FLA 20

Chapter 56 The next morning Jon had his arm wrapped tightly around her pillow but was awakened by what felt like he was on a boat. He opened up his eyes and glanced down toward the end of the bed and saw his two youngest sons jumping up and down. "Shouldn't you two be in bed?" "Daddy up!" Jake told him. "The sun is warm lets go play in the pool." "Not now." he grumbled looking at the clock which displayed 7am. "Let daddy sleep for just a few more minutes." "Mommy does." Jake tells him. "Of course she does." he yawned then turned so that he was on his back. "Okay guys let daddy go get some coffee then we'll get some breakfast and go eat outside alright." "In the pool?" Jake asked. "Outside at the picnic table silly." Jon reached up and grabbed him throwing him on his back while he tickled him. "You silly." Jake laughed. "I want swim." Romeo then stopped jumping. "Fruit loops." "I'll give you fruit loops." Jon laughed grabbing him and doing the same thing he did to Jake. Romeo laughed out loud then looked at his dad. "Where mommy?" "Mommy took a little vacation." "Witout us?" Jake asked. "Yeah but she works hard around here don't you guys think?" "Well DUH?" Romeo tells his father. "She will be back in a couple of days though okay." "No I miss her." Jake told daddy. "I miss her to buddy." he smiled sitting up in the bed. "Fruit loops." Romeo said as he jumped off the bed walked towards the door. He got both of the kids and went downstairs to the kitchen and fixed the boys two bowls of cereal. "Does mommy give you guys anything else?" "OJ" They both yelled at once. "OJ it is is." Jon smiled walking over to the cabinet to get their superman cups down. Dot said that no matter what they drank they had to drink out of those since daddy had the superman emblem they think that they have to have those to be like him. "Here ya go guys." After handing them the cups he went over to fill his favorite mug with coffee. "You guys ready to go outside?" "We can't carry it" Jake tells him. "Can you guys carry the bowls and daddy gets your drinks? Or do you want me to take the bowls." "Mommy carries it all, we spill." Jake tells his dad. "Oh okay." Jon sat down his coffee and looked around for a tray then finally found it in one of the cabinets. He put all of the items on the tray then walked outside with the boys. "What do you guys want to do today? And Jake before you open your mouth I know swimming is at the top of your list." "Well why you ask den?" "Cause Romeo may want to do something to." "Hang out" Romeo smiled. Jon smirked at his youngest. "Hang out huh? I think we can do that." "Play football?" Romeo smiled. "We can definitely do that!" Jon told him before taking a sip of his coffee. But this morning he just wasn't enjoying it as much as he usually does. He looked down into his coffee cup with a snarled up nose. Even my coffee sucks. Stephanie then walked out onto the patio, "morning." Her hair was unruly but down around her shoulders covering her hickey on her neck. "Mornin' Steph." He was a little apprehensive talking to her since the previous night because he wasn't sure if Dot had gotten anywhere with her. "No breakfast for me dad?" She looked at the items on the table and everything was set for just the 3 of them. "You weren't up when we came down here." He turned around to look at her with a smile. "What did you want and I'll fix it for ya?" "Forget it dad I'll get my own I want breakfast edible." She laughed walking into his house after saying good morning to her bothers with kisses on the cheeks. "She acts like I can't cook!" he laughed. "You can't daddy but you make good cereal." Jake tells him. "Thank you son." he replied sarcastically but couldn't help to smile. "Why don't you two go in and get your swimming trunks on while I take the dishes in." "Ok" They both run back inside. Dot had woken up after a pleasant night of sleep rested and quit amazed that she didn't have to do anything for anyone but herself this morning. She put on her swimsuit under a pair of shorts and a tank top grabbed her beach bag and threw the necessities in. Her towel, her suntan lotion, sunglasses were on her head and her ipod and a book. She also dug through her purse to see what else she'd need and decided on only her id and $50 in cash. With flip flops on her feet she walked out the door throwing her hotel key in her bag with the rest of her belongings.

Chapter 57

After the boys went inside he picked up the dishes from the table and carried them into the kitchen where Steph was at the stove. "You can cook?" He asked a little surprised while putting the dishes into the dishwasher.

"Yes dad. I've been cooking my own breakfasts and sometimes dinners since I was 12."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Yeah sometimes mom was to busy with the rugrats."

"But they had to eat to right? I thought she always fixed dinner and breakfast for you guys."

"She did, but if I was running off to vollyball or something I'd fix something quick before I left."

"Oh." Not saying anything else, he went over to the coffee pot and poured the remaining coffee into the sink. because it was the worst coffee he had ever had and that was saying alot for him because he drank it religously.

"Go outside with the boys dad I'll make you coffee the way mom does." Steph told her dad.

"Would you show me what mom does versus what I did? Because that was the shittiest coffee I ever drank." he joked.

"Sure." She filled the water and then grabbed the coffee. "You can't put 2 heaping spoonfuls or it'll be like tar. Put 1 rounded and 1 flat and then its the right kind. Mom told me that when you came back from the Crush tour."

He smiled softly watching her because alot of the things she did reminded him of Dot. "God love your momma she knows everything I think."

"Pretty much." Steph then took her french toast off the burner and sat down to eat.

"Are you going to go swimming with us?" Jon asked standing at the counter waiting on the coffee to finish brewing.

"Can I invite Chris over?" She asked.

"As long as you guys stay outside. No sneaking off."

"What if we walk off?" She laughed. "I can't be forced to hang out with my brothers all day."

"No walking off either and what's wrong with hanging out with them all day?"

"Dad they are annoying" She told him bluntly. "How about if I agree we'll stay outside."

"Good let them annoy the piss out of you and you'll think twice about sex." he joked. "IF you promise me that you will stay outside then yeah he can come over."

"Dad sex doesn't always cause kids - we've had this discussion remember - theres this stuff called birth control." She teased and ran to the phone and called Chris' house.

"You're killin' me baby girl." he smiled leaving the room to give them privacy on the phone.

"Hello..." Chris answered unsure of who was on the other end.

"Hi there, its me."

"Oh hey Steph. So he didn't kill you?" he laughed.

"No but I'm getting tired of being the only one having embarrasing conversations with my parents. GOD both of them last night, first dad then mom."

"Ouch both of them? If it makes you feel any better I talked to my dad last night too."

"What happened? Or better yet can you come over and we can talk? Dad said its ok as long as we stay outside. Its a pool day."

"Yeah I guess so. What time?"

"Anytime, Jesse is the only one not up so I'm sure the boys will wake him soon."

"Okay, my dad has to go to work in a few minutes so I'll just catch a ride with him."

"See you soon." Steph smiled and ran upstairs to figure out which swimsuit to wear.

A few minutes after Jon got dressed he went to Jesse's room and knocked on the door incase he was preoccupied.

"Yeah" Jesse mumbled still not quite awake.

He openened up the door to see him still in the bed. "Do you want anything for breakfast?"

"No I'll make toast later." Jesse rolled back over.

"Alright, hey listen the rest of us are going to be in the pool if you wanna come down later."

"Ok." Jesse threw his pillow over his head. Why must people wake him up at dawn.

Jon laughed remembering exactly how he felt because his mom had done the same when he was younger. He shut the door gently not to disturb him any more and walked down stairs to see his sons standing there ready to go. Both of them took his hand while they walked outside and Jake immedietly jumped into the pool.

Steph tried on and changed out of 3 swimsuits before putting a bikini on. She liked the way she looked in that best but she knew her dad would flip his lid. So she changed and put on her brown one piece. It had cut outs on her sides and rings at her hips that connected the front and back, "cute enough." Then she pulled her shorts and tanktop on over it. Grabbing a few towels she went downstairs to wait for Chris.

