A Trial of Strength

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - PART 48 By Rob Williams

IN THIS CHAPTER Mark transforms Jamie from insecure boy into a man. "Look at yourself, Jamie," the cop says. "Look at that stud. He could make anyone cum." Mark toughens him up before the final extraordinary sex act. "Now, Jamie. This is gonna make you feel like a real man." Back at the construction site Randy confronts the handsome, arrogant, clean-cut architect. "Hmm ... time to dirty him up a bit."

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A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - Part 48

Randy and Mark had finally traded conflict for friendship.

Bob had deliberately left them alone in the house and the two rugged, alpha males had spent the weekend making love. When Bob came home he looked at them lying naked in the bed and his handsome face broke into a broad smile.

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

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

"Hey, I was sick to death of you two beating each other up. Then I thought of that old hippy slogan ... `Make Love, Not War.' Seems to have worked a treat."

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

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

After that incredible weekend it took some time for the house to calm down. Like a swinging pendulum that takes a while to come to rest it was a few days before the equilibrium of the house was restored. The stunning events that had remade and reinforced the relationships of the three beautiful masters took time to absorb. The earth tremor that had set that pendulum swinging had spawned several aftershocks, but these were strong, confident men and the ground was now still.

Randy, Bob and Mark spent that night together and by morning their triple friendship was rock solid, built on mutual respect, admiration, love and lust. Since they met, Randy and Bob had enjoyed a spiritual union that nothing could ever tear apart, and now their relationship was stronger than ever. But Mark too now shared in this virile company of men. Sure, he and Randy, two dominant, alpha males, would still engage in a friendly rivalry, even fight sometimes, but they too were now inseparable.

As for the youngsters, what they had seen that day had brought them even closer together and certainly aroused ever more creative sexual appetites. Having watched the cop and the construction worker, Darius, of course, was in fantasy heaven and his love-making with Pablo became more inventive.

"On your knees, cop," he growled at Pablo the next day.

He had put on his construction gear of shabby, torn Levis and old blue tank top stretched over his chiseled black chest. He had made Pablo wear his Police Motor Pool dungarees bearing his name tag and the Police Department logo. The young construction worker looked down at the exotic features and his thoughts raced as he prepared to bury his long ten inches into the face of the `young cop'.

In other words, what passed for harmony in this house was restored.

There was one exception to all this. Jamie.

"You OK, kid?" Mark asked him the next day before he left for work. "You seem a bit down ... nervous."

He was nervous. The young man had watched his master triumph over the magnificent Randy physically and sexually, and his lust and admiration for the stunningly beautiful cop had intensified to unbearable proportions. As a result his own insecurity and feeling of inadequacy overwhelmed him. Haltingly he tried to explain himself.

"Problem is, sir, it was me that started all this when I submitted to Randy and he made me shoot my load. I messed up. I caused all that trouble. I'm ... I'm just not good enough for you, sir."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Sir, you are the most beautiful man I've ever seen. You're a cop. You could have anyone you want, you know you could. I can't believe you chose a loser like me. I mean, why me? When you met me I was running with a gang of skinheads to make me feel like someone. Now I'm nothing. You'll get tired of me, sir. You'll send me away."

Mark's first reaction was anger. But as he looked into the nervous eyes he softened and took a deep breath.

"Jesus. Talk about `low self-esteem'! Sit down kid. I'm gonna tell you a few things. Number one ... looks. You're a very handsome young man, and since you've been working out hard your body is terrific. Sure I'm hot looking. But so are you. That's a fact, so get over it."

"Number two ... talent. I talked to your supervisor in the Motor Pool ... he's a pal of mine ... and he says that you're a good worker. When your probationary period is over you're sure to be taken on permanently. And since you and Pablo work so well together he's gonna leave you two together as a team. So congratulations, kid. You're making something of yourself."

"Thank you, sir."

"And number three ... and most important ... I love you, Jamie. I see a lot of myself in you when I was your age. Except I wasn't nearly as insecure. OK, you're right ... I could probably have anyone I want. But I chose you, kid. There was no mistake. I love you. I love sleeping with you, fucking you, and just being with you. You're my boy, Jamie. So get used to it."

