by C R Riley
She had never expected it to end so abruptly. Never thought they would both draw a line in the sand and then dare the other to cross it. However, that was what they both had done, and afterward, both did exactly what the other person had requested. Johanna left because he told her to leave. Jaxon let her leave and didn't chase her down, because she said if she walked out it was over. He took her as literally as she took him. As a consequence, they had both suffered for two weeks. Wishing they had handled the situation differently.
That time apart had done them some good, though. It had taught them they needed to communicate better. Let them understand that they hadn't just missed the excitement of a new relationship, but the actual person behind the new. Realized they couldn't just forget the other person. Came to an understanding that what they felt for the other person was deep and real.
Seeing the other person unexpectedly had affected them profoundly as well. It only intensified the emotions they felt for one another. Something they both had finally come to terms with and were now unwilling to ignore.
They finally decided to try this dating thing.
Jaxon wanted her to be his girlfriend officially and made that very clear. However, Johannah still wanted to give them some time to get to know the other person. Time before jumping into a committed relationship like that, at least a month. A month where they each live their lives much like they were now, Jaxon in California and Johannah in D.C.
Jaxon hated the idea. He wanted to move immediately, so he could see her daily.
She argued that moving a business so soon was irresponsible. Not only because it was crazy, but also because he needed to consider all the people who worked for him. He couldn't expect his employees to relocate across the country, just so he could be with a woman who wasn't officially even his girlfriend yet.
He abhorred that her point was legit, reluctantly agreeing. Ending the conversation by kissing her again.
"I should go," Johannah admits when she hears the chimes of the clock, notify her it's a quarter after now. Her breathing is once again labored because of the attack Jaxon is currently involved in.
"No." He retreats long enough to utter the one word before he continues. The texture of her skin against his lips is once again having an unimaginable effect on him. He may never let her leave now that he has gotten a taste.
"Jaxon. I have to fly back tomorrow afternoon. I have to be ready and back in Torrey Pines by ten. That's… oh… that's nice." Johannah admits when he nips that sensitive spot just below her ear. "Less than seven hours away. Oh, good gravy, you are going to give me a hickey."
There is this mischievous chuckle that escapes Jaxon. "You mean I am going to give you a pair."
"Jaxon, no. No. Stop! Don't tell me that." Johannah shoves him off of her as she jumps up and runs inside. The sound that echoes from the half bath has him chuckling even more.
They have been acting like a bunch of teenagers making out most of the night. He hadn't meant to give her the first one, but once he noticed it, he figured he might as well give her a matching set. Plus, he was so enjoying this newfound freedom he only experienced with his Hannah.
What did she expect after his earlier mishap? Hadn't he proven that he was doing his best to make up for eighteen years of lost time?
"Jaxon! I work for the President of the United States! I can't go to work with hickeys on my neck. I am going to kill you!" Johannah is standing in the doorway with her hands propped on her hips. "How am I supposed to explain this to Colton? How am I going to explain it to President Andrews and Mrs. Andrews? What are they all going to think of me? I am going to have to buy a scarf to tie around my neck, which by the way is against protocol. Or purchase a high collared white blouse; if it were winter, I could possibly get away with a turtleneck. Ugg, I am supposed to be a professional, not some lovesick teenager."
Jaxon is now lying on his back completely guffawing at her. The woman is making a big deal over two small red blotches, directly below her ears. He supposes if she flips her collar up just right, and buttons her blouse up all the way, she could conceal them. Of course, everyone would question why she was attempting to make a fashion statement.
"It's not funny, Jaxon." Johannah watches closely, as he sits up and runs his fingers through his hair.
Right now, he looks so relaxed. Probably the most relaxed she has ever seen him. He has a five o'clock shadow that has appeared during the course of the evening. Giving him a very dangerous presence. And when he stands and straightens to his full height, he owns the room. Looking less like a CEO and more like a man who gets what he wants, always.
"I'll take you shopping tomorrow morning on our way back. Martin will return your car for you. Seth will make sure your luggage gets delivered to the hotel in Torrey Pines in plenty of time." He grabs her hand and tries to encourage her to follow him. "Bedtime."
"And where exactly will I be sleeping?" Johannah questions as he tries to force her feet to move.
"With me. I am not letting you out of my sight, or my arms just yet." Jaxon bends down and lifts her when she doesn't move, tossing her easily over his shoulder.
"Jaxon, put me down." Johannah slaps his butt and nearly swoons. It is as tight as it looks.
"I will when we get to my bedroom. Now stop squirming." He tosses her on his king-size bed and then plops down next to her. "I can sleep somewhere else if you'd rather me do that."
Johannah shakes her head. "No, but no more necking tonight."
"Okay." Jaxon agrees that it would be a bad idea. "You are so beautiful, Hannah. So very beautiful." He reaches out and strokes her cheek. "I'm starting the process of setting up an office in D.C. next week. I need to be near you. I need to see you daily, talk to you face to face, kiss you."
Johannah's eyes droop. "No more hickeys, ever. We'll figure it all out, okay. Now shut up, so I can get some sleep before I have to face our nation's leader tomorrow morning. I am never going to live this down."
