A/N: This chapter contains sexually explicit material.
August 3. Friday arrived, and that meant attending Chris Wolfe's big end-of-summer bash. It was almost three o'clock when Joey sat in the employee lounge-slash-closet-slash-storage room inside Leery's Fresh Fish, talking into her cell phone. "You really wanna go to this party tonight?"
"Sure," Jen said. "Why not? You should come."
"What are we gonna do there?"
"I don't know. Hang out. Drink. Talk to people."
"Talk? I'll go if I don't have to talk."
Jen laughed. "I'll pick you up in an hour."
"Four? Kinda early for a party, isn't it?"
"Well, apparently, this thing has been going since noon."
Joey hung up and turned to her coworker, Colin Murray. "You busy later?"
He was staring into space with a glazed expression. "Have you ever made a man cry?" he asked wistfully in his mild Irish accent, ignoring her question.
"Yeah, a couple hours ago when Marcel overheard me suggest a bottle of white wine to pair with someone's salmon. He sobbed, 'Red, you fool!' into a cloth napkin."
"I'm being serious, Joey."
"Um… well, yes. It wasn't a pleasant experience."
"Wow, really? To be able to rouse that kind of intense emotion! To break a man's heart into a thousand pieces, and have him weep for you! I can only imagine." Colin sighed. "I've never made a man cry. I even kneed a guy in the balls once, and he didn't cry."
She laughed. "So, anyway, you wanna go to some rich kid's house and party with a bunch of recently-graduated high school seniors?"
He stared, arching his perfectly shaped eyebrow. "How desperate for a social life do you think I am?"
"Moderately to very."
Colin sniffed airily. "I'll have you know, Josephine, that I have plans tonight."
She smiled excitedly. "A date? With a man? Did you meet somebody?"
"No, not a date," he hastily replied. "Just… two people… getting together… at a prearranged place… and at a predetermined time…"
She snorted, and shook her head with a smile. "Well, to do what? Where are you meeting? A restaurant? A bar?" Her mouth curved into a smirk. "Lovers Lake?"
His eyes widened. "How do you know about Lovers Lake?"
"One of my close friends is gay. Jack, remember? He's been in here before."
"Oh, that's right. The injured football stud with the Capeside letterman's jacket."
"Anyway! Where are you meeting this guy?"
"That's none of your business."
"And who is he?"
"That's equally, if not more so, none of your business."
Laughing, she propped her elbows on the table and leaned over. "Why? Is it someone I know?" she teased.
She watched Colin go inexplicably red in the face, quite a humorous look when combined with his reddish-brown hair, and she giggled. Clearing his throat, he abruptly stood from the small table. "Well, break's over. See you out there."
Brows knitting in confusion, Joey stared after him as he left the room.
After arranging to leave work early, convinced Marcel was just happy to be rid of her, she clocked out, and went home to shower and change. It wasn't long before Jen arrived, and then they drove to Chris Wolfe's house on North Elm Drive. They had parked on the street and exited the car when they saw Jack and Tobey walking towards them with Andie and Will in tow. The friends greeted each other and then walked together towards the house.
"This place is huge," Will remarked as they walked up the driveway.
"I haven't set foot in this house since sophomore year, but it's still as impressive now as it was then," Joey said.
They let themselves in the front door, and were immediately welcomed by their host. "Awesome," Chris said with a smile. "Glad you guys could make it. Pretty much everyone's out back."
The walked through the house, and out the sliding glass doors to the backyard pool area. The familiar summery smells of charcoal, grilled meat, freshly cut grass, suntan lotion, and pot smoke assaulted Joey's senses.
"You, uh, smell something?" Jack said in a low voice as he walked beside her.
"Do I smell something?" She threw him a look. "What am I, hard of smelling? Of course, I smell something."
He laughed, and having spotted some of his former comrades on the football team, left her side to join them. She wandered around, getting a drink, sharing brief hellos with her classmates.
By six o'clock the party was in full swing, and the joints were lighting quicker than the charcoal beneath the ribs and chicken on the grill. At least fifty people—mostly their Capeside High classmates—were seated, standing, drinking, eating, swimming in the pool, or walking around the large manicured lawn. The beer and alcohol were being consumed faster than the soda and water.
After filling a plate, Joey sat down to eat with Jen and Will Krudski in a quiet corner on the patio, while Andie, Jack, and Tobey joined a rousing game of volleyball in the yard.
"How can they play in this heat?" Even though she'd covered herself in the bare minimum for public consumption—white spaghetti-strap tank top and cut-off jean shorts—the heat was close to unbearable. The dog days of summer were in full effect. They traditionally lasted only forty days, and she hoped that held true this year. So far it had been a hot and humid summer, and she was anxious for it to end—for more than one reason.
"Ah, come on. Don't you wanna go play, Joey?" Jen teased, lifting her sunglasses to perch them on top of her head. "I know how much you love volleyball."
"Ha-ha." She pulled a face. "Volleyball is the root of all evil. I hate team sports. First off, I hate sports, and I hate groups. So, team sports are double the hate."
"You hate sports?" Will laughed, shaking his head. "Poor Pacey."
Jen smiled as she sipped from her cup of punch. "You know, I find it very hard to reconcile the Pacey I have come to know and love, and the Pacey of yore who was apparently a jock."
