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.

sea, not speaking. Then he turns to me. “Can

swaying in towards him. He leans to me, finishing

vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his

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

wanted to

to him. It’s a long time since anyone kissed me in that way. He doesn’t

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 immediately seizes the initiative and starts rolling

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

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

leaps up.

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

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

suggests that ice

face

change in my pocket. “What are

not sure. What have they

a bitter chocolate and

for me.” He sniffs. “I’ll

Of course you will….

I think

You want something

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what

wander along the beach again, eating cornets, licking away the

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

for a lot of people, but I hated it. I’m starting a new job in a couple

“Something different?”

taken on as a concierge in one of

a change. Which

one that went

sister-in-law works

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

about that too. She’s going

I’ll