Love Around the World 13: Montenegro

A/N - I was in two minds about whether I'd write a 'Romance' or a 'Mature' story as I've written one of the former and two of the latter so far. But given my own experiences while travelling Montenegro, as although this is a fictional story, it is based on an element of truth regarding one or two minor elements.

Previous stories in this series:

Love Around the World - Andorra (Mature)

Love Around the World - Bangkok, Thailand (Interracial)

Love Around the World - Colombia (Transgender)

Love Around the World - Dresden, Germany (Romance)

Love Around the World - Estonia (Group Sex)

Love Around the World - France (Anal)

Love Around the World - Guangzhou, China (Interracial)

Love Around the World - Hungary (Incest)

Love Around the World - India (Interracial)

Love Around the World - Japan (Mature)

Love Around the World - København, Denmark (Transgender)

Love Around the World - London, England (Transgender)

Australian / British standard English. There is a good chance of reading the following: lots of profanity, characters drinking, typos, and bad grammar at times.

Proofreading and editing suggestions provided by OhDave1. Any mistakes are still mine.

Comments are appreciated as always.

Feedback by email is always welcome. Enjoy chatting with anyone who likes my work.

*****

Falling for an older woman while travelling eastern Europe.

*****

I'd spent a decade from the age of fifteen saving every cent possible for a future trip to Europe. As soon as I was legally allowed to work, I was putting in applications everywhere I could. My parents were aware of my ambition and didn't push me into going to university though offered advice about why perhaps it would be better as it could open doors to making a higher wage in the future.

I gave it some thought and took their advice, burning the candle at both ends through my last couple of years at high school and then through three years of university. If I wasn't studying, I was working. The only time off I had was over the Christmas and New Year period. Any other breaks during the year would find me at work more often than not.

Graduating university at the age of twenty, I headed straight out into the workforce and worked my arse off. I remained living at home, paying my parents rent though they insisted I focus on saving as they supported my ambition to go travelling, aware that I would eventually make my way back home and settle down.

My parents never asked how much money I had though. By the time I was twenty, it was already into five figures, and with each year that passed, the amount in my bank account just kept growing and growing. Though I rarely took holidays, I did maintain a social life, spending time with my friends when time allowed though when it came to the opposite sex, I'm going to be blunt. Women cost money and I simply didn't want to spend too much on them.

Dating apps were a godsend as I could find like-minded women who simply wanted to hook up for an evening. Anyone who demanded to be taken out for dinner was deleted. I was very blunt in what I wanted and it is quite amazing how many women want the same thing. I guess it's the new world when it comes to dating, and dating apps certainly offer a smorgasbord of choices. Some people are eager for a relationship. Others are hoping to meet 'the one'. And then there are those who just want to meet someone to fuck. Considering I'm an average-looking bloke, I didn't score all the time, but I liked to think I had a good success rate.

Reaching twenty-five, my parents knew that was the age I would be taking off. I'd spent five years in preparation, buying everything I would need for a minimum twelve-month trip around Europe, and if finances permitted, I would extend it to include either North America, which might prove a little expensive, or I'd head to Asia and some of the more budget-conscious destinations.

"So you're flying into London?" Mum asked after I showed my parents the copy of my flight itinerary, "I thought you would have gone as cheap as possible."

"I'm doing this comfortably, Mum," I replied with a smile, "That's why I've put away so much money."

"If you don't mind me asking..." No surprise my father trailed off as we never really discussed finances, "Well, how comfortable are you?"

"I don't have six figures... Though I'm pretty bloody close, to be honest. I've got the holiday visa for the United Kingdom that does allow me to work though I'm not sure I'll bother."

"Have you got an itinerary of where you want to go?" Mum asked.

"Yeah. I'm going to hit Western Europe first. France, Spain and Portugal. Then I'll probably do a tour of Italy before continuing east. I'm going to spend plenty of time in the old Yugoslavia and then further east, places like Romania and Bulgaria. Since Communism fell, they're opening up to tourism and becoming increasingly popular. After all that, I'll head all the way down to Greece then probably fly up to Poland and start heading west again. I'll probably head to the United Kingdom after that, actually go work for a little while, then do all of Scandinavia in one hit."

