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 me. “Can I

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

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

his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me in

then away out to sea. “I wanted to do that the other night, but I thought

anyone kissed me in that way.

break away. “Emma! Will you put that down….” Emma drops the semi-rotted fish she is

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

for the stinking thing, then Scruffy joins in the melee,

leaps up.

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

towards the bar further along

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

smiles, his face transforms. He becomes an

juggle change in my pocket.

sure. What

bitter chocolate and

for me.” He sniffs. “I’ll have

Of course you will….

man, but I think you’ll always choose the

to you. You want something you’re never

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what I

wander along the beach again, eating cornets, licking

“For a living, I mean? If you don’t mind me

it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I

“Something different?”

one of the office blocks in the new part of

certainly a change. Which

went

sister-in-law works there.

thing I enjoy doing. I’ll be on their front desk, so I’ll be seeing people all the time. And the company has

“Yeah, the sis said something about that too. She’s

I’ll get