Untouchable: Kohl Family: Johannah & Jaxon

by C R Riley

  Faith shouts after him. "That doesn't count, Caleb!"

  She concentrates on Jaxon, looking embarrassed. "Sorry. The man's ego is so big, I'm surprised sometimes he can even walk around with it. Please don't take what he said to heart. He's just looking out for his sister."

  Jaxon brushes it off. "I get it."

  "Really? Because I don't." Faith blows out her frustration. "Thank you for the car, job, his parents' bills. Thank you for everything. I'd say the rest of her brothers are going to be more receptive of you, but that would be a lie. You have your work cut out for you. Just know that once you get past the initial test, they’ll accept you. They just need to realize that you're in this for the long haul. That this isn't just some fling you and Jo are entertaining. Once you get past that, then you'll be considered family, and the Kohl's take family seriously."

  Jaxon thanks her for her kind words, before he heads up to the sixth floor. He lets her words linger, while he tries to think about what that means. The word family doesn't mean much to him. He has never really had one or been a part of one. His mother was the only family he ever had. And he lost her at such a young age, it's difficult for him to remember what it felt like. But he knows family means everything to Johannah. They talk about hers often during their daily conversations. Although he never considered how if he got involved with her, he would become a part of the bigger picture. He isn't sure how he feels about that but knows how he feels about Hannah.

  Once Jaxon reaches the sixth floor, he locates Austin's temporary office easily. Or at least what he assumed was his temporary office. The space looks better than the one he keeps in San Diego. It's bigger, and by the way it is decorated, much nicer. He ambles around it without haste since Austin isn't at his desk right now.

  Austin's office in San Diego was just that, an office. This space is so much more. The bookshelves are full of real estate and business law books. The credenza on the opposite wall has several photographs arranged on it. Jaxon studies those more intently. He is surprised to find one of Geoff, Austin, and him taken right after they met in college. He is even more surprised to discover more than one of Paige. She seems to be the primary focus of the room. Her photograph not only sets with the rest of them but also on the minibar, bookshelf, and desk.

  Jaxon eventually takes a seat behind the large desk and stares at it carefully. The contents of his desk suggest that this is the new permanent office of Austin Boyd even more. Not only because of the nameplate secured to his desk that reads: Austin Boyd, CLO for Cristiano International & COO of Cristiano/Boyd Real Estate & Management Firm. It's the one Jaxon presented to him a few years ago. The same one Austin refused to place on his other desk because he didn't feel like he should rub it in everyone else's face. But here it rests, on the desk in an office which he had been told was temporary.

  Jaxon leans back in Austin's chair and relaxes when he hears voices approaching. He knows one of them is Austin's, but he isn't positive who the other voice belongs to. Although he isn't surprised when he comes face to face with it. Yep, this is not his temporary office at all, since Paige McGraw just walked in with him. She is holding his hand while carrying a potted plant. They both appear surprised to find him sitting there, but they don't appear guilty.

  Austin immediately speaks. "What are you doing here? I thought we were going to have a conference call later today around three to go over everything."

  "Hello, Paige." Jaxon addresses her before he responds to Austin. "I changed my mind. I decided I wanted to do it in person. And since you seem to have taken up residence in Baltimore, I had to fly out here."

  Paige walks over to the window where a small table is and places the plant on it. "Is that the only reason you made the trip? I really hope you are here for more than that."

  "I may have other reasons for making the trip. When were you going to notify me that this was permanent?" Jaxon goes through a few items on Austin's desk.

  This time Austin acts guilty, but it's not directed at him. "I don't know what you mean. I'm here doing the job you asked me to do."

  Busted.

  Jaxon doesn't flinch or react outwardly to his friend. "And how is that going for you? Moving right along as you expected?" He glances up and throws Austin a knowing look. "Maybe I should join you here when I get back. See if that helps matters move along faster. What do you think?"

  Austin clears his throat and shrugs. "Seems to have done wonders for me. Negotiations are going better than expected. Moving right along, at a pace we are both comfortable with. Being so close has been better than I imagined it would be."

  Paige walks up to Austin and scans between the two of them. "Do you honestly think I'm that dense? Seriously, have you not learned anything these last three weeks?"

  She turns to face Jaxon. "And I think you should do just that, Jaxon. Jo hates that she told you to wait a month before moving your office closer. While she dislikes thinking that by doing so your employees will detest her, especially Seth."

  Jaxon chuckles. "Seth loves it when I am out of the office. He gets so much more accomplished. I would still need to keep an office in San Diego. Leave Geoff in charge. Promote Seth to Director of Operations. He would continue to do pretty much what he does now. Only without me bothering and distracting him constantly. He practically runs that office, anyway.

  "Where I conduct my daily modus operandi is all that would change. And since my right-hand man has already made the unofficial move to Baltimore, it is just a matter of me setting up shop here with him. There are a few staff members I'd like to relocate. Their jobs won't be eliminated if they would rather stay where they are. This office will become our new headquarters. All because two women walked into our lives and reformed us. The staff here may curse you when they realize we are about to invade and take over. Then again, the opportunities for them to advance their careers just increased dramatically."

