Indulgent Pleasures

Stephanie stilled, bracing herself for the insult that was sure to come. After all, it was her older sister by eighteen months who wielded the positive comment and Erin rarely said anything nice.

“You look good. Really pretty,” Erin finished, her gaze piercing as she stared at Stephanie. “Do you have a new boyfriend or something?”

“No.” Stephanie’s cheeks heated and she waved her hand in her sister’s direction. “Of course not. I’m too busy at work. I don’t have time for a relationship.”

“So how’s that going, your job at the magazine?” Her other older sister, Andrea asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. “I haven’t seen your byline on any articles lately.”

Ah, crap. Yes, of course, they hadn’t seen her byline, she’d been writing articles under another name.

They were naughty articles about her sexual escapades all over the city with a gorgeous, sexy and very thorough man. Ooh yes, a famous one too.

God, her sisters wouldn’t believe her even if she did tell them. Best to let it drop.

“I’ve been working on a big project.” Not entirely a lie. “Another home and garden feature for fall decorating and entertaining.”

Okay, there was the lie. Well, the staff was working on a project just like that for the magazine, they did so annually but she wasn’t involved in it this year whatsoever.

“Oh, you should interview me, Stephanie! I bet I could provide all kinds of tips. My friends always say I throw the best dinner parties. And there’s so much to do with fall themes,” Andrea said with a smile.

Not that Stephanie knew anything about her sister’s famous dinner parties. Andrea didn’t even invite her most of the time, telling her more than once in that condescending way of hers that she would be uncomfortable at them.

“They’re full of married couples who make way more money than you and are raising families. I have no idea what you’d have in common with them so really, you’re not missing out on anything,” Andrea had said to her long ago when Stephanie had tried to invite herself.

God, her sister was such a bitch.

“So whatever happened to your dream of working for Vogue?” Erin asked with a little sneer.

Make that both of her sisters were complete bitches.

“Hard to work for Vogue when I’m in San Francisco,” Stephanie finally said, trying not to grimace.

“Oh Erin stop, Stephanie’s doing great, working at her little magazine and writing all of those wonderful little articles.” Andrea smiled, smoothing an invisible strand of golden blond hair away from her face. How she made a compliment sound like an insult, Stephanie wasn’t exactly sure.

“Seriously, Erin wasn’t lying, you look absolutely wonderful. Are you using a new face cream? Trying out new makeup? Maybe a new lipstick color? Your lips don’t look as big as usual.”

Stephanie grimaced. Her sisters had always made fun of her big lips. They’d always made fun of her for everything. They were completely different creatures than her, the both of them getting their looks from their equally beautiful mother.

Blond, tall and reed thin. Pale blue eyes and even features, they were the epitome of perfection in Stephanie’s eyes.

And then there she was, taking after her father’s Irish heritage with her freckled face, puffy lips and dark hair. She was a solid four inches shorter than their five-foot-nine height and no way would anyone consider her reed thin. Her boobs were too big and her hips were far too wide.

She’d been tortured by her sisters her entire life. It hadn’t stopped once they’d grown up, either. At least they didn’t beat her up anymore.

“Same makeup, same beauty regimen,” Stephanie finally answered, grabbing her glass of diet Coke and sipping from it. “Same lipstick color, too.”

“Hmm.” Erin tapped her perfect little chin, her eyes narrowed in contemplation. “Well, something is different. I know you said you don’t have a boyfriend but I think you have the glow of first love.”

“At least the glow of giddiness that comes with love,” Andrea said with a giggle.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. More like the glow of lust. She really hoped they’d let up and leave her alone. Why she’d agreed to meet them for Sunday brunch at a c

afé not too far from her apartment, she didn’t know. She hadn’t seen them in a couple of months and so she’d agreed to it out of obligation.

At least Andrea didn’t bring her snobby husband or their two bratty children. And thank God, Erin didn’t bring her pompous boyfriend either, the one who always tried to rest his hand on Stephanie’s ass when he hugged her.

Ugh.

“Well, we really wanted to get together, Stephanie, because we want to throw Mom and Dad a surprise anniversary party and we’d love it if you wanted to help out,” Andrea said, her voice full of enthusiasm.