Tears were welling up in Jamie's eyes and to hide his embarrassment he buried his face in Mark's shoulder. Mark held him tight for a long time. Then he pulled away and smiled.

"You're making my uniform wet with your tears, kid. You know what you need? A good old-fashioned ego boost. And tonight, as soon as I get home, that's what you're gonna get. Though maybe `old-fashioned' is not the right word. Far from it, in fact."

All day Jamie became more nervous. He was relieved to get home from work and went upstairs to change into clean jeans and a polo shirt. He sat on the bed, waiting. Suddenly the bedroom door burst open and Mark stood there in his full, black police uniform. As always, Jamie gasped when he saw the magnificent sight. The man was a total icon, a Greek God. But his broad smile helped Jamie to relax.

"OK, kid. Now we'll work on that fragile ego of yours. First get me a beer." And he sprawled in an armchair.

Jamie hurried to the kitchen and came back with a beer that he handed to Mark. The cop took a swig and looked Jamie up and down, sizing him up.

"Hmm ... not bad, kid ... not bad at all."

The seconds ticked by and Jamie began to blush with embarrassment.

"You don't believe me?"

"Well, sir," Jamie stammered. "I'm not ... I mean, I don't know."

Mark laughed out loud. "I want you to see what I see, Jamie. Turn around."

Jamie did so and found himself facing a floor length mirror on the wall. He could see himself and, over his shoulder, his master sprawled in the chair, grinning.

"OK, kid. Tell me what you see."

"Excuse me, sir?"

"I said, `tell me what you see in the mirror.' Forget that it's you. Just describe."

"Well, sir." Jamie swallowed hard, then plucked up courage. "I er ... I see a man, a boy really, dressed in jeans, sneakers and a dark blue polo shirt."

"Good. What about the face."

"Er ... well, blond spiky hair ... suntanned face, blue eyes, square chin."

"A handsome face?"

"Well ... yeah."

"Very handsome? Narrow your eyes. Forget it's a mirror."

Jamie squinted and saw simply the image of a man's face. "Yeah ... I guess ... very handsome."

"What about the body?"

"Broad shoulders, good chest, narrow waist. Pretty good, I guess."

"Think he goes to the gym"

"Yeah, sure. Works out hard, I'd say."

It was as if Jamie was becoming hypnotized by the deep, gentle voice behind him and he was losing himself in his description of the man in the mirror. As he narrowed his eyes he began to see an image that wasn't him. It was a handsome stranger.

"Flex your muscles."

Jamie flexed his biceps, pushed his shoulders forward and flared his lats.

"What do you think his chest looks like with no shirt on?"

"I dunno."

"Want to see?"

"Yes, sir."

"Go ahead, then. Make him take his shirt off ... slowly."

Jamie did just that, watching mesmerized as the guy in the mirror pulled his shirt up over his abs and chest, then off completely.

Mark smiled. "Not bad, uh?"

"Looks great, sir. Great pecs. I like the broad shoulders. Nice biceps."

"Now you're getting there, kid. OK, relax and just look."

Mark watched as the young man gazed at himself. He saw Jamie flex his upper body, then run his hands over his sculpted six-pack abs, up over his hard pecs and then down over his biceps. Without needing a prompt, Jamie brought his fingers to his nipples and stroked them. Then he gripped them in his fingers tips and started to squeeze. He narrowed his eyes again and gazed at the handsome blond face. He started to moan.

That's what Mark had wanted. He watched with satisfaction as the bulge in Jamie's pants started to grow. Soon the outline of his rigid cock became unmistakable.

"He's beautiful, don't you think?"

"Sure is," Jamie breathed. "Wow, his cock's getting hard. Look at that."

"He should play with it. You want to touch it?"

Jamie's only response was to reach down and unzip his pants. His big pole almost leaped from his pants and stood out stiff before him.

"Stroke it, man."

Still squeezing his nipple with his left hand Jamie curled his right hand round his cock and began to stroke. His moans became louder as he ran his eyes over the beautiful young man getting off on himself.