About 10 minutes later the buzzer to the gate sounded and Chris was standing up there wearing his football jersey from school and a pair of swimming trunks.

Steph opened the gate from inside and ran out to greet him. "Hi" She smiled looking at him. "Trying to be on dad's good side?" "

He smiled then leaned in for a small kiss. "Whatdya mean?"

She put her hands on his waist grabbing his football jersey. "Football?"

"Oh...yeah I figured it couldn't hurt." he joked.

She kissed him softly and smiled. "So what happened with the talk with your dad?" She took his hand and started walking slowly towards the back yard.

"We just talked about birth control mainly. He told me that when I was ready I wouldnt be embarrassed about buying condoms."

"What?"

"Just that it's kind of embarassing going into the store and getting those. People know what you are doing when you buy them."

"So you'd be embarrassed to be with me?" Steph asked.

"No it's not that." he stopped to look at her. "It's just well what if you had to buy them wouldn't you be embarassed."

"I don't think so cos its just smart. To protect us against diseases and pregnancy. Have you ever had sex before Chris?"

"No." he told her a little shyness in his voice. "I want to though but I just don't know when."

"Well this is what I got from my dad. If we are gonna have sex we have to be smart about it and that means doing it only when both of us are 100% ready for the act and the consequences."

"Are you ready?"

"No. Honestly Chris I'm not. Are you ok with that?"

"Yeah I'm fine with it." he replied a little relieved. "I mean I like you and all but that's big Steph."

Jon was sitting on the edge of the pool within earshot of the young couple and was relieved to hear that his daughter actually took what he said into consideration.

"Are you really ok Chris, I mean I've never even gone farther than kissing, you touching my waist yesterday was it, I don't think I'll be ready for sex for quite a while, I want to enjoy being young first."

"Me to 'cause I'm not ready for a kid yet and my dad said that it only takes one mistake to make a baby." he told her honestly.

"My mom told me that too. I talked to mom about going on the pill too and other birth control options when I think we're getting closer to sex. But dad says condoms are required 100% of the time until I'm married. No Exceptions."

Jon smiled nodding his head pretending to watch his sons but was really listening to Steph and what she had said. At least he knows now that Dot told her about the proper methods of birth control and she knows that a condom is required every time.

"Did your dad talk to you at all about the kissing and touching stuff? Dad got all wacko about it so he wasn't much help. Told me I couldn't even sit on your lap."

Jon almost stood up to defend himself but stayed put on the edge of the pool.

"Yeah he told me all about that to." he stopped mid sentence and looked at her strangely. "You can't sit in my lap?"

"Dad said that if I do we'll have sex - like we don't have enough brains to say no to that. Come on we better get in there before he jumps a fence to find us." Steph leaned against Chris' body.

"My dad told me that too." he smirked.

"Just because they don't have willpower does that mean we don't?" She kissed him on the chin.

"I don't think so!"

"Come on baby lets go swimming. Watch out for my brothers they seem to be everywhere." Steph laughed taking Chris' hand and leading him through the gate to the pool.

Jon heard the gate open then turned around to see who it was. "Hey guys."

"Hi Mr Bongiovi."

"Hi dad." Steph said.

Once he saw that they were actually near the pool he slid in and swam over to his sons. "Come on in guys."

Steph put the towels down and then took her tanktop off and dropped her shorts. "You ready honey?"

The vision before him made him speechless so all he could do was nod letting her know that he was. He needed to be surrounded by cool water otherwise everybody there would see how much he enjoyed what she had on.

Jon saw the look on his face and laughed because he had been that way when he saw Dot in a new bathing suit.

Steph dived into the pool and then swam underwater over to her brother Jake and picked him up and threw him into the water again.

"Stephy only daddy can do that to me!" Jake shouted when he came back up.

"Sorry buddy thought you still loved me." She pouted.

He swam over to his older sister and grabbed onto the edge of the pool. "I do love you Stephy but daddy's home!" he smiled.

"OH so when Daddy's not home I can do it? I feel used." She teased him.

"Yep!"

"Fine then I'm going to go hang out with my boyfriend and you go hang out with daddy."

Jon watched his two kids with each other and smiled until he heard her say she was going to hang out with her boyfriend. Jon take it easy they are here within eye sight don't worry about it.

"Fine den! I have daddy to myself!"

Steph laughed and dunked under the water swam over to Chris and came up from underwater rubing her body up the front of his and wrapping her arms around his waist when she did. "Hi."

As she did that he bit on his bottom lip slightly. "Hey."

"Miss me?" She smiled.

"I did." he smiled back then moved her hair down so that it covered the mark he had left the previous day.

She opened her eyes acknowledging why he moved her hair and leaned up and kissed him.

While he kissed her he had his eyes opened and saw the look that Jon was giving him so he pulled away slightly.

"What?" She asked.

"Your dad is watching us." he whispered moving his arms around her waist.

"Well if you closed your eyes and kissed me you'd never know."

"Good point." he laughed then closed his eyes as he moved in for a kiss only hoping that Jon wouldn't swim over.

Stephanie could stay there and kiss him all day but unfortunately Romeo came over and splashed them.

He floated there with his mouth open when he saw what they were doing. "You no kiss boys! I tell daddy!"

"Daddy knows Romeo." Steph tells him.

"Bet he don't!"

"Dad" Steph hollared for Jon.

"What?" Jon asked having his own splashing match with Jake.

"Tell Romeo you know I kiss Chris he's trying to taddle."

He cursed under his breath while swimming over to his son and daughter. "Little man Steph is growing up so I know she kisses boys now." he explained it as simple as possible.

"See Romeo, its ok. Now go help Jake splash daddy."

"K'ay" Romeo grabbed Jon's arm and pulled him. "Come on daddy!"

Once Steph saw that her brother had dad occupied. "See he knows we kiss." She told Chris.

"That helps." he grinned but looked around and noticed not everyone was there. "Where is your mom at?"

"Mom is on vacation, we're all in dad's control for like a week. and Jesse is still sleeping."

"Is he ready for that?" Chris laughed knowing that from what Stephanie said he's not used to the whole parenting thing.

"Doubtful, but hes trying."

"Well at least he's trying." he smiled pulling her closer. "And he's okay with us kissing." he told her softly before kissing her.

"He's not ok, he just knows he can't stop it." Steph laughed. "How bad is the hickie today?"

"More noticeable than yesterday."

"Mom knows about it but Dad hasn't seen it so keep me covered."

"Yeah I know your mom knows." he reminded her.

"remarkably she didn't really go off to bad on me." Steph then dropped back into the water and swam away to see if he'd play with her.

Chris dove under the water and went down to where she was then popped up behind her. "Am I that boring?"

"Nope, but if we stay still I think dad will get suspicious." She laughed and they started swimming around and pretty much just being kids but ignoring everyone but each other.

Jon was preoccupied with the younger boys not even paying attention to his daughter and her boyfriend. Eventually Steph got out of the water and took too towels wanting to leave the pool area.

Chris followed her lead and got out of the pool. "Can we go somewhere or do we have to stay here?" he asked picking up his jersey and tossing it over his shoulder.

"We have to stay outside." She told Chris. "Dad we're gonna go lay under a tree by the house." She said and saw her dad shake his head so she took that as his ok. "Come on." She grabbed her shorts and tanktop too.

He followed her outside the gate and they walked around looking for a nice shaded area.

Steph smiled as she found a spot that was shaded and overlooked the river. "Right here?"

"You guys have the best views from this place."

"Yeah one of the best things about dad being a rock star, we have a cool house. Especially since we're normally forced to be home more than other kids cos of his fame."

