Marked by the Office Himbo

It’s hot and crowded. The windows vibrate while the music thumps.

But none of that matters.

My eyes are focused, staring across the room at something that makes me grimace. A tall, athletic, handsome young man stands with a cup of punch in hand. He chats while women gather around, laughing and staring with dreamy eyes.

This is the annual company holiday party, and it’s my first time attending. I was hired as a data analyst a few months back, but I’ve struggled to fit in. I usually keep to myself, crunching numbers at my desk in silence. I’ve always been that way though. No matter how hard I try, I’ve never been good at socializing. Hell, I’ve never even had a serious relationship.

But the guy across the room…he’s different.

His name is Luke, and we started on the same day. He’s in the sales department, and he sat next to me during new employee orientation. I felt like I was next to an ape. The guy has arms like cannons. They strained against the sleeves of his dress shirt. His huge pecs looked set to pop a button. Even through his undershirt, his hard nipples were visible.

And his face…

Standing here watching from across the room, it’s obvious why the girls are into him. His clean-shaven face highlights his tan skin and defined, muscular jaw. His thick brown hair is cropped short, drawing attention to his bushy eyebrows and bright green eyes. His nose is pointed. His cheeks are naturally a bit rosy.

He’s healthy and athletic…confident and outgoing.

And me…I’m skinny and shy. I stumble over my words when women talk to me.

The pounding music grows distant while I lose myself in the sight. There’s a strange feeling within me. It’s not jealousy…it’s longing. I want to be like him. I want to be strong. I want to be wanted. It seems impossible though. We’re just born different. This is how things will always be…

“Enjoying the party, Randy?” A voice jolts me from my thoughts.

“Oh! Y-yeah!”

I turn to see my boss, Dan. An older man with short gray hair and a trimmed goatee, he’s been working here for decades. He’s a senior executive, and he doesn’t know shit about data analysis. My job is to crunch the numbers and make them easy to digest. I’ll be honest though, sometimes I just feel like a cog in a machine. I’m surprised this guy even remembers my name.

“You know, hiring you was a great decision.” He smacks me on the back. “You’re a wizard with the spreadsheets! And you’re fast too! The guy you replaced was painfully slow. Took forever to get workable information.”

“Oh…thanks, Dan.” I shift my weight. “Maybe we could grab lunch sometime? It’d be great to get more feedback.”

“Cheryl! How’s the family!” He turns and strolls toward a woman near the punch bowl, completely ignoring my question.

I frown and walk away. Luke waves, flagging me down. He stands alone in the corner—looks like he managed to shake off his admirers. He just leans against the wall, popping a can of beer while surveying the party.

Giving a small wave, I approach.

“Hey, man!” He takes a gulp of beer. “Great party, eh?”

“It’s alright.”

“Bro, have a fucking drink. You need to loosen up!” He thrusts his can into my hands.

His fingers brush my own. They’re rough. Probably calluses from lifting at the gym.

I stare down at the can. Sharing drinks is gross. It’s like swapping spit…indirect kissing.

Whatever. I’ll do it to fit in.

“Damn! Look at that one!” Luke eyes one of the secretaries while I take a small sip.

“What do you mean?” I pass the can back.

“Her ass.” His voice drops to a whisper. “You can see the crack through that tight skirt. I’d love to see her bend over.”

My cheeks glow bright red. He shouldn’t say things like that. That’s a great way to get fired.

I want to give him a scolding, but something very different leaves my lips.

“How do you do it?” The words stun me. They don’t sound like my own. “The girls. How do you make them like you?”

“I mean, it’s always been this way.” He takes a gulp of beer before letting out a wet burp. “But there are steps you can take.”

“Like what?”

“Well, hitting the gym for one. Nobody wants a man with noodle arms.” He gives my arm a playful punch. “But there’s more to it than just looks. You’ve gotta have the right mentality.”

“Like…confidence?”

“Not quite. It’s deeper than that.” He stares down at me, a pensive look in his eyes. “I like you, Randy. I’d help you out if you want.”

“Woah, really?”

“Yeah, bro! It can be like a project. We can hit the gym together and build you up! We’ll fix those tiny arms! We’ll work on that bigass brain too!”

“Alright!” I let out a laugh. Was that supposed to be a compliment?

“I usually lift after work—there’s a gym across the street. Meet me in the office lobby tomorrow and we can head over.”

My stomach flutters. Goddamn! This is the closest I’ve come to making a friend since starting this job. It’s with one of the most popular guys in the office too! Maybe some of his magnetism can rub off on me. Even if it’s just a sliver, I’d be grateful.

What’s it like to be strong? What’s it like to score easy pussy?

I’m on the verge of finding out.

I can feel it.

“Go ahead. Take it off.” Luke thrusts a pair of gym shorts into my hands.

We stand in the locker room, beefy naked dudes all around us. Here in our office clothes, we look painfully out of place.

I hesitate while Luke begins unbuttoning. We’re the same age, but the differences between us couldn’t be more obvious. I’m an elf and he’s an ogre. I’m a bean counter and he’s a smooth-talking salesman.

But it’s time to close that gap. I’m embarrassed to show my body, but I’ve gotta power through this. It’s important.

My fingers tremble while I unbutton.

We slip from our dress shirts and pull off our white undershirts. His heavy pecs bulge, casting tiny shadows beneath them. The sight makes me freeze up. Those dark brown nipples are wide and hard. Tiny hairs dust his tan skin, coalescing into a trail beneath his belly button. It travels down his sharp abs and descends into his pants.