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

him. He leans to me, finishing

affectionate. He tastes of sunshine and fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his touch is soft, his

pulls 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 waist, drawing me in

he looks at me again, then away out to sea. “I wanted to do that the other night, but I thought maybe

kissed me in that way. He doesn’t just

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

to smell of that on the

and Meg start to roll too, competing for the stinking thing, then Scruffy joins

leaps up.

fish, tossing it as far out into the waves as Ben’s long-armed throw can manage, and persuaded the dogs to

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

suggests that ice cream is just an excuse for hanging around

as he smiles, his face transforms.

change in my pocket. “What

What have they

bitter chocolate and sour

powerful for me.”

Of course you will….

but I think you’ll always choose the

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

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what

along the beach again, eating

you do?” he asks. “For a living, I mean? If you

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

“Something different?”

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

certainly a

one that went up so

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

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

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

maybe I’ll get