Choosing Her Lover

*****

‘An Illusion of Happiness’

A Tale of BDSM Erotic Romance

And the Meeting of Strangers

Part Two

An Illusion of Happiness

As I stroll across the sands, a familiar figure jogs towards me, a small dog trotting alongside; a terrier that looks as though it has been assembled from a junkyard of other dogs.

As the runner approaches, he angles my way. Drawing close, he pulls to a stop, huffing.

“Hi, Kirstie,” he says, “I was hoping I’d run into you. How are you?”

His face is severe. Ben is not an unhandsome man, but his natural expression is unsmiling, which detracts from his looks, making him appear austere, perhaps even puritanical.

And is that just an appearance….? Or is that really the man?

“Hi, Ben. I’m good. You?”

“Yeah, I’m great. Mind if we join you for a bit?”

“We?”

He nods down toward his dog. “Scruffy wants to make friends….”

True enough, Scruffy is making moves on my Meg, who rumbling low, curls up a lip, unimpressed by this rag-tag terrier.

“…. and he’s not the only one.”

“I’d love you and Scruffy to join us. I was about to have some coffee actually.” I hold up my flask. “Want a cup?”

“Great idea.”

Sitting on the dune, close to each other, we sip coffee. The wind blowing into our faces sends my hair streaming over my shoulders. It feels very comfortable, very natural.

out to sea, not speaking. Then he turns

finishing the movement, tilting his head to the side as

sunshine and fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping

eyes, then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth

to sea. “I wanted to do that

since anyone kissed me in that way. He doesn’t just want a quick

fish she is

up. God knows I don’t want the car to smell of that on the way home.

to roll too, competing for the stinking

leaps up. “Scruffy.

fish, tossing it as far out into the waves as Ben’s long-armed throw can manage, and persuaded

further along the beach. “My treat.

replies, with the kind of smile that suggests that ice cream

face transforms. He

juggle change in my pocket. “What

not sure. What have

chocolate and sour cherry that’s to

powerful for me.” He sniffs. “I’ll have the

Of course you will….

but I think you’ll

I’m not being fair to you. You want something you’re never going to get

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’

beach again, eating

you do?” he asks. “For a living, I mean?

all. I was a pastry chef. I know it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I hated it.

“Something different?”

concierge in one of the office blocks in

a

know, the one that went up so quickly

comments. “My sister-in-law works there. What made you pick

I’ll be seeing people

sis said something about

I’ll get