Dominance

All characters are consenting adults (18+)

I watched in the mirror as the veins in my arms bulged, and the one in my head did, too. My muscles strained and ached as I struggled, but I wasn’t giving up. I was too close to my personal record to fail now.

The intense burn radiated through my shoulders. My body shook, and sweat dripped down my concentrated face, but finally, I finished the set, and dropped the heavy barbell onto the ground behind me.

Breathless, exhausted and exuberant, I sat back on the bench and wiped away the sweat with my towel. It was tougher than I had expected it to be, and I’d certainly be sore tomorrow, but it was done, and I was immensely proud of myself.

It had taken over a year to get to this point. I’d always been a relatively athletic guy, but the last year had been dedicated to achieving the body of my dreams. I stared at myself in the wall length mirror, admiring the pump and studying the solid muscle that I’d built up. I wasn’t a bodybuilder, by any means, and the fact that I was still only eighteen meant that I had years of training to go, but I was happy with my progress so far.

Just like always, I wore only a pair of loose fitting shorts and a black tank that gave me full arm motion, though, secretly, I wore it because it showed off my rounded shoulders.

“Nice work” someone said from behind, and I pulled off my headphones and turned to find a middle aged guy with a towel around the back of his neck.

“Oh, thanks” I said, bashfully. I’d never been one for compliments, and had always been pretty shy, especially with older people.

“Hope you don’t mind me saying so” he said, “but I’ve noticed you here the last few months. Not many guys your age stick around”.

“Yeah” I smiled, “I guess I’m addicted”.

“There’s far worse things to be addicted to, kid” he replied, “name’s Paul”.

“Cole” I said, and shook his hand.

He looked to be in his forties, with a thick mop of black hair that was already turning silver. Body-wise, the guy was pretty ripped.

“How old are you, Cole?”

“Eighteen”.

“Ah, to be that age again” he smiled, and I returned it, awkwardly. “You work?”

“College” I told him, “I do some shifts at a pizza joint to pay for this”.

He nodded, and we slowly made our way toward the changing rooms, without me even noticing.

“Must be tough” he said, once we arrived. “Tryna’ afford to live whilst busting your ass in college”.

“I get by” I told him, “my folks help out when they can”.

“That’s good” he smiled, and peeled his sweat soaked t-shirt off to reveal a canvass of muscle. The dude had a sleeper build, and I was majorly impressed.

“You must work out a lot” I said, feeling pretty embarrassed in comparison, as I stood shirtless, and looking almost skinny compared to Paul.

“Six days a week” he smiled, and dropped his shorts, and although I wasn’t purposely looking, I couldn’t help but notice that Paul wore nothing underneath, and now a cock that looked like a baby’s arm dangled between his legs. “Been doing it for twenty three years” he continued, “longer than you’ve been alive!”.

I forced a smile, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to take my eyes off the dude’s dick. It was freaking huge!

Paul turned his back to me as he searched through his locker. As much as I tried not to, I couldn’t help but steal a glance at his ass, and once again, I was impressed. Every part of the man’s body was perfect, though I certainly wasn’t interested in that way.

I shed my own shorts, but I wasn’t yet at that middle-aged man stage that allowed me to be comfortable standing naked in the changing rooms, so I pulled on my sweatpants as Paul looked back over his shoulder.

“You got a girlfriend, Cole?” He asked.

“Yeah” I half scoffed, because the truth was, I wasn’t even sure anymore.

“Sounds complicated” he laughed.

“You could say that”.

“Mind me asking why?”

I sighed and sat down on the bench as Paul remained fully nude. I was slowly beginning to get used to it.

“I think it’s just fizzling out, man” I said, “we’ve been dating for like six months”.

“That long, huh?” He chuckled, and my cheeks turned red. “Try sixteen years, kid”.

“Are you married?” I asked, and realised that it was becoming increasingly easy to talk to the man.

“Was” he told me, “divorced when I was thirty-eight”.

“Sorry to hear”.

“Don’t be” he smiled, finally pulling on a pair of white designer briefs which stretched around his plump package. “The best decision I ever made”.

I wasn’t sure how to answer him. I wasn’t even sure if I was supposed to answer him, and then his dark brown eyes landed on me, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

“You live local?” He asked, and I swallowed the growing lump in my throat as I tried to work out what the fuck had just happened, and nodded stiffly.

“I rent a room” I eventually said, “just up the street”.

“Must suck” he laughed, dragging a fresh t-shirt on, though I wondered why he’d gone to the trouble of changing everything without taking a shower.

