by Carol Caiton
Sliding the chair out, she made herself comfortable, then connected the components and followed the steps to set up the system for use. Half an hour later, she typed in the password to access her account and a soft chime sounded through the speakers. A communication from RUSH's database had been sent, requiring her attention.
Her eyes were drawn to a flashing blue icon at the lower corner of the monitor. Beside it on the left was a circular button displaying a minus sign. On the right, another button with a plus sign. And centered just above it were two black bullets.
Furrowing her brow, she stared at the arrangement, at the symbol of Venus on the center icon.
This couldn't be what she suspected it was. As an R-link, the only color icon she should be looking at was pink. It would be forwarded to her account by seven o'clock in the morning, three days each week. She'd type in her password, the icon would stop flashing, and she'd receive a photograph, along with a brief statement about her next encounter.
But that wasn't supposed to happen until her file was activated. And these buttons were blue. All three of them.
. . . your first encounter is going to be with me.
Her heartbeat faltered.
When the system links two people, Nina, it's because they share various levels of compatibility.
No. Please, no.
Don't worry, sweetheart, I'll make sure it's memorable.
She shot out of the chair, eyes glued to the icon and the two black bullets above it. This couldn't be what she thought it was.
I didn't make a mistake.
She shook her head. Had she actually received a blue icon? Did blue override everything else? Even an R-link pink? And was Simon Yetzer the man at the other end of it? He'd been so certain. And he was a statistician. A man who was that detail-oriented wouldn't have made a mistake.
What if it was true? Was this the reason he asked if she'd checked her account? Blue would mean their compatibility rating fell in the highest possible range. The highest possible. If Simon Yetzer was the very best she could do, were all the other men perverts or something? Is that what she'd signed up for?
If you want to peddle it so badly, why don't you auction it off?
She reached for the back of the chair and held on. She wished she knew more about how this worked. Cybil Matheson hadn't offered much information about the color links and next to nothing about green and blue. If she remembered correctly, the linking system sent a match notification to the male first. Then, if he accepted it, another notification was sent to the female. And again, if she remembered correctly, the male was given forty-eight hours to respond. Would she have forty-eight hours, as well? The problem was, if she clicked on the minus button and refused him, what kind of ogre would she get next?
"Think, Nina. Breathe and think."
Blue and green were monogamous colors; she remembered that much. So if she accepted this blue, she wouldn't have to engage in sex with anyone else. But she'd be forced to leave the R-link complex. Only resident links were permitted to live on RUSH property, and she had nowhere else to go.
Releasing the chair, she wandered over to the front door, then back again in an effort to release some of the tension inside. What would happen if she did nothing at all? Would the icon just sit there, or would it go away after a while?
According to Simon, the board of directors knew she had no sexual experience and that being the case, they wouldn't expect her to jump right in and have sex with him, right? She'd go see RUSH's attorney first thing in the morning. Signing that addendum was a priority now. It would buy her some time.
The musical chime sounded again through the laptop speakers. The small window in the center of the screen prompted her to acknowledge receipt of the link icon by typing in her password. If she didn't comply, that window would probably stay there and she wouldn't be able to access her schedule.
Resuming her seat, she positioned her fingers over the keyboard. They shook, just a little, but knowing she was stressed enough to make her hands tremble only made it worse.
She drew a breath and typed her password.
The window vanished. In its place another window appeared and a form letter filled the screen.
Greetings.
As specified within the color range of the icon forwarded to your account, RUSH's database has found your file to be compatible with that of another client. In alphabetical order and in accordance with your membership application, the following categories have been analyzed to provide you with a link of the highest rating at the time of processing. This list is not all-inclusive.
Age
Body Measurements
Common Points of Interest
Cosmetic Preferences
Degree of Adventure
Disabilities
Dominance/Submissiveness
Hair Color/Length
Height and Weight
Imagination
Level of Risk
Personality
Primary Fantasies
Racial Preferences
Secondary Fantasies
Sexual Experience
Shared Viewpoints
Temperament
To accept this link, position the cursor over the plus button located on the right side of the icon and click. Upon acceptance, the name of your link partner, a photograph, and a brief profile will download to your account. The system will generate an abbreviated printout for your reference and the folder will remain accessible for the duration of the link. When that time has expired, it will be removed and re-circulated in the system.
If you choose to accept, bear in mind the status of the link and conduct your encounters accordingly. Discretion is advised and will be enforced. Inappropriate public displays will result in a termination of the link.
To that end, a variety of rendezvous alcoves are available throughout the property. As well, the Carnelian Jade is furnished to accommodate each of the fantasies depicted in the membership application. Reservations are advised.
If you wish to decline the link, place the cursor over the minus button located on the left side of the icon and click. The icon and its folder will be withdrawn and will no longer be available for consideration.
Thank you for choosing RUSH as your safe approach to sexual freedom.
The Board of Directors
She read the letter a second time. No mention had been made of a forty-eight-hour time limit. A detail like that was important.
