A Trial of Strength

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - PART 173 By Rob Williams

IN THIS CHAPTER:

The trip to the Dunes. Hassan treats Eddie to a military fantasy. "Eddie was a young prisoner, tied naked to a bed and interrogated by the shirtless, muscular Arab soldier." Then Hassan challenges Randy to a friendly swim contest, and the loser submits. Lying in the surf he says, "Your are so fucking gorgeous, man. Take my ass...you've earned it." Later, Pablo and Ben race to save Eddie, caught in a rip-tide.

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - Chapter 173 "Randy, Hassan & Their Boys in The Dunes"

Lying next to Bob after a tumultuous day, Randy was feeling well pleased with himself. After Pablo and Ben had behaved badly, letting their innate rivalry spill over into a fight while the house almost caught fire, punishment had been inevitable. But Randy had turned it into a transformational moment for the boys, ending up with Ben making a stunning request: "Sir, I want to become Pablo's boy." Which was something Randy had planned for all along.

All of which explained Randy's self-satisfaction, bordering on smugness, as he wrapped his arms round his naked lover. He had other plans too. "You know, buddy, if it's OK with you I think I'll take Pablo and Ben up to the beach at Guadalupe next week – spend a couple of nights in Zack's shack in the dunes, just the three of us. Be good for them to get away after all this."

As it happened, right around that time another couple was making plans. Eddie was spending the night – again – with Hassan up at his small house in the hills. As they nestled together after sex the Marine said, "You know, kid, I've gotta go up to Vandenberg Air Force base for a meeting next week. It's real close to the Guadalupe Dunes so I thought maybe we could take a couple days off, spend them at Mark's and Jamie's shack on the beach. What d'ya say?"

"Could we, sir?" Eddie's eyes gleamed. "That would be awesome, sir. Just the two of us in the dunes. I can open up the shack while you're in your meeting ... get it good and ready for us," he said with a mischievous smile.

Now, the two shacks were a couple of miles apart in the remote dunes. They were the last ancient relics of a whole community of shacks in the Guadalupe dunes, lived in by bohemian artists and writers in the 1930s, 40s and 50s – the Dunites as they called themselves. But now the two surviving shacks sat lonely and silent in windswept solitude most of the time.

But not next week. One would be host to the gorgeous Marine Hassan and his boy Eddie. The other would be brought to noisy life by Randy, his boy Pablo and young brother Ben. It was almost inevitable they would all meet up at some point ... a volatile mix of two dominant masters and three oversexed boys. The possibilities were endless ...

The next morning, though, thoughts were firmly on work, not play. Randy had decreed that Pablo and Ben, as the last part of their punishment, would work unpaid under Zack's supervision to repair the damage they had caused on the remodeled house. But as it turned out, little supervision was required from Zack, beyond lending a hand with lifting the drywall panels and securing them in place.

He watched in surprised satisfaction as the boys worked perfectly together, with no hint of the simmering rivalry of the day before. On the contrary, they had slipped easily into their new roles of master and boy, with Pablo giving patient instructions and Ben willingly obeying them. The source of the previous day's fire drama, the electrical wall socket, was easily fixed.

"Yeah, dude, now you've got it," Pablo said to Ben with obvious pride. "That wiring is good and safe for the life of the house. You're getting real expert at this, Ben."

"Thank you, sir," Ben said in the glow of Pablo's praise."

"Hey, Ben," Pablo said quietly. "You can drop the sir' when it's just us together. Dude' will do just fine."

Later that day Zack reported to Randy. "It was amazing – like night and day. After all that fighting the day before, this time they worked beautifully together. Pablo was definitely in charge and Ben seemed to welcome that. Those kids really like each other. Actually more than like ... there was a lot of sexual energy floating around, assuming that's OK with you."

"Sure, Randy grinned. "There should always be sexual vibes between a master and boy. You should know ... you and that young buck of yours, Darius. Hey, there's always sexual tension between me and my boys."

"Hell, man, there's always sex oozing from you wherever you go – even down to Ben's bedroom so I hear."

"Yeah, Randy grinned, "word gets around." He had no regrets about having fucked his young brother, which Ben had begged for. "Anyway, the damage to the house is all fixed up and tomorrow should see the remodeling finished. Then Adam and Nate can finally move in."

Randy was dead on schedule. Adam and Nate were up in Bob's office with Jamie, who had made up the lease for Adam to sign. He signed with a flourish and Bob handed him the keys. "OK, Adam, the house is yours and Nate's. Couldn't happen to a nicer couple of guys. He shook Adam's hand to seal the deal and Nate hugged Jamie. "I'm so excited, dude," Nate said.

"Yeah, Jamie grinned, "well maybe you and Adam should go and christen the house."

"Oh, we've already done that," Adam laughed. "Several times – on the bare bedroom floor. Be nice to do it on a bed, though."

The next day was moving day – a flourish of noisy, chaotic activity where all the boys helped Adam and Nate move in all their stuff. They helped Ben too, who took over Nate's old room – a room of his own for the first time in his life. He loved being next door to Pablo and Darius's apartment, where he ended up spending a lot of his time. Randy looked in to check on him. "You're pretty well set up here, kiddo. Nice big bed too, just for you."