Jaxon leans forward and kisses her lips one last time and then watches her slip into a deep sleep. He has no idea how long he watches her before he falls asleep himself. All he knows is that eventually, he does.
Chapter Seventeen
Seven o'clock comes way too quickly. As soon as Johannah's phone alarm goes off, they are up and moving. Jaxon instructs her to jump in the shower first and use anything of his she needs. He even pulls out a new blade for his razor and replaces it just in case.
As soon as he has her situated in the bathroom, he calls Seth. Explains the situation. Directs him to have her belongings delivered within the hour to his place. His assistant is doing his best not to ask too many questions. Jaxon can sense them all on the tip of his tongue.
When he smells the aroma of coffee and bacon, he realizes his first mistake. His initial call should have been to Lucille. Now he is going to have to face her and explain the circumstances surrounding him. Walking out in the same clothes he had on last night because he slept in them, Jaxon decides he has no other option but to face the music.
Martin is seated at the counter. He is drinking a cup of coffee while browsing through his morning paper. The man still insists on the printed form. Jaxon bought him an iPad with the proper apps to browse all the news he desires, but he never uses it.
When he notices Jaxon, he folds it and smiles. "Morning, Jaxon. Did you know there is a Prius in your driveway?"
Jaxon stares at the man and doesn't blink. "I am aware of that fact, yes. I need you to return it for me."
"So, it's yours then." Martin raises his eyebrows as high as they will go.
"No. Johannah Kohl came over for supper last night." Jaxon accepts a cup of coffee from Lucille.
"And she just left it here?" Lucille joins in on the interrogation.
"No." And that is all he offers them.
At the moment, he feels like a young man confronting his parents. Parents who have returned home early and then caught him doing something he shouldn't have. These two are probably the cl
osest people he has to parents. It's not far from the truth, even though this is his home.
"Jaxon, is that coffee I smell? I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed one of your t-shirts to wear until I get my stuff from my hotel. And I swear I am going to kill you for…" Johannah stops talking as soon as she enters the kitchen and notices the two older adults staring at her. "Hello."
"Seth is having your things delivered. I expect them to be here within the hour. That should give us plenty of time to go shopping if we need to."
Jaxon takes in the sight of her. His shirt hangs off of her rather nicely. He also notices that she slipped her shorts under it, thank goodness. Wouldn't want to give their new guests an even better show. "Hannah, you remember Martin."
Gathering her wits, Johannah extends her hand. "Nice to see you again."
Jaxon reaches out and wraps his arm around her waist, towing her to him. "Did you find everything you needed? I don't mind you borrowing my shirt at all. Now kiss me before I introduce you."
Johannah rolls her eyes while ignoring his request, making the introductions herself. "You must be Lucille. Jaxon has told me all about you."
Lucille hands a mug of coffee to Johannah before she shakes her hand. "It's nice to meet you." Her eyes immediately travel to the marks on her neck.
Johannah blushes as she touches the one on her left side with her fingers. Aiming her gaze at Jaxon, she squints. "No kiss. Not after leaving vampire marks on my neck. You said Seth was…"
Jaxon captures her face with both hands and plants a nice, not too sloppy, kiss on her lips. "Always a kiss first. Practice makes perfect, remember? Yes, Seth is sending your stuff. Vampire marks don't look that awful."
"Jaxon, any mark on my neck looks appalling. And don't tell me you barely notice them, because Lucille has proven that theory wrong already." She takes a sip of her black coffee. "Never again are you to do that. Never, Jaxon. Can you imagine what the press will say if they get sight of this? I am intended to be background noise, not front-page news.
"I can picture the headlines now. A member of the President's protection detail has evidently been out painting the town. Check out the two hickeys on her neck, where someone clearly made a meal of her. Do you presume the rumors are true? That the hot and very dangerous Jaxon Cristiano. A man who has remained single all these years has finally met someone. If she has love bites on her neck, perhaps she has them in other places as well.
"And then my father and brothers will come after you, not to mention my mother. Oh, geez, I am so going to strangle you."
Her whole dramatic performance has all three of them very engaged. Not only did she do a voice alteration, her arms were flailing around even while making her point.
"You think I'm hot and dangerous." Jaxon's grin looks so dashing.
"I think you are, yes. I also think you are trouble, and very much acting like a teenage boy, rather than a man. A man who runs a very prominent business with an explicit reputation." Johannah admits and hears a chuckle emanate from the older gentleman next to her.
"I believe we discussed that last night. I'm around thirteen on the inside, doing my best to catch up." Jaxon laughs when he catches Johannah roll her eyes again.
The doorbell rings, which can only mean Seth has arrived. Jaxon isn't surprised to discover the man delivering the bags himself. After all, it's not every day he makes such a request.
Seth strolls into the room behind Martin, wearing a big goofy smile. "Miss Kohl, I hope I was able to get here fast enough for you. My wife, Lizzy, sent this with me. She swears it will do the job." He hands her a small makeup bag.
Johannah smacks Jaxon across the shoulder after she accepts the bag from Seth. "You bragged to your assistant about marking me. You have so much to learn about being in a relationship, Jaxon. So much to learn." Those last words come out very articulated, making it clear she is annoyed with him.
