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.

to sea, not speaking. Then

to me, finishing the movement, tilting his head to the side

fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek,

this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me in

me again, then away out to sea. “I wanted to do that the other night, but

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

“Emma! Will you put that down….” Emma drops the semi-rotted fish she is holding, letting it fall to the sand. Archie immediately seizes the initiative

car to smell of that on the

roll too, competing for the stinking

leaps up.

persuaded the dogs to play in the water long enough to get rid of the worst of the smell, we are

the bar further along the beach.

replies, with the kind of smile that suggests that ice cream is just an

his face transforms. He becomes

the bar, I juggle change in my

sure. What have they

a bitter chocolate and sour cherry that’s

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

Of course you will….

but I think you’ll always

to you. You want something you’re never going to get from

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what I

the beach again, eating

asks. “For a living, I mean? If you don’t mind

for a lot of

“Something different?”

different. I’m being taken on as a concierge in one of the office blocks in

a change. Which

You know, the one that went up so quickly after the old headquarters got burned

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

be on their front desk, so I’ll be seeing people all the time. And the company has a good reputation for training, and

sis said something about that too. She’s

Well, maybe I’ll get to meet