"Yeah," Mark whispered. "Look at that fucking gorgeous man stroking his meat. Hell, that's enough to turn anyone on. A man could fall in love with that, don't you think?"

"Yeah, anyone would."

"A man like that deserves a gorgeous lover, no?"

"He sure does," Jamie breathed. "Man, he's so fucking beautiful. Look at that stud, stripped to the waist. He's starting to sweat. Those hard muscles are shining now. God, he looks good."

"A man could shoot his load just looking at that," Mark said softly.

"Oh yeah. Oh yeah, man. He could make anyone cum."

"So go ahead."

Jamie's body shook. "Man ... he's gonna make me cum. He's such a fucking stud, man, he's making me cum. I can't hold back. Wow, watch those muscles flex. That body, that face they're so fucking beautiful. Watch him cum, man. Here it is ... aaaah ..."

And both men saw a stream of white liquid spurt from the cock, arc high in the air and splash onto the mirror, running down the glass and obscuring the image of the virile young body that shuddered with the ecstasy of jubilant release.

Jamie was so engrossed in the sight that he did not notice Mark's hand resting on his own pants at the bulge in his crotch. He didn't see the hips raise slightly as the body trembled. But he did hear the loud groan as the cop shot his load, soaking his shorts inside his uniform pants.

As his body finally relaxed Jamie turned round to face Mark. His eyes were shining, his face glowed. Mark smiled up at him.

"Does wonders for the ego, kiddo. You should try it more often."

Jamie gazed at the man he worshipped. "Thank you, sir. I had no idea that ... "

"... that you were such a turn on? I've been trying to tell you that. Guess you had to see for yourself. Now, don't you think a man like that should have a man like me? Don't you think that I deserve to have a boy like that stud in the mirror?"

"Yes, sir."

Mark stood up and placed his hands on Jamie's shoulders. "And don't you see now how a man as beautiful as me could fall in love with a boy as beautiful as you? Because I did, Jamie."

Jamie fell into Mark's arms. But this time he didn't cry. The embrace was not one of desperation ... it was mutual affection. It was the embrace of two men.

"OK." Mark pulled back and was all business again. "Soon you can make me dinner. But first we take another step in this ego-boost exercise. Are you ready to do whatever I tell you to do?"

"Of course, sir. Anything."

"Tell me what you think about Pablo."

The question surprised Jamie. "I like him a lot, sir. He's my friend. And he's a real tough young guy. Randy's shown him how to fight. He can be real aggressive. I like that."

"More aggressive than you?"

"Well, yes sir. Of course."

"Jamie, I've seen real toughness in you too. You survived on your own on the streets all that time. I admire you for that. Here, let me show you something."

To Jamie's huge surprise Mark unbuttoned his uniform shirt and shrugged it off. Then he pulled his T-shirt over his head and threw it to the ground. He stood stripped to the waist in front of Jamie and flexed his muscles, especially his rock hard abs. Jamie felt his cock get hard again.

"See this, kid? One tough cop, uh?"

"Yes, sir," Jamie stammered.

"Did Pablo tell you about the sadistic cop who arrested him and was gonna thrash him?"

"Yeah, he did," growled Jamie.

"Did that make you mad?"

"Sure did."

"OK. Imagine I'm that cop. I've captured your friend. See these abs?" And he slapped the hard, sculpted ridges of his stomach. "Punch me in the gut."

"What? I don't ... "

"Come on, kid. You gonna let me fuck your friend? Hit me. Let's see what you've got."

Jamie looked at the flexed, iron abs and clenched his fists. He raised his them like a boxer and took aim at the cop's stomach. The blow was not hard and Mark didn't move.

"Come on, kid. That all you got? I thought you were a real man. Thought you were tough."

Mark's taunting started to annoy Jamie. He aimed another blow at the gut, then another, until he was punching with all his strength. He focused single-mindedly on the chiseled abs and tried to punish them as hard as he could. Mark flexed his muscles hard and barely shifted.

"Come on, man. You wanna be my boy? You gotta do better than that. You're just a fucking wimp."

Something in Mark's sneering tone got to Jamie and he saw red. The abs were his target and he let fly. Adrenaline pumping through him doubled his strength and he pounded the abs mercilessly.

