Ben and Roger

[Lexfan]

 

Part 1

Ben liked working out early mornings in a small gym because there were few personalities to deal with - he usually just kept to his business for the two hours or so his routine took.  Ben was a bit obsessive about working out.  And no denying his discipline had paid off. When he had graduated college two years ago, he had a slightly above average build.  Now, at 24, he was 5'11" and 200 pounds with a muscular physique that would not look out of place on the cover of a fitness magazine. With his sandy blonde hair, broad chest and defined abdominals, he was an idealized version of the California surfer, except he had never actually been surfing. 

This Saturday morning Ben had arrived early to get in a heavy chest workout.  Ben considered his full pecs his most impressive feature, and he liked to take his time when working them so he could put the maximum efforts into his lifts. Of course it would have been nice to have a partner to spot him, but besides the guy at the desk the place at this time of day was usually deserted. He was careful to make sure he never quite exhausted himself past the point where he could safely return the bar to the rack. 

As he was nearing that point in his third set of bench presses, Ben heard a deep voice behind him.

"Go for it, guy, I got you covered."

Looking up, Ben, saw a pair of large hands slightly beneath the bar, ready to catch it if he faltered. He could not see much of the guy those hands belonged to, but he could tell they were attached to an impressive set of biceps, more than capable of handling the weight. 
 
"Thanks, going to do two more."

That was two more than Ben had originally intended, but he felt compelled to put on a good show now that he had an audience.

When the bar returned to the rack, Ben swung off the bench and stood up to meet his spotter, a guy who Ben guessed to be in his mid-forties, although a touch of grey in his dark, short hair and slight beard suggested he might even be little older. He was taller than Ben, about 6'1," and even with the loose blue t-shirt he was wearing, Ben could tell the guy had an impressively muscled frame. To Ben’s eye, he must have weighed at least 220 pounds. Ben rightly considered himself pretty “buff,” but this guy put him to shame.

What really caught Ben's eye was this guy's incredibly developed arms - the biceps bulged out like melons under his skin. He had a square-jawed masculine face that gave him what could be characterized as "movie star good looks." Not at all the type of guy that Ben expected to meet at this small out of the way gym on a Saturday morning. 

"Thanks guy, appreciate the hand."

"No problem. See you're lifting some real weight. Mind if I work in?"

"Sure, good to have the company. I'm Ben."

"Nice to meet you, Ben, Roger here."

He reached out and offered Ben a handshake, a gesture a little more formal than Ben was used to at a gym, but as he took the older man's firm grip in his own, Ben couldn’t help but notice the interplay of muscle in this guy's arm. 

"Want to take some weight off the bar for some warm up sets?”

"No need. I'm good to go."

Roger stretched his impressive frame across the bench and quickly pumped out twelve repetitions without any sign of strain.

"Let's put some weight on, Ben."

For the next hour and a half, Roger led Ben through a grueling work out, pushing Ben to higher weights on all his lifts. Ben was by nature competitive, and usually when he worked out with a partner, he tried to prove he was the guy who could lift just a little more.  Ben grudgingly had to accept that on each exercise by their fifth set Roger was adding weight onto the bar for himself beyond what Ben could handle. As Ben spotted Roger during his sets, he could tell that underneath that blue t-shirt, the rest of Roger’s body was as impressively developed as those big arms.  

As they lifted, they talked and Ben learned that Roger was divorced, that he had founded a software company that had recently been bought out, that he had moved to the area about a month ago in order to start a new company, that he lived in a high rise with its own weight-room that was currently being refurbished, and he found this gym just looking for a place to use in the interim. 

Although Ben was by nature reticent to talk about himself,something about the older man's manner and the intent way in which he paid attention led Ben to discuss his life since college, his work, and his uncertainty about the future. 

They finished the work out with a set of tricep cable presses. Roger had given Ben some direction on form, and as Ben completed the last set, Roger stood behind him and gripped Ben's triceps with his large strong hands so he could feel the muscles exert with effort. 

