None

Today’s WordPress writing prompt is the word none. Don’t you just hate people with no manners? Rude, dismissive, up their own backside kinda people. When it comes to manners they have none. *Pouts* yeah me too, I’m not a fan.

Let’s take a look at how it makes Yasmin feel, the main female character in book #2  Lover’s Retreat of my Romance Set in Paradise series. Remember that luke warm first encounter  she has with my hero Michael …. which by the end of the story turns red hot. Here ‘s their first encounter, it gets worse. Poor Yasmin! She’s only just arrived in Sri Lanka. Micheal as no manners, none what so ever. But I promise you by the end he will be your hero. I hope I’ve added another potential book boyfriend to my characters…

 

John’s muffled but cheerful voice vibrates around the minibus over the radio.

“Okay everyone this is it! We’re on our way to Hirkiketiya Bay beach where our retreat is located. We have a nice meal and some drinks lined up to break the ice. In the morning you’ll be greeted with the beautiful beach we’re based on for the next five days, just south of the main town. It’s clean, quiet and has some friendly waves for all you surfers. In the meantime sit back and enjoy the ride.”

A round of claps echo around the minibus as Yasmin’s fellow retreat goers express their excitement about Hirkiketiya Bay. Lowering her gaze to her lap she internally gives herself a high five. She’s done it, she broke loose to take the first steps toward moving forward with her life. Now all she has to do is try to integrate with her new found community of soul seekers, at the retreat over the next five days. She takes a deep breath as she turns her attention to the man sitting next to her. She takes in his scruffy looking appearance once more, as she decides if he’s approachable. He is in desperate need of a haircut. His jet black curly hair has out grown its tapered cut. He sports a tiny afro. His beard boarders his square jawline which could also do with a shave. His features are sharp. Behind his scruffiness his smooth full lips and almond shape eyes peek out. From his dress sense Yasmin guesses he’s around her age. He wears dark denim jeans and a black T-shirt with the iconic Nike swoosh icon on the front. Around his left wrist is a beaded brown ethic style bracelet.

“Hi, my name’s Yasmin.”

Yasmin offers her hand to the stranger. He looks up from his paperback and slowly looks her up and down. His expression appears to be one of surprise that she introduced herself.

“Hi.” Is all he says. He doesn’t accept Yasmin’s handshake and lowers his eyes back to his paperback. Yasmin’s breath catches in her throat as she sighs, he shrugged her off in a rather unfriendly way. She tries again to make friends.

“What’s your name?”

He turns back to her and licks his lips, this time he fixes Yasmin with a more friendly stare.

“Michael.”

“Nice to meet you Michael.”

He nods again and reverts his eyes to his paperback. He does a double side glance as he notices Yasmin still watching him and  then shakes his head.

“What are you reading? Anything interesting?”

“Stephen King… If you must know.”

“Oh wow, I love his books which––”

Michael cuts her off before she can finish her sentence.

“Jasmin, I don’t mean to be––”

Yasmin cuts in and meets his gaze.

“It’s Yasmin.”

There’s a moment’s silence between them as they lock eyes with annoyed expressions on their faces. Yasmin is surprised at his harsh tone of voice and how dismissive he is. Michael is impatient with Yasmin’s attempts to make small talk that he’d rather not have.

“Sorry, Yasmin. I don’t mean to be rude but I’d rather be left alone, if that’s okay with you.”

Michael’s response comes out more as a statement rather matter of fact, than a question or polite request. Yasmin pouts, nods her head and then lowers her lashes. She clears her throat.

“No problem.”

Is all she can say with slight embarrassment. She pulls out her phone and then places her earphones in each of her ears. She selects a complication of classical music by Beethoven and Mozart. As the minibus whizzes along the bumpy roads of Dickwella, Yasmin tries her best not to take offence from Michael’s rudeness. She stares out the window at the fast- moving scenery with a scowl on her face. The navy blue sky is alight with bright stars, the tall palm trees stand still in the humid night air. As John guides the minibus through the rural areas of Dickwella in the still of the night, Yasmin hopes her fellow retreat goers are more friendly than Michael. His unapproachable persona sends her into a state of panic. Has she made the right choice booking this retreat? Will she be welcomed? Plays on her mind.

Oh dear, how do these two actually figure out their differences?? More excerpts to follow!

Book Blurb

Lover’s Retreat Book #2

Lover’s Retreat is book two of the Romance Set in Paradise Series of modern, steamy, suspenseful and romantic stories, set in exotic locations around the world.

For thirty seven year old recluse Yasmin O’Neil, life feels like one crisis after another. Her husband left her five years ago, she starts to suspect she’s losing her hearing and then her mother is diagnosed with cancer. When her mother passes away her fortune changes, Yasmin is fifty thousand pounds richer from her mother’s estate. She takes her fate into her own hands after years of being a recluse, she rediscovers herself at a spiritual self development retreat in Sri Lanka south Asia, before she plans to spend the next six months travelling around the world.  In Sri Lanka, Yasmin’s path crosses with Michael Thomas, an army soldier on his own path of self discovery. After a luke warm initial encounter, these two strangers don’t hit it off straight away. After some push and pull the two are finally on the same page. Their encounter turns from luke warm to sizzling hot.

In Lover’s Retreat two very different characters originally on different paths, embrace the need for change and companionship. Set within the back drop of paradise, palm trees and the untouched nature of Sri Lanka, these two lonely souls gain more than just self discovery, they gain a soul mate

Release Date: 9th June 2017 on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and ibooks.