Untouchable: Kohl Family: Johannah & Jaxon

by C R Riley

  "Eddie V's." Lucille reaches out and brushes a section of his hair away from his beautiful face. A gesture she knows he allows her to do since she was his caregiver as a very young child. "You should think about controlling this hair of yours. You do know they…"

  "But then what would you have to complain about, Lucille. If it wasn't for my hair, I'd be perfect." The thought of someone spending more than five minutes cutting his hair was almost more than he could manage. Another reason he kept it longer, it didn't require a lot of handling and took less time to trim. His gal could trim it in less than five, and he paid her very well for it.

  "Almost perfect, my boy." Lucille motions for him to slide in and then joins him.

  He knows that is not a good sign of things to come. Lucille hasn't had a heart-to-heart with Jaxon in a few years. He supposes he is due for one, although he isn't sure this one will solve his current troubles.

  "Tell me about this young lady who has you in knots."

  Jaxon's eyes meet Martin's when he turns around to confirm they are secured before he takes off. "Someone has been spreading rumors out of school. There is no young lady."

  "Oh, I don't know about that." Lucille pats the seat next to his hand. It is her way of letting him know she doesn't believe him, and a comfort to them both. He doesn't like being touched, so she has come up with methods that give him what he needs without touching him. "I just think you two needed some time apart to figure all this out. Now tell me about her."

  Jaxon stares out the window and watches the city pass by. "She's unlike anyone I've ever met before. Unfortunately, I didn't fit into her plans. Possibly came on too strong in the beginning since… well, you know. So instead of forcing her to accept my world, I let her go. No need to drag someone down with me. I will cherish the moments we shared, even if it was only for a brief spell."

  "You can be a force, Jaxon. Martin tells me she has a heart of gold. That she has a very pure soul."

  Jaxon nods once but doesn't respond. He doesn't want to have this conversation. There is nothing he can do to change how it all went down. Johannah made her decision. And he has to respect it.

  "I'm proud of you. You took a chance. Now you have to pray that the chance you took was worth it. Give her time. If she is God's plan for you, she'll come around, and if not then perhaps next time… "

  "There will be no next time. Johannah was it for me. And I am not holding my breath." Jaxon pulls out his phone when it rings, glad to notice it is one of his business associates. "I need to take this."

  Chapter Thirteen

  Johannah has been in San Diego for two days now. And just as President Nelson Andrews declared before they left DC, she was relieved of her duties the moment they got the family settled Friday night. Ordered to not be seen in the vicinity of the hotel until Monday afternoon. The day they would fly back to Washington.

  She shouldn't have been surprised to learn he booked her a hotel room far away from them in Coronado. Or that it was one of Jaxon's many properties in the area.

  The view of the ocean only reminded her of the time she spent with him. Everywhere she looked, his name was there. Constantly reminding her of what she had so willingly tossed away.

  She spent most of her Saturday cooped up in her room or on the beach. Straining to forget the fact that she was in the same city as him. Although that was impossible to do since everything seemed to remind her of him. The smell of the ocean. The sound of the seagulls. Even the dang umbrella that shaded her brought back memories. The towels and bedspread which had his name embroidered on them all the more so.

  On Sunday, she thought going to the spa would at least allow her to relax. And it had felt great to just sit back and let someone take care of her. Talk to other people she didn't know about nothing at all. That all ended, however, when she overheard his voice vibrating off the walls. The very moment he entered the open space where she was currently getting a pedicure.

  What were the chances he'd show up like that?

  Johannah closed her eyes, so she wouldn't have to see him, then hoped and prayed he didn't see her. The room was crowded, so maybe he wouldn't stop or stick around long because of that.

  "Mr. Cristiano, it's always such a pleasure to have you visit us. As you can see, we are doing quite well for a Sunday afternoon. Business is doing better than expected."

  "That's always good to hear. I was just out and about and thought I'd stop by." There is a long pause, but Johannah refuses to open her eyes. Securing them even tighter when she hears him continue. "Excuse me, I believe I see someone I know."

  Let it be someone else. Let it be someone else. Lord, please, if you have any love for me at all, you will let it be someone else. Johanna repeats over and over in her head. Except today is not her lucky day, and she knows this because she can sense his eyes burning her skin.

  "Make sure Miss Kohl receives the works." Jaxon's voice makes her body shiver and compels her to pry her eyes open. "Hello, Johannah. I thought you'd be working."

  "Nope. They gave me the weekend off."

  The man looks dreamy dressed like he is. She has seen pictures of him all decked out, but to appreciate it in person is different. The black trousers he has on are definitely tailor made. Add the blue shirt and white striped silk tie only enhances his already sinful appearance. The man is stunning. The shirt only makes those eyes of his look that much more incredible.

  "I hope you are enjoying your stay with us. If there is anything, we can do to make it better, please don't hesitate to let me know personally." Jaxon reaches in his shirt pocket and pulls out a business card. He takes a pen and doodles something on the back before handing it to her.

  Johannah swallows hard as she reaches out to take it. She should have expected him to do what he did next, but nothing he ever did was typical. As soon as she had the card in her hand, he captured it with both of his. Held it way longer than he should have. The heat that resonated off both worked up her arm slowly. Leaving his mark on her like no other man had ever done before him.