He saw just below the stomach the cop's tight leather belt and the black pants tucked into high shiny boots. He thought of Pablo's arrest and at that moment he hated the police. The onslaught intensified and he felt an amazing mix of hatred and lust. His cock had become raging hard and the sexual charge, fueled by adrenaline, sent him wild.

"You fucking, pig," he yelled. "I'm gonna kill you."

The gut punching grew brutal and finally Mark started to weaken under the onslaught. He stepped backward, but Jamie followed up with increased ferocity. "Give up, asshole," he yelled. "I'm gonna kill you."

At last the pain was too much even for Mark's rock hard abs. His legs buckled and he sank to his knees, yelling, "OK, man. I submit. You win. I give up."

Jamie stopped. His whole body was heaving and his eyes blazed as he looked down at the beaten, shirtless cop. The adrenaline that still coursed through his veins made his cock rigid and his whole body shuddered with desire for this stunning man. Suddenly he snapped back to reality.

"Oh my God. What have I done? "Oh, sir. I don't know what happened."

Mark looked up at him and his face broke into a huge smile. "I know what happened, Jamie. You showed me just how tough you can be when you're roused. As tough as they come. That was sensational, kid. You're a real man." Mark stood up. "And I'm proud you belong to me."

Jamie realized what had just happened, what Mark had made him do. And from then on he walked a little taller.

"However," Mark grinned. "You may be a tough guy, but you're still my boy. And while I shower you're gonna make me dinner."

"Yes sir!" shouted Jamie.

Over dinner Mark became aware that his lessons were having the desired effect. As Jamie talked freely he became more confident, assertive, less afraid of making a mistake. He had found his footing. But Mark knew there was one more lesson he needed to learn.

"I want to ask you something, Jamie," Mark said. "You remember when I first knew you, when I drove you up the coast? You boasted a lot about all the girls you had taken to bed. You came across as quite a stud. You even tried to fuck the waitress we met, though as I recall that didn't turn out so well."

Jamie blushed. "You might as well say it, sir. I couldn't get it up."

"Well, that set me thinking. Were all those stories true, Jamie?"

Jamie blushed deeper and averted his eyes. "No, sir. I lied about all that just to impress you ... show you what a stud I was." Then he looked right into Mark's eyes. "But that's the last time I ever lied to you, sir. I swear it."

"I believe you kid. So let's cut to the chase. Jamie, have you ever fucked anyone?"

Again Jamie averted his eyes and looked down at the table, still blushing. He said in a small voice, "Never, sir."

Mark murmured to himself. "I guessed as much. That explains a lot." He looked at the bowed head and was overcome with affection for this young boy who had wanted so much to be liked and respected that he had invented a macho façade for himself. He had lived a lie just to be loved. Mark made a decision.

"OK, kid. Time for bed. You can leave the dishes until the morning."

In the bedroom there was an air of anticipation, of something strange about to happen. While Jamie watched, the cop quickly pulled off his V-neck T-shirt, then dropped his jeans and shorts. Naked he fell on the bed, on his back, looking up at the nervous young man.

"Jamie. You said you would do whatever I told you to."

"Absolutely, sir. Anything in the world."

"Good ... then fuck me."

"OK, sir. You wanna fuck me?"

"That's not what I said, Jamie. I said ...'fuck me'."

Jamie again thought he had misheard. Trying to make sense of it he frowned hard and stammered."

"Me, sir? Me ... fuck you, sir?"

"That's what I said, kid."

Jamie looked down at the muscle god sprawled on his back before him. The sight of him had, as always, made his cock rigid, but he could not get his mind around what Mark had told him to do.

"No, sir. That's not right. You're my master, sir. You fuck me whenever you want but ... no sir ... I can't do that."

"Damn right I'm your master. And your master is giving you an order." His tone softened. "I want you to know what a man feels like when he fucks ... how good it feels ... how powerful it makes him. And Jamie, I want to be the first for you. Now, I'm telling you for the last time ... fuck your master."

