Authors: Ella Celestine
A Tropical Rendezvous: A BWWM Interracial Bad Boy Billionaire Multicultural Romance (African American Romance)
A Tropical Rendezvous
©
Copyright 2016 by Gallery Stories Publishing- All rights reserved.
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
Introduction
A Note From the Author
Thank you so much for downloading my book! I know you have so many options when it comes to choosing a book; I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you as a reader. I love putting down in words the stories and worlds I have swirling around in my head. You supporting my books allows me to keep doing what I love best, writing romance!
As a thank you, I’ve included a selection of my other books I think you’ll really enjoy. I’ve also partnered with some other Gallery Stories authors and am including some of their works (listed below) that you might enjoy!
I really hope you enjoy them!
P.S. By the way… if you’re interested in reading this series from the beginning, Books 1 & 2 are out and available now. You can find
A Rival Match
&
A Fresh Start
and my other new releases on
Amazon.com
!
Table of Contents
Cover Story:
By Dina Marie:
A Work Arrangement: A BWWM Opposites Attract Romance
Full of Love: A BWWM Interracial Second Chance Romance
Teaching Him to Love: A BWWM Billionaire Romance
Older, Wiser, Billionaire: A BWWM Billionaire Romance
A Bad Contract- A BWAM Interracial Bodyguard Romance
By Delilah Jackson:
Touched By Mr. Magic: A BWWM Paranormal Dating Agency Romance
Given to Alpha: A BWWM Shifter Arranged Marriage Romance
Baiting A Bear: A BWWM BBW Paranormal Romance
By Mary Etta:
Strength of a Seal: A BWWM Military Romance
A Sweet Kind of Ride: A BWWM Biker Romance
Doctor May I?: A BWWM Medical Romance
Just Saying Yes: A BWWM BBW Billionairess Romance
By Tamar Bryce:
When Two Worlds Clash: A BWWM Mafia Romance
Duty or Desire: A BWWM Arranged Marriage Billionaire Romance
It’s Us Against Them: A BWWM Italian Mafia Romance
He was a wealthy playboy exiled to Bora Bora.
Maddox Davidson made a mistake and was still paying for it. His romantic cynicism had caused a rift in his family, forcing him to flee to the end of the world. What he found in exile was a beautiful blonde with an independent streak a mile long.
She turned his world upside and stole his heart before he even realized what had happened.
She was a penniless vacationer looking for independence.
Briana Hargrove thought she’d finally met a nice guy. Until she refused to break the law and was left stranded on Bora Bora. She was alright, really. Determined to become independent and make better choices. Like not falling for the charms of an arrogant playboy too handsome for his own good.
But Maddox snuck in under her radar and laid claim to her heart before she knew she needed to protect it.
Can a poor girl with a bad track record find forever with a guy who doesn’t believe in it?
Exiled. Maddox had been exiled by his family.
Specifically, he’d been banished by his twin, Stone, shortly after the birth of his adorable niece, Sasha. Although, Stone was too nice to say he was banished or exiled — even though that’s exactly what it was. No, he’d called it space.
“We need to live our lives for a while”
, he’d said. To give him credit, Maddox could see that it had hurt his brother to say those words. Still, he was banished and he’d chosen to ride out his banishment in the South Pacific.
The first few months were a blast. At least he thought they were. His memory was hazy after spending months drinking from sun up until sundown and burying himself in a different woman every night. Whether it had been fun or not wasn’t the point. He’d been able to feel absolutely nothing for three whole months, which was what mattered.
Then, one night, it just stopped working. He’d been stuffed inside a small stateroom at a party on some billionaire’s yacht with two stacked blondes, one on his cock and the other on his mouth. Things were headed in the right direction. Until they weren’t.
He was just over it. In the middle of living what most men consider a sexual fantasy and he was . . . over it. Since then he’d given up the random sex and focused on drinking and working.
That’s what his life boiled down to these days. Being out of his mind and making millions. Apparently, it was the only thing he was really good. That and pissing off his family. He’d made one mistake and his brothers kicked him to the curb like garbage. Rotting stinking garbage. And Angie had been okay. She’d forgiven him, but not his own flesh and blood. And yeah he’d been completely wrong about Angie too, but
she
forgave him.
It was all just so unfair. However, rather than apologize for the thousandth time, he’d simply stayed away. He hadn’t been anywhere near Blossom Cove since the day his niece was born six months ago.
Aside from a few trips to Europe and the Caribbean, he’d stayed right there, in Bora Bora, where he would remain until
he
was ready to come home. Damn the rest of them.
He smiled as the Jeep bounced over the bumpy road. It was another beautiful and sunny day and he had no destination in mind, so Maddox took on a local pace. When he spotted the little hut that had the best
firi firi
on the island, he stopped.
The proprietor, a short woman called Sam smiled. “Where you put the donuts I’ll never know.” She shook her head as she always did and went to work on the batter.
