Dahlia- Birth of an AI

by D. R. Rosier

  Mia was the golden blonde, with those vivid dark blue eyes that sparkled. Her beautiful face was angelically sweet, and the smile she brought up for me reminded me that her personality was just as sweet. Her body was lissome, soft curves, and she was about five foot seven. She had the body of a dancer, tight perky B cups, and incredibly long legs. She was just as sexy as Lia and Emma were, if in a completely different way, Bellona too for that matter.

  I couldn’t see what she was wearing down below, but she had on a nice red blouse that was buttoned almost all the way up to her neck, with ruffles around her neck and over the buttons.

  She said softly, “Paul, good to see you, find everything okay so far?”

  Her voice was warm, but at the same time had that authority to it that made me instantly trust her, she must be a hell of a saleswoman, given her beauty was already remarkable enough to engender a lot of trust subconsciously. Even knowing about that false effect, the halo effect, it didn’t make me immune to it. Mia was a sweetheart too, the kind of woman every man would stand up to protect and kick ass for, even knowing it was absurd I felt her pushing all the buttons of my protective instincts.

  “Great, thanks. Emma took good care of me.”

  Mia stood up, revealing that she wore a black pencil skirt that hugged her hips and legs, and dark red shoes with two-inch heels that matched her blouse. She walked around her desk, and she waved for me to follow her.

  I walked out, and she turned left.

  We walked all the way down, and she pointed out the bathrooms, breakrooms, and the conference rooms where some of the employees would brainstorm if they were stuck. She showed me Lia’s office, who wasn’t in at the moment, and then turned right. We walked all the way to that corner, which was Bellona’s office, which if I remembered right, she would be my main boss, sort of.

  Mia took me in an office two doors over from Bellona’s, it was a large room, fifteen by twenty at least, with a real wood desk, phone setup and a had a thin LED all in one computer monitor. Next to the keyboard on the desk was a tablet.

  It also had a name plaque with my name on the door.

  Mia said, “None of this should leave the office, ever. The tablet is to help share ideas within the office, and to test our tablet applications with your code. It can also interface with any of the monitors in the meeting rooms for a meeting or demonstration. Go ahead and pick it up with your right hand.”

  I did, and as soon as I did, the tablet logged in. I really needed to see that code, and how the implants worked as remote smartcards.

  She pointed, “Open the human resources app, and it should prompt you to go over and digitally sign your paperwork in order. It’ll also set up your direct deposit and wireless pay if you activated that part of things.”

  I sat down and clicked on the app, and I started looking over the paperwork to verify it all. It took a surprisingly short amount of time, considering I didn’t have to fill any of it out besides my bank account and routing numbers, and they hadn’t made any mistakes.

  “What’s next?”

  She said, “There are also video overviews of our benefits, which will activate in three months automatically. As well as a copy of our company handbook. I’d advise you to review both, then we’re finished until Monday morning. Unless you have questions for me?”

  I shook my head, “Not yet.”

  She smiled, “Okay, well if you do when you finish the video and handbook, you know where my office is. If you want a bigger screen, the app is on your computer too.”

  She looked into my eyes a long moment, and her lips slightly parted like she wanted to say something else, but she abruptly smiled instead, welcomed me to the company again, and left my office.

  I guessed that tour only included the top floor. I was curious about the research floors, and what might go on there, but I figured this floor and the lobby would most likely be all I’d ever see. It made sense, that kind of thing would be split off, and I probably wouldn’t need to know it to do my job. That was just basic security precautions. I also wondered what Mia had wanted to say but had held back.

  Fuck, all four of them were drop dead gorgeous in completely different ways, I wondered if I’d ever get used to working with the four of them.

  I bet Emma would have spat it out, whatever Mia had held back.

  I chuckled at that thought, and then started the video.

  Chapter Four

  It took me a couple of hours to watch the videos and read through the company handbook. There was nothing too odious in there, though none of the technology could leave the building outside of our implants and cell phones. I did learn the dress code was business casual, but apparently Emma didn’t count for that, which was fine with me. She looked amazing in jeans.

  I also took a moment to install the security app on my cell phone, which made it use the secure login implant which I’d already paired, only then did it allow me to set up my email on it. It was about a quarter to twelve, and I guessed I was done for the day. I was all set to start on Monday, and I had a three and half day weekend left before I hit the salt mines on my first job.

  I was honestly excited about it, cutting edge security coding and app design. I was looking forward to being briefed on my first project by Bellona.

  I got up, and the computer and tablet locked when I was about five feet away from them, which was impressive. Then I left, and I headed for the elevators. I was almost disappointed I didn’t have any questions as an excuse to talk to Mia again, and I considered the idea of saying hi to Bellona and Lia, but ultimately dismissed it. They were my bosses, and quite friendly, but not my friends.

  I turned into the center hallway, and I smiled in surprise when Lia walked in from the other side a second later. Her work clothes weren’t nearly as revealing as that pink lingerie number from earlier that morning, but she looked just as drop dead gorgeous in a business appropriate light green dress, that nonetheless managed to show off her perfect hourglass body, half her cleavage, and her toned muscular legs. Her long light brown hair hung down like a shimmering curtain to frame her face. She also had a tiny amount of makeup on, which she really didn’t need with her soft girl next door beauty and flawless complexion.

