Chapter 17: Head Over Heels

"Slow down Johnny!" Nikki yelled as she grabbed the dash to brace herself.

"Damn it! I can't believe they just kissed!"

"Me either! What the hell is her problem?"

"Her problem? He just fucking kissed her!"

"Well even if that's true, she sure as hell let him and she kissed him back!"

John was already thinking the same damn thing. 

"Damn it Bret! I didn't know John was out here! You shouldn't have kissed me like that! I've got to go talk to him!"

"Forget about Bongiovi, Ash. He's just mad because you'd rather be here with me than him. And you damn well know you've missed these lips!" He grinned.

"Bret he's gonna crash his damn car, driving like that! He looked so upset! I've got to go find him!" She screamed and broke loose from Bret's arm around her and swayed and stumbled heading for her car.

"No Ashley you're trashed! There's no way I can let you get in that car baby."

"You take me to find him then! I've got to go talk to him! Please Bret!" She slurred and begged.

"Hell no baby! I'm not taking you to find Bongiovi! He's like a disease, he'll turn back up!"

"I'll drive my damn self then!" She grabbed her keys out of her purse.

"Woah, give me those." Bret grabbed her keys. 

Richie came outside to get his last pack of cigarettes out of his car and saw them arguing.

"Give me my damn keys, Bret Michaels!" She yelled and reached over and started hitting him pretty hard.

Richie had grabbed his cigs and was walking back to the door laughing at her hitting Bret.

Ashley looked up and noticed him.

"Richieeeee, my bestfriend!" She stumbled over to him with her big eyes glassy and bugging out of her head. And wow up close he was getting the full view of her in this dress that looked like it was handmade for her body.

"Ashley, wow baby. You are looking fine in that dress tonight."

"Thanks, please do me a favor Richie."

He thought, "damn I wish I was leaving here with her tonight."

She grabbed a hold of him and put her arm around him.

Richie started laughing, seeing just how drunk she really was. 

"John just left out of here burning his wheels up."

"That was Johnny? I heard it all the way in the club. What was his problem?"

"He was out here in his car and oh my God Richie, Bret kissed me! Smack dab right in front of him! I guess he's really pissed at me. He had Nikki in the car with him. Do you think he's gonna go sleep with her Richie? I really should kick her ass! That's what I should do!"

"You sure you can kick her ass, Nikki's tougher than she looks." Richie laughed. "I love a good cat fight. Maybe we can add a bunch of mud and sell tickets!" Richie laughed.

"Hey that ain't a bad idea, we can have them do it behind the club. They can start off fighting and if the end up kissing or something that's even better!" Bret laughed.

"Fuck you Bret." She rared back and punched him in the arm.

"Damn you are tougher than you look. Ouch!"

I've got to talk to him, Richie. Can you please take me to find him, oh please Richie? I've got to tell him I'm so sorry. And I need to tell him I love him! He doesn't even know it yet! He shouldn't be with Nikki. That bitch needs to leave him alone! She's suppose to like Bret, but she ain't good enough for him either!"

Bret looked really disappointed hearing her talking about John. "Just wait here baby he probably went to Nikki's apartment to be alone with her anyway."

"She better not have taken him to her damn apartment! Where does that bitch live? Tell me Bret! Why aren't you mad. I thought she was your girl? You don't care if she sleeps with John?" She yelled and was really getting pissed.

"I don't really give a shit what she does or who she does it with?" Bret laughed.

"Let me go inside and try to call him Ash, maybe he just dropped her off and went home." Richie smiled hoping to calm her down a little.

She leaned back and started to fall. Richie caught her. "Come here Ashley. Sit on this step, before you hurt yourself."

He walked a few feet over with Bret. "Damn she is really messed up. Don't give her those  keys back. She'll kill herself out in that car!"

"I know it. I ain't letting her go anywhere. I'm going to take her home later."

"Okay man, good she's really out of it. I've seen her drunk but not like this." Richie glanced back at her.

