Except adult toys. The ultimate adult toy handled you, not the other way around! But she refrained from pointing this out, since Elizabeth seemed to want to forget the whole thing.
"Attention!" Gordon Howing's voice boomed in the room. "Hope everyone had a great lunch. We're moving on to our third candidate now, but we're having to wait a bit as it's taking a little longer than expected to reset the programming. So far today, we've seen two candidates who have a hard time reaching orgasm. The next three candidates are a different animal―women who self-identify as easily achieving orgasm."
Wait, what? I didn't self-identify with anything. But it was obvious that Draken was the one who'd "self-identified" Charli. What he didn't know, and what she'd never tell him, was that she'd never have thought of herself as somebody who easily climaxed before meeting him.
"Charli Fontina, you'll be up next," Gordon announced. "Are we set yet? No? Ms. Fontina, while we have some time, why don't you come up here and tell us a little about why you decided to apply for this position?"
Chapter 6
Charli gaped at Gordon in abject horror. She looked wildly around for Draken, finally finding him standing among a circle of people. He lifted one brow and shrugged as if he hadn't known anything about this. And maybe he hadn't.
Her heartbeat was suddenly thundering in her ears, which felt bright red. She pushed her glasses up on her nose and walked up onto the stage, all too aware of everyone's eyes.
"Ah, hi," she said when Gordon shoved the microphone under her chin. "I, uh..."
Gordon winked at her conspiratorially. "Relax, Ms. Fontina. This is just to keep them from falling asleep. Half of them aren't even listening. Say whatever you want."
She gulped. "Okay." She jumped, hearing her voice booming to the rafters. "I, uh, I'm applying to this position because I, I guess I'm, uh, curious. Yes, curious about the Robasm. I mean, I heard about it―" a few hours ago, anyway―"and my―an acquaintance―" she shot Draken a glare―"said it might be a good match for me. So I, uh―"
The microphone was removed and Gordon's voice was projecting, "Tell us, as someone who's always found it easy to achieve orgasm, what kind of assists do you hope to find in the Robasm?"
Oh, dear lord.
"I guess..um...I'm not sure," she said blankly.
"We're hoping women like you will find their pleasure maximized by prolonging the period of sexual stimulation," Gordon said, stroking his beard. "Do you think that might happen?"
Charli's eyes aimlessly sweeping the audience lit on her coworker, Nancy. The woman was avidly listening and holding up her phone. Oh, hell. Was she recording this? Mentally Charli cringed.
"Y―yes, maybe," she said into the microphone.
"How do you feel about the prospect of using the machine for nearly an hour without having even one little orgasm?"
Charli's appalled gaze shot to Gordon. "N―not that fabulous, really."
Gordon took a few steps away from Charli and spoke to the audience in his "research scientist" voice. "Thanks, Ms. Fontina. Now, as you can imagine, getting the Robasm to prevent what we at ATJ call 'hasty' orgasm has been a fascinating challenge. Some of you may wonder how an AI machine can sense what human individuals often fail to―the impending orgasm of a woman. Special sensors take care of this. Ms. Fontina and the next two candidates will have four sensors placed strategically for this purpose―one in front of their mouths that measures audio wavelengths, humidity and temperatures, one over their hearts to monitor pulse rate, one on their feet, believe it or not, and the last, of course, attached to the dildo inside them. These sensors then send messages to the brain of the computer, which calculates how close the user is to culmination. The Robasm is thus empowered to stimulate the user to virtually the second before climax, and then cease its stimulation and prevent the user's orgasm. Once it subsides, the Robasm starts up again. Normally a series of near-climaxes ends in an explosive orgasm for the lucky user, but today we'll just bring each candidate close a few times and save the really dramatic climax for the official demonstration, which we hope to broadcast in a few weeks as part of our first market reach."
"Isn't repeated delayed orgasm a strain on a person's heart?" somebody called out.
"Certainly could be," Gordon said. "Which is why we required doctors' reports from each candidate. There are also various safety precautions built into the Robasm..."
