A Matter of Convenience, Chapter 10

He recognized the look in her eyes as soon as the question left his lips.  Every woman had it. 

When they were about to bite into a fresh brownie or buy the dress they'd wanted for months and let go in the pure pleasure of the hedonistic anticipation.

***

His smile was devilish as he grinned back at her.

There was no doubt in her mind Pacey had ulterior motives and despite the warning bells ringing madly in her ear, Joey had a difficult time hearing.

She could already feel his fingers on her back and her body was way too relaxed to deny herself further pleasure.

"Go get it," she smiled.

He almost tripped over the couch.

***

If one took into consideration that he turned his room upside down, it really didn't take Pacey long to find his massage oil.

He wouldn't even allow his mind to travel to the near future for fear of meltdown.

It had only been recently that he'd acknowledged his desire for his now wife, but the sudden strength of it gave him pause as Pacey began to realize the very real and disturbing possibility he's wanted her for years.

Pacey ran a hand through his hair, looking around for Joey as he walked back into the living room.

"Is this alright?" she asked, her chin resting on her hands where she lay on the coffee table.

Her shirt was noticeably absent, revealing the skin of her back to his stupefied gaze.

"Yeah," he finally answered her, nodding his head rapidly, "That's fine."

Perfect, even.  Joey was almost naked on his coffee table.

He tried to make sense of that thought.

"Well?" she raised her eyebrows and he forced his feet forward.

"Just relax," he whispered hoarsely, pouring oil onto her back and watching it slip slowly down her spine before he touched her.

It seemed somehow wrong, as though he would mar her skin with his attention, profaning her body where he'd rather worship.

He couldn't look at her, the feel and sound almost overpowering his control as it was.

"Fun fact," Joey's voice broke the silence, "Did you know 85% of back rubs end in sex?"

Pacey coughed, "Really...that an invitation, Mrs. Witter?"  Fucking hell, he hoped so.

Joey snorted and he sighed.

"Don't know what you're missing," he shrugged it off, trying to remember all his very good reasons for not seducing her. 

One would think he could recall at least one.

***

His fingers brushed lightly along her ribcage, less than an inch from the sides of her breasts as his thumbs massaged the columns of muscle along her spine.

Joey shivered, her body tightening.

Why had she brought up sex?  Other than the obvious, she wanted it.  She preferred not to think of it as wanting *him,* for there were very good reasons that wasn't the case, even if she didn't happen to remember them.

Could she really want to just...jump him due to an --admittedly extremely good-- back rub?

"So I guess massage therapy would have been the way to go?"

Joey rolled her eyes.  Like he wasn't man whore enough.

"I'm not a man whore!" he denied the words she'd accidentally said aloud.  Whoops.

Snorting, Joey turned her head to look at him, "Then how would *you* define man whore?"

"Well, let's see, someone who's PAID, for one," he smirked.

"Cute," she shook her head, relaxing back on the table, "Maybe they just pay you what you're worth?"

"Why, Josephine Witter," Pacey murmured in her ear, "How dare you doubt my value."

"Prove me wrong," she whispered softly, lifting herself up her elbows, and craning her neck to see him.

***

Her eyes dared him to make a move and Pacey J. Witter was not one to back down from such a glorious challenge.

The phone rang.

He *was*, of course, one to be interrupted.

Joey's eyes widened and she turned away.  "Umm...can you get that?" she grabbed for her shirt on the couch and Pacey bit back the string of colorful language that came to his tongue.

It had taken what seemed like forever to get her to this state of undress and it was quite unfuckinglikely she'd get there again any time soon.

Opportunity missed.

And all because of whoever was on the other end of the phone.

"Hello?" he growled, lifting the receiver to his ear.

"Hey Pace, how's life in Boston?"

Pacey's heart dropped.  "Dawson.  Hey.  Everything's good, how's life abroad?"

"Not too bad, meeting people, seeing things.  Listen, Joey won't talk to me, how is she?"

"She's fine," Pacey shrugged.  Fine...beautiful, naked on his coffee table as they chit-chatted...however one wanted to put it.

"Did she...tell you anything?"

"Like...?"

"Oh, I just thought maybe she'd said something about the break up."

"We're not exactly soul sisters, Dawson," Pacey rolled his eyes.

"Marriage not everything it's cracked up to be?"

Pacey chose not to dignify the question with a response.  "So you want to know anything else about Joey?"

There was silence on the other end, "Is she seeing anyone?"

Swallowing, Pacey tried to think how to frame a reply.  Funny you should ask, Dawson, I was just about to bang her myself?  Only in my dreams, but damn are they hot?  What the fuck did you do to lose her, you stupid, stupid moron?  "Nah," he said finally.

"Oh."

"There's no rule against *you* telling me what went wrong in Paradise, you realize."

"Just not meant to be, man."

Pacey snorted.  "Seriously, were you not man enough between the sheets?"

Dawson coughed on the other end, "Erm, no, that wasn't the problem."

"What did she tell you the problem was, then?"

Silence.