  "You are seriously going to do this. I guess you could lie and tell Jo…" Paige laughs when Jaxon frantically begins shaking his head.

  "Nope, I won't lie to Hannah. But I may hold off telling her my decision until after my trip. Since that will be around the timeline she set, before allowing me to make such a move. And since I can't officially relocate until after I get back, it should work. So, you two?" Jaxon motions between them.

  They both glance at each other and it is obvious even to Jaxon. His friend has definitely found the woman he is willing to rearrange his life for. It wasn't that he thought Austin would never find a woman, because he always figured he would. He just never imagined the woman his friend found would have close ties to the one he himself found. Mostly because he never figured he would find a woman at all.

  "Is it love?" Austin shrugs. "I don't think either of us are ready to proclaim that quite yet, but I'm also not ready to say it's not. And since I can't imagine my life without Paige in it right now. It's impossible to have a real relationship on opposite coastlines of the country. This is our solution; which I know you get."

  Jaxon nods his head in agreement. "I do. Surprisingly, I do."

  Chapter Twenty-One

  It has been three days since Jaxon left D.C. to return to his home in California. Three days, where Johannah has regretted her decision. The one about not allowing him to consider relocating his main office. It's just that she doesn't want him to make a move like that without really thinking about it.

  On the other hand, only getting to physically connect with him for a couple of days, every two weeks, is torture. Probably explains a lot about why they had some very intimate moments over those two days.

  Friday night, after they returned to her place, things definitely got a little steamy. Maybe not right away, since she had to unload and reload her washer immediately.

  Johannah had been so embarrassed he'd seen her bedroom in such disarray. Actually, she'd been a little irritated with him for not following her instruction. Not heading straight to the living room while she freshened up. Seeing him standing in her bathroom d
oorway. Staring at her dainties hanging off the shower rod, was way more personal than she'd planned.

  No man had ever seen hers before, on or off of her. No man.

  She’d ripped them down immediately after she slammed the door in his face, folded them to put away. Then to discover him picking up her bedroom floor had sent her into a frantic mess. What he must have been thinking to suffer the need to clean up after this messy woman. So as soon as she kicked him out, she picked up her room. Tossed everything in laundry baskets. She nearly died when she heard the washer running in the hall.

  Jaxon had let it all roll off of him so easily. Acted like it wasn't that big of a deal to be doing her laundry. Laughed about her having faults that she had been able to hide until that moment. That had helped her relax about it. Began to make her wonder if seeing she also struggled with things made him feel a little more normal.

  Once they got settled in her living room after selecting a movie on Netflix, it didn't take long for matters to heat. They'd chosen to recline in her well-used reading chair. It was large enough for her to sprawl out in, or sit with her legs curled underneath her. She sank in the soft cushions and large pillowed back. She often found herself dozing off after she got comfortable when she was alone.

  Jaxon had dropped into to it and instantly claimed it the most comfortable chair he'd ever sat in. He'd kicked off his shoes, so he could draw his legs up in the chair while Johannah popped them some popcorn. The sight of him in her favorite chair, looking so comfortable and at ease, did it for her. She climbed in next to him with a throw and popcorn bowl, then cuddled right in.

  The popcorn had been what started what happened next. He'd tried to feed her a handful when some dropped right down into the exposed open section of her tank. The one she had changed into when they returned home. From the angle he was seated, it provided him with the perfect view of exactly where it landed. When she reached inside to retrieve it out of habit–because let's face it, those babies caught a lot of popcorn–his groan grabbed her attention. And when she shoved the retrieved popcorn into his mouth, the bowl in her lap went flying.

  Jaxon had her on her back and under him before she could protest. His mouth was on hers that quick as well. For this all being new to him, the man had learned a few moves rather quickly. Not only that, but his skills on how to kiss her had greatly increased since the last time. If she didn't know better, she might have thought he'd been practicing with someone else.

  An hour passed before they came up for air. Johannah was so turned on by that point, her mind was basically mush. And by the way Jaxon was panting next to her, sprawled out on his own back, she was pretty sure he felt the same way. That is when she realized staring into someone's eyes until you fell asleep, could be one of the most intimate moments a person would ever experience.

  She'd woken up Saturday morning still in the chair, all tucked in and very cozy, but alone. Jaxon had left her a message in a note. It was resting on top of her clean folded towels that were in the basket he had obviously finished for her.

  Hannah,

  Thank you for a wonderful evening. Best first date I've ever had the pleasure of being a part of.

  I decided it best for me to leave. I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed your car to drive back to the hotel. Needed to get out of here before I woke you up and asked you to do things with me. Things I realize we need to wait to do.

  See you bright and early in the morning. I'll bring the coffee and cinnamon rolls. You can provide the after-breakfast entertainment.