He started to laugh. "Pacey did love team sports. Baseball, hockey…"
"He played on actual teams? Like with real games and uniforms and everything?"
"Oh, yeah," Joey said. "Capeside Little League, and the Capeside Coyotes. They were pretty good, as far as Peewee hockey goes, I guess."
"Why did he stop playing?"
Frowning, she recalled a certain little league game. "Well, he stopped playing baseball when he struck out at the championship game, and it cost his team the trophy. His dad screamed at him, right there on the field in front of everyone. Pacey had to have been eleven or twelve. Anyway, he never played again after that. On a team, anyway. He'd still go to the batting cages with Dawson a lot. Eventually that stopped, too, 'cause Pacey would wipe the floor with him every time and… well, Dawson hates to lose."
"That sucks," Will commiserated. "I love going to the batting cages. There's gotta be some in Boston. It is Red Sox territory, after all. You think Pacey would want to go sometime?"
"Yeah, maybe. He really loved hockey, though," Joey said with a sigh. "And stuck with it longer than baseball. He actually moved up from Peewee onto the Bantam team."
"That's right," Will said, chuckling. "He wanted to grow up and play for the B's."
"How come Pacey never talks about it?" Jen asked.
Joey shrugged one shoulder. "You know what happened with baseball? Well, the same thing kinda happened with hockey. It was the Cape Ice Tournament. Pacey was, like, fourteen. It was the semi-championship game—Capeside Coyotes against the Yarmouth Waves. And it came down to a penalty shot… or sudden death… or whatever it's called in hockey, and Pacey was out there on the ice, just him versus the other team's goalie, and…"
"And?"
"The goalie won."
Jen frowned sympathetically. "That's a bummer."
"Yeah. Apparently, his dad gave him real shit for it, and that was the last Pacey played. I wasn't there to see the game or witness the aftermath—Bessie had forced me to go with her to visit my dad—but Dawson told me about it."
"Speaking of the Dawson," Will muttered and then nodded behind her.
Joey turned to see her former best friend approaching their table. A blue Solo cup was in his right hand. Smiling, he seemed pleased to see them.
"Hey, guys."
"I thought you weren't coming?" Jen said. "You said you had to work."
"Yes, well, I did. And I was at work. But when my mom realized there was a party going on, she complained that I wasn't having a good enough summer, and basically forced me to leave and go be social. So… here I am."
Jen gestured to the empty chair next to her, and Dawson smiled at the silent invitation to join them. "You enjoying the party, Joey?" he asked as he started to move towards the seat.
I was, she thought. Why did he have to come and spoil it? Her bitchfaced cool reserve, that hadn't had a decent airing all day, then came out in full force. "Very much," she said, her voice cold and indifferent. But she wasn't any longer.
"I think I saw a rather familiar-looking Porsche parked on the street when I got here," Dawson said, pulling the chair back from the table. "It made me second-guess for a moment whether I actually wanted to walk into the house."
"What, you mean Drue's Porsche?" Jen replied, brows shooting up.
"I haven't seen him," Joey said. "Thank God."
"Did I hear someone say my name?" Drue Valentine then suddenly materialized behind Dawson's shoulder, smirking at them. Joey scowled. This mildly uncomfortable situation was rapidly turning into Nightmare on Elm Street. She was now ready to leave the party, her enjoyment spoiled.
"Well, if it isn't Capeside's very own menace to society," Jen snarked.
"Miss me?" Drue replied with a shit-eating grin.
Jen scoffed, and Dawson's eyes narrowed. "So, how's your car engine treating ya?"
The grin was instantly wiped from the guy's face.
Thoroughly agitated, Joey stood up from the table. "I'm getting a drink," she said to Jen, and walked away from them without another word.
Inside the house, she breathed a sigh of relief at the coolness that greeted her thanks to the air-conditioning. She made her way to the kitchen. Just this morning, she'd actually been looking forward to spending a carefree evening with her friends, but now there was a gray cloud hanging over the party and that cloud had a name—Dawson Leery. Or maybe Drue Valentine.
"Jesus fucking Christ," Joey hissed to herself as she set her blue Solo cup down on the kitchen island next to the punch bowl and reached for the ladle. "Why did he have to show up here?"
"Who?"
Startled, she turned around to see Chris Wolfe standing there, clearly amused. "Oh, um…" Her thoughts warred with one another. Truthfully, her feelings could apply to two people. But if she said Dawson, then that would just lead to questions she didn't want to answer as she no doubt believed Chris was under the impression that she and Dawson were still friends. "Drue."
"Yeah, he's a shit stain."
"You invited him," she retorted accusingly.
He gave a casual shrug. "It was sort of an open invitation to our senior class. Everyone just kinda spread the word. I didn't, like, call the guy on the phone and ask him to come to my house."
She shook her head, annoyed, and turned her attention back to the punch bowl.
"Do you want me to ask him to leave?"
"You don't have to do that," she said dismissively.
"I will if you want me to."
She looked over to see him gazing at her earnestly. Her stomach tightened at the way he was looking at her. She had never seen that look before, not coming from him, and she only hoped it didn't mean what she thought it did. Ladling spiked punch into her cup, she put her back to Chris and searched her mind for a topic other than herself.
"I thought I saw Ashley Hares here at the party."
