"Cummon brother, one more rep! Push it man!"
Tony strained against the bar, muscles screaming in pain. He was flat on the bench, feet firmly planted on the floor, pushing 100 kilos above his chest and close to full extension. But after seven reps, this last one just wasn't going to make it. His training partner, Mike, cupped the middle of the bar with one hand and gave him just a fraction of support. 'Spotting' they call it. Just enough assistance to get that final extension and work the muscles to the max. Tony pushed it out and dropped the bar back into the rack behind his head. It clanked into place.
"Yes!" Tony shouted, shaking out his arms.
"You're on fire today, brother," grunted Mike. "Totally pumped."
Tony grinned and Mike spotted a glint in his eyes.
"I'm guessing you're getting a bit of action elsewhere?" he enquired knowingly. Tony simply grinned.
They grabbed their towels and lounged by the water cooler, sipping protein shakes.
"Got a question for you," said Tony tentatively.
"Fire away."
"Are you still at that club? You know...dancing?"
Mike laughed. It was a bit more than just dancing. He had a regular gig at 'Torrid', the local night club, as a stripper. As a tall, black, ripped young man, he was perfect for the part. A horny housewife's wet dream.
"You should come over. Don't know what you're missing," grunted Mike. "Ladies night is pretty brutal, but a lotta fun. And very lucrative, if you know what I mean."
"I can imagine," said Tony, forming a picture of Mike swaying his hips, jockstrap fully loaded, dozens of tipsy females gazing hungrily at his body.
"And do you ever... you know?" he continued hesitantly.
"Fuck the clientelle?" snorted Mike. "Hell yea! Those bitches are crazy for it. It's a kind of hypnosis. I shake. I swivel. I pump." He helpfully demonstrated his shaking, swivelling and pumping. One of the ladies over on the stationary bikes moaned a little bit louder than she meant to, quickly averting her gaze as Mike looked up. He thought he saw her drool slightly.
Tony continued, trying to put the image of Mike in a jockstrap out of his head. "And how much do they, er, pay for that?"
"No fixed amount. Notes stuffed in your jock. That kinda thing. You need cash? They're always looking for new talent. You've got the body."
"Hell, no. Firstly I can't dance, and secondly, Rachel would slice it off, man," said Tony and they laughed.
The guys at the gym had been pretty supportive of Tony's new business, although they teased him about the name. Naked Cleaning? What the fuck! Tony tried to convince them it was all metaphorical, but they weren't having any of it. The owner, Gus, chipped in when he heard about it.