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

finishing

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

pulls back for a moment, holding my eyes, then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me in tightly to

to

kissed me in that way. He

my excuse to break away. “Emma! Will you put that down….” Emma drops the semi-rotted fish she is holding, letting it fall

car to smell

start to roll too, competing for the stinking thing,

up. “Scruffy.

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

bar further along the beach. “My treat. I owe

kind of smile that suggests that

as he smiles, his face transforms. He becomes an attractive

juggle change in my pocket. “What are you

What

bitter chocolate and sour cherry

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

Of course you will….

but I think you’ll always

being fair to you. You want something you’re

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what

beach again, eating cornets, licking

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

was a pastry chef. I know it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I

“Something different?”

one of the office blocks in the new part of

a change.

one that went up so quickly after the old headquarters got

place,” he comments. “My sister-in-law works

seeing people all the

eyebrows. “Yeah, the sis said something about that

I’ll get to meet