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Working together has never been so much fun…
THE DAREDEVIL TYCOON
by Barbara McMahon
Fasten your seatbelt for the hot air balloon ride of your life in sunny Spain—this intense rollercoaster of emotional excitement will leave your romance senses tingling!
HIRED: SASSY ASSISTANT
by Nina Harrington
When your feet are firmly back on the ground, curl up in an English mansion with this warm, witty and wildly romantic story by sparkling new British talent Nina Harrington.
The Daredevil Tycoon
By
Barbara McMahon
Hired: Sassy Assistant
By
Nina Harrington
The Daredevil Tycoon
By
Dear Reader
What if…? This is the way I start a lot of stories. What if a young woman is rather conservative, has the care of her teenage brother, and needs to earn a living to support them both? What if she’s paired with a daredevil sportsman in a hot air balloon race? Can you imagine how you’d feel if to keep your job you needed to fly for a week in a balloon with some sexy guy who doesn’t even know the meaning of ‘afraid of heights’?
That’s the beginning of Amalia Catalon’s great adventure.
Ever since I was in Reno, Nevada, during its hot air balloon event, I’ve dreamed of a story that captured the excitement and uncertainty of hot air balloons. From the ground, ballooning looks effortless as the balloons quietly sail overhead. Only when researching the various aspects of the sport did I learn how skilled the pilots must be, and how important the ground crews are to the sport.
Come fly away with Amalia and Rafael Sandoval as they explore each other’s lives, hopes and fears, and end up with a most unexpected ending—one where love soars above all.
My heartfelt thanks to Diana Dempsey and John Wright for their help with the technical aspects and flying experiences.
I hope you enjoy Amalia’s and Rafael’s journey, soaring over Spain in a red and black hot air balloon. And I hope that their ending makes you long for your own adventure.
All the best
Barbara
Barbara McMahon was born and raised in the south USA, but settled in California after spending a year flying around the world for an international airline. After settling down to raise a family and work for a computer firm, she began writing when her children started school. Now, feeling fortunate in being able to realise a long-held dream of quitting her ‘day job’ and writing full time, she and her husband have moved to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, where she finds her desire to write is stronger than ever. With the beauty of the mountains visible from her windows, and the pace of life slower than the hectic San Francisco Bay Area where they previously resided, she finds more time than ever to think up stories and characters and share them with others through writing. Barbara loves to hear from readers. You can reach her at PO Box 977, Pioneer, CA 95666-0977, USA. Readers can also contact Barbara at her website: www.barbaramcmahon.com
Barbara’s next destination is the desert kingdom of Quishari. Don’t miss her sparkling new duet Jewels of the Desert:
ACCIDENTALLY THE SHEIKH’S WIFEandMARRYING THE SCARRED SHEIKH April 2010
To John Wright, who shared so much about hot air ballooning it makes me want to take a ride. Thank you!
CHAPTER ONE
AMALIA Catalon set the coffee tray down on the low table between the sofa and the visitor chairs. The two men were in deep discussion, hardly noticing her. She stepped back, wondering if her boss needed anything else. A quick glance out the window showed the storm that had been threatening had arrived. Sheets of rain slid down the windows. It was so overcast it looked like dusk, though it was only late afternoon. She could hardly see the sea. Sighing softly, she regretted the wet walk she would have to take to get the bus and then again after her stop for the three blocks to the flat. She’d be soaked and cold by the time she reached home tonight.
Still, it couldn’t be helped. She had an umbrella, but the way the wind was driving the rain, she knew it would offer little shelter.
“Ha, in your dreams,” Stefano Vicente said, laughing sardonically at something his business rival had said.
Amalia turned to look at Rafael Sandoval. What had he said to cause her boss’s outburst? Not that Stefano Vicente was the most complacent man. She’d worked for his firm more than seven years, and the last three of those for the head man himself. She knew how quickly he flew off the handle if aggravated.
“Care to wager fifty grand on it?” Rafael asked easily. He leaned back casually in the chair, watching his rival with calculating eyes. Amalia moved back a bit, preparing to leave, watching Rafael Sandoval warily. Despite being a trustfund baby, Rafael had developed a thriving import-export business that was a major player in the Mediterranean area and was now moving globally, with offices around the world. He worked hard and played hard. Young to have achieved so much, he had the arrogance that went with amazing success. When he walked into the office, she always felt a bit in awe. He wasted no time with chitchat with a lowly employee. He knew his worth, and his time was valuable. Still, twice over the past several months she’d caught him studying her. When she’d met his gaze, he’d winked and looked away.
She watched him every chance she got—he was mesmerizing, fascinating. But if ever he caught her staring at him, she would be mortified.
“You’re on. And I’ll delight in taking your check,” Stefano replied with an arrogance equal to Rafael’s. Amalia shifted her gaze to her boss. In his late fifties, he was always looking for new challenges to prove to the world he was still in top form. What was it about men that they had to constantly be in competition with each other?
“You’re mistaken, it’s I who will delight in taking yours,” Rafael retorted. Mid thirties, and gorgeous to boot, Rafael Sandoval had risen in the ranks of important men in Barcelona with meteoric speed, which was why she’d seen him numerous times over the last three years. The only men her boss dealt with were the city’s high rollers. She would also bet her last Euro that Rafael had never paid enough attention to her to recognize her on the street. A quick glance, eyes trailing over her trim figure, and then he’d move on.
Stefano picked up a cup of the hot coffee and poured cream in it, stirring gently. When the small ritual was complete, he looked at Rafael.
“You have only been ballooning a couple of years. You’re a fool to think you can outrace me. I’ve been doing it for more than a decade.”
“I’m a quick learner,” Rafael said.
His easy grin captivated Amalia’s attention. What would it be like to have him smile at her that way?
“Or is that your way of trying to get out of the wager we just made?” Rafael taunted.
“I’m not trying to get out of anything,”