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.

speaking. Then he turns to me. “Can

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

of sunshine and fresh air, strawberries, and vanilla. His hand cupping my

leans into 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

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

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

you put that down….” Emma drops the semi-rotted fish she is holding, letting it fall to the

want the car to smell

Meg start to roll too, competing for the stinking

leaps up. “Scruffy.

throw can 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 owe

good,” he replies, with the kind of smile that suggests that

face transforms.

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

What have they

bitter chocolate and sour cherry

a bit powerful for me.”

Of course you will….

I think you’ll

you. You want something you’re never going

But…. You’re nice….

‘nice’ what I

beach again, eating cornets, licking

he asks. “For a living, I

was a pastry chef. I know it’s one of those dream jobs for a lot of people, but I hated it.

“Something different?”

as a concierge in one of the office blocks in the new part

a change. Which

that went up so quickly

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

desk, so I’ll be seeing people

said something about that too. She’s going through their training program

I’ll get to meet