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.

Then he turns to me. “Can I

him. He leans to me, finishing the movement, tilting his head

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

my eyes, then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he

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

what to say to him. It’s a long time since anyone kissed me in that way. He doesn’t

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

Meg start to roll too, competing for the stinking thing, then Scruffy joins

up.

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

the bar further along the beach. “My

replies, with the kind of smile that suggests that ice cream is just an excuse for hanging around a

face

in my

sure. What have they

do a bitter chocolate and sour cherry that’s to

that’s a bit powerful for me.”

Of course you will….

man, but I

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

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what I

eating cornets, licking away the dripping

is it you do?” he asks. “For a living, I mean? If you don’t

of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I hated it. I’m starting a new job in a couple of

“Something different?”

being taken on as a concierge in one of the office blocks in

certainly a

one that went up so quickly after the old headquarters

comments. “My sister-in-law works

desk, so I’ll be seeing people all the time. And the company

sis said something about that too. She’s going through their training program as

I’ll get