A/N: this chapter contains explicit sexual content
September 24. In the middle of the night, Joey walked out of her room and into the kitchen, took the phone from the charger, and went back to her bedroom. Everyone else in the house was asleep, so she actually had privacy. She dialed Pacey's home number. Although late, he picked up on the first ring.
"Hello?" he said.
"Hi."
"Joey? Why are you whispering?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. Because it's two in the morning? Anyway, I'm kinda surprised you're up—happy, but surprised."
"Me and Will were playing video games. He just went up to bed."
"He's staying in your room?
"Yeah, well, he's the guest. I'm staying in Couch City this weekend. Why are you up, Josephine?"
"I can't sleep."
"How was the yacht club?"
"Ugh. I made some pretty good tips, though. Wish I didn't have to go back in the morning, and I could just hang out with you all day tomorrow, or well… I guess it's today now, isn't it? Anyway, how was your day, sweetheart?"
"Nice. Took the boat out this afternoon. It was a beautiful day. Andie and Will enjoyed themselves. If it weren't for having Buzz along with us, I probably would've felt like a third wheel. You know, like the good old days of hanging out with you and Dawson."
"Ha. Ha. Well, I'm glad you had a good day."
"So, why can't you sleep, Jo?"
"I was up late finishing my calc assignment, and then… I just couldn't sleep." There was a long pause. "I miss you, Pace."
He chuckled. "You just saw me last night, Joey."
"So? We were together for pretty much every waking—and sleeping—moment for three months."
"I know. I'm just teasing. I miss you, too, Jo. I keep thinking about kissing you."
"Yeah?"
"How sweet you taste." She smiled as her stomach fluttered. "The sounds you make when I kiss your neck and that soft spot behind your ear." His voice was rough, strained.
"Pacey, what are you doing?"
"Thinking about how badly I want to kiss you… and touch you." He lowered his voice.
Her heart was pounding. "You sound sleepy."
"Nope, I'm not sleepy at all. So, Miss Potter, have you given any attention to your other homework assignment? Have you been… thinking about me at all?"
She was overwhelmed with embarrassment. Before being with Pacey, she'd never touched herself in the way in which he was alluding to because it had always felt somehow… wrong—she wasn't exactly sure why—and she'd always been unable to truly see herself as a sexual person. Someone with sexual desires, someone who could actually be sexually desirable to someone else. Before her passionate make out sessions with Pacey, she was like someone who had never tasted sugar, who couldn't believe something so sweet existed. "Um…"
Pacey laughed quietly. "You don't have to be embarrassed, Jo. It's just you and me here. We love each other. Besides, we've known each other practically our entire lives."
"That's why I'm embarrassed," she snarked.
"Okay, well, then forget about the assignment. I don't want to embarrass you or make you feel uncomfortable. I thought maybe… it would be fun, and I was honestly just hoping you think about me when I'm not around, that's all. You know, the same way I think about you…"
Joey smiled, her heart filling with affection for him. It wasn't about whatever he might be doing on the other end of the telephone or what he wanted to do or what he was curious about. It was the fact Pacey could open up and just say it to her, the person he fantasized about, and he knew it would be okay. It was the fact he trusted her enough to be vulnerable. It made her love him more. "Well, you're pretty much all I think about, butthead."
"There's my girl. But seriously, Jo… we don't have to talk about this if you don't wan—"
"Well, I tried, Pace." She was whispering again, and felt her face grow hot at the admission. "To, uh, do my homework." She sighed, feeling disappointed at her rather vain attempt earlier. When she'd finished her math assignment, she took to exploring herself, but nothing had really happened. No fireworks, no pleasure-induced blissful feeling like when she was with Pacey. "But I couldn't really… I don't know. It didn't really work. Maybe there's something wrong with me."
"There's nothing wrong with you, Joey. I think it's probably a lot easier for guys. You women are complicated, a puzzle that needs to be figured out. I'm looking forward to figuring you out, though. That's the fun stuff. And the fact that you at least tried, well…" His voice lowered. "That means you were, uh, touching yourself?"
Her cheeks reddened even more. "Yes."
His breathing hardened on the phone as he exhaled deeper. "Were you thinking about me when you were touching yourself?"
"Yes," she giggled nervously, and listened to his breaths, the excitement forcing itself into the receiver.
"Then… you completed your assignment, Jo. That's all that was asked of you."
"True, but I'm gonna have to give myself a D on the assignment, maybe a D plus for effort. I promise to keep trying, though, Pace. Maybe…" She shrugged. "Maybe I was just too exhausted, my head too full of calculus to really relax."
"There you go."
She yawned and felt her eyelids grow heavy. "Now that I've listened to your voice, I think I can actually go to sleep. I miss sleeping next to you."
