Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2022 02:22:47 +0000 (UTC)
From: rw6789@aol.com
Subject: "A Trial Of Strength" - Part 589  by Rob Williams

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH – PART 589 by Rob Williams

CHAPTER 589 – "BOB & MARIO MAKE OLD-FASHIONED LOVE"

IN THIS CHAPTER

At the raucous Grady-House party, two men go off alone together. Mario, the
dark sexy Italian, and Bob, the tribe's co-leader with chiseled superman
looks, discover they have much in common, including a smoldering lust.
After tender foreplay Bob says, "Rough sex and ropes can be fine, but
whatever happened to making love, pure and simple?" Mario smiles, "Sono
d'accordo, amico."

______________________________________________________________________

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

The Grady House party for the whole tribe was in full swing and brought
exciting news for several of the participants – including Grady himself.

The action-movie star loved being among his buddies, where he was treated
like just one of the guys and could forget the pressures of being an
international celebrity.  One looming event filled Grady with dread – a
multi-city publicity tour to promote the movie he was currently shooting,
playing a lifeguard captain, with a lot of surfing action at the beach.

But his lover, the handsome Italian Mario, had come up with a way to make
Grady much happier about the ominous tour.

"Listen, amico, whenever a big star like you goes on a promotional tour he
always has an entourage to take care of him – such as a personal
assistant, a photographer and so on.  So I just called George, our liaison
at the studio publicity department, and he said of course you must have
people with you that you felt comfortable with."

Mario would accompany him as his personal manager (and lover, but the
outside world didn't need to know about that).  And three of Grady's
buddies, who were working on the movie, would go with him – Jamie and
Nate who supervised the many surfing extras, and young Eddie as his
personal cameraman who had already taken many candid publicity shots of
him.

The boys were thrilled at the prospect, especially the fact that they would
be traveling on the studio's corporate jet. There was some nervousness
about facing a battery of questions from the press at every stop. But Mario
arranged a quick impromptu rehearsal at the party, where all three boys
aced the practice questions, which boosted their confidence.

Then there was a sudden change of focus in the party as cowboy Charlie
appeared unexpectedly, much to the delight of his boys Noah and Vic, and to
Grady, whose lust was roused by the mere sight of the rugged muscular
cowboy, a popular star on the rodeo circuit.

Charlie hatched a plot with his boys, and Grady's cock stiffened when he
found the muscular bare-chested cowboy man-sprawled on a bench in the
grounds, hat pushed back on his head, hot, horny and hungry for action.
Charlie and his boys triple-teamed the submissive muscle-jock.  After they
sprayed their cum in his face Grady lay on his back with the cowboy
towering over him, grinding his cock under his boot.

It was a homoerotic picture of total defeat, the ultimate humiliation –
the rugged cowboy towering over the helpless jock, grinding his cock with
his boot.  He groaned. "You're torturing my cock, man ... I can't take any
more.  I give up, you've beaten me, sir ... aaagh!"  His trapped cock
spurted jizz up over his stomach till his abs and chest were as
cum-drenched as his face.

When it was over Charlie pulled Grady up on his feet into a tight hug, and
grinned, "That's how a cowboy breaks a stallion, dude.  And man, you are
one fucking stallion."

Wiping the cum out of his eyes Grady grinned, "And you are one fucking
cowboy, Charlie.  You and your boys are a great team.  Can't wait to tell
Mario about this."

Actually, at that moment, Mario was fully engrossed with someone else –
the handsome, sexy co-leader of the tribe, Bob ....

========= CHAPTER 589 =========

<><> MAN TALK <><>

While Grady was indulging his lust for cowboy Charlie, manhandled by
Charlie and his boys, Grady's lover Mario was in the midst of the rest of
the crowd of men and boys enjoying the big Grady House party. He was
chatting by the pool with the tribe's co-leader Bob.

The two sophisticated, well-educated men had much in common. Poised,
stylish Italian Mario was born and raised in Tuscany, with dark chiseled
Mediterranean looks, a naturally toned body and seductive Italian accent.

The virile, handsome Bob, from upscale Marin County, with a PhD in
Economics had formerly been a finance executive and now managed the tribe's
construction company.  Much loved and respected by the tribe, he combined
the mild manners of Clark Kent with the sculpted features and muscular
build of Superman.

Something else the two men had in common was that each had a lover whom he
nurtured and protected.  But those lovers could not have been more
different.  Mario had met and fallen in love with the movie-star-handsome
Grady, who had since become an international star and depended on Mario to
provide the privacy and respite from the pressures of a celebrity life.

Bob's lover Randy, however, the powerful boss of the construction company
that supported the tribe, was a swarthy, muscular gypsy with square
stubbled jaw, high cheekbones and shaggy black hair, and behavior that was
more caveman than cultured.  It was often said that Bob was the brains of
the tribe, Randy the brawn.

Right now, as they sipped margaritas. Bob and Mario were talking about
their respective men, swapping stories of the measures they've had to take
to support them in times of strife, and often pour oil on troubled waters.

Bob smiled, "Hey, Grady's little trip to your Secret Garden, where I've no
doubt he is willingly surrendering that beautiful body to the rangy cowboy.
You arranged that, didn't you, you devious Italian?"

Mario smiled.  "As we say in Italy, Bob, `colpevole come accusato' –
`guilty as charged'. By now I know every one of Grady's moods and desires
and I anticipate all his needs. That is something you and I share, Bob, a
keen intuition into the needs of others, especially our men.

