Page 109 of Their Courtesan
She didn’t doubt that.
When he left, she threw herself back down on her bed, pulling her pillow toward her face so she could groan in peace. Then fall into a stupor of a doze, because what else was she supposed to do? Face her problems?If I take a short nap, everything will make itself clear later…
Her door opened and shut with a soft click. At first she thought nothing of it. Must’ve been a maid come to straighten things up… but then Judith realized those heavy footsteps could not have belonged to the dainty women who came in every day to clean rooms.
She opened one eye before sitting up with a start.
“Seth!”
He stood at the end of her bed, looking down at the scene of her sexual – and emotional – crime. His demeanor went from confused to borderline incensed within five seconds.
“You’re early.”
He dropped his bag on the floor in front of her bed. “You’re busy.”
“No… I…” Judith looked down.Oh my God!Miguel was still all over her mound and thighs. Easy enough to see from Seth’s location. Add in a lack of clothing on Judith’s part, and she was caught red-handed… or was that white-skinned?
“I’ll come back later when you’re cleaned up.”
Seth bent down to pick up his bag. Where was he going? He could leave his things here. He was forty-five minutes early, but Judith didn’t mind.Where are you going? Don’t go anywhere…How was it possible that she was as relieved to see him as she was scandalized? Was she… embarrassed? What the fuck!
“Or…” Seth put his bag down again, but did not turn to face her. “I could paint you as is. Could be a fantastic piece, really.‘Courtesan Caught.’The question is… if it’s not the painter, then who is it that’s mussed up the model?”
Don’t you dare shame me.Judith thought that, and yet the words coming out of her mouth were, “I’m sorry. I should’ve known you were coming soon.”
“Hmph. He must’ve been good, though. To knock you out like that first thing in your work week. I wonder… could any other man compare today? Or are you done?”
“What are you asking?”
He looked over his shoulder, thin eyes narrowing into slits. “Don’t play coy with me, please. Let’s work.”
“I don’t want you to paint me like this.” Judith shoved aside any covers beneath her, messing up the bed she had neatly made before going down to lunch. “If you do, you’ll be doing it to spite me.”
“Don’t take me that way.”
He was slowly unpacking his things. The little easel. The pencils. The brushes. A small canvas. There were tubes of tester paint he used to get a feel for what colors he wanted to use when he painted later. Seth didn’t touch those yet.
“I’m sorry.” Usually, she would interpret her own phrase to mean that she was sorry she was in such a state when her appointment arrived. It was not exactly professional, unless the man charged extra for the privilege. Yet that’s not how she took her tone.I’m genuinely sorry. I’m… ashamed?No, not ashamed. Judith was never ashamed of what she did for a living. Other men could deal with it, or they could see themselves out of her place of business and far, far away from her body.I’m not ashamed about that, per se.What was she ashamed of, then?
Was it… hurting him? Was he even hurt?
His visage softened, and in turn, her heart did as well. Relief coursed through her like a gently flowing stream. Good.Good.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Judith,” Seth said, setting the canvas on the easel. “No matter what man has touched you.”
The relief quickly changed course and turned intofire.
“I know you didn’t mean what you said,” she spat at him. When he merely sat on his stool and looked at her, unchanged, she became even more incensed. “Don’t you dare call me dirty.”
“I would never say such a thing.”
“You implied it!”
“What the fuck do you want me to say?” Finally, some emotion! Cold-shoulder Seth was not sexy in the least. Nor was he friendly. Judith was not going to fuck around with Seth unless he was friendly. “I come in and find you passed out in bed with another man’s semen all over your damn skin!”
A pause. Then, Judith laughed.
“What the fuck!”