Jamie took several deep breaths to steady himself. He knew he had to do it. His master had ordered it. And deep in his subconscious the thought excited him beyond words. He was being given the extraordinary opportunity to penetrate the ass of this glorious man, this ultimate alpha male, this god.

Slowly he took off his shirt, then the jeans, and stood naked before his master. Then, as Mark looked straight into his eyes, with a slight smile on his face, something extraordinary happened to Jamie. He pulled himself up to his full height, and really for the first time in his life, he felt like a man ... a real man.

Confidence surged through him. He had looked at his own stunning image in the mirror and the sight was so beautiful it had made him cum. Then he had gut punched the cop and become so provoked, so tough, he had beaten him to the ground. Now he was going to fuck a man. And not just any man. He was going to fuck the cop, the man who was an icon of masculine beauty, the man everyone wanted, the man he loved. And the man who loved him. He was going to fuck him!

"I'm gonna fuck you man. Show me that ass." His voice was firm, steady ... supremely masculine.

Mark saw, heard, the change in Jamie and knew that, at last, he was looking at the man he really loved, the confident male who had just emerged from the body of the insecure boy.

"Yeah, man. Fuck my ass. I wanna feel your dick up my ass. Come on, man ... fuck me."

Jamie strode forward, grabbed Mark's legs and pulled him to the edge of the bed. He pushed the legs back and gazed down at the vulnerable ass.

"Yeah ... give that ass to me."

"It's yours, Jamie. Fuck it."

Jamie brought the head of his rock hard cock to the warm hole of the cop's ass. He gazed in wonder at the stunning blue eyes as he pushed forward. He felt the head pass over the sphincter and enter the warm ass of the man he loved. He threw his head back and screamed as he plunged the whole length of his cock deep, deep inside the cop's body until it came to rest in the innermost depths of his gut.

Jamie was inside this glorious man. He looked down at tousled blond hair, the beautiful sculpted face, the face of a Greek god. His eyes ran down over the incredible sculpted physique, the golden muscles gleaming with the first sheen of sweat. The man was magnificent ... and he was inside him ... inside him!

Jamie felt strength and power surge though him as he began to pump hard. He had never, ever, imagined a feeling like this. The rhythm of his movements heightened the incredible sensation in his cock and he was mesmerized by the image of the muscular man beneath him. The energy that pulsed through his body electrified him. For the first time he was feeling the intense heat of a man's ass gripping his cock.

He felt invincible. "God that feels sensational. Feel that cock, man. That's a man's cock punishing your ass. You're so fucking beautiful. God ... I'm fucking my master's ass!"

Mark too was hypnotized by the sight of this beautiful body that was penetrating him. The boy he loved had been transformed into a man, a forceful, virile man. He was falling in love all over again. But as he watched he knew that Jamie would not last long. He felt the cock shuddering in his ass and knew he was close. Mark grabbed his own cock and smiled at the ecstatic face above him.

"I love you Jamie. You are such a fucking stud. Cum for me, kid. Cum inside your master's ass."

That did it for Jamie. All he could see was the eyes of his master, all he could feel was the furnace of his master's ass. With a scream that rocked the building he shot the most massive load of his life inside the man he loved. He saw the cop's face twist and scream, saw the glorious sight of the man's streaming orgasm as cum splashed over the perfect body.

Jamie had fucked a man for the first time in his life. He had fucked Mark.

It was minutes before either of them moved. Jamie was still on his knees and slowly pulled his long dick out of the ass he had just fucked. Mark smiled as he looked up at the awestruck young man.

"That's it, Jamie. Now you're a man. I loved a boy before. Now it's a man I love. You're terrific, you know that?"

"Thank you, sir. I don't know how to ... "

"Then don't try. Just enjoy the feeling." Mark sat up and became mock serious. "OK, so you're a stud, you've proved that. You're a fucking beautiful man, no question about that. But you know what, kid?"

"What, sir?"

"You're still my boy. I'm still your master."

Jamie sprang to his feet and stood almost to attention. "Absolutely, sir. More than ever, sir."

"But now you can hold your head high in the world. You can be proud that you are loved by one of the most beautiful cops ever to straddle a Harley. You are his boy. He owns you. But you are not owned as a fearful, subservient slave. Your pride is now that of one strong, beautiful male who is owned by another. That's what I wanted, Jamie ... why I wanted you. That's why I chose you."

