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

me, finishing the movement, tilting his

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

he leans 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

out to sea. “I wanted to do

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

Emma drops the semi-rotted fish she is holding, letting it fall to

God knows I don’t want the car to smell of that on the

too, competing for the stinking thing, then Scruffy joins in

leaps up.

By the time we 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 in the water long enough to get rid of the worst of

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

suggests that ice cream is just an excuse for hanging

his face transforms. He becomes an attractive

I juggle change in my pocket.

What have

chocolate and sour cherry

bit powerful for me.” He sniffs.

Of course you will….

man, but I think you’ll always choose the

fair to you. You want

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’

along the beach again, eating cornets, licking

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

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

“Something different?”

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

a change.

went up so quickly after the old headquarters got

works there. What made you

of thing I enjoy doing. I’ll be on their front desk, so I’ll be seeing people all the time.

his eyebrows. “Yeah, the sis said something about that too. She’s

maybe I’ll get to meet