"Yeah she's totally wasted, but I've seen her way worse. After we partied most of the night in the French Quarter in New Orleans she was standing up in the sunroof of our limo going down Bourbon Street and she took her damn top off and threw it out on the street. We had guys chasing after our fucking limo. I didn't even realize she had done it until we got to the hotel and me and Rikki had to fight some punks that followed us there."

"Damn, I guess she is a handful. But I have to say I would of loved to have been on Bourbon street that night just for the view." Richie chuckled.

"Oh it's awesome man. I know her whole  body like the back of my hand. And she even has a special little hidden surprise."

"Really? What's that?"

"Well let's just say that somewhere on that fine ass body of hers, is a perfect little heart shaped birthmark."

"Damn are you serious?"

"Yep and only a chosen few have ever gotten to see it. It's awesome." He chuckled.

"Aww nice, man." Richie grinned.

John yelled, "I need a fucking cigarette!" He grabbed his pack and shook it and it was empty. "Damn, I'm out! Do you have any?" He looked over at Nikki.

"No sorry I don't smoke."

"Okay, I'll pull in here at the gas station and buy a pack."

Nikki got out and saw one of her friends at the gas pump and ran over to her. The way John was driving she didn't want to get back in that car with him. "Thanks anyway Johnny, but I've got a ride now." She yelled over to John.

"Okay." He went in and bought his smokes and got back in his car headed home. He kept replaying the kiss in his head. Damn he didn't realize until that very second, he saw her kiss Bret, what she really meant to him. He pulled up at home and hoped his Dad had left a beer or ten in the fridge, he really needed them right now to clear his head. As soon as he got in he heard the private phone line up in his room ringing. So he ran upstairs, hoping by some chance it might be her.

"Hello!"

"Hey man, you are there." Richie sounded surprised.

"Yeah I just got here. What's up?"

"Well I've been out front of the Fast Lane trying to keep Ashley from  driving over to find you. Man she's fucked up. She was saying she had to come see you. She thinks you're pissed at her. She said she's so sorry Bret kissed her in front of you. She didn't know you were in the car and could see them. She's really jealous you left with Nikki and she wants to kick her ass!"

"Ooh really Nikki and Ashley fighting in the dresses they had on tonight. I'd pay to watch that for sure." John laughed.

Oh and I haven't told you the best part."

"Really? What is it?"

"She said she loves you!"

John sat straight up on his bed.

"Wait, are you serious? Ashley said that? 

Those exact words? She loves me?"

"Yeah, she is totally drunk off her ass, man! She was beating on Bret because he took her keys and she couldn't come find you! It was funny as shit!" Richie was laughing.

"Where is she right now?"

"She's with Bret, he said he's taking her home later."

"Damn it! Keep an eye on her. I'm coming back. I've got to talk to her. I don't care what you have to do! Don't let her leave with Bret!"

"Okay man, I'll do my best."

John hung the phone up and ran to his car.

He cranked up and burned his wheels out of the driveway.

He pulled up at the Fast Lane and saw her car and Bret's car and felt a little relief that at least she was still there. He walked inside and looked around he didn't see her but he saw Richie sitting at the bar.

"Where is she."

"She's over there with Bret on the purple couch." 

John looked over and there she was, smiling and talking to Bret. He could tell she was pretty wasted. "She doesn't look like she's worried about me at all." He thought while ordering  a tequila shot.

"Are you going over there?" Richie asked looking at the pissed off expression on John's face."

"Not yet, Michaels is in the damn way!" John drank his second shot and slammed the shot glass down on the bar.

"She really wanted to talk to you, man. Are you trying to get shit faced or what? You know how you get on tequila!"

"She sure as shit ain't acting like she cares if she talks to me now!"

"She's so messed up, she probably doesn't even know where she is man." He laughed."You know Ashley, may be a little wilder than you thought when she's drunk."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Bret told me he had her in a limo on Bourbon street she was drunk and hanging out of the sunroof and took her damn top off and threw it out on the street. They had to fight some guys that followed them back to the hotel."

"That doesn't sound like the Ashley, I know." John ordered another shot.

"Yeah me either."

"What else did that asshole say about her?"

