Chapter One
The first time Stephanie saw Jason Beaumont was the first day she started work at Beaumont's Department Store. As a fresh faced kid right out of college she'd had trouble finding work with her choice of career. There weren't many jobs in the small town of Blumly, Texas for an artist. She had tried as a last resort to finding a job as an art teacher but the problem with that was that she hadn't studied to be a teacher and didn't have the certification required by state law to teach. So she'd applied to work at the same place where her sisters worked and that had been her first year at Beaumont's Department Store.
Stephanie still remembered coming to work and sitting at her desk when he called her in to take dictation. From the moment she walked in to his office and sat down she'd been so nervous she'd thought she'd faint. Struggling to keep calm she readied herself to take dictation and then he turned his chair around to face her and time seemed to stop. Her heart started to beat faster and it was hard to breath. That was the first day she had been knocked for a loop. Standing before her was the most mouthwatering guy, what her sister would call a definite hunk. Tall, dark haired with sexy brown eyes he seemed to look like he would be just as comfortable in ranch wearing jeans and t-shirt as he was in business suit. For the first time in her life her body had not seemed like her own reacting in ways it had never before reacted even with her collage boyfriend. Jason of course hadn't known she was alive.
* * *
Since that day two years ago Stephanie's lust for Jason had progressed to love. Spending days working side by side she had gotten to know him and learned that beneath that handsome exterior was a man who worked hard, cared deeply for his family and had been hurt by a woman in the past. This was one of the reason's that she felt that he would not involve himself in a committed relationship. Instead he seemed to pursue brief flings with model type women so that he could avoid emotional attachment. She was frankly tired of watching this for the past two years and ashamed to admit that she would love to be in the place of one of those women even if it was for a short time. Love was such a bitch.
* * *
It had been a long hard day at work. One of the shipments of designer dresses had been lost and the person responsible for the inventory just happened to be out on vacation. This was the reason why Stephanie had just spent all day Sunday working at a job that wasn't hers. Tracking down missing inventory was not part of her job description. She was the secretary to Jason Beaumont heir to the Beaumont department store empire. Tall, handsome, blonde Jason Beaumont who turned her legs to jelly and made those secret places on her body throb and get all wet. She had worked for him for two years and in that time she had fallen in love with the man. Unfortunately, he never seemed to take notice of her as a woman. To him she was a worker drone, an extension of the store, and that was all.
Grabbing her cell phone she made a call to her boss to apprise him of the situation. Come on, come on answer.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Jason, it's me Stephanie. I'm just leaving the store."
"Did you find the dresses?"
"Yes, someone stored them with another shipment."
"Good. I'm sorry I couldn't help you, but I was trying to track down the person responsible for this mix up. It' turns out that the woman met someone on her cruise and won't be coming back to work. You'll have to let human resources know that we'll need to hire someone new."
"I'll take care of it tomorrow morning." Stephanie carefully maneuvered her care through the streets one handed. She disliked talking on the cell phone while driving and tried to avoid if possible. "I'll see you tomorrow, ok. I'm almost home, I'm tired, and I'll I want is to rest right now."
"Aren't you coming to ball tonight?"
"What ball?" Finally, Stephanie pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex. Let him think she had forgotten about the ball. It would her plan succeed.
"The Annual Beaumont Department Store Ball, it's tonight. All the employees will be there."
"Oh God, with the whole missing dresses episode I completely forgot. Sighing, Stephanie remembered last year's ball and the awkwardness of watching Jason escort a beautiful, leggy model to the ball. She had spent the entire time standing in a corner feeling miserable. "I don't think I'm going to go."
"Very well, I'll see you Monday morning at work."
* * *
Stephanie inserted the key in the door and wearily let herself inside her small apartment. With its one bedroom, one bathroom, tiny kitchen and almost non-existent living room it was all she could afford on her salary. She wasn't a big fan of living outside of her means and had no credit cards. Debt at least was one thing she didn't have to worry about. Besides her apartment might be on the small side but she had decorated in a simple and elegant style. The earth tones were soothing and the furniture was comfortable. Overall the small apartment was cozy and comfortable.
Upon entering Stephanie dropped her keys and purse on the small table near the entrance and made her way to the bedroom to grab a pair of jeans and t-shirt so that she could go take a bath.
