Romancing the Tropics

By L.M. Mountford

Romance is in the air in this two book Holiday Romance boxset that is all about sun, sea and s*x...

Tequila Sunset
To get over her ex, she is getting under her BFF’s Daddy

‘I’m sorry Cassy, but you’re just too boring for me,’

That was the story of Cassandra’s life.

She was always that girl. The curvy plain jane. She was fine with it, right up until her hot bad-boy ex threw it in her face before walking out of her life. Leaving her depressed and reeling, doubting everything about herself and her future...

So her best friend has spirited her away to her family’s Gibraltar Vila for a little fun in the sun, some much-needed girl time, and a whole lot of boys.

There’s just one problem.

David, her best friend’s recently divorced dad also happens to be staying at the villa. And he’s no boy...

He’s all man. A dark and tempting man who is as forbidden and dangerous as a bar of rich dark chocolate. She knows she shouldn’t go there, but when they’re left all alone for the day, with nothing to do but hang out by the pool, what’s a poor girl to do but take a plunge.

Beneath The Sheets
“The course of true love never did run smooth.” ― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Alex's life was circling the drain and he was officially one step away from hitting rock bottom after finding his long term girlfriend in bed with his biggest clients.
Then one morning an email arrives from the last person on earth he ever expected to hear from again.
Sarah Snow. His childhood friend, and the uncontested love of his life whom he hasn't seen since prom night.
And before he could say travel agent, he was boarding the first plane bound for Sydney, Australia with nothing but his passport and an overnight bag.
He's no idea what he'll do or say when he finally reunites with the girl that broke his heart but one thing’s for sure...
He’s not going home without her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: L.M. Mountford
• Release date: Aug 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781913945480

L.M. Mountford

L.M.Mountford was born and raised in England, first in the town of Bridgewater, Somerset, before later moving to the city of Gloucester. A fully qualified and experienced Skier and Scuba Diver, he has traveled across Europe and Africa diving wrecks and seeing the wonders of our planet. His favourite book is Game of Thrones by George Martin.Having always loved to write, he published his first piece of work when he was just 14, a DragonBall Z fan fiction on the website Fanfiction.Net, and has continued to publish works ever since. Now with more than thirty pieces published across the internet and a fan base spanning the globe, he is moving into the realm of Self-Publishing.To read his freely distributed collection, or for sneak peeks of his works in progress, follow on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RealDarkinfernoOr visit his blog:http://authordarkinferno.blogspot.co.uk

Book preview

Text Description automatically generated

Oh bugger it! David Street cursed, using his laptop’s touchpad to highlight the paragraph he’d just written, and then deleting it with a tap of the key, collapsing back into his desk chair. He couldn’t believe it. After working on it all morning, he was actually two paragraphs behind where he’d started. 

He glowered at the screen, the cursor mocking his ineptitude with its constant blinking on the blank Word document.

A lot was made of the blank page. It was often said to taunt writers, to intimidate them with the immense space to fill. He never saw it that way however. To him, the page wasn’t a weight tugging him down, it was a challenge to overcome, fresh clay to be moulded however he saw fit.

No, the page wasn’t the problem.

It was the pressure. The drive to outdo himself. To make this chapter better than the last. For the book to be new and exciting in a world where the well of creativity had run dry. 

And time was running out. 

His agent had been on the phone only that morning to tell him the publishers were getting impatient. That he had missed his deadline and they wanted to see something by the end of the week or they would be insisting on the return of his advance.

Bloody ingrates, he scoffed, leaning so far back in his chair until he was in real danger of falling on his arse. "You make them millions one day and they’re kissing your ass. But one little bit of block the next, and it’s ‘hasta la vista, baby’." He emphasised the Schwarzenegger impression by shooting a finger pistol at the ceiling before a scream, then a splash, had him on his feet and looking out the office’s window.

Below, his daughter, Stacey, lay out on one of two inflatable beds drifting along the surface of the villa’s large pool, sunning herself while her friend Cassandra swam lengths.  

