Chapter Two
Sunlight streamed in through the open blinds, signaling the start of a new day. Joey shifted around in bed, trying to make sense of where she was. This all felt so unfamiliar. and then it came to her. She was back in her old room, back in Capeside, back with the man she loved. Pacey. Prying open one eye, she took a glance at his sleeping form. Beautiful. He always looked so peaceful when he slept that it almost seemed a sin to wake him. Not that she didn't enjoy the reaction she got out of him, because torturing Pacey? Always fun.
"Pace." She tapped him lightly on the head. No reaction. She slapped him slightly harder until he finally stirred, emitting a small groan.
"Jo?" he asked groggily, putting a hand to his head.
Moving on top of him, she straddled his legs, fixing him with a teasing grin. "What, were you expecting someone else?"
He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, Angelina Jolie *does* come to mind."
Getting off him, she rolled her eyes. "Spare me your wet dreams."
"I always thought you considered those a turn-on."
Reaching for her robe, she fastened it around her waist. She brushed back her hair, trying to compose herself. "You thought wrong."
Then, with a grin, she walked back over to the bed and leaned across it, planting a kiss on his lips. He responded to the kiss, excited. Wrapping his fingers around her neck, he pulled her closer so that she was leaning halfway across his lap.
"Don't get too excited, cowboy," she said teasingly, before pulling away.
Pacey groaned. "What was that for?"
She smiled innocently, brushing a strand of hair back from her face. "I just thought we should go downstairs and get some breakfast. You know, before Bessie starts to worry."
"You know what your problem is? You just love to torture me." Shaking his head, he stepped off the bed, fastening a robe around his own waist.
She pouted seductively at him. "Maybe."
Not a word was said as they headed downstairs; a mutual understanding lay between them. As much as she teased him, Joey couldn't help but be ecstatic to finally wake up in Pacey's arms. True, they hadn't done much else besides sleep, but the best was yet to come, right? Just waking up in his arms was enough to satisfy her. for awhile, anyway. She grinned, stopping that train of thought. All would come in due time - right now they just had to worry about getting through breakfast.
Sure enough, when they arrived in the kitchen, Bessie was there to greet them with a teasing smile. She was frying bacon at the stove, a decorative apron fastened around her waist. "Come on over, you two," she beckoned.
They obeyed, seating themselves at a nearby table. "Smells delicious, Bessie," Pacey commented, inhaling the fresh scent of bacon. Indeed, everything smelled wonderful - Bessie had certainly learnt a thing or two about cooking from Bodie over the years.
"Why, thank you," Bessie replied, scooping some food onto their plates. She walked over to the table and set the food in front of them, taking a seat for herself. "So how was your night last night?"
Joey blushed, knowing what Bessie was getting at. She took a long swig of orange juice before shrugging. "Alright."
"How'd the bed feel? We just got some new mattresses the other day."
Pacey coughed. "Fine."
"Sleep well?" Raising her eyebrows, she grinned.
Pacey and Joey nodded at the same time. "Very well."
"Good."
Reaching across the table, Joey took a strip of bacon, smiling brightly. "Great."
More idle talk was made until the dishes were finally cleared away; Bessie departing with the excuse she needed to take care of Alex. Left alone, Pacey and Joey turned to each other.
"Well, I suppose we should get dressed, shouldn't we?" he asked, glancing down at their robes.
A slight blush colored Joey's cheeks. "Sounds like a plan to me."
They started to head up the stairs, but Pacey stopped, turning around. With a grin, he commented, "That was really awkward, wasn't it?"
The tension finally leaving the room, Joey nodded. "Yes. It was."
"I can see where you get your sadistic nature from. Must run in the family." He ducked as she swung at his head.
"You'll pay for that, Witter."
Stepping away from her, he held up his hands. "Did I say sadistic? What I really meant was nurturing! And caring. That too."
Obviously not buying it, Joey rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh."
"Really. Just don't hit me!"
Pausing to think for a minute, she scratched her chin thoughtfully. "Okay, I'll let you off the hook this time, just on account that you're too adorable when you beg."
"I always knew irresistible."
"Did I say adorable? What I really meant was pathetic."
Walking up the stairs, they both laughed as they continued to trade sarcastic barbs. Joey was amazed at how normal this all seemed; as if this were a regular occurrence. Truth was, she hadn't been this elated in years. She had been too bogged down with work and that left little distractions. Sure, there was Christopher, but he wasn't what she would call a serious relationship. Not the kind she had been used to, anyway. She didn't know what the future held with Pacey, but she knew he would always be more than a minor distraction.