Ben grinned roguishly. "Well, I was hoping you'd visit me and my bed often, sir. You know..."

"I know alright, kid, and you can count on it." Then he went to make sure everything was OK in the house next door. Adam shook Randy's hand warmly. "Thanks a million, Randy, you've done a brilliant job on this place. It's perfect for us. Drop in and visit as often as you like."

"Yeah," Randy grinned, "well from what I hear that could be quite an experience, after what Zack the leather master did to you. Sounded real hot. About time I saw a piece of that action."

Adam grinned. "Any time, stud. After all, you're the boss."

The house was soon christened in another way too as Darius had a knack of coming up with shorthand names. He had always called Adam and Nate `The Aussies', so the house was thereafter and forever known by all as "The Aussie House."

And so the house, both houses, settled down and took a breather. Time for a break. Eddie had already left for Hassan's house where they set out for Vandenberg and the Guadalupe Dunes as planned. And preparations were in full swing for Randy's trip to the dunes with Pablo and Ben. And Pablo's dog Billy, of course.

Randy's only concern was leaving Bob behind, but he had several big meetings at his company. "Anyway," Bob said, "don't shed any tears for us, we'll be just fine. I've been wanting to spend more time with the twins so I'll ask them if they want to sleep with me while you're gone."

Randy laughed. "...if they want to sleep with you?! You kill me, man. Anyone would pay good money to sleep with you ... especially those twins of yours. I suppose Jason is coming over, too, and with Mark and Jamie it should be quite a party. Just remember, buddy, the minute I get back, you're all mine. And I'll be wanting your ass something fierce."

"Aye, aye, sir," Bob grinned, and they held each other in a long goodbye.

Half an hour later Randy's truck was speeding along the Ventura freeway – fully loaded, with a man, two boys, a dog, plus a rowboat and all their gear in the back. The mood in the cab was one of satisfaction – of completeness somehow, now that the hierarchy had been firmly established. That was evident even in the seating plan, which before had stoked the rivalry between the boys who both felt their place was next to Randy. Now Pablo was next to Randy and Ben next to him and Ben was fine with that pecking order. The only discontent came from Billy in the back seat who kept pressing his wet muzzle against Pablo's neck for attention.

A few miles ahead of them on the same freeway was Hassan's jeep, where the mood was quieter but no less contented. Eddie had finally settled into his role of Hassan's boy, having lost the constant fear that he would wake up and find it had all been a dream. It was a dream for him but one based on absolute certainty as he sat beside Hassan with a happy smile on his face. At home Hassan not only made love to him all the time, but talked to him often about his education and future too, as he was doing now.

"Actually, sir," Eddie said, "right now I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life. I can't imagine a future that could get better than this."

Hassan laughed. "So if it ain't broke don't fix it, eh? OK, kid, no more lessons for a while, then."

"Well, I am gonna get swimming lessons from Pablo and Ben if we all get together up there."

"Oh, we'll be getting together – you can count on that."

When they arrived at Mark and Jamie's shack in the dunes, while Eddie unloaded their gear from the jeep, Hassan made a quick change into his Marines uniform for his meeting at Vandenberg.

It wasn't a high-level meeting – just his opposite numbers at the Air Force Base, so he wore his usual work clothes, olive-drab camouflage fatigues, combat boots and a khaki shirt over an olive tank top. He pulled on his soft peaked cap and put on mirror sunglasses. As always Eddie was blown away by how hot he looked – the tall, ruggedly handsome, muscular soldier. And, as always, Eddie felt his cock get stiff in his shorts.

"This shouldn't take long, kid," Hassan said "Vandenberg is only half an hour from here down Highway 1 and the meeting is really just a formality – touching base with the Air Force guys I liaise with regularly. So why don't you get the shack ready?" He grinned. "... and that includes getting yourself ready just in case you get a visit from some big stud Marine."

Eddie smiled. Over time, he and Hassan had often got into the Darius habit of fantasy role-playing which drove their sex into a whole new pitch of excitement. The boy sensed that this was going to be one of those times. Hassan threw his arms round him in a tight hug and instantly felt the shape of the stiff rod in his shorts. "Hmm ..." he said lowering his hand down his back, squeezing the cheeks of Eddie's ass, then running it over the bulge in front. "Seems to me you're already ready, boy." He grinned. "Hold that thought, kiddo. Won't be long."

Watching the magnificent Marine stride out to his jeep Eddie would have cum in his jeans if he had so much as touched his cock. But he knew he had to save it, so he distracted himself by work. Eddie was not a houseboy for nothing.

He opened the windows of the shack to clear out the musty air, swept, cleaned and found fresh sheets for the bed. He unpacked their gear and put the food they had brought into the small fridge. Then he went outside, picked a few small branches from a scrubby tree and put them in a jug on the dresser. All he had to do now was wait. He lay on his back on the bed and closed his eyes, his hand resting lightly on the bulge in his sorts. Soon he was asleep, dreaming of that upcoming visit from "a big stud Marine."

