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

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

strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my

moment, holding my eyes, then he leans into me once more, but this time, his mouth

out to sea. “I wanted to do that the other night, but I thought maybe I’d be

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

that down….” Emma drops the semi-rotted fish she

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

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

up.

into the waves as Ben’s long-armed throw can manage, and persuaded the dogs to play in the water long enough to

the bar further along the beach. “My treat. I owe you a coffee

kind of smile that suggests that ice cream is just an excuse for hanging around a

face transforms.

juggle change in my pocket. “What

sure. What have

bitter chocolate and

that’s a bit powerful for me.” He

Of course you will….

but I think

not being fair to you. You want something you’re

But…. You’re nice….

Is ‘nice’ what

again, eating cornets,

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

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 in a couple of

“Something different?”

one of the office blocks in the new part of

certainly a

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

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

so I’ll be seeing people all

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

maybe I’ll get to meet