Date: Thu, 30 Dec 2021 02:57:52 +0000 (UTC)
From: rw6789@aol.com
Subject: "A Trial Of Strength" - Part 573  by Rob Williams

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH – PART 573 by Rob Williams

Chapter 573 – "THE LUST & LOVES OF COWBOY CHARLIE"

IN THIS CHAPTER:

Cowboy Charlie goes from raw lust to tender love in the tribe. He watches
in awe as his brother, the rugged, charismatic gypsy Randy, zeros in on the
flawless ass of gymnast Tommy. Then Charlie meets the newest boys in the
tribe – shy, insecure Vic and Noah. His heart goes out to them, they
rouse his protective instincts, and he takes them on a trip that could
change all their lives.

______________________________________________________________________

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

Randy's brother, hunky rodeo cowboy Charlie, was spending a week with the
tribe and was shocked to find that, as well as brothers Randy and young
Ben, he had another brother right here – the therapist Doctor Steve.

Although he resembled his brothers physically, the similarities stopped
there. Steve, born in Texas one year after Randy and a year before Charlie,
was put up for adoption at birth. He told Charlie, "My adoptive parents
were as different from our hard-scrabble Texas family as possible – a
wealthy childless couple living in upscale Marin County.  I had fallen into
a pot of jam – tutors, prep school, psych major at Stanford University."

Visiting Steve's home Charlie had felt intimidated at first by the
differences between them. "See, doc, I do pretty well on the rodeo circuit
and make a ton of money.  They call me a star and I get my pick of the
ladies.  But I know I'm still basically a sweaty gypsy cowboy, and could
never measure up to a classy professional like you in this gorgeous house."

"Charlie, stop right there.  I was a gypsy boy at first – probably the
only gypsy that preppy, buttoned-down Marin County had ever seen, except in
the movies.  But the right education, grooming, and accent eventually
ironed out the gypsy in me and I ended up in Stanford.

"But there's something all us brothers have in common – we all worked
hard and became something.  Charlie, you followed your passion and became a
popular rodeo star.  And here am I, a successful Beverly Hills therapist
with a house and lover in the Hollywood Hills.  And our little brother Ben
is a hard-working mechanic.

"Randy started as an itinerant day laborer and, along with his lover Bob,
plus a lot of sweat and tears, created a big successful construction
company as well as a lively, loving tribe of men and boys that still never
ceases to amaze me."

"Yeah," Charlie said, "at first I was confused by the idea of every man
having his own 'boy' but now I kind of envy them.  I love doing things for
those kids.  Except," he frowned ... "except there's always this barrier of
sex.  I mean, they all fuck each other and I ..."

"And you don't fuck guys, not your thing, eh?  But you say you love all
these guys and the boys.  But that don't mean you're converting to our side
or anything.  You're still you, Charlie.  Sex with guys never will be your
thing, but what you have going for you is your curiosity, your easygoing
sense of fun and adventure.  That's perfect for the rodeo life – and a
good basis for living.  So don't put labels on things, dude.  Go ahead,
live your life and do whatever feels right at the time.

"There is one thing I sense in you, Charlie.  Although you love your life
on the rodeo circuit there's part of you that misses coming home once in a
while, to a family that centers you and gives you joy.  As you said, the
answer in your case is not to get married and have kids.  That would lead
to problems as you would never be home, always traveling.

"But you know what, Charlie?  You already have that family, with brothers
who love you and kids who idolize you, and you love doing things with them
and for them, like the riding lesson you gave Ben and Tyler.  So there's
your answer, Charlie.  Treat the tribe as your home and, in your time off
from the rodeo, come home to all of us.  We'll be waiting for you with open
arms."

Then Steve had a confession.  "I know you don't have sex with men, dude,
but when you first walked out here I got a hard-on and it's never gone
down."

Charlie roared with laughter.  "Well, bro, we gotta do something about
that.  "Not that I'm offering to suck your dick to get you off, or offering
my ass.

"No need," Steve chuckled, "I'll probably go into my office and rub one out
thinking about you."

"What about going one better and looking at me?  I can be a real show-off
... at the end of the rodeo, hearing all the cheering, I ride round the
arena, rip my shirt off and whirl it in the air like a lariat.  We ain't
got no horses here, no arena – but we got your office."

Steve smiled at Charlie – a smile larded with lust.  "Let's go, bro."

Steve started off just stroking his cock, staring lustfully as the cowboy
ripped off his shirt and flaunted his muscular physique.  Charlie grinned,
"Where's your sense of adventure, man?  Up to now you've done all the
talking, but now ... welcome to my rodeo, doc."  He twisted his own shirt
into a rope and tied the doc's hands behind his back.

The captive doc surrendered to the erotic spectacle of the sexy cowboy,
flaunting his chiseled, physique.  And when Charlie knelt before him,
taunting him, Steve's orgasm was spontaneous, hands free, spraying jizz all
over the cowboy's face and bare chest.

Charlie wiped the semen from his face and untied Steve who chuckled, "Dude,
you'll fit right in with the guys of the tribe, even though they fuck and
you don't.  You looked pornographic.  You gotta meet my lover Lloyd who
gets off staring at hot guys – follows them around at the gym."

A bit later Tommy came in and grinned as he surveyed the scene – two
half-naked men, one smothered in cum, and ragged shirts on the floor.
"Sirs, lunch is on the table on the terrace.  Ben's already there and Randy
called to say he'll get off work early and join us later. Er, is it OK if,
after lunch, I go downstairs to the gym for my gymnastics routine as
usual?"

"Of course, Tommy. If you don't mind an audience of Randy and his three
brothers."

"Sir, I like an audience as much as your brother Charlie does, except his
are in the hundreds."

"Not always, Tommy.  Sometimes Charlie has a captive audience of one."
After Tommy left the room Steve smiled.  "You probably realized, Charlie,
that Tommy wants to go through his routine precisely because Randy will be
watching.  He loves to flaunt his ass to him, and our big brother has a
fixation on that perfect butt."

