[Mercy Merchant]

Elaine looks from you to Tanya and back then comes and takes you by the hand and excusing both of you for a few seconds.  She whispers, "Hey.  Do this because you want to, not because you think I want to.  I mean, of course I do, but only if you want to.  And would Robin have any trouble with this if it goes beyond just the tub?  I mean, she does have a reputation for liking woman as much as men.  I am for this if you are."

[Irn0rchid]

"You were looking a little perturbed at her suggestion so I wasn't sure what you were thinking. This all started because Robin wanted me to go out and have some fun, so that's what I've been doing. It's been working out well so far, hasn't it?", she grins. Turning back to Tanya, "Well, it sounds like we're in. So how are we traveling? We all came separately."

[Mercy Merchant]

Tanya smiles.  "Perfect.  I am sending both of you a code that will get your cars into the priority garage of the Gates Undersound Hotel.  Present the code and they will show you where to park.  I will wait for you at the elevator there.  I think this will be fun.  Champaign or something else?  I can have something ready for us."

Elaine looks at you and shrugs.  "Champaign?"

[Irn0rchid]

Rose provides a different link number to Tanya than she'd given Elaine, accepts the garage code, and calls for her car to pick her up. Shrugging back to Elaine, "Sure, champagne, why not?" While waiting for the car she asks, "Are you just visiting Seattle, then? Since you're staying in a hotel? At least, I assume you're staying there."

[Mercy Merchant]

Tanya shakes her head.  "No, I live there.  Part of the hotel is residential suites."  She bids you farewell as a long Rolls Royce limousine pulls up to the curb.  "My ride is here.  See you in a few minutes.  Ciao."  She goes to the curb, where a man opens the door for her and assists her in.  The car glides away almost silently and Elaine says, "Wow.  What a car.  I have never been to the Gates, but I understand it is remarkable.  Oh, here is mine."  Elaine's car is just a step above yours, but the doorman treats her as if she were Tanya Marisart, too.  And you are given the same treatment as well when your car arrives.

The drive to the hotel takes a few minutes only and your car drives to the VIP parking, where your name is checked against a register by an alert, and armed, young man.  A drone is provided for you to follow to Tanya's parking area.  You do not see the limo, but there is a Mirage bike against the wall and Elaine's car is in a guest slot.  Both Tanya and Elaine are waiting for you at the elevator, which deposits you in the main lobby.  Your view as you walk from the garage elevator to a small bank of elevators around the corner in the lobby is of an expansive lobby decorated in a seascape motif.

[Irn0rchid]

Rose ogles the limo, "Man, that's a nice car. Someone must have really liked you to give you that as a gift, eh?" she grins. Once back in her car, she relaxes and messages Robin, <<Okay, I'm headed to the Gates hotel with Elaine and Tanya. She certainly seems to be very rich. Maybe we can find a way of translating an in with her into another payday? I hope things are going well with Howard, at this point I'm not sure when we'll be back.>> She also retrieves one of the Noizquitos and preps it for the night, just in case. Instructing it to run wireless off once she turns it back on, she turns it off and places it in her purse with orders to fly to the ceiling and follow her two minutes after being turned on, recording audio and video, returning to the purse and turning off if she snaps her fingers.

Exiting the car at the hotel, Rose joins the others and heads inside. Entering the lobby, she lets out a low whistle, "Wow, this place is nice. And you said you live here?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Tanya laughs.  "Yes, I live here.  And the car?  It is not mine; it belongs to the hotel.  One of the perks of living here is that I get to use it when I need to and if it is available.  They have several, but I like that one the best."  She leads you through the lobby and around a corner to another bank of elevators.  A man in the uniform of the hotel nods and greets her and she does the same, asking about his daughter in school.  She introduces both of you to George and they chat for a couple of minutes about his family.  Finally she dis him farewell and steps into an open elevator car, pushing the button for U3.  The ride is quiet and smooth and you are soon deposited in a plushly carpeted hallway.  A door is open a short way down and a woman is standing there to welcome you.  Tanya introduces her as Monique, her personal assistant, to which the woman responds, "More like slave to her every whim.  But the pay makes it tolerable.  For now."

Tanya laughs as she sweeps through the door and into a huge living area.  A large kitchen is off to the right and a formal dining room to the left.  Several door open from the room, one of them being a closet, where Tanya hangs up her coat and Monique offers to take yours.  The highlight of he room are the huge floor to ceiling windows that open to a vista below Puget Sound.  The curtains are drawn and you can see fish swimming in the water.  Strategically placed lights provide enough defused light to view some of the sealife even in the darkness.  Tanya motions to the view.  "I can never get enough of that.  It is worth the price of admission over and over."