"Where have you been?" Grace asked, they had planned to meet earlier in Stephanie's apartment and she couldn't understand why Stephanie arrived so late. "It's five in the evening. I've been waiting for hours"
"There was a problem and I had to go to work." Stephanie explained.
"On a Sunday?" Grace looked at her tired sister. "The man takes advantage of you. I don't know if you should go through with this crazy plan you have."
"It's not a crazy plan." Ok, it was a crazy plan, but she wasn't about to admit to any one. She was just sick and tired of having the man she loved treat as nothing more than drone and see him going out with a bunch of women who never lasted more than a week or two. It was humiliating to admit that she was going to resort to such devious actions just to be with him, but if a night was all she could get then she would have to be happy with that. "Did you bring it?"
"Yes, I did. I haven't looked at it yet but Amanda said that it was what you asked for. A dress that would get Jason's attention" Grace handed a cream colored gift box to Stephanie. She had a feeling that Stephanie would regret her actions later but who was she to say anything. At least Stephanie had the courage to go after what she wanted. She herself could never do something so daring. "Amanda's bringing the rest of the stuff."
"I don't know." Stephanie Clark long time mousy secretary to Jason Beaumont, the sexiest man alive in her opinion, stood there mortified staring at the most beautiful dress. The strapless floor length nearly transparent silver dress had a slit up the side that would show her legs when she moved. It would shimmer as she danced across the dance floor. "I can't wear a dress like that to the ball. It's just not me. "
"You told Amanda to get a dress that would get Jason's attention. Well this is it."
"You're right. It's beautiful." Stephanie held the dress up and watched it shimmer. "I'm just nervous. I've never worn anything so daring."
"The dress will look beautiful on you."
* * *
"I'm here." Amanda struggled to get inside the apartment while holding on to an assortment of shopping bags. " Help me out."
Each of the other sister's grabbed some bags and they all made their way to Stephanie's bedroom.
" Wow, I didn't think it took thins much stuff to get ready to go to the ball." The pile of bags nearly concealed the bed there were placed on. "We can't be wearing that many clothes. Why so many bags?"
"I had to get some additional supplies." Amanda smiled, she greatly approved of Stephanie's plan. It was time she stopped mooning after her boss and get his hot body into bed. Her sister deserved to be happy and Jason needed someone like her sister to love him. And if she could help it they would both get what they deserved. "I had to get my dress and another for Grace. Plus we needed new lingerie and shoes to complete our outfits. We are going to a Ball and need to look our best from head to toe."
"I already brought my dress." Grace explained.
"The ugly black dress that I saw in your closet?" Amanda knew exactly the dress Grace was talking about and wasn't about to let her go to the Ball in a dress fit for her grandmother. She didn't just have plans for Stephanie and Jason, but also for Grace. Although her sister didn't realize it Amanda knew Grace had a major thing for Jason's right hand man and vice president Michael White. Tonight was the night both sisters would get their hearts desire. "You can't wear such a thing to the Ball."
"What do you mean?" Grace shuddered at the sort of dress her sister would want her to wear and was glad she had brought a nice conservative black dress. She might enjoy thinking about wearing something beautiful and sexy but that wasn't her style and she wasn't brave like Stephanie. If she wore a dress like that she would end up feeling like a fool. "Of course I can wear it."
"Fine." Amanda knew when to give up. Let her sister find out for herself that the dress was unsuitable. "Stephanie these are for you and these are mine."
Stephanie opened a bag filled with beautiful shiny silver silk underwear and pulled a pair of silver strap heels. "They're beautiful. What are you wearing?"
Amanda revealed a floor length bright red spaghetti strap gown and a pair of red high heels and to complete the outfit her sister brought out a red corset, thong, garter, and silk stockings. Amada was a great believer in lingerie. According to her an outfit was not complete unless a woman had the proper lingerie. She was forever giving Grace and Stephanie gifts of lingerie. To Amanda cotton underwear were forbidden. "Do you like my dress?"
Stephanie smiled at her sister. Most redheads would be afraid to wear red but Amanda wasn't afraid of anything and she would no doubt look beautiful. "Absolutely."
* * *
