DENVER, CO – AIRPORT – MAR. 30th, 2002 – SATURDAY

     The O-Town gang plus Kirstin and the management team were going to Denver from Cleveland. From the past 10 days, they have been to Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland and now Denver. After their stay in Denver, they were heading to Salt Lake City and then Redding.

     Now they were collecting their luggage and heading outside.

     As usual, a little crowd, that included mostly girls, was waiting outside the departure gate as the guys headed out. A few screams were heard and then the girls gathered around O-Town.

     Kirstin was used to that already. And when 3 girls approached her to get their pictures taken with her, she didn’t feel awkward anymore. In the past interviews, Ashley had told the interviewer’s that he had a girlfriend and that she was currently touring with him. Kirstin couldn’t know if the fans were ok with that, but they seemed nice when they’d usually approach her to get their pictures taken.

     “My God, I’m freezing here!” Kirstin exclaimed and rubbed her arms to warm her up. She was talking to Trevor, who was right beside her. Ashley and the others were too entertained with the too many girls around them.

     “Girl, we’re inside. Wait until we go outside. Then you’ll see what the word freezing is all about.” Trevor smiled at her and placed his arms around her, squeezing her. Kirstin just giggled.

     Kirstin was getting along just fine with the other O-Town guys. No wonder, if you consider she had spent the previous days sharing a bathroom with them in the bus. The only one she didn’t really have much to talk about was Jacob. But she couldn’t complain about him. He was nice to her. And she was nice to him.

     “Hey, hey! What’s going on here? What’s this all about?” Ashley played the jealous boyfriend for Kirstin and Trevor.

     “Oh, you didn’t know? We’re together now. Right behind your back. Thought you had figured that out already.” Kirstin joked and wrapped her arms around Trevor’s waist.

     “Yeah, man. You didn’t seriously think she’d resist me for too long, did you?” Trevor wrapped his arms around Kirstin too.

     “Yeah, yeah, ok. Now you two are scaring me here. No playing no more.” Ashley separated Kirstin and Trevor and the both of them just laughed.

     “Relax, man.” Trevor raised both his hands in a defensive gesture.

     “Ok, now, keep moving, keep moving.” Ashley smirked and hugged Kirstin from behind, motioning for Trevor to head outside.

     “Oh, my God! You were totally right, Trev. Now I know what the word freezing means. My God, it’s too cold outside!” Kirstin said when they got inside the limo.

     “It’s Colorado, baby. You didn’t think there would be a hot sun above us, did you?” Erik asked.

     “No, but… Clearly, I didn’t think anything.” Kirstin grinned and cuddled with Ashley to get warmer.

DENVER, CO – HOTEL – MAR. 30th, 2002 – SATURDAY

     It was 9:30 p.m. already and Kirstin was waiting for Ashley to get back from the radio interview he had gone to 3 hours earlier.

     She got bored waiting for him so she decided to take a nice and warm bath.

     Kirstin was still trying to remain warm. It wasn’t even winter and still the weather was too cold.

     She turned the hot water on and waited until the bathtub was full. She took her clothes off and got in. She stayed in the tub, just lying there for a while. She was just thinking about her life and the changes she had been through the last few of months.

     She had gotten with Ashley, who she was 100% sure now that was the love of her life; she had gotten pregnant, she had loved the feeling and the thought of a baby inside her. And then the worst happened. She had lost it. She had lost the little boy that was forming inside of her. But she got nothing but support from her 3 best friends. Grace was great, always there for her as a true best friend would always be. Tom. Tom had become such a… nice surprise for her. Not only he apologized for hurting Kirstin, but he was now really being a friend for her. He’d be there whenever she’d need him. He’d take care of her too, in case Ashley wasn’t around. Tom was gonna be the perfect friend he was before they got together. And then Ashley. She couldn’t help but smile whenever she’d think of Ashley. Ashley was just… the angel in her life. No matter how hard she’d push him away, he’d always come back, trying to get her to see he was the man for her. And now she saw it. Like crystal water. Ashley was the man Kirstin ever longed for. He loved her too much and he’d never give up on her. He was her harbor, her rock, her angel… Ashley was her everything. And he would never hurt her. She smiled. Aside from some traumas she’d been through, she couldn’t complain about her life. Her life was perfect.

     After washing her hair, she got out of the tub, dried her body with a towel, put her lingerie on and wrapped herself in a robe.

     She got out of the bathroom and was drying her hair with a towel when she heard the door opening.

     “Hey.” she greeted Ashley coming inside the room.

     “Hey.” he said, heading to her direction.

     “So, how was your day?” Kirstin asked and dropped the towel on a chair next to her.

     “Crappy. I turned around and you weren’t there.” Ashley pouted.

     “Oh, don’t pout. I hate it when you do it because you look so… irresistible.” Kirstin got closer to him and placed a kiss on his lips.

     “Well…” Ashley took a step back and looked her up and down “You look pretty irresistible too wearing this robe.” Ashley smiled and took a step closer to Kirstin again.

     “Really? Irresistible, huh?” Kirstin wrapped her arms around Ashley’s neck.

     “No. Pretty irresistible.” Ashley grinned and leaned in to kiss her.

     Sppm, their bodies were glued together. Kirstin moaned when she felt Ashley’s tongue part her lips. Ashley smiled when he heard her moan and placed his hands down her waist. Kirstin’s hands were stroking Ashley’s hair. ‘Damn, Ashley knows how to kiss!’ she thought when their tongues touched.