"What the fuck are you doing here, boy?" The deep, accented voice was part of Eddie's dream. It had been a jumble of images of men in uniform, naked musclemen all fucking him ... and then the images had faded and in his dream he was alone ... waiting for someone.

"I said, what are you doing here, boy!" the voice insisted. It felt so real ... sounded real. Slowly he drifted back to consciousness and half opened his eyes to see a blurred image of a soldier standing inside the door, a tall, commanding figure in uniform, cap pulled low over his face, eyes hidden behind mirror glasses. It was a man he had been dreaming of ... was still dreaming of, maybe. The dream had been so hot he wanted to slip back into it. But the voice came again ... and it was real.

"When I ask a question, boy, I expect an answer. What's your name, boy?" Drowsy and confused Eddie was still unsure if the man was real and, as the soldier stood backlit in the doorway, eyes masked by dark glasses, the boy had not yet fully grasped that it was Hassan. He heard himself say, "Eddie, sir. My name's Eddie."

"Oh yeah? You own this shack?"

"Yes, sir."

"Prove it."

Eddie blinked, his mind starting to clear. "Well, sir, I don't own it exactly ... it belongs to..."

"So you lied to me! Bad move. Whenever a boy lies to a Marine he gets punished. I'll make you talk ... get the truth out of you." He came forward, reached down and ripped Eddie's T-shirt off him. He yanked open his shorts, pulled them down his legs and tossed them aside. He looked down at the naked boy on the bed, trembling in confusion. "Oh, yeah ... a real hot young buck. I'm gonna enjoy making you talk, boy. Turn over."

Eddie obeyed and lay naked on his stomach. "Holy shit, that's one hot young ass. Man, I'm really gonna get off working that over." He leaned forward and slapped his hand across one of the white cheeks, then the other, several times. "Aaagh" Eddie yelled, and his stinging ass made his cock go rigid beneath him. The slaps jolted him out of his dream state. Now he knew where he was and who the Marine was, but his dream hadn't really disappeared. It had simply morphed into an erotic fantasy where he was a naked boy at the mercy of an angry Marine.

He felt Hassan's boot under his stomach and it flipped him back over onto his back. "Shit damn," the soldier said, "look at that fucking boner. Seems you like getting that ass of yours slapped by a Marine. You get off on soldiers in uniform, boy?"

"Yes, sir," Eddie said weakly. "Very much, sir."

"Yeah, well we'll see how much." Slowly Hassan unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the tank underneath. He pulled the shirt from his waistband, shrugged it off and tossed it aside. He threw off his cap and his jet black hair fell over his forehead, his eyes still hidden behind his mirror glasses. "OK, boy," he said, "show me how much this solider turns you on. Make it good and I'll go easier on you."

The thing Eddie had learned about fantasy is the more real it seems the hotter it is. And this felt real! He gazed up at the spectacular Marine towering over him, tank top stretched over his bulging pecs. His broad, solid shoulders gleamed in the sun streaming through the window, and the wide V of his lats sloped down to his tight waist, cinched by the belt of his fatigues. His biceps bulged as he clenched his fists, and he stood legs astride, his heavy combat boots laced up over the bottom of his camouflage pants.

To Eddie it was like one of those impossibly erotic drawings of a soldier he had seen on a porn site and jerked off to. And here was Eddie lying naked on the bed at his mercy. He was now deep into his fantasy – like his dream returning of a helpless boy being worked over by a muscle-god Marine. His ass still stung from the soldier's hands and he imagined what he would do to him next.

The thought was so hot he lost all control. Without thinking, his hand slid down to his own rigid cock, he curled his fingers round it, and suddenly "No ... no ... I can't ... aaah!....." A ribbon of cum shot from his cock, high in the air, and splashed down onto his chest and face and into his tousled hair. "Aaah!" ... Another jet of cum blasted from his cock, then another."

Soaked in his own cum Eddie gazed up at Hassan, fearful of his reaction to his sudden orgasm. Hassan pulled off his glasses and his exotic, slanted eyes stared down at him like a laser. "You are one hot young stud, boy. You ever get your ass fucked?"

"No, sir!' Eddie said, his eyes open wide in the role of an innocent boy, knowing this would turn Hassan on even more. I've never felt another guy's dick in my ass, sir."

"Well you're gonna feel it now, boy. Man, there's nothing I like more than opening up a boy's virgin ass. But It's gonna make you shoot another load and I don't want you touching that dick again. Let's see here ..." He went to the head of the bed and his eyes gleamed. "Shit damn, will you look at that – ropes tied to the bedposts. You heavy into bondage, boy?"

"Those ropes belong to someone else, sir," Eddie said bravely.

"I warned you about lying to me, boy. I've had about enough of your bullshit." Quickly he tied the loose end of the ropes round Eddie's wrists, stretching his arms up to the corners of the bed. Eddie felt a very real surge of panic and tugged at the ropes as Hassan gazed down at the lithe young body writhing helplessly on the bed. Eddie spoke up again. "This cabin is owned by a cop, and he's just as strong and muscular as you, so you better let me go."