  She refused to make eye contact until that moment, and now wishes she would have never done it. The moment their eyes lock, she perceives deep inside of him. Witnesses all his hopes and dreams. Experiences his pain. Knows she is the main source of it.

  "It is always a pleasure seeing you, Johannah." And then he surprises her again. He leans forward and places a nice sweet kiss on her cheek, right before he whispers in her ear. "Always a pleasure, Hannah. I've missed you."

  And then like that he is gone.

  He releases her hand and strides away, not once taking the chance to glance back. With a nod to the woman he was with, who seems speechless by his actions, the two of them depart and head for the salon.

  Johannah watches him take a seat in one of the chairs. A young woman immediately ambles up to him. Gives him two air kisses in the reflection of the mirror. Then runs her fingers through his hair once, grabs the scissors, and does a very quick trim off the ends. Once she is satisfied, he stands and hands her a few large bills, then leaves.

  The card is still in her hand, as is the heat of his touch when the woman he was with approaches her. "Mr. Cristiano would like you to know that he has taken care of all your treatments today. He also wanted me to let you know that if there is anything else that you'd like done, please take advantage."

  The woman seems to want to say more, but is debating if she should. "I don't want to overstep here; however, you should know he has never done that before. I've never seen him act like he did with you. I've known the man for several years. You are the first woman I have seen affect him, which makes me think there is something very special about you. I just thought you should know, in case you thought he was playing you, Miss Kohl."

  Johannah tosses her head back and grips the card in her hand tighter. Finally, when she works up the nerve to read what he scribbled on the back, she can't hold back her emotions.

  Forgive me. Give me another chance, Hannah. Dinner would be a nice start.<
br />
  Below the message, he also included an address.

  Could she risk having dinner with him? Could she walk away again, knowing if she did, her chance of getting to know him would most likely slip away for good?

  Johannah reaches up and strokes the place on her cheek where he places his kiss. The spot is still warm to her fingers. He had never been so close to her before. While he had touched her with his hands in the past, he had never risked getting so intimate.

  Did the impact of that little peck affect Jaxon the way it is affecting her? If so, what did that mean?

  When the woman working on her is finished, Johanna hands her a large tip, then takes off for her room. She needs to process all this in private.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Never in his wildest dreams did Jaxon expect to spot Johannah Kohl sitting in his spa in Coronado. After Lucille suggested he control his mane, he made the journey and get it taken care of. While there, he conferred with the manager to make sure everything was running smoothly.

  Jaxon enjoyed maintaining positive relationships with the managers of his businesses. Giving them access to him. It made it easier when suggesting new ways to conduct business if he felt the need. Often urged them to give honest opinions when he asked. Unlike his father, he liked the relationships he developed. Maybe he liked them because they were the only relationships he had.

  While talking with the manager, he had done a quick scan of the room to learn if his customers appeared comfortable. Nearly froze when he spotted her. Johannah was sitting in the chair, robed in the beige monogrammed silk wraparound the spa provided. The sight of her wearing his name did things to him. Just seeing her did things to him, but his name on her chest provided him with a possessiveness he couldn't shake. Which had been quite obvious when he had gone all goo-goo over her. He'd tried to keep it professional but had failed miserably.

  Why had he thought he could simply touch her without losing his dang mind? Just being near her was enough to awaken his senses. Touching her had sent them into overdrive and caused him to do the unthinkable.

  It's a dang good thing he had revisited his first thoughts and detoured. How embarrassing would it have been to kiss her for the first time in a crowded spa? As an alternative, Jaxon had placed a friendly peck on her cheek. Then couldn't resist whispering her name in her ear, the name only he called her. He had to force himself to retreat before he made a bigger fool of himself. It would have been so unlike him, the owner, to fall on his knees and beg for her to reconsider her decision. Pleading for her to give him another chance to do better. Promising to consider her feelings and make it more about them instead of just him.

  He'd learned his lesson quickly. Never again would he bring up how her touch was so meaningful. Or the fact that she was the only one who could do so without causing him pain. Not having her touch was more painful than allowing ten strangers to touch him. Not having her in his life, where he could look at her and talk to her, was killing him slowly. He missed her. Not only because he missed the connection that he was capable of making physically with her, but he missed her.

  The drive home had been torture.

  What had he been thinking, inviting her to his home for dinner like that? Asking something so important on the back of a business card, rather than having the guts to just come out and ask. Was he so afraid of her rejection that he didn't want to hear her say it?

  Jaxon hadn't even given her his cellphone number so she could call him directly with her answer. He had been a big chicken and left the card that only had his office phone number on it. A phone that wouldn't be answered again until Monday morning. Meaning unless he checked his messages, which of course he would, he wouldn't know if she called.

  Now he stood in his kitchen staring at the stove. He invited her, so he has to decide what to fix. Cooking wasn't foreign to him. Lucille had made sure he learned to cook at a very young age. She'd wanted to make sure that when she wasn't around, and his father was in charge, Jaxon ate properly. Didn't want him always eating sandwiches or frozen entrees. He had appreciated that fact, actually enjoyed cooking on the weekends when he had more time to do so.

