Chapter 22: Hot And Heavy

John got back on stage with the band. Jack wanted to play a song they had only rehearsed once. John wasn't sure if he would remember the words, but he went with it. The crowd really liked it. He held up his finger toward Ashley.

 She smiled, knowing what it meant. I love you too she mouthed back at him.

Stevie and some of the guys showed up. They had been at the Stone Pony. Dave Sabo was with them sporting his new fake id.

"What's up Richie?"

"Not much man look at you kid, made it all the way up in here! Did you sneak in the side door? Richie laughed.

"I don't have to sneak in anymore, check this baby out." He pulled out his id. It said he was twenty-two and from Alabama.

"Damn it son! This says you are older than me and now you're a redneck from Alabama!"

Ashley turned and looked at them with a grin on her face. "Let me see that?"

"Oh God, Alabama licenses don't look anything like that!" She laughed.

"Well It doesn't matter. Nobody around here even knows what they look like at all so it's fine." Richie grinned.

John came over and stood beside Ashley. He grabbed her hand and gave her a quick kiss on her lips. "Hey baby." He smiled. "Were you surprised when I gave you the rose?"

"I really was. I didn't see you with it."

"I picked it from my Mom's garden and stuck it in my guitar case."

"It's beautiful. Thank you so much."

"We're almost finished packing everything up and then we can head over to Jack's."

"Hey Johnny."

"Sabo. How'd you get in here man?"

Dave grinned and pulled out his fake id.

"Yep he's older than us and from down Ashley's way in Alabama." Richie grinned.

"Oh yeah, let me see what city it said." Ashley grabbed it. "Grand Bay, I know right where that is."

"You're from Alabama?" Dave asked.

"No I'm from Mississippi, but it's right over the line from Grand Bay."

"So damn you guys have Mardi Gras down there!" Dave exclaimed.

"Yeah we do. But the biggest party is in New Orleans. Fat Tuesday, that's the place to be!"

"I want to go Ash! I haven't ever been to Mardi Gras and I hear it's wild!" John grinned.

"Oh it is! We can go if you want to."

"Damn count me in! Is it true you can drink right in the street in front of the cops and all the hot chicks lift their shirts for beads?" Richie laughed.

"Yeah it is and some of the girls do! It's like an outdoor block party!"

John got this real serious look on his face."Hey wait did you ever lift your shirt baby?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked.

"I don't know, but I'm a little jealous if you did. So did you?"

"Yeah in the French quarter I was so drunk and all my friends were doing it." She giggled.

"Damn I wish I could have been there to see that!" Dave  blurted out and John cut his eyes at him. Richie laughed but he was thinking the same thing Dave was dumb enough to say.

John leaned over to Ashley's ear. "If we go you ain't doing that shit anymore! Okay?"

"Okay John, I won't."

"You've got to take us! When is it?" Richie asked.

"Well it's a different time every year, but I think it's in February next year."

"I saw on tv these guys were dressed in some kind of suites kissing all the hot girls and giving them flowers! I thought damn that should be me!" Dave chuckled.

"Yeah I had about 20 of those roses last year."

John let go of her hand. "You kissed twenty guys at a fucking Mardi Gras parade?"

"John I didn't know you were so jealous. It's just a peck on the lips. It's not a big deal."

"Well you ain't doing that shit either! They better not even come up to you!"

She laughed. "Wow I don't know if I like this possessive side of you John."

"Look Ashley, I love you and we are together now and I don't want guys gawking at your tits or kissing you at a fucking Mardi Gras parade!"

"Okay John, it won't happen again."

"Johnny come on and help me roll up these cords. I want to get the hell out of here man!" Jack snapped.

"I'll be right back." John walked up to the stage.

Ashley was just standing there watching him.

"Was he jealous like that with Dorothea?"
She asked Richie.

"No, I don't know where that shit just came from. He ain't usually jealous about anything."

"Well my last boyfriend was really jealous and I don't really want to go through that again."

"Johnny will chill out. Don't worry. You just mean a lot to him."