"That kind of sucks I guess."

"Well its not so bad when I have you here." She told him. After laying down on the towel in her swimsuit she felt a little exposed so she moved and slid her shorts on over her.

"Here" He handed her the jersey. "You can put that on if you want."

"Thanks." She put the jersey on. Then stood up and struck a pose. "How does it look?"

"Better than anybody on my team!"

Jon took his eyes away from the boys for a brief second to find his daughter and when he saw them being like typical kids he turned back around.

Steph laughed and then started voguing for him when she saw her dad she knew this he'd be ok with. When daddy turned around she layed down on the towel next to him. "approve?"

"You look really good in it." he smiled devilishly before kissing her.

"Thanks. You look great with no shirt." She smiled touching his chest.

He was enjoying her soft touch but would occasionally look over to make sure that Jon wasn't watching. When he saw that he wasn't, he moved his hand gently over her stomach while she touched his chest. "I could stay like this all day."

"Oh me too." Steph let the kisses deepen and moved her hands to his back.


Chapter 58

Back at the pool Jon was in with Romeo while Jake kept running around. "Jacob Hurley get back in the pool before you hurt yourself."

"Daddy I superman." Jake keep running.

"Well play superman by jumping back in the pool okay." Jon told him then turned back to Romeo.

"Otay." Jake jumps up to jump back in the pool but slips on some water and falls bumping his chin on the edge of the pool deck and starts screaming.

Stephanie stopped kissing Chris, "come on that's Jake." She instantly started running to the pool.

"Shit!" Jon immediately got Romeo out of the pool and climbed out himself to check on Jake. He was still laying there so when Jon picked him up there was a small puddle of blood on the deck. "Fuck." he mumbled so that they didn't hear him. "Jakey what happened?" Jon asked grabbing a towel.

"I fell down." Jake told his daddy as Steph came in the gate. "Jake are you ok?"

"I feel down Stephy."

Figures the one time he's left alone with them something would happen. Jon stood there in horror seeing the bloody chin on his son. "Come here buddy" Jon picked him up and carried him over to the table.

About 2 seconds after Jon takes Jake aside Romeo starts crying because he sees the blood. Chris walks over to him though and picks him up to keep him occupied and calmed.

"It's okay Romeo." Chris assured him then walked away so that he couldn't see Jake.

"Go get my phone Steph." Jon tried to wipe off his chin but the more he did the worse it bled.

Steph ran into the house and grabbed her dad's cell and ran back out. She handed him the phone while holding Jakes hand and telling him he'd be ok.

Jon quickly flipped open the phone and called his wife. "Come on pick up." he said impatiently while trying to calm Jake down. "It's okay buddy." After about 15 rings Dot's voice mail picked up and he didn't bother leaving a message.

Steph saw her dad turn white when he tried calling mom but got no answer. "Call Uncle Mookie he'll know and Hannah is there."

"Should we take him to the hospital?"

"I don't' know I'm just a kid call uncle Mookie."

Of all times he needed his wife and she wasn't there he suddenly realized what she had went through before. But there was no time to think about that right now because his son was in obvious pain and he had to do something. "Damn it why did your mom leave."

"Because she needed a break from being the one that has to deal with all this all the time." Steph told him bluntly.

Jon looked at her with one of those looks that could kill but deep down he knew that she was right. He flipped open his phone to the one person he knew that would actually answer their phone.

Richie rolled over out of Hannah's embrace and grabbed his phone, "Why are you always waking me up Frank?"

"Thank god you answered!"

"Whats wrong what has you so panicked?" Richie asked sitting upright.

"Jake fell and busted his chin. How do you know if a kid needs stitches?"

"If you clean the wound with peroxide and you see flesh like not his skin but the stuff under his skin bring him in otherwise put a band-aid on it and kiss it better. Keep him out of the pool though the chlorine will hurt bring him to the river if he wants to keep swimming." Richie told him.

"How the hell do you know this?"

"Ava - she's my tomboy I've patched many a cut."

"Ahh that explains it. Thanks bro."

"No problem call me later and let me know how he is." Richie then closed his phone and cuddled back to Hannah.

Jon picked up Jake then looked at his daughter. "Do we have peroxide?"

"Yeah under the sink in the bathroom."

"Daddy - it ucky" Jake tells him holding his hands up to Jon's face to see the blood on them.

"I know buddy" Jon told him while they ran into the house and into the first bathroom they came to. He sat him up on the counter and let him wash his hands while he looked for the peroxide.

Steph handed him some cotton balls to dab the peroxide on with.
"Jakey remember when you skinned your knee and mommy put the fizzy stuff on?" Steph asked him.

"Yeah - ouie" Jake tells her.

"Well daddy has to put the fizzy stuff on to fix your chin buddy but then it will get better ok?" She asked.

"Ok Stephy - I tough daddy. Just do it." Jake smiled.

He got everything ready and put the peroxide onto the cotton ball then dabbed it on his chin.

"I not like this." Jake told him.

"You okay bud?" Jon asked seeing the tears building up.

"It hurts"

"I know it hurts Jakey." It hurt him more to see one of his kids in pain than he ever imagined, he wasn't sure how Dot did it. Jon got another cotton ball and repeated what he had done before until he could see how deep the cut was. Jake tried to wiggle away from the peroxide but his movements let Jon see that the cut wasn't' very deep it just broke the skin.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it and then started going through the top drawer pulling out the band aids. "You want Cars or Superman?"

"Superman!" Jake screamed.

"Superman it is then." Jon smiled placing it on his chin. "Looks like your fixed buddy."

"Otay" Jake jumped off the counter. "Lets go swimming."

"Hold up! No pool Jake!!"

"Why?" He cries.

"You know what it felt like when I put the peroxide on? Thats what the stuff in the pool will do."

"I want to swim! Put nother band-aid on"

"No we won't put another band aid." He got down to eye level with his son so that he could talk to him. "Instead of the pool why don't we go down to the river. Will that work?"

"Yeah swimming!" Jake doesn't' care as long as its water. He moves to run out of the house.

"See dad that's only a little hard right?" Steph asked.

"A little hard? Do you know how bad it was to see one of my kids hurt?"

"Mom's dealt with it lots." Steph reminded him. She loved her dad. She really did but his always being gone has hurt her mom and her the worst of all because they've dealt with it the longest. It doesn't help of course they are women so they take everything personally.

"I know she has Steph and I have no idea how she does it."

"You think maybe now she really did need the vacation?" She asked.

"Honey I know she needed that I just hated seeing her go." he explained. "It's like I told her the other night, I fight like hell to get back home to see you guys and I'm hoping that maybe when she does get back she realizes what I go through, just like I'm learning what she goes through on a daily basis."

"You mean you miss us when you're gone?" Steph asked shocked because the only things she sees are stuff on you tube on stage and he looks happy then.

"I can't wait to get back home Steph."

"That didn't answer my question." She told him and gave him a look much like Dot would if he avoided a question.

"Yeah of course I miss you guys.....you're my family."

"Do you ever say anything like that onstage?" She asked wondering if she could search for it in you tube.

"I'm sure I have but even if I don't say it that doesn't mean I'm not thinking it."

"OK." She smiled and walked outside to find out where Jake is.

He followed his daughter outside and looked around but didn't see anybody. "Great now I lost two of my kids."

"I hear splashing." Steph told him.

"Come on lets see what they are doing." He started walking but Steph walked a little ahead of him and he noticed the jersey. "Where did you get that from?"

"What?" She asked still walking towards the riverbank.

"The jersey."

"OH," She modeled it a little. "Its Chris'. Hey wait a minute" She looked around. "Where is he anyway?"

