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.

speaking. Then he turns

don’t reply, simply swaying in towards him. He leans to me, finishing the movement, tilting

sunshine and fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his touch is

pulls back for a moment, holding my eyes, then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me in tightly to

me again, then away out to sea. “I wanted to do that the other night, but I thought maybe I’d be moving too

know what to say to him. It’s a long time since anyone kissed me in that way. He

that down….” Emma drops the semi-rotted fish she is holding, letting it fall to the

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

Meg start to roll too, competing for the stinking

up. “Scruffy.

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

suggest, waving vaguely towards the bar further along the beach. “My treat. I owe you

that ice

as he smiles, his face

in my pocket. “What are

sure. What

and sour cherry

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

Of course you will….

a good man, but I think you’ll always choose the

want something

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what

eating cornets, licking away

what is it you do?” he asks. “For a

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

“Something different?”

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

a change.

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

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

seeing people all the time. And the company has

the sis said something about that too. She’s going

Well, maybe I’ll get