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

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

hand cupping my cheek, his touch is soft, his mouth pressed to mine in a gentle, almost

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

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

anyone kissed me in that way. He doesn’t just want a quick

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

car to smell of that on the way home. “Archie. Stop

the stinking thing,

up.

By the time we have retrieved the fish, tossing it as far out into the waves as Ben’s long-armed throw can manage, and persuaded the dogs to play in the water long enough to get rid of the

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

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

smiles, his face transforms. He becomes

in my pocket.

not sure. What

do a bitter chocolate and sour cherry that’s

me.”

Of course you will….

man, but I think you’ll

You want something you’re never going to get

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what

beach again, eating cornets, licking

asks. “For a

don’t mind at all. I was a pastry chef. I know it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I hated it. I’m

“Something different?”

one of the office blocks in the new

certainly a change.

the one that went up

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

be on their front desk, so I’ll be seeing people all

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

I’ll get to