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.

to sea, not speaking. Then he turns

finishing the movement, tilting

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

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

then away out to sea. “I wanted to

to say to him. It’s a long time since anyone kissed me in

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

to smell of

roll too, competing for the stinking thing, then

leaps up. “Scruffy.

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

an ice cream?” I suggest, waving vaguely towards the bar further along the beach. “My treat. I owe you a coffee at the

suggests that ice cream is just an excuse for

face transforms.

change in

What have

and sour cherry that’s to die

for me.” He sniffs.

Of course you will….

but I

to you. You want something you’re

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what I

the beach again, eating

what is it you do?” he asks. “For a

of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I

“Something different?”

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

a change.

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

“My sister-in-law works there.

the sort of 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

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

maybe I’ll