Hassan laughed. "Ah, that old cop story – heard it a million times ... `my friend's a cop and he's gonna beat you up'. Huh, like a Marine would ever submit to a cop. OK, you're making me mad, now kid. Let's get down to business."

He ripped open the fly buttons of his fatigues and yanked out a huge thick cock, roaring hard. "See this rod, boy? Take a good look, `cause I'm gonna shove it deep into that gorgeous virgin asshole of yours. Fuck you and your lies and your cop. You're gonna get jack-hammered by a Marine, boy."

Spread-eagled on the bed Eddie's body thrashed in a hopeless attempt to get free as he stared up at the rugged soldier, his muscles flexing under the green tank top. The blend of fantasy and reality was perfect. Part of Eddie wanted to free his hand so he could touch his cock ... but another part of him felt real panic, as if he had never been fucked and now this massive Marine was going to open up his ass for the first time with his huge shaft.

Hassan knelt down and pulled Eddie forward to the edge of the bed. He pushed Eddie's feet toward his butt so his legs were bent at the knees and his vulnerable asshole was on display, inches from the soldier's cock. Hassan spat in the palm of his hand and lubricated his cock. Then he spat directly at Eddie's ass and rested the head of his cock against the warm, moist hole. "Now, boy, one last time. Who owns this shack? Are you gonna tell me the truth?"

"No, sir," Eddie said defiantly.

"That's all I needed to hear, boy." Hassan suddenly reached behind his own neck and pulled off his tank. "Aaaah," Eddie moaned, gazing at the Marine's sculpted naked torso. At the same time – "Aaagh!" – he felt a searing pain in his ass as Hassan's hips lunged forward and he plunged his cock in the boy's ass. It was all an erotic blur for Eddie, suddenly seeing the soldier stripped to the waist and instantly feeling the same soldier's cock piercing his ass.

Hassan grabbed Eddie's ankles, pushed them high in the air and his cock became a piston driving into the boy's hole. The room was hot and sweat began to drip off the Marine's rugged face, flow down the cleft between his pecs, run over his washboard abs and pool at his waist, forming a damp patch that spread over his fatigue pants.

The initial shaft of pain disappeared and Eddie felt only excitement as he jolted back into his fantasy ... the naked young boy, roped to the bed, defiantly refusing to submit to the muscle-stud Marine who was torturing his virgin ass with his huge pole. He flashed on the first time Hassan had ever fucked him... and this felt exactly the same.

His body writhed and thrashed, his wrists tugging at the ropes binding him as he struggled to get free. That part was real, as he was longing to touch, not his own cock, but the slabs of the soldier's chest heaving above him. And still the steel rod pistoned remorselessly in his ass. As Hassan became more and more turned on by the sight of the struggling boy beneath him, the pounding intensified.

"Fell that, boy? I'm gonna slam that ass until you talk. Look at me, boy, it's useless to resist me. I'm gonna ream that ass and tear it wide open."

Eddie gazed up at the exotic Asian/Arab features, at the slanted eyes boring into his and felt, tasted, the salty tang of man-sweat dripping onto his face. He felt like a young naked prisoner, bound and tortured by this shirtless, muscular Arab soldier, interrogating him, forcing him to speak. The iron shaft pounded deep inside him and Eddie felt the rough fabric of the uniform pants and the damp, wiry pubic hair slamming against his battered ass. But the boy gritted his teeth and stared defiantly back at the Marine.

"You fucking obstinate young buck," the soldier snarled. "OK, kid, you asked for it. You mess with the Marines boy, and you get this..." Suddenly Hassan pulled his cock all the way out, then in one savage movement slammed it back into the depths of the boy's ass. Then again, and again, like a jack-hammer drilling into him. The pain returned and Eddie yelled, "I can't take any more, sir. You've beaten me ... I submit. I'll talk, sir. The shack's not mine. The cop who owns it is called Mark – him and his boy Jamie. Please, sir, it's the truth. Please, I'm begging you ... let me cum, sir ... please...cum inside my ass, sir."

"OK, kid, I believe you. I'll let you go if you bust a load big enough to reach my chest. I wanna feel young juice on my body. Now I'm gonna unload my jizz into your ass. Here it comes boy ..." The two massive orgasms were simultaneous, one streaming into the boy's ass and the other blasting from the boy's cock and splashing onto the Marine's bulging chest, mixing with the gleaming sweat. Cum streamed from their cocks until they were dry and their pounding heartbeats slowed.

Without pulling out of Eddie's ass Hassan leaned forward and expertly released Eddie's wrists. He grabbed them and pinned them to the bed. Their faces were now close and Eddie watched as he saw a smile spread across the Marine's dark, chiseled features. "You are so fucking hot, kiddo. Man, that was one hell of a fantasy. You're terrific, you know that? The best boy a man like me could have."

"Thank you, sir," Eddie smiled. "I love you, sir."