"As soon as Charlie walked in through those gates I sensed exactly what
Grady wanted from him, and I knew the best place to make it happen.  I was
also sure that Charlie would have fun providing the action, and those sweet
boys of his would love helping him do it.  So nobody gets hurt, everyone
has fun.  A win-win for all of them."

Bob laughed.  "I play similar games with Randy, Mario. I suspect he knows
what I'm doing, though he protests loudly.  But when he growls, `fuck you,
asshole', I know I've won, as I usually do."  Bob looked across the lawn to
where Randy was talking to Zack.  Bob raised his glass, and Randy smiled
and did the same.  "See, Mario, he knows we're talking about him."

"Oh, I do love talking to you, amico.  But, enough about our men.  I did
want to ask you about another subject, but tell me if it would bore you.
How are Grady and I doing financially?"

Bob laughed.  "Not boring at all, Mario.  You know I love figures and
finances.  It's my job, my expertise, and I especially love managing the
financial affairs of friends like you."  He again glanced across the lawn.

"You see how Randy is engrossed in conversation with Zack, Seth and Darius,
the four construction bosses after the recent big expansion of the company.
I guarantee that's what they're talking about now, as the hard work begins
on Monday.  Which is why I was glad of this party here, for them to relax
and recharge their batteries.

"They will be occupied for some time, Mario, and heaven knows Grady is
happily occupied with his fantasy cowboy, so how do you feel about slipping
away from the party for half an hour and taking me up to your office so I
can go over the accounts and show you the financial health of the Grady
house?"

Mario's face lit up.  "Would you mind doing that, amico?  I don't want to
you drag you away ..."

"Mario, after all the clamor here I would appreciate a little quiet time
away from the clatter of the crowd.  Besides, it's only at times like this
that you and I really have a chance to spend time alone together, not
surrounded by others as we are now."

Mario flagged down his boy Brian, propelling his wheelchair past them,
happily engaged on one of his errands.  "Er, Brian, Bob and I are going to
slip away up to my office to go over the accounts as we often do.  If you
or Danny need anything from me, I'm a phone call away."

"Understood, sir.  And I'll alert you if and when Grady emerges from the
Secret Garden, though I have a feeling those guys will be busy in there for
some time," Brian grinned.

"My feelings exactly, bambino."  Brian rolled away, and Mario and Bob went
into the house.

<><> CHANGING HORSES?  <><>

Bob and Mario, like most of the others by the pool, were wearing just board
shorts.  When they got up to leave, Bob pulled on his familiar V-neck
T-shirt and Mario one of his white linen shirts.

They had been in Mario's upstairs office only a few minutes when there was
a knock at the door and Brain wheeled himself in.  "Sorry for the
interruption, sirs, but I thought you might like a pitcher of margaritas
while you work."  Mario thanked him profusely and took the pitcher and
glasses from Brian's tray table to his large desk.

"I'll make sure you're not disturbed, sir."

They glimpsed a twinkle in Brian's eye as he left, and Bob said. "He's such
a terrific kid.  But what was the cheeky look he gave us?"

"I can't imagine," Mario said, trying to stifle his own smile.  "But he's
having the time of his life.  He loves working big parties here ... makes
him feel like a star ... which he is.  And, at the end of the day, a real
star, Grady, hauls him into bed beside him and they trade gossip, their
favorite stories of the day.  OK, Bob, let's get down to work."

Bob opened Mario's computer and began going through the relevant files.
"You see from this that the money continues to pour in, minus commissions
to Grady's agent.  The taxes would be high except that I've used every
accounting maneuver – legal ones only – to bring them down as much as
possible.  I found lots of business-related deductions.

"But as I've told you before, Mario I've created a large portfolio of
diverse investments that, even without Grady's income, would keep you very
comfortably off for the rest of your lives."

Mario took his eyes off the screen and focused on Bob while he spoke.  He
always found Bob sexy in those white V-neck T-shirts he often wore, and
sitting so close to him he felt the heat generated by that gorgeous body.
His face was more stunning than ever when he concentrated on the computer,
his eyes shining as he spoke so eagerly on a subject he loved.

"... do you understand the difference ... Mario?

"What?"  Mario jumped.  "Mi scusi, amico, I lost my concentration there."
Bob saw him blush and knew there was a little more to it than wandering
thoughts.  He chuckled.  "You haven't heard any of this have you? I was
explaining that your expenses are not out of line, as a ratio of your
income, and pointed out the difference between net and gross revenue."

"Yes, yes, I follow ... I think."  Mario laughed.  "The truth is that I was
distracted by my business manager sitting so close to me.  I could have
concentrated if that manager had been the stereotypical elderly accountant
with owl glasses and a droopy moustache, but fortunately he's not –
quite the reverse.  Oh look, we haven't touched the margaritas Brian
brought up.  Feel like a break to slake our thirst?"

"I think we better or I'll end up spouting the longest math monologue
ever."

Mario poured the drinks.  "I do apologize. Bob, I must seem so rude,
bringing you up here and then zoning out while you explained our finances.
Truth is, I may have zoned out on your words, but I definitely didn't zone
out on you.  Far from it.  How could anyone block out such a beautiful,
sexy man as you sitting up close."

Bob laughed again.  "Careful Mario or you'll end up sounding as horny as
Grady always does."  Bob took a long swallow of his drink and began to
loosen up.  "Not that your sex-life with Grady is any of my business,
Mario, but it has crossed my mind that it must be pretty much a one-way
street eh?  Straight up Grady's ass."