"She is," Chris confirmed. "She's, uh, staying with me this weekend."
Her brows rose in surprise as she turned to look at him. "Oh. You guys got back together?"
"No. We're just… you know, hanging out before we leave for college."
"And you really don't want to try to make the long distance thing work? I mean, if you love each other…"
Chris shook his head, and frowned sadly. "It just wouldn't end well if we did that. We could make all the plans and promises in the world, but I know how it'd end up. I'm going to Princeton. She's going to Syracuse. Ending it now by mutual agreement, and for each other's benefit, is a much better ending than betrayals and broken hearts. Four years in college is a brief, yet intense and confusing, window of time… or so my mom tells me. But… you know, if someday our paths cross in the future, then…" He shrugged.
She sighed and drank from her cup. Joey felt thankful that she and Pacey would be together in Boston, that she would have his love and support as she navigated the next four years at Worthington.
"So, uh, Witter probably gets back soon, right?"
"Yeah. He'll be back in three weeks." She frowned at the memory of Pacey telling her that Mr. Moore had decided to stay in Key West a little longer than expected.
"Well, if I don't see him around Capeside before I head to New Jersey, tell him I said good luck. You know, with… whatever he's got going on."
She smiled and nodded in appreciation. "I will. Thanks."
She returned outside. With the sun beginning to set, and the sky darkening, the stereo system on the patio was turned up and the dancing began. The histrionics of Andie, Jack, and Tobey made Joey laugh and almost spill her drink. Then she meandered around the partygoers, heading in the direction of the quiet table in the corner.
"You wanna dance, Potter?"
The sound of Drue's smug voice made her cringe, and she came to abrupt stop. "Maybe," she said, turning around to look at him, her tone dripping with annoyance. "All over your face."
He shook his head, rolling his eyes as he laughed.
"Talk to me again, Drue, and you'll leave this party in a body bag," she snapped, before turning to walk away.
When she got back to her table, she found Will Krudski sitting there, leaning back comfortably in his chair and smoking. She sat down and crossed her legs. "Where's Jen and Dawson?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. They took off somewhere."
She shook her head as he offered to pass his joint. "No, thanks." He nodded, and Joey watched him take another drag. "Did Pacey ever tell you about the time freshman year when he got caught toking up in the middle school parking lot? He got in so much trouble."
"Yeah, I know. His dad beat the shit out of him."
She stared, shocked but not surprised.
"Sorry, I thought you knew. You said he got in trouble…"
"Yeah, at school. He got suspended."
"Well, he got in trouble at home, too."
She wracked her brain for the memory, and she vaguely recalled not having seen Pacey at all that week he'd been suspended from school. He hadn't come knocking on her window as she'd expected him to. Even Dawson hadn't seen him, which was unusual at the time, but now made sense to her. Pacey wouldn't have gone anywhere if he was nursing visible injuries. She wished he had come to her window. She wished he had told her exactly what was happening to him at home. She wished a lot of things. She couldn't have stopped his suffering, but she could've at least made sure he didn't have to suffer alone.
Joey glanced at the open can of orange soda on the table in front of Will. "Sorry if this is a weird question, but… you won't drink alcohol, but you'll light up?"
"Well, last I knew, getting a little buzz from some Mary Jane didn't turn men into rageaholics and make them beat on their wife and kids." He picked up his can of orange soda and took a swig. "Anyway, why ruin the party with talk about fathers?"
She sensed this was as sore a subject for Will as it was for Pacey, and could see how early on they'd bonded over their shared dysfunctional upbringings. Before Joey could think of something else to talk about, her friends showed up at the table.
"I can't believe that jerk is gonna be at Harvard."
"Well, the Harvard campus is a big place, Andie. Maybe you won't see him."
"Jen, I'd like to think I have the good fortune of attending school for the next four years and never laying eyes on Drue Valentine, but even I'm not that optimistic."
Feeling weary and exhausted, and suddenly missing Pacey so badly she thought she'd go crazy, Joey stood up. "I'm ready to go," she said, anxious to leave. She just wanted to get away from this party and go home and talk to her boyfriend. His was the only company she wanted right now.
"Already? Really?"
"Andie, you know I hate groups."
"Yeah, me too," Jen said, standing up as Dawson joined them. "Anyway, it's getting dark, which means it's about to turn into hookup central around here. I have no interest in witnessing the poor choices about to be made."
"Hey, I'll stick around if you wanna make some poor choices, Jen," Dawson joked. Laughing, she playfully slapped his arm.
Rolling her eyes, Joey stepped away from the table. "Okay, well… that's my cue to leave. See you guys later."
"Bye, Joey," Andie and Will said almost in unison.
On their way out of the party, she and Jen found Jack and Tobey, and bid them goodnight. The drive back to the creek was relatively quiet.
"Downtown traffic is the worst," Joey complained as they caught yet another red light.
"So, I didn't tell you," Jen said. "Grams finally found a house to rent in Boston."
"Oh, wow."
"Yeah, it's a pretty nice place. And it's in a good neighborhood, and not too far from the Boston Bay-slash-Worthington vicinity. We're moving in next weekend."
"You want some help with the move?" Joey asked.
Jen laughed breathlessly. "Yeah, Grams would love all the help we can get."
"I'll see if I can get some time off work."