  Yours always if you'll have me,

  Jaxon

  And not long after she got out of the shower, a little after eight, she heard him moving around in her living room. Johannah knew it was Jaxon by the trace of his cologne that always lingered whenever he was near. It wasn't because he bathed in it, but more because nothing smelt like him. It had an earthy spicy aroma with a distinct tang of uniqueness that was Jaxon. She never realized a person could emit such an intoxicating scent. One that seemed to hypnotize her and cause her to want to sink into him and never let go.

  They sat at her small table in the space she designated as the dining area. It was off the living room, where she also held a corner desk and a file cabinet. The place where she paid bills and worked when she needed to. They sat there drinking the coffee he brought with him. All while scarfing down the delicious cinnamon rolls his hotel kitchen provided. It had seemed so normal that she hated to end it with the plans she had decided they'd do that afternoon.

  After she declared not wanting this to be like her previous relationships. Johannah came to realize that Jaxon may actually want to experience a little of the things she had once done. So, she thought hard and planned out their day to be much like a second date. One she had never had, but always thought would be perfect with the right guy. An entire day of hanging out. A date where she could get to know the other person. Without the pressure of feeling like they constantly needed to talk.

  So, after breakfast, Johannah convinced him to get back in the car with her. She then took him on his first-ever visit to the zoo. It was like watching a child experience it for the very first time. He had always avoided places like this because they made him feel overly cautious. Aware of all the possibilities of someone bumping into him. Even touching him without his permission. However, Johannah learned that he seemed more resolute to face that fear when she was with him. While it still bothered him to be touched by strangers, holding onto her seemed to make it more tolerable.

  It had been a great experience for both of them. But the day didn't end there. Once she discovered he had never visited any of the national monuments, Johannah rectified that as well. After a late lunch, she had done her best to take him to as many as they could pack in. Taking selfies with each other along the way.

  By the time they returned to her place that evening, they were beat. Not that that stopped them from having another incredible make-out session in her oversize chair. It took place after they'd devoured the pizza they had delivered. Kissing him had become like a drug she just couldn't get enough of.

  When Sunday rolled around, he attended church with her in Mt. Vernon. The same church she has attended since she was a small child. The one her parents also attended. Jaxon even accepted the invitation her mother made and had lunch with them at the house. Where Johannah got to watch the man she was falling for easily interact with her mother. Then good-naturedly verbally joust with her father about business. Even answering a few tough questions on where he hoped the relationship between them might be going. Questions she couldn't believe her parents were asking.

  Jaxon had done basically what she had done to Lucille. Gave them a rundown of his life, without going into great detail, and had more than impressed them. He even hugged her mother and shook her father's hand when they left.

  And then departed around seven that evening to fly back to his home thousands of miles away from her. It had been one of the hardest goodbyes she had ever been a part of. She didn't want to tell him goodbye. Didn't want him so far away. Didn't like that it would be two weeks before she would see him again.

  They had talked nightly on the phone. Texted as often as they could. Sent messages off and on throughout the day to let the other person know they were thinking of them. However, it didn't seem like enough. She wanted more.

  The knock-on her open office door brought Johannah's mind back to the present. She was surprised to discover who it was. It wasn't like this person had a lot of reasons to interact with her at the office.

  "Can I come in?" Wesley Holmes, the President's Chief of Staff asks her.

  "Yep." She was just about to shut things down for the day. "What can I do for you, Mr. Holmes?"

  Wesley steps inside and closes the door. He takes a seat in one of the chairs in front of her desk and then explains. "Please call me Wes. I'd like to talk to you about Kendra."

  "Okay. What about Kendra?" Johannah seems confused.

  Kendra and her have only had
brief conversations since they have been back. The last conversation about Wes had been positive. However, she had noticed that her friend seemed off this week. What had she done?

  "Who hurt her?" Wes drops a folder into the chair next to him and slouches. He looks defeated and so unlike the powerful man she has gotten to know. "Why does she fight so hard against me? It's like she doesn't trust me, even though I’ve done nothing to alert her not too. So that leads me to believe that somewhere along the way someone has. And I plan on hunting that person down and butchery them, especially if it is a man."

  "Have you talked with her about this?" Johannah doesn't want to break her friend's confidence about private stuff she has shared.

  "I've tried. But Kendra just won't let me in. I feel like I'm beating my head up against a brick wall. Just when I think I'm about to break it down, or at least knock a hole in it, she reinforces it. I just don't know what to do. I want to take a sledgehammer to that dang wall." Wesley leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. "She told me Sunday night she couldn't go through with our plans. That she was willing to continue to see me if that is what I wanted. But as far as marrying me, it just wasn't something she was capable of."

  And that was news to Johannah. It also explains why Kendra has been off this entire week.

  Johannah had never seen her friend happier since their return from Florida. It was after Kendra and Wes openly came out about being involved. They had even set a date and were working out the details. It was all set to take place during the holiday break. Allowing them to truly have a honeymoon without it being a huge hassle. Congress wouldn't be in session and the President and Vice President would both be on holiday. Not that the country would shut down, because that never happened. But it was usually a good time to relax and think about something other than the political issues.

  So, what had changed Kendra's mind?