"I hope to god he's with the boys." Jon told her a little panicked now and started to speed up. When he got to the river bank he looked over and Chris was their with both boys.

"Hes so cute with them." Steph laughed. "Chris are you winning?"

"Does it look like it?" he laughed just as the boys pulled him under the water.

"Nope." Steph laughed and stripped down to her bathing suit and walked into the water to help him.

"Looks like you got a decent guy Steph." Jon replied softly and smiled while walking down toward the water.

She flips her head around to see her dad and smiles. "He's the best. and my brothers better stop trying to hurt him." She picked up Romeo and pushed him towards her dad.

"Stephanie!" Jon had the look on his face that she had seen only a couple of times and they were in trouble.

"What dad?" She asked and pulled Jake off of Chris too.

"Come here right now." He started walking up the bank not wanting the boys to see because they would ask questions.

She looked at Chris and shook her head before swimming over and walking up the bank. "What?"

He pushed her hair back to get a closer look and it was what he though. "What the hell is that?"

"Its called a hickie dad and its been there for 2 days. You blind." She asked a little annoyed that he was embarrassing her in front of Chris especially after how much help he's been.

He pulled her over a little farther from the bank and kept his voice low trying his best not to show his ass. "What were you two doing in the pub the other day?"

"I told you, we were kissing."

"That is more than kissing Steph."

"He was kissing my neck we didn't know it'd leave marks. Dad seriously can you get over this now and yell at me later you're embarrassing me especially after how much help he's been with he boys, seriously."

"I don't want to yell at you Steph I just want you to be honest with me that's all I want."

"I haven't' fucked him if thats what you want to know." She gets so pissed off that she runs off towards the house. God she thought her dad had more class than this.

"Stephanie" Jon ran off toward her wanting to actually talk to her for once. He wasn't mad at her it was the fact that she tried to hide what she had done. He caught up to her before she even got back to the pool. "Steph hold on."

"What?!" She turned around crying in anger.

"Honey I"m not mad at you." he told her trying to get her to calm down. "And I don't want to ruin your day with Chris okay.

"Then why did you embarrass me like that. He must think I'm such a dork now that my dad had to act like a caveman."

"I didn't, I just asked you to come and talk to me."

"And you got all domineering and demanding and accusatory asking me what we really did in the pub like I've ever lied to you. How dare you? I've always been honest with you and now I'm embarrassed because of you being shocked I have a hickey, you had sex at 13 dad you've probably had sex with more women you can't remember the names of than I'll ever have boys in my entire life." She's so pissed tears kept streaming down her face.

He was taken back with the words his daughter was using and he could see her point of view on things but he really didn't mean to embarrass her. His dad instinct kicked in as soon as he saw the hickey on her neck. He wanted to just wrap his arms around her but knew that she was already embarrassed so being hugged by him would just add to it. "I know that you've never lied to me but you are like me when it comes down to getting around questions. If someone doesn't ask me a direct question I don't answer it if at all possible."

"I'm like you in another way too - I have respect for myself and wont' let others walk on me."

"I know that."

"That includes you dad."

"And I'm not going to if you let me know what's going on. With this whole sex thing your mom and I should have talked to you earlier. That was our fault."

"Why can't you trust me - have I ever let you down?""

"Not at all sweetheart." he smiled moving her hair back and seeing the mark again. "And after what I heard earlier I shouldn't have went crazy over that."

"Dad its just broken blood vessels and what do you mean?"

"When you were talking to Chris outside the gate, I heard you. And I was really proud to hear you say that to him."

"So you're spying on me? This has to be why teenagers hate their parents. You suck."

"I wasn't spying on you I was actually minding my own business watching the boys when I heard you guys."

"What part did you hear?"

"The important one when you told him you weren't ready for sex yet."

Steph then walked up and got in her dad's face. "And did you hear his response? About how respectful he is and how he would never every push me to do something and how he's not ready exactly yet either?"

"I heard that to and I also heard that you actually listened when we talked." he smiled.

"Up until today I respected you dad so of course I listened. Now I don't think so."

"Steph come on."

"Come on what?"

"You said you didn't respect me now."

"Right now, I don't. You were doing so much more than me and have done so many rotten things sexually and yet you don't trust your 15yr old virgin because she has a hickey. Sorry dad that doesn't add up. Either you're going to be a dad or your not and if you're going to be a dad that means you have to own up to your own mistakes."

"I have Steph thats why I'm pushing you on not moving to fast. If I could take back half the stuff I've done I would but the truth is I can't. But I can teach my kids not to make those same mistakes."

"You aren't teaching because you aren't trusting - part of it is knowing we have brains. I'm not going to do anything I don't want to haven't you figured that out about me. I'd expect in 15 yrs you've learned to trust your only daughter a little bit." She then wiped her face off.

"I do trust you honey it's those damn boys I don't trust." he said jokingly trying to lighten the mood.

"You can't do that. That's not fair he's never done anything to not have your trust. Hell today alone should prove to you he's decent, he's not you at 15 he's Chris."

"Baby girl I was kidding.....breathe." he smiled softly.

"I'm just still mad at you. I wanna go talk to Chris now - are you gonna freak if him and I go play in the pool alone."

"Do you want me to talk to him?"

"What are you gonna say?" She asked shocked.

"Apologize for what I did? I shouldn't have done that but one day when you have kids you are going to understand why I do some of the things I do."

"No I won't. I'm going to the pool, will you send him to me and I swear if you embarrass me more I'm going to find mom.

"Yes you will" he laughed. "Just go over there and I'll send him up in minute."

"Ok." She said unsure if she should trust her dad but she's gonna give him one more chance.

Jon walked back over toward the bank to see all the boys in the water. "Chris can you come up here for a minute?"

"Alright." Chris got out of the water wondering if this was him being asked to leave.

Jon stood in a position so that he was able to watch his sons while still being able to look at Chris. "First of all I want to thank you for stepping in and taking care of Romeo when Jake got hurt."

"Oh not a problem I couldn't bare to see him upset so we played football for a little while."

He smiled looking out at his sons then turned back toward Chris. "Secondly I want to apologize for pulling Steph up here. She thinks I don't trust because I did it but that is far from the truth. But when I saw that mark on her neck I wasn't the least bit happy."

"I'm sorry about that Mr. Bongiovi, we didn't realize kissing her neck would lead to a hickey. I'm sorry for disrespecting her like that." Chris says.

"Well she didn't exactly stop you so you aren't to blame Chris. I know that my daughter has a good head on her shoulders and like I just told her when she has kids she'll understand why I do things."

"But sir, excuse me for saying this but using that when you have kids line is kind of like when your parents told you 'back in my day' its a tag line. Why not just help her understand now?" Chris asked so far Jon hasn't kicked him out so he figures he can try to get through to him.

"Who's the parent here?" Jon laughed.

"I'm sorry I overstepped Mr. Bongiovi."

"You make a good point though son."

"Thank you." Chris looked around to try to find Steph. Talkin to her dad is a bit awkward.

"All I ever wanted for my little girl is for her to be happy and you seem to do that I just want her to know that she can come to me for anything. And you to for that matter." he told him not wanting to overstep boundaries but at the same time this guy was dating his daughter.

"I don't understand sir?" Chris didn't know what Jon was getting at.

"What I mean is if you ever have questions or want to talk and your dad isn't around or something you can come to me."

"really?" Chris asked. "But you don't like me."

"Yes really and why do you think I don't like you?"

"Because I'm with your daughter sir, you don't even trust us to be alone together." Chris told him.

Jon smiled because this kid reminded him of himself talking to parents. "It's not that I don't trust you guys it's just that I've been where you are at and I know things can speed up before you know it."