It wasn't long before they arrived at the Potter B&B, and Jen pulled off the road to park beside the house. "So, I bet you're happy Pacey's coming home soon."
"That's an understatement. I miss him so much, Jen. I'm literally counting the days until he's with me again."
"Well, the next few weeks will be so busy with packing and making the move up to Boston, I'm sure the time will fly by. Why don't you come stay with us at Grams' new house in the city until Pacey gets here?"
"Thanks for the offer, Jen, but I'll be fine."
"You're not still scared of Grams, are you?"
Joey scoffed, but couldn't look her in the eye as she opened the door. "Of course, I'm not scared of your grandmother," she denied, stepping out of the car. "Don't be ridiculous." She turned to see Jen arching her brow, shooting her a pointed look. "Okay, so… maybe I'm a little scared of her."
Jen shook her head and laughed. "Anyway… you're just gonna hang around Capeside while the rest of us make the trek up to Boston next weekend? What are you gonna do with yourself when we're gone?"
She leaned across the open window. "Well, Dawson will still be here. Maybe we can make friendship bracelets and have a rowboat race in the creek or something."
"Yeah, sounds like a hoot," Jen deadpanned.
"But seriously… I think Bessie wants me to stick around for as long as possible. The B&B is still swamped with guests. If she had her way, I'd be stuck here until Labor Day. I already put in my notice at the restaurant and the gas station, but I'm not officially done until the twenty-third. So, I'll be bumming around Capeside until then."
"But then Pacey gets back."
A smile spread across Joey's face. "Yeah. Pacey gets back."
Later, she lay in bed, dialing his phone number.
"Hello, sweetheart," he answered. "I've been missing you all day."
The husky velvet of his voice stroked over her like a soft caress. Her heart swelled with emotion, and she yearned for their reunion. Just the sound of Pacey's voice made her toes curl, made her body ache to feel the heat and weight of him on top of her, inside her. She knew he felt the same, that he was as desperate for her touch as she was for his.
"I've been missing you, too, Pace. Like crazy. Talk to me. Tell me what you've been up to today."
Joey then sank back into her pillow with a smile, closing her eyes as his voice washed over her like warm honey.
August 24. They had left Key West over a week ago, and after a brief stop in New York, where Jessica Moore disembarked to commence her sophomore year at NYU, they were heading towards Boston. The happiness and anticipation Pacey now felt was too much. He had already packed almost everything yesterday. Then he'd tossed and turned all night, and got up well before the first light of dawn, as if he was an excited child on Christmas morning.
Once he'd showered, shaved, and dressed, he grabbed his large duffel bag and left the small compartment for the last time. Tabitha's Secret had been his temporary home for the past ten weeks, and he'd been content here, but he was now anxious to leave it behind. After fixing a quick breakfast and pouring himself a cup of coffee, he made his way up from below deck and went to the bridge.
He gave Captain Jenkins a polite wave and nod before sitting down on the bench outside. Then he sat drinking his coffee and watched the sky lighten in the east, watched the stars melt into the pale pink hue that crept upward in the sky. The day soon dawned, brilliant and bright blue, with the sun never more stunning.
"I thought you might be up here."
Pacey turned to see Mao's smiling face. "Good morning, chef."
The man sat down beside him on the bench. "There are no words to describe the feelings when you first lay eyes on your home. It is like butterflies. I feel that way every time the plane I am on arrives in San Fransisco. Home—there is nothing like it in the world. I knew you would be up here, that you would want to catch the first glimpses of your homeport."
"Home," he said with a chuckle. "Well, I suppose it is now. Wherever Joey is—that's home."
Mao nodded and glanced about at their surroundings. "You know we are not expected to reach Boston until late in the afternoon…"
"Yeah, I know. But I'm gonna sit right here until then." He turned to look at the chef. "So, what are you going to do, now that the boat's gonna be docked? Take some time off to see your family?"
"Yes, I have a few weeks off, and I will spend it with them. Then I go back to my regular job. My flight to San Fransisco leaves in the morning. I probably will not be back here in Boston until next year."
"What do you mean? Your regular job's not in Boston? I thought you worked for James. Aren't you his personal chef?"
"In the summer, on the yacht, I am. And I do work for Mr. Moore, but this is not my regular job. The rest of my time is spent teaching."
He sat quietly for a moment, and watched the sun glinting off the water. "Oh."
"Hmm. Yes, 'oh,'" the chef mimicked. "So, will I be seeing you anytime soon?"
Feeling a twinge of guilt, Pacey stared down at his hands and shook his head.
"I really wish you would reconsider Mr. Moore's offer. You have learned a lot this summer, but there is so much more to learn. I cannot remember the last time I came across someone with so much God-given, raw talent. Talent that, with some polishing and refining, could turn you into one of the industry's biggest and best success stories.
"And on a personal note… I must say… you are one of my favorite students I have ever had the pleasure to work with. It has been the absolute joy of my summer. I consider you a friend, and I will miss you."
His heart constricted. "Well, uh, you know, I can honestly say this was the second-best summer of my life, and you're a big reason for that." Emotion tightened his throat. "I'll miss you, too, Mao."
"You know where to find me, Pacey." Then he stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wish you luck and happiness and success… no matter what you decide to do in life."