“It’s not too bad” I lied, because it was really terrible, if I was being honest.

Paul finished getting dressed and picked his bag up off the floor. I remained on the bench as he walked over and without saying a word, the man took my chin in his hand and tilted my head up. Fuck, he was strong.

“Keep your chin up, kid” he said, staring at me with a strange look in his eye that gave me butterflies. “See you around, Cole” he added, and lightly slapped my cheek.

I watched, with my jaw hanging open slightly, as Paul strolled casually from the changing room. The sweet stench of his fresh sweat lingered for a moment, and I couldn’t help but inhale it. What the fuck was wrong with me?

“Yeah” I mumbled, long after he’d gone. “See you around”.

Paul remained on my mind in the hours and even the days following our strange encounter. It had felt nice to be able to talk to somebody who wasn’t my roommate without stuttering all over myself, and I found myself keeping an eye out for him every evening that week. Alas, Paul didn’t show up, and by Saturday morning, I’d almost completely forgotten about him.

“Another record, huh?”

I spun around as I dropped the dumbbells and beamed at him. “Hey!”

“You look happier” he smiled, and stood next to me in the mirror. “Mind if I show you something?”

I cocked a brow as I stared at him through the reflection.

“No” I shrugged, and he reached down and picked up the two weights with ease.

“You’re bending your back too much” he said, handing them to me, and immediately squeezing my shoulders. “Roll them back” he said, pulling on them until my back was as straight as an arrow.

“You were watching me?” I joked, struggling to hold on.

“Ass out” he ordered, and my mind went blank as the man grabbed my waist with his strong hands and pulled my hips back toward him. I felt myself brush against him, and almost dropped the damn dumbbells. “Now try it”.

With everything that had just happened in such a short space of time, my energy was zapped. I could hardly even hold the weights, never mind lift them!

“I… I can’t” I grunted, and let them fall to the ground.

“That’s because you’re lifting too heavy” he said, and walked over to the weight rack before handing me tens.

“Tens?” I scoffed, but Paul’s expression was harsh and he nodded sternly.

“Tens” he replied, and I gulped and took them.

I felt stupid lifting the light weights, but I couldn’t deny that they were working some muscles that I didn’t even know I had. Once the set was done, I shook my head.

“You really know your shit” I laughed.

“Mind your language” Paul replied, but before I could be shocked, he moved on. “Anyway, how are things going with your girl?”

I felt a little dizzy as I tried to make sense of the last few minutes, but I shrugged as we walked back toward the changing rooms again. This time, I was a little more excited.

“Fine, I guess” I sighed, “I think we both know that it’s not going anywhere, but neither of us want to be the one to end it”.

Paul stripped naked once more, and just like last time, he wore nothing beneath his gym shorts.

“Can I ask you something?” I said, wanting to enquire about his lack of underwear.

“No”.

I squirmed behind him. Had I said something to piss him off? I thought back to our last conversation, but nothing came to mind, so I decided to sit there and scroll on my phone to avoid anymore awkward scolding.

“Text her” he said, a few minutes later, and I looked up to find the naked, muscular man standing inches from my face.

“Huh?”

“Your girlfriend, text her and tell her how you feel”.

“Oh” I half laughed, “yeah, I don’t think –”

“Text her”.

What was this guy’s problem? I squinted up at him, trying to ignore the large, meaty cock in the way, and felt like a naughty schoolboy as he stared down at me.

“Uh… Alright” I finally managed, and for some bizarre reason, I obeyed him. Moments later, I received a message back, and I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did she agree, but she even suggested that we remained friends with benefits!

“Holy shit” I gasped, showing him the message. “You’re like a fuck… I mean, you’re like a freaking expert at this”.

“Experience, kid” he said, and tussled my sweaty hair as he got dressed without showering again.

“Why do you do that?” I asked, “dress without showering”.

“Did I tell you that you could ask me questions?” He said, picking up his bag.

“Oh… I uh… I um…”

“I like the stink” he breathed, as he stopped next to me again. Our faces were now inches apart, and I could see why he liked the stink. The ripe aroma caught in my throat and caused butterflies in my stomach.

“No underwear next time” he said, and pulled the front of my shorts out with his finger, before looking down at my damp boxer briefs. “Makes it easier to lift”.

Paul walked out, leaving me frozen in place, and much to my horror, I felt my cock beginning to stir.

“Holy fucking shit” I whispered to myself.