Coming of Age
By: Brock Archer
(© 2020 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

barcher@tickiestories.us

Chapter 18
Greece

Less than two weeks remained before our departure for Europe. Troy and I spent much of that time with each other. Sometimes I slept with him at his house, sometimes he slept in mine, and every night we made love.

I told Troy about my conversation with Mike, and he confessed that he was feeling the same way. We agreed that what we had experienced was something beautiful and that we really cared for each other, but we also concurred that we weren’t really sure if it was true love or not. We agreed that perhaps the best thing we could do at the moment was just to experience it, as Mike had advised. We also agreed that neither of us wanted to be possessive. We felt that continuing to experience sexual relations with other people might clarify our feelings and help us decide whether or not an exclusive relationship would be best for us.

On Memorial Day weekend, we packed our bags and boarded a plane for Athens, Greece. We were met at the airport by an executive and staff of people from Marriott, who welcomed us and escorted us in limousines to the hotel, where we were led directly to our rooms, bypassing the registration desk. All of the adults got suites, and Troy, Johnny, and I got two adjoining rooms with two queen-size beds in each. The executive, who I assumed to be the hotel manager or guest relations manager, said that he had prepared three separate rooms for us but that Mike had requested this arrangement. He apologized if it was not satisfactory and pledged to make everything right, but we assured him that the accommodations were just perfect. Johnny took one room, Troy took the other, and I was free to move back and forth depending on where the action was. I chose to spend my first night in Greece christening my bed with Troy.

At dinner, we were given a private room off of the main dining room with a spectacular view of the city. Seeing the Acropolis all lit up at night just blew my socks off. I expected the photographer to join us, but Mike said he would meet us at lunch the next day, giving us a little time to adjust to the jet lag. We were, however, joined by an unexpected guest. We were surprised and, of course, thrilled to see Maria, who had arranged to spend the week with us. Naturally, we all understood that she was there to spend the week with Mike, but that was all right too.

I was also surprised when Mike invited the Marriott executive to join us and surprised still when he accepted. Mike seated him next to Mrs. Mazure, and all of a sudden I began to suspect that Mike was up to something. I found out later that Mom had put him up to it.

The Marriott rep was Rob Palmer, an American, and it turned out that he was not the hotel manager, but the director of operations for all of Marriott’s properties in Europe. We also learned that his mother, like Mrs. Mazure, was a nurse and that he was a big football fan and a lover of classical music. What a coincidence, huh? Oh, and by the way, he looked like a middle-aged Chris Evans with the sophistication of Cary Grant or George Clooney. He was a real DILF, and I would have jumped his bones in a flash given the chance.

Mr. Palmer, Rob, reminded us that all of our expenses were covered and that he was at our disposal for anything we needed. “Our concierge is at your service,” he said, “but, of course, I am also here to assist you in any way I can.” Maybe it was just my imagination, but he seemed to be addressing that comment more to Mrs. Mazure than to the rest of us.

Mike briefly went over our schedule for the week. We were to meet with the photographer tomorrow over lunch, but we were free the rest of the day to rest or to take in some of the sights of Athens.

Jet lag or not, most of us were too excited to sleep in, so we rose early and strolled the Agora, the ancient Greek shopping promenade still used by merchants and shoppers today. We bought fresh baklava from a vendor and thought we had died and gone to epicurean heaven.

At lunch, Rob, not Mike, introduced us to the photographer, Nicholas Dimitriopolis, who graciously and mercifully invited us to call him ‘Nic.’ Mike was meeting Nic for the first time along with the rest of us, but Rob had known him for a while. He explained that Nic had done some work for the Marriot Hotels in Greece and nearby countries as well as some of the chain’s most prominent executives and guests. Nic chatted with everyone and made us all feel comfortable with him. His English was more fluent than Claude’s or Armando’s, which made it a little easier to get to know him.

As lunch was wrapping up, Rob offered to give a brief tour of the hotel to anyone who was interested. At first, I wasn’t particularly interested, but then he mentioned that many of Mike’s photos would be shot in the hotel, not only in his suite, but in the hotel’s sculpture gardens and ballrooms, where studios had been set up. I suggested to Troy and his mom that the brief tour might be worthwhile, but I guess that Mrs. Mazure had already made the same decision. Hmmm.

