The girls are in beautiful Rio de Janeiro for Carnival. Today they welcome a new sister hostess, A.J. Best. All three are excited and not only do they have a new hostess to greet but they're looking forward to meeting best selling author Linda Conrad, and laying on a special celebration party for her.
The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is a world famous festival held before Lent every year and considered the biggest carnival in the world with two million people per day on the streets. The first festivals of Rio date back to 1723.
“Listen to this girls.” Mary reads the comment to them off of her computer screen. “I told you it had something to do with Lent.”
Sharon tries to wiggle her bubble butt into the tight costumes Lyn has bought at the last minute.
All feathery, Lyn is in blue, Mary peacock and bronze and Sharon is in cerise and green.
“I have no clue what squeezing myself into this costume could possibly do with Lent. Anyways, that is not important right now, you know what the problem is.”
“What,” Mary looks at her cluelessly.
“Surely you jest.” Sharon grimaces. “Lyn, is the problem, you didn’t order shoes large enough to fit her ‘tiny' feet.”
Mary eyes Sharon in the bathroom. “She does look grand doesn’t she though? If only for her feet. And her denial over her feet."
“If worse comes to worse, she can wear her flip flops.” Sharon points to the offending footwear.
“What’s up sisters? Is Tami here yet? Oh my goodness Mary, could you squeeze those into something smaller.” Lyn gestures to Mary’s large hooters and her tight top. “If it weren’t for feathers, we’d be near naked.”
All three laugh as one.
“Mary you’ll be fine. Don’t worry. AJ is a doll. And she has this fantastic cat, Thor. He’s got some special talent like our own sidekicks. Wonder what it is?” Sharon blows up at an errant feather on her head that keeps tickling her nose. “I dropped off her costume, it’s such a pretty shade of lime green.
A knock at the door and all three rush to open it. On the other side is AJ new sister hostess for the Author Roast and Toast.
Mary, Lyn and Sharon throw their arms around her. All four start to cry.
Oliver shakes his head as he carries a huge tray of sushi, crab, shrimp, cheese, hearts of palm and Sirloin skewers to add to a delectable salad bar.
Deserts include key lime pudding and luscious rich carrot cake with her new book,‘
Secret Agent Sheik’, on top,
in the icing.
He has a mini bar set up to make
caipirinha the local drink of liquor plus crushed ice, sugar and lime juice, the local version of a Mojito. Delicious fare for Linda’s own Rio de Janeiro ball for Carnival 2011. The three sister-welcomers step back and take a look at their new co-hostess.
“Well,” AJ tilts her head and smiles. How do I look?
“Your costume is fabulous.” Lyn smiles encouragingly.
“Yes and the green and yellow color is wonderful on you, you have the body of a 20 year old!” Sharon exclaims.
“You have fuzzy hair. You look like you put a mop on your head.” Mary tells her honestly.
Sharon and Lyn each punch Mary hard in both arms.
“OWWWW,” Mary whines, “I was just trying to be honest. Did you want me to lie to her? Besides, I have this beautiful headpiece she can wear. It will cover the frizz and she’ll look perfect. And here, Lyn’s shoes have arrived."
She hands the large footwear to Lyn, who hides the size on the box with her hand.
Everyone notices but no one says a word as she tugs them on.
"Tact,” Sharon tells her. “Just a little more tact next time.”
“Okay,” Mary hugs AJ. “We all have issues sweetie, these are mine. Make it through the day without losing one or both, it’ll be a miracle.” Mary raises her hooters and tries to cover them better. “It’s the costume.”
“Sure it is dear.” AJ grins at her and all four hostesses join Oliver at the parade site. AJ can hold her own!
They all arrive at the parade site.
The carnival parade is filled with people and floats from various samba schools. A samba school can either be an actual school or just a collaboration of local neighbors that want to attend carnival.
The purpose of carnival is for samba schools to compete with fellow rival schools; this competition is the climax of the whole carnival festival. Each school chooses a theme to try and portray in their entry. The samba schools work to build the best floats and costumes to represent their themes, and to include the best music they can from their band called the bateria.
The group reaches Linda Conrad’s float, covered with titles of her many published books. Linda sits on top, looking exquisite in a beautiful golden costume, ready to wave to all the partiers.
“Everything is ready for the ball Linda. Good luck.’ Sharon yells to her. “We’ll be here if you need us!”
Linda blows kisses to them and the parade begins!
“We love you Linda!” The hostesses bellow and they all begin to walk and dance in their beautiful costumes.“Stop singing La Cucaracha Mary, wrong song!” AJ laughs and they all dance alongside Linda’s fantastic float!
SECRET AGENT SHEIK
BLURB:
"Working together doesn't mean we have to like each other..."
Jass O'Reilly doesn't trust ex-agent Tarik Kadir. A bedouin from an ancient tribe, the dark and brooding Tarik isn't who the lovely CIA agent wants by her side as she tracks down rogue nuclear weapons. Besides, the mysterious sheik is just too handsome for an agent--the passion burning in his eyes just a little too hot.
