Page 39 of Their Courtesan
Monica’s look said she wasn’t sure about that. “How’s the modeling?”
“Fine. He loves me naked.”
“Excellent. I’m hoping to talk to him about his projects. Maybe grease a few of his wheels and see if he won’t display your portraits somewhere. Could be good advertisement. I’m assuming you wouldn’t mind your painted pussy plastered across the country’s galleries.”
“Hell no. You can already find my real pussy online.”
“Trust me. I’ve seen it.”
That didn’t disturb Judith. She had put those links in her résumé.Besides, she inspected me top to bottom when I reached the final stage of the interview.Stripped naked right here in this office so Monica could make sure everything was as Judith claimed it was. Fine thing if she was hiding herpes on her crotch… or worse. Track marks. Lots of shit went down in the Château, but drugs were absolutely out of the question. Judith did not like telling clients they couldn’t bring their coke to their parties, but it wasn’t like she wanted to be around that crap either. The last thing they needed were addicts working there too.
“Anyway, I am going to send Dr. Christens an announcement. He’ll probably decline, but on the off-chance he accepts, I’m going to assume you don’t mind.”
Judith shrugged. “Could have worse patrons.”
“You want Mr. Bolivar more.”
Her grin returned. “Wouldn’t you?”
Someone knocked at the door. “Madam Warren?” It was Matilda, Monica’s lady-in-waiting. “Mr. Warren is here.”
“I’ll decline to comment,” Monica said to Judith. Then, louder, “Send him in!”
Monica’s husband, a tall, strapping blond man named Henry waltzed in with his hands in his trouser pockets. He surveyed his wife’s office before going to her and kissing the top of her head. The brief look of happiness on Monica’s face was more than lovely.Gag, anyway.“Good to see you, Princess,” Henry said. “Are you finishing up here, or should I go ahead and bring my bag in?”
Monica pulled away from her husband. “Afraid we’re doing the quarterly audit. If you can wait another hour, I should be ready to go home.”
“Good.” Henry turned to Judith. “Do me a favor and tell my wife to come home more often. We all miss her.”
Judith gave him a pleasant, professional smile. “When she’s gone, I’m left in charge. Don’t know what to say about that.”
“Well then.”
“While we’re telling each other things,” Monica began, cleaning up her desk, “tell Ms. King that it’s bad business to hand out free blowjobs. You’re a businessman, Henry. You know what I’m talking about.”
To his credit, he didn’t blush. To be married to Monica meant taking these comments in stride. “I do believe they call that a loss leader, dearest. Hand out a sample product for free and then watch them come back for the whole package. Tactic as old as time. Seems fitting for the oldest profession.”
“Thankyou,” Judith said. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her! Mine are the best, so it’s only right I give out free samples. Trust me, nine times out of ten they come back for more of Judith King.”
“I’m sure.” Henry glanced at his busy wife and said, loudly, “Perhaps I should sample sometime myself.”
Monica dropped her papers and the pen still in her hand. “What!”
“She said she hands them out forfree,and you know I can be a cheap bastard sometimes.”
“Henry!”
He turned back toward Judith. “She’s fun, isn’t she?”
“The funnest.”
“Anyway, I’ll be out on the balcony waiting for you. Such a lovely day. You should get some sunshine at some point. Both of you.” He kissed his wife’s red cheek once more, nodded to Judith, and saw himself out. “Have a good one.”
The sound of disbelief emanating from Monica’s throat almost made Judith laugh. “Some husbands…”
“At least he has fun with what you do.”
“Too much fun.”
With Monica cleaning up, Judith knew it was time to follow Henry’s cue and show herself out. “See you Wednesday?” That was when Monica usually returned to the Château. Sometimes Thursday. God knew what would happen when she got closer to giving birth and, well, gave birth. There had been no discussion of that game plan yet.
She happened to run into Holly in the hallway. “Don’t be stupid,” she said, startling the redhead. “If you’re gonna fuck a client bareback, you donotreport it to Monica! Don’t even tell me about it.” As the girl gaped at her, Judith snorted in disdain.Dumbass.
When Judith continued down the main hallway, she realized she had two choices ahead of her. Somehow, the idea of having Seth as her patron slammed into her head. Perhaps it was walking into a sundrenched hallway that reminded her of posing for paintings. After all, the artist had been obsessed with the perfect lighting, not that Judith could blame him.
Seth as my patron, huh?Originally, Judith had thought him handsome, witty, but boring. Or at least boring in the ways that counted to Judith. Good conversation didn’t mean much if he wasn’t going to have sex with her. It wasn’t a money thing – he would be paying a monthly fee to be her patron, and he could do whatever he pleased – or nothing at all. That wasn’tfunfor Judith. In this world, she could have the “perfect” man. A man who would make love to her every time he saw her. Maybe hard. Maybe slow. Always entertaining.
Maybe Seth could be that man. Then again, there were many to choose from. It was only a matter of who would have her as well.
