by I. T. Lucas
“I do. But experiencing the interface will give you invaluable insight into what we need to look out for.”
She shook her head. “I’m confused. You have to explain what exactly it is that you want from me, Gabriel. How can I experience the interface when I’m the only one in the database? A solo adventure?”
“You won’t be the only one. I’ll fill out the questionnaire too, and we will experience it together .”
Brenna was taken aback. “That’s quite bold of you to proposition me like this so soon.”
Damn, he was going about it all wrong. “In the virtual world, it’s not going to be you and me hooking up. When inside the fantasy, the participants have no recollection of their real lives. It’s like a dream. You’re someone else. But unlike a dream, you get to choose who that someone else is. You design your avatar, giving her any attributes you want, and you design your adventure too.”
“But when we wake up we remember everything, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Let’s assume for a moment that I agree to do this with you. With only two people in the database, the algorithm has to match us. What if our fantasies have nothing in common?”
“Then the program will say that no compatible matches have been found.”
She looked relieved. “Good, that’s good. But what if we match only marginally? What if there are a few common factors but most are not?”
“Then the algorithm will build a fantasy based on the common factors and ignore the rest.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Positive.”
“So, if my fantasy is having sex in an air balloon, but you are afraid of heights, there will be no air balloon?”
“You got it. It will pick up some other aspects of your fantasy that are compatible with mine. That’s why the questionnaire is so extensive. The more information, the better.”
A small smile bloomed on Brenna’s face. “What can I say? This must be the most bizarre come-on ever invented, but I have to give you points for originality.”
“So, is it a yes?”
She nodded. “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this, but what the heck. It’s a harmless adventure, right?” She chuckled. “The worst that could happen is that we come out of it so embarrassed that we don’t want to speak to each other ever again.”
At least she’d said embarrassed and not disappointed. The question was what did Brenna have in mind that was potentially embarrassing?
Gabriel couldn’t wait to find out.
He reached for her hand. “Not going to happen. Guaranteed.”
She didn’t pull away. “I hope so. Because I really like you, Gabriel. I don’t want us to ruin this before it even begins.”
“Isn’t it better to find out right from the start whether we are right for each other? Perfect Match provides a unique shortcut.”
“Not everything is about sex.”
“True. But if the sex sucks…” He lifted a brow.
“Then it doesn’t matter how great everything else is.” She completed the sentence for him.
6
Brenna
This was no doubt the craziest thing Brenna had ever agreed to do, but she felt powerless to refuse.
Shoving aside caution and reserve, she gave into her intense craving to experience something different, something outside her comfort zone, an adventure that had nothing to do with the single-minded focus that had run her life up until now.
Alone, she would’ve never gone for the Perfect Match. The only one she was willing to take a chance on was Gabriel.
Because he was worth it.
She’d always liked his driven personality, his quiet determination, and the way he’d never boasted about his accomplishments. But in the past, she hadn’t been physically attracted to him. Well, maybe just a little. Even as a teenager, his height and his broad shoulders had been worthy of notice.
Now, though, he was hotter than hot, and as much as Brenna wanted to convince herself that she was above such trivial things as a guy’s level of hotness, she was just human.
From a maybe, Gabriel had turned into a definite yes. Except, they were going to use avatars, and he might not look the same in the fantasy.
And what about her? Should she make herself prettier? Add a cup size or two?
Still holding on to her hand, Gabriel had been waiting patiently for her to give him a yes or no answer.
“Tell me about the avatars. How close to what I look like should I make mine?” she asked.
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “It’s up to you. But if you’re asking me, then don’t change a thing.”
Brenna stifled a snort. Since when had Gabriel turned into such a smooth operator? But she wasn’t buying it. There must be something about her he would like to change.
“How about your avatar? Is there anything specific you have in mind?”
She hoped he wouldn’t change anything. It would be disconcerting to wake up from the experience and remember someone who looked vastly different than Gabriel. Hopefully, he wouldn’t choose an avatar who looked like Conan the Barbarian. She liked the sophisticated, complicated types, not cavemen.
But if he chose Thor, she could live with that.
Gabriel smirked. “It depends on your description of your perfect partner. The algorithm will try to match my wishes to yours.”
Giving him a quick once over, Brenna decided there wasn’t a thing she wanted to change. Except maybe for the hair. The fantasy she had in mind required a different style.
It would be interesting, though, to discover what Gabriel wanted her to look like. He’d probably give her bigger breasts and fuller lips. That was what all guys liked. Hopefully, that would be it. She’d be very disappointed if upon waking up she would remember herself looking like a Barbie doll.
“Can we keep our names?”
“Sure. It’s not like we don’t know who we are partnering with. But let’s give them a little twist. After all, this is a fantasy. How about Rena instead of Brenna?”
“Works for me. What about you?”
“Gabriel can be Brel.”
“I like it.”
He pushed to his feet. “Let me catch the technicians before they go home for the evening.”
