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.

sea, not speaking. Then he turns to

reply, simply swaying in towards him. He leans to me, finishing the movement, tilting his head to the side as his

tastes of sunshine and fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his touch is soft, his mouth pressed to mine in a gentle, almost

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

wanted to do that the other night, but I thought maybe I’d be moving too fast,”

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

semi-rotted fish she is holding, letting it fall to the sand. Archie immediately seizes the initiative

car to smell of that on the way home.

stinking thing, then

leaps up.

tossing it as far out into the waves as Ben’s long-armed throw can manage, and persuaded the dogs

the bar further along the beach. “My

that ice cream is just an excuse for hanging

as he smiles, his face

juggle change in my pocket.

sure. What

and sour

me.” He sniffs. “I’ll have the

Of course you will….

but I think you’ll

you. You want something you’re never going

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what

beach again, eating

“For a

know it’s one of those dream jobs for a

“Something different?”

in one of

certainly a change.

Building. You know, the one that went up so quickly after the

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

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 reputation for training, and especially

the sis said something about that too. She’s going through their training program as

Well, maybe I’ll get to meet