~*~
It was a short time later and they were both walking along the docks of Capeside, feeling the salty wind whip through their hair. Joey sighed, stuffing her hands into her coat pockets. She leaned against Pacey, letting him wrap a comforting arm around her. Even though the air outside was chilly, she had never felt warmer.
They stopped to look out at the water, memories washing over them like a warm blanket as they watched the boats pull up at the harbor. Had it really been so long ago that Joey had sailed away with Pacey? It seemed like only yesterday.
"Look familar?" he whispered beside her.
She nodded, leaning into his embrace. "Yeah. Makes me feel old, to be honest."
"Don't say that. We have an entire lifetime of memories waiting to be made." He smiled reassuringly at her, and she couldn't help but get caught up in his optimism.
Turning around, she kissed him gently. "I have to be back tomorrow."
"What?"
"For business. I'm sorry, Pace. I can't get out of it."
"Don't apologize. It's just. I don't want our time together to end, you know?" He stared off into the distance, eyes blank.
She placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Hey, why don't you come with me? I may be assuming things here, but-" She bit her lip, hoping for the best. "I mean, I don't know if you have any business or anything to take care of."
The light seemed to go back in his eyes, and he smiled at her. "No, no, of course I'll come. I can just call someone to cover for me. in fact, I can do that when we get back to the house."
"Really Pace?"
"Really. I could never say no to you."
She flung her arms around his neck, overjoyed to be spending more time with him. "Great. This is amazing! I'm so happy you said yes."
"I'm just happy that you asked." He traced his fingers along her jaw line, kissing the bridge of her nose.
"Let's go back to my place and pack, then."
Turning around, they both left the harbor, smiling widely. Joey clutched his hand within her own, and this time the cold air did not seem to faze her.
They stopped in front of the B&B. "Shouldn't you go back to your place?" she asked. "To, you know, pack a few things? We can meet back here in a little while."
"Sounds good."
With a quick kiss, they parted ways, each agreeing they would see each other soon. Joey shivered; more from excitement than the cold. She couldn't wait to begin her new life with Pacey. It was odd. when she had arrived in Capeside just a few days ago, she had had a completely different boyfriend. Her life had been going in an entirely different direction. And now. everything had changed.
Walking towards the B&B, she hummed quietly under her breath. Change was good, she decided. Definitely good.
Sunlight streamed in through the open blinds, signaling the start of a new day. Joey shifted around in bed, trying to make sense of where she was. This all felt so unfamiliar. and then it came to her. She was back in her old room, back in Capeside, back with the man she loved. Pacey. Prying open one eye, she took a glance at his sleeping form. Beautiful. He always looked so peaceful when he slept that it almost seemed a sin to wake him. Not that she didn't enjoy the reaction she got out of him, because torturing Pacey? Always fun.
"Pace." She tapped him lightly on the head. No reaction. She slapped him slightly harder until he finally stirred, emitting a small groan.
"Jo?" he asked groggily, putting a hand to his head.
Moving on top of him, she straddled his legs, fixing him with a teasing grin. "What, were you expecting someone else?"
He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, Angelina Jolie *does* come to mind."
Getting off him, she rolled her eyes. "Spare me your wet dreams."
"I always thought you considered those a turn-on."
Reaching for her robe, she fastened it around her waist. She brushed back her hair, trying to compose herself. "You thought wrong."
Then, with a grin, she walked back over to the bed and leaned across it, planting a kiss on his lips. He responded to the kiss, excited. Wrapping his fingers around her neck, he pulled her closer so that she was leaning halfway across his lap.
"Don't get too excited, cowboy," she said teasingly, before pulling away.
Pacey groaned. "What was that for?"
She smiled innocently, brushing a strand of hair back from her face. "I just thought we should go downstairs and get some breakfast. You know, before Bessie starts to worry."
"You know what your problem is? You just love to torture me." Shaking his head, he stepped off the bed, fastening a robe around his own waist.
She pouted seductively at him. "Maybe."
Not a word was said as they headed downstairs; a mutual understanding lay between them. As much as she teased him, Joey couldn't help but be ecstatic to finally wake up in Pacey's arms. True, they hadn't done much else besides sleep, but the best was yet to come, right? Just waking up in his arms was enough to satisfy her. for awhile, anyway. She grinned, stopping that train of thought. All would come in due time - right now they just had to worry about getting through breakfast.
Sure enough, when they arrived in the kitchen, Bessie was there to greet them with a teasing smile. She was frying bacon at the stove, a decorative apron fastened around her waist. "Come on over, you two," she beckoned.