Doctor's reports? Charli's gaze flew to Draken. She was too shaken to do more than look vaguely at her phone when it buzzed. Her mind was filling with visions painted by Gordon's impersonal monologue. God. If Gordon was telling the truth, then the next hour could be nightmarish for Charli, who was already so aroused her inner thighs were sticky. If the machine could truly prevent her from having an orgasm when she needed one so badly...
Draken Almatto: Did I forget to tell you I had your doctor's office fax us some documents?
Charli Fontina: How could you do that? Ever heard of HIPPA? Privacy violations?
Draken Almatto: Sorry, darling. Matthew handled it.
Charli Fontina: I'll bet you and he used each other as convenient excuses all the time as kids.
Draken Almatto: Taking the fifth on that.
Charli Fontina: Hey, wait. My doctor recommended getting a routine fitness check by a cardio last week.
Charli Fontina: Did you happen to have anything to do with that, MR ALMATTO?
Draken: Again, sorry. When one has contacts in the medical field, it's hard for one not to use them when one finds it convenient.
Charli Fontina: Did one ever think about consulting me instead of using UNETHICAL MANIPULATION?
Before she had a chance to check her phone for his response, though, there was suddenly a flurry of activity. Then Charli was being led by Gordon and accompanied off the stage by a woman and a man dressed in lab coats, with Draken strolling along behind. While Gordon made mindless chit-chat, they went down some stairs, down a narrow hallway, and through a pair of double doors. Charli hardly listened. Her pulse was thundering through her body. She was uncomfortably aware of Draken trailing her.
She spotted a restroom off to the side of the spacious, fluorescent room they entered and said with sudden urgency, "I need to visit the ladies' room."
When she came out, everyone was standing around waiting for her, which only increased her nervousness. Gordon placed his hand on her back. "Ms. Fontina, I'd like you to meet Doctors Melissa Smith and Ted Jannis, two members of the research team who'll be working with you today. And you know Draken, of course."
"Of course," Charli said stiffly.
"Melissa's role here is to assure your safety and to provide gender-based reassurance. Ted's role is to guide you through the process. My role is to be a backup for Melissa and Ted. Draken's here mostly as interested observer and of course to assess all the candidates' performances for the audition."
Charli looked at the middle-aged woman who smiled warmly at her. Gender-based reassurance? What the fuck was that? As for Ted, the young, cheerful male scientist shook her hand enthusiastically. Draken she did not look at.
"Love your comic, Ms. Fontina," Melissa Smith said.
Charli's gaze widened. A lot of people seemed to have read her webcomic lately. "Thanks," she managed.
Melissa went on, "Ms. Fontina, we understand Draken briefed you and you're not wearing underpants, correct?"
"Y―yes," Charli said, flushing. "That's right." She looked away―and froze. There in the middle of the lab was the Robasm, looking like a strange torture device from a bad B-movie.
"You can put your purse here and take your shoes off," Ted said.
"O―okay."
Draken walked over to the wall and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest. Charli kicked off her shoes and refused to look at him. If he was smirking now, she didn't think she could handle it.
"W―what do I..."
"First, relax." Ted grinned. "There's nothing to fear. We've had literally hundreds of people trial the
latest version of the Robasm and not one of them has been disappointed, injured, or had any adverse event occur at all. It's completely safe. In the event something happens that you're uncomfortable with, there are multiple ways the machine can be shut off and you can safely dismount..."
Charli paid close attention as he went through the safety features. Then she sat down as Ted directed her, right on the edge of what he called the user's seat. Her skirt rode up a bit and the plastic sheeting on the cushioned seat stuck to her bare legs.
"Sorry for that," Ted said. "We're using sani-sleeves on any part that contacts the user's skin today, since we don't have much time between sessions. Normally these parts are spot cleaned and easily removed and sterilized as needed by a patented process. Is it tolerable? I know the plastic can feel kind of weird."
"S―sure."
Melissa came forward. "Ms. Fontina, I'm just going to lift your skirt and fit you out for the Robasm. In a later version," she said chattily, "we hope to make this process automatic. A lot of us wanted to delay launch until we could get the Robasm to fit itself to the user, but believe it or not, that's more space science than we can easily achieve in our time frame."
