Page 98 of Their Courtesan
Miguel slowed down and looked to the shoreline. “That’s France right there.”
“Are we near Nice?” She said it the English way.
“Not quite. And it’s pronouncedNiece.”
“I bet you threw a nephew in there somewhere too.”
Miguel clicked his tongue. “Typical American. Always have inappropriate thoughts on the brain.”
“Hey! You’re the European! Didn’t you guys invent incest?”
“So I’ve been told.”
Judith leaned over and kissed Miguel on the cheek. “I’ve never had this much fun on a boat before. What else you got?”
What elsehe got?Miguel had enough to blow her mind from here until death!
They spent the better part of an hour jetting around the Mediterranean, stopping here and there long enough for Judith to take her pictures and catch up on her giggling.She’s really enjoying herself, huh?It was rare for a woman to not enjoy this – unless they were terrified, Miguel supposed – but something about Judith’s mirth made him happy too. For a woman who probably had her pick of boating enthusiasts over the years, she was acting like this was a brand new adventure.She has never been to this part of the world before.No, that wasn’t it. There was something else in that laugh and in that smile. Like she was comfortable with him.
That was it. Until now, Miguel had never been with a woman who wasthiscomfortable with him. They were either putting on a show, trying to seduce or use him for some other end. Whether he paid them to be there or not… didn’t matter. If he paid them, then it was another job. If he didn’t, then they were trying to get his money in other ways.
Judith was being paid to be there…andseemed to genuinely enjoy his company.
Their excursion came to an end after Miguel veered back to the port and pulled up alongside theCornelia by Northwest.By then, other boats were returning to the dock as well, including a speedboat occupied by no other than Roger Richards, an English multi-millionaire whom Miguel had been tenuous friends with since school in London.
“Bolivar! Long time no see,amigo!” The man stood up in his boat, nearly tipping it over with his lovely, buxom blond companion inside.Great day to take your date out boating, I guess.“You back in Monaco for long? I just got here myself.”
“Going back to America tomorrow, unfortunately!” Miguel called back. “Who’s that with you?”
“You don’t know my girlfriend, Carmen Santiago? She’s from Valencia too!”
Not going to correct him.His family was from Valencia, not him. “Pleasure, Ms. Santiago.”
She looked up with her freakishly white teeth and overly tanned cheeks. “Bonjour!” she greeted with a thick Spanish accent. After Roger leaned in to whisper something, she corrected, “Hola!”
“Who is that gorgeous creature with you?” Roger asked, leaning back to get a better look at Judith. “She must be American. I’m not being rude!”
Judith kept to herself, like she had at lunch. “This is Judith! My girlfriend!”
“You sly dog! Excuse us, but we have to get going!”
Miguel nodded and waved goodbye.
“Your girlfriend, huh?” Judith crossed her legs… away from Miguel. “That was presumptuous of you.”
“What should I have said,mi amour?That you’re the most beautiful escort in the world?”
“It would’ve been the truth.” She smiled.
“Be that as it may, I have to think of my image as well.” Miguel hopped onto the dock and extended his hand to help Judith out. “I wish I could tell the whole world that you’re my beautiful girlfriend.”
Hand clasped in his, Judith took two long strides through the boat and landed gracefully on the dock. She remained halfway in his embrace. “If all my clients found out that I was your girlfriend… hm, it’s not great for business.”
Miguel quickly changed the subject. “So where to now?”
Her tone changed as well. “What do you think? I want to go to Monte Carlo and see what all the fuss is about!”
Miguel knew she would say that. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that any dreams she had of them strolling through dressed like the most beautiful couple in the world, blowing on dice, and blowing hundreds of thousands of Miguel’s money wasn’t going to come true. There was one small problem.