After the hotel tour, we broke into groups and went our separate ways, some to the National Museum, some to the National Palace to see the changing of the guards, known as Evzones, and some went shopping. As we were leaving, Mike pulled Troy aside and told him that he and Nic would be spending the afternoon going through underwear and swimsuits to select the best ones for the shoots. Mike told Troy that there was no need for him to be there all day but that he was welcome to stop by an hour or so before dinner to get a feel for the process.

Shortly after five o’clock, Troy, Johnny, and I went to Mike’s suite, and sure enough, Mike and Nic were still hard at work going through their many options. Since we had been outside exploring the city, we came into the room wearing shorts and comfortable shirts. Johnny and I wore tank tops, and Troy wore a loose-fitting beach shirt unbuttoned half way, exposing his very hairy chest.

Even though Nic had met us at lunch, he had not seen us in these clothes, and when he did, he nearly flipped out. “Oh, my god!” he exclaimed. “You men are so handsome. Are you sure you’re not models?” He was particularly taken with Troy, whom he practically accosted. He went up to Troy and immediately put his hand on Troy’s hairy chest. Then, with no preface, he quickly unbuttoned Troy’s shirt the rest of the way and pulled it off of him. He circled around Troy, sizing him up and down, rubbing his torso all over. “Greek women love virile men with hairy chests,” he said. “You must model for me.”

Mike asked Troy if he would like to be an extra as Johnny and I had done, and Troy agreed, but Nic seemed very disappointed that he could not use Troy more.

That night at dinner, Mike briefed Mrs. Mazure on the arrangement and told her that she was welcome to observe the shoot but that it was not essential since Troy would be properly clothed the whole time and would not be involved in anything too suggestive. Mrs. Mazure decided that it would be enough for Mike to be there.

The next morning, Johnny and I went with Troy to the shoot to provide moral support.

Nic shot some rather traditional swimsuit photos by the pool. Nic had hired only four models, two male and two female, so he was grateful that Mike had allowed Johnny and me as well as Troy to act as extras, wearing Speedo-type suits that Nic pulled out of a case he had brought with him.

In the fitness center, he took some photos that were along the lines of the ones Claude had taken in France but with a few creative differences here and there. It suddenly dawned on me that this was Troy’s first time seeing Mike naked—in the flesh anyway. Johnny and I had to take turns standing in front of Troy to prevent others from seeing his boner, which never seemed to go down. I was reminded of that TV commercial, “If you have an erection lasting more than four hours….” It was wasted effort, though, because I’m sure that everyone saw Troy’s bulges.

Around noon, Nic expressed some frustration with the way the shoot was going. He suggested that we break for lunch and re-convene in the Olympic Ballroom, where he had erected some sets.

The Olympic Room was aptly named because Andrew Christian had decided to adopt an Olympics theme for that year’s shoot. Nic had brought in backdrops of scenes from Olympia and other historic spots in Greece. He had also constructed pedestals of various types and sizes. Three of the pedestals mimicked the bronze, silver, and gold pedestals used at Olympic medals ceremonies. Mike was to stand in the center with one of the models on either side.

The models were all attractive. The males were fit and in good shape, but they were not as broad-shouldered and muscular as the three of us. Since Nic had seen Troy shirtless and Johnny and me in tight tank tops, he begged Mike to let us flank him instead of the models. For the shots where we were to wear swimsuits, Mike agreed, and Johnny, Troy, and I rotated positions on the pedestals. Most of the swimsuits Nic selected for me came from Andrew Christian’s Trophy Boy and Massive lines because of their extra-large pouches.

In the original Olympic Games, the athletes competed in the nude, so Nic took some shots of Mike standing on the center pedestal naked, but Mike refused to allow us to be photographed in the nude, so the models got back into place. Their junk would be obscured by some digital techniques later. It didn’t matter that they were not wearing any Andrew Christian clothes because those would be featured in sidebars to the photos in the ads.

