Unseen Designs

"Fancy meeting you here. Didn't peg you for a jacuzzi-at-midnight kind of guy, Mr. Kade."

The voice cut through the steam curling off the hot tub, deep and smooth, a layer of something like amusement under it. Ronan Kade. Of course. CEO of Kade Industries, rival to her own company, Blackwood. And here he was, chest deep in the churning water of the hotel's outdoor jacuzzi, looking entirely too comfortable.

She'd always seen him for afar. His dark hair, slicked back, a few strands falling over his forehead. Even in the dim poolside lighting, she could see the defined lines of his shoulders, the way water beaded on his skin. Fuck. He’s even hotter up close.

In all the meeting discussions, Mr. Henderson, her boss, had vaguely mentioned how much of an asshole he was. Stealing and claiming everything to himself.

Vivian forced a nonchalant shrug, tightening the belt of her flimsy hotel robe.

"Couldn't sleep. Thought a dip might help. Didn't expect company." Especially his company.

Mr. Henderson had also mentioned, "Prick. He's a sly prick. Fox - he is. A wild fucking animal. Cunning his way into every business deal and just claiming it to be his. He is a fucking maniac, is who he is."

Ronan shifted, water sloshing. "There are always… options, Vivian. You just have to choose the right one." One corner of his mouth tilted up. That damn smirk. It was infuriatingly handsome.

"Options," she repeated, testing the word. She walked to the edge of the jacuzzi, letting her robe slip from her shoulders. Her simple blue swimsuit felt suddenly inadequate under his gaze. "And what options are those, Mr. Kade?"

Indifferent to all the beautiful commentary from her boss, she had always found him, 'classy', 'a gentleman', and on many circumstances, 'hot'.

His eyes roamed over her, slow, deliberate. From her damp hair, down her neck, lingering on the swell of her breasts above the swimsuit's line, then further down.

She felt a flush creep up her neck. He’s cataloging me. Like an asset. Her nipples tightened under his stare. Annoying. Exciting.

"You could join me," he said, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the water. "Or is Henderson keeping tabs on you too?"

This business trip, a conference both their companies were attending, suddenly felt a lot more… charged. Henderson was apt at making him lose on this one. And she - was nothing but an accomplice.

She met his gaze. "I have a free will. I can do anything I want."

"hmm. Come one here then. We'll keep it professional" he said, but the look in his eyes was anything but professional. It was predatory. Hot.

And the he added, "Do you love the color blue, Vivian?"

What?

For a split second Vivian froze - looking into his dark eyes that displayed nothing but emptiness.

She remembered the anonymous messages. The little "gifts" left on her desk at Blackwood. A single, perfect black orchid. A rare first edition of a poetry book she’d mentioned liking once, ages ago, to a colleague. The way her supposedly secure company email had been breached with tailored, unsettlingly personal notes. ‘You look lovely in blue, Vivian. It brings out the storm in your eyes.’ Or, ‘Saw you at lunch. You should smile more. You have so many options to be happy.’

Mr. Henderson, had dismissed it as a secret admirer. Creepy, maybe, but harmless.

Vivian hadn't been so sure. There was an edge to it, a possessiveness that prickled her skin. She’d started looking over her shoulder more, double-checking locks.

Was that ..?

She finally spit something, "Why are you asking me that ?"

This was Ronan Kade, powerful, rich, and right now, practically naked a few feet away. Was he the one? The thought sent a shiver down her spine, part fear, part something else she didn't want to name.

"Because you look lovely in blue, Vivian."

He knows. He knows it was him and he's not even hiding it.

The realization hit her with the force of a physical blow. He wasn't just Ronan Kade, CEO. He was him. The watcher. The sender of those unsettlingly intimate messages.

Instead of fear, a reckless thrill sparked inside her. Because why wouldn't it? Instead of assuming some creep expressing his love to her - it was him. Ronan fucking Kade.

So, this is the game. "Do I ? Oh thank you so much." She smiled brightly. "I think I have heard that one before." She stepped onto the first submerged step of the jacuzzi, the hot water hitting her calves.

His smile widened. "Have you?" He patted the tiled bench beside him. "And who was that?"

She moved slowly, letting the water climb her body, the heat a welcome shock against her cool skin. Each step felt like a dare. When she sat, the jets pulsed against her back. He was closer now. She could smell the faint, clean scent of chlorine mixed with something uniquely him, something musky and male. His arm was resting on the back of the bench, his fingers inches from her shoulder.

His hands. Broad. Strong. I bet those fingers know exactly what to do. She pushed the thought away, focusing on the verbal sparring. "oh... just a creepy old dude who decided to send me cryptic messages... and he's probably a very douchebag of a stalker. so... you know, I've heard it before."

"A creepy old dude.. ohmygod," he said, his gaze dropping to her mouth. "Your life seems very intriguing, Vivian. But how do you know he's a creepy old dude?"

She was playing along really well. She swallowed. "I don't know. Just a hunch. I mean - if he'd be my age, he'd have the guts to come to me...directly. "

He leaned closer, his voice dropping so low only she could hear it over the bubbling jets. "hmmm... maybe he was unsure. Maybe he just wanted to test the waters" His thumb brushed her bare shoulder, a fleeting touch that sent a jolt straight to her core. "Maybe - he wanted to let you know how beautiful and precious you are."

