Chapter 2
Communication is the problem to the answer.
History 101 was packed by enthusiastic freshmen. Worthington classes were small on a comparative scale with other universities but History 101 wasn't a specialist class and most freshmen had to take it, so sneaking Pacey in wasn't a problem - they didn't even need to sneak. A register wasn't taken, merely a form passed round for people to sign. Rather boldly Pacey scrawled his name and gave Joey a grin.
'Joey isn't it?' Monica asked. Tina's roommate was stood shyly looking down at her. Quickly Joey shoved her bag on the floor and patted the seat next to her.
'Yeah, you're Monica, right?'
'That's right. I didn't get to talk to you last night - I barely made it here this morning,' Monica admitted.
'Me either, but Pacey wasn't having any of the hang over excuses,' Joey underlined the heading in her book.
'I'm Pacey by the way,' he stuck a hand in front of Joey purposely brushing his arm along her breasts as he shook Monica's hand. He didn't miss the barely audible gasp from Joey.
'You're Joeys what?' Monica queried looking between the two of them.
'Not my boyfriend, my roommate,' Joey quickly explained the situation using the same name excuse for the mix-up.
'Can't we just tell people we went to high school together?' Pacey hissed in her ear.
'No that's just not plausible, yeah the college messed up and put a boy in my room, just so happens he's one of my best friends from high school,' Joey hissed back sarcastically.
'And that's why you're in college and I'm not,' Pacey grinned.
'Keep your voice down we don't want everyone to know that,'Joey scowled and turned back to Monica with a big smile. 'So where are you from?'
'New Jersey', Monica frowned slightly. 'Small town New Jersey.'
'Small town Massachusetts,' Joey agreed liking Monica immediately.
'And you Pacey?' Monica asked.
'Me? I'm from the Big Apple,' he ignored Joey pinching him, relishing the chance to make up a new past.
'Wow,' Monica looked at him, admiring the way his t-shirt seemed to hug his muscled body.
'I like it,' he leaned annoyingly near to Joey as he spoke to Monica. 'So what's small town New Jersey like?'
'Like all the rumours - there's not a lot to do,' Monica shrugged blushing under Pacey's attention. 'Of course I loved it. I've got good friends -we had fun on our own terms, you know.'
'Big family little family?' Pacey asked and both he and Joey looked at Monica.
'Honestly? Huge family. My parents are Catholic and there are eight of us kids. The rest are all younger than me.'
'Wow,' Joey stared at the girl trying to imagine that many children in one family.
'Five,' Pacey gave the girl a wink.
'At least I know how to shower quick,' Monica joked and Pacey laughed. Monica took the opportunity to turn back to Joey, keen to not alienate the girl who seemed nice. She wanted Joey as a friend and being attracted to her roommate wasn't the best way to get acquainted. 'What about you Joey? What do your parents do?' Such an innocent question Joey knew that, but it was the question she had dreaded since arriving. Unseen Pacey squeezed her arm reaching for her hand. He wanted to save her, but this was Joeys gig not his. She wouldn't thank him because she was doing this for herself he couldnt shadow her attempts to grow up.
'My sister and I run a B&B,' she began, but she liked Monica and it might be easiest to be honest. 'Well my dad, he's a narcotics trader,' she smiled nervously.
'As in a pharmacist?' Monica asked and both Pacey and Joey almost laughed. It wasnt a naive question just an interesting slant on Mike Potters job.
'Not exactly - an illegal narcotics trader, as in a drug dealer, one safely stowed in the state penitentiary,' Joey smiled brightly, 'and as my mother passed away...'
'You and your sister run the B&B,' Monica summarized.
'Exactly,' she and Pacey breathed a sigh of relief.
'So you live with your sister?' Monica clarified.
'Yeah and her boyfriend, and my little nephew,' and although Monica had reacted well Joey saw that look, the look she hated, the one that seemed to say "I don't know what to say now."
