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

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

warm and affectionate. He tastes of sunshine and fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his touch is

eyes, then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me in tightly to him, holding

to do that the other night,

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

away. “Emma! Will you put that down….” Emma drops the semi-rotted fish she

want the car to smell

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

leaps up. “Scruffy.

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

cream?” I suggest, waving vaguely towards the bar further along the beach. “My treat.

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

he smiles, his face

change in my pocket. “What are you

What have they

chocolate and sour

me.” He sniffs. “I’ll have the

Of course you will….

I think you’ll always choose the

being fair to you. You want something

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what I

the beach again, eating cornets, licking

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

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

“Something different?”

one of the office blocks in the new part of

a change. Which

Building. You know, the one that went up

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

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

said something about that too. She’s going through

maybe I’ll get to