Lifeguard Off Duty: Chapter 4

Written by: gainerstories

Bradley noticed one of his gym buds, Jeremy, approaching him as he placed weights back on the rack. He and Jeremy were just acquaintances, occasionally chatting in the locker room or juice bar, but they had a camaraderie. 

“Shirt’s riding up there, bud,” Jeremy chuckled. 

Bradley looked down to see that his Under Armour shirt had indeed ridden up to reveal a sliver of his belly. He felt his face flush red with embarrassment. He knew he had put on weight after the first two months of his new job, but was hoping it wasn’t that noticeable.

“Shit, thanks for the heads up,” Bradley replied. “Goddamn office job.”

“No problem, mate. Here’s a tip: I always go vegan when I’m starting to feel a little thick in the middle. Always works.”

Bradley turned even brighter red and awkwardly laughed, “thanks, I’ll try that.”

Humiliated with the realization that not only had he gotten chubby, but that people were noticing, Bradley headed for the treadmill. He had barely done any cardio in the last two months, which he knew was partially to blame for the added pudge. That, and the fact he’d developed quite the sweet tooth. 

He mounted the treadmill and began with a light jog. Horrified, he felt his belly bouncing with each step. Not only was his stamina low, but the extra pad of fat rising and dropping at his waist was somewhat painful. Within minutes he was profusely sweating and struggling to keep his pace. For the first time in his life it dawned on Bradley why fat people didn’t work out: it was uncomfortable!

He turned off the treadmill and collected his things to go home. He’d had enough for the day. Stopping on the way, he grabbed a salad per Jeremy’s suggestion. Time to slim down, Bradley told himself. There was no way he would allow himself to end up like Eric. When he arrived home he was dismayed to see that he had some leftover doughnuts from the bakery left on the kitchen counter. Without a second thought he threw them in the trash, and proceeded to eat his salad. 

As he undressed for the shower, Bradley surveyed the damage he’d done in the last couple months. Most of the weight was concentrated on his midsection in the form of an increasingly prominent spare tire. He squeezed a hearty handful with one hand. He’d never been this fat before and was strangely enraptured by the supple fleshiness of his belly. His thighs had also grown in circumference along with his butt, though they couldn’t compete with the fat deposits on his belly and love handles. There was no questioning the fact he’d put on weight, nor was there any questioning the fact that he had to lose it. Bradley had always been a ripped muscle stud and he wasn’t going to give that up for a dumb job. 

After showering, he laid in bed scrolling through his phone trying to fall asleep. Unexpectedly, a hunger pang struck his stomach. The salad was simply not filling enough. He tried to ignore the hunger for about an hour before his belly was aggressively growling. Intrusive thoughts of delicious Muffin Tops donuts resting in the trash can crept into his mind. Finally, half asleep, he wandered to the kitchen in the nude and dug out the box of pastries. With vigor he devoured all four doughnuts within minutes and went back to bed. 

The next morning, Bradley got dressed for work acutely conscious of the way his lower half filled the legs and seat of his pants. He could still get them buttoned, but it was tight. Especially when he sat down. Similarly, his T-shirt and sweater fit, but didn’t leave much to the imagination. This was a good sign he needed to drop some pounds. He drank only a vegan protein shake for breakfast and headed into work. 

On his way in, he surveyed Malcolm who seemed to look fatter and messier by the day. Bradley took this as a warning sign. For the rest of the morning he resisted the temptation of partaking in Eric’s sweet-smelling treats. He craved the rush of sugar and dopamine that accompanied sweet indulgences, but he refused to submit. 

Before lunch he approached the coffee cart, with Peter looking dapper as ever. The young man’s dark hair was slicked back today, revealing his chiseled face and glittering smile. Bradley couldn’t help but feel enamored as he stepped up to order a black coffee. 

“You wanna try that cinnamon roll today,” Peter coyly suggested while flashing a smile.

“I shouldn’t…” Bradley responded sheepishly. 

“Are you sure? They’re fresh.”

“New diet,” Bradley regrettably admitted and patted his belly. “I shouldn’t.”

“Diet? You look great,” Peter responded. “Here, it’s on the house.”

As Bradley walked away with his coffee and cinnamon roll he noticed something was scrawled on his receipt. He looked closer and it said: “You’re a cutie. Hit me up. XXX-XXX-XXXX, Peter.” Bradley grinned to himself. He hadn’t been with a guy in ages and frankly a man had never given him butterflies like this. His gay interactions were usually purely sexual, but something about Peter excited him. He actually wanted to get to know him better. 

The note from Peter put a pep in Bradley’s step for the rest of the day. His self-confidence that had shriveled from the prior days’ events had now ballooned. Without hesitation he devoured the cinnamon roll, which was just as delicious as Peter had promised. However, the treat didn’t satiate his sweet tooth, but left him wanting more. Absentmindedly, he nibbled on some of Eric’s snacks and at the end of the day stopped by the coffee cart even though Peter was no longer working. Ordering another cinnamon roll, thoughts of Peter rattled around in his mind. 

Once he arrived home, Bradley proceeded to put some chicken and vegetables in the oven to bake. Once he finally sat down to relax he heard the faint sound of a seam tearing somewhere in his pants. Suddenly, all his insecurities rushed back into his mind. He hadn’t even considered going to the gym today; he had been so distracted by thoughts of Peter. Plus he had eatedn all those sweets throughout the day- what was he thinking?

Bradley stood up and removed his tight chinos to examine them. Sure enough, there was a hole right in the ass of his pants.