Programmed To Please (The Tau Cetus Chronicles)

by Jenna Ives

  “I’m sure I can find something in the industrial refrigerator here.”

  “Good.”

  A soft knock at the front door drew their attention to the apartment entrance. The lead bodyguard had his hand on the door knob, and was poking his head around the door. “Excuse me. The decorator’s here, Mrs. Smith.”

  “Send her away,” Leora ordered. “I’m visiting with my brother.”

  Chapter Eight

  “I want to buy my Beautiful Doll.”

  Marque stood at Anson Carron’s reception desk at the Beautiful Dolls boudoir. He’d been looking forward to this moment all morning, even more than the gratifying sight of Bursus hauling off Chavis Smith yesterday afternoon to answer to the High Council for his illegal arms dealings.

  Hmm. Good things came in threes, right? First Leora had forgiven him, then Marque had turned in Chavis, and now he was going to take home J. It was a good couple of days in a life that didn’t see many good days.

  Marque nodded contentedly. “I want to take her with me after my final session today.”

  Behind the reception desk, Anson Carron smiled, but shook his head. “I’m sorry, the sexbots aren’t for sale.”

  “Everything’s for sale, Carron.” Marque was not put off in the least by Carron’s response. He knew how this game was played. “I’m a businessman, too. And as a businessman, I understand your strategy behind offering a free week in the arms of a Beautiful Doll. Well, I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know that the tactic worked. I’m hooked on mine. But I’m not coming back here every time I want to see her. In my line of work, it’s too dangerous.”

  Marque purposely kept his voice cool. There was no way he’d let Carron know he was in love with J. No. That would make her price go up markedly. So he’d fallen back on his ‘my-life-is-dangerous’ line. Which was nothing but the truth. For a man constantly in fear of his life, it was unheard of for him to be out of the office for an entire week, even just for one short hour at lunchtime.

  Carron again shook his head. “Proprietary issues forbid—”

  “Cut the crap, Carron. I don’t care what the hell makes her tick; I just want to use her. I’m taking her home with me today. So name your price.”

  “You didn’t try the sex toys on her, did you?” Carron said, in an apparent attempt to deflect the discussion.

  Marque frowned. Christ, he hated this slimy bastard Anson Carron. This was the second time in two days he’d mentioned those damned toys. And the ever-hovering assistant Leith Wyatt was getting on Marque’s nerves, too. He’d be damned glad to see the last of this place. “What the hell business is it of yours how I use the Doll?”

  Carron bowed his head. “Not my business at all. Apologies. We’ll discuss your purchase request after your session.”

  It annoyed Marque even further that Carron’s answer was patently non-committal. Not we’ll discuss your purchase but instead we’ll discuss your purchase request. So to drive home his determination, Marque said, “Good. Because I’m also going to need some instruction in her upkeep. And if you play your cards right, you might even talk me into an extended warranty.”

  There. That should give Carron something to think about for the next hour. Profit was a powerful motivator.

  Marque threw a scowl at the assistant, Wyatt, and then turned toward J’s room. Bursus took up his usual position by the doorway.

  #

  Sitting on the hard-backed chair in her Beautiful Dolls boudoir room, Jai struggled to tamp down her nerves. Ever since yesterday afternoon’s debriefing in Commander Rainey’s office, she’d been trying to figure out the best – and least traumatic – way to tell Marque she was human.

  Oh, she expected him to be upset about it, absolutely. But she was counting on his feelings for her – and a sense of relief that he wasn’t actually in love with a machine – to override his anger.

  Please, let it be so…

  First, she had a job to do. She needed to wrap up this case. And to accomplish that, she had to make sure Chavis Smith would pay for his crimes. The fact that Commander Rainey hadn’t called off this sting operation meant Smith was not yet in custody. So for now, at least, she must continue to pretend she was a sexbot.

  Once the Smith situation was settled, though…

  Jai’s eyes drifted closed. If today was like every other day this week, she and Marque would make love. In fact, she was counting on it. The only thing she wasn’t sure of was whether she should she tell him she was human before they had sex, or after.