Richie looked at her. "If you were mine I wouldn't want guys gawking at you or kissing you either. Hell I probably wouldn't let you out of the house." He laughed.

"Oh Lord. Remind me never to be your girlfriend." She laughed.

"Damn I wish you were my girlfriend." He thought. "I'd love to find that heart birthmark for myself." He thought to himself and smiled at her.

Back at John's house. His parents were sleeping. Matt had went to bed early with a touch of a stomach ache. Tony was on the couch watching a movie, when bright lights from a car filled the living room. He heard a big motor and a lot of noise coming from the front yard. He pulled back the curtains and a black car was doing doughnuts on the front lawn. Really tearing up the grass.

"Oh shit! Dad's really going to be pissed!" He mumbled as he watched the black car drive away.

John finished up and walked back over to Ashley. "I'm sorry Ash. I shouldn't have been such an asshole."

"It's okay John. But I don't like girls gawking at you either. When you unbutton your shirt and you're all sweaty. I see them looking John. Just because I don't make a big deal out of it, doesn't mean I'm not jealous as hell."

"Well it's my job to turn them on baby."

"Well you better figure out how to turn them off, because you don't want to see me if I get jealous!" She cocked her brow and was only half kidding.

He laughed. "I only want you gawking at me baby. And I want to get all sweaty with you."

"Oh gross John." She giggled.

"Come on let's go, it's party time!"

He grabbed her hand and they walked out the door headed to Jack's party.

John pulled up to the beach house and Ashley couldn't believe her eyes.

"Oh my God, this is beautiful!" She smiled.

"I knew you'd love it. Wait til you see the inside."

They waited for Jack and some of the guys to pull up and they got out. Help me with this Johnny and Richie!" He opened his trunk.

"Okay man."

"Bret gave me these. A case of Vodka, a keg of beer, and a case of champagne. I don't know what the hell he sent the champagne for. But the vodka and beer we'll use."

"I know why he did it. He sent it for Ashley. She loves the shit man!" John replied.

"Really? I heard she used to have something going on with him."

"Yeah last year. She met him out on tour before the record company went broke and dropped his ass!"

"Oh damn she's the Ashley he mentions in the dedication inside the tape cover."

"I don't know. I haven't ever seen it! I ain't no Poison fan!"

"I think I still have it."

"Okay, Look for it, I want to see it!"

Jack put his box down and started digging in his car. He grabbed a tape and handed it to John.

"Here you go man."

"Thanks." John stuffed it in his jacket pocket.

John grabbed the two boxes and Jack and Richie grabbed the keg.

Ashley was waiting by the door she couldn't believe how big and beautiful it was inside.

"Jack this is so beautiful!" She smiled. Looking around at how nice it was decorated.

John sat the boxes down. "Come here baby look out here at the pool and hot tub. And there's another hot tub upstairs. And the back yard opens right to the beach."

"Wow Jack if my grandparents lived here. I would never leave." She giggled.

"This bad boy is going to be all his one day!" Richie grinned.

"Mine and my sister Elaina's. My Grandparent's are leaving it to us in their will."

"Wow that's really cool. I love how it's decorated."

"Thanks my Grandmother did it all herself."

"Her family owns the Sara Lee cake company." John added.

"Really? Wow I bet y'all eat desserts everyday!" She giggled.

"Yeah they use us and all our friends as guinea pigs for all their new recipes." He laughed.

"I'll show you around, if you want."

"Sure, I'd love to see it." That's the kitchen in there. And in here is the den."

"Noooo." John hollered out in pain. "Don't take her in there, I was trying to keep her out of there."

Jack laughed. "What Johnny is trying to hide from you is my Grandmother is our biggest fan and she loves to take photos of us and hang them in here.

"Oh my Lord! Look at John!" She smiled. I would have loved to have gone to school with y'all."

 "No don't look at me! You would have never talked to me in school Ash! You were a damn cheerleader."

"You were adorable and I so would have talked to you."

 "My Grandma loves John like a grandson and she embarrasses him just like she does me and my sister."

