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.

sits, staring out to sea, not speaking. Then he turns to me.

him. He leans to me, finishing

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

eyes, then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me in tightly to him,

wanted to do that the other night, but I thought maybe I’d be

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 holding, letting

don’t want the car to smell of

roll too, competing for the stinking thing, then Scruffy joins in the

leaps up. “Scruffy.

into the waves as Ben’s long-armed throw can manage, and persuaded the

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

kind of smile that suggests that

face transforms. He

bar, I juggle change in

sure. What have

bitter chocolate and sour cherry that’s to

me.” He sniffs. “I’ll have the

Of course you will….

a good man, but I think you’ll always choose

fair to you. You want something you’re never

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what

wander along the beach again, eating cornets,

it you do?” he asks. “For a living,

at all. I was a pastry chef. I know it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but

“Something different?”

a concierge in one

a change. Which

You know, the one that went up so quickly after the old headquarters got

works there. What made you pick that

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

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

maybe I’ll