'Let me correct you there Potter, you live with me now your wonderful, charming and ever so handsome new roommate!' and there was Pacey coming to her rescue. Joey laughed and so did Monica.
'It wasn't easy growing up but I bet it'll be a breeze compared to living with him,' Joey joked and the tension evaporated. 'Now tell me more about you?'
History 101 was over and Joey and Pacey were wondering out of the building heading for lunch with Monica when a blond attacked them closely followed by a Jack grinning broadly.
'Joey, Pacey, oh my god I'm so pleased to see you,' Jen threw an arm around them both. 'I heard rumour that you two went to a party last night. Where was my invitation?'
'You heard? There's a college grapevine already? We go to different universities,' Joey stared at her friend in something akin to horror.
'Joey youve got to learn how these things work. A girl in my dorm, Sasha, she disappeared last night. Apparently she headed over here to see her boyfriend and went to a kick ass party missing our own kick ass party I might mention!'
'Thats a grapevine,' Joey looked helplessly at Pacey.
'Yeah I heard all about the terrible mix-up Jo, you getting stuck with a guy, again! Will this college never learn,' Jen smiled impishly.
'Again?' Monica asked and Joey made introductions.
'Joey came for an orientation weekend. She was put with a boy then as well,'Jen explained.
'I don't get why you don't complain Jo,' Jack shook his head and grinned at Pacey.
'Well it could be worse,' Joey stumbled over her words.
'Worse than Pacey?' Jen was incredulous. 'No offence big boy,' she teased.
'Ok I don't get something, if you guys are friends,' Monica pointed to Jen, Jack and Joey, 'how do you know Pacey when he's from New York?'
'Oh that's easy,' Joey breezed and Jen looked at her in surprised pleasure, 'Jens originally from New York and had the misfortune to go to school with Pace there. She took Jack to New York so they could head to some gay bars and Jack met Pacey there.' Jack and Jen laughed.
'You're gay?' it was Pacey that Monica turned to.
'Hey,' Jack protested. 'Why don't I get the same surprise? I'm not exactly camp central!'
'Course you're not sweetie,' Jen kissed his cheek.
'I'm not gay, I went out to see Jen because she was back in town and they happened to be going to a gay bar,' Pacey gave Joey a glare that said smart ass.
'But you two never met?' Monica looked at Pacey who was leaning on Joey with complete ease, his hands on her shoulders.
'Nope,' Joey quickly stated. 'When I went to New York with Jen, Pacey had come to visit Jack in Capeside you know, to bond.' Monica's eyes jumped to Pacey again.
'I'm not gay, and stop laughing man,' Pacey told Jack thwacking his chest with the back of his hand.
'Joey there's like twenty messages on the machine from Dawson,' Pacey told her as she entered the room. After lunch Pacey had snuck into her politics lecture and then when she'd gone off with Monica to the library he'd headed to find a quilt store and pick up some stuff from the boat where he had been temporarily lodging. Joey scowled at the information.
'What are you doing?' she asked, surprised to see Pacey sat scribbling at one of the desks.
'Nothing,' Pacey covered the paper but Joey was then by his side and nudging his arm out the way.
'You're doing the assignment for History 101?' she asked faintly. Pacey was always surprising her.
'Yeah,' he was sheepish. 'Do you mind?'
'Of course I don't mind, though I wish I'd thought to simply attend classes, you know instead of paying fees.' She was teasing but there was a softness to it that made him want to hug her.
'In an ideal world I'd want to take a history specialist class. It was never this interesting at school,' Pacey told her slightly embarrassed.
'We'll have to see what we can do then,' Joey put a hand in his hair reading his work. 'This is good you know, a few grammatical errors but good. Though a word of advice type the thing.'
'No access to computer room - no library card,' Pacey shrugged.
'Ok well I got the books out we need,' she turned and retrieved them from the bag. 'Lets get the assignment done then I'll type them up. They're only short.'
