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.

finishing the movement, tilting his head to the side as his lips

fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek,

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, holding

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

know 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 wants

fish she is holding, letting it fall to the sand. Archie immediately seizes the initiative and starts rolling in

car to smell of that on the way

Meg start to roll too, competing for the stinking thing, then Scruffy joins in the melee, and chaos breaks

up.

persuaded

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

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

his face transforms. He

the bar, I juggle change in my

What

do a bitter chocolate and sour cherry that’s to die

bit powerful for me.” He sniffs. “I’ll have the

Of course you will….

but I think you’ll always

you. You want something you’re never going to

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what I

again, eating cornets, licking

you do?” he asks. “For a living, I mean?

don’t mind at all. I was a pastry chef. I know it’s one of those dream jobs for

“Something different?”

concierge in one of the office blocks

certainly a

went up

comments. “My sister-in-law works there. What made you

their front desk, so I’ll be seeing people all the time. And the company has a good

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

maybe I’ll get