"You put it so elegantly, amico," Mario chuckled, "and I don't mind talking
about it.  Grady wouldn't mind either, we are so close to you and Randy.
As a matter of fact it's a relief to share our intimate details with
someone else, and you are the ideal man.

"And yes, Bob, you are right.  Grady just loves to get fucked, as you, and
especially Randy, know.  He's probably doing that now, even as we speak
... oh, except that Charlie doesn't fuck guys, does he?  But the cowboy
will think of something, I'm sure.  Oddly enough, I think you have the
opposite issue when you make love to your macho gypsy, am I right?"

"If you mean does Randy mostly butt-fuck me, yes you're absolutely right.
Not that I mind, he's the greatest fuck in the tribe.  But he likes to
think my ass belongs to him exclusively.  In fact," Bob chuckled, "whenever
I tell him that I made love to someone else, I know for sure what the next
words out of his mouth will be ... `Did he fuck you?'"

Mario laughed.  "So what we have here is one man who always fucks his
lover, and another man who gets fucked by his all the time."

"And both want to change horses once in a while," Bob grinned.  "If the
right man comes along."

"Is that an offer?" Mario asked, then instantly regretted his flippant
comment, as the joke fell flat.  He had clumsily jumped from the general to
the specific, bringing it too close to home.  "Que stupido," Mario blushed.
Forget I said that, Bob.  Let's get back to the accounts."

"Sure, if that's what you want, Mario."  Bob opened up another computer
file.  "Here is a list of all the tax deductions I mentioned.  I want you
to look at them ... good ... and now look at me."

Mario turned from the screen and stared at the strikingly handsome man
beside him.

Bob smiled, "Now personally I find lists of figures sometimes have a kind
of beauty, and perhaps you find them beautiful too.  So if you prefer them
to the man beside you, just say ..."

"Basta, basta" Mario said with his silvery laugh.  "Now you are playing
with me.  How could anything on a screen be more beautiful than the man
beside me, or more sexy?"

"Mario, we are two intelligent mature men behaving like high-school
adolescents under the bleachers, fumbling their way to their first kiss.
So let's stop beating around the bush."

Bob closed the laptop, stood up and pulled Mario up to face him.  "Enough
of those figures.  I prefer looking at the figure in front of me.  And I
don't need a PhD in finance to appreciate it – just pure animal lust."

Bob pulled Mario toward him and they kissed lightly.  Mario pulled back and
stammered, "I ... I find myself a little ... scared, of all things."

Bob laughed.  "I sometimes have that effect on people, I don't know why.  I
even made Randy scared for a long time – and he doesn't scare easily.
But he was falling in love and he didn't understand it, that's what
terrified him.  He just knew he needed to own it, drag it to his cave.

"But Mario, we don't have to behave like cavemen.  How about that bed over
there?  Looks quite elegant, very un-cave-like.  So how about we relax
there for a while?  As the Walrus said to the Carpenter, "`The time has
come,' the Walrus said, `to talk of many things ... of shoes and ships and
sealing-wax ... of cabbages and kings ..."

Mario threw his head back and laughed. "... `And why the sea is boiling
hot, and whether pigs have wings.."  I read "Alice in Wonderland as a child
when I began to learn English and we had to learn The Walrus & The
Carpenter by heart.  And right now I'm feeling just about as confused as
poor Alice."

"So take my hand, Mario, and we'll go down the rabbit-hole together."

<><> A REALLY NICE RABBIT HOLE <><>

The eccentric reference to Alice had made Mario laugh and eased his fears
– they were both on the same wacky wavelength.  Bob lay on the bed on
his side, propped up on his elbow, and patted the bed beside him.  Mario
lay on his side facing him, his cheek resting on his hand.

"This feels like a really nice rabbit hole to share with you, Bob.  Only
thing is, as you may recall, it turned out that Alice's adventures were all
a dream after she fell asleep with her cat."

"Well this ain't no dream, dude," Bob smiled, "and there's no cat here.
This is the real thing.  And I agree, it does feel real nice."

Bob traced his finger gently down Mario's forehead, between his eyes, down
the bridge of his nose, his lips and chin.  "Just look at you ... you could
be the movie star.  Tell me something, whenever you accompany Grady on
those publicity gigs and all the praise and attention is showered on him,
don't you sometimes feel resentful, neglected?"

Mario laughed, "You might add `invisible' too, Bob.  No, I don't feel that.
I'm there only to assist Grady and I'm careful never to be in any press
pictures with him.

"See, at those events everyone has an agenda – the studio wants maximum
publicity bang for the buck ... the store or hotel you're in wants to sell
as much merchandise as possible, and nobody wants to cut off the line of
fans waiting to get a signed picture.

And Grady is very generous.  If he's booked there for an hour he always
gives them two.  As each fan steps up nervously and he smiles up at them
and asks them their name, he has that knack of making them feel they are
the most important person in the room.  I always think to myself, `that's
one more person on the planet in love with Grady'."

"With you in the background looking on, eh?" Bob said.

"Yes, because I'm the only person there whose main focus is to look after
Grady himself.  We have a kind of silent language.  I always stay in his
eyeline and when he glances over at me with a certain tired expression, I
know he's had enough.  That's when I step in.

"I make sure security is holding the elevator for him, and I have the
unpopular task of ending the session.  `Sorry folks but he's running very
late and they're holding the plane for him', which is total bullshit but
seems to work.  We make a dash for the elevator and when we get to the room
he sometimes bursts into tears letting the tension flow out.  That's when I
take him to bed."