========= CHAPTER 573 =========

<><> LUNCH WITH LLOYD <><>

"When the brothers Steve and Charlie went out to the terrace their kid
brother Ben was helping house-manager Tommy set lunch on the table under
the awning by the pool.

Ben looked up and grinned at the shirtless men.  Tommy had already told Ben
of the scene in the office – scattered torn clothes, Charlie streaked
with jizz – so he knew something sexual had gone on, even though Ben
knew that brother Charlie was not really into sex with men.  Seeing his
questioning smile Charlie said, "Tell you later kiddo. That kinda action
gives me an appetite."

Ben was already wearing swim trunks and Steve said, "Good idea, Ben.
Tommy, could you find a pair of trunks in the house for Charlie, please?
And get out of those dark clothes you're wearing.  Might as well take
advantage of the sun."

Steve dropped his own slacks and pulled on boardshorts he had left lying by
the pool.  Tommy came out wearing only his tight Spandex gymnastic shorts
and tossed a pair of swim trunks to Charlie who pulled off his boots,
peeled off his jeans and stood naked at the edge of the pool.

"Better get cleaned up before lunch," Charlie grinned, "wash off all the
jizz."

He dived into the pool, then resurfaced, his sexy, smiling face streaming
with water.  He pushed his long wet hair back off his face, hauled himself
out of the pool, and the gypsy cowboy stood butt-naked for a moment, under
the lustful gazes of Steve, Ben and Tommy.  He pulled on the swim trunks
and sat at the table next to Ben and facing Steve and Tommy.

Charlie's earlier feeling of intimidation when he first arrived had long
since faded.  Nothing broke the social ice like the kind of wild, visual
scene he'd played out with the master of the house.  And to lift the mood
even higher they heard a car door slam and Steve said.  "Ah, Lloyd at last.
He's been with Randy at the construction site going over the blueprints for
their latest project."

From around the side of the house came Steve's lover Lloyd, his jacket
slung over his shoulder, tie loosened.  Charlie joked, "You know, guys,
just for once I'd like to see a guy who was not so goddam drop-dead
gorgeous."  He got up and offered his hand that Lloyd shook warmly.

"Lloyd," Steve laughed, "you just missed a show.  "Charlie here don't have
sex with guys, godammit, but he is a rodeo showoff and I was hot for him,
so we went into the office where he put on a spectacular show for me –
including ripped shirts, strutting around in jeans and cowboy boots, hot
enough to give a whole stadium a collective orgasm."

"Damn," Lloyd laughed, "I should a' been here to see that.  Exactly what
turns me on.  Bet you jerked off in seconds."

Steve grinned, "Bit difficult with my hands tied behind my back."

"Oh shit, you are my kinda man, Charlie," Llyod laughed.  "We gotta get
together.  Sorry I'm late, Steve, my talk with Randy on the plans took
longer than I expected."

"And was contentious, of course."

"With Randy, what else?  He questions every line, every angle, and the
thing that pisses me off, he's always right.  He has an uncanny knack of
figuring out in his head how the blueprints would translate into bricks and
concrete.  When we finished I left him there shouting orders, but the crew
has huge respect for him.  He said he'll be here in an hour or so, but I
have a feeling it's not so much to see his three brothers as to get a good
look at a certain gymnast's sexy ass."

"He's welcome," Tommy grinned.

"Yeah, yeah, we know all about that," Steve said.  "Your ass, Tommy, is
like a homing device to my big brother, and his cock's a guided missile."

Lloyd stripped off his suit and shirt and changed into swim trunks.
Charlie watched and grinned, "That's a great gym body, Lloyd.  Hard to tell
who would be looking at who and jerking off."

Lloyd joked, "We call it a Group Gape, Charlie.  We all stand around in a
circle jerk, beating off looking at everyone else.  You should join us,
dude – you sure qualify.  Rumor had it that you're gorgeous but even our
grapevine couldn't do you justice in the flesh ... and what flesh!!"

The meal proceeded with more lighthearted kidding around, with Ben between
his big brothers soaking it all up.  Lloyd asked a lot of questions about
the rodeo and Charlie guessed he was visualizing the whole thing as future
jerkoff fodder.  Ben said, "I videoed a lot of it on my cell-phone Lloyd,
and Eddie included it in a movie he made of Charlie since he's been here."

"Pity he wasn't in my office with Charlie and me," Steve said.  "As Eddie
always says, he could have sold tickets for that one."

As time went on Tommy was getting antsy and after he served coffee he said,
"Sir, is it OK if I leave the cleanup for later?  I, er ..."

"You wanna start your gymnast routine in the gym, I know.  So sure.  I've
got no more patients today so I can help Ben take stuff to the kitchen."
Tommy thanked him and ran into the house.

"He was in a surefire hurry," Lloyd grinned.

"You can guess why, buddy.  Randy's expected any minute and Tommy wants to
be the after-lunch floorshow.  And talk of the devil, listen.  I'd
recognize the powerful throb of Randy's truck anywhere.  So let the games
begin."

<><> A TEAM OF BROTHERS <><>

Randy strode onto the terrace.  He had come straight from the construction
site, still wearing grubby jeans, work-boots and his usual grease-streaked
tank hanging over his muscled torso.  His swarthy gypsy face broke into a
broad smile.  "Damn, all my brothers and Lloyd, all here in swim trunks.  A
great sight after that fucking worksite."

Steve smiled, "Hi, Randy.  We just finished lunch, but there's plenty left
if you're hungry."

"Nah, Will brought food to the site at noon as always, but I could murder a
beer.  How about it, junior?"  Randy hauled Ben out of his chair and pulled
him into a tight bearhug. "You wanna bring your big brother a beer?"

The breath squeezed out of him, Ben squeaked, "I will if you let go of me,
sir."