"But nothing concrete?" Dad wondered.

"I'll book a week or two in advance for most places, but some places I've already booked because I'll be there in the high season. Will mix up hotels and hostels. I would have used AirBnB but apparently, it's completely shit compared to what it used to be."

The day I was flying out, my parents, both sets of grandparents and my two younger sisters were all at the airport to see me off. I'd already said goodbye to all my friends the week before. Most of them were already settling down with partners and children, focusing on careers and their homes. My sisters both hugged me tightly, my grandmothers left big wet kisses on my cheek, and Dad and my grandfather's shook my hand vigorously before they left me alone with my mother.

I'd always been closest with Mum out of anyone, not surprised she wept when I cuddled her against my chest, easily fitting her head under my chin given I was six-two, and she was only five-five.

"Promise you'll call when you can," she said softly.

"I'll do that, but I'll message you constantly, and you have my socials. You'll see what I'm up to by watching that."

She kissed both of my cheeks before hugging me tightly again. Dad eventually had to walk over and prise her away from me. Grabbing my backpack, I walked towards the security gates, turning back and waving one final time before I passed through and walked through duty-free towards my gate.

The flight was via Hong Kong, landing in London the next morning. I'd organised a hotel to stay in for a few nights as I aimed to take in the sights of the capital before catching the Eurostar to Paris and beginning my European expedition.

For the next few months, I slowly weaved my way southwest through France and into Spain, crossing the north of the country before turning south into Portugal. Somewhat zig-zagging my way back through Spain, my last stop in the country was Barcelona before hopping onto a bus to Andorra, then another bus a couple of days later back into France.

The south of France was lovely, soaking in plenty of sunshine before I enjoyed all the sights that Italy had to offer. Croatia was my next stop, and it was as beautiful as I expected, meandering my way down the Dalmatian coast until I arrived in Dubrovnik, needing to organise my transportation to my next destination of Montenegro.

My first destination in Montenegro was the beautiful town of Kotor, well known for its

Stari Grad

, the old town fully enclosed by city walls built by the Venetians, and the entire bay is considered picturesque and is an increasingly popular destination with Europeans. The bus from Dubrovnik only took around three or so hours, and the border crossing was quicker than I expected. Dumped on the side of the road not far from the city walls, my first task was to find the small hotel I was staying in, smart enough not to stay within the old town as prices there were eye-watering.

Playing tourist the next day was a lot of fun. I joined a walking tour that took us across the old town, showing us plenty of 'secrets' including a climb of the fortifications. After a lunch which included a couple of local beers, I took advantage of the boat tours on offer that took us across to the island of

Sveti Dorde

(Island of St. George) and then

Ospa od Škrpjela

(Our Lady of the Rocks). The two girls I was on the boat with were not shy in taking off their tops and lying back to soak up the sun in their bikinis.

The nightlife wasn't particularly spectacular though there were plenty of places to drink in the old town. I made my way from place to place, usually enjoying a beer or two in each place, chatting away with mostly fellow tourists as I didn't seem to run into too many locals. Given the time of year, the only locals still around were those still in employment.

Spending the next couple of days on tours that took me into the interior of the country, we were taken to the capital of Podgorica for half a day, and it was admittedly not particularly interesting before we were taken into the mountains to visit a couple of monasteries. The next day included a tour of the old capital of Cetinje and a river tour that included another visit to a couple of monasteries.

Returning to Kotor in the early evening, I found myself in a pub chatting to a couple of girls who were travelling around Europe. I'd enjoyed a little company from time to time during my journey so far, and as the night continued, I was left wondering how my night would end. I woke up the next morning to find her getting dressed, giving me a shy smile as she grabbed her things, and leaning over to kiss my cheek.

"I've got to go check up on my friend as we're heading north today," she told me in accented English as she was from Germany. I'd met a few Germans and all of them spoke excellent English.

"Want to swap numbers?"