Mario smiled, "But I don't go entirely unnoticed at those events.  Standing
close to the line of fans I've heard everything.  `Who are you, his PR
guy?'  `Who are you, his bodyguard?'  And this one I've overheard a lot
... `Who's the hot man with him?'  We giggle about that and he calls me the
`HMWH'.  The only comment that kind of bothered me was, `Who are you, his
valet?'  Don't know why I let that get to me, but it did."

"And all the time, Mario, you knew you were the most important guy in
Grady's life, his lover, the man he adores so much that he would give up
all the fame and celebrity, and go live with you in that little house on
Laurel Canyon."

Bob's affection for Mario had increased while he watched him telling his
story.  He looked so beautiful and spoke so gently, with no trace of
self-pity – that's just the way life was with a movie star.  Bob said,
"You know, Mario, those linen shirts you wear, hanging open over your chest
– makes you look even sexier than you already are."

Mario rolled over on his back and Bob reached across and pushed the open
shirt away from his chest.  "Flawless," he sighed as he stroked Mario's
chest and traced his fingers over the ridges of his abs.  He leaned forward
and kissed his nipples, then smiled down at his face.  "I always admire the
way you protect and care for Grady, Mario, both in public and here at the
home you created for him with Brian and Danny."

Mario linked his hands behind his head, pulling the shirt even further off
him, and grinned up at Bob.  "But I have also seen how you take care of
Randy – in a different way, though, as Randy is much tougher and
self-confident, the big boss of the outfit."

"Don't be fooled by the rugged exterior, Mario.  I see deep inside him –
all the insecurities and wild impulses.  Like when he met me and fell in
love.  It absolutely knocked him sideways, way outside his comfort zone,
and the only way he knew to handle it was lash out with his fists.

"And you know how much trouble that temper can cause, the hurt feelings I
have to placate. I often feel like the guy following the parade with a
shovel, scooping up the horseshit.  Mario, if you are known as the
`hot-man-with-him' I'm known as the shit-shoveler."

Mario laughed merrily.  "And a handsomer, sexier shit-shoveler there never
was."

Bob joined in his laughter.  "But you know something else, the time I love
Randy most?  When he's done something bad, I mean really fucked up, he
comes to me to apologize, and he looks like a nervous little boy, shifting
from foot to foot, saying sorry to a parent.  He looks adorable, a word you
don't usually associate with the fist-swinging gypsy."

"Bob chuckled, "But dude, enough about all that stuff. "I think we've said
everything there is to say about `shoes and ships and sealing-wax' ..."

"... and `cabbages and kings' too," Mario smiled.  I agree.  So ...?"

"So, I think it's about time I made love to the sexy Italian who's making
my dick ooze precum.  Lewis Carroll would be spinning in his grave if he
knew his words had been used as foreplay between two men."

Mario smiled, "Not to mention my rambling on about my own adventures in
movie wonderland.  I probably bored you to distraction, amico ... `I weep
for you, the Walrus said, and shed a bitter tear ...'."

Bob laughed, "So forget the tears, the Walrus and all the other crazy
stuff.  Let's cut to the chase and weave our own dreams."  Bob bent down
and kissed Mario's eyes, then his mouth. And they began what they had
longed to do right from the start.

<><> LOVE THE OLD-FASHIONE WAY <><>

"First, Bob, sexy as that T-shirt looks on you, I have been longing to see
you without it."

Bob got up on his knees, reached behind his neck and pulled the shirt up
slowly, revealing in turn his long slim waist, ripped abs, the curve under
his pecs, his chest, and then pulled it off over his head and dropped it
beside Mario.  He pulled Mario up on his knees facing him and pushed his
linen shirt off over his shoulders.

"Hmm, reminds me of that long-ago day, Mario, when Randy and I met you at
the hotel where you worked as a room-service waiter.  You came to our room
and Randy persuaded you to take your shirt off.  You've come a long way
from being a waiter, Mario, but in essentials you haven't changed –
still the same gorgeous Italian with the sexy accent."

Both shirtless, they smiled at each other and teased each other's nipples,
twisting them harder and harder until Bob grinned, "Mario, If I don't get
out of these shorts I'm gonna cream them."

"My sentiments exactly, amico."  They stood up on the bed facing each other
and unlaced each other's boardshorts, then pushed them slowly down over
their hips until they fell round their feet.  They stood naked, staring at
each other, their rigid cocks rearing up, almost touching.

Bob pressed his palms on the sides of Mario's head and held it firmly in
place.  "Let me look at that gorgeous face for a while dude, before I kiss
it.  Oh man, those dark Italian looks – black curly hair, tanned
square-jawed face and those sexy green eyes.  Just begging to be kissed."
Holding his face tight Bob leaned forward and licked his eyes, then pressed
their lips together in a passionate tongue-searching kiss.

When at last they pulled away Mario smiled, "That day we first met in the
hotel I worked at, Randy was definitely the leader there.  But now it's
just you, Bob – you and me – and there's no question who the topman
is here, we already sorted that out.  And I always wanted to do this."

As he sank to his knees, Mario ran his hands down the length of Bob's body,
then wrapped his hands round Bob's penis and kissed the head.  He looked up
at the muscular body towering over him and felt an urgent impulse to step
out of his usual dominant role and yield to this powerful man. He wrapped
his arms round Bob's muscled thigh and kissed it, then opened his mouth and
slid it over the long shaft pointing down at him.