Her breath hitched. Oh, he’s good. Confident. Not a hint of awkwardness. This wasn't some shy, nerdy admirer. This was a man who took what he wanted. The nerdy part she’d sometimes imagined – the one who collected rare books – was just a facet.

"Appreciates them from afar though, why?," she said, trying to sound casual, though her heart was thumping a wild rhythm against her ribs. This is insane. I’m in a hot tub with my corporate rival who’s also been low-key stalking me. And I’m… not running.

"Sometimes distance is necessary. To observe. To plan." His eyes were dark, intense.

"But sometimes… proximity is much more rewarding." His fingers, which had been idly tracing patterns on the tiled edge, now moved, his hand settling on her knee, under the water. His touch was firm, possessive. Not a question, but a statement.

Her skin tingled where he touched her. "And what's your plan now, Mr. Kade?" she whispered, her voice a little shaky.

"Ronan," he corrected softly. "My plan is to see just how precious you really are. " His thumb stroked the inside of her knee, slow, deliberate circles. Up a little higher. Then higher still. Reaching the edge of her swimsuit leg.

Fuck. His thumb… just there. Her thighs clenched instinctively. She could feel the heat pooling between her legs, a dampness starting even through the water.

"And if I'm not?" she managed, her voice breathy.

His eyes gleamed. "Oh, you are, Vivian. You most definitely are." His thumb slipped under the fabric, just a fraction, pressing against the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. "Are you sure you aren't afraid of this?"

He wasn’t wrong. There was a part of her, a wild, reckless part, that was buzzing with this dangerous energy. The way he looked at her, like he could devour her. The sheer audacity of it all.

"Maybe," she conceded, tilting her head. "Or maybe I just like to wander at the wilderness more."

He chuckled, a low, dangerous sound. "oh you do like danger. I'm well aware of that."

Before she could react, his other hand came up, cupping the back of her neck, his fingers tangling in her damp hair. He pulled her closer, not roughly, but with an undeniable strength.

His face was inches from hers. She could see the individual flecks of gold in his dark eyes. His breath, warm and smelling faintly of something minty, fanned across her lips. "Here's your chance Vivian," he murmured. "Tell me to stop."

Her pulse hammered. Stop? Does he think I want him to stop? His thumb was still a tantalizing pressure point on her inner thigh, sending shivers through her.

"Or?" she whispered, her gaze flicking down to his mouth. Those lips. She wondered what they’d feel like.

"Or…" He leaned in, his lips brushing hers, a feather-light touch that promised so much more. "Kiss me, Vivian. And we see where that particular path leads."

Her mind went blank. All she could feel was the heat from his body, the slight scrape of his stubble against her skin, the thudding of her own heart. His thumb pressed a little deeper. Oh. God.

"Mm," she breathed out, a sound that was half gasp, half invitation. She leaned into him, just a fraction, but it was enough.

His mouth claimed hers.

It wasn’t a gentle kiss. It was hungry, demanding, a brand. His tongue swept into her mouth, tangling with hers, tasting of him, of power, of something wild she hadn't known she craved. One of his hands held her head captive, angling her for a deeper kiss, while the other - the one on her thigh - slid further, his fingers finding the elastic edge of her swimsuit.

"Ah..." The sound escaped her, muffled against his mouth, as his fingers slipped beneath the fabric, finding her wet heat.

He broke the kiss, just for a second, his breath hot on her lips. "Oh you are delicious." It wasn't a question. His eyes burned into hers. "Tempting"

His fingers, two of them, slid inside her. She gasped, her back arching, pressing herself against his touch. The water swirled around them, hot and caressing, but nothing compared to the fire he was igniting within her.

"Mmm… Ronan," she moaned, her eyes fluttering closed. His name. She’d used his name.

He groaned, a low, guttural sound against her skin as he started to kiss her neck, his lips hot, his teeth scraping lightly. "That's it. Say my name." His fingers moved inside her, a steady, knowing rhythm, stretching her, filling her. One finger found her clit, rubbing, pressing.

Fuck… his fingers… so good. She squirmed, her hips instinctively moving against his hand. "Yes… oh, God…" The jets of the jacuzzi pulsed against her back, adding another layer of sensation, but it was all about his touch, his mouth, the hard length of him she could feel pressing against her thigh through the water and their thin swimsuits.

He bit her shoulder, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to make her gasp, a jolt of pleasure-pain. "You like that, don't you? Danger?" His voice was rough, laced with arousal. He pushed his fingers deeper, curling them slightly. Oh. That spot.

"Ah..." she panted, not even sure what she was asking for. More. Harder. Everything.

"Tell me more, Vivian?" he growled, his mouth at her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine. "Use your words. Tell me what you want." He slowed his fingers, teasing her.

He stops… and then he resumes. making everything so much harder for me…

"Give me more," she whispered, the words torn from her. "Show me how much precious I am."