'This probably won't work,' Pacey sighed. 'I mean, how could I possibly keep up with the students here?'
'I have no doubt you're smarter than a lot of them, not me of course, it's more the legal side of things,' Joey frowned as Pacey smirked.
'I know... And to be fair they'll probably realize soon enough that I don't actually go here.'
'So when they do, stop going to classes and stop submitting the assignments, or maybe just put in a legitimate application.'
'Maybe if I prove myself until they realize, the legitimate application may actually have some success?' he suggested.
'Yeah, I agree. Especially after high school,' Joey teased him.
'So what about the politics assignment?' Pacey asked at length.
'Ok,' Joey seemed to be thinking. 'What are you going to do about work at the restaurant?' she asked.
'I'll keep working, I don't know that I'll work as much. They're training me to be a chef, that's a good thing I guess. I'll see if I can do one day on the weekend and a Wednesday there are no classes on a Wednesday right?'
'Right,' Joeys head was churning. 'A couple of evenings to. You could cut back if it becomes too much.'
'So if I do two days and a couple of nights a week? That should work. They only wanted me part time anyway.'
'Ok that's good. If you half my rent with me then I can save half my rent and if you have any money we can put it towards a computer,' she was mentally calculating. 'On second thoughts I'll pay the rent here until you save up enough for a cheep computer. Deal?' she stuck out her small hand and he took it in his.
'Deal.'
'Good, now here are some books. You're ok with referencing?'
'Should be.'
'This book is great,' Joey passed him a book that he took up, reading slowly trying to take it all in.
Pacey looked around the intimate room and wondered how he had ended up studying with some of the smartest and richest kids in America. But he had ended up at Worthington with Joey and he was keeping up with her and everyone else. It was interesting how such an old institution could be so easily mislead. Pacey attended the classes, signed his name and suddenly he was receiving post from the college about his time-table telling him he needed to specialise in one subject. Grinning at Joey he'd signed up for the history classes, whilst simultaneously looking into loans, and filling in an application. It wasn't easy for him and he didn't always get the best grades, but he wasn't failing. He was managing a consistent average of B, with the occasional A when he had more time, and more importantly he was enjoying the classes. The restaurant was going well and living with Joey well that was interesting.
The routine had developed easily and quickly. Within a month of living together they were predictable, and frighteningly unpredictable. Joey's alarm would sound and she would smash at it. Pacey would wonder over and switch off the offensive beeping, and then stick on the kettle. Waking Joey with coffee was something if a quick discovery. On the few occasions he'd tried to force her from bed without caffeine he'd walked away a little bruised in ego, and body, and so a kettle was his first investment. Coffee made, he'd sit on her bed and shake her awake, adoring her sleepy silkiness. Bleary eyed she'd sit up in bed and blindly reach for the coffee he'd place in her hands.
'Morning gorgeous,' he'd always greet her.
'Mmmmm Pace,' she'd murmur, happily breathing in the coffee aroma.
They'd chat about the day and then they'd head off to shower. They would meet back in their room clean and dressed.
'It's cold outside today so don't forget your scarf,' he'd say.
'Don't forget your notes from last week. You left them on the desk,' she'd help out.
They would head to class together and then meet up with friends for lunch. At least three times a week they'd head off campus and towards Boston U so they could meet up with Jen and Jack and their crowd of friends. Pacey only had one afternoon class with Joey, and so it was usually in the dinner canteen that they met up again. Joey would be sat chatting to someone, often Monica, and Pacey would have to remind himself she wasn't his, that she was off limits. After dinner they'd work on their assignments, catch up on reading and then they'd go to a party or hang out.
When Pacey was working at the restaurant Joey was either off having fun or catching up on things. Sometimes she was sleeping soundly when he got home and he would indulgently watch the gentle rise and fall of her chest, marvelling at the slope of her forehead, the perfection of her cheekbones, the fullness of her lips. To look at her was sometimes painful - she was so beautiful and Pacey didnt always know how to handle that and his want of her.
