyes never flinched once.  “Man,” Peter frowned, “this must really hurt.”

“Fuck the pain, stud.  This body’s used to pain.  I wanna feel that rod pounding my ass, Ranger.  Don’t pull your punches, man.”

So Pete gave him what he wanted.  Pete grinned up at his boy Brandon, putting on a show for him, so the fuck was merciless. 

As he plundered his ass, Pete watched the transformation in Seth.  He knew that he became a wildman when he fucked, and now, getting his ass ploughed, he became an animal – grunting, snarling, howling as the Ranger’s cock pistoned inside him.  His brawny body writhed under the onslaught, veins bulging, face thrashing from side to side, tousled hair flying.  “Fuck yeah,” he yelled.  “Damn you’re hot.  Torture that ass, man, I can take it, I wanna feel the pain.”

Pete leaned forward and slapped the dark stubbled face from side to side, with increasing force.  “Yeah,” Seth howled, “I love it.  Hit me, make it hurt.”  Still pounding his ass Pete punched Seth’s solid pecs and ripped abs and watched the body jerk under the blows. 

Finally he leaned forward again and pinned Seth’s wrists to the ground.  “Now I’ll give you what you really need.  Something even you can’t fight.  I’m gonna top you, man, and the tough roughneck construction boss is gonna break at last.  Look at me, stud, look at my eyes.”

Seth obeyed.  He stared up at the blue eyes with the strong silent look that had excited him from the first.  And now the shaft became a piston, mercilessly jackhammering his ass, deeper and deeper.  Pete knew that even this man had a pain threshold that he was fast approaching.  His groans got more ragged, his howls more desperate and as he stared up at the Ranger’s steely eyes he knew he was lost. 

It was no thrown game this time.  This was real defeat as his stubble face grimaced and he yelled, “No more, I’m done, man, you win ... I give up, I submit ... I submit ... aaagh ...!”  His cock exploded and blasted cum all over his writhing body, up to his agonized face.  Tears ran down his cheeks as he sobbed in defeat.

Pete slowly pulled out of his ass, and the unexpected happened.  Seth’s eyes were closed, but suddenly his mouth opened in a gleaming smile.  He opened his eyes and said, “Un-fucking-believable, man.  You are the best.”

Pete grinned, “But it ain’t over, buddy.  You lost, and now you’re gonna do something for me, or more exactly, for my boy.  A while ago he described how to do that.  So get over here boy.

Surprised Brandon looked at Will who smiled and nodded.  “It’s OK, dude, go for it.  I’m loving this, ain’t my dad great?  He’s having a blast.”

Seth rolled over on his stomach and got up on hands and knees.  He crawled over to Brandon’s wheelchair, where the boy had been stroking his cock as he watched the fantasy.  “Is this what Pete does for you kiddo?”  Seth leaned forward and swallowed Brandon’s cock.  Brandon looked up at Pete who was smiling down at him.

“So here’s the deal, Seth.  You’re gonna suck my boy until he shoots in your mouth and you swallow his jizz.  And just to make sure you work hard ...”

“Aaagh ...”  Seth’s howl was muffled in the gag of the boy’s cock as Pete entered his ass again.

“I know, I know, you’ve already cum, your ass has been fucked ragged and it hurts, so you better make it quick, stud.  When you make my boy shoot, I’ll shoot my own juice in your ass.  It all depends on Brandon ... your fate is in his hands ... actually, in his mouth.  Do it man.”

Will stroked his cock, watching the pornographic fantasy of the muscled construction worker on hands and knees, getting spit-roasted – fucked in the ass by the Ranger, and in the face by the Ranger’s boy.  And he didn’t have long to wait.

Brandon had been close to orgasm just watching Pete fuck, and Pete had been holding back his climax while ploughing Seth.  Brandon looked down at his own cock driving in the construction boss’s stubbled face, then up at his hero pounding his victim’s ass. 

What put them over the edge was Will’s excited yell, coming to his dad’s rescue.  He was standing next to Brandon, pounding his own cock that pointed down at him and Seth.  “I’m gonna cum, guys.  Cum with me dude.  Shoot your load in my dad’s mouth.  Yeaahh, now ...”

There were three simultaneous orgasms.  Will sprayed Seth’s face and Brandon’s body, Brandon poured hot juice down Seth’s throat, while Ranger Pete, at long last, blasted semen deep inside the shattered ass of the macho construction boss.

And that was the raucous start of a day where Pete, Seth and their boys kicked back, ate, drank, laughed and played, and became a loving foursome.  Brandon asked Will once again, “You OK, buddy?”

“Having a blast, kiddo.  And you know what?  After my dad got his ass savaged by the Ranger, he’s gonna have to prove he’s still a macho topman.  And guess what’ll be his target?”

“Your ass, Will?’

“Bingo!”

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

 TO BE CONTINUED in “A Trial Of Strength” – Book 13: Chapter 6