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 me. “Can I

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

and affectionate. He tastes of sunshine and fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand

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 him,

he looks at me again, then away out to sea. “I wanted to do that the other night, but

kissed me in that way. He doesn’t just want a quick fuck. This

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

leap up. God knows I don’t want the car to smell of that on the way home. “Archie.

roll too, competing for the stinking

leaps up.

throw can manage, and persuaded the dogs to play in the water long enough to get

along the beach. “My

kind of smile that suggests that ice cream is just an excuse for

his face

the bar, I juggle change in my pocket. “What

sure. What

a bitter chocolate and

me.”

Of course you will….

man, but I think you’ll always choose the

I’m not being fair to you. You want something you’re never going to get

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’

beach again, eating

he asks. “For a living, I

it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I hated it. I’m starting a new job in a couple of

“Something different?”

in one of the office

a change.

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

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

about that too. She’s going through their training program

Well, maybe I’ll