On other occasions, her bed was empty, and he'd look to his bed and there would be a thoughtful note telling him just where to find everyone if he wasn't too tired. He was never too tired to miss an opportunity with her and so he'd join them.
One day on the weekend was free and they'd meet up with Jen and Jack, or head out with Monica or some of the others in their classes. Sometimes Pacey would take just Joey out for the day as a surprise. They'd visit the emerald necklace parks or a museum, or they'd take in a movie or go bowling. Pacey adored treating her to little surprises and she always seemed so happy and carefree. It was simple.
There were lots of little things that Joey did that simply took his breath away. Little things she wasn't even aware of. She would always bring him tea when he was struggling with an essay and gently pass on advice, almost so he didn't realise it was happening. If he was tired from work she gave him space or a piece of cake would magically appear. If she got back from the shower before him she'd make his bed, or she'd mark interesting things in books for him to look at. The shared computer was now installed and Joey was forever changing the scrolling screen saver so he had a surprise message waiting for him. He would always change it for her and it was a game that made them look forward to settling down to work. There other things as well. When his toiletries ran out new ones seemed to magically appear. So used to taking care of herself, Joey adapted easily to taking care of him.
However, the best moments were when she revealed something about herself that he didn't know. Like the fact that she liked to paint her toenails pink throughout winter so that when she was in her pyjamas she could look down and see satisfyingly pink toenails poking out. He knew she liked to read trashy books as well. She hadn't been able to keep that a secret for long and he loved her for it. Sure, she might read the great works of literature most of the time, but he knew the Joey Potter that liked to read sexy, love stories and that made him smile inside.
'Why are you so surprised?' she'd asked a little hurt.
'You like porn,' he'd grinned wickedly then flopped on her bed beside her.
'It's not porn it's literature!'
'Erotic literature,' he'd pointed out.
'So I'm not allowed to enjoy sex because I'm a virgin?' she'd growled at him.
'I think thats an oxymoron Jo,' he'd laughed loudly.
I think you're the moron,' she'd nudged him in irritation at his nearness.
'And you're the porn fiend!'
'It's not porn!' she was practically on top of him in frustration.
There were other sweet things she'd do. If a song she loved came on the radio she'd dance around the room, looking like a little girl, totally relaxed in his company and he'd rarely seen her totally relaxed. She'd never been able to fully relax in Capeside with everyone watching and gossiping. Pacey found other revealing traits, such as the fact that she adored matching underwear, and that she colour co-ordinated her wardrobe so everything of one colour was in the same place. Pacey loved all of the oddities he was discovering that made up Joey Potter. But of course it wasn't all fun.
They argued like cat and dog, the banter whipping around the room like a hurricane.
'Moron,' she'd shout.
'Prude,' he'd shout back, the oldies were always their favourites.
She was infuriating a lot of the time. She wanted to listen to alternative and he wanted rock. She wanted the light off when he wanted it on. She liked clothes neatly folded away and he liked them dropped on the floor. She said she wasn't his maid and he'd point out he did all their washing and made her coffee every morning. She'd get defensive and he'd have to apologise or live in her wrath. And boy did the girl have wrath. She could cut him down with words and with a look better than anyone he knew. But she was also so adorable, so sweet and she so clearly cared for him. And so he fell in love with her. He fell in love with the vicious temper, her infuriating opposition to what ever he wanted, as well as her sweetness, her innocence. He fell in love with being irritated by her and he fell in love with all the neuroses that made her unique, that made her Joey Potter. The thing was he was already in love with her when he fell again. He marvelled at the butterfly sensation of falling in love with the same girl over and over again, but never falling out of love with her. Joey was of course oblivious. And then there was Dawson.
'I asked you to check on her Pacey, not move in with her,' Dawson had moaned when Joey had finally called him a few days after their arrival in Boston.
