Trial Of Strength (Book 1)

'You won, man,' Bob said to Mark. 'No doubt about that.'

Randy was shaken to the core. He had expected a hard, brutal ass-fuck that he knew he could withstand. But instead, the beautiful, shirtless cop had made love to his ass in the most sensual, erotic way. Not only had Randy been unable to resist a spontaneous orgasm ..... he could not resist the man. He now felt a bond with him that could never, ever be broken.

Bob had watched the whole incredible episode that had taken place in the garden. The confident, muscular construction worker who had earlier boasted arrogantly that he would never succumb to the cop's sexual appeal had begged to be allowed to shoot his load. His overwhelming desire had become pleasing this god who was fucking his ass. All of his senses told him he had fallen in love with the man.

But the sexual confrontation was not over .... far from it .... and all three men knew that. After all, Mark had won the contest. Randy had failed to withstand the cop's overpowering sexuality and had submitted to him in the most dramatic way possible. And there was a price to pay.

Bob continued, 'You won and we all know the deal. If you won, your prize would be something that Randy valued most. Take what you want .... use it the way you want to. What's it to be?'

Mark's eyes moved slowly over Bob's magnificent body and down toward his perfect ass. Then he raised his gaze toward the upstairs window and rested on the awestruck face of Pablo, Randy's adopted son, staring down at him.

Mark had a choice to make.

*************

Upstairs Darius whispered, 'This is it, dude. The moment of truth.'

At the bedroom window three youthful faces, wide-eyed with awe and disbelief, had watched as one of the masters below forced the other into a huge, spontaneous explosion of hot, creamy cum. Darius, Pablo and Jamie also knew that there were two possible prizes Mark would select ...... either Bob's ass, that Randy jealously guarded as his own exclusive property; or the perfect young ass of Pablo, Randy's adopted son.

'Guess we're gonna have to wait on that one,' Jamie said. 'They're taking a break. Let's grab a beer and a sandwich.'

For a brief while they had been struck dumb by what they had witnessed, but staying dumb was something alien to their excitable natures, especially Darius, who soon started to rattle on eagerly.

'Dude, did you ever, ever see anything like that? Jeez, I'll be jerking off to that for years. No offense, kid,' he said to his lover Pablo. 'You know I love your ass, but whenever it's not handy all I have to do is remember the cop and the construction worker and bingo ..... there's my gusher.'

Pablo was silent and frowned. 'But what's gonna happen to me? You know this all started when Randy fucked Jamie here. You think Mark will do the same to me?'

'You should be so lucky!' grinned Darius. 'Hell, I'd offer my ass to that hunk any day of the week.'

Jamie chimed in. 'Again, Pablo, no disrespect to you, but we've always known that the most precious thing to Randy is Bob's ass. He'd never let anyone get close to that.' He frowned in thought. 'Then again, there was something about the way Randy looked at Mark when he was getting fucked. Kinda like the look you get when you're falling in love.'

'You noticed that too?' Darius said. 'Anyway, the whole point is that Mark can take whatever he wants .... that was their deal.' He laughed at Pablo. 'So get that sweet ass ready, dude. You want me to warm it up for you?'

They were so engrossed in their speculation and excited chatter that time went by as they downed their beers. Suddenly there were sounds again from down on the lawn and Darius shot up and ran to the window.

'Well ...... will you look at that!? Guess we got our answer.'

*************

The tableau that greeted their gaze was stunning. Randy, still naked, was on his knees, leaning against a tree. His wrists and his ankles were tied behind him around the tree, so he was pretty much immobile. He had submitted to this bondage as a condition of having lost the contest. Now his gaze was riveted on the two men who stood before him facing each other.

Mark smiled at Bob. 'Remember when we first met ...... when I pulled you over for that illegal U-turn? We were dressed exactly like this.'

That day Bob had been driving home from work through Griffith Park dressed in his business suit, white shirt and red tie. Mark, astride his motor bike, was in full black police officer uniform. And that's what they were wearing right now. Even fully dressed they both looked stunning and as Randy looked up at them he felt his cock already growing stiff, roused by both of them at once.