As she talked, Melissa was shoving up Charli's skirt until it was bunched up along her upper thighs. Melissa's hands put gentle pressure on Charli's inner thighs and Charli found her legs parting without her volition. Panic engulfed her. Her female juices, which she had carefully cleaned up in the bathroom, were now flowing again and sticking to the seat. It had to be incredibly obvious to everyone in the room. And she had the terrible feeling her pussy was exposed in this position.
"Here, hold this, Ms. Fontina." A control was placed in her palm. "That's for you to pause the machine. Everything will stop for ten seconds if you press the red button."
Charli nearly jumped out of her seat in alarm when a metal arm folded down and started probing between her legs and made a loud squelch as it contacted her wetness.
Ted chuckled. "It's all right, Ms. Fontina. No need to be embarrassed. We've seen it all, we promise. This machine turns everyone on, and we fully expect you to be aroused. In fact, we're hoping for it, right, Draken?"
"Mm." Draken's voice was deep and husky.
Ted and Melissa both paused in what they were doing, and Charli sensed everyone in the room looking at Draken.
"Uh―normally Draken would take this opportunity to reassure you," Gordon inserted, his easy tone sounding a little forced.
"Ms. Fontina and I have a previous acquaintance," Draken murmured. "I think it best if I stay silent for this session."
"Ah. Right. I knew that." Ted cleared his throat. "Anyway, Ms. Fontina. As you've probably figured out, the cameras are recording everything we're doing here. This is mostly for internal use. As the release you signed indicates, your face and identity will not be disclosed to anybody outside of Almatto Tech Joy. The exception of course is the live feed they're now getting of your face. All this applies to the audition only. If you're actually selected to demonstrate the Robasm for ATJ on an official basis, you'll be demoing live at trade shows, on video infomercials, in sex stores, and for distributors, among others."
Trade shows! Infomercials! Live!
Charli's alarmed gaze sought the room at large. "Where are the cameras...?"
"We don't like to say," Ted said in a friendly tone. "It makes people self-conscious. There's no need to worry. I can already tell you're very photogenic." He nodded at the screen on the wall opposite to Draken. Charli hadn't noticed before, but her image was emblazoned on a variety of screens―not just of her face, but of several body parts. Including, she saw with horrified disbelief, one of her pussy. She didn't know where the camera was, but it had a view straight up between her legs. The wispy curling hair, glistening with droplets of wetness, the tiny clitoris extending from its hood, and the pink lips slightly parted and swollen were all scaled up and displayed in mortifying detail...along with the huge spongy-looking rod that was hovering just outside the entrance to her vaginal passage.
She couldn't help it. Her miserable gaze flew to Draken. He was contemplating, not the videos as she feared, but Charli's face. He grinned mischievously, and Charli shuddered.
Oh, God. I'm not going to make it. I'm going to spontaneously combust before this is over.
Because she was forced to admit this whole thing was intensely humiliating. And at the same time, it was also incredibly arousing.
"Do you remember the voice command to end the program?" Melissa said.
"End," Charli parroted.
"That's right. 'No' won't do it, nor will 'stop" or 'red.'"
"Shouldn't we test it?" Charli said jerkily. "So we're sure it recognizes my voice?"
"No need," Melissa said. "It's state-of-the-art and recognizes eighteen languages and hundreds of dialects. You are standard west coast USA. It won't be a problem. Now, Ms. Fontina, we're going to attach the sensors to you. Please unbutton your jacket and blouse."
Charli began fumbling. Something light was stuck to her cheek, and Charli crossed her eyes to look at the metallic hook that curved in front of her mouth. Her foot jerked as Melissa―no, it was Ted―attached something to her bare foot.
Her suit jacket and blouse parted, revealing her plump breasts in their bra. Ted reached up and gently pried the bra over her breasts until the band clung to her upper chest above her breasts, which now hung down freely. Then with his cool, dry hand, he cupped the left breast and raised it while Melissa placed a patch on her ribcage―both being very matter-of-fact. Charli, meanwhile, stared into Draken's eyes like they were a lifeline.
