Page 67 of Their Courtesan
“Why not? I once took on nine guys in a night. Would’ve been an even ten, but the last one blew his load too soon and couldn’t get it back up.”
“That poor man.”
“Poor man? Poor me! I like round and even numbers. Nine is weird. It also means death in some cultures. What do we make of that?”
“That your poor body died that night.”
“Kinda, yeah.” Taking on nine men at once (okay, not atonce,but at one point she had at least three dicks inside of her at the same time) was no easy feat, even for someone as experienced as her. “It was worth it, though.”
“Did someone pay you to do this?”
“In a way. Back when I escorted, a guy from Brazil said he and his buddies wanted to pound a girl for a bachelor party. I volunteered.” Hilariously, the other girls at the escort company turned their noses. How boring of them. “Of course I didn’t knowhowmany guys it was. I was thinking four or five. When I showed up to the hotel suite and saw short of a dozen men drinking and smacking their dicks to get them up, I had to turn around and tell Mr. Brasilia that my fee had doubled. Somehow they had no problem with that.”
“That’s fascinating. Really.”
Judith rolled her eyes before forcing herself to convey that bored expression again. “Do you have an issue with me talking about my work, Seth? I had fun that night. I don’t regret it. ‘Course, not sure I’m young enough to do something like that again, but I’ll probably be thinking about it when I’m in the nursing home one day. Fuck, can you imagine me sunsetting to that?”
“You will be the toast of the retirement home.” Seth picked up his palette and tested a color in the corner of the canvas. “And I don’t mind. It adds to my pictures of you. How can I convey who you are if you don’t tell me about yourself?”
“So it doesn’t bother you when I say I’ve probably fucked five-hundred guys in my life?”
He almost dropped the palette. “I… that’s a lot.”
“Don’t know if you’re too old for this, but when I was in school they used to say that you have sex with all of your partner’s previous partners too. Of course now I know that misogynistic bullshit intended to make women feel like cheated cattle, but guys get weird about it. I’ve had hundreds of cocks in me. Many more have touched me or at least come because of me.”
“As long as you’re okay with it.”
“I’m asking because last time you seemed uneasy with it.”
“Forgive me.” Seth finished brushing off his dirty palette. “Until you, I had never paid for sex.”
“I have that effect on men. You gonna put that in your paintings too?”
“God willing.”
Judith smiled. “I like you, Seth. I know I’ve told you that before, but it’s the truth. I’ve only told a dozen or so men in my life that Ilikethem. Most clients are business. They range from deplorable one-night-stands I refuse to see again to great lovers who make me see brand new colors. I’ve only told a few that I actually like spending time with them.”
“I’m a lucky guy, then.”
You have no idea.Judith didn’t even knowwhyshe liked him so much. Was it how comfortable she felt around him? How easy-going he was? His artistic mind that was married to the logical side of the world? The fact he was an excellent lay on top of that? There were hundreds of men to compare him to. Judith was able to forget most of them the day after. Nothing special. Another night’s work. Seth was different. She looked forward to his visits, to chatting with him while he sketched her, to ripping off her clothes for him and begging – earnestly – for him to fuck her.
“You are, Seth. If we had met in the civilian world, I would still be drawn to you. I don’t say that lightly.”
Her face must have been serious enough for him to believe her. Seth gazed at her, face soft, steady. Then he went back to drawing, the lines of his mouth turning in thought.
Sunset was falling by the time he finished his sketch. Judith stretched out her limbs, bare foot slipping into the cold fountain water and sending chills through her skin. Seth put his things away while Judith kicked at the water and thought about nothing but a hot bath.
“Do you want to go inside?” she asked. “I mean… I’m assuming you’re staying a bit longer.”
His sly countenance quickened her heart.That’s the kind of guy I want doing me tonight.Last time, he had commanded her to serve him. It was a fleeting moment between them, but damn was it hot. “I am,” Seth said. “Sometimes I think I’ll go home early with nothing more than a kiss from you, but then I see you, and I spend hours thinking about what I want to do to you.”
“Good.”
“Today I’m thinking… what doyoulike, Judith?”
She stopped spreading her toes in the fountain water. “Huh?”
“What do you like in bed? I mean, your favorite things. Positions, dirty talk, things like that.”