"Mr Bongiovi if you don't let us spend time alone how can we ever figure out what we are as a couple?"

Just as started getting a little rattled with the questions his hands started moving through his hair. "I guess you have a good point there."

"Daddy come play!" Jake hollered from the river.

"Just a minute buddy." Jon told him still talking to Chris. "I want you to promise me that if I give you guys alone time you are going to hold up that promise I overheard earlier today when you were talking to Steph."

"You were listening to us?" Chris asked him.

"Not purposely no, I was sitting on that end of the pool when you guys were talking."

"Which promise are you referring to then sir?"

"That you guys won't do anything as far as sex goes until you are both ready."

"Absolutely. Sex is personal but its between the two of us, if either one of us are not 100% ready for the act as well was what could happen after then we aren't going to do it."

"Alright." Jon reached over and patted him on the shoulder. "I'd better send you back to my daughter before she gets even more pissed at me."

"Thank you sir, where can I find her?"

"She's up at the pool." he smiled then turned around to go back toward the water but stopped before he got over the small hill. "Chris.."

"Yes sir." Chris turned around.

"Call me Jon okay."

"Yes sir." He laughed. "Oops, thanks Jon."

Jon laughed walking down to his sons and he actually felt a little better after talking to him.

Chris ran up the hill towards Steph. When he opened the gate to the pool he stopped dead, Steph was laying on a inflatable bed in the middle of the pool, her body enticing him in that swimsuit. He shut the gate then walked into the pool and swam over to her, kissing her arm.

"Your dad talked to me."

"Yeah and you're still here so that means he didn't kick you out. What'd the dork say?"

He put on a really serious face then looked down into the water. "He told me I had 5 minutes to say goodbye then he was taking me home."

"I'm gonna kill him." Steph rolled off the air-bed and started swimming for the edge of the pool.

"You're pretty sexy when your mad." Chris laughed pulling her back. "He was cool Steph."

"OH you." She tripped him under the water like her mom taught her and dunked him.

As soon as Chris came back up he grinned. "You are so going to regret that!"

"Really? Prove it" She smirked and swam away from him.

"Not a problem." he smirked back as he swam over and had her pinned up against the side. He leaned in and kissed her while pressing his body against her.

"Oh I like that." She whispered.

"Do you like this?" His hands moved around the back of her legs and up to her butt.

"Yes I do, a lot." She smiled moving her hips in the water, her butt swinging back and forth allowing him to touch freely.

He deepened the kiss which increased the moving of his hands around her body.

Steph didn't even try to stop him, she was so mad at her dad for not trusting her that she was throwing her passion into her kiss with him.

He backed away slightly and moved his hands onto her hips. But he decided to get a little braver and moved his hands around her stomach going lower ever time. "Is that okay?"

She smiled at him, "not yet, can you go up instead of down?"

He smiled back and did as she asked then kissed her again.

She smiled under the kiss, he just proved he wouldn't' do anything she didn't want.

"Steph." he backed away just enough to look into her eyes. "You're dad told me that he heard us today."

"Ok you just spoiled the mood." She smiled. "When we were talking about if we were ready for sex?"

"Yeah but I asked him how were supposed to know what are feelings are for each other if we never even got alone time."

"Oh good one honey." Steph smiled. "What'd he say to that?"

"He said I was right and as long as we kept our promise not to do anything until we were ready he said he would let us be alone."

"Really?"
"Yeah and the strangest thing was that he told me to call him Jon." he told her still a little confused about that one.

"That means he thinks you're gonna stick around for a while." Steph laughed Chris was so cute when he was confused. His hands were on her belly not quite brave enough yet to touch her breasts and here he was talking about how her dad treated him.

"Do you think I'm gonna stick around for a while?" he smiled hoping for a positive answer.

Steph smiled brightly. "I want you too."

"Good 'cause I want to." he told her softly before kissing her .

She then leaned up and kissed him.

While still engaged in a kiss, Chris' hands slid up to her breasts and he only hoped he wasn't crossing the line.

Steph jumped a bit when he touched her breasts. She didn't gt far though because she was up against the wall.

He immediately stopped and backed up. "I'm sorry."

"No baby I liked it I just didn't know how it'd feel."

"How did it feel?" he asked placing his hands there again.

"Its hard to explain. Like they got softer cos you touched them." She says embarrassed.

"I'll just take your word for it." he smiled enjoying being there with her.

"So I get softer and you get harder when we touch?" She asked.

"Makes no sense at all." he laughed. "But that seems to be it."

"Maybe I should change into clothes, there's less padding in my bra that in my swimsuit." She smiled moving a little closer so he'd touch more.

He continued moving his hands over her getting used to the way she feels and he couldn't help but wonder what she felt like against him.

She kissed him deeper but she heard something outside the pool and let go and dunked under the water to make sure they didn't get busted by her dad she swam to the other side of the pool.

Just as she popped her head up on the other side her dad opened the gate to the pool.

Jon smiled when he walked in following his two youngest sons. "Steph can you keep an eye on them while I get your brother up and get some stuff ready for lunch.?

"Sure dad. Come on guys lets go play ball." Steph smiled and looked over to Chris silently asking if he was ok.

He gave her the go ahead to let him know that he was good.

She walked over to the stairs out and got out of the pool giving Chris a view of her butt. She then went and grabbed his football jersey and put it on. "come on munchkins lets go."

After getting that view he stayed in for a couple of minutes but eventually made his way over to where they were playing football.

The four of them played around with the ball for a while until Jon came out again.

With all of the kids outside now including Jesse, Jon brought out everything for the hot dogs. He fooled with the grill for about 10 minutes and couldn't get it to work then he decided to call over the one person that he knew that had the secret to it. "Steph come here for a minute."

Steph let the 4 boys play football and walked over to her dad. "Yeah dad."

"I need your help."

"Turn the gas on, then turn the knobs to ignite and push this." She pushed the red button on the grill and it started.

"That's only 'cause I got it started for ya." he smirked.

"Sure dad if you say so."

"I do." he laughed while putting the weenies on the grill. "So are you still mad at me?"

"Not quite as much. Chris told me about your talk."

"Oh yeah?" he asked a little surprised.

"Yeah, are you gonna be able to live up to it?"

"Do I want to? No. Do I have to? Then yeah."

"Yeah if you don't you and I won't have much of a relationship."
She didn't want to be mad at her dad but she wasn't going to go through all of her dating years with her overbearing dad breathing down her neck.

"I love ya Steph and just don't want you to get hurt." he smiled reaching out his arms for hug.

She hugged him. "If he tries to hurt me I'll sick you and mom on him ok."

"And we'll both be here fo ya Steph." He pulled her a little closer then kissed her forhead. "I want you to know that you come to either one of us if you ever get in trouble."

"At school?" She was confused now first he was the one saying she was in trouble now he's talking about her coming to him.

Just then Richie walked around the edge of the house, "Hey Frank what's going on?" He called to his brother, no one had called him back about Jake and since the women in his life went shopping he came to check on him.

"Hey Rich. He's fine, it wasn't as bad as I thought." He tunred to his daughter and told her they would talk about what he meant later. After she ran back over to Chris, Richie went toward Jon.

"You're just in time for lunch."

"Cool, hey you know there's no buzzer out here for you for the gate so I just let myself in. I was getting worried with you home alone with them." Richie laughed.

"Gee thanks for the confidence!" Jon laughed putting the food on the table.

"Hey its your first time, first times are scary." Rich laughed, slapping his brother on the shoulder.

"Yeah no kidding." Jon looked around but didn't see the girls anywhere. "So where's Hannah and Ava?"

"OH the women in my life went shopping. They ditched me." Richie pouted playfully.

