“Ruffles – especially tiers of ruffles – do not work on short, curvy ladies,” Sharon informed Andrew, ignoring Kate’s ridiculous statement. If there was something Kate didn’t look good in, they hadn’t found it yet. The closest it ever came was that she didn’t look as good in some things as she did in others. Lucky bitch. “I would look like a cupcake.”

“Huh.” Apparently, Andrew didn’t have an answer for that – which was just as well.

“I wasn’t really going to put you in that,” Kate said, giggling and tugging the magazine away from Sharon’s fingers. “I just wanted to see your expression.”

“Bitch.”

“Ho.”

“Ladies,” Andrew said firmly, cutting into what could have easily descended into an insult war. He’d been around them often enough to know exactly how fast they could get going. Sometimes it amused him, sometimes it exasperated him. Today it looked like it was going to be the latter.

Sharon stuck her tongue out at Kate.

“I saw that,” Andrew said sternly, wagging his finger at her.

“And if I actually thought you’d do something about it, I would be worried,” she bratted back at him.

“You need a play session,” Kate said, laughing as Andrew narrowed his dark eyes threateningly. ‘When are you at Stronghold next?”

“I don’t know... Probably this weekend,” Sharon said, although she had to admit to herself that a play session didn’t sound nearly as interesting now that she had a seriously hot fuck buddy.

“Ooo, who are you thinking about?” Kate asked, leaning forward. The woman could be like a bloodhound on a scent.

“Brian,” Sharon lied immediately, naming the Dom she’d dated for several months last year. She knew better than to claim ‘no one.’ Lying was an art, and one she was damn good at. She’d gotten lots of practice when she was younger. “I still need to ask if he’ll be my date to my cousin’s wedding.”

The wedding was coming up in a couple of weeks, as her parents had reminded her at Christmas. Melinda didn’t care if Sharon didn’t give her a name ahead of time, or if Sharon even showed up alone despite RSVPing as bringing a date, but Sharon’s parents would. Her choices had been to either find a date or deal with her parents on her own all weekend.