by C R Riley
"If I didn't know better." Kendra finally stands and heads for the room. "I can hear you out here."
Jaxon can't help but chuckle at the nerve of that woman.
"Paige. If I can't have sex with my fiancé, you can't have it with your ex-boyfriend. Although I'm not sure he…"
The door flies open, and Paige is the first to step out. Austin has this shocked expression on his face while wearing a stupid grin. He drops to sit on the bed, with the fly of his pants wide open and his boxers slightly lower than they should be.
"Paige McGraw! What did you do to him?" Kendra spins around and catches her friend's smirk as she takes a drink of the water in her hand. But not before she wipes off her mouth with her arm.
"First off, it's Paige Boyd. And second of all, I gave him something no one else has ever given him before. Don't tell me you've never done that before?" Paige loves that she has shocked the unshakable friend. "What? I wanted to tell you, but with everything you and Wes have been through. Remember when I flew out to Vegas a few weeks ago and told you it was for business? Well, it was… however, while I was there." She studies her nails and then glances up. "It just kind of happened."
From across the room, a groggy voice asks, "What just kind of happened?"
Jaxon strides over to help her. "Did they wake you?"
"No, not really. I just woke up and then heard voices. What happened?" Johannah sinks into Jaxon's arms and allows him to guide her over to one of the dining room chairs.
Austin steps out of the other room, still wearing that stupid grin. "I married your friend two weeks ago."
"You did what?" Johannah now wears the same shocked face Kendra has.
Paige points at Austin. "I'm still mad at you. You hurt me, really hurt me."
Austin's smile fades. "I'm sorry, Paige babe. I am so sorry. I have regretted saying what I said the moment I said it, but didn't know how to take it back. I've been miserable ever since. But can I just say, that if what happened a few minutes ago, is how you apologize, then I accept it. And now it's my turn to offer up my own…" He heads towards her.
"NO! I said no." Paige scowls at him, showing him she means it. "It doesn't work like that with me. Find another way to grovel, plus if you touch me, then I can't stay mad at you, and I plan on staying mad for a few more hours." She backs away from him and walks toward Johannah. "Plus, I'd hate to embarrass you in front of everyone here. I believe you've proven that you aren't exactly a quiet lover."
Austin drops his head and then laughs. "Good point."
"Come on Jo, let's get you cleaned up. Kendra, stop looking so shocked and grab the bag we brought for Jo. I don't think I'll be staying at Wesley's tonight." Paige helps Johannah shuffle back to the room with Jaxon's assistance.
"You little sneak." Kendra blurts out. "You've been having sex for two weeks and you said nothing. Oh, we are so going to have some much-needed girl time while we get this one cleaned up. Detailed discussion."
Both men stare at each other for a few minutes.
"Two weeks?"
"Yep. It just kind of happened. Don't go to Vegas with the girl of your dreams, unless you're ready to take the plunge. She shared with me, in detail, what happened with the ex. I couldn't imagine a guy ever doing that to Paige. I told her I'd marry her right then if she'd have me, and then she'd never have to worry about anyone ever hurting her again. Three hours later we were married, and I still ended up hurting her." Austin sounds disgusted with himself.
"Now you just have to grovel until your wife forgives you. Your wife Austin, man what I wouldn't do to have me a wife." Jaxon signals for him to follow him. "Maybe after this all cools down, I'll rectify that."
"Until then, I suggest staying away from Vegas, otherwise you may end up with one rather quickly." Austin doesn't seem the least bit disappointed or bothered by that statement.
Jaxon just shakes his head. Because out of his two closest friends, Austin isn't the one he expected to get married in Vegas.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Johannah has her friends join her in the bathroom. She desperately needs a shower and since they brought her clean clothes, she is determined to take one. It's not like they haven't done something similar before. Kendra many times, back in their college days, required her two friends' assistance when she was too drunk and needed to be cleaned up. The three of them are more like sisters than friends, so modesty is not an issue.