Despite the sincerity he saw in Mao's face—in his eyes, in his smile—he couldn't shake the feeling that he had disappointed him, just as he felt he'd disappointed James. A part of him wanted to accept the offer—the challenge, the opportunity—awaiting him, but another part of him didn't. The part of him that wanted to live in Boston so he would always be with Joey and they would never have to be separated again. The part that put her first, that valued their relationship above everything else in life. That was the part that was winning right now. And he couldn't foresee it ever losing.
The hours passed, and eventually the yacht approached the Massachusetts shoreline. While he had occasionally skipped down below deck to grab a bite to eat or use the facilities, he was never gone for long.
Pacey stood up on the top deck, his pulse racing as the first sight of Boston Harbor came into view. His heart felt near to bursting. His smile broadened. He could almost feel Joey's arms around him…
Over on land, Joey arrived at the Southie apartment in the early afternoon on Friday after packing a bag and driving into Boston. She was officially unemployed and free, and the money she'd made over the summer would put a nice dent in her tuition bill for the year. Now all she had to do was find work in the city, but she'd decided to get settled at Worthington first and adjust to her college schedule before she threw a demanding job into the mix.
Using Pacey's key, she let herself into apartment six on the third floor of the building. She was immediately greeted by his sister, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, hi. I didn't think you were going to be here."
"Oh, I'm leaving in a few minutes," Gretchen said. "Don't worry. I'm making myself scarce, just as Pacey asked. I've got my bag packed and I'll be staying with Charlie this weekend."
"So, am I ever gonna meet this guy?" Joey questioned, referring to the person Gretchen had been seeing for the past six weeks.
"It's possible," she replied evasively, not looking her in the eye.
Joey dropped her bag on the couch, and a few minutes later, Gretchen emerged from her bedroom, her own bag over her shoulder. "Okay, I'll be back on Monday." Pacey's sister then pulled her into a hug. "Have fun, be safe, be careful in this neighborhood. You know, yadda yadda yadda… all that big sister stuff."
"Okay," Joey laughed.
Once Gretchen was gone, she climbed the spiral stairs up to the loft area. She walked to the bedroom, and then went about making sure everything was ready for Pacey's arrival. On a wing and a prayer, they'd managed to get his bedroom furniture up there. She had then arranged it how he'd had his room set up back in the beach house in Capeside.
After tossing her bag on the floor beneath one of the windows, she looked up at the plain white ceiling and smiled. She couldn't wait until later tonight when her mural would reveal itself to Pacey. Feeling sure that the room looked just right, she went back down the stairs. She double and triple-checked the fridge to make sure it was stocked, and there'd be no need to run out to the store. It was their plan to lock themselves away inside the apartment, and emerge for nothing and no one for the next three days.
Once she assured herself that everything was all set for Pacey's return, she looked at the clock for what felt like the millionth time that day. She still had several hours to go before the boat he was on was expected to dock in the harbor. Then she proceeded to pace the apartment, heart pounding, stomach fluttering, palms sweating. The anticipation of their reunion was killing her.
She finally collapsed on the couch and closed her eyes. Somehow the time passed. Startled, Joey woke, surprised she had actually fallen asleep. Her gaze immediately went to the clock on the wall. Shit!
Grabbing her keys, she hurried out the apartment door. The afternoon sun was low in the sky by now, casting shadows on the street. Back inside her truck, Joey pulled away from the curb and drove to Boston Yacht Haven. Getting from Southie to the waterfront in the historic North End would normally take about fifteen minutes, but as it was nearing rush hour on a Friday, the drive was much longer.
After she parked her truck in the marina's lot, she enquired inside the office for the designated slip registered to Tabitha's Secret. Heart pounding, stomach fluttering with nerves, she then hurried out to the waterfront. Locating the right dock, Joey walked around a corner of the platform in search of the yacht belonging to James Moore…
Pacey was a bundle of nerves as the boat began its docking procedures. The city of Boston loomed in front of him, but there was only one thing he wanted to set his eyes on. Standing on the sun deck with the Moore family, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
"Don't forget to be at the Ambrosia on Tuesday morning for your orientation," James reminded him.
"I won't forget," he hastily assured his boss. He shifted his weight; he was restless, impatient to be off the yacht.
"You'll come have dinner at the house on Monday, won't you?" Amanda entreated.
"Um… yeah, yeah. I'll come."
"And you're going to bring your girlfriend, right?"
"Yeah, sure. I will."
James and Amanda exchanged smirking looks.
"Aww. Look at you," Melanie gushed as she stood next to him. "Your ears are all red."
"I'm dying here," he muttered, and she laughed.
"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when desire cometh, it is a tree of life," she said in a sing-song voice.
His brows furrowed as he pulled a face. "What, is that Shakespeare?"
She laughed again. "It's from the Bible."
"You read the Bible?" he scoffed.
"No, but I went to Catholic school for twelve years. So… you know, that stuff is rattling around up there."
After what felt like an eternity, the boat was finally moored to the dock. By that time, he felt so crazy, he was about to jump out of his skin. He hurried away from the Moores and their shared looks of amusement. Pacey rushed down from the upper deck, eager to get on the gangplank. Moments later, he was off the boat.
And he saw Joey standing there, on the dock. Waiting for him. Just like she promised.