"Nothing you want to hear man."

"Come on Richie, tell me."

"It's going to piss you off."


He looked back over at them and Bret had sat down and was getting closer to her and had his hand on her knee.

"He's already pissing me off. Come on Richie, just tell me what the asshole said!"

"Just how perfect her body was and how he knew every square inch of it like the back of his hand."

John's jealousy was growing as the tequila flooded his brain. He knew she hadn't slept with Bret, but they had done other stuff. And he didn't like Bret bragging about shit he had done with her."

"Was he trying to act like he fucked her? Because he sure as hell didn't!" John yelled.

"He never actually said it, but yeah I think he was implying it."

"Was that all he said?"

"Yeah, mostly. Oh and one other thing. She has  some sort of perfect little heart birthmark on her somewhere."

This really pissed John off. This was the first time he had heard about it and he was mad that Bret had already seen it. Just the fact that he knew things about her that he didn't. And he had seen parts of her body John hadn't seen.

"Damn it." John thought as he took a drag from his cigarette and slammed his lighter down on the bar.

John turned and was staring at Ashley as Stacey walked over to him."I thought you left Johnny."

He answered her without looking away from Ashley. "I came back."

Stacey followed his eyes and saw Ashley.

"Why don't you go talk to her?"

"She doesn't need me over there. She looks like she's getting pretty cozy with Bret." John slurred a little.

"You know I told her to stay away from you, that you were trouble."

John turned his eyes to Stacey. "Yeah, so what?" He replied sarcastically.

"The look on your face tells me that you really care about her. Maybe I was wrong."

"I'm crazy about that girl, but she can't seem to leave Michaels alone. She's pretty hammered tonight and she told Richie, that she thinks she loves me."

"Well I definitely shouldn't tell you this, but she told me the same thing."

"Stacey let me ask you this."

"Okay what?"

Look at her with Bret, over there right now. Look at the way they are looking at each other. What do you think? Tell me what you see."

"Oh you don't need my opinion, I see the very same thing you do."

"She's your cousin, you know her better than anybody. She fucking loves him doesn't she?" He asked staring into Stacey's eyes wanting the truth.

"I think she does John. But she told me she has feelings for you that she's never had for anybody."

"It sure doesn't look like it now." He looked back over there and Bret was sitting right beside her with his arm around her.

I think she's kind of torn between the two of you."

"Fuck this!" John got up with a beer in his hand and headed over to the couch.

Ashley looked up at him. "John." She squealed and smiled.

"Hey baby. Richie said you were looking for me."

"Yes John, I really have to talk to you." She jumped up and almost fell down. John grabbed her and steadied her.


 "Let's go over here and sit down with Richie." They walked over to Richie's table.

Bret had a mixture of jealousy and anger on his face watching her walk away with John.

They sat down with Richie and she pulled out her little red card and handed it to John. "Please go show this to the bartender and  get me some more champagne and get whatever y'all want."

"I think you've had enough, Ashley."

Richie grabbed the card from John."Damn she's got an unlimited red pass and it doesn't expire. I didn't think they even made these anymore."

"They don't. Bret must of had some made up." John replied shoving it in his back pocket. He didn't want Ashley using it anymore tonight.

"Please John just one more? She whined looking into to his blue eyes and begging with her sexy drunken blue eyes."

"No don't look at me like that Ashley. You can't get your way just because you give me that look. You don't need anymore baby." He couldn't take her sad eyes. "Damn it, here Richie, take this and go get her a champagne and get us a couple of beers."

He looked at Ashley.

"But this is your limit, you've already had way too much."

She smiled at him. "Thank you."

"Richie called and told me, to come back up here, you wanted to talk to me."

"I do John. I'm so sorry, I didn't know Bret was going to kiss me and I didn't know you were in you car watching. Are you mad at me?" She looked up at him with her glassy drunken eyes.

"No baby I ain't mad at you."

"Did you sleep with Nikki? I saw her in the car with you! She's been hanging all over Bret and now you. I'll beat that bitch's ass when I see her!" She screamed.