Kendra digs through the bag while Paige gets the shower started. Johannah stands there leaning against the vanity, watching them carefully. She snickers and then ends up sobbing. Both women are on her like that, as all three fall into each other.
Her emotions are still highly sensitive and these two women are her best friends. Not having them in her life, or her not being around to live life with them, is unnerving to her. Knowing how close they have come to losing each other these last couple of days hits Johannah hard.
After several minutes, they pull back enough to look at each other carefully. They don't have to say it, because each one knows what the other two are thinking.
"Okay, obviously we have a lot to discuss." Johannah decides to speak first. "And we will do that as soon as we get me cleaned up and out of these destroyed clothes."
Kendra takes a serious inspection at her road rash outfit. "How did you not get that cut off of you? They cut off my five-hundred-dollar pair of slacks and my almost as expensive blouse. Then ruined my favorite pair of silk panties and matching bra."
"I told them if they did, and President Andrews showed up out of the blue and saw me in my skivvies, I'd sue them." Johannah chuckles, because she said exactly that, along with several other similar warnings when they threatened to cut them off of her. "I didn't hold back, and since I wasn't bleeding and strapped to a backboard, I guess they waited until they could assess me thoroughly."
"Come on, let's get these off of you," Paige states with a giggle. "I heard you were very vocal. Wesley was on the phone talking about it when we snuck out."
She helps Johannah out of her clothes and whistles. "Dang, you look like you got hit by a car."
Their eyes lock and all those emotions are on the verge once again. If they aren't careful, it will take them all day to get through this task.
Kendra makes a hissing sound. "Or leaped over one like a pro. I bet that hurt like a mother." She too seems like one wrong move, and she could lose it.
"I wouldn't recommend trying it." Johannah spins slowly and studies her naked body for the first time. "No wonder I feel like I lost a losing battle with an automobile. Good thing my man can't appreciate how awful it really is. I have this suspicion; he'd lose it completely if he could."
"Wes would freak out if I looked like that. It's bad enough that I have this through and through on my thigh. If I had bruises like that to go along with it, I'd hate to think what he'd do." Kendra opens the shower door for her friend. "Do you need assistance?"
Johannah shakes her head as she steps inside. "I think I can manage this on my own. Just need to let the water wash over me a bit first. Yeah, that feels nice. So, Paige, tell us about Vegas." She keeps talking through the shower door as she aims her head toward the warmth.
"What's to tell?" Paige yelps. "Okay, geez Kendra. We met up in Vegas like I said when I was attending that cyber conference. We started talking about the past. I'd never recounted the unabridged story of the ex until then. Although he knew I was engaged, and that it ended badly, he didn't know how badly."
"Catching your fiancé banging one of the strippers his friends bought him for his bachelor party, is a definite reason for ending it. Then to uncover that she wasn't alone in the bed with him, was like icing on the cake of disaster." Kendra still is disgusted about the despicable situation. "I wish I'd been there when you caught him instead of Jo. I'd have helped you unman him."
They hear Johannah moan and then chuckle. "Trust me, Kendra, it was a good thing I didn't have my service weapon on me still. I never wanted to shoot someone more
in my entire life."
"Anyway." Paige has heard all this before. "Austin was appalled. Wanted me to tell him my ex's name, so he could have a chat with him. Then he went on to reveal that he'd marry me right then and there. Not because he felt sorry for me, but because he knew that he'd never meet another woman like me, one that captured his heart the first night we met. A woman he couldn't imagine living without ever, one he wanted to give the world to.
"Then right there in the middle of dinner, he got down on one knee and said, 'Let's do something really crazy. I love you, Paige. Love you like I have never loved anyone before or will ever love again. Do you love me?' I told him I did. And after a nice long kiss, he suggested we get married that night, his first night in Vegas. He hated being so far away from me and the distance between us. I hated it as well. So, we did something crazy and found a wedding chapel, got married a few hours later."