"Oh yeah? Well you're gonna show me how much, `cause now I'm gonna make love to you. No more brutal Marine torturing a naked boy. Now it's just Hassan and Eddie – making love."

Eddie sighed and relaxed as he felt Hassan's cock moving gently in and out of his ass. It went on for a long time. The room faded away and it was just two men in love, gazing into each other's eyes ... a man's huge cock massaging a boy's young, willing ass. Hassan smiled at his boy and said, "I wanna cum again, kid, and I know you can cum every few minutes. You ready? Here it comes."

This time there were no screams, just heavy sighs as once again cum streamed from their cocks. Hassan fell forward and kissed Eddie's forehead, his eyes, his cheeks and finally his mouth in a passionate display of a man's love for his boy.

"Swim," said Hassan, and a few minute later they were wearing swim trunks and splashing into the surf. Hassan swam out a few yards with strong, muscular strokes while Eddie did a floundering kind of dog-paddle in shallower water. Hassan swam up to him and laughed, "Hell, kiddo, we gotta do something about that thing you call swimming ... teach you how to improve on that splashing-around thing you do."

"I know, sir, but Pablo and Ben said they would give me swimming lessons while we're up here."

"Great," said Hassan. "So let's go find them." He jumped to his feet and pulled Eddie up beside him. They turned to face south and began jogging steadily through the shallow surf at water's edge. Hassan could have pounded forward with his usual powerful strides but he deliberately held back so that Eddie could keep up with him. They ran in silence, each enjoying the serenity of his own thoughts ... the memory of the erotic scene they had played out, and the sheer joy of being together, shoulder to shoulder.

The view before them seemed limitless, an infinite expanse of beach disappearing on the far horizon in a blue-gray mist of surf and blowing sand. Then in the distance they saw two or three dots, growing larger and more distinct until they took on the shape of men. It was Randy, and his boys, with the same idea as Hassan and Eddie – running to meet them.

They had seen each other only yesterday but the reunion was as effusive as if they had been separated for months. Pablo and Ben threw their arms round Eddie in a boisterous three-way hug. Randy and Hassan shook hands and pulled each other forward in a half hug. "Good to see you, stud," Randy said. "Been a long time since we spent any time together."

They pulled back and smiled at each other with an admiring gaze, two muscle-gods equal in beauty, both with perfect physiques and ruggedly etched dark features. "Looking good, stud," said Randy. "You too, man," Hassan grinned. Better than ever." Neither would admit it, but they both felt their cocks stirring in their shorts.

"So, dude," Pablo grinned wickedly at Eddie, "what have you been up to since you got here?" Eddie blushed and looked at Hassan who grinned at him. "So go for it, kid. Don't you guys always follow Darius's rule and give each other a blow-by-blow description of everything that's happened to you? And another thing, guys," he said to Pablo and Ben. "Eddie here badly needs some swimming lessons."

"We'll get right on that, sir," said Pablo. "Come on dude, let's jog up to your place. You tell us your story and we'll return the favor by teaching you how to swim." They turned and ran north on the beach, Billy running beside them. The men gazed after them as they grew smaller and smaller in the distance. Randy smiled at Hassan. "You're crazy about him, aren't you man?"

Hassan's eyes were shining as he said. "Love him to bits. He's the best, and he just gave me some of the hottest sex ever ... that fantasy where a big stud Marine interrogates a young boy ... strips him naked, ties him to the bed and fucks his ass until he submits and begs the solider to cum in his ass."

"Yeah," Randy said, lost in thought. "I get the picture." Now his cock was hard as a rod in his shorts. He needed to cool off. "Hey, big guy. How about a swim? Race you to that piece of driftwood out there."

The admiration and lust they felt for each other, and the innate rivalry that always existed between the two dominant men, now blended together in a macho contest of strength. They plunged into the waves and swam shoulder to shoulder with long powerful strokes, neither one ceding the lead in the race. Finally, gasping breathlessly they each slapped a hand on the driftwood log at the same time. They gazed at each other, laughing as water streamed from their dark, handsome faces.

When they had recovered their breath Hassan said, "OK, best of two. First man out of the water wins. The challenge was on again as they stroked powerfully toward the shore. Again they were evenly matched but Randy felt sand under his feet a fraction before Hassan and began to run through the waves toward the beach. Faced with defeat Hassan raced after him launched himself forward and just managed to grab Randy's shin under water, bringing him crashing down into the water with a huge splash.

Randy twisted onto his back in the shallow surf and yelled, "Foul!" But the soldier was on top of him in a second and would have pinned him to the sand, except that Randy managed to bend his knee, press his foot against Hassan's stomach and heave the massive, near-naked body up and away from him. Hassan staggered backward in the water, his arms flailing, but he managed to keep his balance and stay on his feet. He turned and ran toward the beach, within yards of winning the race.

But Randy sprang to his feet, raced after him and lunged forward, wrapping his arms round his waist in a football tackle that brought them both crashing back into the surf, locked together. In seconds their thin swim trunks were ripped from them and carried away n the waves. Now the two naked bodybuilders rolled over and over in the shallow water, evenly matched, grunting and grappling for supremacy.

