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.

sits, staring out to sea, not speaking. Then he

him. He leans to me, finishing

strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his touch is soft, his mouth pressed to mine in a

leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and

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

since anyone kissed me in that way. He doesn’t

Emma drops the semi-rotted fish she is holding, letting it fall to the sand. Archie immediately

car to smell of that

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

up.

as Ben’s long-armed throw can manage, and persuaded the

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

kind of smile that suggests that ice cream is just an excuse

face transforms. He

I juggle change in

sure. What have

chocolate and sour cherry

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

Of course you will….

but I think you’ll always

not being fair to you. You want something you’re never

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what

beach again, eating cornets, licking away the dripping

you do?” he asks. “For a living, I

a pastry chef. I know it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but

“Something different?”

taken on as a concierge in one of the

a change.

Building. You know, the one that went up so quickly after the old headquarters got

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

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

the sis said something about that too. She’s going

maybe I’ll get to meet