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.

Then he turns to me.

me, finishing the movement, tilting his head to the side

and fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his touch is soft, his mouth pressed to

but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me in

to sea. “I wanted to do that the other

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

down….” Emma drops the semi-rotted fish she is holding, letting

don’t want the car to smell of that on the way

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

up.

persuaded the dogs to play in the water

ice cream?” I suggest, waving vaguely towards the bar further along

good,” he replies, with the kind of smile that suggests that

smiles, his face

I juggle change in my pocket. “What

What

do a bitter chocolate and sour

me.” He sniffs. “I’ll

Of course you will….

I think you’ll

being fair to you. You want something you’re never going to

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what I

the beach again, eating cornets,

a living, I mean? If you don’t mind

pastry chef. I know 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

“Something different?”

I’m being taken on as a concierge in one of the office blocks in the new

certainly a change.

know, the one that went up so

comments. “My sister-in-law works there.

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

sis said something about

Well, maybe I’ll get to meet