Randy released him and the boy ran inside, to emerge seconds later with a
bottle.  "Thanks, bro," Randy grinned.  "Sorry about that ... no cracked
ribs, I hope."  Ben giggled and shook his head as Randy asked, "Hey,
where's Tommy?"

"Down in the gym," Steve said.  "As you know, every afternoon he goes
through his gymnastic routine.  We were thinking of going down there to
watch – you know how he likes an audience.  You wanna come?"

They were all aware that was a dumb question, but Randy played along
casually and shrugged, "Yeah, I guess.  No hurry ... let me finish my beer
first."

His speed in gulping down the beer proved that his casual act was a fake.
He was dying to get a look at the young athlete's flawless ass.

Ben winked at Charlie, a fleeting act that the cowboy found surprisingly
moving.  It was a conspiratorial link between the two, meaning Charlie was
included in the subtle family playacting the brothers went through.  Steve
and Ben knew what Randy was feeling, and Randy knew they knew.  And now
Charlie knew too.  He was one of the family."

Barely a minute later Randy put down the empty bottle and wiped the back of
his hand across his mouth.  "OK, let's go."  As they stood up Charlie
returned Ben's wink and ruffled his hair.

These subtle exchanges were not lost on Steve who smiled to himself, happy
to see the small band of brothers coming closer together.  Seeing Steve's
smile, Lloyd said, "Nice, eh, buddy?"

"Yeah, Lloyd – very nice," Steve agreed, watching Charlie put his arm
round Ben's shoulders.

They all knew what to expect when they went into the downstair gym – all
except Charlie who inhaled sharply as he saw it for the first time.  "Wow,"
he said softly.  "You guys sure know how to put on a show.  You should be
the halftime show at the rodeo."

They were all gazing at the young blond gymnast stripped down to his blue
spandex gymnast shorts, going through the twists, turns and stretches of
his practice routine.

The men sat on benches, awed by the sight of the sexy young athlete, his
ripped body flexing in the rings, on the parallel bars, the vaulting horse
and, sexiest of all, his mat exercises. Those gave him the best opportunity
to flaunt various parts of his body – especially the solid mounds of his
ass, curving up from his slim waist then down to the top of his powerful
legs.

His concentration was intense, seemingly unaware of his audience ... except
that he occasionally glanced seductively at Randy, swelling the already
solid bulge in his jeans.  The others looked at Randy, his piercing blue
eyes riveted on Tommy, and they could almost feel the lust gripping his
powerful body, waiting to burst out.

He clamped his hand over his bulge as the routine approached the end.
Tommy somersaulted from the rings and landed a perfect dismount, to
applause from the onlookers.  Then there was silence as Tommy cooled down
with a set of slow plank exercises face down on the mat.

It could have been anticlimactic, and he didn't really need a cooldown
period.  But ever the showman, he knew very well that the stationary pose,
elbows on the floor, his body stretched straight, was a perfect way to
display his ass flexing hard under the tight spandex of his shorts.

And it worked.  Randy growled, "Fuck this noise."  He jumped up, lunged
forward and fell on his stomach, his face right over Tommy's butt.  He
pressed the gymnast flat on the floor and buried his face in the
spandex-covered ass.  When at last he pulled back up on his knees he
slapped the ass from side to side.

Tommy groaned and made a show of trying to claw his way forward on the
ground, but he knew there was no escape.  And anyway, the last thing he
wanted was escape form the savage gypsy.  He lifted his face off the ground
and looked in the mirror as Randy yanked off his sweaty tank.  "What d'you
want boy.  Let me and my buddies hear it, loud and clear."

"I want your dick in my ass, sir.  I want to feel it inside me.  I want you
to fuck my ass ... please."

Randy yanked the shorts down to expose his bare ass.  "Holy fucking shit."
He buried his face between the firm white globes and Tommy moaned, feeling
the heavily stubbled chin grinding against his flesh, and the hot tongue
exploring his ass.

Charlie, who had wrongly assumed he could get no more surprises from these
guys, was stunned by the spectacle of the rough shirtless gypsy feasting on
the gymnast's bare ass.  Part of him was shocked, but a much bigger part
was excited, not so much by the act itself, but by the ferocious energy of
his big brother indulging his lust and totally dominating the helpless
young athlete.

Never big on much foreplay Randy pulled his face up out of the ass, ripped
open his jeans and pulled out his long beer-can-thick shaft that made Tommy
gasp, even though he was very familiar with the look and feel of Randy's
cock.

Randy spat on it, stroked it in his fist and growled, "You sure you still
want this, boy?"

"More than ever, sir," Tommy pleaded, pushing his ass higher as an offering
to the wild gypsy.

"OK kid, just checking ..." And Randy drove his rod between the cheeks and
deep inside the ass he had been craving.  Tommy howled and made another
fake attempt to claw himself forward to ease the savage thrust.  Instead he
felt the euphoria of the monster fuck and stared up at the bare-chested
gypsy in the mirror.  "Thank you, sir," he groaned.

Ben grabbed Charlie's hand and Charlie looked anxiously at Lloyd.  "Is he
OK, dude?"

Llyod chuckled, "In hog heaven, Charlie.  This is what it's all been about
– the show, the tease, the lust and the giant fuck. We all fuck Tommy
but there's no-one like Randy, and Tommy craves it.  Look at that face
... pure ecstasy."

Actually, Charlie's gaze was fixed on Randy.  It was an incredible sight
– the powerful gypsy boss pounding the gymnast's ass, his muscles
rippling, blue eyes penetrating Tommy's in the mirror as his cock pierced
his body.

Charlie had wondered how Randy came to be so revered by the tribe, it's
undisputed boss.  Many reasons, he suspected, as he was a natural leader.
But if there was one thing, it was this – he was an incredible fuck.  It
wasn't only that monster schlong jackhammering the boy's ass, it was his
raw power, the passion in those hypnotic, electric blue eyes.  He was a
magnetic force-field, from which no man escaped, or even wanted to.

