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

don’t reply, simply swaying in towards him. He leans to me, finishing the movement, tilting

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

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

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

know what to say to him. It’s a long time since anyone kissed

the semi-rotted fish she is holding,

I don’t want the car to smell of

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

up.

long-armed throw can manage, and persuaded the dogs to play in the water long enough to get rid of the worst of the smell, we

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

that suggests that ice cream

smiles, his face transforms. He

the bar, I juggle change in my pocket. “What are

sure. What

chocolate and sour

a bit powerful for me.”

Of course you will….

but I think

not being fair to you. You want something

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what

beach again, eating cornets, licking away the dripping

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

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

“Something different?”

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

a change.

went up so quickly after the old headquarters got

he comments. “My sister-in-law works there. What made

their front desk, so I’ll be seeing people all the time. And the company has a good

eyebrows. “Yeah, the sis said something about that too.

I’ll get