     In a sudden move, Kirstin pulled Ashley’s shirt off and tossed it aside. Their lips met again and soon their tongues were touching. Then Ashley left Kirstin’s mouth and trailed down to her neck. Kirstin moaned lightly. Ashley slowly untied the knot on Kirstin’s robe. Kirstin took Ashley’s belt off. Then it was Ashley’s turn to take Kirstin’s robe off, never leaving her mouth. He kissed her passionately and could now feel Kirstin’s hot body in his. He slowly left her mouth and kissed her collarbone. Then he took a step back.

     “Oh, my…” he took a deep breath. Kirstin just watched Ashley looking her up and down with his eyes filled with desire “You are absolutely breath taking.”

     “You’re not too bad yourself.” Kirstin grinned and pulled him to her, kissing him hungrily.

     Ashley got rid of his pants and not leaving Kirstin’s mouth, led her to bed. He placed her slowly on the bed with his right hand behind her head.

     Their kisses because more passionate and when Kirstin’s arched her body, she felt Ashley’s arousal. She then suddenly pulled him back, making him almost drop off the bed.

     “What’s wrong, Kirstin?” Ashley sat up behind Kirstin and looked worried at her.

     “Nothing.” Kirstin was sitting by the foot of the bed, her head held down.

     “Something is wrong. What is it, baby?” Ashley stroked Kirstin’s back.

     “I…” Kirstin didn’t wanna upset Ashley. He sure wanted to have sex and she had to ruin that.

     “What is it, K? Now you’re getting me worried.”

     “I’m… I think I’m still… I’m not ready for it… yet. After… You know?” Kirstin faced Ashley with an apologetic look. Ashley just smiled sweetly at her.

     “Oh, baby, come here.” he hugged her tight “That’s alright. I can understand.”

     “Really? You’re not like… mad at me or something?” Kirstin hugged him tighter.

     “Mad? Why would I be mad?”

     “Because you were clearly up for it. I ruined it for you.”

     “K, you didn’t ruin anything. I don’t wanna do anything you still don’t feel ready for. I can wait. That’s not a problem.”

     “Really? Because I really am sorry, but I just… couldn’t. Like… when I felt… your, well… I…”

     “That’s ok. You don’t have to explain me. You are not ready yet and I totally understand.” Ashley stroked Kirstin’s hair.

     “Thank you.” Kirstin looked up at him “I love you.”

     “Oh, I love you too, baby.” he pecked her lips.

     “Can we just… cuddle?” Kirstin asked him.

     “Of course! Let’s.” Ashley slid under the covers and so did Kirstin “Oh… I wanted to talk to you about something.”

     “What?” Kirstin asked, pulling away from him.

     “This…” Ashley took the covers off Kirstin and lowered her panties a little “Tattoo. This bothers me a little, you know?”

     “Why?” Kirstin asked, rubbing her tattoo with her thumb.

     “Because… ok, it’s a heart. And the big problem is this chain and this lock here. I know it’s suppose to be your heart. And I don’t think that’s right anymore.”

     “I guess…” Kirstin frowned. Her tattoo was so little and in a place she could hardly notice that she’d sometimes forget she even had a tattoo.

     “I mean… do you really feel like your heart is still locked? No one is allowed in there?”

     “Well… someone broke the chain a while ago.” Kirstin smirked.

     “Really? Who’s that person? I’d like to meet him.” Ashley smirked back.

     “Well, perhaps you will meet him.” Kirstin pecked his lips “He is actually the… Superman. He is really strong, you know? He just broke the chain and got inside my heart. Didn’t even ask permission. Just barged in. I tried my best to keep him away, but, how can you fight Superman, right?” Kirstin smiled big to Ashley.

     “Well, you can’t fight Superman. He’s way too strong and way too persistent. And not to mention handsome. He won’t give up that easy. When he really wants something, he has to have it.”

     “Hm… Interesting that you know Superman so well.” Kirstin played serious.

     “We’re close friends, I guess you can say.” Ashley grinned at Kirstin and pecked her lips “But seriously, K, what do you say you tattoo something over it?”

     “Hm… I guess that’s sounds about right.”

     “Yeah?” Ashley asked.

     “Yeah… Or… Nah… you’re too much of a wuss to do that.”

     “Hey! I’m no wuss! What is it?” Ashley poked her side.

     “I was gonna say that I can tattoo something over, unless you tattoo the key to this lock.”

     “So, I’d be the only one with the key. To your heart.”

     “That sounds like… cheesy, doesn’t it?” Kirstin giggled.

     “Yeah, kinda.” Ashley chuckled “But I think it’s a good idea. I’ve always wanted to get a tattoo. Maybe that’s what I should tattoo.”

     “Ok. But just think some more, alright? If you don’t want to, I can tattoo something over, no problem.”

     “No, I want to now.”

     “Ok. Your decision.”

     “Good. Then I’m getting a tattoo.” Ashley smiled.

     “Are we leaving tomorrow?” Kirstin changed the subject.

     “Yeah. Tomorrow night.”

     “Bus again?” Kirstin didn’t sound too excited.

     “Yep. We’re going to Salt Lake City by bus.”

     “Ok. Can we sleep now?”

     “Yeah, sure. Let’s sleep.” Ashley turned the lights off.

     “Goodnight, Ashley.” Kirstin cuddled.

     “Goodnight, K.” Ashley said and placed a kiss on Kirstin’s forehead.