Randy always fought like a tiger and fucked like a stallion, fiercer even
than the broncs Charlie tamed in the arena.  If Charlie tamed horses for a
living, Randy tamed men, and the cowboy understood at last why the men and
boys of the tribe were under his spell.

And Charlie himself could not escape.  Even though man-to-man sex was not
his thing, he longed to join the big brother he had always idolized, though
his pride had made him hide it.  As he watched this raw spectacle he needed
to be part of it.  And he instinctively got to his feet.

The savage fuck never relented as Randy reached forward, grabbed Tommy's
waist from behind and pulled him up on his knees.  Holding him still in a
viselike grip, Randy's biceps and shoulders bulged, while his cock
relentlessly speared his ass.  Then he grabbed Tommy's hair and pulled him
back so he was kneeling on all fours.

Tommy stared in the mirror at the feral gypsy, his long shaggy hair
whipping over his face as he fucked.  And then the gymnast turned his gaze
to Charlie in the mirror, standing behind them. He opened his mouth in a
sign of abject surrender to the two rugged gypsy brothers.

"Come on, bro," Randy grinned.  "You know he wants it.  Can't let that sexy
mouth go to waste.  Help me finish him off."

It was more Randy's urging than Tommy's sagging jaw that made Charlie act.
He couldn't let his big brother down.  Charlie stood in front of Tommy,
dropped his shorts, and his stiff cock sprang out, almost hitting Tommy's
face.  Tommy moaned, staring at the naked cowboy with the same swarthy
gypsy intensity as his brother, and the same huge cock.

Tommy eased his face forward, licked the cock, then sucked it onto his hot
mouth.  Charlie stared at Randy whose flexed muscles gleamed with sweat as
he pounded ass.  Charlie had never felt closer to Randy as he did now,
working as a team spit-roasting the young gymnast.

Randy grinned, "Feels good, eh bro?"

"Feels fucking incredible, dude.  That mouth, the sight of you ... Damn, I
don't know if I ... I think I'm gotta spill my load, man.  You with me?"

"All the way, my brother.  Let's finish him off ... you and me together."
Randy fucked harder and deeper and pumped his fist in the air, like Charlie
in the arena ... "Let's ride him, cowboy ... yeaaah !!"  Staring into each
other's eyes the brothers climaxed at the same time – Charlie's load
blasting in the gymnast's mouth, Randy in his ass.

Tommy, in total ecstasy, shot his load on the ground and they heard a cheer
as their kid-brother Ben jerked off watching the pornographic spectacle.

As the brothers pulled out of the exhausted athlete Ben rushed forward and
they grabbed him in a three-way bare-chested hug.  They pulled Tommy to his
feet and Randy kissed him, sucking out of his mouth the creamy jizz that
Charlie had poured into it.

They heard applause from Steve and Lloyd, and the doc said, `Now that is
brotherly love, sharing everything – even your men."

<><> CHARLIE'S CURIOSITY <><>

By now Charlie had no remorse or guilt about fooling around with men during
the sex games of Randy and the other guys.  He had a fun-loving,
broad-minded attitude to life and liked the company of good-looking guys.
He even got hard watching them fuck, but his attraction was more cosmetic
than carnal.  He simply enjoyed the sight of good-looking men, especially
men in the throes of passion.

True, he had been sucked off a few times by men of the tribe, but had no
desire at all to get fucked by them.  Well, except when he first met Randy
and had surrendered his ass to him.  But as Doc Steve had pointed out, that
was different as Randy fucked everyone new to the tribe.

Which is why Randy's pounding the gymnast's ass had looked so erotic and
why Charlie had joined his brother in the spit-roast of Tommy.

So now, as they all sat outside again drinking wine or beer, there was no
tension in the air at all, just a sense of release – of lust, libido and
inhibitions.  To Charlie it was like kicking back with his fellow riders
after a triumphant rodeo performance.

Randy, to his credit, engaged Tommy in a lengthy conversation at the table,
proving that he admired Tommy as much more than just a sex object.  Randy's
dominance and Tommy's subservience were just part of their sexual
play-acting, and it ended when sex was over.

Steve and Lloyd walked round the garden, talking of landscaping they
planned, while Charlie and Ben jumped in the pool and lay together on a
double-wide float, talking brother to brother.

Charlie asked Ben lots of questions about the tribe, especially the men and
boys he hadn't properly met yet.  One couple in particular intrigued him.

"Dude, tell me what you know about those kids in the office – Vic and
Noah ain't it?  Every time I walk across the garden past the office their
noses are pressed against the window watching me in my cowboy gear –
jeans, boots, that old shirt, rumpled bandana and cowboy hat.

"They remind me a bit of myself when I was a bit younger than them.  In our
old house in the Texas back country I used to sit at the window watching
the cowboys saunter past and I so much wanted to be like them.  So I worked
hard at it, herding cattle, and here I am.  When I've been in the office to
see Bob and Brandon, I said hi to the kids, but they seem kinda shy."

"They are, Charlie.  They're the newest guys in the tribe – been here a
few months.  Bob told Brandon he needed more help in the office and Brandon
knew these kids who worked in the stationery store he got supplies from.
They mentioned they would prefer office jobs so, long story short, Brandon
hired them."

"And they live here now, right?"

"They do now, sir.  They were an odd couple at first, very shy like you
said.  They lived in separate small apartments in the same building and
insisted they were just good friends – no sex or anything.  But after
they joined us they stumbled across several of our guys getting it on.
They were shocked at first and opened up to their boss Brandon. He was
great with them, talked to them a lot and put them at their ease."

Charlie said, "And I guess he helped them discover they did have sexual
feelings for each other after all."