They obeyed, seating themselves at a nearby table. "Smells delicious, Bessie," Pacey commented, inhaling the fresh scent of bacon. Indeed, everything smelled wonderful - Bessie had certainly learnt a thing or two about cooking from Bodie over the years.
"Why, thank you," Bessie replied, scooping some food onto their plates. She walked over to the table and set the food in front of them, taking a seat for herself. "So how was your night last night?"
Joey blushed, knowing what Bessie was getting at. She took a long swig of orange juice before shrugging. "Alright."
"How'd the bed feel? We just got some new mattresses the other day."
Pacey coughed. "Fine."
"Sleep well?" Raising her eyebrows, she grinned.
Pacey and Joey nodded at the same time. "Very well."
"Good."
Reaching across the table, Joey took a strip of bacon, smiling brightly. "Great."
More idle talk was made until the dishes were finally cleared away; Bessie departing with the excuse she needed to take care of Alex. Left alone, Pacey and Joey turned to each other.
"Well, I suppose we should get dressed, shouldn't we?" he asked, glancing down at their robes.
A slight blush colored Joey's cheeks. "Sounds like a plan to me."
They started to head up the stairs, but Pacey stopped, turning around. With a grin, he commented, "That was really awkward, wasn't it?"
The tension finally leaving the room, Joey nodded. "Yes. It was."
"I can see where you get your sadistic nature from. Must run in the family." He ducked as she swung at his head.
"You'll pay for that, Witter."
Stepping away from her, he held up his hands. "Did I say sadistic? What I really meant was nurturing! And caring. That too."
Obviously not buying it, Joey rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh."
"Really. Just don't hit me!"
Pausing to think for a minute, she scratched her chin thoughtfully. "Okay, I'll let you off the hook this time, just on account that you're too adorable when you beg."
"I always knew irresistible."
"Did I say adorable? What I really meant was pathetic."
Walking up the stairs, they both laughed as they continued to trade sarcastic barbs. Joey was amazed at how normal this all seemed; as if this were a regular occurrence. Truth was, she hadn't been this elated in years. She had been too bogged down with work and that left little distractions. Sure, there was Christopher, but he wasn't what she would call a serious relationship. Not the kind she had been used to, anyway. She didn't know what the future held with Pacey, but she knew he would always be more than a minor distraction.
~*~
It was a short time later and they were both walking along the docks of Capeside, feeling the salty wind whip through their hair. Joey sighed, stuffing her hands into her coat pockets. She leaned against Pacey, letting him wrap a comforting arm around her. Even though the air outside was chilly, she had never felt warmer.
They stopped to look out at the water, memories washing over them like a warm blanket as they watched the boats pull up at the harbor. Had it really been so long ago that Joey had sailed away with Pacey? It seemed like only yesterday.
"Look familar?" he whispered beside her.
She nodded, leaning into his embrace. "Yeah. Makes me feel old, to be honest."
"Don't say that. We have an entire lifetime of memories waiting to be made." He smiled reassuringly at her, and she couldn't help but get caught up in his optimism.
Turning around, she kissed him gently. "I have to be back tomorrow."
"What?"
"For business. I'm sorry, Pace. I can't get out of it."
"Don't apologize. It's just. I don't want our time together to end, you know?" He stared off into the distance, eyes blank.
She placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Hey, why don't you come with me? I may be assuming things here, but-" She bit her lip, hoping for the best. "I mean, I don't know if you have any business or anything to take care of."
The light seemed to go back in his eyes, and he smiled at her. "No, no, of course I'll come. I can just call someone to cover for me. in fact, I can do that when we get back to the house."
"Really Pace?"
"Really. I could never say no to you."
She flung her arms around his neck, overjoyed to be spending more time with him. "Great. This is amazing! I'm so happy you said yes."
"I'm just happy that you asked." He traced his fingers along her jaw line, kissing the bridge of her nose.
"Let's go back to my place and pack, then."
Turning around, they both left the harbor, smiling widely. Joey clutched his hand within her own, and this time the cold air did not seem to faze her.
They stopped in front of the B&B. "Shouldn't you go back to your place?" she asked. "To, you know, pack a few things? We can meet back here in a little while."
"Sounds good."
With a quick kiss, they parted ways, each agreeing they would see each other soon. Joey shivered; more from excitement than the cold. She couldn't wait to begin her new life with Pacey. It was odd. when she had arrived in Capeside just a few days ago, she had had a completely different boyfriend. Her life had been going in an entirely different direction. And now. everything had changed.
Walking towards the B&B, she hummed quietly under her breath. Change was good, she decided. Definitely good.