She narrowed her eyes. She wanted a printout of the letter. She wanted proof in hand to show that nothing had been said about a time limit.
Unfortunately, when she tried, it was to find the print command had been locked or disabled.
She slumped back in her chair. She couldn't even take a photograph of the page because cameras weren't allowed on property. Not that she'd ever owned one. Only Lydia had one. She had a cell phone in case of an emergency.
Well, one thing was certain. She wasn't going to accept Simon's link. Doing so would put her out on the street. It would also provide him with a legal advantage over her. She'd signed a membership contract. He wanted sex. Knowing what she knew of him—and that was a lot considering their short acquaintance—he would harass her until he got it, maybe even threaten legal action. And then he'd pick one of those fantasy rooms at the Carnelian Jade, probably the kinkiest one, just to scare her.
Staring at the keyboard, she frowned. She badly wanted to click on the minus button. It rankled that she couldn't look Simon Yetzer in the eye and tell him her first encounter would be with someone else. But the next guy in line was bound to be even worse.
The best thing she could do was nothing at all. For now. She wasn't happy with that, but at least her hands had stopped shaking.
She exited the window, knowing she'd probably never see the letter again. But the blue icon and its accompanying buttons remained in the lower corner of the monitor, reassuring her, and she was able to access her account.
The opening page showed a selection
of tabs across the top. Still hungry, she clicked on the one labeled Magnolias and a full week of meal plans filled the screen. Surprisingly, each looked appetizing. But glancing at the time, she realized she'd missed breakfast altogether. Something else to put at Simon's feet. Still, she could pick something up at one of the other venues to tide her over.
Positioning the cursor over the tab labeled Schedule, she wondered if the board of directors had already taken steps to modify it.
When she opened that tab, she found that today was completely free, but Monday morning started with a tai chi class at eight. Directly after that she was scheduled to spend three hours at the salon. Which meant she'd have to be at Magnolias by seven for breakfast if she wanted time to linger over coffee.
A generous two-hour lunch break came next. Then a meeting with her advisor for R-link orientation followed by a session with Dr. Zeman.
She thought about that. Attending regular sessions with Dr. Zeman was required of all R-links. If Simon Yetzer and the entire board of directors knew she was a virgin, Dr. Zeman probably knew as well. She'd have to convince a psychologist that sharing her body with a hundred men over the next year was something she wanted.
Sighing, she perused the rest of her schedule and saw a variety of classes with intriguing titles . . . Body Awareness . . . Cosmetology . . . . Other blocks of time were left unaccounted for, however, and she wondered if they'd once been filled with R-link training sessions.
Well, she'd make good use of the free time she had by looking for a job. And maybe a room for rent in someone's house. A room wouldn't cost nearly as much as an apartment.
Encouraged now that she had a plan in mind, she printed a copy of her schedule, scanned the contents of the remaining tabs, then logged off. She'd go down to the lobby, write a quick e-mail to her sister reassuring her that all was well, then she'd head over to the food court for something to eat.
She wouldn't tell Lydia about the blue icon. Nor would she mention Simon. And she'd say nothing about her decision to look for a job and another place to live. She didn't want Lydia's adventurous input. Not this time.
When the e-mail had been sent, she asked the residence attendant where she could buy a newspaper. She didn't want to check online for a place to rent in case someone—especially the residence attendant—walked into the R-link office and saw what she was doing.
"You'll find several machines over at Magnolias. In the vestibule. You'll have to take some change with you though because they don't have scanners."
"Okay. Thanks."
Returning to her apartment, she scooped up the loose change from her wallet and slipped it into the front pocket of her jeans. Then she let herself out and made her way to the central gate.
About to press her hand to the scanner, she caught herself and paused. Searching the crowd, she looked for Simon. It was uncanny, the way she kept running into him.
A few curious glances turned her way, but she saw no sign of a pale gray dress shirt, so she placed her palm on the scanner and exited through the gate.
Foot traffic was heavy and she had to wait for a break before maneuvering across the pavement. She saw Libby Pye, her blonde corkscrew curls bouncing with every hurried step. And her curls weren't the only thing bouncing. Good heavens. Did she look like that when she was in a rush?
As she made it to the other side and saw what Libby was wearing, she pulled in a quick breath. The resident link contract stipulated that she was required to dress according to the wardrobe provided by RUSH while on property. Fabrics had been selected to complement her coloring and everything was to be designed to her specific measurements.
While the benefits of receiving free clothing might seem obvious, each article would be fashioned to showcase the female body. For every pair of male eyes that caught sight of an R-link, RUSH reaped its own benefits. Maintaining a high level of interest among its male clients was imperative. It kept them coming back, week after week and resulted in renewed memberships.