"That's right, bro, always had.  But they thought it was wrong – evil or
something.  When at long last they shared a bed everything changed, and now
they're always together – at work and in the apartment they share over
the office.  Bob arranged that and Randy fixed it up for them.  He likes
those kids a lot – well, you know our brother Randy.  Always a soft spot
for shy boys."

"You, er, say they're always together, but who are their best buddies in
the tribe, and whose boys are they?"

"No one, sir.  No best buddies and no man.  Oh they love Brandon –
what's not to love? – and get on fine with Ryan in the office, and Will
kinda looks out for them. They've become part of the tribe but, like I
said, spend a lot of their time together – in the office and in their
home upstairs."

"Hmm ... thanks kiddo.  That's enough to be going on with.  Hey, we should
start thinking about getting home. Race you across the pool and back."  He
tipped Ben off the raft and their `race' consisted of a splash-fest with a
whole lot of squealing from the kid brother.

<><> CHARLIE MEETS VIC & NOAH <><>

After the extended lunch and floorshow, then hanging out by (or in) the
pool, it was time to leave.  They got dressed and exchanged hugs and thanks
all round, especially between Randy and Tommy.  "We gotta do this again
soon, dude," Randy grinned.

"As soon as you like, sir. I'll be here."

Their host Doc Steve said, "Guys it's been great having you here – quite
an afternoon.  Sure livened things up for Lloyd and me.  Dare I say it's
been therapeutic?"

"No you don't dare," Randy laughed.  "Don't even go there, bro.  It's been
a lot of things but not one of your shrink sessions."

"Oh I dunno," Lloyd chuckled.  "You know what they say – one man's
spit-roast is another man's therapy."

In a trail of laughter the three brothers left.  Randy drove Ben back to
work and Charlie drove home to the tribe's compound.  His walk towards the
Boss House took him past the office, a small stand-alone building, and once
again he saw the youngsters Vic and Noah watching him at the office window,
just as he had told Ben.  He grinned and decided to drop in on them.

They scurried back to their desks and looked up, blushing slightly as he
walked in.  "Hi, guys, just thought I'd say hi to y'all.  You on your own
here?  Where's Brandon and Ryan?"

Noah said, "They went to Randy's office on the jobsite, sir, it's a big
trailer.  Brandon took the crew's paychecks that we printed this morning,
and him and Ryan are gonna work on upgrading Randy's computer there."

Vic took over.  "Ryan has to install a new platform he created so the
worksite computers will be compatible with ours.  Would you like to see,
sir?" he asked eagerly, turning to his laptop.

Charlie smiled, "Another time maybe, kiddo.  Tell you the truth, computers
and me ain't what you'd call compatible.  You're the experts.  As a cowboy,
what I know about technology you could write on a postage stamp."

The boys blushed again and Charlie was afraid he had offended them.  They
really were shy, vulnerable kids.  But he was saved by the bell when Vic's
phone rang.  "It's our supplier, sir, I better take it.  He picked it up
– "hello Fred" – and frowned as he listened.  Suddenly Vic's tone of
voice changed, became almost authoritative.

"No Fred that's totally unacceptable.  You promised those window frames for
tomorrow morning, I have it in writing, and we're gonna hold you to it."
More silence as he listened.  "Let me stop you right there, Fred.  Your
staffing shortages are your problem not ours.  Our problem is work comes to
a halt without those frames.

"Look Fred, if I tell my boss Randy that he's gonna have to stop work,
he'll hit the roof and tear the place apart, you know how he is.  He'll be
so mad he'll prob'ly drive right over to your office to have it out with
you, and I don't think you want that, do you Fred?"

A smile crossed Vic's face.  "That would be great, Fred.  First thing
tomorrow, then, say eight o'clock?  It's great doing business with you,
Fred, as always."

He hung up and Charlie laughed and applauded.  "Damn, y'all showed him
what's what, kid.  Poor Fred, I wouldn't wanna be on the end of that call.
How'd you learn to twist arms like that?"

"Bob and Brandon taught us, sir.  They told us never to forget we speak
from strength `cos we're a big outfit now and put a ton of business their
way.  But always be polite and repeat the guy's first name a lot – put's
him off guard.  And Randy taught us never to back down – he doesn't, so
we try to copy that – minus the rage and the tearing-the-place-apart
bit."

Noah added with a smile.  "Bob told us that our ultimate weapon is Randy.
Just the threat of him coming over to meet them face to face always does
the trick.  `Course, if he actually did go over there we'd probably be
facing another lawsuit, like when he decked that rebellious crewman years
ago."

As they talked Charlie realized there was a lot more to these boys than met
the eye.  Outwardly, socially, they were shy, probably because of their
background.  But give them an important job to do and a whole other side
emerges – a steely side.  He saw too how nurturing the tribe could be,
taking in insecure youngsters like these two, folding them in a nurturing
embrace and giving them a sense of their own worth.

The other thing that impressed him – not for the first time – was the
importance of his brother Randy in all their lives.  He was so powerful, so
charismatic, that he set the tone for the company and the tribe.

At Steve's house Charlie had witnessed Randy's dynamic force in the raw
arena of sex, how a beautiful young athlete had totally surrendered to the
gypsy's magnetism.  Project that same power onto being a construction boss
and leader of a tribe of men, and the vibrant picture of a remarkable man
came into focus.

A stunningly beautiful, dominant man like Bob could have had anyone he
liked, but he too had fallen under Randy's spell and was a worthy partner.
They were an incredible couple and, once again, Charlie felt proud to be
Randy's brother.

As for these two boys, as Charlie looked at their eager faces he felt
unaccountably moved, infused with a warmth and affection different from
anything he had felt before.  As he had told Steve, there were times when
he wished he had kids of his own, and now he felt a protective instinct for
Vic and Noah, the same urge to protect as brother Randy had for all the
boys.

Charlie sighed. "I guess I should let you guys get on with your work.
"Y'all don't want a big ol' cowboy cluttering up the place."