'I know D-man, but this makes sense,' he'd protested.
'How does it make sense? I know you're friends but you hardly get on,' Dawson had sounded like a kid in a candy shop but no money and rotten teeth.
'I needed a place to sleep and she wanted some help with rent. No roommate showed.'
'Pace, I don't know that I like the idea of you sharing a room with my girlfriend. I know what you're like,' Dawson had been frustrated else he would never have said it and Pacey knew that.
'What I'm like?'
'She needs to concentrate on her studies, not be distracted by someone who's bumming around,' Dawson had over stepped the mark.
'Even if I was just bumming around the last thing I'd ever do is stop Joey from studying. For your information this is college and Joey will go out and have a good time whether I'm around or not. We also study together,' he hadn't meant to reveal so much.
'You study what together?' Dawson laughed suddenly.
'I go to classes with her and we do the work for the classes together.'
'You go to Worthington now?' Dawson couldn't hide the shock. He was beyond shocked.
'Not exactly. I go to classes, do the work, take the exams and we'll see what happens when they realise I have no place here,' Pacey shrugged easily.
What was confusing for Pacey was the way Joey was handling Dawson. She seemed constantly frustrated with him. She handled phone calls with some spirit but often wanted to end the calls as quickly as possible. She'd sit on her bed biting her nails and catching Paceys eye as she made short responses to whatever it was Dawson was saying. Of course there were the moments where they were speaking as friends when she seemed to enjoy talking to him, it was when Dawson was trying to be romantic that her heart didnt seem to be in it and yet she stuck with it. Relentlessly.
'Pacey?' the lecturer was looking at him and Pacey realised he hadn't been listening. 'I was asking if you had an opinion about why to simply use the current Oxford dictionary definition of race doesn't work when one is examining history?' Professor Banner looked at him expectantly. Pacey smiled because he and Joey had talked about it the night before.
'I would have to say, Professor Banner, that concepts of race are not unchanging concepts. Race is an alterable concept and its meant different things throughout history - theres even some evidence to suggest that the ancient Greeks didn't distinguish groups into races but distinguished them through social class. Or so Hannaford argues.' Pacey smiled as his teacher stared at him impressed.
'Nicely explained. I'd like you all to write an historical dictionary definition of race for next weeks class,' the class sighed as they wrote down the assignment. 'Good work Pacey,' Professor Banner nodded as Pacey left the class.
'Thanks,' nothing ruin his life as it stood.
'Joey are you ok?' Pacey had entered the room a bunch of lilies in his hand deciding that his girl deserved a present to thank her for being so wonderful, but she was sat on her bed, knees drawn into her chest and she looked utterly miserable. The hand holding the flowers dropped to his side and he moved so he was sat next to her on the bed.
'You got a date Pace?' she diverted looking at the flowers.
'No these are for you. Lilies are you favourites right?' he was suddenly embarrassed.
'For me?' she sounded child like.
'I wanted to thank you for everything.'
'But I haven't done anything,' Joey touched the large petals one of the flowers carefully. Pacey was mesmerised by her fingers.
'You... you've taken me into this world of yours - you've done everything.'
'You did it Pace,' she told him simply and leant her head on his shoulder enjoying his comforting smell and the warmth of his shoulder.
'You gonna tell me what's up?'
'I thought you were diverted.'
'I'm never diverted,' he insisted.
'Dawson's coming to visit,' she practically spat the words out. 'I should be excited, I should be really excited but all I can think is where's he going to sleep? I mean he cant stay in my bed.'
'Not with the way you kick, no,' Pacey shook his head.
'And he sure isn't stealing your bed,' Joey sighed. 'So he's on the floor which means I'll trip over him or...' she trailed off.
'It's not about sleeping arrangements, is it Jo?'
'No. It's easy to have Dawson as a boyfriend when he's not here, but I think I made a mistake getting back together with him. It wasn't the right thing to do, but I was scared...' tears flooded her eyes and Pacey brushed his thumb under her eye softly.