She froze as her gaze locked with his. He was just a few feet away, grinning from ear to ear. Coming face to face with him made her feel as if her heart was going to explode inside her chest. Tears pricked her eyes.
"Jo."
"Oh, my God, Pacey…"
The next moment they ran to each other. He dropped his bag. Joey jumped into his open arms with the force of a hurricane. Lifting her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist, and Pacey staggered as they embraced in a passionate kiss.
For a moment, everything stopped. Time stood still. The earth quit spinning. The two lovers, as one, reunited, saw or heard nothing except each other, barely able to see from the tears of emotion that just could not be withheld any longer.
She tightened her arms around his neck, and pulled away enough to say, "I missed you so much."
"I missed you, too, Jo. I love you."
"Never again, Pacey," she cried against his lips, earnestly trying to control her emotions enough to get out the words to express her own feelings. "You can never leave me again. Never, never."
He lowered her and placed Joey's feet on the ground, before wiping the tears from her face. "Never," he promised.
Pacey pulled her into another warm embrace. Joey held onto him as if she would never let go. He sunk his fingers into her soft hair, grasping and lifting it to his nose, closing his eyes and breathing in the vanilla smell of it. It was heavenly, beautiful: exactly the way he remembered. He breathed in her sweet aroma, savoring the comfort of it.
He was home.
Then they found each other's lips again, and kissed softly. This kiss was full of love and friendship, tenderness and hope. But after weeks coping with the frustration of unfulfilled needs and desires, their passion quickly stirred.
On the drive back to South Boston, thoughts of the coming night filled them with excitement, and they couldn't keep their eyes, or their hands, off each other. Joey slid over while Pacey drove her truck, her hand rubbing up and down on his thigh. Her fingers were on his face, toying with the curls in his hair, grasping his hand. Her lips were at his face, his ear, his throat.
Being together again after so long a separation was exhilarating. His every touch, his every expression aroused her, and she saw he was becoming aroused as well. It was if she could see his thoughts, his fantasies, in his hooded blue eyes when he glanced her way. And when Pacey looked into her eyes, all her memories and imaginings seemed to be just as erotic as his were.
Once they reached the Southie apartment building, the air around them became even more charged, electric. Her heart started to beat wildly in her chest, just as his own heart hammered against his ribs. When they were inside the apartment, door closed and locked behind them, they turned and gazed at one another. Joey licked her lips. His duffel bag was dropped to the floor.
They looked into one another's eyes and then lunged for each other.
Pacey dropped his head to capture her mouth, and took her bottom lip between his teeth before releasing it to caress the inside of her mouth with his tongue. Kissing mindlessly, they backed up through the apartment. Joey had thrown her arms around his neck, and now pressed her body even tighter to him and moaned. She could feel his erection start to prod her stomach. Hot desire was pooling at her center and the maddening throb of her clit was making her squirm against him. He hadn't even put his hands on her skin yet, and already her body was weeping for him.
With his mouth at her neck, his erection prodded her insistently. Pacey thought that if he got any harder, he'd be able to cut through cement. He pushed her back against the wall and passionately devoured her mouth as her hands began frantically removing his clothing. His red T-shirt was thrown to the floor along with his dark gray undershirt.
He unzipped her jean shorts as they kicked off their shoes, sliding his hand inside her underwear, seeking her warm, sensitive flesh.
"Fuck, baby," Pacey gasped against Joey's mouth as he ran his fingers through her wet folds, bringing her juices forward to circle her clit.
She whimpered, and her hands flew to his cargo pants, unzipping them and shoving her hand down the front of his boxers, closing her warm fingers around his hard cock, squeezing tight and stroking him.
They stood there for some seconds, stroking each other and panting, before Pacey withdrew his hand, causing Joey to whimper again at the loss of him. She lifted her arms, and he added her blue tank top to the clothing pile. Then he pulled her shorts along with her underwear down to the floor and she stepped out of them. He palmed her breasts as his mouth returned to hers, kissing her passionately, his tongue searching for hers.
Pacey lifted her up, his hands going under her ass as her arms and legs locked around him, and he settled her back against the wall. He held her with one arm while his other hand pushed his pants down until gravity took over and dropped them to the floor. He freed his swollen, throbbing cock from his boxers.
He dropped his head to her breast and took one delicious peach nipple into his mouth. The sensation of his mouth on her skin hit Joey like an explosion, and she felt she was so close to coming already. Pacey suckled her breasts greedily, taking turns to flick the hardening nipples with his tongue and then pull them deep into his mouth.
With his mouth still at one breast, he looked up at her face and then nipped her with his teeth. He watched her mouth fall open and her eyes squeeze shut, and she bucked against him as he softly laved where he had bitten.
"Pacey," she whimpered. She could feel her wetness dripping from her, drenching her groin and inner thighs, as the aching throb of her clit was driving her crazy. She continued to rock against him, frantic for some relief.
He grinned at her, and holding his erection steady at the perfect angle, he loosened his grip on her slightly. She shifted her hips to try out her balance against the wall, and her legs curled tighter around him, pressing him against her and causing him to groan.
Joey arched her back and lowered herself slightly until she felt the engorged head of his erection prod her entrance. She gasped, remembering just how big he was. The anticipation was killing her.