The shower turns off and Kendra has the towel ready for Johannah. "Lovely story Paige. Now tell us about the sex?"
"You have sex on the brain." Johannah articulates as she wraps the towel around her body and steps out.
"Jo, I have sex on the brain, because my plans of marrying the man of my dreams, keeps getting pushed back. Not to mention, since I have been released from the hospital, Wes refuses to let me out of his sight for very long. He has moved me into his house so he can take care of me. Even insist on sleeping in the same bed with me.
"Do you know how hard that is? IT is?" Kendra groans with this painful grin on her face. "Literally and figuratively. I don't know that he is truly prepared for me. I swear as soon as we say I do, I am dragging that man to the nearest closest and having my way with him. We are consummating our marriage immediately; I'm tired of waiting.
"Six more days of torture, him lying next to me in nothing but his athletic shorts and a white undershirt, his large delicious body wedge up against mine. I swear if I were feeling better, I'd jump him in my sleep, or at least I'd blame it on the fact that I was sleeping."
"I'm sure Wes won't object to that. I mean you dragging him off after the wedding, not the jumping him in his sleep part. Although, I'm sure it's hard on him too." Johannah slips her clean clothes on, then motions for her friends to follow her into the bedroom where she plops down on the bed. "Do share, Paige."
Paige helps get Johannah settled against the headboard with several pillows behind her. "I don't kiss and tell. However, I will say that Austin is a very vocal lover. I had no idea he would be like that. He is usually so quiet when things get going. He expresses his feelings, but it's always in a soft sensual tone, almost a whisper. But in the moment, he is like a completely different man. It's like this alpha male has been hiding inside of this shy, quiet man, takes charge, and comes out in full force, and he can get loud. I mean like really brash and vocal and I love it."
"It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for." Kendra laughs. "I can almost see it now. Oh, Paige babe, yeah that's right, baby. Ride me hard. I'm going to lose it like I never have before. Then he flips you over and slams into you hard while screaming your name. Although, I believe we all heard you squealing earlier."
Paige blushes. "That wasn't me that squealed."
Kendra raises her eyebrows so high they nearly touch her hairline. "Wow. I could have sworn that was you."
Paige has had enough of this kind of talk, so she decides to change the subject. "Okay, so now let's get down to business. Have you checked your email?"
Johannah shakes her head. "Been a little out of it."
"I figured." Paige stands up and retrieves a file from the bag they brought with them. "You should probably look this over then when you feel up to it. I'm not sure what to think, Jo. It's as if since our trip to the Keys, someone has been tracking you. Doing their best to learn your habits, which as you know, aren't easy to pick up on. I mean our on the job habits, daily off the job habits are simpler, although since the only day you have off regularly is Sunday, it’s not that straightforward. And since you protect a kid, who attends school on the same days, variety is complicated during those hours. Making it easy, or at least easier, for someone to figure out the best place and time to make a move, discover a weakness."
"I hate that they involved Colton." Johannah sighs as she studies the folder Paige handed her.
"None of us are happy about that. Unfortunately, it was a good cover for whoever is trying to get away with it. I mean, if things had gone as planned. Since I ruined it for them, they had to regroup. Or at least tried to remove you from the equation or get you off the job for some unexpected reason.
"Why? What are they after? Why do they want you distracted or incapacitated and unable to work? It just makes little sense." Kendra plops down on the bed and stares at the ceiling. "Andrews' security hasn't felt a threat, or heard of one, in months. The more serious ones have died down after his last public appearance. His approval ratings have vastly improved, according to Wesley. So, I just don't understand what the angle is, and why you seem to be the target."
"We'll figure it out, we always do." Johannah glances up. "For now, they have succeeded and taken me out of the equation, but I have faith in my team to carry on, just as if I were there. I don't see how removing me, besides maybe causing Colton some distress, really changes things. How is he? Have you heard?"