'And now you're scared because you think if you end it with him you're going tol throw away the friendship part of your relationship. You think there's a chance Dawson will react like Dawson and deny you one part if you reject the other?'
'Yeah?' there was a crooked smile on her face as she wondered how Pacey had come to know her so well.
'Ok Jo. I'm going to make tea because every good crisis needs tea. Then you my girl are going to get on the telephone and tell Dawson your concerns. Just talk to him.'
'Too late - he's on a plane,' Joey bit her lower lip anxiously. Tea forgotten Pacey wrapped his arms around her.
'Then you talk to him when he's here. He may have even grown up! You never know.'
'Pacey,' she looked up at him and then stretched so she could plant a kiss on the still bronzed skin, his stubble tickling her face. 'Thank you for my flowers.'
Dawson's plane was on time, and when he saw Joey and Pacey waiting in arrivals he immediately swooped Joey into his arms, planting a kiss on her lips. It was painfully obvious, to Pacey at least, that this wasn't the friendly opening she'd wanted. Her arms hung uselessly at her sides and her eyes didn't close. Tactfully she disengaged herself from him. Dawson didn't notice as he hugged Pacey, and then they were off as he told them all about LA, responding to Joeys frequent and nervous questions.
Pacey felt that their room seemed crowded with Dawson and his sleeping bag. Dawson kept nuzzling Joey's ear and Pacey overheard his whispered, and unsubtle, suggestion that he share her bed. To his utter and complete relief Joey had explained her need to star fish, and pointed to the floor. Clearly disappointed, Dawson had unrolled Pacey's sleeping bag and made eyes at his bed. He had obvious intentions on it.
'So who's the girl for you at the moment?' he asked his friend casually.
'No girl, just study and work,' Pacey shrugged easily pretending that Joey hadn't popped into his head.
'Come on man, Pacey Witter always has a girl! Surely there's tone girl who might accommodate you tonight?' Dawson rolled his eyes to indicate Joey and that he wanted to be alone with her.
'Pacey has to stay here tonight because we need to share books for an assignment,' Joey said quickly. 'Stop trying to push him out of his own room.'
'I'm not trying to push him out of his room, though it is a little weird that he shares a room with my girlfriend, whom I want to spend a little alone time with. Is that really to much to ask?' he looked between them.
'No man. Look, I'll head to Monica's and work there, give you guys some time,' Pacey hated to leave them.
'So there is a girl!' Dawson grinned.
'She's my friend that's all,' Pacey looked at Joey who was staring at the floor. He was talking about Joey but Dawson didn't realise.
Pacey let himself into the quiet room a few hours later and was surprised to find Joey and Dawson kissing on her bed. Their clothes were still fully on them, and it wasn't exactly a heated situation but they were still kissing. The sight of them was unbearable, but Pacey had to bear it because it was where he lived. Joey jumped away from Dawson when she heard the door close behind Pacey.
'Hey Pace, how was your night?' her voice was timid and a little apologetic.
'It was fine - we got the essay done, had a drink you know,' Pacey couldn't bear to look at her or Dawson.
So they sorted things out. I knew they'd sort things out. It's Dawson and Joey after all, and they're meant for each other. Or that's what everyone thinks. Destiny, fate and all that. Not that I believe in destiny and fate - I'd rather hold out for true love to come waltzing my way. God Pace you're such a jerk. True love waltzed your way years ago and you stand by, never putting yourself on the line. Where is your courage man? You love her and she loves him, what's the point in courage?
'Pace,' Joey had moved from Dawson and was stood in front of him.
'Il'l head to the washroom,' Dawson stretched and left the room.
'You ok?' her voice swam over him as she nervously shifted from one foot to the other.
'I'm fine,' he spoke far more harshly than he meant to.
'I'm sorry,' she whispered.
'Why are you sorry?' he looked away from her.