Both men were fighters – Hassan learning his hand-to-hand combat skills in Marine training, Randy a savage street fighter from his earliest years. They rolled over in the water, muscles straining and flexing, streaming with water, their faces and bodies smothered in wet sand. The beach was deserted, but any man seeing the pornographically erotic fight between the two big, swarthy muscle-gods locked in a macho trial of strength would have busted his load on the spot.

Finally Randy was lying face down and Hassan was straddling him from behind. He leaned forward, thrust his hands under Randy' armpits and up his chest, curling them up and round the back of his neck, locking his hands in a vicious full nelson. He leaned back and pulled Randy's face out of the water, bending him backward. "That's it, stud, you're finished. Let me hear you submit, man."

"Go fuck yourself, asshole."

"OK," Hassan grinned, "let's try a little water-boarding, uh?" He leaned forward until Randy's face was underwater. He held him there for a short while – way within the bounds of safety – then pulled his face back up. "OK, big guy, now let me hear your beg."

Sputtering and coughing, gasping for breath, Randy panted, "Go fuck yourself, shithead."

"Man, you're a tough one to break." And again Hassan forced Randy's face under the water. A pause, then again he pulled him back up, but this time Randy gasped, "OK, man, I'm finished, you win. I submit, man."

Hassan leaped to his feet, hooked a foot under Randy's stomach and flipped him over onto his back in the shallow water. The naked construction worker looked up at the triumphant Marine towering over him ... and his face broke into a grin as he said, "Shit, man, you are one tough mother-fucker."

Hassan dropped to his knees between Randy's legs and smiled down at him. "Yeah, but I'm not as strong as all that. You and I both know you could have powered out of that hold. We both know that if you submitted to me I would demand the spoils of victory, and that would be your ass." He fell forward, pinned Randy's wrists and his face broke into a broad grin. "And the other thing we both know is that you wanted it. That's why you submitted. Am I right?"

"Shit, man," Randy said, "men like you and me, we're always the dominant guy, always on top, always fucking ass. But once in a while we have a hankering for some big, macho stud to come along and do the same to us – like Adam with Zack. Man, you are so fucking gorgeous. And you're dead right. I want you to fuck my ass, man." He grinned. "You had to earn the right, though. And you did, big guy."

Hassan straightened up on his knees, scooped up handfuls of water, and washed the sand off his cock. Then he reached down underwater and carefully cleaned the sand and grit from Randy's asshole. "A combination of my cock and grit would be too much punishment," Hassan grinned, "no matter how big of a mother-fucker you are."

He pushed Randy's legs in the air but his ass was still underwater. Hassan pressed his cock against his hole and said, "You're a tough son-of-a-bitch, man, and I know you can take this." He eased his hips forward and drove his long rod deep inside the ass of the all-powerful master, the leader of the tribe. Randy groaned, "Shit man, that feels good. He reached up and ran his hands over the slabs of Hassan's chest, streaming with water. God, you are fucking spectacular, man."

Hassan pumped slowly, enjoying every inch of Randy's hot wet ass. "Oh, man," he groaned. "You know, I love fucking my boy but once in a while it feels great to fuck the hot ass of a big stud master like you. Shit, look at you, man, the big, gorgeous boss, the king of the gypsies, getting his ass fucked by a Marine."

And so, as the waves broke gently over them, the two muscle-gods made love at the water's edge, losing all track of time. At some point Hassan leaned forward and rested his palms on Randy's chest. The men squeezed each other's nipples bringing them to the pitch of desire.

"I'm real close," Hassan said softly. "So go for it, man," Randy breathed. "I'm ready." Hassan pulled back, then plunged his cock deep inside the big man's ass, over the inner sphincter where it poured semen in an endless eruption. "Aaah," Randy sighed. "Man, that feels good ... this good ..." and from just below the water a spout of white cream broke through the surface, shot high in the air, then splashed into the waves, to be carried out to sea.

They came endlessly, gazing at each other, but finally they were drained and Hassan fell forward and wrapped his arms round Randy. The two naked man lay exhausted in each other's arms as the waves washed rhythmically back and forth over them. The sun blazed down on their glistening bodies and the breeze held its breath. The only sound was the gentle splashing of water and the envious cries of the seagulls wheeling overhead.

Two miles up the beach the swimming lesson was coming to an end. You're doing great, kiddo," Pablo enthused. "You'll be swimming like Ben and me in no time. But that's enough for now. Let's go inside for a beer."

"I'd like to stay and practice a bit more on my own, sir, if that's OK." Eddie called several of the boys sir, especially Pablo who was not only Randy's boy but was often his teacher in the gym and now in the ocean. Ben too simply because he was the boss's younger brother.

"OK, Eddie, as long as you take care and don't go out too far. Pablo and Ben walked back to the shack, leaving Eddie splashing in the shallow water. Indoors they had a few sips of beer, but the air was heavy with sexual tension and they both knew what they really wanted to do. Grinning at each other they dropped their swim trunks and fell onto the bed naked. They kissed and groped each other laughingly holding their dicks together to see whose was bigger.