Jamie smiled. "Thank you sir." He felt invigorated, empowered. He had crawled out of the shell of the nervous young boy into the resilience and confidence of manhood. And here was the amazing thing ... his newfound strength made him even more eager, better equipped, to serve the man he worshipped. Now he would serve him not as a subservient, nervous slave but as a virile male, proud to be owned by a master such as Mark.

"OK then," Mark said. "Now back to business. Look at me. I'm a mess. You're gonna come with me to the shower and you're gonna be my body slave. It's your job to make me feel good."

A few minutes later in the shower Jamie was on his knees before the cop, sponging and soaping the body, massaging the tense muscles of the magnificent physique. He looked up through the water and the steam at the beautiful god-like face, the face of the man who loved him ... the face of the master he had just fucked in the ass.

Exactly a week later the heat wave hit Los Angeles. The dry, scorching Santa Ana winds roared in from the desert and turned the city into a furnace. While Angelinos hunkered down indoors and turned their air conditioners up high, life was especially miserable for workers outside. Randy's construction crew sweated and swore in the cauldron of the site. Most were shirtless, and the drenched T-shirts of the others clung to their torsos.

It was the beginning of the afternoon and Randy was in a ragged mood, pushing the men to keep up the pace despite the heat. Darius was his foreman on the afternoon shift. The sweating young black man looked up and nudged the boss.

"Uh-uh. Look what the wind blew in, boss. That's all we need."

"Shit," Randy growled. Through the gates strode a figure in a smart business suit. Randy had earlier mentioned to Mark how much this guy got under his skin.

He had told him: "The guy I really want to slaughter is this guy at work ... the architect the current client has hired. He's a good architect but, shit, does he have attitude. Hell, even his name has attitude ... Lloyd ... with two L's of course. Always hanging around the construction site giving me what he calls `tips on the finer points of construction'. I've come this close to hitting him several times. Good looking guy, though, if you like the preppy look. Always immaculate in his fancy suit and tie."

And here he came, on today of all days, flawless as ever, crisply dressed in business suit and tie despite the heat. He defined `clean-cut'. Actually he was more than just good looking. He was tall, arrogant, with short dark hair, square features, neatly trimmed moustache and short goatee beard and soft gray eyes. Even under his elegant suit his trim physique was evident.

"He's a looker alright," Darius whispered to Randy. "Now that's what you call `well-groomed'."

"Shut up, kid," Randy said. All he knew was that he had to keep his temper ... never easy for him.

Lloyd smiled. "Hi, guys. Hot enough for you? It's the Santa Anas, you know."

"Really?" Randy growled. "Didn't know that. What do you want, Lloyd?"

"Came to check on that wall we were discussing. How's it going?"

"See for yourself," said Randy.

Lloyd walked over to the wall and shook his head. "No, no. That won't do. It should he higher. It's not an accurate interpretation of my vision."

Randy took a deep breath. "Any higher and it would be unstable. My vision is of a wall falling down, Lloyd. That's my interpretation." Darius stifled a laugh.

"Not if you laid the bricks on a slight bias."

Randy bit his tongue and tried hard to hide his note of sarcasm. "Oh really? Why don't you show us how, Lloyd?"

"Glad to." The architect took off his jacket and pushed it at Darius. "Here, hold this."

"Yes, sir!" said Darius smartly, with a similar hint of sarcasm. He folded the coat elaborately and draped it over his arm as a waiter drapes a napkin and stood to attention. He caught the eye of Randy who raised his eyebrows in silent warning to the grinning young man. Lloyd loosened his tie, rolled back his shirt cuffs and became engrossed in his brick laying lesson.

Randy whispered into Darius's ear, "Not a word out of you, punk. I'll handle this.

"I'm sure you will, sir. Can I watch?"

"OK. But no wisecracks!"

As he worked in the intense heat Lloyd was soon streaming with sweat and his shirt was clinging to him.