  Her brown eyes lit up at my smile, and she said, “Everything go well today?”

  I nodded, “Great, I’m all set up for Monday.”

  She smiled, “Good,” she pushed the elevator call button, “I don’t suppose you want to keep me company at lunch. Bell has a coding emergency, Emma is on a deadline on an implant related project, and Mia is plotting to take over the world.”

  I laughed, “Really? Mia?”

  She winked, “Don’t let her innocent looks and warm voice fool you, she’s a shark, and does it with a sweet innocent smile, and she’s more than half the reason we’ve been so successful. Oh, not with the tech itself, but with the marketing and sales.”

  I asked, “One day you’ll have to tell me how you all met.”

  Seriously, four young geniuses, perfectly suited to complement each other in a cutthroat business and not only thrive but take the world by storm. That they were all hot and female was just… a bonus I guess.

  Lia looked me in the eyes and said deadpan, “I made them in my basement.”

  It was an odd joke, but I managed an honest chuckle.

  Then she giggled, and said, “Someday I will, if you keep me company?”

  “I’d love to, where are we going.”

  She winked, “Italian, where else? You know I’m addicted.”

  “Two days in a row? Do they have support groups for that?”

  She snickered, “Yes, but they’re crazy, they actually try to quit! I went once, but I got thrown out for trying to trade recipes, can you imagine?”

  I laughed.

  “I see, do the others have this addiction? I’m starting to wonder if their deadlines are just…” I trailed off suggestively.

  Lia gasped in faux shock, “Damn them!”

  I wa
s really laughing hard then, and for a second, just for a second, I was simply a man having a great time with a woman, in my mind at least. It had probably been the best laugh I’d had in months, and for just that moment I forgot she was my boss. It was also when I realized I was starting to like my boss, she was quirky, wacky, and a bit weird at times, but I loved her sense of humor, and her warm rich voice that held a tinge of natural sultriness to it.

  Yes, she was fucking gorgeous too, but that was the easy part to ignore, it was the rest of her that truly made her shine, her beauty included.

  Plus, she made great coffee.

  We got onto the elevator, still a bit unsteady with laughter, and she hit the ground floor button.

  She took a deep breath, and her face was flush from her own laughter. She looked really good with flushed skin, and that’s when her floral scent hit me on the enclosed elevator. Damn, I’d forgotten how good she smelled, from earlier that morning, which made me think of Emma’s sweet scent.

  God, I was in trouble.

  “I guess I’ll have to talk firmly with them when we… when I get back. Thank you by the way, I hate eating alone, and you’re better company than most.”

  I nodded, “It’s hardly a hardship on my part.”

  She smirked, “Be careful with those fulsome compliments, you might make me swoon.”

  I wasn’t sure what to say to that, at least, not anything that wouldn’t get me in trouble in more ways than one.

  “Don’t worry, I’d catch you,” slipped out, despite myself.

  She bit her lip, and took a deep breath, and I wondered if I’d just taken it a step too far into flirting.

  Then she burst out laughing, which dragged me along into my own, and made me realize her deep breath was her trying to control her laughter.

  We managed to get a hold of ourselves by the time we reached the lobby, and then stepped out into the world once more. In truth it hadn’t even been all that funny, but Lia had a presence that was hard to describe, she was an intoxicating and sexy young woman, but the woman had layers, and the more I got to know her the more I wanted to learn them all.

  Which was stupid, she was my boss, the CEO of the hottest new traded company out there at the moment, and off limits.

  Except, when we laughed together, and she looked into my eyes, she didn’t seem off limits at all. She seemed like a normal woman showing attraction for a man with light flirting banter, honest smiles, and eye contact that lasted a little too long. About the only thing she didn’t do at that lunch was touch my arm lightly, but not all women did that when they flirted either.

  Was I reading into it? Or was I thinking with my very young and stupid twenty-two-year-old horny cock?

  Needless to say, the whole time I had a blast with my boss in the limo and at the restaurant, I’d also been arguing with myself. Dream job I was going to love doing, great salary, nice people to work with, it was a killer combination, one that I knew was rare in life. Did I really want to risk that by expressing my admiration and interest in a brown-eyes beauty that took my breath away? Not just her looks, her laugh, attitude about life, intelligence, sweetness, and whatever crazy ass quirkiness she had that made her wake me up while wearing sexy pink lingerie earlier that morning.

  As the lunch wound down, and my face actually hurt from smiling and laughing so much, I knew it was time to either man up or slink away like a gutless loser… that wanted to keep his cushy office and job.

  Her looks wouldn’t have been worth the risk at all, not by themselves no matter how exquisitely beautiful she was, but the total package, crazy quirks included, just might have been worth the risk.

  I hoped.

  “Lia, this might be wildly inappropriate, but would you let me take you out to dinner tonight, and maybe some dancing? I… really enjoy your company.”