"Thank you, Seth. I suppose I should go get ready, so I'm not late." Johannah grabs her coffee. Then snags a piece of bacon off the plate Lucille just set down in front of Jaxon. She then tugs her luggage behind her as she retreats down the hall.
Jaxon begins to eat the delicious breakfast in front of him. When he glances up, he notices all eyes are focused on him, "What?"
Lucille is the one who steps up and addresses the elephant in the room. "What do you mean, what? She spent the night after you haven't seen her for two weeks. Not to mention I have never in my life seen you act so…"
"Normal." Jaxon provides the word he believes she was searching for.
"No, that wasn't what I was going to say. There is nothing wrong with you, Jaxon. Just because you're more sensitive to the happenings around you. That doesn't mean something is wrong with you. Had your father done right by you in the first place, I believe the matters you struggled with could have been less of an issue. God made you the way you are for a reason, son. Your sensitivity has made you an extraordinary man."
"Maybe you’re right, Lucille. Perhaps God knew I'd have been a sex addict like my father if I weren't so sensitive." He counters.
"Don't say that. You are nothing like your father." Lucille scolds him. "Never have been, never will be."
"Thank you. But I'm serious. Had I been able to withstand being intimate with the opposite sex, I believe I would have accepted their advances. Misunderstood them for love instead of lust. Hoping to satisfy a void that was left there when my mother died." Jaxon leans back and lets that revelation sink in.
"So, does that mean you have accepted her advances?" The disappointment on Lucille's face makes Jaxon grunt.
"No. Geez no."
"She spent the night." The older woman points out.
"Because it was three o'clock in the morning before we knew it. We talked about stuff. Private things. Issues we needed to work out. I'm not going to lie to you Lucille, we also made out like teenagers. I even had an embarrassing mishap. That is when she so kindly pointed out that I was catching up with the rest of the adult male population. Going through adult puberty so to speak."
Seth laughs at his honesty. "On that note, I believe I am going to disappear."
"Wait!" Johannah comes running, holding the small bag in her hand. "Tell your wife I owe her big time. That stuff is a miracle worker. Thank you."
"I'll let her know she saved your job." Seth takes the bag. "It's nice to meet the woman who has had him in knots these last few weeks. I never thought I'd see the day when my boss would feel the need to explain his devilish ways."
Jaxon blurts out. "I. Didn't. Sleep. With. Her. We talked. Made out. I gave her a few hickeys. Yes, she spent the night. But I didn't sleep with her."
Johannah sighs loudly and rolls her eyes. "I don't believe that is a true statement. Actually, you did sleep with me. And may I say you snore rather cutely and were a perfect gentleman. In fact, you were my first girl/boy sleepover."
"Oh, my word Hannah, you aren't helping!" Jaxon blurts out, frustrated.
"I believe what you are trying to disclose, is that we didn't have sex. Nor will we be having it anytime soon. I'm not that kind of woman." Johannah glances at the clock on the wall. "If you plan on taking me, you better go get ready."
Jaxon dismisses Seth with a look and then turns his attention on the brave woman in front of him. "I will be taking you in more ways than one, eventually. Give me five minutes, then I'll be ready to escort you back to my hotel in Torrey Pines." He leans down and kisses her again. "Now eat or Lucille will be offended."
Johannah nods as she watches him take off down the hall. She takes a seat at the counter when Lucille deposits a plate in front of her. "This looks delicious."
"Thank you." Lucille takes away Jaxon's empty plate and begins rinsing it off. "So, I hope you and Jaxon worked it all out."
Johannah smiles at the older woman. She understands this woman's protectiveness over the man she has found herself involved with. "We talked. Made a plan. Argued a little about the plan. I adore Jaxon. I've never met a man like him bef
ore. He is special and I look forward to getting to know him even better.
"I don't usually spend the night with a man. In fact, I have never done anything like this before. I've only had a handful of boyfriends, one serious relationship a very long time ago. My life has pretty much been centered on my job. Not much room left for socializing when you do what I do.
"I've been assigned to the Andrews' for almost eight years now. I have four brothers and one niece. I go to church regularly. And as I pointed out earlier, I am saving myself for my future husband. The man I eventually marry needs to have a strong faith. I'd like to think I could find one who has saved his gift for me as well. Although realistically I know the odds of such a man existing, are against me. That makes Jaxon so much more exceptional. I find it comical that I am the more experienced out of the two of us. Did I cover everything?"
Lucille nods her approval. "Yep. I believe you answered every one of the questions running through my head."
"Great." Johannah stands and grabs her plate when she feels arms wrap around her. "Hey."
"You didn't have to do that," Jaxon whispers in her ear.
"I didn't mind. I can see she cares and wanted to make sure I'm not some gold-digging floozy." Johannah hands her plate to Lucille. "Ready?"
"More than you know," Jaxon tells her and then leads her outside where Martin is waiting with the car.
Chapter Eighteen
A man shouldn't be so nervous about taking a woman out on a date. Especially one he has spent time with and made out with like a lovesick puppy. However, that is exactly how Jaxon feels right now. He is a nervous wreck about this whole dating thing.