"Haven't you learned not to let two females goes shopping?"

"Especially when one of them is 10 and the other is new to having a blackcard at her disposal." Richie laughed. "Oh well they are bonding they can't do that much harm. As long as it makes them smile I'm good."

"True." Jon laughed remembering the last time Dot and Steph went shopping and they barely had room for themselves in the car.

"Besides they took Hannah's car they can't buy much." Richie laughed. "So what's the deal with the kids?" Just then Jake came running over, "Uncle Mookie I got boo boo"

Richie picked him up and looked at his chin, "But you're superman buddy you can take it right?"

"Uh huh. Daddy fixed me!"


"Wow you're such a big boy, not gonna run by the pool again are you?"

"Yeah I will!" he laughed wiggling out of Richies arms.

"Munchkin." Richie let him down and looked over at Steph and Chris. "What's the news on our lovebirds?"

"He gave Steph a hickie." Jon told him still not pleased about it.

"I can see he's still alive so you didn't kill him for that?"


"I wanted to." Jon laughed. "But I confonted Steph about it and she got all Dot on me."

"What?" Richie needed clarification "She went Dot do you mean she told you off?"

"Oh yeah."

"I'm lost, how in the hell were you in the wrong for her getting her neck sucked on?" Richie sat down in a patio chair he couldn't wait to hear this one.

Jon called all the kids over and got the two younger ones there food and drink then went to sit beside Richie. "I think it was mainly because I got a little pissed when she was around Chris so she was more embarassed than anything."

"Oh oh, you taught her that well buddy. Always put on a show in public, always handle private things private. She's learned that since she was a baby." Richie thought back to how the kids were taught to deal with the press and the fans.

"Yeah I guess but I didn't mean to I just saw that on her neck and I went off."

"How bad is it? Worse than the one Dot came home with after Vegas?"

"No....god no." he laughed. "But we were married so that's legal."

"Jon that doesn't count to a 15 yr old. I'm finding that phrase doesn't even work on my 10yr old."

"I know I've tried it a couple of times and it goes in one ear and out the other."

"So what became of the fight." Richie took a bite of his hotdog and a few chips.

"She lit into my ass I'll tell you that much. You know like reminding me that at her age I had done alot more and the fact that I've been with women I can't even remember the names off. I tell ya that kid knows how to handle herself."

"So basically Chris isn't going to be able to push her to do anything she doesnt' want to do huh?"

"Not at all." He turned back towards the kids just to check on them and the young couple where in there own little world. "I think he really does like her though.


"He looks like it, she has his football jersery already?" Richie laughed, "Must be serious."

Jon rolled his eyes then shoved a chip into his mouth while looking at them. "I expect her to be flashing a ring any day." he joked.

"His class ring more than likely." Richie smiled.

"I'm not ready for a teenage daughter bro."

"You're screwed then Frank you already have one."

"In todays technology is there not away to keep kids little?" he joked.

"Come on Chris if we dont' go over there he'll go caveman again." She smiled and started walking towards the patio, "Hey Uncle Mookie is here dad will chill now."

"I'm cool with your dad now." he smiled walking along with her.

"Glad you are I'm still mad at him."

"He's just worried about ya Steph."

"I get that but he has to trust me, I'm his kid I'm smart."

"I know that and you know that but I think it will take a while for him to realize it."

Steph walked up to the patio, "Hi Uncle Mookie." She reached over and gave him a big hug."

"Hey Steph. Are you keeping your old man in his place while your mom is gone?"

"Hey sweetheart." He smiled and hugged her. Then reached for Chris' hand, "afternoon Chris."

"Hi how are you sir?"

"I'm doing great but its Richie, Chris, I'm not that old" Richie laughed.


"Yeah I had that talk with Mr. Bong....umm Jon earlier." he smiled.

Richie goodnaturedly had to rag on him. "You know what calling us by the first name means right?"

"What?" he asked a little confused.

"It means we both trust you to treat our baby girl there with dignity and respect always and if you dont' we won't even be polite about kicking your ass." Richie warned him, good naturedly of course. "Or worse we'll let her do it."

"And I'm pretty sure she could do it to." Chris laughed moving his hand around her waist.

Steph laughed. "I'm my mothers daughter, yeah I can I'm a brown belt." Steph told all three of them because she's sure her uncle and dad didn't have a clue she'd been studying with mom forever."

Jon looked at her a little shocked. "Isn't that just two under the black belt?"

"Yep." Steph looked at her dad, "See can't mess with me anymore than mom, I've been studying in her dojo since I was 8."

"How come neither one of you told me that?"

"Probably because you didn't ask." Steph laughed.

"Smart ass." Jon joked looking at his daughter. "I'm proud of you though baby girl."

"Want me to show you how much I know?" She looked at her dad much the same way as Dot has looked at him in the past when he's in trouble.

"No that's quite alright Steph." he smiled.

"Take all my fun away." She smiled. "Chris wanna go eat under the tree?"

"I don't know now." he laughed.

"Why? Who you scared of now me or my dad?"
She asked pointedly.

"I'm cool with your dad so what do you think?"

Jon turned to Richie and both of them started laughing. "Chris buddy I hope you know what your getting into." Jon told him.

"I'm harmless if you keep me happy." Steph smiled and kissed him in front of her dad and her uncle.

Jon sighed watching her. "Like mother like daughter."

"You should know." Steph cracked.

"Speaking of her mother where is Dot?" Richie asked.

"Go play with your boyfriend Steph." Jon told her then realized what he had said. "Go have lunch with your boyfriend.

He then turned back toward Richie telling him that Dot was down at the shore.

"I'm taking your first comment to heart dad. Come on Chris dad said we could." She laughed and walked away with her boyfriend.

"What shore? Jersey? Why the hell didn't she just to head down to the river about 30 feet that way" Richie pointed a little confused.

"She just wanted some alone time to find herself I guess. I tell ya what she thinks when I'm on the road I enjoy the break I get from them but she is in for a rude awakening."

"Honestly bud I'm surprised it took Dot this long to want a vacation. Heather thought the same thing when i was gone and we were only together with child for what 7 yrs."

"I know she deserves it Rich but I just hate her being gone. Is that being selfish?"

"Yes" Richie was his mirror in cases like this. "honestly Jon there are a few hours here and there per day where we really are just on vacation and traveling, its hard when you have to do everything for everyone else first. Finding that out aren't you? Give her this time I think it'll do wonders for your marriage."

"Yeah it is. I don't know how she does it."

"She's got the strength of 10 men thats how." Richie commented.

"I guess I'm pretty lucky huh?

"Hell yeah. I don't think I'd have gone through 1/2 the hell I did in the last two years if Heather was half the woman Dot is. At least when Dot gets fed up she only leaves for a week not your life."

"And luckily it doesn't happen that often. That woman means the world to me man."

"I'm thinking its time to step it up a bit. When i think of all of us that lost our wives before that last album, damn Jon you lived a charmed life that she stayed around." Richie told him. He's thought many times what the hell does Jon do that keeps Dot because he knows about everything Jon does that should make Dot walk away.

"I guess it's because I'm honest with her and she knows most of the things I've done."

"Are you done being an ass to her?" Rich asked him. The boys were off kicking a ball around so it was a private conversation.

"If by that you mean taking responsibilities then yeah.'

"I mean everything Frank?"

"What do you mean everything?" Jon asked a little confused because he hadn't been with another woman since before Stephanie was born.

"The same thing that got me divorced from Heather." Richie knows Jon's had a few indiscresions in that way as well.

"That hasn't happened in a while Rich but yeah I'm finished with it."

