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

me, finishing the movement, tilting his head to the

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

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

away out to sea. “I wanted to do that the other night,

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

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

car to smell of that

Meg start to roll too, competing for the stinking

up. “Scruffy.

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

I suggest, waving vaguely towards the bar further along the beach. “My treat. I owe you a

replies, with the kind of smile that suggests that ice cream is just an excuse for hanging around a while

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

I juggle change in my pocket. “What are you

What have they

a bitter chocolate and sour cherry that’s

me.” He sniffs. “I’ll

Of course you will….

but I think you’ll always choose

not being fair to you. You want

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what

wander along the beach again, eating cornets, licking away the dripping

it you do?” he asks. “For a living,

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

“Something different?”

concierge in one of the office blocks in the

a

the one that went up so quickly after

he comments. “My sister-in-law works there. What

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

something about that too. She’s going

maybe I’ll get to meet