She leads you into a huge bedroom and you think the bed itself is larger than most living rooms, including the one at your house.  The large master bathroom is the destination and she takes you to where a hot tub is burbling away.  It sits on a wide, tiled floor and looks directly out into the sound.  "The glass is treated so that we can look out but cannot be seen from out there.  I spend a lot of time here or on the couch just watching."  She begins to strip out of her clothes and Monique is there to take your dresses and hang them up.  Snacks and champagne are available.  Elaine actually seems a bit nervous as she undresses, but Tanya apparently has no reservations at all.

[Irn0rchid]

As the elevator descends Rose wonders to herself what is going on, "I figured we were going up to a penthouse or something." Exiting the elevator, she raises an eyebrow at the remarks from Monique, "It seems my frankness at dinner was right up Tanya's alley if she allows that from her assistant." Giving her coat to Monique, Rose is drawn to the giant window and walks over to it and peers out. "Wow, this is amazing! I didn't realize there was still this much life in the Sound. You weren't lying about the view." Reluctantly allowing Tanya to lead her away from the window and into the bathroom. She can't help but admire as Tanya undresses, "What is going on with my life? Three days ago everything was normal and now I've been with two attractive women and it looks like there might be a third shortly. I blame Robin!" Seeing Elaine's trepidation at undressing, Rose catches her eye and raises an eyebrow inquisitorially. 

[Irn0rchid]

From Email

Tanya must also sense something and looks at Elaine. "Something wrong, Elaine?"

Elaine looks at the huge window that looks out at the sound and says, "Are you sure that they can't see in?"

Tanya laughs, "Well it is only fish right now, but yes, I am sure.  Trust me, if there was some trid gossip reporter out there, more people than just me would have been spread all across the news by now and I am sure that some of my neighbors are far more lawsuit happy than I am.  No, you can relax and enjoy yourself." She finishes removing her clothes and sinks into the bubbling water.  "Ahhhhhhhhh.  This is just right.  Do let me know if you would like it a bit hotter or cooler, would you?"

Monique pours champagne and sets small plates of snacks where you can easily reach them.  "Thank you very much, Monique."

"Not at all, My lady." And like that, Monique leaves the tub room.  Elaine nods and seems to lose her reticence, stripping and joining your hostess in the water.  She, too, gives a sound of appreciation as the hot water begins to soak at her.  Tanya stretches in the tub, sitting on a side bench under the water so that her arms are laying atop the rim and her upper chest is exposed.  She sips from her flute of champagne and sighs before pointing to the window. "I try to come her after my morning runs to just relax.  Sometimes I try to count the different fish I see and keep a small book just over there with pictures."  Another sip.  "Thank you both for coming here.  I did so enjoy your company at dinner.  Did either of you think that meeting seemed to drag on a bit?  The cause is worthwhile, which is really the only reason I go to these things but sometimes these events can be such a bore.  I was lucky to find you two there." A slight pause.  "And even luckier that you agreed to come home with me.  So, a toast to new friends."  She lifts her glass up and sips again.  Her look does not seem particularly oblivious and you somehow get the impression of being inspected under a microscope.

[Irn0rchid]

Once Elaine seems more comfortable with the arrangement, Rose watches her undress and then, in the absence of Monique, takes her clothing and hangs them up for her. Following suit Rose strips off her Berwick dress and underwear and secures them as well. Setting her purse on the counter, she rummages through it to find her lipstick, triggering the micro drone in the process. Lips freshly glossed, she returns the tube to the bag and leaves it cracked open slightly.

Descending into the hot water, Rose lets out a similar sigh, "No, this is perfect, thank you." Enjoying the feel of the water on her skin and the motion of the Sound outside the window, Rose asks about Tanya's fish observation, "So what's the most interesting thing you've seen out there?" As the conversation turns to the dinner they just had, "It didn't seem too terribly long, but I wasn't really paying attention to the speaker anyway. At an event like that it just seems to be preaching to the choir. Anyone not already interested in the charity wouldn't be there in the first place." Raising her glass to return the toast, Rose furrows her brow slightly at Tanya's stare and asks bluntly, "So why *did* you invite us back here?"

[Irn0rchid]

Tanya puts her glass down and pulls the book over, opening it so you
can see the pictures as she thumbs through it. "I got the waterproof
kind after I splashed water on the first one.  Waterproof ink, too.  I
take notes on what I see and when on the pictures and also at the end
of the book.  Let's see.  Yes, here.  About two years ago I saw one of
the small whales that comes into the sound.  They usually do not get
this far in, but one young one must have gotten separated from the
pod.  Came right up to the glass before it realized it was in the
wrong place.  Another one came up and led it back out into the open
water."