So, Mark had chosen Bob as his prize, and Bob did not seem too upset by that. Ever since that day in the park there had developed between the business executive and the police officer a growing affection and respect, based not only their integrity and masculine authority but, they had to admit, the fact that they were two of the most beautiful men either of them had ever seen.

Besides, Bob had seen the look on Randy's face when Mark was fucking him and he knew that passion had replaced anger in the attitude between the cop and the construction worker. And as Bob stood before Mark he had exchanged a fleeting glance with Randy that reassured him that Randy was not only OK with what was happening .... he was actually turned on by it.

'Remember what I made you do that day?' Mark asked.

'Oh, yeah,' Bob said. How could he forget?! Mark had torn up the traffic ticket and in return had made Bob strip, creaming in his uniform pants as he watched. Bob knew that this was to be a repeat performance.

He loosened his tie and undid the top button of his shirt. Then he paused, looking at Mark with a slight smile on his face. Mark copied him, slowly undoing the top button of his shirt, then a second one. The shirt fell open to reveal a small expanse of gleaming white T-shirt at his neck. Both men were aware of a groan coming from the ground.

Randy pulled at his restraints, straining to touch his cock, as he realized what he was in for. He was going to watch his lover Bob, and the cop Mark, who had so recently made sensual love to his ass, strip for each other. This time, though, he was determined that the sight would not make him shoot his load. He would not give Mark that satisfaction a second time.

And so the ritual proceeded. Bob pulled off his tie and, like mirror images, the two men slowly unbuttoned their shirts all the way down. Like Mark, Bob had a white T-shirt underneath, stretched tightly over his sculpted chest and abs. As if to a silent command the two men paused and gazed at the iconic image, each one standing still, their shirts wide open to their slim waists.

'Incredible,' breathed Mark.

'Yeah,' Bob said softly.

They pulled their shirts out of their waistbands, shrugged them off and let them drop to the ground.

'Oh, man,' Bob said as he gazed at the cop, stripped to his T-shirt that slanted down from his broad shoulders to his tight waist. 'That is fucking awesome.'

Randy moaned. 'You two are fucking incredible. Don't do this to me guys.'

The men ignored him, their eyes locked onto each other, their cocks rock hard in their pants. Mark's voice had an edge to it as he said to Bob. 'I want to see you stripped to the waist.'

Again both men moved in unison. They crossed their arms around their waist, grasped the sides of their T-shorts, pulled them out of their waistband and slowly, very slowly, up and over their heads. They came free and dropped to the floor. There they stood, Bob in his business slacks, belted at his tight waist, and Mark in his coarse black uniform pants, tucked into high black shiny boots.

The two shirtless men smiled as they gazed at each other in awe. Although the cop was blond and blue-eyed, and the businessman was dark haired with soft brown eyes, the muscle gods matched each other body for body, their perfect, muscular physiques gleaming in the late afternoon sun.

Instinctively they flexed their arms, shoulders and pecs, giving visual delight to themselves, to Randy and, as it happened, to three young men with their faces pressed to the upstairs window.

*************

'I can't breathe,' Darius said .... exaggerating as usual, since his body was heaving with deep intakes of breath. 'They're turning each other on just by taking their clothes off. I can't believe it.'

'And look what it's doing to Randy,' said Pablo. 'His cock is stiff as a pole. He's dying to touch it.'

Jamie's gazed roved from his own master, Mark, over to Bob, the man who had been so kind to him, and then down to the man bound to the tree, the incredible muscle stud who had forcibly fucked him, forced him to cum without touching himself. His anger at Randy was now long gone, lost in his overwhelming awe and lust for the man.

'Oh, God,' Darius said. 'Look now. Try not to cum though, guys. Not yet anyway.'

They all watched as the men pulled off their boots and dropped their pants and shorts. They stood naked looking at each other as Randy pulled frantically at his ropes, and tried desperately not to shoot his load.

