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.

speaking. Then he turns

leans to me, finishing the movement, tilting

strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping

back 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, holding me at the

away out to sea. “I wanted to do that the other night, but I thought maybe I’d be moving too

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

to smell of

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

up.

as 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

waving vaguely towards the bar further along

the kind of smile that suggests that ice

face transforms. He becomes an attractive

the bar, I juggle change in my pocket.

sure. What

chocolate and

that’s a bit powerful for me.” He sniffs. “I’ll

Of course you will….

man, but I think you’ll always

want

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’

along the beach again, eating cornets, licking away

it you do?” he asks. “For a living, I mean? If you don’t

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

“Something different?”

a concierge in one of the

a change.

know, the one that went up so quickly after

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

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

“Yeah, the sis said something about that too.

maybe I’ll get