A harsh laugh rumbled in his chest. "Yes, princess." He plunged his fingers back in, harder this time, faster. His thumb never left her clit, circling, pressing, driving her wild. He was watching her face, his eyes blazing.

Her head fell back against the tiled edge, her body trembling. The cool night air on her flushed skin, the hot water, his hotter touch. It was too much.

Her senses were on fire. His mouth needs to be on me. His hands inside me. God, I need his mouth.

As if reading her mind, he shifted, one hand still expertly working her, the other moving up to cup her breast through the thin swimsuit. His thumb flicked over her already hard nipple. She cried out, a keening sound.

"Shhh," he murmured, his lips finding hers again, a deep, bruising kiss that stole her breath and her sanity. He devoured her, his tongue plundering her mouth while his fingers relentlessly pleasured her. The combination was overwhelming. She was coming apart.

He’s going to make me come right here. The thought was terrifying and wildly exciting. What if someone saw? What if Mr. Henderson saw? A late-night hotel guest, a staff member…

The distant clang of a service door somewhere in the hotel grounds made her jump. Panic flared, brief and sharp.

Ronan didn’t flinch. If anything, his fingers dug deeper, his thumb pressed harder. He broke the kiss, his eyes locked on hers, glittering with a dangerous amusement.

"Worried, Vivian?" he murmured, his voice a low challenge against her lips, not even pausing his rhythm. "Scared Henderson might catch you?" His hips gave a slight, almost imperceptible grind against her, a reminder of his own arousal.

She shook her head, panting. "Yes.. fuck... Don't stop." The idea of being caught, of this taboo act being witnessed, added a perverse layer of thrill.

"No one can keep us apart," he rasped, then his mouth was on her breast, sucking hard through the wet fabric of her swimsuit, drawing her nipple deep. "Ah… Mmm…"

His teeth grazed her.

She arched into him, crying out. His fingers curled inside her, hitting that perfect spot again and again. He knows my body like he’s studied it. Like he’s imagined this a thousand times. The anonymous messages suddenly felt less like a stranger’s creepy obsession and more like… foreplay. Years of it, maybe.

"You're so mine," he growled against her skin, his voice thick. "You're so fucking mine."

She gasped between moans. Ronan fucking Kade. Feels like a dream.

"Damn right. Only Mine." He was relentless. His mouth, his hands, the raw intensity in his eyes. He pushed her back against the jacuzzi wall, spreading her legs wider over his lap, giving him better access. The jets pulsed directly onto her exposed clit now, a thrumming counterpoint to his fingers. Fuck, the jets! It was almost too much. Almost.

"Look at me, Vivian." His voice was steel. She forced her eyes open. He was watching her, his face a mask of dark concentration and raw hunger. "I want to see you come."

And then, he did something unexpected. Something that made her breath catch in her throat.

He withdrew his fingers slightly, then, using the pressure of the jacuzzi jet directly beneath them, he started to use the water itself. He maneuvered her, pressing her down, letting the strong pulse of the jet hit her clit, while his fingers still teased the entrance to her pussy, occasionally dipping in, then focusing again on guiding the water pressure. He controlled the angle, the intensity, watching her face.

"The water…" she gasped. "Ronan… oh fuck…" It was incredibly intense. The jet was a constant, powerful throb, and his fingers were playing with it, amplifying it, directing it. It was almost… clinical in its efficiency, yet devastatingly erotic.

"Feel that?" he murmured, his lips close to her ear, his breath hot. "The pressure. Building. Nowhere to go but up." His thumb found her clit again, amidst the pulsing water, grinding down hard.

Her hips bucked wildly. "I’m… I’m going to…"

"Come for me, Vivian," he commanded, his voice a whip crack in the quiet night. "Now."

And she did. With a shattered cry, her body convulsed, pleasure ripping through her in wave after unbearable wave. Her vision grayed out, the sounds of the jacuzzi, his harsh breathing, her own moans, all blurring into a vortex of sensation. Her nails dug into his shoulders, anchoring her as she shattered.

When the shudders finally began to subside, she was boneless, draped against him, panting. The water felt impossibly hot now, her skin hypersensitive.

He held her, his breathing still heavy. He kissed her hair, a surprisingly tender gesture after the storm. "You really are, precious," he murmured, his voice softer now, almost gentle, but still possessing that underlying current of ownership.

She tilted her head back, looking up at him through hazy eyes. Whoa. He just… used a jacuzzi jet like a sex toy. An incredibly effective one. The sheer nerve. The ingenuity. That little nerdy spark she’d sometimes glimpsed, combined with utter ruthlessness.

"You…" she started, then had to clear her throat. "You're full of surprises, Ronan Kade."

He chuckled, a low, satisfied sound. "Vivian." He ran a hand down her side, his touch possessive. "And we've only just begun to explore them."

She thought of his anonymous notes, the feeling of being watched, the way he seemed to know things about her. It wasn't just stalking; it was… groundwork. A long, slow seduction that had culminated here, in a hotel jacuzzi, with him making her come apart with a flick of his fingers and the goddamn water jets.

There was no sound. But she felt it.

Vivian turned towards the gate, "Something's weird.."