As Mario worked on his cock Bob groaned in ecstasy. But eventually, as he
looked down at him, Bob said, "Fuck, man, that gorgeous face, lips wrapped
round my dick ... a man that beautiful should not be kneeling to me."  Bob
pulled his cock back out of Mario's mouth and sank to his knees facing him.

"You know," Bob sighed, "sometimes I get weary of this top and bottom thing
– one man dominating another till he begs for mercy and surrenders.
Whatever happened to making love, pure and simple?  Pete and his boy
Brandon do that, you know – quiet evening at home, dinner, a TV movie,
then curling up in bed and making love ... the loving kind, no ropes, no
begging, no submission ... just enjoying each other.  How about it, buddy?"

In response Mario wrapped his arms round Bob and they fell over on the bed,
holding each other, gently kissing, licking, smiling – a union of mind,
body and soul.  They rolled over together on the large bed, exploring each
other's naked body, enjoying the feel of each other's warm flesh, and the
scent of their breath as they pressed their lips together and breathed the
same air back and forth.

Mario closed his eyes and Bob kissed them, then his cheeks and his
forehead.  He smiled, ran his fingers through Maio's curly black hair and
ruffled it.  "Randy does this all the time to young Will ... he calls him
Red, and the kid loves it.  And I love watching them together."

Bob was lying on his back with Mario propped on his side smiling down at
him.  "There are so many sights like that in the tribe, Bob, so many loving
couples.  At parties here Grady and I sit together watching all the tender
smiles and touches ... it's our favorite thing to do.  It makes you realize
that all the ups and downs, the dramas, the squabbles are ... come si
dice?... small potatoes, no?  It's all solved by making love."

Mario bent down and kissed Bob, then pulled back and gently stroked Bob's
cock that stood up rigid as a flag pole.  "And talking of making love,
amico, how about putting this magnificent beast to good use?"

"Yeah, how about that?" Bob grinned.  He pushed Mario on his back, knelt
between his legs and wrapped a hand round his own cock.  "How do you say
engorged in Italian?"

Mario laughed.  "Gonfio."

"Great word.  So this here beast is gonfio, my nuts are gonfio too.  It's
also wet from when you sucked it.  Is that enough?"

"Mi amico, I just want it inside me.  I'll take it any way you like
... especially wet and gonfio."

Bob flipped Mario over on his stomach and gazed down at the twin mounds.
"Beautiful ass, dude.  Flawless ... enough to make a grown man weep."  He
bent low, eased the cheeks apart and buried his face between them.  Mario
moaned as he felt Bob's tongue probing his ass.  He turned his head
sideways to catch the erotic sight reflected in the wall mirror, the
muscular body bent low over his back, the square-cut superman face buried
in his ass.

"Oh ... Bob, that feels so good.  Too much of that and I'll cum on the
sheets."

"We can't have that," Bob grinned, pulling off him and flipping him over
again on his back.  Mario pulled his legs back and Bob knelt behind his
exposed butt.  He leaned far forward until his face was a few inches above
Mario's.  He kissed Mario, then smiled, "You feel the tip of my cock
pressed against your butt?"  Mario nodded.  "You wanna know how it feels
inside your butt?  Mario nodded again, and gazed deep into Bob's dark brown
eyes.

Bob licked the Italian's lips, smiled into his eyes and watched them flinch
when the head of his cock entered him.  Mario inhaled sharply as the rod
eased slowly inside him and Bob said, "You see that handsome man reflected
in my eyes?"

"Si ... si, vedo."

"Right, well that reflection is the man getting his ass fucked ... by the
guy leaning over him."

The godlike face blocked all else from Mario's field of vision.  And the
feeling in his ass blocked out any other sensation, as if he were being
consumed by the man.  As the cock eased in and out of his ass he was
mesmerized by the dark brown eyes that crinkled with a smile.  "Ain't love
grand, kiddo?"

"Magnifico, amore.  There was a long silence as they gazed deep into each
other's eyes, and Bob's long, thick rod penetrated deeper and deeper.  He
bent down again and kissed Mario, and again they shared the same breath and
the same intense sensation in their loins.

Bob sensed when they were both approaching their climax and stopped kissing
him.  "I can make you cum without touching your cock.  You will know when
the head of my cock passes over your inner sphincter and enters the
forbidden fiery depths of your ass."

"Yes, I want that, amico."  Mario reached up and stroked Bob's square-cut
features, then ran his hands down over his neck and cupped his palms over
Bob's pecs.  "You are a beautiful lover, Bob.  Will you cum inside me when
you make me cum?"

"Of course," Bob smiled.  "And when I do, you are to look deep into my eyes
and watch yourself climax for me."  Bob pulled his cock all the way back,
paused, then drove it in, deeper and deeper ... and paused.  "Now ..." he
smiled and eased his cock over the sphincter and into the secret depths of
his ass.

Mario's eyes opened wide as he felt Bob erupt inside him, and his own cock
reared up and spurted jets of semen that splashed on the muscled chest
heaving above him.  He saw himself in Bob's eyes, saw himself shudder, then
howl with joy until Bob's mouth stifled his scream with a final churning
kiss.

<><> BOB HAS A PLAN FOR PETE & BRANDON <><>

Moments later they lay panting side by side, Mario's head resting on Bob's
outstretched arm.

"Fantastico, amico.  Wonderful, and so different from making love with
Grady."

"Of course, Mario.  The difference being that you're in love with Grady.  I
could see that shining from your eyes when you were describing your life
with him.  With you two it's deep love expressed through sex.  What we had
was great sex with love and affection thrown in as a bonus.