The girls spent most of the week like that. Enjoying the hot summer days and the awe-inspiring views over the Bay of Gibraltar. 

David had taken a moment to enjoy them too, though his view had been one quite different. His gaze followed the figure in the water, his eyes locking onto the sheer ivory white bikini as she power-stroked through the crystal blue water, from one edge to the other. Without stopping, she dived under, rolled and kicked away from the wall to repeat the lap.

She did this five times before swerving and swimming towards the edge closest to the villa, where they'd left their towels.

It was a scene straight out of David's own dirty little movie. Time almost seemed to hold its breath as Cassandra pulled herself up easily out of the water, throwing back her bountiful mane of raven hair. Rivulets sparkled in the sun and cascaded down her long neck, full breasts and flat belly. Then she was up on her feet and towelling her hair, her head turning up towards the house. Finding him.

Their eyes met and David knew instinctively that she knew he had been watching her.

He'd been caught, but the idea only sent a hot shiver tingling up his spine as he dragged his eyes away. Feeling a little hot, he decided he needed to take a break.

And maybe have a little fun in the sun himself...

Ah... this is the life! Stacey sighed, stretched out across her inflatable.

Cassandra didn’t answer, just led back on her float and kicked gently away from the edge, sending her float drifting lazily back across the surface of the pool. Overhead, the sky was as blue as she had ever seen it. Stretched out below at the base of the western slope of the rock that dominated the eastern side, the slender crescent shaped town of Gibraltar seemed quiet and sleepy. Beyond that, the still azure waters of the bay stretched out as far as the eye could see towards the black lines of the distant Spanish coast.

It was paradise. Their very own little slice of heaven. Cut away from the rest of the world as Gibraltar itself was separated from the rest of mainland Europe. 

So then why couldn’t she bring herself to enjoy it? 

‘I’m sorry Cass, but you’re just too boring for me,’ Nathan’s voice answered, ringing through her memory, thick with all the self-assured arrogance she had once found so exciting. 

Now it only made her skin crawl. 

It shouldn’t have mattered. They’d only gone out a couple of times. Hell, they hadn’t even slept together yet. Not that he hadn’t been trying, of course. 

It shouldn’t have mattered to her what he thought. But it did. 

It mattered. She hated that it did but it did matter to her.

It mattered because she’d always been that girl. The plain Jane that played everything safe, with her routine and comfort zones. Unadventurous. Unspontaneous. Boring.

Hey Cassy, are you listening? Stacey asked, loud enough to snap Cassandra out of her daze.

Huh? What? Oh, sorry Stace...

Pushing her sunglasses up into her sleek and tidy blonde bob, Stacey rolled over to fix Cassandra with a look. Concern shadowed her pale blue eyes. Are you okay?

What? Cassandra forced a smile that she knew wouldn’t reach her eyes. Course I am... why... why wouldn’t I be?

How about because you’ve done nothing but mope since we got here. She was right of course. Geez girl, I told you the guy was bad news.

N-no... it’s just... err... Stace... do you think I’m boring? Cassandra blurted out.

What? No! Did he tell you that? Stacey demanded, bolting up so fast the inflatable wobbled dangerously. 

Pretty much... he just wanted to make it clear, it was definitely me, not him.

"How thoughtful, Stacey sneered, then her expression softened as she reached over to touch her friend’s shoulder. Cass... you like what makes you feel comfortable, that’s all. There is nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t make you boring, just you. And if that fucker can't accept it then that's on him. You are a great catch. So what if you’re not that adventurous. With a bod like yours, any guy would be drooling to go out with you. You just need to show it off now and then." 

What with my fat ass and belly? Stacey rolled her eyes. I still can’t believe you made me buy this thing, I wear more in the shower.

What? It looks great on you. You’ve got all the right curves for a bikini, and your tits look great in it. All you need now is a sexy little skirt to show off your legs and maybe a... Cassandra’s stomach dropped as her friend’s eyes lit up with an all too familiar look. Oh no, she