Chapter 1
Sette
The first thing Sette saw when she walked into June’s room was the painting hanging above her vanity.Looks good there. For some reason, Sette hadn’t expected to see it – almost as if she had forgotten all about it, which was funny, because she had been in a tizzy when told to send a gift with her bid.Wonder what the other client got her.Something more impersonal.
“Glad you liked it,” she said, standing in front of the vanity as June rested her chin on her shoulder. “I wasn’t sure if it would be good enough.”
“It’s touching. Can’t say someone has ever given me a portrait of myself before. Let alone one as nice as that.” June smiled at their reflection. “One of the other girls said it made me look egotistical hanging it up… but I like to think it shows I know what my worth is.”
That only inflated Sette’s ego. “How are you doing?” She tipped June’s chin up with the end of her sketching pencil. “Keeping busy?”
She still smiled. “Always. A girl has to make a living.”
Does that mean she’s seen a lot of other people?For some reason, Sette didn’t want to think about that. Until then, the idea of June being with others didn’t bother her. It was her living, after all. Even if she hadn’t delivered sexual services to these other supposed clients… she had still entertained them. Made them feel big and important. June was a courtesan first, paid sexual partner second. If she didn’t do anything else, she was at least making people feel good.
Sette couldn’t think about that, though. She was with her now, was she not?
“How do you want me today?” June was wearing her usual silk robe, the one that always teased Sette with flashes of her breasts and nether lips, perfectly groomed, always. “On the bed? By the window? We could even go outside, if you want…” She glanced at the clouds outside. “Or perhaps not. Weather isn’t super lately.”
“It’s nice down in the city.”
June sighed. “Isn’t it always?”
“Have you been recently?”
“It’s been about three weeks since I last left the grounds.” She caught the look of concern spreading across Sette’s face. “By choice. We’re allowed to leave as long as it doesn’t affect work. We’re so far out here in the middle of nowhere, though, and none of us have cars… we have to borrow the madam’s car or have a friend come get us. Suffice to say, that opportunity doesn’t come up much.” She laughed, sitting on the edge of the bed, robe opening to show a peeking nipple.Focus, dumbass. Sette went back to setting up her easel and canvas. “We usually go down together for shopping or whatever. Reminds me, I need to go into town. Cheaper than having my beauty suppliesshipped up here… especially since we have a good relationship with one of the boutiques downtown. They give us discounts because the owner is a regular here.”
“I would offer to take you down myself, but I know that’s not allowed.”
June batted her eyelashes at her.She has such beautiful hazel eyes. They were nearly impossible to capture with paints but Sette tried. June’s eye color was the only thing about her that changed from painting to painting. Sometimes they were bright gold. Other times, they were an earthy brown. Today? A pale green. “You could take me if you were my patron,” she said with a saccharin edge. It made Sette laugh.
“I’m working on it. Not my fault that some other client has their eyes on you, too.”
“I’m so popular.” June rolled on her back, robe falling open and revealing her breasts without a care in the world. “You women fighting over me in the hopes of winning my heart and body. Ooh la la.”
“Women?”
June giggled. “Can you believe it? I’m popular with women these days. What a nice change of pace.”
Sette bit her tongue.It was one thing when I thought I was competing with a man.Then she was lured into thinking about June withanotherwoman. Another woman elevating lovemaking to the point that June was inclined to completely give herself over to sapphic passion. Resist. There is work to do.June would definitely be naked for today’s modeling gig. “How about we start with you lying on the bed? I mostly need the poses. I can come up with different backgrounds later, if pressed.”
June got into position. Not the one Sette necessarily wanted, but she could adjust her limbs and head later. For now, June was fine lying on her side with her elbow propped up. Naked,of course.I can’t wait to have her. Have her? What was she? A Neanderthal?Quickly turning into one, yes.Soon, Sette would be rutting on top of her, happy to be there and watching money fall out of her wallet.
“If you become my patron,” June said, still too sweet for words, “you can do whatever you want to me. Whenever. Put me naked in the middle of the park to pose for one of your nude portraits. As long as you buy me a pretty dress afterward. For when the police arrive.”
I would love to spoil you like that. Strange. Sette had never thought that about a woman before. Her old girlfriends often goaded her to spend money on clothes and jewelry. Bags. Perfume. She never understood why she should do that outside of the usual gifts. Wasn’t it enough that she often bought dinner or the price of admission to anywhere they went? That made sense. Why should she have to buy a woman a Givenchy dress? What did that have to do with her? Now, if they wanted a pretty bra or something…
“I’ll take you shopping wherever you want.”
“So you’re going to keep bidding, yeah?”
Sette looked between her gorgeous face and what light deigned to come through the window. The curtains were thrown open, but the clouds obscured the natural light. “For as long as I can. Even this woman has her limits.”
“Bah. I hope you do, and not because I need a patron. If I could have one, I would certainly choose a great woman like you.”
Sette knew she was goading her. She knew this was a tactic. Yet there was a hint of reality in June’s voice. Enough to make Sette think she was telling the truth, on some level. “And the other woman? How great is she?”
“Hmm.” June’s toes wiggled as she thought about what to say. “She’s different from you. A high roller who knows what she wants.” That’s all she would say.