His hand left the base of his erection, and moved to firmly grasp her hip. He lowered her as he thrust gently upward, impaling her dripping wet pussy on his hard cock and causing them both to cry out. Pacey's eyes slammed shut at the overwhelming sensations. She was so tight. So warm. So soft. So perfect.
Her body adjusted to his substantial girth. She gripped his arms tighter because it felt so good. She hadn't been stretched like this in so long. As he began to move inside her, their bodies becoming one, Joey again realized something she'd realized so many times before: their bodies were made for each other and she belonged in his arms.
She wanted more. "Pacey, fuck me," she panted. "Please. Harder."
Then he thrust hungrily, slamming her hips against him as she let out continual whimpers and moans. He watched with wide eyes as Joey brought her right arm down between them, settling her hand against her center and grasping his cock as he slid in and out of her, squeezing him. A low, guttural moan escaped his throat.
Pleasure rippled through her every time their bodies met. She tightened around him, her clit sweetly burning each time his body thrust into hers, until the pressure built inside her beyond her control. His grip on her loosened and she slid down the wall a little, changing their angle, causing the broad tip of his cock to hit a different spot inside her. Her eyes went wide as her body tensed, and when he thrust again, she cried out at the intense wave of pleasure. She started clenching around him, throwing both elbows around his neck to lock herself tighter, grinding her hips against him and moaning as her orgasm surged through her body.
Pacey loved feeling her come on his cock. It filled him with such a deep sense of satisfaction. He wanted to keep Joey coming, and he moved them away from the wall, pulling out of her. He stepped out of his pants and boxers that had pooled at his ankles, and started carrying her.
"Where to?" he asked.
"Upstairs to your bedroom," she replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Pacey carried her up the spiral iron staircase to the loft.
When he laid her on the bed, she saw through his windows that the sun was setting, and she knew the sky would quickly darken.
"Lie on your back," she told him.
Laughing breathlessly, he did as she said, and then watched her straddle his hips.
She leaned down, her lips opening against his. Pacey opened to her, and she slid her tongue into the warm softness of his mouth. His tongue caressed hers. She moaned into him, wanting more. Then he trailed kisses down her neck to her shoulder, her collarbone, down to her chest, tasting her skin. His hands caressed her arms, her ass and hips, the skin of her belly, before moving to fondle her soft breasts. They felt heavy and full, and he reveled in the feel of her nipples as they hardened into tight peaks while his thumbs grazed over them.
"Jo?" Pacey whispered.
"Hmm?"
He smiled. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Pacey."
She gazed down at him. His summer spent in the Caribbean had left his skin a golden bronze. He was beautiful to look at. She pressed her lips to his, kissing him softly. He broke their kiss and moved his lips to her throat, his arms tightening around her. Joey's nearness, her sweet scent, the taste of her skin, had turned his blood into flames. Her hands slid down his arms, across his chest. She could feel his heart pounding, and she could feel him trembling with desire just as she was trembling.
Joey sat up and closed her eyes. Then she started to slide her wet center up and down his erection. He gazed at her intensely, his hands gently placed on her hips, as she rocked herself against him, rubbing her pussy over the thick length of him in slow, hot strokes. He started panting as he felt her perfect clit grind against his cock.
"You're so hard," she whimpered.
Pacey thought he was going to lose his mind.
As she reached down to guide him inside her, he grabbed her waist and pulled her hips forward, sliding her up his abdomen and toward his chest. He caught her confused expression and then a look of wide-eyed realization as he pulled her body towards his face.
When she realized his intention, she felt a momentary sense of panic and embarrassment. She'd never quite been in this position before. "Pacey, wait," she said quickly, breathing heavily.
He made no reply as his hands brought her pussy down toward his mouth. Pacey was desperate to taste her, lapping at her juices, pulling her hips down against him.
"Oh, my God," she moaned, as her hands reached out to the wall behind the bed to keep her balance. The panic was gone, as was all rational thought. "Don't stop."
Joey's moan went straight to his swollen cock, and it throbbed, ached with need. But he couldn't get enough of her salty-sweet taste, and the slick feel of her against his mouth. Pacey circled her entrance with his tongue and then plunged deep inside her pussy as far he could go. His hand left her hip and went to her breasts, squeezing them and rolling her taut nipples between his fingers.
He groaned against her center. Joey opened her eyes and glanced over her shoulder to see his other hand around his cock, stroking himself. Wanton lust coursing through her, she started to move, turning her body away from Pacey's face.
"Jo, what—"
Then suddenly she was straddling his chest backwards and lowering herself until all he could see was her perfect ass and her swollen, glistening wet folds. When he realized the position that they were about to be in, he started breathing heavier, and licked his lips in anticipation.
"Holy shit."
And then one hand was cupping his balls, squeezing gently, while her other hand grasped the thick base of his hard cock, and her tongue licked the length of him. He groaned, and then his hands moved to her hips, pulling her back down against his mouth. His tongue entered her pussy, stroking the soft flesh inside, as she took him wholly in her mouth, swallowing him; they both moaned at the pleasure of the dual sensations. Her mouth was around him, up and down, her tongue sometimes lingering over the sensitive flesh of his engorged head, and then surrounding him with her wet heat until he could feel the back of her throat. She swallowed around him.