"Mark, you're a nice guy and last night was really good. But do you really think we'll see each other again?"

"Probably not, to be honest."

"I'll be home in Germany in a couple of weeks..." She paused and finally took something out of her handbag, quickly writing on a notepad before tearing the piece of paper. "Here's my number. I hope you remember my name."

"Hard to forget, Emma. I think you'll be hard to forget in general."

She leaned over and kissed me again. "I really enjoyed last night, Mark. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip too."

"If I meet another sweet girl like you, I think it'll be even better."

After she walked out after saying goodbye, I had a quick shower before heading downstairs for breakfast. I planned for one last day before I was heading down the coast to the resort town of Budva. While Kotor was a tourist hotspot, Budva was known for its beaches and its nightlife. I planned on Kotor being the place I'd base myself to play tourist, Budva was the place where I was going to let my hair down, enjoy some drinks, the nightlife and if I was lucky, meet a girl or two.

Getting a bus from Kotor to Budva the next day wasn't particularly difficult. I'd long booked a hotel as I knew that the place would be horrifically busy during the summer, proven right once I'd walked off the bus in the direction of the old town. Once I'd checked into the hotel, I had a quick wander around the old town, which wasn't particularly large, before I had a walk down the promenade and I knew that was where I'd end up most of the time though the crowds were immense.

There were almost too many establishments along the beach to choose from. Though I wanted somewhere with life, I also didn't want to sit somewhere the music was far too loud so I could barely hear myself think. I was also checking out those who were serving drinks as like any young man I was interested in a bit of eye candy. Most places had your typical young women with low-cut tops and shorts that seemed to be painted on.

One place took my interest though. It wasn't too busy though the music was what I liked, rock music instead of pounding dance or pop where the bass seemed to make everything jump up and down. And the drinks menu suggested the prices were reasonable compared to other places which were, to be blunt, a fucking rip-off.

Taking a seat on one of the comfortable lounges, I was approached by a woman who didn't match what I would expect. Slowly raising my eyes over her body, she was wearing comfortable shoes on her feet. Her legs were tanned and toned, a pair of rather small shorts, slightly wide hips and a tight t-shirt that was moulded to her considerable chest. Raising my eyes to meet hers, she smiled at me as it was obvious to me, at least, that she was older than me by at least a decade. Sandy blonde hair put up in a ponytail, and I was surprised she was wearing glasses over her blue eyes. I figured most women would have worn contacts in a serving role.

"Can I get you a drink?" she asked in English. What made my eyes widen was the accent. It was a reminder of home.

"How did you know I speak English?" I had to retort.

Hearing my accent caused such a smile to appear on her face, and she seemed to forget herself for a moment as she sat next to me on the lounge. "Australian?" she wondered.

"Yeah. From Sydney. I'm figuring you're from there or at least grew up there?"

"It's a long story. I just haven't heard an Australian accent in so long. We don't get many through Montenegro. We're not quite on the backpacker trail for young Australians just yet. What brings you here?"

"A long story. Would you like to join me for a drink?"

"It's not that sort..."

"Not meaning to offend. I was just offering a drink so we could chat."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to assume. It's just, you know, considering how I'm dressed..."

"I've been drinking a lot of beer lately. I'd love a bourbon with mixer, and if you get what you would like, if you're allowed to join me..."

She glanced around and noticed the place wasn't exactly packed with people. "I'll see if I'm allowed to join you for a little while. It would be nice to speak with someone from there at least for a few minutes."

Returning a few minutes later with my drink and something for herself, letting me know it was a gin and tonic, we clinked glasses and took a sip, placing the glasses down as I offered my hand. "I'm Mark," I said.

"Milica," she replied, taking my hand, smiling rather shyly as I gently squeezed her hand, "It's nice to meet you." Letting go of my hand, she asked, "So what brings you to Montenegro?"

"I'm on a European tour. I've been making my way down the Croatian coast and arrived here in Budva earlier this morning. Spent a few nights in Kotor."

"Kotor is lovely though it's almost too popular nowadays. Many locals have been priced out of living there. Budva isn't much better, to be honest, though most visitors here are seasonal. This place is a ghost town during the winter."