Another set was supposed to mimic the inside of a sculpture museum with the models standing on pedestals in classic Greek poses. Museum visitors (extras) stood facing the models as if they were touring a museum. The backs of their heads obstructed views of the models’ genitals. There again, Nic really wanted us three guys to be some of the statues, but again Mike prohibited it. The whole afternoon continued in that mood with Nic repeatedly cursing the gods for making his life so difficult.

When Nic found out that Troy was now 18, he nearly went ballistic. “He is not a child!” screamed Nic. “The man can decide for himself!”

That night after dinner, we all gathered back in the Olympic Ballroom, where Mike explained how the photo campaign was designed and what kinds of photos Nic wanted to take to carry out that theme. He explained how he had allowed us to serve as extras within certain limits. Then, Mike turned the floor over to Nic and let him make his pitch.

Our parents asked all kinds of questions, including whether or not there would be any nudity involved. Nic explained honestly that Troy would sometimes be posing nude but that his genitals would be blocked by something either in the shoot or in the post-production. “And no nude photos can be released to anyone without Troy’s permission,” added Mike. “I have that clause in my contract, and I can make sure it is in Troy’s too.”

Finally, Mrs. Mazure asked Troy, “Is this something you want to do?” and Troy replied that he was curious to try it.

“So, what do you think, Mom?” Troy asked.

“Troy,” she replied. “You’re a man now. If you want my opinion, I’ll give it to you, but it’s really your decision to make.”

“I want your opinion,” Troy confirmed.

“Let me ask Maria a question, if I may. If Troy does this, do you think it could damage his career prospects in the opera world?”

Everyone looked at Maria, who finally spoke, “There’s no way to be sure, but if it’s done tastefully and aesthetically, it probably won’t do any harm…and it might even help.”

“I had the same concerns when I started modeling,” interjected Mike, “and my agent gave me the same opinion. Of course, opera is not the same as football, but I have no regrets, and I don’t think my folks do either.”

Mrs. Mazure looked to my parents, who nodded their confirmation. Then, all eyes turned to Mrs. Mazure again.

“Troy…son…I trust you, and I trust Mike. Like I said, it’s your decision, and I will support you whatever you decide.”

“Thanks, Mom,” said Troy. “Nic, I think that I’ll try it.”

And when the confab started to break up, Troy said, as if puzzled, “Wait, what about Johnny and Rick? Nic wants them too.”

“They’re not 18,” snapped Mike.

“They will be in just a few months, and they know more of what to expect than I do. I would feel a lot more comfortable about doing this if they were with me.”

All the parents looked at each other for a decision until Dad asked, “Rick, is this something you want to do?”

“I’ve been wanting to do this ever since Armando asked us two years ago,” I said.

“Oh,” snapped Johnny, “you just want to make the rest of us feel inadequate.” The parents took it as a reference to inadequacy in general, but I knew Johnny was referring to the comparative sizes of our penises.

Mr. Andersen asked Johnny if he wanted to participate also, and Johnny replied, “It really doesn’t make any difference to me one way or the other, but Mike is going to need all the help he can get to keep these guys from ruining his photo shoot, so I guess I’m in.”

“One last thing,” said Mike. “As their parents, you have every right to observe the shoot.”

Dad responded immediately, “I see no point in making the guys feel uneasy, and I think Rick is in excellent hands. Besides,” he added, “I would much rather spend my time sightseeing with your beautiful mother than watching a bunch of guys strutting around naked.”

That comment drew a little chuckle from everybody, and Mr. Andersen said he agreed with Dad, so it was settled.

The next day, Nic re-shot some of the scenes in the fitness center locker room and showers as well as in the Olympic Room with the three of us either replacing or supplementing the hired models. Some of the scenes in the fitness center involved us in gymnastics on the pommel horse, rings, parallel bars, or other equipment. Others had Mike wrestling with one of the models.

Everything went smoothly. The only problem was having to keep each other from popping a boner. We had to break a couple of times to deal with that problem, and the two hired models were kind enough to help us with the solutions.

That night at dinner, Mike gave a brief report on how we had done, and Nic expressed his appreciation and his delight that the shoot had been much better than the day before because of our participation.