"Oh, fuck, Joey…"
Pacey found it difficult to decide which was more pleasurable: Joey's mouth, or her wet pussy in his face. His tongue stroked her slowly, and then faster until she was rocking back against him seeking more friction, her moans vibrating around his cock. The moans became louder when he slid two fingers inside her. She felt the indescribable, exquisite tension coiling tight once more, and her mouth finally let go of him. He hissed at the abrupt loss of heat around his cock, but then her hand replaced her mouth, gripping him tightly and stroking him as her hips rocked against his face.
Joey soon started whimpering. "Pacey, Pacey, Pacey."
His lips enclosed around her swollen, needy clit, and he sucked hard. He moaned as he made love to her with his tongue and fingers, hoping she'd know just how good she felt against his mouth. His sounds flooded her brain with pleasure, and she was coming again, pressing herself hard against his face, her moans turning into loud cries as she climaxed. He could barely breathe, but he loved her sounds and the feel of her soft walls clenching tight around his fingers as he savored the delicious taste of her orgasm.
Joey collapsed, laying her face against his thigh, her body still quivering. She was still grasping his cock, and soon his aching need was unbearable. He thrust into her hand, desperate. Her mouth was then around him again, soft and hot and wet. Pacey let out a sigh in satisfaction at the relief, electric currents shooting across his groin out along his spine and to his brain, before returning as a rush of blood to his swollen cock, burning with pleasure.
"Jesus, Joey. This is so fucking good. You're amazing."
She moaned around him, and his eyes rolled. His sighs and groans of satisfaction quickly turned into filthy curses and load moans as the sensations brought on by her lips, tongue, teeth, and hands caused the tension in his groin to burst, and then he was coming hard in her mouth and he could feel her throat swallowing around him. Joey tenderly licked him clean, gently stroking his erection as it softened. Pacey closed his eyes and caressed his hands over her ass, thighs, and lower back.
She moved off him, and turned to lay beside his legs, facing him. She kissed his penis, making him laugh, and then ran her lips lightly over his belly, and up to his chest. "You're beautiful," she said, and he warmed at her compliment, his heart filling with affection for her.
"Not as beautiful as you," he countered.
"Nuh-uh. I beg to differ."
Then she collapsed next to him on the bed, utterly depleted. They lay there breathing heavily, not moving a muscle. She opened her eyes and saw the room was now finally darkening. "Keep your eyes closed," she told him in a warning voice.
"Um, what? Why?"
"Just keep them closed, Pace. Don't open them until I tell you to."
"Well… okay." He had no idea what she was up to, but he kept them closed as she said. His hand sought hers beside him, and she entwined their fingers.
The room became darker, and a smile spread across Joey's face. "Okay, you can open them now," she said, squeezing his hand.
Pacey opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He thought he saw stars. When he found the Big Dipper, he knew that he had. "Joey."
"What?"
"There are stars on the ceiling."
"Yes."
He searched the florescent stars for other constellations. "Why are there stars on the ceiling?"
"Because I painted them on there. Well, I had some help, of course…"
The masses of stars on the ceiling were so beautiful, it was mesmerizing. There were even vibrant green comets, and shooting stars in bright blue. "Why did you do this?" It was a very high ceiling, and the bedroom was large. It must've taken her hours, perhaps days.
"You can't really see the stars in the city, and I wanted you to have the night sky."
Emotion tightened his throat, and he couldn't speak.
"When I went to the craft store, they had a stencil for the winter sky, and one for the summer sky. Well, I figured the summer sky is the one you fell in love with. Also, the summer sky stencil has both our constellations. Look." She pointed to one section of the ceiling. "There's yours—Capricorn."
She moved her finger in the air above her, and his eyes followed her path. "And there's mine—Virgo. I know it sounds girly and cheesy, Pace, but I figured at least we'll always be together in the stars. We'll be soulmates on your ceiling. Not that that makes any sense, but it did in my mind at the time." She rolled her eyes and laughed at herself.
"Joey," he choked.
"I don't want you to think that I don't realize the things you've given up to be here in Boston with me, Pacey. That I don't appreciate your sacrifices. That I don't feel for your losses." Tears pricked her eyes. "I can't give you back the fifteen grand that was taken from you. I can't give you culinary school. And I can't buy you a boat, or give you back the True Love.
"But this? This I could give you."
Completely overwhelmed by her thoughtfulness and the emotions behind it, he still couldn't find the words.
She swallowed, suddenly nervous about his silence. "I mean, I know it's not the real night sky. And it can't possibly compare to being out there on the ocean. I know it's not much—"
"Are you kidding me, Potter?" he blurted, finally finding his voice, and choking on it.
She heard the tears in his voice, and reached for him.
He turned and pulled her into his arms. He began to kiss her cheeks, her eyelids, her forehead, her nose, before caressing her lips in slow, soft, passionate kisses full of emotion. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and held him close. Then he broke their kiss and gazed at her, his heart filling with gratitude and affection.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Joey lifted her hand and caressed his face with her fingers. "Anything that is in my power to do for you, I will."
He stared into her eyes. They shone with emotion. He didn't just see her beauty and intelligence and the depth of feelings when he looked into her eyes, but everything he loved. He saw his whole world inside her. Pacey knew he could never be apart from her again. He saw his future in her eyes, a future he wasn't willing to risk. It was a future that wasn't marred by pain the way his past was, but it was a future filled with happiness. Surrounded by love.