"Hey," Ben said. "Don't you think we should include Eddie in this ... might be fun. Not fair to leave him on his own. He jumped up, ran to the door, and saw Billy barking frantically at the water's edge. Ben yelled back over his shoulder, "Eddie's gone ... can't see him anywhere. And Billy's going crazy."

Pablo shot to his feet and pulled a pair of Mark's binoculars from a hook on the wall. Holding them up to his eyes and adjusting the focus he yelled. "There he is ... no wonder you couldn't see him, he's way out there. Must have been pulled offshore by the current and got caught in the riptide. Looks like he's clinging to a piece of driftwood."

Ben's eyes opened wide. "Shit, dude, he still can't swim good ... if he lets go he'll ..." He didn't finish his thought as it was too awful to contemplate, and besides, Pablo had grabbed him and they started running down the beach. "What if we get caught in the rip current too, dude," Ben panted. "We won't be much use to him then."

"We'll have to risk it," gasped Pablo. "We don't have a choice." He shouted to Billy, "Good boy – stay!" The boys dove headlong into the waves and swam strongly out to sea, using all their strength, fueled by dread of what could happen to Eddie. They took strength from each other, silently urging each other on in a race to save their young friend. Finally as they rose on the crest of a wave they saw him clinging desperately to a log, his face a mask of terror.

Just as they approached Eddie lost his grip and slid under the water. Pablo dove down, grabbed him round the waist and pulled him to the surface. Ben helped them both to the log, with Eddie coughing up water in rasping breaths. They supported him and each grabbed an arm and draped it over the log. "It's OK, Eddie, we're here ... it's Ben and me, Pablo, and everything's gonna be OK. Hold onto the log, take deep breaths and leave everything to us."

Reassured by the calm voice Eddie tightened his grip on the log, still coughing but able to take deep fresh breaths. They were all aware that they were in the grip of a strong current and Pablo took charge. "Right, everyone OK? Now listen guys, we're in a rip tide, but I know what to do ... Mark taught me.

"A long time ago us boys were stranded in a rowboat, caught in the tide, and Mark saved us, towing the boat behind him. He told us that the riptide flows parallel with the beach so there's no point trying to swim directly back to shore. The only thing to do is let the current carry you and to gradually swim diagonally until we can escape it. Now the two things that can do us in are panic and exhaustion. So Eddie, whatever happens, don't panic. We won't let you drown. Ben, you and me'll take it in turns helping Eddie. We'll spell each other so we don't get tired. I'll take the first shift. Eddie let go the log."

"No, sir, I can't ... I'll go under... I..." "Eddie," Pablo said firmly. "What did I tell you about panic? Now look at me, Eddie. I'm your friend and I love you, dude. I won't let anything happen to you. Do you trust me?"

Eddie looked tearfully into Pablo's steady eyes and murmured, "Yes, sir. What do I do next?"

"Nothing," said Pablo. "Leave everything to me. He swam round behind Eddie, slid his arms under his armpits and across his chest. He nodded to Ben, then at Eddie's hands. Gently Ben pried his hands off the log and Pablo instantly felt Eddie go tense. "Sshh," he said in his ear. "Let yourself go limp, Eddie. You're in my arms. Hey, most guys would pay good money to be in my arms."

This flash of humor eased Eddie's panic and he did as instructed, resting the back of his head on Pablo's shoulder. "OK, great," Pablo said. "And we've got Ben here looking out for us. Ben, push the log in front of you and swim alongside us. And that's how the little group moved through the water ... Pablo on his back underneath Eddie, propelling himself with a breaststroke kick, while Ben swam next to them, pushing the log and kicking his legs. They let the tide carry them, but imperceptibly Pablo tried to maneuver them closer to the shore.

It was a long, tiring journey, and several times Ben had to reach over and adjust Eddie's head so he didn't take in water. When he sensed that Pablo was tiring Ben said softly, "My turn, sir," using the term in deference to Pablo's obvious leadership. "Right," said Pablo. "OK, Eddie, slight adjustment here." He relaxed his grip and Ben slid beside him. The transition didn't all go smoothly and Eddie took in a gulp of water before Ben was beneath him holding him as Pablo had.

"OK, OK," Ben said in his ear. "Cough it up, dude. It's Ben now, I've got you. Hey, Randy taught me how to swim when I was a little kid and I learned good and fast. You know Randy – he didn't let me get away with shit." Despite his predicament Eddie smiled, and from then on he relaxed and gave himself up to Pablo and Ben.

As they rose and fell on the swell of the waves, Pablo secretly had a deep-down fear that they might not make it, that the trip would take too long and they would get too tired. But he didn't share his fears. As he pushed the log forward and glanced over at Ben all he said was, "Thank god you're here dude. We make a great team." They were so in tune that they sensed when the one holding Eddie was getting tired and they seamlessly traded places.