"Oh no, sir, I mean yes we do, sir," Noah blurted.  "I mean, not cluttering
up the place, but ..."

Vic stepped in.  "We have time, sir.  Now we've got the paychecks out
things are real quiet here.  Would you like some coffee, sir?"

"Sure thing, dude."  Charlie sprawled back in his chair, legs manspread,
and pushed his hat to the back of his head, his dazzling smile giving both
boys instant boners.  "So I've seen how great you are at your job, but what
do y'all do outside the office – for leisure, for fun ... for sex?"

The boys glanced at each other.  "Well, sir ... not much really.  See,
we've always had each other and, well, that was enough.  Since we came here
we, er, well, started to have sex with each other, and that's enough too."
They glanced at each other again and Vic took over.  Charlie sensed that
they were relaxing with him and opening up, and he loved that.

"Tell the truth, sir, when Eddie made that video of you, the one he showed
at dinner yesterday, he gave copies to all the boys.  And we ..."  Another
blush.  "Well, we played it in our room upstairs and ... and gave each
other hand-jobs, jerked each other off watching you, sir.  You were such a
hot looking cowboy.  Er is it OK to say that, sir?"

"OK?  It's a real compliment, Vic.  And if we're gonna be pals you should
remember one thing.  Being in the rodeo I've heard just about everything,
and nothing shocks me.  Well, a couple a' things I've seen here have, but
that's another story.

"`Course, you know I don't have sex with guys, like fucking and stuff, but
I'll tell you, I like you kids.  I'm not a settling-down kinda family guy
so I never had kids of my own, and I ..."  He checked himself.  "Anyway,
enough about me, so tell me more about you. How old are you?  Do y'all ever
go out to have fun ... like down to the beach, or out of town on vacation
and stuff?"

"We're both nineteen, sir," Noah said, "but no, we don't really got out
much. Matter of fact we've built up a lot of vacation days here but haven't
taken any.  Brandon keeps saying we should take some days off, get a break
from the office.  We were thinking about going down to the beach but we
don't really know ... like ..."

"Hey, here's an idea.  I ain't been to the beach either during my break
here in L.A.  You can't come to California and not see the ocean. So how
about we go together?  Would you like that?"

The boys looked at each other, eyes sparkling.  Emboldened by their
enthusiasm Charlie had another idea.  "Hey, listen up.  There's a guy
always helps us out at the rodeo when we come here.  He has this horse
ranch and riding school down at the Malibu Lagoon State beach, and rents
out his horses.  Thing that grabs my fancy is that you can ride along the
beach there.  Would you like to do that?"

They gasped lightly.  "Sir, with you, you mean?  But we've never been on a
horse, sir."

"That don't matter," Charlie laughed.  "You know I took Ben and Tyler to
the Equestrian Center.  They'd never ridden before either but I made sure
they had gentle mounts and it wasn't long till they trotted and cantered
and even galloped a bit.  I promise you wouldn't fall off, I would take
care of you.  So what do y'all say?  You in?"

They looked at each other, then smiled at Charlie.  "Yes please, sir.
Thank you, sir."

<><> CHARLIE CHECKS IN WIRTH BRANDON <><>

When Brandon came back Charlie had a private word with him and told him of
his plan with the boys.  "I've taking a liking to those kids, Brandon.
They're not lonely exactly, as they have each other, but they are alone a
lot, keeping to themselves.  They're not out of the same mold as you guys
– they're cute rather than handsome and kinda skinny, not the young
studs like y'all are.

"`Course, I'm telling you stuff you already know.  You're their boss, with
them all day, so you prob'ly know them better than anyone does.  So what do
you think of my idea of taking them riding down at the beach?"

"Charlie, I couldn't be more pleased.  Vic and Noah are great workers but
I've always worried about the way they shut themselves away together.  Oh
sure, they join everyone else for meals and they get on well with the other
boys, especially Will.  He's so kind to them.

"I've been urging them to take some of the vacation time they've accrued.
But they're not sure what to do with it.  See, they're the only boys who
don't have a man – a master as some call it – to take them out and
give then new experiences.  I know they idolize you, sir, they're always
talking about you, so a day at the beach with you would give them a fresh
view of the world."

Brandon paused and frowned slightly.  "Er, there is one thing, Charlie.
They are very turned on by you sexually.  They even ..."

Charlie smiled, "I know all about that, Brandon, they told me about the
hand-jobs watching me in that video.  And they know I'm not into guys
sexually, so I'm not about to butt-fuck the two of them.  But I have a
feeling that they satisfy each other sexually.  What they don't have is a
guy like your Pete or Eddie's Hassan that they can look up to and depend
on.  Maybe I can be a man like that for them, at least while I'm here.

"Doc Steve gave me a suggestion that I haven't shared with anyone else
yet. He said I needed a family I can come back to whenever there's a break
in my rodeo schedule.  I'm not about to settle down with a wife and family,
so he urged me to treat the tribe as my family to come back to.  He called
it my `still point in the turning world'.  Does all this make sense to you,
Brandon?"

"Perfect sense, Charlie.  Pete and I were talking about all this, wondering
how you and the others would cope when you leave us.  It's obvious the guys
here have taken you to their hearts, and you seem to like it here ..."

"Like it?  I love it, Brandon.  I've kinda fallen in love with you all –
and don't forget, three of my brothers live here.  So, er, if I took Vic
and Noah to the beach tomorrow, could you give them the time off?"

"No problem there.  It's always busy at the end of the month, but now
that's over and the payroll's out there'll be a lull, so Ryan and I can
easily cope.  If there's a crisis Bob always comes and helps out."  Brandon
chuckled.  "He always insists that I'm still in charge and give the orders,
but no one gives orders to Bob, even Randy."

"Even though Randy thinks he does eh?" Charlie laughed.  "Thanks Brandon.
I've enjoyed talking to you and I'm really glad that Vic and Noah have a
boss like you.  You're a great guy and Pete's a lucky man, as I'm sure he
knows."