"Hmm," Randy muttered to himself. "Time to dirty the guy up a bit." Then out loud, "You're gonna spoil that shirt, Lloyd. Why don't you take it off?"

Lloyd looked up, surprised. "OK, sure. Good idea."

Darius stepped forward, stretching out his arm that already held the jacket. Lloyd took off his tie and draped it over the jacket. Then he did the same with the shirt. Darius could not resist a muted "Wow" as he saw the sculpted, shirtless physique for the first time.

But it was not the rugged look of Randy. It was the body of a gym regular. The even, golden tan was evidently from a tanning salon, the hairless body a result of waxing. And the perfectly proportioned muscles were clearly produced by hours at the gym. As Lloyd bent over the wall Darius's hungry eyes travelled down to his rounded globes of his ass, clearly etched in the snug dress pants.

"Cool it, punk," Randy hissed at him. He was not impressed by Lloyd. Randy respected raw masculinity, tough men he could relate to. This gym bunny left him cold. He watched as the shirtless man struggled with his brick laying task.

"You get the idea now?" Lloyd asked.

"I'm not sure," Randy said. "Here, let me try. Stay where you are."

Lloyd had his back to the wall as Randy came forward. "Here," Randy said. "Let me see what you did up there."

He leaned forward and as he reached up to the top of the wall his chest pressed against Lloyd's. Randy was wearing his usual grimy tank top that was oil-stained and soaked with sweat. The young architect grimaced as he felt the big chest press against him and the perspiration ooze between them.

But then his grimace was smothered as Randy reached higher, leaned forward and his armpit pressed into Lloyd's face. The man gasped for breath and took in the sour smell of the construction boss's sweat. His mouth was full of the wiry hair of the stinking armpit and he could actually taste the acrid sweat as it trickled down his throat. He started to choke and Randy pulled back.

"Oh, sorry about that, Lloyd. Occupational hazard when you work in construction. In this heat we all sweat like pigs."

"Yeah, sure. I know that," stammered Lloyd as he wiped his hand ineffectually across his wet face.

"Here," Randy grinned. "Use this to dry off." He quickly pulled off his drenched tank top and threw it at Lloyd. The architect caught it and, without thinking, wiped it over his face. But instead of drying him off, the soaking rag just wiped more of Randy's sweat across his face. He felt the liquid ooze over him and he gagged on the rancid smell.

He winced as he looked at the big construction worker, now stripped to the waist. As he gazed at the magnificent chest, gleaming in the fierce heat, he could smell and taste the man as well as see him. Unsure of himself, he didn't move.

Randy noticed that Darius was now staring at Lloyd's crotch. No doubt about it, there was a distinct bulge in the snug dress pants. Randy glanced up at Darius and the two men shared a discreet smile.

But Randy shook his head. "You know, Lloyd. I don't think you're cut out for this. Better you stay at your drawing board in your air-conditioned office. This out here is man's work. We're used to the smell of sweat."

Lloyd bristled. "Oh yeah? I'm no stranger to manual work. I sweat plenty at the gym. See?" and he wiped the rancid tank top over his face again. He took in deep breaths of Randy's smell, then lowered the shirt with a look of triumph. "See?"

Randy couldn't take any more. "I'll level with you, Lloyd. You're a talented architect but your attitude sucks. Tell you the truth, you're an arrogant prick and you piss the hell out of me. You wouldn't last a day on this site, especially with me as the boss."

"You think not? Listen, man. I'm as tough as any of the guys here, even you. In fact I could teach you a thing or two about construction."

"That sounds like a challenge, Lloyd. OK, tell you what. Stay here for the rest of the day and we'll see what you've got. Think you can handle it?"

"You're on!"

Randy turned to Darius. "OK, kid. It's nearly four o'clock. They guys are dragging in this heat so let's call it a day. Tell them to finish what they're doing and then cut out of here. You too."

Darius took Randy aside. "Aw, boss. Can't I stay and watch."

"No kid. This is between me and pretty boy there. Go home and fantasize and when I get home I'll tell you how close you came to the real thing."

He turned back to the young architect. "OK, Lloyd. Let's find some work pants for you to wear. We've got work to do."

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength – Part 49"