************

What came next was inevitable and Bob needed no prompting. He fell to his knees, then onto his back, leaving his knees bent, his ass just off the ground. Mark knelt before him, his cock with a roaring hard-on.

'You know you've been wanting this for a long time, buddy. I didn't come near your ass 'cause it was off limits. But now I've won it. For the next few minutes it's mine, and you're gonna love offering it to me. You want this, stud?'

'Yes, sir.' Bob was aware of his bound master just feet away but he absolutely could not resist submitting himself totally to the naked Greek God kneeling before him. He glanced at Randy for affirmation and Randy nodded slightly. Up to a few hours ago the thought of Mark fucking Bob's ass, the ass that was Randy's exclusive property, would have filled him with uncontrollable rage. But everything changed when he had felt the ecstasy of Mark's cock in his ass. Now he wanted his lover Bob to have the same incredible experience.

And so it began. Mark fell forward and placed his palms firmly on Bob's perfectly sculpted pecs. Bob flexed his chest and he, in turn, placed his palms on the chest of the man bending over him. They each felt the other's chest muscles rippling under their hands as the rigid cock of one man pierced the waiting ass of the other.

Mark then began the same thrilling ass-fuck on Bob as he had earlier delivered to Randy. He pushed the head of his cock only just inside Bob's ass, then used the head to massage just the rim, the sphincter, of his hole. Bob moaned with the incredible sensation that ran through him, then gasped as the cock slowly pushed deeper until it touched the ridge at the back of his ass, the inner sphincter.

'Aaaah.' His eyes opened wide as he felt the head of the cock pass over the soft ridge and come to rest in the innermost depth of his ass.

'Yeah, man,' Randy breathed to Bob. 'Feel that beautiful cock inside you ..... clench your ass around it.' Randy's memory of the sensation was so acute that he could feel again the same ecstasy that his lover was feeling. It was as if Mark was fucking them both at the same time.

An extreme sensation such as this could not last long. Bob and Randy had abandoned any pretense of trying to hold back. They knew their orgasm was close. The passion rose to a fever pitch. Mark gazed into the deep brown eyes of the man beneath him and a spark passed between them that ignited the final flame.

But then the unexpected happened. Just before the climax Mark suddenly pulled his cock all the way out of Bob's ass. He glanced at the straining, flexing body of Randy, then back at the shuddering man beneath him. He felt supreme. In the final act of his triumphant victory he pumped both fists in the air and yelled, YES!!

And his cock erupted in a long stream of white cream that splashed down onto Bob's heaving chest and face. Simultaneously Bob screamed as he too had a spontaneous orgasm, mesmerized by the glorious body above him, and his own cum joined Mark's, flooding onto his body.

'Aaaaah!' Randy's shout echoed as he was overwhelmed by the sight of the two men's shuddering orgasms. His body flexed and he desperately pulled at his restraints as his own cock exploded and blasted yet more white juice over the already soaked body of his lover.

Incredibly, the three naked muscle gods were all erupting in simultaneous, violent orgasms caused by the wildly erotic vision of each other. They had achieved a stunning triple orgasm without ever touching their cocks. They were beyond thought or feeling, hypnotized by the sheer, rugged maleness of each other, three glorious men at the summit of their manhood sharing the passion of their mutual strength and beauty.

As their heaving bodies subsided they looked wildly at each other. They gradually relaxed, grinned, their smiles became wider and finally erupted into raucous, male laughter.

****************

They were unaware that the upstairs window was now obscured by flowing semen. The three young men had witnessed something they could not have dreamed of. They were mesmerized by the sight of their three masters shouting together and sharing one enormous orgasm. Their own young cocks, pressed against the glass, erupted at the same time, spurting hot juice between their bodies and the glass.

****************

For a while nothing moved. The sound of heavy breathing was replaced by the insistent buzz of the crickets in the hot, still afternoon. The tableau of the naked men was like a glorious still-life, frozen in the memory of everyone present. To move was to break the spell.

