A TRIAL OF STRENGTH

"A COP & HIS BOY ON EDGE"

The macho cop Mark and his boy, the blond surfer Jamie, are the perfect golden couple until Mark suffers a bout of job-stress burnout and turns his back on his boy. They go out to the desert to try to heal the deepening rift. Walking on eggshells they slowly edge closer and closer until the night they share a bed and Jamie decides to go for broke in a sexual act that risks everything.

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In the previous chapter

“Beautiful, eh, Mark?” Steve said softly.

“Fucking gorgeous,” Mark murmured to himself, unthinkingly rubbing the bulge in his jeans

At the end of a therapy session Doctor Steve and the handsome cop Mark were in Steve’s home office looking out at the spectacular sight by the pool of Mark’s boy, the young, golden surfer Jamie, fucking the stunning young gymnast Tommy, Steve’s house manager.

Mark had come to see Doc Steve ‘cos he was in trouble. As happens periodically with many cops he was going through an especially bad burnout period where patrolling the streets in a rough section of Los Angeles on his motorcycle had finally got to him. He had plunged into a depression and bouts of irrational anger.

The person in the line of fire was his boy Jamie who often bore the brunt of the cop’s anger, and Mark had turned cold and unfeeling to his boy. The doc had said, “What troubles me, Mark, is the effect of all this on Jamie. You and I both know that when cops experience a burnout like this it’s often the family that suffers most. Of course you are familiar with the battered spouse syndrome – you must have responded to domestic abuse calls often yourself.”

Mark got animated. “I have never laid a finger on Jamie, doc. Are you suggesting I abuse him?”

“No, no, not at all. Not physical abuse anyway. But you know, emotional abuse can be just as painful in its way. And I think that, unwittingly, that’s what you’re doing with Jamie … like when you ordered him to face-fuck his friend Pablo, against his wishes.”

Mark slumped back with a sigh. “Yeah, you’re probably right, Steve. But … I dunno, I’m so wrapped up in myself, with my libido at zero, that I don’t have time for Jamie right now. In bed I just turn my back on him. I know that sounds cold but … I dunno … I don’t know how to love him anymore, or to show that I love him. He’s a good guy and all, but … it’s like I don’t even see him the way I used to.”

“In these cases, Mark, an inability to feel or express affection is common. But…” Steve got up and pulled a chair next to his. “Come and sit here, Mark. There’s something I want you to see.”

And that was what Steve showed him – the two athletic jocks making love naked by the pool. Mark had a clear view of the gorgeous ass getting pounded by the handsome young jock, his tousled blond hair falling over his face, his ripped wet body gleaming golden in the sun.

Mark unzipped his pants, pulled out his cock and stroked it. He was mesmerized by the magnificent young man and imagined what it felt like to fuck him. Then he frowned with the puzzled realization that was not just a handsome boy, it was his own boy, his own Jamie and he had fucked him but now treated him with cold indifference.

Tears came to his eyes and rolled down his cheeks and he murmured, “Damn I miss him … I love him, Steve … I love the fuck out of him.”

The boys’ laughter filled the air as their cocks erupted simultaneously. Tommy’s semen spurted all over his flawless chest and Jamie pumped his fist in the air and his cum in his buddy’s ass.

And there was another orgasm in the house as Mark pumped warm juice that spurted up high, while tears ran down his face. “I love him, Steve, I need him, and I’ve treated him so bad. But I don’t know how to tell him. What am I gonna do?”

“Well,” Steve chuckled, “I think you just proved how much you love him. I’m guessing that what Jamie wants right now is your arms round him.”

In a daze Mark got up, zipped up his pants and went out to the pool. The naked young men stood up and Mark and Jamie stared at each other. Jamie waited … and Mark put his arms round him in a tight silent hug.

Tommy left unobtrusively and went into Steve in his office. “Mission accomplished, wouldn’t you say, sir?” Tommy smiled.

“You did great, Tommy, absolutely perfect. Thank you.”

“The pleasure was all mine sir, as I think you know. I love making love with Jamie.”

Steve sighed. “But it’s not mission accomplished just yet, Tommy. Those guys still have a long way to go, lot to sort out. Mark’s depression won’t vanish overnight.”

“So what’s your prescription, doc?”

“They have to get away, away from here, away from all the triggers. And I know just the place for them. Did you know that way back, hard as it is to believe now, Jamie was one of a pair of skinheads running wild? His buddy was Larry – yeah Mike’s boy in Palm Springs. Well, Jamie found Mark, and Larry later found Mike. They cleaned up their act and became the great young guys they are now, and they’re best buddies again.

“So, what’s more natural than Mark suggesting he take Jamie out of town to Uncle Mike’s place in the desert? Actually, Mike heard on the grapevine all about Mark’s problem and called me to ask if there’s any way he could help. I know he would welcome them with open arms and wise old Mike would be a great influence on Mark, while Jamie and Larry could have fun together.

“So you think you can swing it, sir? You know – convince Mark to take a break?”

“Hmm, I can give it a try.”

“And you think it will do the trick, sir?”

“Ah, as to that, only time will tell, Tommy. At least it’ll be another chapter in the saga of this crazy tribe.”

*****************    BOOK 10: CHAPTER 9   *****************

Get Out Of Town

It was a long, wordless hug.

Mark knew that he had treated his boy Jamie coldly in the last couple of weeks. His deep depression from work stress had cut him off from any affectionate feelings toward anyone, even from Jamie.

He had loved the young blond surfer for so long and their relationship was so close that Mark thought of him as his buddy rather than his boy. But all that was gone, leaving behind a remoteness that Mark couldn’t bridge. Sex, which used to be a major part of their day, was now nonexistent.