"Making love with Randy is a whole different thing again – deep love and
dynamic sex."  Bob laughed.  "And Randy is as different from you as he
could be.  The one with a Texas accent who growls like a caveman.  The
other with an Italian accent who can recite The Walrus & The Carpenter from
end to end.  By the way, would Grady mind about us two making love like
this?"

"He would love the idea, Bob.  But more to the point, would Randy?

Bob laughed.  "Dude, he has fucked Grady so often by now he's hardly in a
position to object when I fuck Grady's lover.  Besides, I told you.  He's
OK with me making love to other guys in the tribe, provided he gets the
right answer to that ritual question, `did he fuck you?'"  Once he knows my
ass is intact, waiting for him, he's just fine."

"Bob, it's such a delight to spend time with you. Would, er ... would it be
OK when the going gets rough for me to call you and ..."

"Mario, you don't have to ask.  Of course I would be happy to come and see
you when you need a friend.  We don't always have to make love either,
although that is a bonus I would always welcome.  By the way, is it OK for
you to be here all this time, away from your guests?"

"Absolutely, Bob, have no fear about that.  I told Brian I am only a phone
call away, though I doubt he will call.  Brian and Danny pride themselves
on being able to cope with a party, even one as large as this.  And Brian
said he would alert me when Grady, Charlie and his boys emerge from the
secret garden.  And that could be some time yet."

"I'm glad to hear it," Bob chuckled.  "There are three parts to lovemaking
– foreplay, sex and afterglow.  We just had the longest foreplay in
history, then extended sex, so we might as well match that with afterglow.
I often think that's the best part – better than a quick `slam bam thank
you man'.  So are you feeling better now about this publicity tour coming
up?"

"Much better, Bob, thanks to you, Randy and cowboy Charlie.  These Grady
House parties are a great shot in the arm for Grady – they put
everything into perspective.  And now that Jamie, Nate, Eddie and I will be
with him on the trip he's actually looking forward to it. "There's, er,
only one thing that bothers me a little."

"Anything I can help you with?"

"I don't think so, Bob.  It's about Brian and Danny.  You can see how hard
they're working to make this party a success.  And it's not only the part
you see.  There was a ton of planning and setup work to do, and there'll be
a lot of cleanup too.  Oh they don't have to do all the grunt work.  We
have daily help coming in – gardeners and janitors.  But the brunt of
the whole thing falls on the boys' shoulders."

"They love it all, of course, but it bothers me that they are so isolated
up here.  See, it's great for Grady to go into solitary confinement here,
it's a big relief for him and me. But when Grady and I go away on this trip
for ten days, they'll be all alone.  Suddenly there'll be far less work and
even less company."

Bob frowned in thought.  "It doesn't have to be that way, Mario.  As a
matter of fact I have similar concerns for some of our guys.  A while ago I
mentioned Pete and his boy Brandon, and told you what a loving couple they
are.  We call the Ranger `silent Pete' `cos he quietly goes to work every
day, no muss no fuss, then comes home to spend a quiet, loving evening
together in their duplex across the street from us.

"They both work hard and don't get away much.  Nor does Brandon get to see
his boyfriend Brian up here as often as he would like.  They need a break,
so how about this?  What if they come up here when you've gone, kind of
like a mini-vacation?  I know he would love to be with Brian for a week or
so, taking care of his man Pete. How would you feel about that?"

"Bob, I love the idea.  I know Brian would be thrilled, and Danny could
spend more time here with his lover Tommy.  It would be quite a merry group
and I'd love to see this house used to make people happy.  I'd even give
Pete and Brandon the key to the secret garden.  I'll run it all past Brian
and Danny when we rejoin the party.  And talking of Brian ..."

There was a discreet tap at the door and Brian's voice asked, "Sir, may I
come in?"

"Of course, Brian," Mario said, but when the boy entered, seeing both men
naked on the bed he hesitated and looked away. "Oh, sorry, sir, I didn't
know."

Mario laughed, "Bambino, you can cut the blushing maiden act – you've
seen far more shocking things in this house than two naked men.  And of
course you knew we were making love.  You don't think we were engrossed in
the accounts all this time, do you?  I'll tell you all about it later `cos
Grady will certainly want all the dirt in your gossip session tonight."

"It's Grady I came to tell you about, sir.  He has finally emerged from the
secret garden with a great big smile on his face, and it don't take rocket
science to guess what he's been doing with the cowboy.  And you're right,
sir, I did guess what you and Bob were doing. I know your dislike of
accounting and you were up here so long, what else would you be doing?"  He
grinned his urchin grin.  "My math is stronger than yours, sir.  I added
two and two and came up with sex."

"Don't be cheeky, bambino, or we'll drag you into bed and both fuck you."

"Love to, sir, but I don't have time, sorry.  I have guests to attend to."
He wheeled himself out and Bob laughed, "That kid is adorable.  But we
better get dressed and go down too, or I'll drag you back into bed for a
repeat performance."

<><> REUNIONS <><>

The party was in full swing when Grady finally appeared with Charlie and
his grinning boys Vic and Noah.  As Brian had told Mario, Grady had a big,
goofy smile on his face, his red shorts hung low on his waist and he was
wearing Charlie's cowboy hat pushed back on his head.

The spectacle brought raucous cheers from the assembled group, by now well
lubricated on margaritas.  "Charlie," Zack laughed, "looks like you really
did a number on our handsome host here.  If his adoring fans could see him
now, eh?"