Mark was the first to stir. He walked behind the tree, knelt behind Randy and untied the ropes round his wrists and ankles. Randy fell forward and placed his hands on the ground at either side of Bob. Their eyes held each other in the look they knew so well but never fully understood. It was as if their spirits joined, they became one entity, the very incarnation of love.

Bob spoke softly. 'I've never loved you as much as I do now. You're my whole world, you know that?'

Randy smiled. 'You know I know that, asshole. You scare me, you know me so well.'

Randy fell on him and their arms entwined in a tight embrace. They rolled on the ground, kissing, licking, laughing, in a joyous celebration. Mark looked down at them with a smile of satisfaction. But it was not the satisfaction of triumph. It was, rather, the realization that he had given to Bob and Randy an intense sexual experience that resulted in a series of the most incredible orgasms the two men had experienced.

But his satisfaction was somewhat diminished by his concern as to what came next in his complex relationship with Randy. He hoped their confrontational trial of strength was finally over ...... but to be replaced by ..... what?

In fact when they finally stood facing each other, all three men were tongue-tied, nervous, even a little embarrassed at the intensity of the feelings that pulsed in them. Bob tried to break the ice.

'Well, guys, that gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'coming together'. Three spontaneous orgasms all at the same time.'

'Make that six, sir.' Darius was grinning. He, Pablo and Jamie had finally come out of the house and stood before their three masters. They had just lived through an experience they could never have believed possible, never have imagined, and the upstairs window, opaque with streams of white liquid, bore testimony to the ferocity of their multiple climaxes.

As the six men faced each other there was again a nervous silence as they all tried to sort through the uncertainty of whether this extraordinary episode had brought changes to their relationships. The symmetry of the moment was remarkable as the three big, naked men in unison raised their arms and the young men walked forward, each to be enfolded by one of their masters.

Randy embraced Pablo who was so overcome he had difficulty finding his voice. 'Sir, you are ...... you looked so ..... I mean I've never been so ......'

'I know, kid. No need to say anything. Just know one thing, and remember it always. You're my boy, kiddo.'

Mark's arms pressed round Jamie who was, as so often, unsure of himself. 'I know all this started 'cause of me, sir. If I did anything wrong, messed up, like ........'

'Hey ...... get a grip kid. I said I'd protect you and I did. I did this for you, kid. You think we did good? You proud of me?' And Jamie relaxed in the safe haven of the officer's muscular arms.

Bob smiled into Darius's eyes. 'Well, punk? See what I laid on for you this time. I gotta say, it's a full-time job feeding that fantasy mill of yours. How did this one rate?'

Darius grinned back. 'Thank you, sir. You are unbelievable .... you drive me crazy. I'll be thinking about that, jacking off, for ......'

'Weeks, months ......?' Bob smiled.

'For years, sir. For ever.'

***************

'Hey Darius,' Randy's deep voice boomed. 'Can you guys rustle up an early dinner? We're starving. We're gonna take a swim, get cleaned up and then we need food. We could eat a horse ...... each.'

We'll get right on it, sir. There's just one thing ...... we're clear out of horse meat.'

'Not from where I'm standing,' said Pablo looking down at Darius's crotch and grabbing the ten-inch bulge in his pants.

Amid the howls of laughter Randy aimed a kick at Pablo's ass. 'I said get out of here, punk. Kitchen! Now!' The three young men ran off to the house as Randy turned his attention to Bob. He looked at his naked body, still covered in the cum of three huge orgasms.

'You're a mess, buddy. For God's sake get cleaned up.' And all three men dived naked into the pool.

An hour later all six men were sitting round the outdoor table on the lawn. Darius and the boys seemed to have cooked everything in the kitchen that wasn't nailed down and a huge pile of food confronted them. As they ate voraciously Bob stole a glance at Randy and Bob.

