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

towards him. He leans to me, finishing the movement,

and warm and affectionate. He tastes of sunshine and fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my cheek, his touch is soft, his mouth pressed

then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth opens over mine, and he pulls me in

at me again, then away out to sea. “I wanted to do

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

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

leap up. God knows I don’t want the car to smell of that on the way home. “Archie. Stop

Meg start to roll too, competing for the stinking

up. “Scruffy.

manage, and persuaded the dogs to play in the water long enough to get rid of the worst

further along the beach. “My treat. I

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

as he smiles, his face transforms. He

bar, I juggle change in my

sure. What have

chocolate and sour cherry that’s to die

powerful for me.” He

Of course you will….

a good man, but I think you’ll always choose

to you. You want something

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’

again, eating cornets, licking away

“For a living, I mean? If you don’t

it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I

“Something different?”

one of

certainly a

know, the one that went up so quickly after the old

place,” he comments. “My sister-in-law works there. What made you

the sort of thing I enjoy 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 training,

said something about that too. She’s going through

maybe I’ll