 "Oh my God John's so sexy in that hat." She giggled.

"Oh Lord please make it stop." John whined in pain.

"If my grandma was here she would pull out all her photo books." Jack laughed.

"Well then I'm glad Mrs. Gloria isn't here then. John chuckled."

"Is that you and Dorothea?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah that was the first day we met.  Now Jack you've got to talk to her, that one has to go. I can't be looking at me and Dot everytime I come over. Hell chop Dot out of it, if you got to!"

"Let's go up stairs. I'll show you the rest of the house." Jack offered.

They looked in all the rooms and Ashley was impressed with each one.

"Okay one more floor. Now this is my Grandma's favorite. She has been remodeling up here for a while and just got it finished."

They opened the first door. "This is the fancy bathroom she put in." Then he opened door number two. "And this is her fancy guest room that she will probably never use."

"Wow Jack it is very beautiful. I love the bed and the view. It is just simply perfect."

John's ears perked up. "She just said this room is perfect. I wonder if it's perfect enough?" He thought thimself. Remembering what she had said about she wanted her first time to be with someone she loved. At the perfect time and in the perfect place."

"Come on let's go get a drink." He grabbed her hand and headed for the booze. He got her some champagne and him a beer. Some more people had shown up. 

"There you are Ash!"

"Glad you made it Stacey. Isn't this house gorgeous?"

"Oh my God, yes!"

Ashley jumped up. "Come out here and look at this pool!"

Jack looked over at John. "Did you look at Bret's dedication yet?"

"No man I forgot." He pulled the tape out and opened it. It was a long one that opened into four sections and Bret's was first. These things usually go on thanking family and friends and anybody they ever met, but not Bret's. His was simple.

                                      

"Yeah man that's for her. His dumbass let her get away."

"I wonder if she ever saw it?" Jack asked.

"I don't know but I sure as hell ain't showing it to her. Here go put this shit  back." He shoved it in the case and handed it back to Jack.  He got up and stuck it in a drawer of the entertainment center. 

John looked deep in thought as he finished his beer and went back for another.

"Are y'all staying the night here?" Stacey grinned.

"We're supposed to."

"Oh my God, you're going to do it with him aren't you!" Stacey giggled.

"I didn't say that!"

"Well it would definitely be memorable here at this big mansion." Stacey grinned.

"Yeah it would but there's so many freaking people everywhere. I don't know how romantic it would be. Come upstairs and look at this bedroom Jack showed us!"

"Jack can I go show her that guest room?"

"Sure go ahead."

John laughed. "She loves that room. Do you think we could stay in it tonight?" John smiled with a pleading look on his face. 

"Yeah but don't get wild or anything up in there. My Grandma will kill me if you break any of her shit!"

"No man we'll be cool."

"So you trying to get lucky with her huh?"

"Maybe but she ain't ever done it and I don't know about all these people being around."

"Oh so Bret never sealed the deal, then. To hear him talk he had!"

"Yeah that asshole is a liar and he wishes he had."

"Oh I bet he does!" Jack laughed.

"Well its on the third floor by itself and you have your own big ass bathroom up there. It's all pretty private. Good luck to you my brother. I think you are going to need it." Jack chuckled.

"Thanks." John laughed.

Ashley and Stacey came down and got some more champagne. Richie and David were mixing drinks and playing bartender. 

John got up and kissed Ashley and smiled. "You look beautiful baby."

"Thanks."

"Jack said we can stay up in that room you love so much."

"Really? How sweet of him."

"It was sweet of me, I asked him. I want to get you all to myself. It's on the third floor away from everybody." He pulled her in to his arms. "Damn you feel so good baby."

She hugged him back. "You do too John."

"Let me get you some more champagne."

"Thanks." She smiled at him 

Richie and some of the guys were playing beer pong with some girls. "Come on Johnny play with us!" Richie laughed.

"Okay man." He handed Ashley her glass. "I'll be right back."

Richie was wearing a t-shirt that said New Jersey girls are the best in the world.