Smirking, Pacey began to enjoy the conversation for the first time.  "Don't feel bad, man, she looks like a lot of woman to satisfy-"

"We were never lovers," Dawson interrupted.

Pacey's jaw dropped and his tongue ceased all movement.  "Whaiyuh?"

"Repeat the question?"

"Are you fucking GAY?" Pacey found his voice.  Dawson had been with Joey for like...EVER...any other excuse was beyond his comprehension.

"That wasn't the question," Dawson laughed nervously.

"Oh, sorry, I meant to say, 'What? I- You- Huh?'"

"It was never right between us, which is much of the reason we aren't together anymore."

"I-"  Pacey's head was spinning.  The ethics of the whole situation was drastically changing in light of this new information.  A no sex relationship was basically a glorified friendship, after all, right?

"I still love her, I want what's best for her." 

Pacey's stomach joined his head in the churning motion.  "And you think another man's the answer?"  He crossed his fingers.

"If it's the right one, absolutely.  But I don't want someone who's just looking to get in her pants."

"You've SEEN her pants, right?" The question left his lips of its own accord.

Dawson paused in his speech.  "You like her."

Panicked, Pacey backpedaled, "Sure, she's not bad.  Nice ass.  But we fight 24/7."

"You like her," Dawson repeated.

"She's your ex."

"So?  You live together.  You work together.  How could you not like her?"

"Not sure, Dawson, you somehow managed to avoid sleeping with her, couldn't I do something similar?"

Dawson scoffed, "I highly doubt it."

Pacey tapped his hand rapidly on his thigh.  "So what if--hypothetically--I did."

"I would wish you luck, you'll need it."

"Appreciate it, man.  Hypothetically speaking."

"Oh, shit, it's super late over there, isn't it?"

"Well, we were still up."

"But I'm cramping your style with the call, right?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"OK, talk to you later."

Pacey frowned, "O...K..."

"Hurt her and die, incidentally."

If only that was a slight possibility.

"Umm, right, I'll remember that."

"Later, man."

"...Bye," Pacey muttered, hanging up the phone and staring at the cradle.

There was something seriously wrong with the entire situation.

**

Joey spent a lot of time the next day pacing.

"You're making me dizzy," Jen complained, pulling her down on the bed.  "What's wrong?"

"There's something very, very wrong with me," Joey told her seriously.

"You're asexual, I know," Jen nodded.

"If only," Joey frowned.

Jen's eyes narrowed, "You want Pacey."

"WHAT?!" Joey gasped, looking at her friend, "No, that's…well, yes, but how did you know?"

"Just thought to myself 'What on earth could possibly stress Joey out this much in the summer?'  And then it came to me," Jen grinned.

"What should I do?  Help me."

"You could try the obvious," Jen remarked dryly, "Him."

"WHAT!" Joey sputtered.

"I hear it's not a sin if you're married," Jen rolled her eyes.

"JEN!" Joey moaned, "It's too confusing.  People don't…casually screw their husbands!"

"Oh, sure they do," Jen shrugged.  "But would that be all there is to it?"

"Of course not…" Joey frowned.

"You have no idea."

"None whatsoever," Joey shook her head.

"Would be fun to try out, though, huh?" Jen grinned at her.

"No!"

Jen lifted a skeptical eyebrow.

"A little…maybe," Joey suppressed a smile.

"So Pacey Witter turns you on…" Jen grinned, "It's a good sign, you know."

Joey glared at her friend, "How is THAT a good sign?"

"Cause I'm pretty DAMN sure he's straight," Jen grinned.

"That is rather nice, isn't it?" Joey chuckled.

"Oh…I'm bringing an old friend to your party tonight, is that okay?"

Joey shrugged, "Sure, who is he?"

"Oh, I know him from back home, he's-"

The phone rang and Joey rolled her eyes, picking it up.  "Witter residence," she rolled her eyes at Jen.

"Joey, this is Gayle Leery."

"Gayle!  Did my husband not get back to you?!"

"Oh, don't worry about that, dear.  Listen, we actually have a rather unusual request for you.  We're having our house fumigated this weekend and we'd just stay in a hotel, but we were planning to have a dinner party tonight.  It's important for business and I hate to impose, but do you think we could borrow your dining room tonight?"

"I…" Joey looked at Jen, her expression blank.

"What does she want?" Jen asked.

Joey covered the mouthpiece, "Our dining room."

"Huh?" Jen made a weird face and Joey threw a potholder at her.

"We're actually entertaining tonight ourselves, Gayle…"

"Excellent!  Then we could have a dinner party!  I'll make sure to take care of everything, dear.  I'll be over at 5:00."

"Uhh…Gayle?"

"Yes, dear?"

What could she say? "Can't wait," she shrugged helplessly at Jen. "See you then, Gayle."

"What was that about?" Jen asked her, confused.

"Apparently our party is a little bigger than I anticipated…  Mitch and Gayle are coming."

"Don't they think you and Pacey are newlyweds?" Jen raised an eyebrow.

Joey glared at her, "You're not helping."