"Nice. Good job!"

Ben released the weight, and Roger stepped back. Ben took a deep breath and turned and put his hand on the shoulder of the man who had just coached him through the hardest workout he could remember. 

"Wow. Thanks man. Don't know I've ever felt this much of a pump."

"No, Ben, thank you. I can't remember when I last enjoyed a work out this much.  You have to come do it again at my new place once the weight room's done."

"That would be great. Maybe you can give me some pointers on getting guns like yours."

Roger glanced at his arms for a second, then smiled as he looked at Ben.

"Thanks. Glad to show you what I can, but that's mainly a matter of pushing hard with consistency, and of course good genetics, which you obviously have in spades."

Ben blushed slightly at the compliment, but kept his hand on Roger's shoulder. The two men awkwardly looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Ben ... last minute, but have you got plans tonight?"

Ben had made plans with a woman he had met a few weeks before, but he knew he could lie and get out of it.

"No, not really." 

"Why don't you come by the apartment.  I can grill us something, and we can watch a movie." 

"That would be great! When? Where?" 

"Let's say 7:30. Come out to the car and I'll give you the address." 

Ben followed Roger's broad shoulders out of the gym to a grey Mercedes sports car. Roger saw Ben's eyes grow when he saw the vehicle. 

"Nice wheels."

"Can I give you a lift somewhere?"

"Thanks . . . But I rode my bike here and I should be getting back." 

"Ok, well here's my number and the address.  I'll see you this evening." 

As he watched the older man drive away, Ben realized that his pulse was racing.  

. . .
 

[mjtunstall34]

so is my boner! great story! 

[Edwin]

whoa i cannot wait

[cropsey23]

Great set up, and great writing. Keep it up. 

[GrowrillaCub]

awesome build up man. . . got me hard. cant wait to read more

[crushme99]

Excellent.  Already looking forward to more.

[Lexfan]

Part 2

Riding home,Ben turned over in his mind just what had happened that morning - why had he jumped at the opportunity to change his plans to meet this guy tonight? The woman he had planned on seeing was nothing special, but still it would be awkward cancelling,  And who pulled out of a Saturday night date to hang out with an older guy?

Of course, Ben had never met an older guy - or any guy - quite like this one. Roger epitomized what he aspired to - a highly successful man's man. Ben had been feeling adrift in his life for the past year - like he was waiting for something. Roger  clearly knew how to take on life. He might be able to provide Ben guidance and connections.   It would have been foolish to pass up the chance to get to know him better. And Ben couldn’t get those huge arms out of his mind.    

Ben spent an unusually long amount of time getting ready for the evening. In spite of the morning’s intense work out, he started by doing some crunches and push ups after which he stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, assessing his smooth athletic body, pleased that his six pack was visible, and that his muscles were pumped and clearly defined.  Although he liked what he saw, as he flexed a little for himself, he couldn’t help but wonder how his build compared to Roger’s. 

After trying on several shirts, he settled on a tight blue short-sleeved one that he knew showed off his upper body, not that he felt any need to impress Roger.  

Ben entered the lobby of Roger's building at exactly 7:30, and the doorman called and let Roger know Ben had arrived. Roger's apartment was on the 30th floor. On the elevator there, Ben realized his pulse was pounding again. 

Ben stopped outside the door and found himself hesitating to knock. He realized he was nervous and didn’t want to make a fool of himself. Maybe he should just leave and send Roger an excuse about receiving an emergency call. 

Before Ben could make a decision, the door opened and Roger stepped out. 

"Glad you could make it!"

Roger looked even more impressive than he had that morning. There were those big biceps again, but now leading into a red polo shirt pulled tight across the muscular torso underneath it. Ben noticed a few chest hairs emerging at the collar. The shirt was tucked into Roger’s jeans, showing that his mid section was as lean as his upper body was dense - no middle age spread on this guy.    

