Chapter 4: The Kiss

Bret opened his office door. "This is it, come on in."

"Here's some champagne, I remember how much you love it." He poured her a big wine glass full, from the refrigerator in his office.

"Thank you." She nervously started drinking.

They sat down on the sofa together.

"Look Ashley, I just couldn't leave things like that with you. I know it sounds bad that I've been seeing Heather, and I would drop her in a heartbeat for you. I want you to understand, I fell for you so hard and it hurt me so bad, when I didn't know how to find you. I figured you wanted it that way.

"Bret wait, why would you think I didn't want you to be able to find me?"

"I mean you never would officially be my girlfriend. I asked you over and over, but because you knew I was leaving you said a long distance relationship would never work. When I couldn't find you, I thought you were done with me and it was your way of ending it."

"I was trying to protect myself from being hurt but, when I didn't hear from you my whole world fell apart. I let my guard down and went through some stuff that really changed me. I don't even feel like the same girl you met last summer. The relationship I was in was really bad for me Bret, and I just got out of it. I just need some time to sort out my life."

"What happened Ash? Baby, you know you can tell me anything. Please, let me help you. I really want to be there for you, if you'll let me."

I just can't talk about it right now. I'm sorry." She downed almost the whole glass of champagne.

"Ashley, time has stood still for me, and I am still in love with you."

Looking up at him, "Bret, whatever feelings you have for me, have to stay in the past. I mean, you're involved with someone now. And y'all wouldn't be together if you didn't  have strong feelings for her.

"Ashley I have strong feelings for you. I had so many plans for us and they never got to happen because I couldn't find you. Were you  really ever in love with me? Because the way you're acting now, it doesn't seem like it."

She looked at him with anger in her eyes. "Bret you know I loved you! So don't you dare say shit like that to me!" She drank the rest of her champagne and sat the empty glass down on the desk.

"But you're so willing to let what we had go!"

"You have a girlfriend Bret! Don't you understand! That stops you from having anything with anybody else! But, I am not going to get in any kind of relationship right now. I just can't."

She stood up and he grabbed her shoulder, she could smell the liquor on his breath. 

"You're not leaving, we aren't finished."

"Yes we are! We don't have anything else to talk about. We can be friends, but I can't offer any more than that, right now."

Looking at her intensely. "That's not enough for me, Ashley! Not the way I feel about you!"

"Let me go Bret, you're hurting me!" She broke free and ran out the door with Bret following close behind. She had tears in her eyes and made a beeline straight for John and Richie's table.

John saw the tears. "Are you okay baby?"

"Yeah, I just can't deal with him right now, he's drunk."

Bret reached the table.

"Ashley, I hate it when you won't listen to me! Now please come on back so we can work this out!"

"I don't have anything else to say to you right now Bret. "You're drunk, sober up and we can talk later."

Bret started shaking his head. "Hell no Ashley! I can't believe you're acting like this! I have been waiting a long time to see you, and I want you hear me out!"

Seeing how upset Ashley was, John was getting angry. "Leave her alone Bret!"

"Fuck you Bongiovi, stay out of it! This ain't any of your damn business!"

"I'm making it my business!" John stood up.

Ashley grabbed him. "No John don't do this!"

Bret laughed. "So you want to be her boyfriend, Johnny? Last time I checked you have a girlfriend and several chicks on the side already!"

"Fuck you Bret, leave Dorothea out of this!"

"I've seen you here at the club, the minute Dorothea has her back turned you're busy with some other girl!"

"Back off man!" John yelled. 

Two big club bouncers had walked over when they heard Bret start yelling.

"It's alright guys, I can take care of him myself." Bret smirked.

John was pissed and stood there ready to fight.

Ashley got in front of John. "Come on John let's leave. Please take me home." He wouldn't look away from Bret, so she reached up and touched his face gently and he looked down at her. Their eyes met and the feeling of her touch set off an electric charge that seemed to pulse through his body.

"Okay baby, let's go." He put his arm around her and started walking with her to the door. He looked back and gave Bret a mean glare.

Bret was so pissed, standing there watching them leave together.

They reached his mustang and got in.

"I'm sorry John, it's all my fault. I'm sorry I got you involved."

"It's not your fault, Bret was being an asshole." He drove out of the parking lot. "I'm not ready to go home though. Let's go to the beach."

"I love the beach, it reminds me of home." She smiled.

Ashley's alcohol was really kicking in when they pulled up at the beach. She walked out a little in the sand and decided to take her boots off. She got one off and fell over in the sand laughing trying to take the other off.

He took it off for her and walked back and put her boots in the car. He walked up to her and held out his hand.