Kendra rotates her head. "I talked to him this afternoon. Assured him I was fine and would be back in the office tomorrow if I have a say in the matter. He isn't going to return to school for a while. I think it would be better to wait to do that until you can go with him; the Andrews agree. A tutor is going to come and help him keep up until then. They will videoconference a few of his classes to keep his days as normal as possible. He seems to be handling it much better than we could have dreamed. I made sure to express that to him."
"Thanks for stepping up. I assume this all happened since..."
"Yeah. Wesley wasn't happy about it, isn't happy about it." Kendra's eyes shift to Paige's. "Do you suppose he realizes we made a break for it yet? He was so busy giving his two cents about how he didn't agree with that decision, making phone calls to the brass to stop it, that we were able to..."
There is a knock on the door.
Johannah answers. "We are decent."
The door opens and is instantly filled with a man who doesn't look at all pleased. His gaze focuses on Kendra and remains there while he stalks her. He doesn't say a word, however, when he gets close enough to her, she begins to squirm.
"Hi." Her voice is quiet. "I see you found us."
"Yep." Wesley grabs her by the ankles and drags her to the edge of the bed.
Kendra is so stunned by his action; she doesn't react until it is too late. Before she knows it, he has her up and over his shoulder and heading back out the bedroom door. "Wait."
"No." Wesley continues.
"I need my shoes." She tries but fails to get him to halt his progress.
"I'll buy you new ones. I told you to wait for me. I ordered you to not leave my house unless I was with you. With everything that is going on right now, I don't want you unprotected." He growls as he ducks under the doorframe, so he doesn't hit his head.
"I can protect myself, Wes." Kendra pounds on his back.
"Seems like you can't, since I so easily apprehended you," Wes informs her as he heads for the main door. He then speaks to the two men, chuckling as they watch him leave. "I'm taking this one with me."
"Wesley put me down." Kendra tries to sound fierce.
"Not happening. We are leaving Kendra, and I swear when I get you home, I am tying you to my bed."
"Promises, promises." Kendra props her elbows on his back and glances back to her friends, who are now both standing next to their men. "Ladies, I guess my caveman has come to claim his woman."
That's the last thing they hear as the door closes behind them. It takes only a few seconds before the room explodes with laughter.
"How come every time I see that man he is practically demanding
she do things his way?" Jaxon dares to ask.
"He's wound a little tight right now. Imagine putting your wedding off a few times already." Johannah leans into Jaxon.
"So, do you think Kendra is going to make it until next weekend?" Paige reaches down and takes Austin's hand. "I bet she talks him into making a quick trip to Vegas."
"I still can't believe you two got married and never told any of us." Jaxon is shaking his head. "I mean seriously, did you think we would disapprove or something?"
Austin glances down at Paige. "It had nothing to do with that. At first, I think we just liked the fact that we only knew and it was our little secret. Then things got crazy, and we didn't want to step on anyone's toes. We weren't sure how to tell you all without it sounding..."
"Crazy." Paige finishes for him. "We are both probably the last ones to do something like this. I'm honestly glad we did it, though. I love Austin. He loves me. After planning the perfect wedding, and having it all go to crap like it did last time, I can't imagine doing that again. Couldn't imagine doing that again. Not that I think Austin is anything like... but not having to spend all those hours listening to my mother and sister tell me how I was doing it all wrong."
Johannah chuckles. "I totally get that. I remember how painful it was as well, which is why I vowed that when I get married to keep it simple. Me, the groom, my two closest friends, our families, his friends, and that's it. No big party. No drama. No uninvited guests."
"Any ideas on who that groom could be?" Jaxon softly asks against her ear.
"I'm keeping it open for now. Although there is this one guy..." Johannah laughs when Jaxon bites her ear. "Only time will tell."
Chapter Thirty-Four
It has been nearly a week since the incident that nearly stole the love of his life from him. Since then, Jaxon has done nothing but think about how different life was, now that Johannah had popped in it.