“I don’t want to keep anyone overtime. We can do it some other day.”
“Nonsense,” he offered her a hand up. “They are just as anxious as Hunter and I to start the beta testing.”
She followed him out of his office. “Why didn’t you? I’m sure some would’ve volunteered to be test subjects.”
“Hunter and I wanted to be the first to try it out.” He chuckled. “Just not with each other.”
“Does Hunter have a girlfriend?”
“He did, and the plan was for him to try it out with her, but she left him quite abruptly.”
“Poor guy. What happened?”
Gabriel shrugged. “He doesn’t want to talk about it, but it had to be something major for him to be so pissed. I had to force him to take a few days off and chill out. That’s why everything was put on hold even though we were ready to start.” He smiled at her as he opened the door to another office. “I didn’t expect to find myself a partner so soon either. There was no way I was going to do it with one of the employees.”
That was good to hear. At least he hadn’t taken it for granted that she would be easy to tempt.
As they entered the tiny office, Brenna felt a little claustrophobic. She hated small spaces, though, and this was more of a cubicle with a door than a room. A desk, a computer, a telephone, and a chair. There was no window. Obviously, this wasn’t where the virtual adventure was going to take place.
“Take a seat.” Gabriel pulled the chair out for her. “The questionnaire is pretty self-explanatory, so I don’t think you’ll need any help with that. But if you do, call me, and I’ll walk you through it.”
The program came on as soon as she moved the mouse. “No
security code?”
“Not yet. Once you put in your basic information, it will ask you to create one. No one other than you will ever have access to this. Confidentiality is paramount for the service’s success.”
“So, it’s between me and the algorithm?”
“Precisely. Just make sure to remember your code. If you go out to the bathroom or to grab something to drink, you’ll have to log in again when you come back. And if you forget your password, you’ll have to start everything from the beginning.”
“Got it. Where will you be?”
“The office one door over, filling out the same questionnaire. I want to go through the entire client experience with you from start to finish.”
It was nice knowing that he was staying near. “Should I come to get you when I’m done?”
“I’m probably going to be done much sooner because I’m familiar with it. When you’re finished, you can either go back to my office or text me, and I’ll come get you. It’s easy to get lost in here.”
“Very well.” Brenna cracked her knuckles. “I feel like I’m about to take an exam.”
He winked. “No cheating.”
“Of course not. I never do.”
This wasn’t an actual test that she was going to get graded on, so it wouldn’t count as cheating if she fibbed a little. But since no one was ever going to see her answers, there was no need to hide things or make things up to make herself look better.
Opening the door, Gabriel paused before stepping out. “And Brenna?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t be shy. Go wild. This is your opportunity to experience things you would never dare try in real life.”
Brenna nodded and smiled, but as soon as the door closed behind Gabriel, she slumped in the chair and sighed. Easier said than done. Her fantasies were so freaking embarrassing. She would’ve been mortified if anyone ever found out that she was reading about those sorts of things, let alone doing them.
When he’d told her to go wild, Gabriel had no idea how far her imagination could go. He’d also told her that no one would ever get to see what she wrote in the questionnaire, but if the software used her fantasy to create their shared experience, Gabriel would know.
Would he make fun of her after they were done? Or think that she was weird?
Then again, unless Gabriel’s fantasies were at least somewhat aligned with hers, the algorithm would ignore her more bizarre ones and go for those that resembled his.
But if he matched hers…well, that would indeed be a perfect match.
Her shoulders relaxing, Brenna let out a relieved breath.
How liberating.
She could describe her most secret and darkest desires without fear of rejection, or ridicule, or even disappointment.
7
Gabriel
As he sat in front of the computer, answering one question after another, Gabriel wrote down notes. Filling out the questionnaire as a client and trying to come up with a fantasy scenario that would appeal to Brenna, or any other woman, gave him valuable insight into the process that had been lacking when he and Hunter had designed the questionnaire with a hypothetical male and female in mind.
Some things were missing, while others were redundant, and it was time-consuming to the point of being exhausting, especially since it required soul searching that most people were unaccustomed to.
In the future, they should have clients fill out the questionnaire online instead of in the company offices, so they could do it from the comfort and privacy of their homes and take all the time they needed to decide on how they wanted to answer what.
Designing a perfect fantasy shouldn’t be rushed.
Damn, there was still so much that needed to be done, so many little details that needed more attention. Like the flimsy office chair that he was sitting in. That wouldn’t do even for the volunteers in beta testing, let alone actual clients.
Hopefully, the one in Brenna’s room was more comfortable, and she was doing okay and not freaking out over some of the questions. What if she decided that it was too much for her and walked out?
Should he check with Barbara?
Right. He needed to relax. Perhaps a better idea would be to ask Barbara to bring him the bottle of scotch from his office. Except, he felt awkward sending his aunt for things that weren’t strictly business related. Besides, knowing Barbara, she’d start asking questions about Brenna and then making suggestions about the two of them getting together.