"What's with the accent and the perfect English?"

"Oh, well, what happened is that when Yugoslavia collapsed, my family escaped to Australia when I was still a kid. I attended school and learned English there. Guess I picked up the accent as most of my friends were, well, like you. Locals."

"What brought you back here?"

"I came back around five years ago. My parents and the rest of the family have remained in Australia. My husband... Well, ex-husband, he wanted to come back here and open up a little bed and breakfast in Budva. He had no idea what he was doing, of course. I was stupid enough to follow him and do what I could to support him. Little did I know that he wanted to come back because an ex-girlfriend of his was also returning here. I'm sure you can guess what happened."

"And you chose to remain here?"

"To be honest, I do enjoy living here. It's not always easy, but I enjoy meeting all the different nationalities who come through each and every year. And I do enjoy what I do though I sometimes feel like a piece of meat when a group of men walk in, and they think they have permission to touch me inappropriately."

"I've seen that more times than I care to admit, to be honest."

"Walk up and down the promenade and you'll see some girls who love it as they know they'll make lots of tips. Some girls will happily take off their tops for a table full of young men. I know one or two girls who'll do even more. If that's what they want to do, so be it. I'll just serve drinks and make polite conversation with..." She trailed off and glanced away, clearing her throat. "It's just nice to meet someone from back home," she finally said.

"Still consider it home?"

"I have two homes. Montenegro is where I was born and raised. Australia is the place where I felt safe and where I grew into the person I am."

"Did you escape the war?"

"Yes. When Yugoslavia collapsed, it was horrible everywhere. Australia opened their arms to people from all over Yugoslavia and my family was fortunate to make the long journey there."

"That was a few years ago now. Surely you're not old enough..."

That made her look at me and smile, her hand resting on my forearm. "Okay, you're dangerous, Mark. You're very sweet to say that though. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Twenty-five."

"I'm thirty-seven."

"Wouldn't have guessed that, and I certainly wouldn't have thought you were older. I'll be blunt and just say you're a beautiful woman, Milica."

That earned a soft kiss on my cheek. "I'd better finish my drink and go, otherwise I have a feeling you're going to keep flirting with me and I'm going to find it difficult to keep doing my job."

"But I can stay and keep ordering drinks from you?"

Another warm smile as she drained her glass before chuckling to herself. "I'm not going to say no if you throw a few more Euros my way into the evening. Have you got any concrete plans while you're here?"

"Nah. I was just going to check out one or two places that might seem lively into the evening."

"I'm guessing you've done a lot of travelling around the country already?"

"Yeah, Kotor seemed to be the place to base yourself for that."

"I'm working today and tomorrow, but I'm off the day after... Maybe I can show you one or two secrets that even the guides won't show anyone?"

"Are you sure? You don't really know me."

"If you come back tomorrow, I might sit and enjoy another drink with you."

"I'd happily buy you another drink tonight if you're still working."

"I finish at 10pm. They're long days during this time of year. It's why I wear comfortable shoes. Wait until some of the younger girls arrive in an hour or so. They'll happily wear heels for hours on end. Again, comes back to attracting the male gaze. I'd rather just focus on serving thirsty patrons. Speaking of which, would you like another drink?"

"If I were to watch you walk away, would you be offended?"

She glanced away again though I didn't miss the smile. "I'm not used to having young men showing an interest in me," she whispered, resting my hand on hers that rested on her thigh, "Part of me does this job because of my ex-husband and the hit I took to my self-confidence."

"If I say anything to that, I'm going to put my foot in my mouth and probably embarrass myself."

"I'll go and get you another drink, Mark. But thank you. It's been a nice if brief chat for now. I'd like to talk for longer, but I don't think the manager would approve."

I remained sat there long enough to order another couple of drinks, Milica returning with a smile on her face each time. When I finished my last drink, I gestured her over and patted the cushion next to me. She sat down as I turned to face her. "You're working tomorrow?" She nodded to my question, asking next, "When do you start?"