'Why are you upset?' she flashed back.
'I don't get you Jo. You tell me that it doesn't feel right with Dawson, and so I leave you to talk, and when I come back you're all over each other,' Pacey wouldn't look at her.
'We were not all over each other,' she glared at him.
'It doesn't matter if you were, he's your boyfriend,' Pacey glared at a rip in the wallpaper.
'So why won't you look at me?' Joey demanded.
'Three hours with the guy and you're as self-indulgent as him,' Pacey still refused to look at her.
'I'm not being self-indulgent...he's not self-indulgent, Pacey stop being such a moron,' she glared at his unmoving face.
'Don't call me a moron,' suddenly his face was very close to hers. 'I'm not a moron. I'm just sick and tired of this charade.'
'Dawson and I aren't a charade. It's complicated. I need to tell him right and I wanted to make-sure. I didn't want to throw it all away if there was something between us,' Joey struggled to explain. She'd kissed Dawson to see if she could enjoy kissing Dawson, but she just couldn't. Maybe Pacey was right and she was a prude.
'That wasn't the charade I was referring to,' Pacey glowered at her.
'What charade were you referring to?' Joeys eyes flashed.
'Am I interrupting?' Dawson was there as always.
'Absolutely nothing,' Joey tossed Pacey a final dirty look and grabbing her toilet bag headed for the washroom.
'Pacey?'
'Like Joey said - absolutely nothing,' he growled and grabbing his wash bag left the room.
The alarm crackled through the dim Saturday morning. On reflex Pacey dragged himself out of bed and headed for Joey'. Stilling her angry arms, he switched off the alarm and headed for the kettle tripping over Dawson who merely grunted and turned over. See I'm perfect for her not you. Coffee made he headed back to Joey and sat on her bed stroking her arm to waken her.
'Mmmmm Pacey,' she murmured lazily and pushing herself up reached for her coffee.
'Morning gorgeous,' he smiled at her but no smile came back to him.
'I'm sorry for calling a moron. You're not a moron,' she yawned sleepily, 'when I say it it's like a nothing word, just a term I can sling easily at you because you're supposed to know I don't mean it. I don't mean it Pace, you know I don't.'
'I know that Joey. Don't worry - I guess I was a little sensitive,' Pacey brushed some stray hair from her eyes. Joey longed to ask him why. She longed to ask him what the real charade was but she couldn't find the words. Instead she took a grateful slurp of coffee.
'I'm going to tell him today,' she said softly.
'And what are you going to say?' Pacey waited expectantly.
'That when I was kissing him it didn't feel right. That was why I kissed him, to see if I got carried away, you know Pace maybe I am a prude,' she looked at him with wide worried eyes.
'I assure you that you have nothing to worry about Jo. For one thing you're just gorgeous. No one that looks as edible as you would not enjoy being eaten,' he winked and longed to touch her. 'Secondly, did it ever occur to you that maybe the problem rests with Dawson and not you?'
'You saw Dawson with Eve. I don't think he has a problem.'
'Ok... that's not what I meant. For the kinky stuff to work, it's not about the mechanics. You might be doing everything right but still something is missing. It's this weird little thing called chemistry. Maybe you and Dawson have it as friends but you lack it as lovers,' Pacey felt the electricity crackle between them as she stared at him.
'And how do I recognise this chemistry?' Joey asked leaning nearer to him.
'Believe me, when you have it its unavoidable. Every touch, every look -they leave you breathless. It's like a fire burning inside you, a fire that's totally out of control,' Paceys hand had found its way to hers and he was tracing his fingers along hers revelling in the sensations.
'Do I smell coffee?' and there was Dawson. Pacey withdrew his hand from hers.
'In the pot, D-man,' he told him. 'I'll leave you guys,' he said the latter to Joey.
'But you'll be back soon?' she sounded so hopeful.
'Soon. I'm going to head over to Jack's.'