Ever since his twenty-eighth birthday, his mother and his aunt had put their matchmaking efforts into overdrive, trying to get him married before he hit the dreaded thirty. In their minds, Gabriel was already an old bachelor, which was a cause for a lot of worried hand wringing and meaningful sighs.
He loved them both and would do anything for either, but sometimes they tried his patience.
On the way to the questionnaire rooms, he and Brenna had managed to sneak past the reception room unnoticed, and maybe he’d manage to do it again. Slinking out like a thief, Gabriel darted past the reception and into his office. As he poured himself a shot, he wondered whether Brenna liked whiskey.
Not many women did, but Brenna was anything but a stereotypical woman. Should he offer her a shot?
Nah. It wasn’t a good idea to interrupt her while she was answering intimate questions. If she was thirsty or hungry, Barbara could point her in the direction of the break room.
Except, given the circumstances and what they were about to do, Brenna might feel embarrassed and hesitate to ask. Not that Barbara would know anything unless Brenna told her.
As far as his aunt and everyone else was concerned, Brenna was there as an advisor. The only one who would know was Sarah, the technician who was going to hook Brenna to the virtual fantasy machine and monitor her throughout the experience.
The techs knew not to disclose the identities of their clients.
Pulling out his phone, Gabriel texted her. Would you like something to drink or eat? I can bring you a snack, or you can get it in the break room.
Brenna answered a moment later. Thanks, but I’m fine. I’ve already raided the fridge in the break room, but I’m not nearly done with this questionnaire. It’s so long…
Take your time. I’m not done yet either.
Good to know.
Smiling, he put the phone back in his pocket.
Timid, but with spunk. He loved the combination. Would she be the same in bed?
Gabriel preferred his partners submissive, but not doormats. His perfect woman was smart, successful, and confident enough to yield control to him sexually but not in any other way.
In short, nearly impossible to find.
He’d even gone as far as joining a kink club in search of one, but he’d discovered soon enough that it wasn’t for him. He was a private man, and the club scene was not conducive to that. Besides, his tastes were very mild compared to those of the other members, and finding the right partner had once more proven difficult.
For him, it was easier to compromise on pure vanilla than stretch in the other direction.
Back in the tiny room, he finished the questionnaire, went over his fantasy, and hoped Brenna was more imaginative than him. All he’d come up with were general parameters, which was probably for the best because he wasn’t introducing contradicting variables that might limit the scope of hers.
Gabriel couldn’t wait to find out what she’d come up with. If it was anything like her fantastic ideas from the film class they’d taken together in high school, he was in for one hell of a ride.
After saving the file and signing out, he went out to the front office, where Barbara grinned at him as if she was in on a big secret. “You didn’t tell me that you and the lovely Dr. Brenna attended the same high school.”
“Well, now you know.” Hopefully, that was all she knew.
“Such a pleasant young woman. I’m glad she’s helping you with the medical protocol.”
He’d forgotten to tel
l Brenna not to mention their shared test-run to Barbara. Luckily, Brenna was smart enough to figure that out. Either that or she was embarrassed to admit it.
Barbara leaned over her desk and whispered. “You should ask her out on a date.”
He chuckled, thinking that he kind of had. Their first date might be virtual, but it sure was going to be memorable.
“I’ll take your suggestion under advisement. Please send Dr. Hutchinson to my office when she is done.”
“Certainly, my dear.”
Despite his insistence on confidentiality, Gabriel had no doubt that Barbara was eventually going to find out. But if she couldn’t admit to snooping where she wasn’t supposed to, she couldn’t pester him about it or tattletale to his mother either.
After pacing his office for nearly an hour, he called the techs to make sure they hadn’t left yet, and then paced some more until Brenna’s knock finally came.
“Sorry it took so long,” she said as he opened the door. Her cheeks were red, and she was avoiding his eyes. “I didn’t want to make any mistakes.”
That blush made him even more curious. He couldn’t wait to find out what her fantasy was all about.
“The more thorough, the better.” He put his hand on the small of her back as he guided her down the corridor to one of the virtual rooms. “Ready for your adventure?”
“No.”
Gabriel stopped and faced Brenna. “What’s the matter?”
“I’m terrified.” She still wouldn't look into his eyes.
“I assure you that it’s perfectly safe. We didn’t run a full-blown scenario yet, but we did plenty of limited-scale ones. There were no side effects whatsoever.”
She shook her head. “That’s not what I’m afraid of. But don’t worry. I’m not backing out. I’m a pro at pushing through my fears to get where I want to go.”
Unable to help himself, he smoothed his fingers over one heated cheek. “This is going to be the most amazing experience of your life, and I’m not saying it because I consider myself such a great lover. It’s because you’re going to fulfill a fantasy. But just to ease your mind. If anything goes wrong and you feel overwhelmed, your stress level indicators will alert the program, and it will halt. A banner will come up asking whether you want to continue or stop. You can exit the virtual world at any point.”