  There were potent arguments in favor of either strategy.

  If she told him beforehand, they could make love as two human beings, as two people who were emotionally involved and committed to each other. Sex would be all the sweeter because they’d be equal human partners in it.

  On the other hand, if she told him after sex, their sweet lovemaking might lessen the blow of her news. Marque would be relaxed, satiated, hopefully in a more receptive frame of mind.

  So which one would be best?

  Jai froze as the door to her room abruptly opened. Goodness, was it 12:30 already? Good thing she’d already been sitting in her chair with her eyes closed!

  Close call. You’re slipping, Jai…

  I am not. I know my duty, and I’ll do it. But then I intend to have my reward…

  The door slammed closed. Jai wanted to frown, but didn’t dare. Marque had never slammed her door on arrival before. If he was in another foul mood, it could make her confession today all the more tricky.

  She concentrated on holding perfectly still while she heard him cross the floor. “Hello, J.” His voice sounded rough, edgy.

  Carefully, she opened her eyes. That crease between his brows was deeper today. Shame. Over their last few sessions together, it had eased dramatically. And she flattered herself that she’d had something to do with it.

  Had things not gone well with his sister yesterday? If that was the case, Jai was going to have to convince him to turn over Chavis Smith and tell Marque she wasn’t a robot. Oh, dear. She’d be earning her pay grade today.

  “Hello, Marque.”

  He frowned, and loosened his tie. Pulling at the knot, he threw the tie on her bed.

  “You look unhappy, Marque.”

  “Fuck. Up until a minute ago, I was extremely happy.” He blew out a breath and then gave her a small smile. “No, I’m not unhappy, I’m just annoyed. I need a minute to calm down, that’s all.”

  “Certainly.”

  Hmm. If he’d been fine until a minute ago, it boded well for the discussion with his sister yesterday. Something must have transpired just now between him and Anson Carron.

  Probably the subject of buying her.

  Which Anson Carron would have undoubtedly refused, in order to protect Jai’s cover.

  Don’t worry Marque. If things go as planned, I could still be going home with you today. It just won’t be the way you’re expecting.

  The thought made her smile.

  Marque massaged the back of his neck with a hand, rotated his shoulders, and then blew out a breath. “There. Better now.”

  He held out his hand to her. Jai placed her fingers in his, and he tugged her to her feet, leading her the few steps across the room to sit at the foot of the bed.

  Then he stood before her, his hands moving to his clothes.

  Dear God, was there anything sexier than watching a man undress? Jai’s eyes riveted on the sight of Marque casually shrugging out of his suit jacket, tugging his shirttail out of the waistband of his pants, slowly unbuttoning the buttons at the bottom of his long sleeves, and then starting to undo the long row of buttons down the front of his crisp white shirt. The skin he revealed as the material parted made her want to lick her lips. Or run them down his chest. Now.

  Right now.

  “Christ, J, when you look at me like that, I just want to be inside you.”

  Jai glanced at his cock. He wasn’t kidding. Marque was obviously ready to be inside her.

/>   No. Not yet. She had the subject of Chavis Smith to resolve first. And she’d never do it if she couldn’t get Marque’s suddenly eager hand off the zipper of his pants.

  “Stop.”

  Zipper down, Marque’s fingers paused on the button of his waistband, and he arched one eyebrow in surprise. “Did you actually just tell me to stop?”

  Jai swallowed hard. She was a Beautiful Doll. Programmed for pleasure. Her entire function was sex. What possible reason could she give for delaying him?

  “I just wanted to ask… how things went with your sister.”

  Instead of a look of annoyance, a huge smile split Marque’s lips and transformed his entire face. He took a step forward and cradled her cheeks in his two hands, leaning down to kiss her. It was a slow, drugging, thorough – and thoroughly perfect – kiss. Jai’s toes curled from the sheer pleasure of it.

