Page 121 of Their Courtesan
Chapter 30
SETH
Seth hated not knowing whether he won the silent auction or not, but he had plenty to distract him. Like finishing up his final collection for Joy’s approval and then shipping it up to New York for the gallery opening. He received his itinerary and forwarded it to Monica, who forwarded it to Judith. Dinners, brunches, press junkets, interviews with his beautiful model… Judith would have more of the spotlight than Seth, and that suited him fine. She was the star of both his literal show and his figurative one.
He also had her nightly phone calls to look forward to.
He was surprised when she asked him for his number. He was pretty sure that was verboten at the Château… and that thought was confirmed when Judith told him to keep the exchange to himself. He was not allowed to contact her, aside from the usual ways, but she called him almost every night, sometimes at a reasonable time, and sometimes after midnight, when he was locked away in his studio or settling down to bed. The echo and splashes of water told him that she was in her bathroom every time. Probably to avoid detection.
At first he thought these calls were supposed to be erotic in nature. Sometimes they were, with Judith begging him to talk dirty to her… or she would start by talking dirty to him.“I’ve been thinking a lot about you. I wish you could touch me. Not with your cock, but with your fingers and lips. I want to feel you all around me again. Why do you only come up twice a week?”
Most of the time she simply wanted to talk. About herself. About him. Could he tell her more about his favorite artists and why he liked them so much? What were some of the silliest stories from his practice? Was med school really that bad? Which was worse: organic chemistry or being without her for days at a time?
For the first time ever, she was free with everything about herself as well. She was frank about her father’s death and what it had done to her family financially. Her mother’s illegal activities to pay off her late husband’s death and how it led her to prison for way longer than she should be incarcerated. How one of the reasons Judith found her work so alluring was because she was the master of her own business while still controlling her beautiful body.
“People always assume that because my father died and my mom’s in jail I became some kind of prostitute. That’s such bullshit,” she said one night, her bathwater splashing with extra vigor. “Don’t they know that we come from all walks of life? That we do this for different reasons, and have different goals? We’re human like any other woman. You think I’m a normal girl, right?” Of course he did. Why would he think otherwise? So she had an unconventional life and they had an even more unconventional relationship… life was quirky and strange andwonderful.“I’m tired of those hurtful stereotypes. Why can’t I do this because I like it and am good at it? Isn’t that what we’re told to do? Find a career we love and make money off it?” He couldn’t argue with that.
There was an underlying… issue to everything she talked about. When they met for their usual sessions, she was somewhat aloof until they wound up in her bed – or against a wall out in the backyard. It was as if something plagued his dearest Judith and he was open to every aspect of her life but that one. The one thing he most wanted to experience.What’s wrong, my love? Can I do anything to make it better?Probably not. She was still a mystery in many ways.
“I wish you were going to the wedding with me,” he said the night before the big day. “I know you have other obligations with…”
“I’ll see you there anyway. Don’t worry. What, you think I’ll give you the cold shoulder because I’m with him? I’m not that merciless. Besides, I want to keep you happy too, right?” She laughed. “You have to promise to not get jealous, though. He and I look good together.”
That was the worst thing she could say, and now Seth seriously thought about not going at all.Then I won’t get to see her Sunday, so…He would go, for a glimpse of her and maybe a kiss.Fuck, I really am a total fool in love.Seth wasn’t sure what he thought of that.
Nothing good, right now.
***
Seth’s relationship with weddings was a mixture of curiosity and impartiality. There was a lot of artistic value in a nicely thrown wedding, as often seen at the ones he had to attend to stay in good social standing, but at the same time…weddings.
“I’m not drunk enough for this yet.” Seth sat next to his friend in the audience, gathered that day in a big, beautiful garden behind Ethan Cole’s petite mansion in the Hills. How hundreds of guests had managed to be crowded together in this otherwise tiny venue remained a mystery to everyone but the wedding planner, a conspicuous woman in black and a microphone wrapped around her head. “Have any bottles of tequila in your pocket?”
Zack patted his friend on the shoulder. “You missed the open bar. Told you to go check it out… but you refused.”
Seth saw the definition of an open bar in the room cordoned off for guests who arrived early and couldn’t yet be seated. Champagne, wine, and sparkling cider were all offered, but none of those things were strong enough to help Seth deal with a wedding.
A wedding where the love of his life showed up on the arm of another man.
Judith and Miguel were fashionably late to the wedding of a man neither knew well. Miguel looked his usual handsome, devil-may-care European self in a suit, but it was Judith who made Seth nearly lose his mind.
Her bright red dress hugged her hips… and a lot of other things too. A thick collar turned into a sporty keyhole halter that framed her breasts and wrapped tightly around her abdomen. In the middle of the keyhole was a flurry of stuck-on rubies that made her light skin twinkle with every slight turn. It was sexual without vulgarity. Beautiful. Flirty. Tasteful. 1000% Judith and tailored to her voluptuous body. Her hair was let loose in strawberry blond waves that fell on top of her shoulders and down her back. The way she clung to Miguel’s arm so she could walk in red stilettos was soft and demure.
It was killing Seth.
Their eyes caught for a brief second as they meandered down the walkway in search of a suitable place to sit. She sat on the end, flashing Seth a warm smile before turning her attention to the person who said hello in front of her.
“Stop looking at her,” Zack said. “You’re supposed to pay attention to the bride, not your mistress.”
Good thing those two were sitting a couple of rows back. It made it easier for Seth to stare ahead and occasionally pretend that Zack had something interesting to say. (He never did.)
Guests continued to file in one, two at a time until every seat in the audience was taken and some had to find places to stand before the ushers brought in extra chairs. The procession was not like most weddings. While a live four-man orchestra played music on the ground, a catwalk had been built surrounding the garden. The bride and her party would not be walking through the crowds today. Instead, Ethan Cole’s bride appeared on a balcony overhead, arms laced with a khaki-casual man who looked like her father. They traced the circumference of the garden up on the catwalk, her flowing skirt trailing behind her until she stood right above Seth.This is crazy even for a man like Ethan Cole.He was one of the richest men in the area. If his bride wanted to float on the air, she damn well would.
The whole ceremony took place on another balcony, microphones projecting the vows. Seth glanced over his shoulder and saw Judith rubbing the length of Miguel’s leg. Yes, the wedding was much more interesting today.
The happy couple were pronounced and retreated into the house as husband and wife. The crowd, whom had stood to clap and offer whistles of congratulations, took cues from the ushers to see themselves out and toward the many shuttles waiting to whisk them away to the reception.
“I said stop looking at them,” Zack chastised, catching his friend in the act again. “You’re going to make yourself sick. Come on. Let’s go to the reception. I’m sure you can get plenty of booze there.”
Seth followed Zack to his car in the front driveway. Other cars were pulling out while other guests opted to the take the shuttle and leave their cars in this high-security lot.
“Remember, I have to drive us home.” Zack followed a stretch limo down the driveway. “So you need to drink for the both of us.”