At you last question, she smiles. "Yes, straight to the point.  I
like that.  Well, there are reasons and reasons, aren't there.  I
suppose mine are twofold.  First, I have seen Elaine at a number of
events like the dinner and at a couple of parties.  She is never with
Howard and she is always shy and among the first to leave.  Tonight
she was witty, energetic, and interesting.  And I do not recall seeing
you with her before.  I am curious and wondering if you are the cause
for the change in her.  Second, I find both of you quite interesting
for probably different reasons and am hoping that I can convince you
both to stay the night and have some really great sex with me."  She
pauses. "So will you stay?"

[Irn0rchid]

Looking through the pictures is actually really interesting as Tanya flips through them. "I wonder if it was drawn in by the lights? I can see why you like to spend so much time watching them."

Laughing, Rose smiles over at Elaine and responds, "Well, I haven't actually known Elaine for that long, so I'm not sure what effect I've been having on her, if any? She was actually the one to get me to come out of my shell, so I can't really envision the Elaine you'd seen before. Have we changed each other?" Waiting for her reply, she continues, "Well what do you think, should we stay? You've been a little reticent since we left the party."

[Irn0rchid]

Elaine smiles and nods her head.  "I was thinking about poor Robin."
Turning to Tanya, she says, "We have something to confess.  We met at
a bar last night and something just clicked.  It seems that Rachel has
a girlfriend that was trying to give her a new experience and sent her
to the bar.  We met by accident as I had not even planned on going out
last night.  But I am so glad I did.  I asked Rachel and she told me
about Robin and we all went over to my house and had the best time I
have ever had.  And the sex was only part of it.  We sat and talked
about likes and desires and the upshot was that I have invited them to
live with me until we get tired of the relationship.  Personally, I
would hope it continues for a very long time, and would like to
convince these two young women to stay.  But we each had solo tickets
to the dinner and meeting tonight and Robin is at home.  I was feeling
a bit guilty about excluding her."

Tanya looks at you both and nods. "Well, I am relieved to hear that
it is nothing sinister.  Why did you not say so earlier?  Would you
like to invite her?  The hot tub and the bed are more than large
enough and it might be fun, as long as no one gets territorial or
jealous.  At this time of night she will have no problem getting a cab
out to your address, Elaine.  I will have Monique meet her at the
elevators as it takes a special code to get down here.  So, yes?"

[Irn0rchid]

"I didn't realize how much you wanted to reveal about our relationship, so I didn't say anything earlier. I checked in with Robin earlier to make sure she was okay with this and she said your husband was keeping her company and she gave the all clear." She smiles and then looks over to Tanya, "I've certainly got no problem inviting her, that would be great, but I don't want to cause any issues with having her bail on Howard or anything like that. I'm still learning how these whole open relationship things work..."

[Irn0rchid]

Elaine looks a bit embarrassed. "I was not sure how much to say, but
I definitely do not want hard feeling from Robin."  She blushes,
"Right now you two are too important to me to risk having that happen.
 I finally feel like I can breathe and I do not want back in the
coffin that was my life.  I want to live and I think I can do that
with you.  Even if it goes bust after a while, I will have broken free
of the chains I let me father and Howard put me in.  I did not realize
that Howard had come home, but am glad that she is able to get some
fun from him.  If she is good with this, then I am all for it.  I
apologize for being a wet blanket."

Tanya will smile.  "Then we are all good?  Bloody great news, that."
She emphasizes her words by sliding over between t=you and Elaine and
taking first her then you in a kiss.  You and Robin have had very
little experience.  Elaine has had quite a bit, but almost all of it
from people that were paid to fake their joy.  Tanya has apparently
had a different experience and shows both of you things that neither
of you had known.  At some point, the tangle of bodies moves to the
bed and everyone eventually collapses in the exhaustion of complete
satisfaction.

You are awakened by Monique coming into the bedroom.  "Good morning,
My Lady and ladies.  It is just on half six and you have a racquetball
court at seven." Tanya sits up and tousles her already messed up hair
and stretches.  She looks around at the two of you and says, "Either
of you play racquetball or want to learn?  Or Watch?  My morning
routine is usually some exercise then a run outside.  I am sure we
have gym clothes that will fit if you are interested."

There is a short note from Robin as well, from about two hours ago.

>>Man just left.  I am a limp noodle.  He did some things to me that I want to try on you.  I am going to sleep in and will talk to you when I can put coherent thoughts together.  The guy is not bad, but he holds nothing to you in bed and he has the personality of a rock, something I will never say about you.  Come see me when you can.  Love you.<<