Tarik knows Jass doesn't want him by her side as they delve deeper into the sultry Rio nightlife. Well, tough. But before the Carnivale is over, he will have to question everything he thought he knew about his mission, his job, and his family. His own heart, he just might find, is the traitor.
EXCERPT
What is Tarik saying?
Jass struggled to come out of her haze and listen, but the blood boiled in her ears. With her pulse screaming through her veins as though she were pulling down five Gs, her body throbbed with passion. And all because of the masculine body currently lying suggestively between her legs.
Geez. She bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to snap herself out of it. They were supposedly working a sting. She was Celile. But he was not the real Zohdi.
Work. Work. Work. This was an important assignment and not the most intimate experience she’d ever had. Worse even than the idea of taking a risk with her career, there’d been a camera trained on them this whole time.
She’d lost her mind. But, oh man, what a terrific way to go insane. The sexual chemistry between the two of them left her soaring. Tarik’s mere touch jolted her with an intense excitement, sparking a conflagration that had sent her down in flames. His naked and aroused body surprised her, but it shouldn’t have. He was so much more than she imagined. The most potent male she’d ever seen.
Like spontaneous combustion, she’d found herself wet and set to explode.
But they were only acting at their mission. Right?
Remember the mission.
“Hold on.” Tarik left her long enough to drag the covers up and over their heads, covering them completely from view.
How could he remain unaffected? Well, not totally unaffected, she’d noticed. He was hot and pulsing…and huge. He’d been ready just like she was.
But his mind had stayed in the game. A trait she’d better learn how to mimic.
“Laugh,” he demanded in a raspy whisper. “Or giggle. Anything that makes it seem as though we’re doing what it looks like in this bed.”
His words actually made some sense through her clearing fog. At last. She wiggled out from underneath his body and rolled over to face him—while both of them remained hidden under the covers.
Watching him closely, she opened her mouth and let out one of the loudest moans imaginable. “Ah. Ah. Ah.” She forced the volume higher. “Oh, Zohdi. Oh. Oh.”
Finally, she wound herself up and screamed incoherently. A thing she had never done during the throes of passion in her entire lifetime.
Tarik actually smiled as he murmured low, “Nice work, agent. I’d like a repeat performance someday. But not for the cameras.”
That did it. He had to move away. Now.
“Get out of bed and turn off the lights, Zohdi.” She gritted her teeth. “And then bring me a robe.”
Why hadn’t the man thought to turn out the lights in the first place?
In a hushed tone, Tarik answered. “Okay, but I’m betting turning off the lights won’t help. The camera is probably NVC, night vision capable. Most surveillance equipment is set up that way. I’ll gladly get the robes.” He scowled and rolled out from under the blankets, leaving her covered and furious.
Seconds later he pulled down the covers and immediately threw one of the terry bath robes over her. “Get up, Celile,” he announced in a loud voice. “You need a shower and I have work to do on the laptop.”
“What did you say?” It was easy to fake a little indignation. She felt every bit of Celile’s part.
Tarik turned his back. “Get up.”
“Well, isn’t that romantic? You bastard.” She shoved her arms into the robe and stood. “I’m going. But if you think for one minute that you’re in for a repeat performance tonight, you are out of your mind. You and your damned laptop can sleep out on the terrace.”
Grasping the robe around her like a shield, Jass marched into the bathroom and slammed the door. Once alone and out of camera range, she leaned both hands heavily on the countertop. Hanging her head and breathing in and out through her mouth, she tried to calm her shaky nerves.
Realization began to sink in. He had actually picked a fight in order to save them from having to sleep together tonight. The whole scene back there suddenly became clear. Everything he’d done in the bedroom—stripping himself and not her, carrying her to the bed and covering them from view—all of it was done for her benefit.
To save her from embarrassment.
From the book: SECRET AGENT SHEIK
by Linda Conrad
Harlequin Romantic Suspense
Releases in April 2011 and will be available everywhere, including Kindle
ISBN 978-0373-27722-3
Copyright 2011
Linda Conrad bio-
Bestselling author, Linda Conrad, has written thirty contemporary novels for Harlequin-Silhouette Books. To date, her books have been translated into more than sixteen languages and sold in over twenty-two countries.
Linda's sensual characters and passionate stories have brought her numerous awards and superlative reviews. Over the years her workshops and articles have helped other writers learn new skills and techniques.
Linda’s books have appeared on the both the Walden Books Series Bestseller lists and on the BookScan Top One Hundred. Her books have been honored as the winner of the Reader’s Choice Award, Write Touch Readers Award, Holt Medallion Award of Merit, Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, and the Maggie Award for Short Contemporary Romance.
Linda, her husband and dog, KiKi, live by the sea where Linda enjoys boating, shopping and telling the stories in her heart.