  “You were right, beautiful J. So right. She’s still a prisoner of her life because of me, but now she knows it’s all for her safety. She knows how important she is to me. She knows what a vital job I really do. I’m back on loving terms with my sister, and I owe it all to you.”

  Jai’s heart swelled at the look of happiness that radiated from Marque’s eyes. She hadn’t realized that he was just as miserable as his sister obviously had been at their estrangement. Jai almost hated to open her mouth and break Marque’s contented spell, but the words had to be spoken. “And… Chavis Smith?”

  If possible, Marque’s smiled widened. “That’s the best part. She doesn’t love him. She was appalled at what he’d done, and agreed with me that he needed to pay for his actions. Chavis was turned over to the authorities late yesterday afternoon.”

  Jai’s eyes widened as she vacillated between elation and confusion at Marque’s news. Chavis Smith was already in the High Council’s custody? So then why hadn’t word of it gotten to Commander Rainey? Why hadn’t this operation been called off?

  Be grateful, Jai. If Rainey had closed the case yesterday, you wouldn’t have had this last meeting with Marque to tell him how you feel about him, to tell him you’re human. The path is clear now for you and Marque to be together.

  Right. She had to make good use of this opportunity.

  Jai smiled. “I’m very happy for you, Marque.”

  He let go of her face and straightened. “It’s such a relief. For almost a decade, my life has been nothing but shadows. Subterfuge. Lies and deceit. I’m so damned glad there is truth and honesty between my sister and me now. And I have you to thank for that honesty.”

  Oh, dear.

  Tell him. Tell him the truth now. Chavis Smith is in custody. The case is all but closed. Tell him you’re human. The longer you wait, the more he’ll hate you when you deliver the news of your dishonesty…

  “Marque—”

  “No more talk.” His hands went back to work on the button of his pants.

  “But—”

  “I can’t wait another second to be inside you, J.” He shoved his pants and underwear down his legs and kicked them off to the side. Socks followed. His shirt, which still hung open from his shoulders, joined the pile of clothes on the floor. He stood before her, gloriously naked, and Jai suddenly forgot about words. Her mind only had room for Marque.

  She let her eyes roam slowly over his body. Marque Callex was a living, breathing work of art. Yes, it was true that she’d admired the physical perfection of his broad shoulders, muscular arms, lightly-furred chest and lean hips – and even his impressive cock – on his first day here. But now she was looking at him with something much more than just physical appreciation. She loved him. After learning the truth about his job, she’d discovered he was a noble man. After seeing how he’d dealt with his sister, she knew he had a good heart. And he’d said he loved her, too. Even though he thought she was a machine!

  There was a warm tingling in her stomach now, a new possessiveness, a quiet joy.

  Damn these robotic starburst contact lenses for hiding all that emotion from him!

  Marque again held out his hand. “Come with me.”

  Jai swallowed, and then nodded. I guess it’ll be Plan B. She’d tell him she was human after sex.

  She stood, and he led her the short distance around to the top of the bed. It was only then that she realized she was still wearing her sarong, while he was completely naked. She reached up to untie the knot at the back of her neck, but he stopped her.

  “Just a minute.”

  She raised an eyebrow, waiting curiously.

  “Christ, J, when you do things like that, you seem so damn…human.”

  Good. If he already thought of her mannerisms as human, it might not be so hard for him to accept her confession later.

  Marque blew out a breath. “Listen…”

  When he didn’t immediately continue, Jai raised her other eyebrow. “Yes?”

  He shoved a hand through his hair. “I-I want to ask you to do something for me today. My job…my life…well, I’m always in control. I have to be. But the weight of it…the responsibility of what I do and who I am…is exhausting. I’m tired of being in control. Damn sick of it sometimes. Just once – just for this hour – I’d like someone else to be in control. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  Jai froze. Talk about confessions! She could tell from the naked look in Marque’s eyes that he was revealing a side of himself he’d possibly never shown to anyone else. He was confiding in her, trusting her with his vulnerability.