"Where did you get that shirt man?"

"It's Jack's, I spilled beer all over mine." He laughed. 

"Jack do you got some tape and a marker?" 

Jack dug it out of a junk drawer. "Here you go."

"Richie take that shirt off for a minute."

"Okay, but why?"

"I'm going to score some points with Ash."

"Okay here you go."

John pulled some tape off and wrote something on it.

"Nice man." Richie laughed.

John stood there and called Ashley over. "Ash do you want to play beer pong?"

She walked over and read his shirt and smiled. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for my baby to notice my clever shirt."

"You're so crazy." She giggled.

"But you love me, now come play beer pong."

"Okay." 

They played for a while.  Richie had a good buzz going and was hitting it off with a blonde from a couple houses down. 

She looked at this new girl. "Sorry they are all so rude. I'm Ashley."

"Sorry Ashley." Richie chuckled. "This is Lisa she is one of Jack's neighbors. And this is Ashley she is Johnny's girlfriend." 

"Nice to meet you Ashley." Lisa smiled.

"You too Lisa."

Richie got the ball in the cup and John had to drink, but the cup leaked all over John's shirt.

"Shit man, this cheap ass cup is leaking everywhere!" John laughed.

"That's what happened to me!" Richie laughed.

John took the shirt off and threw it down and left his shirt off.

He stopped and posed for Ashley.  "Look at these muscles baby. 

"I see them, you look so sexy with your shirt off John."

He threw the ball and Ashley had to drink. "Watch the cheap ass cup Ashley or this might turn into a wet t-shirt contest!" John laughed. 

"That's not a bad idea!" Jack exclaimed.

"Oh hell no!" John laughed shaking his head!"

Richie went and found some dry clothes and made up some more drinks at the bar. 

A couple of bartenders from the Fast Lane showed up together. "What'a up Jack? I hope it's okay, I brought Eric. He wanted to come."

"Yeah it's fine. We got plenty of booze."

John took a shot but he missed. "It's your turn baby."

Ashley made it. "Damn have you missed one yet?" John asked.

"A couple but I was pitcher, John. I'm not supposed to miss." She giggled.

"Well you are getting pretty loaded, but you have made almost every shot."

"I bet I can knock a can off your head!"

"Hell no I ain't stupid! You ain't messing this face up!" He laughed.

"Jack do you got some other kind of ball?"

"Let me go see."

Jack came back with a baseball. 

"Hell no Ashley! I told you you're not fucking my face up!"

"I'll do it!" Stacey sat down and picked up an empty can."

"You're crazy!" John laughed.

"She used to do it all the time back home. I know she can do it!"

She put the can on her head and Ashley rared back and threw the baseball and knocked the can off.

"Damn baby, you're good!" John chuckled. 

"I told you! Now sit down and put that can on your head."

"Aww damn are you really gonna make me do this?"

"Yep!"

"Will you kiss it if you accidentally hit me?" He made a sad face.

"Yeah I'll kiss anything you want if you sit down and put that can on your head."

"Well damn if you put it like that!" He sat down with the can on his head, but his nervousness was showing all over his face. 

Everybody was watching.

 He closed his eyes tight and she rared back and threw the ball and knocked the can right off his head."

"Damn I think I just pissed my pants!"

Everybody started laughing.

"I hope you're kidding." She laughed.

"I am but shit that was close. Now what did Johnny win?"

"I'll think of something later."

"Well it better be good with me risking my life and all!"

"Ha!" She laughed out loud.

Alec was with Jack and Eric talking while getting some beer.

"Did you see that shit man?" Asked Eric.

"Ain't no chick throwing no damn baseball at my head!" Alec replied.

"She's with Johnny huh?" Eric asked.

"Yea man they're together."

"Well she was up at the Fast Lane about lunch time yesterday, hot and heavy with Bret."

"Like how hot and heavy?"

"They were kissing when I walked up on them."

"Really, you sure it was yesterday?"

"I'm positive."

Alec didn't like the sound of this and headed straight for John, who was standing with Richie.