  Finally, he settled for a tropical grilled chicken and pineapple dish. One he knew well and would taste almost as good the next day if she didn't show.

  Once Jaxon had the marinade prepared and the chicken bathing in it, he decided to go for a run. He needed to work off some of this excess energy building inside him. If he just waited around for Johannah to show up, he'd drive himself insane.

  Forty-five minutes into his run, the house phone rings, forcing him to stop the treadmill. He picks it up as he wipes his face off with the towel he kept handy.

  "Sorry to bother you, Mr. Cristiano, but there is a Miss Kohl at the front gate to see you." Jaxon takes a deep breath as he glances at the clock hanging on his wall, just a little past six. "Should I send her through?"

  "Yes, please. Make sure you instruct her on how to get to my home. She has never been here before." Jaxon swears he hears the guard laugh.

  And he doesn't blame him since the only visitors he ever has are his two friends, Austin and Geoff. No one else besides Martin, Lucille, and Seth has ever been granted access to his house, and he means no one. The guards have turned many away who have claimed they have been invited. He can only imagine the amused expression on the guard's face.

  Johannah pulls up to the guard station and is immediately stopped. She is not at all surprised by that fact. Of course, Jaxon would live in a community that was guarded to keep unwanted guests away.

  She rolls her window down and smiles at the older gentleman. "Hello. Johannah Kohl to see Jaxon Cristiano."

  "Is he expecting you?" The man's question sounds like he doesn't believe that Jaxon would be.

  "I hope so since he invited me, but I suppose he may not be. He probably isn't expecting me to show up. I tried calling the number on his business card, however, it goes straight to voicemail." Johannah explains.

  "Maybe that's because he didn't invite you, Miss. Perhaps you misunderstood." The guard seems a little sympathetic, but only just a little.

  Johannah suspects he's turned many female suitors away, claiming Jaxon invited them to his home. "Perhaps, although I don't believe that to be the case since he handed this to me personally." She passes him the business card.

  The man flips over the card, reads the back, and whistles. "He gave this to you?"

  Johannah throws the man her best smile. "Trust me, I was equally surprised, since the last time we talked I was completely the opposite of kind. Is there a way you can contact him and see if the invitation still stands?"

  The guard steps into his booth and makes a phone call. It doesn't take more than a few minutes before he returns. He hands the business card back to her with very specific instructions. "Once through the gate, follow this road until you have to turn. Take a right and stay the course. When you see Vista La Quebrada, you will know you are almost there. Mr. Cristiano's driveway is just past it, on the right. Good luck, Miss Kohl. He doesn't allow visitors typically, so you must be an exceptional woman." He pushes the button to open the gate and waves her through.

  Taking a deep breath, Johannah makes the drive and is blown away by the residences she passes. These are most certainly homes of the wealthier and her Prius rental car is way out of place. She spots the street the guard mentioned, then notices the only house left and whistles. Turning down the drive, she admires the land surrounding it. It has a certain beauty all its own, and she can understand why Jaxon lives here.

  Then, as she pulls around and circles the drive, a whole other brand of beauty greets her. The sight in front of her is one she is certain only a few have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. With a towel draped around his neck, soaking up the sweat dripping off the man, Jaxon stands just outside his front door waiting for her. He has obviously been working out, and by the looks of things, been doing it for a while. His hair is pulled up in some kind of messy man bun. Normally
she would consider that look ridiculous and all too out there. But Jaxon can pull it off and make it look so, so sexy. The few hairs that have escaped are dripping wet, as are his vented tank top and athletic shorts.

  Apparently, she interrupted him.

  Jaxon doesn't wait for her to come to a complete stop before he strides her way. As soon as she turns the engine off, he has his hand on her door and attempts to open it. Even knocks on the window when it doesn't open the first time. And when it opens, because she pressed the unlock button, she is blessed with the unique scent of him.

  How does a man soaked in sweat smell so dang delightful?

  Taking one last lungful, Johannah climbs out of the car and is greeted with a very genuine smile. "I hope it's okay I just showed up."

  Jaxon slams her car door and nods. "How do tropical grilled chicken and pineapple sound?"

  "Perfect." She replies, disappointed when he doesn't offer his hand. Instead, he starts walking slowly towards the house. "Nice place you have here."

  "Thanks. I like the breathing space it offers me." He stops when he notices she hasn't moved. "You okay?"

  Johannah bobs her head, glancing down at his tightly fisted hands dangling close to his sides. Maybe he isn't sure what to do, or how he is expected to act in this situation. She understands because she too is sort of unsure about all this. Without wasting another second, Johannah strolls right up to him. Positions her hands on his shoulders and then rises just enough, so she can place a kiss on his cheek. Afterward, she drops her head into the crook of his neck and inhales. "I've missed you too."

  Jaxon's entire body relaxes as he wraps his sweaty arms around her and just holds on tight. "Hannah, I'm so glad you came."

  They stand like that for what seems like hours. Neither one wanting to move just in case this is all a dream.