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 kiss

towards him. He leans to me, finishing the movement,

His hand cupping my cheek, his touch is soft, his mouth pressed to mine in

then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me

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

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

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

the car to smell of that on the way home. “Archie.

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 long enough to get rid of the

vaguely towards the bar further along the

smile that suggests that ice cream is just an excuse

smiles, his face transforms.

I juggle change in

not sure. What have

chocolate and

bit powerful for me.” He sniffs.

Of course you will….

a good man, but I

being fair to you. You want something you’re never going to

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’

along the beach again, eating cornets, licking away the

he asks. “For a

it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people,

“Something different?”

as a concierge in one of the office

a change. Which

Building. You know, the one that went up so

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

thing I enjoy doing. I’ll be on their front desk, so I’ll be seeing people all the time. And the company has a good reputation for training, and

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

I’ll get to meet