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.

to sea, not speaking. Then he turns to

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

air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his

me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me in tightly to

then away out to sea. “I wanted to do that

long time since anyone kissed me in that way. He doesn’t just want a quick fuck. This man

fish she is holding, letting it fall to the sand. Archie immediately

the car to smell of that on the way home. “Archie. Stop

roll too, competing for the stinking thing, then Scruffy

up. “Scruffy.

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 the worst of the smell, we are both

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

suggests that ice cream is just an excuse

he smiles, his face transforms. He becomes

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

not sure. What have they

and sour

me.” He sniffs. “I’ll have the

Of course you will….

but I think

not being fair to you. You want something you’re never going

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’

again, eating

what is it you do?” he asks. “For a living, I mean?

don’t mind at all. I was a pastry chef. I know it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I hated it. I’m starting a new job

“Something different?”

taken on as a concierge in one of the office

certainly a

Haswell Building. You know, the one that went

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

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

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

I’ll get to