“Being this fabulous burns lots of calories, Sam. You should know.” He winked and prepared a cup of coffee while he waited. When the first one was done, he poured another. He’d had entire too much to drink the previous night with a group of Australian rugby players on holiday tons of their groupies. He’d kept the booze company while the guys doubled and tripled up on girls.
“Here you go handsome.” She winked and flashed him a smile.
Maddox paid and, took his breakfast to the small strip of the beach across the street.
~
Stranded. Briana Hargrove was well and truly stranded. Not that she was complaining
too
loudly. There were worse places to be stuck than the beautiful island of Bora Bora. But being stuck — even in paradise — sucked. Big time.
That’ll teach me about trusting the wrong person.
It had been at least five days, maybe more, since she’d lost the place she was sleeping. Since she had no money or food, her early mornings were spent between resort areas, where the fishermen hung out. There she could catch a few fish that would help her make it through the day. She was surviving, that was the good news.
The awful,
can’t even think about it without feeling sick
news, was that she had no way to get off the island. For that, she would need to get a job and make the money she needed, but even that would take months. If she was lucky.
But that was tomorrow’s problem, today she would just enjoy the island. The beauty and the colors, the aromas of everything from the flowers to the food, and most of all, she would go for a swim in the ocean and enjoy the cool, salty water against her skin. That was, after all, her favorite thing to do, both before and after her luck had changed.
Wearing her only bikini — one that was suitable for lounging and looking good, not swimming — she left her items in a pile near a cooler she’d picked up yesterday from Sam and waded into the warm blue water.
The muscles of her face relaxed and curled up into a grin. It was the first time she cracked one of those in days. Today was off to a good start, with Sam giving her some old baked goods from yesterday and a large plastic bottle filled with water. She’d given a grateful smile, but it was nothing like the one she wore as she floated away. This one was a full body smile that she felt down to her toes.
I should have known,
she thought as her body swayed back and forth
.
Although Briana tried not to live in the past because it didn’t do much good, not in her opinion anyway, the past had still happened. As much as she tried to push it away, it still pissed her off and hurt her feelings. But she had learned her lesson. She wouldn’t fall for guys with too much money, too much beauty or too much power. In fact, she was determined to avoid falling for anyone at all.
That was her new goal in life. Self-sufficiency. Independence. From now on, would rely only on herself. Turning over, her long slim arms, that were firm with muscle, cut through the water as she began to swim parallel to the coastline. She swam until her breath was short and labored, then turned to float again.
She loved the feeling of the waves carrying her body away from land. Away from the island, everyone and everything.
I could be an island.
It was nice thinking that she could be completely on her own
and
succeed. But that would mean reversing years of training and experience at failing and making the absolute wrong choice whenever the opportunity offered itself up.
No more
, she promised.
Today she would talk to the locals and see if there were any jobs available. She much rather work at a shop or restaurant than spend her days cleaning up after whiny over-privileged tourists for whom the absolute best wasn’t good enough. She wasn’t afraid of hard work and, contrary to what every person in her life — be that family, boyfriend or friend — she could do way more than just sit and look pretty. She was done being just a beautiful face.
“Hang on! I’ve got you, just hold on.” The voice startled her, but before Briana could turn towards the source a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her.
“Put me down you animal!” She kicked and screamed as the kidnapper towed her towards the shore. “Let me go you freak! I’ve as much right to be here as anyone.” She continued to kick and punch the stranger until they reached land and her feet sank into the sand. “What the
hell
is your problem?”
She took several steps back and stared at him. His blonde hair was nearly white from sun exposure and his blue eyes looked a million times bluer against his tan skin and the deep blue waters behind him.
“Try you’re welcome,” spat the angry, golden god.
Briana barked out a laugh, hands fisted on her hips in outrage. “For what, nearly drowning me? Yeah well, thanks. Next time just let me swim on my own.” Although she hadn’t seen this one before, he was surely one of Malcolm’s men, trying to lure her back. As he talked, she continued to step away.
“I almost drowned you? I came out there because you swam out too far and were trying to float back, alone!” His blue eyes bulged out comically
,
but his posture was intimidating.
She stepped back again.
“No. I was floating because I like to float, jackass! I’m sure your pea-sized brain can’t comprehend this, but women can swim without some
big strong man
to help us.” She was so furious she took a step forward before realizing her error and taking two steps back. “Next time, wait for someone to ask for your help before you play the hero, pal!”
She stomped off, not waiting for him to say anything more.
He
was exactly the type of guy she’d vowed to stay away from. He was handsome and arrogant which meant he was probably also rich. Not to mention probably there to force her hand.
My stuff.
She was a good twenty steps away when the thought hit her. “Crap!”
She marched back to grab her things without sparing him a look and marched off again with just as much energy as before.
Briana was about five steps away when he yelled after her, “Hey, I didn’t get your name!”
Although she refused to turn around or even acknowledge him in any way, she most certainly would
not
let go of the smile making her mouth tremble.
Nope, absolutely not.