“You had never paid for sex before me, right?”
Sette’s arm stiffened around her. “No. Before you, I never even thought to.” She sighed. “Guess I’m a bore, huh?”
“Not at all.” June drew a finger across Sette’s abdomen, feeling her taut muscles topped in sweaty skin.I wouldn’t be shocked to find out she does yoga and the like.Hey, a doctor would understand the benefits better than anyone.I wonder if she takes a class or does it here. “Most women don’t, I guess. Then again, most can’t afford to let alone my numbers.”
“Yeah, I would fall for one of the most expensive women in the country.”
Fall for me?That was it. That was what was bugging June deep in her heart. “You’re a romantic woman, Sette. I don’t know how you’re not married.”
“Simple. I never fell in love.” She shrugged against the back of June’s head. “I’m not the type to get married for the sake of it. I don’t have glorious visions of having kids, although I wouldn’t say no. I’m okay with dying a spinster if that’s what the world has in store for me. I’m okay with being alone. I’m such an introvert that my parents knew I was gay before I did.”
“Wait, how does that work?”
“Don’t ask me. I’m not the bigot.”
June pushed herself up, hovering over Sette as hair fell between them. Sette pushed it out of the way and let her fingers linger on June’s forehead.I hate how much I love it when she touches me.Every touch of hers was so delicate. So… loving.
This woman loves me. If she hasn’t fallen in love with me already, she will soon. June could barely meet that tender gaze.
“June,” Sette began, tipping June’s chin in her direction. “Am I the kind of woman you would date if you didn’t live that life?”
She chose to ignore the way she said that. “I don’t know. It’s been a long,longtime since I made those kinds of decisions. Tonight was one of the first times since I became an adult that I… I have felt the way that I do.”
Whatever it was that made Sette sit up and try to hug her almost made June regret saying a thing. “I feel things too, you know.”
“I can tell.”
“Do you feel things for me? Like that?”
“You’re asking me if I love you.”
“Don’t answer if you don’t want to.” Sette lay back down, bringing June with her. “I do love you, I’m pretty sure. I don’t care if you charge me for the privilege or not.”
She probably thought that sounded altruistic, but all it did was make June shiver – and not in a good way.
Instead of facing those words, she buried her face in Sette’s chest, determined to stay there until she eventually fell asleep. Thankfully, there were no dreams.
In the morning, while June bathed in the double-jetted shower, Sette made breakfast. A humble omelet to get the day started, but neither she nor June claimed to be hungry.
Sette, at least, was in a good mood. As soon as June emerged from her room wearing a light blue sundress, she whistled in her direction and put a ham and cheese omelet on the dining table.“How about some salsa?” she asked. June declined. Too early for salsa.
It was also too early for Sette’s delusions.
“You don’t have to go back to the countryside until two. What would you like to do until then? We could catch a matinee. Or we could stay here.” Her tone implied she liked that idea.
“Either one is fine with me.” June barely touched her omelet. Since the night before, she had had a stomachache. Not because of what Sette had done physically to her… but emotionally.
She loves me. Like, really, genuinely loves me.The way she took care of June, talked to her, asked about her life… made that hideously wonderful love to her… she treated her like a goddess. June felt nauseous looking at her omelet.
How to count the ways… that it would never work? The worst thing was for a client, let alone a patron, to love her. The love they exhibited to one another was supposed to be tenuous. A mutual understanding that this could never be “real.” Already, June was thinking about the party she had to work that night. There would be multiple horny clients, all ready to spend money on her services. On a good night with that many people, she could easily clear $25,000…
See? She was already thinking about that!
Yet it felt wrong to do in Sette’s presence. This woman, who had casually declared her love the night before, would ruin herself. Maybe not financially… but June was doomed to break her heart.She’s never seen me with another.She never smelled another client in June’s room. Never seen her mussed from being with another. Never even knew the names of the others, not including those she no longer saw.
June had a lot of thinking to do, and she couldn’t do it around her. Sette’s feelings on the matter weren’t even relevant.
“I hope you’ve enjoyed your time with me, my love.” June was ready to hate that term of endearment now, but Sette said it sogently that she couldn’t help but smile at her. A genuine smile. She was done for. “I hope we can do it again soon. Perhaps when I am your patron?”