One time, Pablo instructed them all to take a rest and hold onto the log so he could look around and judge their progress. He was relieved to see that they had not drifted further out to sea. They were, in fact, closer to the shore than when they began, and he sensed that the current was weaker than before. His plan was working. He also heard barking in the distance and realized that Billy was running along the beach parallel to them, leaping in the air so he could catch glimpses of them.

Pablo shouted, "OK, guys, we're gonna make it, I guarantee." It took a while longer as the team of Pablo and Ben worked together, taking turns supporting and comforting Eddie, before they felt the current die away under them and they moved steadily toward the shore.

Randy had found a football in Zack's shack and he and Hassan were tossing it to each other on the beach. They had bonded more strongly than ever having engaged in a macho, good-natured contest between two alpha, dominant men, with one finally yielding his ass to the other. But as they laughed and taunted each other they suddenly heard barking in the distance and saw Billy running toward them in the shallow surf, leaping up and looking out to sea. Following his gaze Hassan said, "Jesus Christ, Randy ... Look!"

Still quite far out in the heavy swell they saw the small group. They had been carried two miles down the beach by the current and were now almost level with Randy's shack. On the point of exhaustion the boys had just felt the blessed sand under their feet and were stumbling through the water, Pablo and Ben supporting Eddie by the shoulders, half carrying, half dragging him. The men sprinted into the sea and were with them in seconds. Hassan caught Eddie as he started to fall and scooped him up, cradling his exhausted body across his outstretched arms.

"It's OK, sir," Pablo gasped breathlessly ... "Eddie's fine ... caught in rip current ... swallowed a lot of water but he's fine ... tired is all." Hassan managed a hasty "Thanks guys," but his focus was all on his boy as he carried him up the beach and into the shack. Randy and the boys followed and looked in on them, but it was clear they needed no help – just each other.

As Hassan bent over him Eddie was slightly delirious. "They saved me, sir," he stammered. "Pablo ... Ben ... they saved me." Hassan stroked his face, "Save your breath, kiddo, you're gonna be just fine." He couldn't tell if he cheeks were wet from sea water or tears. He would find out later that it was both.

Randy and his boys made a discreet exit, pausing just long enough to grab three beers. Minutes later they were sitting outside on the sand, propped against the wall of the shack, recovering their strength as they sipped on the beer. Billy, a hero, was nestled happily against Pablo. Pablo and Ben explained in detail to Randy what had happened ... how Eddie had been carried out in the current and they had swum out to him in the rip tide.

"It was a risk we had to take, sir," Pablo said. "Eddie was in real trouble. But I remembered what Mark had taught us boys – how to escape from a rip-tide – so Ben and me we took it in turns to hold Eddie from underneath. When one of us got too tired the other took over. It worked pretty good."

"But it was all Pablo, sir" Ben interrupted. "He took charge and told us what to do." Pablo protested, "But I couldn't have done it without you, dude. We made a great team out there."

"Of course Pablo took charge," Randy said. "That's what I've trained him to do. But he's right – he needed you, Ben and you shared the burden and the risk. Like you said, kiddo, you two made a great team and saved Eddie's life ... and I've never been prouder in my life. Proud you worked as a team and damn proud to have you as my boys."

There was a long silence as the boys basked in the glow of their master's praise and Randy savored the knowledge that they had behaved exactly as he would have wanted, had proved their strength and courage.

After a while Randy said, "Eddie will be fine ... he's a tough young kid and he'll recover in no time – physically at least." He grinned at them both, "OK you two, you've proved how strong you are but a guy also has to anticipate how things are gonna turn out so he can plan for the future. For example, how do you think Eddie's gonna be feeling about all this?

They thought, and Pablo said, "Well, sir, my guess is he's gonna feel real bad about it, ashamed of himself, even thought it was an accident – out of his control. Coulda happened to anyone."

"Yeah," Ben said, "he's gonna be apologizing all over the place. He'll probably wanna make amends, give us some kind of reward."

"Good thought, Ben. But what has Eddie got to offer a guy that's really special – something a guy would really want? Come on guys, you know the answer."

Pablo smiled his crooked smile, looked at Ben and they said in unison, "His ass, sir?"

"Bingo!" But Hassan said that boy's a real gusher – can shoot a fresh load every ten minutes, so you're gonna have your work cut out. You'll have Hassan and me to help out, but you think you can handle an ass that needs to get fucked as much as Eddie's does?

I think so, sir," Pablo grinned. "What d'ya say, Ben ... think we can?"

Well sure," Ben smiled. "Especially if we work as a team. Seems we're pretty good at that."

Randy laughed. "Now this is something I gotta see."

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength – Chapter 174

Hey guys, this is Rob Williams. I hope that chapter got you off, and I welcome your comments and suggestions, which can be very helpful in planning future chapters. E-mail me in confidence at rw6789@aol.com.

ALSO, I urge you to visit my Web-site www.atrialofstrength.com. You can read the whole story, all the many chapters, with extras, including pictures and biographies of all the characters and some other great artwork. Click on the `Our Story' tab to read the current chapter, or click on the green button to browse all the chapter synopses.

Enjoy! Rob Williams