<><> "YOU & YOUR BOYS" <><>

It was a point of pride with Bob, Randy and the other men that there was no
jealousy among the boys.  Bob insisted frequently that there was no place
for envy in their ranks, and if ever it surfaced they should let him sort
it out.

In fact it was quite the reverse.  If ever a boy got into trouble of any
kind, the other boys would circle the wagons round him and protect him.
And it wasn't only in times of trouble – they shared their joys too.  So
when news of Charlie's conversation with Vic and Noah got out – which it
did, of course, with the speed of light – the boys were thrilled for
their young pals.

Ben and Tyler offered to lend them the cowboy boots and hats they had worn
when Charlie took them riding.  Ben said they'd do best to copy Charlie's
simple outfit of an old shirt, jeans, boots and hat.  He said Charlie would
probably give them his old bandanas to wear round their necks.

When Charlie went to Bob and Randy's room for his usual brandy nightcap Bob
was brimming with enthusiasm.  "It feels so right, Charlie.  Like Brandon,
I've been uneasy about the boys' tendency to isolate.  They're different
from the other boys in that they are sexually satisfied with each other and
don't need other outlets for sex.  It's their social life that's missing.

"Of course they have the support of the whole tribe, but they lack the
influence of their own man they could look up to. And if that man is a big
hot cowboy, boss Randy's brother – well, it don't get much better than
that.  It's great for their self-esteem too.  They'll feel they can hold
their heads up around the other boys as their equal, with you taking care
of them."

"Thanks for saying that Bob.  Of course, I'll be different from all the
other men here `cos I'll be here only part time, between rodeo dates."
Charlie grinned.  "That, plus I won't be butt-fucking my boys.  But that
don't seem to upset them at all."

"No," Randy said, `cos like Bob said, they get all that from each other and
they'd always have the prestige of being the cowboy's boys.  Charlie, I
gotta hand it to you.  I wasn't sure of you at first, but now I see what
you're doing for these kids ... dammit, dude, you have the same urge to
protect and nurture kids that I have, and I'm damn proud you're my
brother."

It was with a light heart that Charlie slept in his guestroom that night.
He woke early and called his pal George at his Malibu ranch.  When he went
down for breakfast he felt a stab of pleasure as he saw Vic and Noah
waiting for him.  They were feeling a bit sheepish in the unfamiliar gear
of jeans, cowboy boots and hats, that they had planted too firmly on their
heads.

Instinctively he put them at their ease.  "Wow, perfect young cowpokes," he
smiled.  "Well, almost perfect."  He gently pushed their hats back off
their faces.  Looks better wearing them further back – always gets more
cheers for me at the rodeo.  And there's this too."

Charlie gave them both one of his old neckerchiefs that he hung loosely
round their necks.  "Now you look like old hands."  The other boys crowded
round with oohs and aahs and the kids felt they were walking on air.  After
breakfast their sendoff was rowdy as the boys climbed into the front seat
of the truck beside Charlie.

Charlie was struck by how much they had loosened up since they first met
him.  Their shyness had gone and they talked a whole lot more, treading
over each other's lines.  During the hour-long drive across town they
pumped Charlie with questions, of course, but then opened up about
themselves and their lives before coming to work in the office.  The
simplicity of their confined life in their little apartments moved Charlie
greatly, and he realized the huge impact this outing was having on them.

When they reached the ranch Charlie was warmly greeted by his pal George
and they chatted briefly about the upcoming rodeo date in Arizona, then got
down to business.  George had chosen three horses for them – a spirited
stallion for Charlie and two fairly docile mares for the boys.

When they mounted and did a few practice walks around the enclosure Charlie
realized again how the boys' earlier insecurities and feelings of
inferiority gave a false impression of their true selves and their
potential.

He was surprised at how quickly their self-assurance grew under his
guidance, and even when the horses broke into a gentle trot, their faces
shone with confidence.  Sooner than expected Charlie felt they were ready
for the beach and, astride his stallion, he led them the short distance
down the path leading to the shore.

It being a weekday the beach was pretty empty, except for a few other
riders and a family with young kids, who laughed and clapped looking up at
the three `cowboys' on horseback.

It was probably the first time that Vic and Noah had ever been admired this
way by younger kids, and Charlie was beginning to realize how much their
meeting him was changing their lives.  The pleasure and pride Charlie felt
was, he assumed, similar to what a parent feels in nurturing his own kids.

They walked along the edge of the surf and eventually broke into an easy
trot.  The sun was getting hot and when they slowed to a brief stop Charlie
pulled of his shirt and tied it round his waist.  The boys did the same and
Charlie was pleased that they showed no awkwardness about their own skinny
torsos.

In fact, Vic pulled out his cell phone and asked Charlie to take their
picture.  They pulled the mares together side by side, pushed their hats
back on their heads and their faces glowed with pride as they posed for
their picture, the ocean glittering behind them.

Charlie took several shots, then hailed a passing lone rider and asked if
he would take a picture of the three of them.  Of course he agreed, and
Charlie rode up between the two mares, so Vic and Noah were on either side
of him.  The man took a few pictures, then put the phone on video for a few
minutes.  "Perfect shot of you and your boys, dude.  That's a keeper."

They thanked him and, as the man rode away, they all realized that for the
first time they had heard a stranger quite naturally use the words "you and
your boys".

They rode quite a way up the long beach and when they saw a small cantina
behind the beach Charlie suggested they stop for a bite to eat.  The place
was not much more than a thatched shack with a kitchen.  They tied their
horses to a hitching post outside and were soon feasting on burritos and
margaritas.

The exhilarated boys were now talking even more, their tongues and thoughts
loosened by the margaritas, and Charlie was thrilled to see them
transformed from the introverted boys he had first met.  He wanted to
prolong their time together and made a suggestion.