  Her eyes widened in shock for a moment, and then so quickly I couldn’t be sure, I thought I saw a deeply shocking vulnerability and fear in her eyes and on her face, but it was gone so fast I couldn’t be sure I didn’t just imagine it.

  She smiled shyly, “I’d like that very much Paul, and as Emma would say, fuck inappropriate.”

  I snickered, and she snorted a laugh, which was surprisingly endearing.

  She said, “So… meet here at six?”

  I laughed, “Italian again? You need an intervention.”

  She pouted, and while not as pouty lipped as Emma, her full lips did a pretty damned good job of it. Well, I did say her quirks were endearing, and there was a lot left on the menu there that I hadn’t tried yet.

  “Six works for me.”

  Then to make my intentions clear, I paid for the meal and completely ignored her protests about lunch not being a date, our date was tonight.

  I was smiling as I walked her outside, and even opened the limo door for her that took her back to work.

  As I turned toward the El to head home, I felt a block of led settle in my stomach.

  What the hell had I just done? If our date went badly I was so screwed, if our relationship went bad, I was so screwed. I guessed if I wanted to keep my job, I’d have to marry her. She’d been far too excited about it, and there was no way I could break the date now that I’d come down from the high of her presence and returned to my senses. Plus, I didn’t really want to, I really enjoyed her company, more so than I had any woman before, and we’d just met. Our personalities seemed to mesh perfectly, which probably meant I was as weird and quirky as she was.

  I snorted at the thought of marrying her to keep my job though, that was ridiculous.

  Wasn’t it?

  I took a second shower that day, and I shaved off my five o’clock shadow. I wore clothes nice enough for the restaurant that would still pass at a club, even though I wasn’t sure we’d be dancing afterwards or not. I wished I could’ve picked her up, but I didn’t have a car. I would soon, probably my second paycheck, but money would still be tight for a while.

  I hadn’t been on a date for a while, so was nervous as I left the house, and headed down the El line to get to the Italian restaurant. I chuckled at that, third time eating there in two days. I also felt the nerves melt away at that thought, I’d had a great time with her already at two meals, I was sure I could handle the third time being a date.

  Still, it was the first time I was taking out a ten, she was that in my opinion, both on the outside and inside as far as I could tell. I was sure she had claws though, underneath the easy relationship we seemed to have. She was the CEO of a hugely successful publicly traded company, she didn’t get there by being a hundred percent nice, I was sure.

  Still, I wasn’t her competition, and was usually pretty confident most of the time.

  I got to the restaurant a few minutes early, but she was already there and seated at the same table. It seemed she was there so often she had her own table, or at least we’d sat there all three times. She had on a sexy little black dress, that hugged her curves, and showed just a tasteful amount of cleavage, yet the dress also mashed together and pushed up her breasts higher, making them look even bigger on her hourglass and athletic body.

  Her long light brown hair was up in a bun, revealing the gentle curve of her neck, and her petite earlobes. It also fully revealed the soft delicate beauty of her face, transformed it even, without her hair framing her face. She looked even more ravishingly beautiful, if that was possible.

  When she saw me, the bright welcoming and almost joyful smile that burst from her spontaneously took me by surprise, and I found myself grinning back helplessly as I walked over a took a seat across from her. If she was that happy to see me, I supposed I didn’t have to be nervous at all, and I felt myself relax even further.

  “Lia, you look stunning, truly magnificent.”

  She blushed, “Thanks, you look good too.”

  The waitress came and took our order, that third time I had a linguine in a creamy sauce, with shrimp.

  I also realized she must work out all the time if she ate here c
onstantly, her figure was too supple and athletic, not an inch of extra fat on her athletic and alluring body. Something I’d have to do, if I didn’t want a spare tire before the age of twenty-three.

  Which really, was just a few months away.

  “So, did they fess up about their so-called deadlines?”

  She looked confused for a second, and then giggled.

  “No, I’m afraid they were really busy today.”

  I asked, “Do you all live together?”

  She nodded slowly, “We do, separate rooms. We’re close, they’re my business partners, and my best friends. We trade off chores, cooking, cleaning, and the like. We even work out together, there’s a gym in the den, which was kind of a second smaller living room when we bought the place. Sometimes we’re a little competitive, but in a good way, it pushes us all to be our best, without starting fights. It also helps that we all have different specialties, so can’t quite compete directly, at least businesswise.”

  “So, how did you meet them?”

  She shrugged, “We met growing up, we were all in a… I guess you could call it a special school. We were taking the equivalent of college level courses when we were about eleven years old, so we decided to join forces and take over the world.”

  I laughed.

  She said, “Or you know, leave it a better place than we found it. Not with empty words, political correctness, or empty promises either. Our security company and other inventions are paying for all of our… charity research. I’d love to tell you all about it, but not here.”

  “You sound passionate about it, and you do have me curious.”

  I was, her passion was also turning me on. I felt that excitement everyone felt on a first date, when they really cared for the person sitting across from them and felt that strong spark of nascent chemical romance. The feelings were fast, they also weren’t all that deep yet, but I could feel the potential. We connected, almost like she was made for me.

  She was… mesmerizing, intoxicating, and her smile and passion was catching.