  And while one part of her rejoiced in his trust, another part of her worried how exposing such intimate information about himself would sit with him once he knew she wasn’t a machine.

  Marque cleared his throat. “I want you to take control of sex today. Would you do that for me, J?”

  She answered after only the briefest hesitation, speaking from her heart. “I would do anything for you, Marque. “Did you have something in particular in mind?”

  For an answer, he lay down on his back on the bed and reached up to thread his fingers through the scrollwork headboard, as if he were tied to it. “Take control. Blindfold me. Hell, that scrap of material you’re wearing is hardly bigger than a scarf, anyway. Then have your way with me.”

  Again those little alarm bells of worry went off in Jai’s head. How would the powerful Marque Callex feel about sharing his fantasy of giving up that power, of wanting instead to be submissive, to be used, to surrender himself to sex at the hands of a robot, when he found out she was human? And that he was being videotaped doing it! On the other hand, if Jai could make this an amazing experience for him, maybe it would help soothe any embarrassment later.

  And she would definitely destroy Wyatt’s digital disc, if he hadn’t already stopped recording after hearing Marque’s confirmation that he’d turned in Chavis Smith.

  Hmm. Jai looked around the room. She briefly considered employing the erotic sex toys hidden behind the Japanese shoji screen, then dismissed them. Marque had said yesterday he didn’t want kink, so Jai would just have to make this an experience to remember, using only her imagination.

  Her fingers moved to untie the knot of her sarong and she drew the thin silk away from her body with one hand.

  “Damn, you’re beautiful, J,” Marque said quietly from the bed. She loved the way his cool grey eyes seemed to warm, to light up when he looked at her. “I may not like blue-eyed blondes, but I ordered my perfect female body type from Anson Carron. And you’re definitely it.”

  She smiled a secret smile, smoothed the silk into one long length, and then took a step closer to the bed. Marque obviously expected her to blindfold him, but instead, she put one end of the strip of silk against the side of his neck, and then started a slow, teasing, torturous exploration of his body with it.

  Marque inhaled sharply as she glided the silk down his neck, gently tickled the hollow of his collarbone with it, slid it deliberately across his shoulder, and then started on a path down his chest. She paused to brush the sensuous material back and forth ac
ross one male nipple, blatantly teasing it, seeing if he would enjoy that, and noting with satisfaction the jerky movement of Marque’s chest as he struggled for breath.

  Risking a glance up at his face, Jai was pleased to see Marque’s eyes were screwed shut, his head thrown back, and his grip on the headboard almost white-knuckled.

  Good. He was definitely enjoying the sensuous teasing.

  She dragged the silk over to his other nipple, giving it the same exquisite torture, and then, when his nipple was a perfect tight brown knot from her stimulation, she trailed the gauzy material down his stomach.

  Marque’s low growl as Jai glided the silk over his belly toward his groin thrilled her to her core. If she thought pleasing Marque with oral sex three days ago had been exciting, it was nothing compared to the power over his pleasure she felt now.

  His beautiful cock was rock hard. And all because of her.

  Her heart tripped with an erratic, excited beat.

  Jai held the silk material still, waiting patiently, knowing it would increase Marque’s anticipation and desire. After a moment, Marque’s hips began to twitch, as if searching for the silk. She chose that moment to finally drag the material down his cock, and was rewarded with his rough gasp of pleasure. Continuing the path downward, she circled his balls with the material, gliding around and around, and then back up along the length of his cock. Then back down again, repeating the teasing routine.

  Marque was moaning loudly now, his hips jerking outright. Jai knew he wouldn’t come with just the stimulation of the silk, no, there wasn’t enough pressure. In fact, what she’d done was meant to purposely excite but frustrate him, knowing it would make his eventual climax all the bigger.

  “Fuck, J.” His voice was a harsh rasp.

  Her strategy was obviously working.

  Jai pulled the silk away from Marque’s body altogether, and quickly stepped back up to the head of the bed. “Look at me,” she ordered.