"Hey kids, how'd you like to stay at the beach all day?  We'll take back
the horses and kick back on the beach, get some rays.  There's a nice
casual restaurant up the highway, we could have dinner there."

"Yes please, sir," they chorused eagerly."

Charlie hesitate, then grinned, "Only thing is, I like to drink with
dinner, but I don't wanna drive across town after drinking – especially
with you guys.  I wanna protect you, not endanger you. So, er, I noticed a
small hotel just beyond the restaurant.  We could spend the night there and
I'd drive you back to town – sober – tomorrow.  Just to be clear, I'm
not trying to seduce y'all nothing like that.  It's just that I enjoy your
company and I'd like a whole day with you."

The boys exchanged glances and Vic spoke for them.  "We would love that,
sir, and Brandon has given us two days off from the office.  Only we don't
want to keep you from the other guys.  There's a lot of them you haven't
got to know yet."

"Ah, no worries there, kids.  I've got plenty of time before Arizona and I
can get round to them all.  And even if I don't there's always next time.
See, from now on I intend to spend all my breaks from the rodeo with the
tribe.  Usually, when we're between shows I just hang around the town we're
in, drinking with my buddies and getting bored.  But this latest break in
L.A. has been anything but boring – especially now," he grinned.  "I've
got a family to come back to.

<><> BETTER IN THE FLESH <><>

Naturally the boys eagerly agreed to the plan, and they had a lazy
afternoon at the beach and a leisurely dinner – with plenty of drinks as
Charlie had predicted.  He was pleased to see that the boys' acute
excitement had mellowed.  They didn't talk so much, simply enjoyed being
with Charlie as if they were old friends.

When they checked into the hotel Charlie insisted on a room with a
king-size bed.  And, like his brother Randy, the macho cowboy was not the
kind of guy you say no to.

When they got to the room they were all feeling tired after such a long and
eventful day.  They were pretty much talked out and liquored out, and the
bed looked very inviting.  "Now, just to make it clear, kids, I got a
king-size bed `cos I don't wanna sleep alone, that would be dumb.  I know
that in the tribe three guys sharing a bed would end up with a three-way
fuck or a spit-roast, but that ain't gonna happen here."

"Oh we never expected it would, sir, and we're OK with that."

"But, I also don't wanna cramp your style, boys, so feel free to do what
y'all feel like doing.."

There was an uneasy silence, then Vic plucked up his courage.  "Sir, there
is something we'd like.  You know we told you that we often look at the
video of you and jerk each other off.  So, er, we were wondering ..."

Charlie grinned, "... wondering how it would feel giving each other
hand-jobs watching the real thing, in the flesh, instead of a video?
Sounds like a plan kids.  And y'all know by now, I have quite the
reputation as a show-off."

The boys eagerly took off their clothes, something that before now they
would have been too modest to do in front of someone.  But this was
Charlie, and he had told them everything was OK.  They lay on the bed side
by side, propped up on pillows, reached over and grabbed the other's cock.

Charlie smiled at their new boldness and, wanting to please them, slowly
unbuttoned his shirt.  It flapped open over his pecs, reminding them of the
video they had seen of the cowboy doing the same thing riding triumphantly
round the rodeo arena.  But that was a video and this was real.  And
Charlie was no longer the cowboy of their dreams.  He was here, in the
flesh, alone with `his boys', as the man on the beach had said.

They stroked each other slowly, careful not to cum too soon.  Charlie
pulled his shirttail out of his jeans, shrugged it off and flung it on the
bed inches away from them.  They gasped as they gazed up at the macho
cowboy, stripped to the waist in beltless blue jeans and boots.

He looked in the room's wall mirror, ran one hand over his chest and ripped
abs, and his other hand grabbed the bulge in his jeans.  Then he turned
round, stood beside the bed and smiled down at them.  What roused him was
not sexual attraction – just simple attraction for these sweet kids who
had been alone in the world for so long and now gazed up at him as their
hero.

They were not physically handsome, their naked bodies thin, but they looked
so vulnerable, so eager to please, and not for the first time, his heart
went out to them.  He was far more powerful than them in every way and
wanted so much to please and excite them.  And he knew how to.

Towering over them, he ripped open his jeans pulled out his cock and
stroked it, brushing his other hand lightly over his nipple.  The boys held
their breath, thinking this was the sexiest thing they had ever seen in
their lives.  His cock was only semi-hard but it swelled as he stroked it.
He was not feeling lust, he knew that, but something much closer to love.
It was a new emotion, bewildering, but one thing he was sure of – at
this moment, in this place, he loved these boys.  And now his dick was
hard.

He smiled down at them.  "You want this kids?  Seems to me you do, eh?"

"Yes please sir ... we love you sir."

"Damn, that's all I wanted to hear.  Here it comes, boys ... just for you.
Yeaah ..."

Their shining eyes stared up at him, they pounded each other's cocks and
gasped as the cowboy's body flexed and he spurted warm juice over their
bare chests and faces, and they climaxed in wide-eyed, breathless eruptions
of their own.

They turned to each other and kissed, as Charlie's laughter filled the
room.  He eased off his boots, pushed down his jeans and flung himself
naked on the bed beside them.

"Damn that was fun, wasn't it?  Y'all OK, kids?"

"Mmm, yes thank you, sir," they sighed.

Charlie pulled the sheet up over them and lay on his side with his arm
stretched over their slim bodies.  "I think we kinda broke the mold there,
kids.  We started something new.  Not sure what it is, but it feels great.
Like Doc Steve said, don't put labels on stuff, just do what feels good
... and that sure did.  OK, sleep now ... that's an order."

"Aye-aye, sir," Noah giggled, and hugged Vic tight. "'Night Vic."  "'Night,
Noah."

Something in the way the boys said goodnight to each, as they must have
done every night for years, brought tears to Charlie's eyes.

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

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 574


Hey guys, this is Rob Williams. I hope that chapter turned you on, and I
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