"They'd become even bigger fans," Darius laughed.  "Not often you see a
sight like that on the big screen – a muscle-jock action hero after he's
been worked over by a muscle-stud cowboy.  Come get a drink, dudes."

As they drank and laughed, Grady looked around for Mario, and Hassan said,
"He went up to his office with Bob to go over the accounts.  Must be
something real sexy about those accounts to keep them busy this long."
Eddie said, "My guess is it ain't the math it's the muscle, sir."

Brian came wheeling across the lawn and smiled.  "Right as usual Eddie.
You should a' been there with your camera.  Ah, here they come now."

It was another occasion for cheers as the couple appeared from the house,
barefoot and bare-chested in board shorts, shirts slung over their
shoulders.  Randy got up and walked to meet them.  "Uh-oh, wait for it,"
Bob whispered to Mario. "Here comes that question.  Hi Randy, hope you
don't mind but I've been making love to Mario."

"Did he fuck you?"  Bob dug Mario in the ribs and they stifled smiles.

"No, Randy, he didn't.  Matter of fact I fucked him."

Randy's face lit up with a smile.  "Terrific, ain't he Mario?"  Then to
Bob, "As for you ..."

"I know, I know, I'll pay later – my ass is grass."

"Damn straight."

That brought more lewd comments and suggestions and Eddie asked with a
roguish grin, "But apart from that, sir, how did you like the accounts?"

"Accounts, Eddie?  What accounts?"

Laughter enveloped them again as they joined the crowd and Grady nuzzled up
to Mario.  "Hey, dude, can I lick all that cum off your chest?  It's yours,
I take it?"

"Yes amico, all mine.  Bob's juice is up my ass."

"Hmm, maybe I can eat that out too."  Grady leaned down and lapped at his
lover's cum-smeared chest and neck.

Such spicy talk and behavior was taken for granted in this group and barely
raised an eyebrow.  As conversation grew ever more raunchy Bob, always
attuned to the comfort of others, looked around the noisy crowd and saw a
couple sitting quietly together at a small table, laughing at all the
shenanigans but not actively joining in.  Bob went over to Pete and his boy
Brandon.

<><> OUT OF THE RUT?  <><>

"Mind if I join you guys?"

"Be a pleasure Bob – take a pew."  A smile bathed the fine-looking
features of the rangy Forest Ranger as he leaned over and pulled a chair up
to the table.

"Having fun?" Bob smiled.

"Always do at this house," Pete said.  "Terrific bunch of guys.  But you
know us, we always watch quietly from the sidelines – the
stick-in-the-mud couple."  Pete put his arm over his boy's shoulder and
squeezed it tight.

"Certainly not the words I would use, Pete.  I'd call you the
blissfully-close-together couple.  You're not in a rut, guys, you're in
heaven.  However," he grinned, "at the risk of brazenly interfering, I do
have in mind a minor boost to that happy routine of yours.  Do you mind if
I explain?"

"Your company is always a pleasure, Bob, so go ahead."

"Well, I was talking to Mario just now ... yes," he smiled, "talking –
it wasn't all sex ... and we shared matching concerns.  They stem from
Grady's upcoming publicity tour which will pretty much empty the Grady
House, leaving only Brian and Danny here.

"Mario worries that, after the two boys worked so hard at this party, the
silence and solitude might be a letdown.  It's one thing to isolate in a
large house with all the activity surrounding Grady, but an empty house for
ten days might seem gloomy.

"I had a similar concern about overwork, concerning you, Brandon.  As your
boss I know only too well how hard you work running the office, and this
coming week promises to be extra hard, setting up the programs for the
expanded construction sites.  You need a vacation, kiddo, at least a mini
one."

"But sir, you just said there's a ton of work to do, so how could I
possibly be spared right now?"

"I'm coming to that, Brandon.  The publicity tour isn't till the week after
next and by that time the new systems should be up and running smoothly.
Ryan will create the computer programs and manage them on an ongoing basis.
And when Charlie goes away Vic and Noah will feel at a loose end and dying
for more work.  I personally would like to be in the office to get the hang
of everything."

"Besides, I have something else in mind for you, Brandon, a whole new
project I would like you to start planning.  And I don't want you
distracted by a busy office.  So I'm suggesting that you come up here for
the ten days Grady and Mario will be away, and hopefully with you, Pete.

"I know you don't spend enough time with your boyfriend Brian so this would
be your chance.  As for the work, that you can do as and when you like.
It's a long-term project so there's no urgency and I want leisure and love
to come first."

Reflexively Brandon turned to Pete, who said, "Bob, you've given me the
answer to something that's been troubling me.  It would be great for
Brandon, and for me.  I was joking when I said we're stuck in the mud, but
I do think we've fallen into a bit of a rut – a nice rut, but still ...
I've been wanting to do something like a vacation with Brandon – you
know, change of space, change of air, time to recharge the batteries, and
this could be the answer.

"I have a mountain of accrued vacation time at work and I would love to
take a week off with Brandon.  Being together with him up here would be
like paradise.  Hassan will be alone also when his boy Eddie goes off on
the tour, so we could ask him too.  And Danny could invite his lover Tommy
to spend more time with him here.  Kiddo, don't you think it would be a
neat group – you me, Brian and Danny?'

"It ... it sounds perfect, sir.  But ..." he frowned at Bob, "what about
the office, sir, and how does Mario feel about us being here?  I mean if he
..."