"And are you actually going to keep the schedule the 4 of us agreed to or are you going to find something to fill you 2 weeks off so she still doesn't see you enough." Richie called him out on his work-a-holic nature.

"I have to." Jon told him with a little saddness in his face. "She threatened to leave me."

"What?" Richie didn't know that.

"It was about a month ago I guess." Jon leaned back in the chair watching the kids as he talked. "I had mentioned something about going back on the road and she snapped man. She told me that if I did she'd take the kids and go."

"Wow she really has reached her limit hasn't she?" Richie asked.
"What are you gonna do? How you gonna change? After she's allowed this behavior for 30 yrs?"

"The biggest thing for her is that she's tired of being a single parent and I actually understand that now and she hasn't even been gone a full day. She's got a tough job with two kids that have there hormones fucked up and two little ones always running around her feet."

"So how are you gonna fix it though? Do you honestly think you can change your life? We know the band's on hiatus again but damn what about the Soul and the foundation?"

"It's going to have to be put behind my family. If I don't have them around my life isn't worth living."

"So are you gonna bring them to everything? Get a place in Philly that way they are there when you have Soul stuff or foundation stuff that keeps you in Philly for a few days, there's places open in my building there." Richie laughed.

"Nah I thought we would just crash with you." he joked.
jovigrrl1 (1:48:24 PM): "Hell no your wife would kick my ass."


"Probably so right after she got done with me." he laughed.

"But I gave her my word that it was going to change."

"Unfortunately bro your word to her hasnt' always rang true." Richie spoke the truth as only he had the guts to do then looked over towards Jon's oldest kid. "They are cute together, do you remember young love?" He pointed out Steph tickling Chris and then running a little away before he tickled her.

"Yeah I do." he smiled softly. "I think that may be my son in law bro." He watched them and saw almos innocence in what they were doing. "I can't believe she's old enough to date though."

"Na, she may hate him next week you know how girls are." Richie laughed. "Ava told me yesterday a boy was cute, talk about flipping out - she's fucking 10yrs old."

"Well wait until she comes home with a hickie then talk to me about flipping out."

"At least it was still in an area that's visible to you what if they weren't?" Richie decided to fuck with him.

"Don't even!" Jon told him jokingly.

"Sorry its just a fact."

"Yeah well my little girl promised me that she wouldnt do that yet."

"Yet, but someday its gonna happen you have to steal yourself for that man."

"I know it will someday and I pray that it will be after she's married but I know it won't be."

"Sorry buddy."

"She's a good kid though Rich.....Dot raised her well."

"She's amazing." Richie agreed.

"Damn it Rich I wanna be with her right now."

"Call her." Richie offered. "I'll watch the rugrats."

"I tried earlier but she didn't answer. Maybe she will answer now though."

"Go you whipped man" Richie laughed.

"Fuck you Sambora." Jon laughed and walked over to pick up his phone to call Dot.

"Still no answer." he sighed just hanging up not leaving a message. "Guess she's having fun." After putting the phone on the table he walked back over and sat down beside Richie.

"That was quick?"


"She didn't answer.....again."

"Maybe she's off on the beach, down time is really what she needs." Richie told him. He looked over again and saw Steph and Chris laying on thier sides kissing. He decided not to draw Jon's attention to them.

"Yeah maybe. Damn I hate feeling like this cause I know it's wrong. She does deserve this."

"She does Jon. You can ask anyone in the band we will all agree she deserves some Dot time."

"I know she does." As he said that he looked around and saw the boys but there was no sign of Chris or Steph. "Where did my daughter go?"

"Right here dad." Steph walked up behind her dad with Chris in tow.

"Where were you guys at?"

"Walking around by the river and up to the front of the house and back. Do you need to put a tracking beacon on me. I thought we talked about trusting me."

"I do Steph." he told her rolling his eyes at Richie. "I just asked where you were at not what you were doing."

"Dad can you go get us sodas?" Steph decided to be a little shithead with him.

"Me? You have legs why can't you go get 'em?"

"I've been ordered by some untrusting father to stay outside while my boyfriends here." She grins.

"Your father that loves you will watch your boyfriend while you go get sodas." he laughed.

"Ugh you are impossible. I'll be right back cutie." She then kissed Chris pretty boldly in front of her dad before walking into the house.

He pointed the lounger across from him and Richie. "Have a seat Chris."

He sat down as asked not quite as nervous as he previously was since the talk.

"So is she driving you nuts yet Chris?" Richie laughed knowing girls have that ability since birth.

"Nah not yet."

"She will, girls are talented that way." Richie laughed as Steph walked back out and handed Chris a pepsi and then looked at her dad. "Can we take the four wheeler out?"

"What you didn't bring me one?" Jon pouted.

"Nope you aren't my boyfriend, mom has to baby you not me."

"You see what I deal with man." Jon asked Richie.

"yep I'm telling you my 10yr old his there too." He laughed.

"You can get the four wheeler but you guys are to wear the helmets."

"Dad!" Steph exclaimed.

"Yeah?"

"We wont' even go that fast."

"Would your mom let you ride without a helmet even if you didn't go fast?"

"no" Steph had to admit.

"Alright then, no helmet no riding." he told her.

"Fine. come on Chris." She took his hand and went over to the garage getting the four wheeler out and two of the helmets. "At least we can drive far enough away he can't see us."

"Can I drive it?"

"Sure." She let him crawl on first then crawled behind him moving close. "Another benefit, we have to be close on here."

"And it's all for safety purposes." he smirked pulling her arms around his waist.

"Yep." She got a bit closer then asked, "Do you know how to drive these?"

"Not a clue but before I met you I didn't know how to kiss either." he laughed.

"You definately know how to do that." She smiled. "Ok you turn the switch to on and push the read button. By your right foot is the gas, you just push down on it and we go in the direction you have us. Reverse is on your left hand theres gears by your thumb see them? 4th gear is fastest you don't want to go to that unless you can get us going over 20miles an hour. Got it."

"Got it." He did what she said and started out going slow until they reached the open piece of land then increased his speed.

She grabbed around his waist tighter.

"Okay where are we going?" he asked turning his head just enough so that she could hear him.

"Anywhere you want theres a fence all the way around out property."

He spotted the perfect place a few minutes later. There were two huge trees with limited visibilty between them right beside river bank and he pulled up under those.

"Great thinking." She smiled and took her helmet off as he stopped the bike.

Once he stopped he let her get off first then he did the same and took her hand into his as they walked over and sat down.

"Now we can actually kiss and it'll take dad like 20 minutes to get here."

"Something tells me he would get out here faster."

"I dont' care I want to kiss you and touch you." Steph told him.

"Then what are you waiting for?" he smirked.

"For you to start you're the boy you are supposed to lead."

He brushed her back away from her face before moving in for a kiss.

"I think I could get used to this."

"me too." She smiled and kissed him laying back on the grass pullig him with her.

The kiss deepened making Chris move on top of her while his hand ran through her hair.

The sensations flying through Stephanie right now were so new and so intense she didn't know what to do. She pushed on his chest a bit to get him to stop for a second.

"Something wrong?"

"Its just so intense."

"I know but it's a good kind right?" he asked knowing that his body was going crazy right now.

"Yes, promise me you'll only touch me above the waist until I say otherwise ok?"

"I promise babe."

"Ok." She smiled and then kissed him again.

Knowing that she didn't want to be touched in certain areas he moved his hands so that he could touch her breasts while they kissed. When there kiss started to intesify he started moving his hips slightly without even realizing it.

She stopped the kiss again. "Ok we need to go swim for a bit."

"Huh? Did I do something?"

"Your hips moving, make me want to do things I don't know how to do yet."