Nina looked at Libby, at the rose colored jeggings that appeared to have been sprayed onto her body, at the matching top that showed off every curve to best effect, sculpting and displaying the female form as a tantalizing work of art. The shelf bra she wore did exactly what it was intended to do: Libby's very full breasts were lifted upward and outward, the thin fabric of her top offering a clearly outlined, bold view of puckered nipples. Her hips swung back and forth in high-energy rotation as she walked and Nina wondered if that provocative sway was the result of being in a hurry or because of the sky-high heels that prompted the other girl to take small, abbreviated steps. She exuded sex and woman and potent femininity with effortless intensity and it was no wonder RUSH's men openly stared. Nina was fascinated as well.
By contrast, her own lacy top seemed girlish now. It was cute but ordinary. She wore no makeup, her fingernails were shaped but unpolished, and although she wore her hair long and loose today, she'd cleaned her earrings the night before then promptly forgot to put them back in her ears.
The fact was, she had no real sense of style. She'd never been able to afford one. But RUSH offered an elective course called Accessorize. She had no idea how long she'd be here, but she could take advantage of the opportunities that came with her membership for the duration.
"Nina!" Libby spotted her, hastening her steps. Curls and breasts jiggled all the more as she zigzagged across the pathway. "Oh, God, I need a cup of coffee," she declared. "I'm due at the salon in twenty minutes, though. Do you have time for a quick cup?"
"Yes. I was on my way to buy a newspaper at Magnolias."
"No problem. We can get coffee there."
The food court was busy. More than half the tables surrounding the fountain were occupied and Nina suspected the rest would fill as it grew closer to lunchtime. The majority of occupants, she noted, were male. Nearly all of them wore sunglasses, but she could almost feel all those eyes follow her and Libby as they made their way toward Magnolias.
"Is it always like this?" she asked. "All the eyes?"
Libby laughed. "Absolutely. But you'll get used to it . . . and then you'll like it."
Nina wasn't so sure of that.
"Weekends are always crowded," Libby added. "And Thursday and Friday nights are like this, too. Definitely Fridays."
Inside Magnolias they stood in line at the service counter. When it was their turn, Libby asked for a double chocolate espresso then placed her palm on the biometric scanner, adding the cost to her account. Nina requested a regular coffee and did the same. On the way back outside, they paused while she fished change out of her pocket for a newspaper.
"So," Libby said as they wove their way through the tables and sat down near the fountain, "have you been learning your way around?" She took a sip of her espresso and closed her eyes in bliss.
"More or less," Nina answered. She'd learn more if Simon Yetzer would stop following her and go home. But she wasn't going to say that to Libby. "There's a lot to take in," she said. "I've got a good memory, but I'm trying to cram a lot in at once. And then I get caught up in the ambience and end up getting lost." She smiled. "Is there such a thing as sensory overload?"
"What a question! Wait until your first encounter. That's sensory overload." She fluttered her fingers expressively. "I admit I wasn't very experienced before I came here. I admit that. But I never, ever had the kind of sex I've had since coming to RUSH. They've made it into an art."
Nina observed Libby's posture, taking note of the way she held her shoulders back even while sitting down. Straightening her own shoulders, she nodded. "I've seen the list of classes they offer here, so I'm not surprised." She place her hand on top of the newspaper, holding it in place when a light breeze lifted a few of the pages.
"So," Libby said, "you have questions?"
"Dozens."
"Ask me then. But I only have time to answer a couple."
"Okay." But Nina proceeded carefully. "Do R-links ever get color-linked—you know, like amber, green or bl
ue?"
"Nope. Never." She took a quick sip from her miniature cup. "We're the versatile ones. Well, I guess there are some men even we aren't compatible with. But the system weeds them out for us. What else do you want to know?"
Nina frowned down at her cup. Never? She was definitely confused. But she asked, "What's a body prep?"
Libby flopped back in her seat with a flourish. "Oh, God, Nina. A body prep . . . . Oh, God."
But she glanced at her watch and her eyes widened in alarm. "I've gotta go! If I'm late again, I'll be in real trouble."
She drained the little cup, pushed her chair back, and rose. "Weekends are always so rushed! You'll see."
Curls bouncing, hips in seductive motion, she cut a path through the tables with quick, tiny steps and Nina grinned. She had a feeling Libby was always rushing somewhere. She just seemed that sort of person.
She swept the area with a curious eye, a little awed by the number of men watching her new friend depart. That was an awful lot of focused attention to get used to.
Setting her own cup off to the side, she opened the newspaper. She searched through the very limited classifieds, then blinked and stared at the monthly rent for a studio apartment. Shifting her attention to the even shorter list of rooms for rent, she found them incredibly expensive, as well.
A little disheartened, she refolded the paper. A server stopped by to collect her empty cup and Libby's, as well. Looking up, Nina saw that all the surrounding tables were full and other patrons were milling about, looking for a place to sit.
Feeling guilty because she'd lingered there to read a newspaper, she stood, pushed her chair in, and made her way back to Magnolias. She held her shoulders properly, but doing so forced her breasts outward and she felt the number of eyes that followed her progress. She didn't know if she'd ever get used to that, never mind enjoy it.