A shadow passed over this thoughts as he wondered, as Mark had earlier, where this whole episode left them. Bob's ass had always been off limits .... except this time. Mark had won the contest and fucked him while Randy watched. Bob really wanted peace restored to the house but he had a sense that there was still one more act to play out. He made a sudden snap decision and addressed the three boys.

'Hey you guys, I have an idea. It's a long weekend coming up but I have to drive down to San Diego to look at a piece of property my company is thinking of buying to house our branch office down there. I could use some company and thought maybe you three would like to come with me and make a beach weekend out of it? What do you think?'

Darius beamed. 'We don't have to think, sir. Of course we'll come, eh guys?' The other two nodded eager assent.

Bob smiled. 'We can rent a couple of rooms at the Del Coronado .......'

'........ or maybe just one room,' Darius chimed in, his fantasies already in overdrive.

' ....... and if the King of Fantasy can just cool it for a while, we'll have a blast.' Bob turned to Randy and Mark. 'Is that OK with you guys? Think you can cope here on your own?' The long glance he gave aimed at Randy was evidently significant, though its meaning was lost on him for now.

***************

Early the next morning the three young men piled into the SUV with Bob and they took off. Randy watched them go and shook his head. 'He must be crazy,' he murmured. 'They'll drive him nuts.'

He walked back into the empty house and made himself coffee. He was hunched over the table gazing out of the open window when Mark came out of his house and crossed toward the gate, shirtless in just gym shorts and running shoes.

Randy called, 'Hey man ....... where you off to?'

'Need some exercise. Going for a long jog.'

'Want company?'

Mark was taken by surprise. 'What? Well, yeah, if you like. Think you can keep up?'

'Hey, man,' Randy grinned, 'don't start with me.'

'Sorry, pal .... that old competitive edge. But sure, why not? Yeah, I'd love your company.'

'Well I'm already dressed for the occasion, so let's go.'

Randy was also wearing just gym shorts and sneakers and the two men jogged together thought the gate and up the hill.

At first the only sound was their heavy breathing as they ran. Any unease they had about being alone in the house together dissolved quickly as they fell into step with each other and felt the easy companionship of two equally matched, self-confident males. They relished the feeling of running in the warm morning sun, along the hilly, tree-lined old streets of their Mount Washington neighborhood. The steep terrain tested and stretched their muscles and the vigorous exercise made them feel alive as the breeze stroked their naked chests.

About a mile into the run Mark said, 'So what do you think Bob was up to? What's all this about?'

'Beats the hell out of me,' Randy grinned. 'His mind is always way ahead of mine. He seemed in an all-fire hurry to get him and the boys out of the house. Evidently wanted to leave us alone.'

Mark smiled. 'Maybe he was curious which one of us would be left standing when he got back.'

'Yeah ...... we've gotta get over this competitive thing, man. Wish I knew what Bob had in mind.'

***************

The run was great and the two men were panting hard when they got back to the house.

'Swim?' asked Randy.

'Sure.'

They stripped, dived into the pool and swam for a while until, inevitably, their spirited macho aggressiveness got the better of them. They tumbled and wrestled in the water, the one holding the other under until the gasping faced managed to break the surface.

'Truce?' Mark shouted at last.

'Sure. I'm starved. Wanna grab a bite?'

Half an hour later, dressed in jeans and T-shirts, they were walking down the hill to their local Mexican cantina on Figueroa. As they went in heads turned in their direction, admiring glances that the guys always inspired wherever they went. But they ignored them and were soon chatting animatedly over sizzling plates of fajitas, washed down with many bottles of Dos Equis. They were really enjoying each other's company, aware of the bond growing between them.

It was as if the heat of their relationship thus far, riven with competition, challenge, and contests for supremacy, had now cooled down to the warm embers of a solid, companionable friendship between two supremely dominant men at the peak of their masculinity. The equality of beauty, strength and power that had been the cause of their enmity was now the very essence of their friendship.

They felt comfortable with each other. No need to make allowances, hold back, no fear of coming off as superior. As they looked into each other's eyes they saw a strong alpha male looking back, an equal, a man they could respect and trust.