"Okay." he replied slightly confused because it felt really nice to him but it did make him wonder about a few things.

Steph pealed the football jersey off and went and jumped in the water to cool off.

He layed there for a few moments just watching her then decided to join her in the water and hoped she wasn't mad at him.

"I really didn't mean to do anything up there."

"Thats ok you didn't do anything wrong," Steph kissed him, "its just all new."

"I know what you mean."

"It got me scared." Steph admitted while moving out far enough to have the water up to her shoulders to cool her nipples down. "I don't want to go to far and wow that was intense, I got I think they call it horny."

"Really?" he smiled not wanting to seem to proud that he had done that to her. "But I thought that when you like screamed and stuff."

"Chris, when we kiss and touch how are we going to make sure we aren't going to go to far, how are we going to commit to that."

"I don't know maybe we should actually talk about it?"

"Ok lets talk out here cos the water is keeping us cold." She laughed.

"Or should we take the four wheeler around again and get closer to dad so he won't feel the need to come find us."

"Yeah maybe I mean if he at least hears us then he's less likeley to look right?

"Yep." Steph then starts walking out of the water and laughs. "Its a good thing I have your football jersey to wear I'm dripping wet." She smiled.

"Not to mention you look really good in it." he told her just as he hopped on the four wheeler.

She hopped back on behind himand put her helmet back on. While they drove around the property making sure Jon saw them she was running through what she was actually gonna say to Chris in her mind.

A few minutes later he pulled back up to the garage and removed his helmet. "Do you wanna leave it here or go ahead and put it in?"

"Lets put it back in the garage."

He eased the four wheeler back in and turned it off as soon as they came to a stop. "So where do you want to talk?"

"We can just go down on the bank." She offered and took his hand in hers.

"Fine with me." he was willing to go anywhere she wanted because he was really starting to fall for her.

When they started walking she made sure that her dad could see space between thier bodies so that when they sat down on the bank by the river Jon didn't come disturb them.

Being a gentleman he helped her sit down first then he sat down beside her and leaned back against the back while looking toward the water.

"Ok we need to figure this out, cos these feelings are getting more intense every time we kiss." Steph started the conversation.

"Yeah I know it and its kind of scary not knowing where we are going.. How do we know when enough is to much?"


"I think we have to figure that out before we start kissing. Like today, when I said only above my waist, I think that should be the rule for a few weeks, then we can get used to sensations when we know what the boundary is? I mean butts are ok - do you think these rules are ok?" Steph asked.

"Yeah they are fine Steph. I told you I don't want us to rush things."

"Chris honestly I have one problem with all this." Steph didn't really want to say this but she had to.

"Whats that?"

"Why am I in charge? Shouldn't you be your the guy?"

He shrugged his shoulders still looking out towards the water. "I think that we should talk that way we know what each other are feeling."

"So what are you feeling?" She asked wanting to know. She then see's her dad walk up. "Dad can you give us a few minutes we're having a private talk." She asked politily.

"Yeah sure, I just wanted to let you know that we are going out for ice cream. So when you finish just come on up." He told her then turned to walk back to the house.

Chris waited until Jon was out of sight then he started talking. "I just know that I want to be with you. I mean when we kiss and touch it's really nice."

"But Chris are you ok with not touching me - down there for a while?"

"Yeah I'm fine with that." he reached over for her hand then continued. "Besides we kind of are touching there if you think about we just aren't using our hands."

"Yeah, I just need to know you aren't gonna try so I can start to relax with the other stuff."

"You have my word but when you are ready I'll be here."

"Ok, thanks sweetie now lets go get crazee's" She smiled getting up.

He took her hand while going up to the garage. "Do you think your dad will let me drive his chevelle?" he asked jokingly because he saw it in the garage and loved it.

Steph laughed, "ask him."

"Why don't you ask him." he laughed.

"Cos you bonded with him." She laughed as they got up to dad.
"Hey dad Chris has something he wants to ask you."

"Steph!" Chris exclaimed.

"Come on I dare you." She laughed.

"What is it?" Jon asked wondering what those two were up to.

"Could I drive your Chevelle?"

Steph laughed wrapping her arms around Chris' waist from behind.

Jon laughed then looked at Richie then back to Chris. "No."

"Can I daddy?" Steph smiled sweetly.

He laughed again. "You know that even your mom can't drive car."

"But I'm cute." She smiled.

"Yes you are and so is your momma but you still ain't drivin' it." he laughed.

Steph let go of Chris and hugged her dad. "But daddy"

"How can you say no to that Jon?" Chris asked looking at Stephanie.

"He's got you there bud, its your baby girl" Richie laughed.

"Easy." He shrugged his shoulders. "NO!

"Meany. Thats why I like Chris better." She laughed and went back into Chris' arms.

Jon placed his hand over his heart with a frown. "I've been replaced Rich."

"Its cos you told her no - you know how women are." Richie laughed and everyone climbed into the navigator to go for ice cream.

"She learned that from Dot to." he joked climbing into the drivers seat.

"of course, but I thought you told me she was a daddy's girl looks like she's a mommy's girl too."

"Yeah I thought she was." He glanced up and saw her in the rearview mirror kissing Chris and cleared his throat.

"Yes dad." She smiled.

"None of that while your brothers are around." Jon told her as he pulled out of the driveway and onto the main road.

"I don't get it you kiss mom with them around?" Steph commented.

"And how long have your mom and I been together?"

"Dad did you have to walk up hill both ways to school too?" She called him on his tactics just like Chris had done when they talked.

"Yes as a matter of fact I did." Jon laughed.

"Ok I'll tell grandpa you've now taken to lying to me."

"Like he never did it to me!"

Steph rolled her eyes and shok her head. She put her hand on Chris' lap.

"I saw that!"

She did it again just for good measure.

"Didn't your mom teach you any better than that?" Jon asked pulling into the parking lot.

"She told me to pick on you every chance I get?"

"It's so nice to be loved." he laughed parking the car.

"CRAZEE"S" Romeo hollared.

"Yeah we're gonna get some ice cream little man." Jon told him before he got out of the car and went over to help him and Jake out.

"Chocolate" Romeo laughed.

"Why don't we go with something a little lighter in color?" Jon asked taking his hand.

When they got inside everyone picked out what they wanted and as usual Jon paid while the two older kids took the younger ones outside. He and Richie walked out together and sat at the table with the three boys while Steph and Chris sat on the bench against the wall. He was enjoying being able to be there with his kids but he still couldn't help but wonder what Dot was doing and why she wasn't answering his calls. As the minutes past everyone finished up their ice cream and went back over to the the Navigator. Since it was almost dark now, Jon decided that he would just drop Chris off at his house to save his parents a trip. With a few simple turns they were there in about 15 minutes. Jon turned into the driveway of a very modest home, one that reminded him of when he was younger. Chris opened up the door and got out with Stephanie behind him.

He walked up to the driver door and Jon put his window down. "Thanks for bringing me home, my mom will appreciate it."

"Not a problem Chris. I hope ya had fun today"

"Oh I did. Thanks" he smiled looking back towards Steph.

Jon looked back at his daughter and mouthed five minutes before putting his window back up. She smiled then walked around the back of the Navigator to say her goodbyes to Chris. They both kissed softly then said goodbye after breaking their embrace. She walked back around to her side of the vehicle and got in grinning from ear to ear.

From there they went back to the house and after getting all the kids out and back into the house Richie had gotten a call from Hannah so he needed to go ahead and get back to his family to. A couple of hours later, Jon managed to get the two youngest boys a bath and in bed. And the two older kids went back up to their rooms a little while later after watching a movie, while Jon was already in bed and watching tv waiting for Dot to call.