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.

not speaking. Then he turns

me, finishing the movement, tilting his head to the side as his

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

a moment, holding my eyes, then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and

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

him. It’s a long time since anyone kissed me in that way. He

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

leap up. God knows I don’t want the car to smell of that on

too, competing for the stinking thing, then Scruffy joins in the melee,

leaps up. “Scruffy.

time 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

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

he replies, with the kind of smile that suggests that ice cream is just an excuse for hanging

face transforms. He becomes an

bar, I juggle change in my

What have they

bitter chocolate and sour cherry that’s

for me.” He

Of course you will….

a good man, but I think

you. You want something

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what I

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

“Something different?”

on as a concierge in one of the

certainly a

the one that went up so quickly after the old

sister-in-law works there. What made you pick

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

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

Well, maybe I’ll get to