'Hey guys. Care if we join you?'

Without waiting for an answer two great looking girls sat down at their table, looking with lustful admiration at the two men. The admiration was returned as Randy and Mark sized them up. They were gorgeous women, well dressed, confident.'

'Look,' one of them said. 'We'll come straight to the point. We saw you the minute you came in and were blown away. You guys are stunning. We thought you might like to hook up. We're staying in a hotel downtown and would love you to join us. You really won't be sorry.'

'You're right about that,' Randy grinned lasciviously. 'You ladies are a feast for the eyes. Your offer is real tempting.'

'Sure is,' said Mark, feeling his cock stir in his jeans. He turned to Randy. 'How about it, buddy?'

Their eyes locked and something passed between them that they felt rather than understood. It was as if there had been a wordless communication, as if they had come to an agreement that needed no words. A slight, almost sly smile passed between them before they turned back to the girls. Mark spoke for them both.

'Ladies, tempting as you offer is, we have to decline.'

'With great regret,' Randy added.

'But we really have to get back to our house. We have something urgent we have to do there.'

'Yeah, something that really can't wait.'

The girls sighed. 'Well, you can't blame a girl for trying. It's just that you two are ...... well you're just so damn gorgeous. Rain check, then? Maybe we'll run into you again here. Sure hope so.'

The men stood up politely as the girls left the table. They sat down again and Mark called to the waiter, 'Check, please. Quick as possible.'

'Finally,' he said to Randy, 'I think I know what Bob had in mind.'

'You read my thoughts, buddy. Let's get the hell out of here.'

***************

They ran back up the long hill to the house and burst through the gate panting hard.

'Basement,' gasped Randy.

They ran downstairs and then stopped still, looking at each other. They put their hands on each other's shoulders, almost like a wrestler's opening move. Then, as if on command, their faces came together and their lips met in a voracious, passionate embrace. A minute went by and Randy pulled back, holding Mark at arm's length.

'Buddy,' he said ....... 'guys like us don't ....... you know, make love.'

Mark smiled. 'There are no guys like us.' And their faces locked in another hard embrace.

They were standing by the king-sized bed in the corner of the basement room. Still kissing Randy feverishly Mark pushed him backwards and they fell on the bed, rolling over and over, limbs tightly intertwined. Finally Mark was on his back and Randy was kneeling astride him.

'Why the hell have we spent so much damn time fighting each other, man? This is what we both wanted all the time.'

'Who knew?' Mark grinned.

'Hell, I wanna see that body,' Randy growled and pulled hard at Mark's T-shirt. It tore into shreds and came loose in Randy's fist. At the same time Mark reached up to Randy's shirt and pulled it downwards, tearing it to pieces. The two shirtless men gazed at each other.

'You are so fucking beautiful, man,' Randy moaned and lowered his head, running his wet tongue over the sculpted chest, biting the nipples, then once again pressing his lips onto Mark's eager mouth. Mark pushed hard and rolled the big construction worker over, so their positions were reversed. As Randy had done, the cop licked the hairy chest beneath him, sucking on the nipples, biting the hard muscles in a raw display of animal lust.

They paused just long enough to kick of their boots and pull off their jeans. The two naked men came together again in a muscular embrace and their love-making began in earnest. As they rolled wildly over the bed they melted into each other and gloried in the feel of each other's straining body. They were no strangers to passionate sex, but this was a new sensation for both of them.

This time there was no master or slave, no winner or loser, no contest, no pain or punishment. There was no 'sir'. They were simply two rugged, alpha males making passionate love, elated by the touch, the taste of each other. They were intoxicated by the raw masculinity, the very manhood that they held in their powerful arms. It was man-on-man lust and love.

Randy groaned in Mark's ear. 'Man, I knew I wanted this when I felt your cock in my ass. You blew me away when you fucked me.'

Mark gazed at him. 'I want to feel that, buddy. I want to know what it felt like. I've never given my ass willingly to any man, but now I need your cock inside me. Please, man. Fuck my ass.'