This was the first time Mark had touched Jamie for over a week and as their bodies pressed together they both wanted to feel that spark of passion that always surged through them at the start of love making. Jamie felt something approaching that but it was blocked by the cool lack of response from Mark who could not break through the crust of self-doubt, denial and guilt.

So when they separated at last they gazed at each other with sad affection and Mark said, “Jamie, I gotta get away, out of town.”

With a surge of panic Jamie flinched and Mark quickly added, “With you, of course, Jamie – if you want to come. I might not be the best company.”

Jamie replied with a touch of cheekiness which surprised even him. “Right now, sir, I’ll take you any way I can get you.”

That unexpected reply thawed the ice just a little and Mark smiled. “Jamie, are you sure you want to call me sir?”

Another stab of panic. “Oh yes, sir. That way I can convince myself I’m still your boy.”

Mark stopped and faced him. “Jamie, let’s get one thing clear. Whatever we’re going through, now and in the future, you will be my boy as long as you want to be.”

“Which will be forever, sir.”

“OK, I’m gonna go talk to the doc. You go say goodbye to Tommy. He’s a real good guy.”

Jamie went to find Tommy in the kitchen and Mark went into the office where Steve was now alone waiting for him. Mark said, “Steve you’re a devious son of a bitch.”

“I do my best,” Steve grinned playfully.

“I’m not quite sure what you did here, dude – I think possibly even you don’t know. But whatever it was it made me realize that I gotta get out of town – and take Jamie with me. There’s too much baggage here for me right now.”

“Excellent, Mark, you read my thoughts.”

“And I wanna go right away.”

“Another excellent choice, officer. Anything I can do to help speed you on your way?”

“I don’t think so, doc. Don’t get me wrong when I say ‘you’ve done quite enough’. Steve chuckled again. “I can take it from here. I’ve got a couple of days off and then tons of comp time owing so that’s no problem. And I’ll talk to Bob about giving Jamie time off from work. I think he’ll agree.”

“Mark, you could ask Bob for anything in the world you wanted and he’d agree. Er, there is one thing you haven’t mentioned yet – destination, and I do think I can help you there. You see, Mike called me from out in the desert. He’d heard of your troubles and – good old Mike being Mike – he wanted to know if he could be any help. I know that he would welcome you with open arms, no questions asked, and of course Jamie and Mike’s boy Larry are buddies from way back.”

A light dawned in Mark’s eye. “I hadn’t thought of that, but now you mention it … I’ll give him a call right away. Steve, I can’t begin to thank you …"

“Ah, don’t try, all in a day’s work. You can pay my bill by sorting yourself out and being good to that gorgeous boy of yours.”

They hugged, and at the same time Jamie and Tommy were hugging in the kitchen. Tommy smiled, “Of course, Jamie, you know this was all kind of a setup – Steve and his wild methods – but I gotta tell you that I enjoyed the hell out of it. Next time we meet, all this crap will be only a memory and we can meet on real terms – and it’ll be payback time”

“Deal,” Jamie grinned.

Steve and Tommy saw them to the door and waved them off. Tommy said, “You think they’re gonna be OK, sir?”

“I have a hunch they will be, Tommy. It’ll be tough at first but they’re both really good guys and, best of all, they love each other. That’s good enough for me.

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

Invitation To The Desert

The drive back to the compound was silent, but it was not the same tense, frigid silence of the drive up. There was an unstated sense of a bridge having been crossed to a sunnier land. All they were certain about now was their trip to the desert. Beyond that they had no idea how to proceed or what was to come – but hope was in the air. They had at least confirmed that they loved each other, actually put it in words. It was a start.

When they got to the house, before they got out of the car Mark pulled out his phone and called Uncle Mike. “Hey, Mike, it's Mark, I’m here with Jamie and …"

“You coming out to see us, officer?”

“How did you know we were …?"

“Be great to see your ugly mug again, stud, and your beautiful surfer boy.” (Uncle Mike was never one to beat about the bush.) “We’ll get the guest room ready. What time will you be here?”

“Well, er, I guess we could leave more or less right away.”

“Good. Throw your kit in your truck and hit the road. We’ll be waiting for you. Drive safe.” And he clicked off.

Mark was a bit stunned. His first thought was that Steve must have called Mike and he wondered how much he had told him. Then he knew that Steve would never have divulged any details of their unusual therapy session – professional discretion – except to alert him that Mark might call. And Mike just took it from there.

Mark’s second thought was how incredible the guys were. He realized that they all had his back and the network of support was woven into the fabric of the tribe.

“Looks like we’re all set, Jamie. I gotta have a word with Bob. You go check with Brandon.”

Jamie went to the office where Brandon was, as usual, working at his computer. “How did it go, dude?” he asked.

“Pretty good, I think,” Jamie replied noncommittally. “Er, Brandon I got a favor to ask you.”

“Fire away.”

“Could you hold the fort here for a few days? Mark and me are going out of town.”

“Good, I hoped you would. Best thing. And no worries about the office, Jamie. Bob will always help me and at a pinch I can always ask Eddie – if I can ever get him to stop talking.”

“You’re a pal, kiddo.” Jamie bent down to Brandon's wheelchair and hugged him.

Meanwhile Bob was saying, “I’m so glad, Mark. Uncle Mike’s is a great place to go to clear your head and relax. And don’t worry about Jamie’s work. Of course he can have time off. Brandon has everything in control and I’ll pitch in to help him. Don’t worry about a thing. Just get yourself and your boy on the road.”

They hugged, Mark joined Jamie and they stowed their gear in the truck, including Mark’s cop uniform on a hanger. He always took his uniform with him on a trip. He never knew when he might need it for official business – or for any other reason.