“Tomorrow,” announced Rob, “the show moves to the island of Mykonos. We have arranged for a boat to cruise the southern islands on the way to Mykonos. Anyone who wants to stay in Athens is, of course, welcome to do so, but I strongly encourage you to experience the amazing beauty of these islands.” Rob went on to explain that deluxe accommodations would be available for anyone who wanted to remain on Mykonos for the duration of the trip but that the boat would make daily runs for those who wished to return to Athens at any time. “If you would like to visit Olympus, Delphi, or any of the other fabulous sites in the country,” said Rob, “a motor coach will take you wherever you want to go, and reservations will be made for you.”

The “boat” that Rob had secured turned out to be a 100-foot yacht. I couldn’t clear my mind of the thought of making love to Troy on that yacht, but it was just a fantasy.

As soon as we laid eyes on the Santa Marina Resort & Villas, everyone decided to stay at least one night. Located on the southern tip of the island, the resort provided unequalled views across the Aegean Sea. Johnny, Troy, and I were lodged in a two-bedroom villa while everyone else was housed in hotel suites.

 The next morning, Mom and Dad announced that as much as they were enjoying the resort, they did not want to miss the opportunity to see more of the country, so they opted to return to Athens, and Rob said he would have a guide meet them at the dock and take them wherever they wanted to go. “And if you would like help working out a travel itinerary,” he said, “please see one of the concierges at the hotel.”

The rest of us opted to stay on the island. Of course, Mike, Johnny, Troy, and I had no choice since we were there to work, but we were more than content to remain in the Aegean paradise.

We began the day with Nic distributing the swimsuits he had selected for us. He took us to another part of the island with a more secluded beach. He explained that we would have to be changing out in the open, and he wanted to protect our privacy. As before, Johnny, Troy, and I rotated with the hired models on most of the shots.

In one scene, Nic had us walking out of the ocean waters toward the beach. Our swimsuits were down to the bottom of our pubic hairs, and we posed as if we were pulling them up, suggesting that they had been pulled down while we were in the water. In another scene, Mike wrestled with one of us. It was a repeat of the scene in the gym except that this one was on a sandy beach.

Andrew Christian had come out with a new swimsuit and underwear line for the Olympics, but because the company was not an official sponsor of the Olympics, we were not allowed to use the name or any of the symbols of the Olympics in the shoot, so we had to find ways to skirt around the problem.

One suit in the new line featured red, white, and blue stripes with gold stars and another carried the blue and white colors of the Greek flag. One suit had red, white, and blue stripes around the waist band and a gold star right in the middle of the pouch.

Andrew Christian was very interested in promoting a line of underwear that had a built-in cock ring, so they designed one with four rings across the waist band. Nic took pictures of each of us stretching our swimsuits out and looking down into the pouch. He also took pictures of us standing next to each other and looking into the other guy’s pouch. In another pose, he had one guy standing next to another, pulling on the waist band, and looking into that guy’s pouch. Finally, he had one guy on each side pulling at the waistband and looking down. When the ad ran, it carried the caption, “See only four rings? Look again.”

Another pose used with both underwear and swimsuits had one model’s hand reaching toward another model’s crotch with the caption to be “Go for the Gold.” In some shots the reaching hand was female, in others it was male. In one variation, the reaching hand was actually partially inside the waist band. The same scenario was also shot with two models reaching, one on either side. In a variation of the two-model set-up, one of the models was reaching from the top or the side while the other was kneeling or lying down on the beach and reaching up to the package. In the final variation, one or two of the models were actually grabbing the swimmer’s crotch. Some were full-body shots while others were close-ups of the swimsuits and hands.

Mike let Troy take either the role of the guy wearing the swimsuit or one of the reachers in all of the various combinations, but he restricted Johnny and me to those shots that did not expose our faces.

We wrapped up that session around 1:00 p.m., just in time for lunch. Because Mom and Dad had taken the yacht back to Athens, Nic had arranged for Jeeps to transport us back to the resort, but only one vehicle arrived, and the driver explained that the other one had broken down and he would have to transport us in shifts. We models all agreed to let Mike and Nic go back to the hotel with the camera equipment and wait for the driver to come back to get us. One of the models, Theo, whispered something in the driver’s ear, and we learned later that he had told the driver to take his time.

To be continued...

Posted: 03/05/2021