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.

out to sea, not speaking. Then he turns to

towards him. He leans to me, finishing the movement, tilting his head to

and 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 to mine in

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

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

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

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

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

the stinking thing, then Scruffy joins in the melee, and chaos breaks

up. “Scruffy.

Ben’s long-armed throw can manage, and persuaded the dogs to play in the water long enough to get rid of the worst of the

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

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

face transforms. He becomes an

the bar, I juggle change in my pocket.

What

and

me.” He sniffs. “I’ll have

Of course you will….

but I think you’ll always

fair to you. You want something you’re

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what

beach again, eating cornets, licking away

is it you do?” he asks. “For a living,

those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I hated it. I’m starting a

“Something different?”

concierge in one of the office

certainly a

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

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

front desk, so I’ll be seeing

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

maybe I’ll get to meet