Choosing Her Lover

Part One

A Dream of White Horses

I sit on the dune, staring out to sea where, under a stiff breeze the surf rolls in, tossing its white horses onto the beach.

The surf fascinates me, frothing and boiling as it dances over the sand, holding me in its spell in the way a flame will hypnotise, enrapturing the eye. A million white foaming bubbles race and toss and die, only to be reborn on the next wave.

The dogs frolic in the waves; at least Emma, Meg and Archie do. Mac is far too dignified to get wet, and he settles for exploring the strand line, poking through seaweed, dead crabs and driftwood. Sometimes, he finds a plastic bottle or other floater that he identifies as entertainment, bringing over his offering and inviting me to do something interesting with this enticing object, like play tag or fetch, or make it go….

If I’m really lucky, he’ll find a dead seagull and roll. As it is, the car is going to be full of salt and sand, but everyone, me included, will have had a good day’s exercise.

The sky is blue and bright, white clouds scudding high above, speeding across an azure dome, silvered at the edges by brilliant sunshine.

It is a perfect day.

I’m dragged from my thoughts by excited yapping. Meg has something in her mouth and is making threats to another dog; a stranger,

What has she found?

It’s a dog toy, one of the rope tuggers, and it’s not hers. Its owner, some sort of terrier, ears askew and fur sticking out at odd angles, is not cowed by her threats, the two squaring-up for combat.

From off-stage a man comes jogging in, calling. I close in on the pair as well. Meg can be a snappy little madam when she wants to be.

“Meg….” I call. “Come on, Meg. Give it to me.”

Reaching carefully, I take the toy from her. She grumbles but doesn’t snap. Once of a day, I couldn’t have done this with Meg, but she’s improved a lot in the couple of years since I brought her home from the shelter.

Offering the tugger back to the stranger. “Sorry about that. Meg thinks she owns all the toys in the world.”

He laughs. “Thanks. Don’t worry about it. They can be like that, can’t they?”

I don’t recognise the man. Letting my gaze wander over him, I try not to be too obvious about it. He’s nice looking; not spectacular, but…. nice…. Taller than me, he is dark-haired, with steel grey eyes set into a serious, almost stern face. He is casually dressed in trainers and sweats…. of course he is, out jogging on the beach.

He glances around. “Are all this lot yours? Four of them?

“Yes, all mine. Everyone has a vice. Mine’s that I’m a serial dog rescuer.”

“You’re not kidding.… four?”

so many, but when they turn up, well… what do you

have any trouble

joke,

not wrong there,”

I’m Ben, by the way.” He holds out his hand to shake,

“Kirstie.”

Kirstie. You come

me a good walk

though he wants to say something else, then, “Anyway, I’d better go finish my run. Scruffy there wants to be

call after him, as he trots away. “What kind of name

for a few steps. “Well, look at him. What would you call him?” Then he turns again, continuing

*****

I open up my laptop, checking e-mails and

Mmmm….

in. It’s the usual stuff. I never make the first approach, always letting ‘them’ to come to me, and the responses to my profile, as ever, run the full range from the

read your profile and you look very nice. I am looking for a

you haven’t read my

a meal, conversation, throw each other around between the sheets for an

in the morning. I like to wake

remain in charge

scan more

Image of genitals…. Delete.

of full frontal with blurred out face…. Ugh!

with can opener……” I chuckle but delete anyway. That sounds a bit too

Birthday that u r a Scorpio. The sexyest of the signs. I am a Scorpio too….” Oh, God. You

well hung….” Picture of genitals…. OMG! Look

look cool. You’ve tried the Rest now

pretty good looking. Do you like being eaten out? It’s a deal breaker for me if you

like a poor crop for today’s harvest,

and it looks pretty good. I get it that you like to keep things casual, but you still enjoy good company. If you can’t have a conversation with someone you’re ‘sleeping’’ with, what’s the point? That’s what I’m looking for too. Why don’t you

course, it’s not my real name, but nobody on-line gets to know who I really am until I’ve met them, and often not

well. This one’s actually literate. He can string a sentence together and doesn’t sound cheap or