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.

staring out to sea, not speaking. Then

finishing the movement, tilting his head to the side as his lips

warm and affectionate. He tastes of sunshine and fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his touch is soft, his mouth pressed to mine in a gentle, almost

pulls back for a moment, holding my eyes, then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth

at me again, then away out to sea. “I wanted to

anyone kissed me in that way. He doesn’t

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

want the car to smell

and Meg start to roll too, competing for the stinking

leaps up. “Scruffy.

can manage, and persuaded the dogs to play in the water long enough to get rid of the worst

further along the beach. “My treat. I owe you a

with the kind of smile that suggests that

he smiles, his face transforms. He becomes

in

sure. What

and sour cherry that’s

powerful for me.” He sniffs. “I’ll

Of course you will….

a good man, but I think

you. You want something you’re never

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’

again, eating cornets, licking away the

what is it you do?” he asks. “For a living, I mean? If

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

“Something different?”

concierge in one of the office

certainly a change.

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

he 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 especially for

the sis said something about that

I’ll get to