Roger took a step toward Ben, who brought out his hand, but instead found his shoulders being encircled by Roger's brawny arms pulling him in a firm embrace into Roger’s hard chest. Ben tentatively responded by placing his own arms around Roger's broad back, but he instinctively stepped back slightly so that his midsection would not brush against Roger’s. 

"Did you have any trouble finding your way here?"

"This is kind of a hard building to miss."

"Come in let me show you the apartment."

Roger released his embrace and turned walking into the apartment.  Ben following behind him noticed how Roger's blue jeans revealed a sculpted round ass. Great. Ben had  always gotten a laugh out of guys checking out his butt, but now he was the one checking out another guy's ass, and a guy he guessed to be about 20 years older than him at that.  Ben was at a loss for an explanation as to what was happening to him, and he thought again maybe he should find an excuse to leave.  

Roger's apartment was remarkably well decorated, and led to a patio with an incredible view out over the city.  Roger had some beers waiting there for them.  He opened and handed Ben one, and motioned for Ben to join him out by the railing so they could look down at the city and talk. Unfortunately for Ben, that meant he had to stand next to Roger so that they could hear each other, and it seemed Roger like to stand unusually close.  

"Ben, I wanted you to know I really appreciate your coming over tonight."

"Glad to come. I appreciated the work out you gave me this morning."

"My pleasure. I have been lifting weights about as long as you've been alive."

"If you don't mind me asking, Roger, just how old are you?"

“49”

Crap, the guy was actually more than twice Ben’s age.  

"Damn, Roger, you look good …” 

"For an old man? Thanks a lot, Ben."

"No, Roger, you look real good, period."

"Thanks, Ben, you're pretty hot yourself."

Ben blushed for a second and the thought crossed his mind that Roger could tell what Ben was feeling and was teasing him. Ben needed to play along and laugh it off.

"Yeah, well glad you noticed."

"Trust me, I did."

Ben struggled to find something to say.

“Well. . . good.”

“Yeah. I wondered what a good looking guy like you was doing free on a Saturday night. No one special in your life right now?”  

“Not really. Since I got out of college I’ve dated but no one special.  How about you, how long have you been divorced?”

“Three years now.”

“Anyone since then?”

“I’ve tried but no one I meet seems to have the stamina to keep up with me.” 

Feeling increasingly awkward, Ben tried to change the subject.  

"So, Roger, what sports did you play in school?”

"Actually none. I was a fat nerd all the way through college."

"You're kidding. What happened?"

"When I made my first million, I got a trainer and started taking care of myself seriously."

"He must have been damn good."

"He was. And I was highly motivated."

“You must have been to get where you are now.”

“I learned early in life if you know you want something, you should go after it completely without apology.”  

“Good approach if you know what it is you want.”

“For me that has never been a problem.  Right now I have a hankering for some beef. How about you, Ben?”

“Sure.”

Roger went into the apartment and brought out some steaks, which he grilled and they ate out on the patio. After a few beers, Ben's discomfort gave way to his enjoyment of Roger's company, and he agreed when Roger suggested they watch a movie on the couch inside.  

[Lexfan]

Thanks for comments, likes, and so many reads - I am working on next part but decided to let it move a little slower than I had initially planned, in part because I just kind of like feeling the tension between the characters - also trying to decide whether to fill out Roger's story or to keep him idealized.   

If any of you have thoughts on where you'd like to see things go, feel free to message me.

[mario2007]

You've been spot on so far lol.  Just go with what you like!  I can assure you NOBODY'S complaining.  Quite the contrary.  Another EXCELLENT chapter.

[AlexDrake]

3 hours ago, Lexfan said:

[..] also trying to decide whether to fill out Roger's story or to keep him idealized.   

@Lexfan Whichever way you go, the evidence so far suggest it will be the right one. Love the budding relationship between the two, including Ben's uncertainty about his feelings for Roger. I get the feeling these are going to be realistic, plausibly fleshed out characters, no matter what backstory you might introduce. Do keep sharing it with us!