So Randy did just that. Using the same incredible techniques he had learned from Mark he made exquisite love to the cop's ass. It wasn't long before Mark breathed, 'I love you, man. Cum with me. Cum in my ass.' They locked eyes and knew that, for their first time together, it was love that made their cocks stream with hot, white juice. It was the first of many orgasms that night.

**************

They made love all weekend ..... in bed, in the shower, the garden, the pool .... everywhere. They now realized that, ever since they met, they had been standing on the rim of a world of enchantment. But their macho pride had blinded them to it. Now, at last, they had stumbled over the edge and were sharing the sweet fruits of that exclusive world where man could love man unconditionally.

And it was not only a union of the body. In their quiet moments they opened up to each other emotionally, talked about their past, shared their inner thoughts and feelings. They loved the freedom to simply talk, man to man.

They were chatting over beers in the kitchen when Randy mentioned his own past behavior. 'That's water under the bridge,' Mark said. 'But, man, you've gotta get a handle on that anger of yours. Could land you in a mess of trouble.'

'Already has,' Randy said. 'Bob says I should get anger management therapy. But fuck that noise.'

'He may have a point, though. Lots of cops go through that. Had a few sessions myself way back. If ever you're interested I know a great therapist. He's a hell of a guy ...... handsome too .... looks a bit like you. The name's Steve.'

'Shit, an hour with a guy like that telling me what to do and I'd probably end up beating the crap out of him .... or fucking his ass.'

'Or both,' Mark grinned. 'Now there's a thought .......'

'No, the guy I really want to slaughter is this guy at work ..... the architect the current client has hired. He's a good architect but shit does he have attitude. Hell, even his name has attitude ...... Lloyd ... with two L's of course. Always hanging around the construction site giving me what he calls 'tips on the finer points of construction'. I've come this close to hitting him several times. Good looking guy, though, if you like the preppy look. Always immaculate in his fancy suit and tie.'

Mark grinned. 'Maybe he needs to get his hands dirty ....... actually do some of the heavy lifting ....... sweat a little. I'm sure you could put him to work .... knock some of that attitude out of him.'

Randy rubbed his chin thoughtfully. 'Now there's a thought ........... Hmm ..... you do set the wheels spinning, pal. I should run that through Darius's fantasy mill and see what he comes up with. The therapist and the architect.'

'And if you need help,' Mark smiled, 'you can always do what the cops do ..... call for backup.'

'That's great if you know a cop you can rely on.'

Mark put his arm round him. 'Do you have any doubt?'

************

At the end of the weekend they were lying in bed naked, and Mark was pensive.

'What's up?' Randy asked.

'Well ...... Bob and the guys will be home soon. I'm beginning to feel a bit guilty ..... uneasy.'

Randy looked serious. 'Hey ...... you're not worried about Bob are you? Hell, he engineered this whole setup. He wanted all this to happen. Bob's a man of peace. He wanted us to stop fighting.'

'That guy is really something else. You two have something real special going there.'

'He's my life, Mark. We're like one person. There's nothing, nobody, that could ever come between us, no matter what we do.'

Just then there was a crunch of tires on gravel, the squeal of brakes, car doors banging and excited voices.

'Speak of the devil,' Mark grinned.

A few minutes later the bedroom door opened and Bob stood there looking down at the two naked bodies on the bed. There was a frozen moment where nobody moved. Suddenly a broad smile flashed on Bob's handsome face.

'Well, well .... look at you. So it worked. My plan worked. You two have a good weekend?'

'The best.' Randy said. 'But you knew we would. You set this whole thing up you fucker.'

'Hey, I was sick to death of you two beating each other up. But I wasn't sure how to end it. Then I thought of that old hippy slogan ..... 'Make Love, Not War.' Seems to have worked a treat.'

'And that being so,' Mark grinned, 'feel like joining us?'

'Thought you'd never ask,' Bob said. In a flash he stripped naked and fell on top of them.