She reached up and grabbed it. "Thank you." She smiled. He pulled her up and they walked out to the water. "It's so beautiful here. I love the beach it really helps me to clear my head."

"Me too, this rock right here is my favorite spot. I come here to think, and write songs, just be alone sometimes.

"It's a great spot. I like to be alone sometimes too." She smiled.

He noticed how beautiful she was tonight. How her hair cascaded on her shoulders and sparkled in the light. "You look so beautiful in the moonlight, baby."

Looking up at him "Why do look at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you can see right through me into my soul."

"I wish I could. I'd love to know what you are thinking right now."           

 "That I've had too much too drink, and you are the most gorgeous guy I have ever seen."

He smiled. "Thanks, but I doubt that." He sat down in the sand and started looking over toward the water.

Ashley pointed up in the sky. "Oh look it's a shooting star! Make a wish!"

"Okay." He grinned. "I know what I really want."

He closed his eyes and made his wish.

"What did you wish for?" She asked with a smirk on her face.

"I can't say it won't come true." He grinned.

"That's birthday wishes." She giggled. This wish is different. So what was it?"

"That you would let me kiss you."

"See I knew you were trouble, Mr. John Bongiovi."

He chuckled. "Well trouble is my middle name." 

"What is your middle name, really?" She giggled.

"Francis, I'm named after my Dad. What's yours?"

"Michelle, my Mom just liked the name."

"I love your whole name, Ashley Michelle Covington, it just rolls off the tongue. It's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

"You are so sweet, your girlfriend is a lucky girl."

"She doesn't think so, she wants to kick my ass most of the time." He laughed. "And don't change the subject. What about my kiss? It was my one and only wish."

"I can't kiss you. It wouldn't be right."

"Kisses  from wishes don't count." It's not a real kiss. It's just two sets of lips touching. He was sitting so close to her and wanting so badly to kiss her beautiful lips under the moonlight.

"God, why do I almost believe you?" She giggled looking at him.

"Because you're drunk and I am most believable, if you've been drinking." He laughed. Go ahead and kiss me, baby make my wish come true."

He leaned into her expecting her to pull away but she was so attracted to him and buzzing pretty good so she just let him come closer.

He softly touched his lips to hers as butterflies fluttered around in her stomach. 

His mouth opened and he ran his tongue gently against her lips. She opened her mouth slightly and his tongue gently pushed its way inside. He twirled it around her tongue softly and slowly. He held her and caressed her as he invaded her mouth  with swirls and flicks of his tongue and sent goosebumps down her entire body. 

The passion in his kiss, sent her heart soaring, as it was easily the best one she had ever received and it literally took her breath away.

He slowly pulled back from her and their eyes opened and she couldn't believe how handsome he really was.

Smiling at him. "God that was wonderful. I don't think I've ever been kissed like that. You are an excellent kisser." 

"Thanks baby. You are a great kisser too." He grinned.

Looking into his beautiful ocean blue eyes, that seem to have her under his spell, "I've got to get away from you."

"Why? I thought you kind of liked me." He chuckled.

"I do, that's the problem. I feel like such a hypocrite. I told Bret I couldn't be with him because he has a girlfriend. And here I am letting you kiss me, knowing you have one. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"I won't say a word. Nobody knows but us, and I ain't telling anybody."

"John I caught my boyfriend cheating on me with my best friend and I promised myself that I would never get caught up in anything like that!"

"What kind of asshole would be dumb enough to cheat on you?"

"I should have realized it a lot sooner than I did. I should have broken up with him, way before that."

"Well I have a confession to make." He had a very serious look on his face.

"Yeah. What is it?"

"I have been thinking of breaking up with Dorothea, for a while now. My Mom and all my friends have been telling me to."

"No John, your drunk you don't know what you're saying!"

"Yes I do. She's not the girl I want to be with. Of all the times I've kissed her, I've never felt the way I did when I just kissed you."

"Please don't tell me that. I don't want to know that!"

"I told you, I've been wanting to do it for a while. I'm just not happy with her anymore."

"Listen we got carried away. When you sober up you'll change your mind."

Looking at her intensely.  "No I won't Ashley. I promise you, I won't."

"John I want to know something."

"Okay, I'll tell you anything."

"At the club Bret said you had Dorothea and several girls on the side, and everytime she turned her back you are messing around. Is that true?"

"Believe me, he's exaggerating."

"But some of it's true, you must have cheated on her before. I mean you just did with me."

"Well it's all in your definition of cheating, I guess. If I don't have sex with them, I don't really consider it cheating."