John smiled at her being so drunk and  jealous. "Damn are you jealous baby? I didn't know I would get so much attention if you were jealous. Dang there's a cute blonde maybe I can get with her later. He teased her and laughed.

"Where?" She spun around in her seat. "Who the hell are you looking at?" She snapped.

"Nobody, I'm just kidding. You really are messed up tonight. Calm down baby, their ain't nobody in here I'd rather look at then you." He chuckled. "What was Bret saying to you?" He knew how drunk she was and hoped she would tell him everything.

Richie handed them their drinks.

"Nothing really just the same old stuff." Ashley looked over at John.

"Like what?" John smiled. You can tell me Ash, I won't get mad at you."

"He just wanted to talk about the past."

"And how much he still cares about me and misses me and wants me to go back to his apartment with him tonight."

He didn't like the sound of this and he was certainly going to try to talk her out of it.

"Are you going back there with him?"

"No I wasn't going to go. I wanted to come look for you."

"Why did you want to find me?"

"Ashley gulped some of her champagne. "I'm sorry you saw Bret kiss me. I didn't really want him to. I saw your face and you looked really pissed and kind of hurt."

"I was, but I was mostly mad at my own self for fighting with you earlier. I shouldn't  have said you were going to repay Bret by sleeping with him now. I'm so sorry Ash. I wanted to take it back as soon as I said it, but it was too late. I'm not a jealous person usually. But when I see you with that dude, I get jealous as fuck and  I want to rip his head off!"

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to keep hurting you, John. But, you have to understand that Bret means alot to me."

"Are you in love with him Ashley? Because from where I'm standing it sure as hell looks like you never got over him. If you are just tell me and I'll back off. It will hurt like hell but I'll try."

"Please don't ask me this. Not right now. My head isn't very clear tonight."

"Okay, well how do you feel about me. I'd really like to know?"

"I care about you a lot."

"Richie said you wanted to tell me something earlier."

She smiled and looked away. She was hoping Richie hadn't told him she said she loved him.

He grabbed her face and turned it back to him. "Tell me Ashley, I really want to know."

A tear rolled down her face as he looked into her hazy drunken eyes.

He wiped it away with the side of his hand. "What is it baby? Why are you crying?"

She just stared at him. Not really knowing how to answer. She finished her champagne.

John finished his beer. "Let's get out of here." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

"Okay." They walked outside and got in the Mustang and drove up the road.

"Do you want to go to our spot?"

"Yeah I'd love to."

They pulled up and he grabbed the old blanket out of the trunk. They walked out to their spot on the beach and he laid the blanket down and pulled her down beside him. "I'm glad you came out here with me. I couldn't get you alone in the club."

"I'm sorry about Bret. He....

John cut her off.  "I don't want to talk about Bret. Not here at our spot."

"You're here with me. Please don't ruin it by mentioning Michaels. This place is special to me and  you are the only girl I've ever brought here.

"Really John? That's so sweet." She smiled.

"Yeah and I want you to know that means something to me to be able to share this with you."

She shivered a little. "Are you cold?"

"A little."

"Here baby take my jacket." He took it off and helped her put it on.

"Ashley, I've been doing a lot of thinking. I know you've heard a lot of shit about me and I'm not proud to say a lot of it is true. I have treated girls badly in the past and sometimes not cared about their feelings until the day I met you." He pointed to her.

" I promise when you walked into my life that all changed. You are the only girl I care about. I know I should run like hell.  Something tells me you could rip my heart apart. But I can't. When I'm away from you, you are all I can think about. And I only want to be with you again. I know you have feelings for Bret. And I'll admit I am so damn jealous of him. The thought of you ever being with him kills me and when I see you with him now I'll be honest, I want to hurt him!" John pulled her a little closer looking into her eyes. I know you have a hard time telling me how you feel but I want you to know how I feel. Hell I want to shout it from the damn rooftops! When I sat in that car and watched Bret kiss you, I knew  instantly how I felt about you.  "Ashley Michelle Covington, I am totally, whole heartedly, head over heels in love with you."