Embarrassingly conscious of how hard her nipples were. Because having her breasts exposed and handled so perfunctorily by two strangers in such an intimate context was nearly unbearable.
Leaving her breasts hanging down nakedly under her bra, Ted drew her blouse placket closed, clearing his throat. "Er, you can go ahead and button up again, Ms. Fontina." Another throat clearing. "Yeah, button up." He turned away, and Charli looked after him, confused.
If this is their idea of maintaining candidates' privacy, I'd like to see the alternative!
She buttoned up her blouse and jacket. The fabric of her blouse rasped her nipples. Somehow having her breasts unbound under her shirt seemed almost obscene. The skirt was drawn modestly down over her legs. As she stared down at her lap, she saw a light glowing through the fabric and realized it was emitted by the camera between her legs. Her gaze flew to the wall.
And there they were. Video feeds of her face, various angles of her body, even her feet, and, of course, the feed from under her skirt―showing everybody in the room every millimeter of her pussy.
A pussy that pulsed visibly as soon as Charli's dismayed eyes started taking in those images.
Why? Why? Stop responding! They're just fitting you out to a sex toy! What's so turn-on-able about that? Down, girl!
Melissa said brightly, "The Robasm has a schematic of your body structure based on input data that includes the images you see on the wall there. Sometimes it will do surprising things. It will go under your clothes. It will enter you in your orifices. There will be sensations of wetness. Aside from entry assists, be assured you are not getting moistened by any external substance―this is accomplished by texture and temperature differentials, as well as the Robasm using your own natural lubrication. The one exception is petroleum jelly that will be used for all anal stimulation. Any questions so far?"
Enter you in your orifices? Plural?
And then Melissa's last words hit her.
Anal stimulation?
Oh, God. Oh, no. Why had she agreed to this?
"I can really stop this thing any time I want?" was all she could think to say once she found her voice.
Ted spoke up. "Definitely. Once we start it, the robot will keep going for forty minutes unless you stop it, either by pausing it for ten seconds with the control in your hand, or by using the emergency voice command. If you do end the program with the v
oice command, remember, that's it. All functions cease and it logs off and would need to be rebooted to be used again."
Gordon inserted, "Ms. Fontina, rebooting is a fairly long process which would cut into our time for the next candidate, so be aware of this please and only use the voice command if absolutely necessary."
"Ah. I see."
Melissa said, "Do you have any questions before we start, Ms. Fontina?"
Charli licked her lips. "Draken? I mean, Mr. Almatto?"
"Yes, Ms. Fontina?" his deep voice said.
Charli blushed and avoided looking at him directly. "This isn't the easiest thing I've ever done. Will you come here and, um, and..."
Everyone stared at her.
"Will you stand here with me, close to me, and...I mean, and...be next to me? For moral support?"
Because I don't think I can get through this without you and I'd really like to hold your hand at least.
Draken chuckled. "No, Ms. Fontina. I'd like to, but I can't. For one thing, I don't want to get caught in the cameras' crossfire. For another, if I do, I'll be highly likely to end the program and carry you out of here. I'd like you to have a shot at this job. At this distance, you're safe from my clutches."
Gordon and Ted burst into laughter, and Melissa giggled. "Trust you to break the ice with your nonsense, Draken," Gordon sputtered. "Things are getting a little intense, aren't they?"
"Ms. Fontina tends to bring on intensity," Draken drawled. "She already likes the machine quite a lot, as you can see."
All three scientists obligingly contemplated the image of Charli's pussy on the wall and nodded. "You're very responsive, Ms. Fontina," Ted said. "That's really great. I wish our testers had all been so easy to please."
Charli groaned. "I really can't help it."
"That's why you're here," Ted said. "Because you're easy to incite to orgasm. Super, super easy." He was staring at the feed of Charli's pussy and his Adam's apple bobbed.
Her Alpha Lover: A Draken and Charli Boxed Set Page 15