"Brandon, no more if, ands and buts.  That's exactly what I want you to get
away from.  Think of yourself and Pete for a change, and let me take care
of the rest.  Mario was thrilled with the idea, says he he'll even give you
the key to the secret garden.  He loves to think that the Grady House is
being used to make guys happy."

Pete smiled at Brandon.  "So what d'ya say kiddo.  You want to?"

Brandon's frown was replaced by a sparkling smile.  "Yes please, sir.  I
say yes."  Pete leaned over and kissed him.  Then a newly animated Brandon
asked Bob.  "But what is this new project, sir?  You've got me all
intrigued.

"Well, I don't want to take up any more of your party time, but I'll give
you the gist now and we can meet later.  It was the twins who gave me the
germ of the idea.  They were talking about food and provisions and all the
purchasing they do, with countless runs to the grocery store.

"The thing is, that every other house is doing the same – our Compound
... the Grady House ... Steve and Lloyd's house in the hills ... Adam and
Chad's house ... Jason and Ben's house by the arroyo ... not to mention all
the lunches we take to the construction sites.

"My plan is to have everything centralized so we can purchase provisions
wholesale. The other houses can put in their orders to us and collect what
they need from a central supply.  Save everyone a ton of money, and save
countless duplicated runs to the store.

"The twins were quite excited, and they have more time now, with the
addition of Felipe as assistant chef. When I mentioned the idea to Randy he
offered to convert those two big empty garages at the compound into a
small, air-conditioned warehouse.

The invoicing would all go through you, Brandon, so it will take a lot of
coordination with all the chefs and all the houses, plus a whole new
computer program from Ryan.  You will ultimately be in charge of it all,
but as I said, it's a long-term project and there's no urgency.  But while
you're up here you could run it through your mind, make a few phone calls
maybe.  But remember, leisure comes first ... and this sexy Ranger of
yours, of course."

"Exciting stuff, eh kiddo?" Pete said.

"I'll say."  Brandon's eyes were shining.  "Especially the thought of
spending a week in this house with you, sir.  I'm loving it already."

"There," Bob smiled, "I said I wanted to give a little boost to your
routine.  Seems I succeeded.  Now I'll leave you alone to enjoy the party,
and make plans for your mini-vacation."

<><> EDDIE TAKES THE FLOOR <><>

By now the chefs had cleared away the last remnants of the buffet and were
already immersed in dinner planning. Bob sat with Randy, Mario and Grady
listening to the buzz in the various groups gathered around.

"I love all this dudes," Grady said.  "I tell you, I couldn't do what I do
if I didn't have you guys to take Mario and me into a whole different
beautiful world that has nothing to do with show-biz.  Well," he
grinned. "it's a show-biz of a sort – the X-rated kind, I'm happy to
say."

Bob laughed, "A show starring Grady and Mario – on location in the
Secret Garden weaving their poetic fantasies."

"Poetic, Bob?  Not sure we aspire to poetry."

Bob smiled, "And this from a man who can recite The Walrus & the Carpenter
from end to end."

"The what and the who?" Randy frowned.

"Don't ask, Randy.  Later, dude.  But I know what you mean, Grady, about
watching the crowd together like this.  Look at them all.  There's Zack,
Seth and Darius with his boy Ryan talking about the new construction site
... Pete, Brandon and Brian making vacation plans ...

"And over there," Grady added, "Vic and Noah are hanging on every word of
their sexy hero, cowboy Charlie, and looking forward to their night with
him in the pool house ...  not to mention my gang, Jamie, Nate and Eddie
huddling together, gearing up for our publicity gig and Eddie still
drooling over the private jet.

Randy said, "My little brother Ben is in hog heaven with his fireman Jason
... and my other brother Doc Steve and his lover Lloyd, getting it on with
Doc Chad and Adam.  And the second-floor guys Miguel and Pablo with their
boys Finn and Tyler silently adoring them.

"And don't forget the chefs," Bob said.  "Danny and his lover Tommy, my
twins, freckle-faced Will and that cute young immigrant Felipe having the
time of his life, having found his first real home and family after his
long, brave trek to get here."

"OK," Grady grinned, "let's take bets on who, of all of them, will be the
first to break from the pack and hog the spotlight?"

"That's easy," Bob laughed.  "I vote for motormouth Eddie."  Randy nodded,
"Eddie, hands down."  Grady and Mario agreed – "No contest ... Eddie."

They didn't have long to wait.  In a few minutes they high-fived each other
as Eddie shot to his feet.  "Listen up, guys," he yelled.  "Hey, I said
listen up."  The noise slowly died down.  "That's better, `cos I have an
announcement."

"Which you...will...not...believe," came a chorus of boys, followed by
gales of laughter.

"Hey, if you don't shut up I'll ... I'll just stop talking."

"You hear that, guys?  Eddie's gonna stop talking ... yeah right, that'll
be the day."

More laughs, but slowly they let him have the floor.  "You can laugh, men,
but later this evening you'll be creaming your shorts.  Because I, Eddie,
will be showing a movie in the screening room downstairs.  A movie made by
yours truly.  I have edited together ... wait for it ... a mashup of
highlights from all the videos I've made of our two stars – Grady as the
gorgeous lifeguard captain, and Charlie as the totally sexy rodeo cowboy.

"Bring your trick towels with you, guys, `cos your gonna need them –
won't be a dry cock in the house.  It's a spectacular event, amazing,
dazzling, and I can truly say, without fear of contradiction ..." he
grinned his irresistible puckish grin "... all together guys ... "

The entire crowd howled, "You...Will...Not...Believe ..."

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

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 590


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