“To be sure.”
Sette sat down next to her friend. “I don’t want to do the others. If they’ll let me, I’ll do a collection based around June.”
The smile fell off Zara’s face. “Now I’m worried about you. All fun and games when we’re talking about all the ladies. You obsessing over one? Eh.”
“I think she might be my muse.”
“Now, hold on.” Zara clapped her hand on her friend’s shoulder. While Zara was not the kind of woman who was afraid to show affection, least of all to close comrades like Sette, she understood how uncomfortable it made some people… like close comrade Sette.I’m not a touchy-feely girl, even if I am an artist.It was what made being a doctor so easy. While she felt for her patients, she was able to emotionally distanceherself from them all. Made certain decisions easier to handle. There were times she had to make last-minute decisions in the delivery room that made novice obstetricians cry… like doing a last-minute cesarean because otherwise both mother and baby would die. At her level of clientele, though, the mothers weren’t always so understanding of the scars they were left with. Didn’t Dr. Christie know that they had to go back to modelling? That people were waiting to see what bikini fashion they would sport at the marina next summer? What were they supposed to do withthis?Some thanked her for doing the right thing, but others acted as if they would’ve rather died.
One of many reasons Sette had to retire.
“Hey, listen to me.” Zara snapped her fingers, getting her friend’s attention. “Watch yourself. Don’t get emotionally involved with a woman like that. That’s a quick road to heartbreak, friend.”
“Would you know?” Sette asked dryly. “Anyway, it’s not like that.”
“You fucked her, though, right?”
“Why do you keep asking me that?” They were beyond girl talk now. That wasn’t mirth in Zara’s eye. Don’t act so concerned for me. Like Zara had any room to talk. “If I had, don’t you think I would’ve told you? I’ve got nothing to hide.”
So, why was she lying?
Zara gave her one last hard look before turning away. “You fucked her.” She pointed to the picture. “There’s more than one meaning to ‘that’s your work,’ and I’m looking right at it. You didn’t just bang her. You did the impossible, which is taking a woman like her to heaven.”
Sette steadied her breathing, but felt her cheeks heat up. They better not have turned red. “So what of it? You screwed the other one.”
“That’s different. That was just sex. She might influence some of my work for a while, but it won’t go beyond that. This is mixing work and pleasure here.” Zara kept jabbing her finger toward the canvas. “Don’t get too attached. Her job is to seduce you and bleed your wallet dry. How much do you get charged? I’ll tell you right now, my credit card statement says I owe them an extra ten grand after our visit.”
Only that much?Aside from the modeling charge, Sette was looking at more than that. The Manoir charged her for the sex. Before she left, June urged her to write a personal check to cover her charges that didn’t go through the madam. Altogether, it was at least five thousand.
“I can take care of myself, thanks.” Sette got up and took the painting from Zara’s possession. “Besides, don’t you think a collection based around one woman is more powerful than many? Feels more intimate.”
“Yeah, sure. Intimate.”
Zara didn’t stay much longer. When she left, it was with a final word of advice. Something about Sette needing to look for a real girlfriend while she did what she had to for the sake of her art on the side. The woman sounded like she had never fallen in love with a muse before. Maybe she hadn’t. Maybe Sette was too old-fashioned like that.
As soon as Zara had left, Sette picked up her phone and perused her contacts for a certain number. “Hello, Joy?” she said when her agent answered. “I’m working on a new collection and finished the first piece. I think you’re going to like the direction I’m heading in. Can you come over?”
Chapter 9
Miquela
Araucous party was the big thing going on the night Miquela returned to the Manoir. After giving Aimee the whole weekend off to check out the city, Miquela hopped into her Vanquish Volante and began the long, albeit scenic, drive up into the mountains.
Good thing I scheduled an appointment. She had a feeling that Saturday was the biggest night at the Manoir, and if everyone knew as well as she did that June was a goddess at her profession, then she would be in high demand. Felt like a miracle Miquela had managed to schedule her for the whole evening before anyone else.
“Ms. Bolivar!” the doorman announced. How anyone heard him over the crazy laughter echoing from upstairs, Miquela had no idea. Yet before she could count to five, June was at the top of the grand staircase, dressed in a soft pink Chanel sweater dress – with every button going down to the waist undone. A womanof her chest size had no problems filling out the bust enough to make the fabric drape elegantly over her generous cleavage.
“Welcome back,” she said with a smile that further said,“And bringing all your assets with you.”“Let me take your coat.”
Miquela already had her coat half off when June put those soft hands on her. She had the lightest touch of any woman Miquela had met. That was not to say she was gentle. Indeed, June knew how to respect personal space while still making her own presence known.
“Seems like a busy evening.” Miquela nodded to a pair of drunk men stumbling from one room to another. The redhead Holly followed, wearing nothing but a thong and a glittery gold chain around her breasts. June looked like her elegant mother in comparison.My preference.
“The weekends tend to be rather rambunctious.” June folded her coat over her arm and flagged down a maid. “See to it that Ms. Bolivar’s items are well taken care of.” When she received confirmation, the maid took off, carrying the large coat. The usual coat closet must have been stuffed already. “No worries. You have me all to yourself, as was arranged.”
“By your madam.” Miquela was used to making appointments, but calling the Manoir and getting Monique right away was an… experience. She couldn’t mask the glee in her voice that Miquela was already coming back to stick something in one of her employees again.
June tossed her long hair behind her shoulder. Thick gold bangles clattered on her wrist.The real deal. Presents from other clients? Who knew.I should bring her a present next time.Miquela already had something in her pocket, which she pulled out now. Simple, but effective.
