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

reply, simply swaying in towards him. He leans to me, finishing the movement, tilting his head to the

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

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

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

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

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 in

the car to smell of

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

up. “Scruffy.

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

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

replies, with the kind of smile that suggests that ice cream

face transforms. He becomes an

I juggle change in my pocket. “What are you

not sure. What have they

a bitter chocolate and sour cherry that’s to

that’s a bit powerful for me.” He sniffs.

Of course you will….

good man, but I think you’ll always

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

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’

the beach again, eating

do?” he asks. “For a living, I mean? If you don’t mind

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

“Something different?”

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

certainly a change. Which

know, the one that went up

works there. What made

so I’ll be seeing people all the time. And the company has a good reputation for training, and especially

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

I’ll