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.

sits, staring out to sea, not speaking. Then he turns to me. “Can

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

strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his touch is soft, his mouth pressed to

into me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me in tightly to him, holding me at the waist, drawing me in

out to sea. “I wanted to do that the other night, but

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

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

God knows I don’t want the car to

stinking

leaps up. “Scruffy.

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

along the beach.

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

he smiles, his face

in my pocket. “What are you

not sure. What

bitter chocolate and sour

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

Of course you will….

a good man, but I think you’ll always

fair to you. You want

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what I

the beach again, eating cornets, licking away

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

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

“Something different?”

in one of the office blocks in the new

a change.

know, the one that went

comments. “My sister-in-law works there.

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

about that too. She’s going

Well, maybe I’ll get to