"I miss sleeping next to you, too. Best sleep I've ever gotten."
She let out a breathy laugh. "I love you, Pacey."
"I love you, Jo. Goodnight."
After hanging up the phone, Joey quickly fell asleep.
She was running down one of the hallways at school and trying to open doors, but they were all locked. She could hear Pacey's voice ahead. He was behind one of the doors; she just had to find the right one. Finally, a door opened and there he was. Then they were below deck on the True Love and he was lying next to her in the hammock, but she couldn't remember how this had happened. When did they get back on the boat? Pacey's face was hovering over hers and his hand was moving down her stomach to between her thighs, his fingers sliding underneath the lace edge of her panties. He'd never done that before. Suddenly she could feel her clit throbbing, her body tight and straining with the intensity of it, but then everything started to fade. No, no, no. Just a little longer. It felt so good. She was going to come. She was almost there, but she was slipping away…
Joey opened her eyes. She groaned in frustration. She'd been so close. Why did she have to wake up right at the good part? The tingling sensation remained and she started squirming. She heaved a sigh as she stared up at the ceiling. Her clit was tight and throbbed dully, and she could feel her wetness; she needed relief. The twinge of embarrassment she felt as she slid her left hand underneath the waistband of her pajama bottoms wasn't strong enough to stem the suddenly powerful rush of her imagination. Things she'd never really been able to imagine about herself before being with Pacey now began to invade her mind because she could easily imagine Pacey doing them to her. Pacey's mouth on her breasts and Pacey's head between her thighs. Heat pooled between her legs.
The hair that covered her mound was soft and springy under her fingers. Her fingers moved lower, dipping into her cleft of soft skin. She found her wetness and bit back a whimper. She closed her eyes and let the mental images flow through her mind. It wasn't her fingers, but Pacey's. It was him touching her, sliding his fingers over her sensitive flesh. It was him who gathered her wetness and let his fingertips glide over her clit.
Joey was past the point of feeling shame now. For years she'd completely repressed any notion of yearning to be touched like this, and especially any yearning to be touched by Pacey Witter. Now that she was finally giving in and indulging, she could barely control herself.
She thought about Pacey's lips pressed to hers, his naked body covering hers. She thought about what it would feel like to have him enter her and fill her. She gasped as she let her finger slide inside of her, moving in and out, imagining him sliding into her pussy. He would be so big, so hard, when he took her. She bit back a moan. More wetness flowed from her center. She gathered it on her fingers, spreading her juices over her hardened bundle of nerves. Her inner muscles clenched as thoughts of Pacey ran through her mind. Her breasts were heavy and she palmed them, trying to ease the ache. She pinched and rolled her nipples while she thrummed her clit faster. Her thoughts focused on his face between her legs, his mouth sucking on her swollen clit. Heat spread through her, from her head down to her toes. Her breathing quickened into little pants.
Then she could hear his voice murmuring close to her ear, imagined dirty talk that almost surprised her with how explicit it was. "Oh, my God," she moaned. Suddenly, her toes curled as her orgasm snaked up her legs, pulsating at the base of her spine, before centering on her throbbing core. Her body shuddered, every muscle tense. Waves of pleasure overtook her senses. She clenched her teeth to prevent making any loud sounds, slammed her eyes shut, and arched slightly off the mattress before clamping her thighs down against her hand.
It took several moments for Joey to find the strength to drag her hand to her stomach, and even longer for her breathing to return to normal. Turning her head to the side, her gaze fell on the cordless phone that lay on the mattress. She started giggling. Impulsively, she reached for it and dialed Pacey's home number.
It picked up on the fourth ring. "Hello?" he answered groggily.
She could only giggle in response, the sound of his rough voice making her all tingly inside.
"Potter?"
"Are you asleep, Pacey?" she asked quietly, trying in vain to suppress her laughter.
"Yes. Jesus, what time is it?"
Unable to help herself, she kept giggling and glanced at the clock. "It's just after six," she answered. "But I just wanted to say… A plus. A plus, A plus, A plus."
He groaned and mumbled something unintelligible.
"Go back to sleep, Pace," she said, laughing. "I'll talk to you later." Then she hung up the phone. Feeling giddy, she stared up at the ceiling as her giggles subsided. Before falling back to sleep, she thought it might actually be a good idea to take up Jen's advice about calling the free clinic and scheduling an appointment.
September 28. Between their mountain of homework, studying for the swiftly-approaching SATs, the B&B being at full capacity, and Gretchen's friends from out of town having shown up for an impromptu visit—once again making him a resident of Couch City—Pacey hadn't had much in the way of quality alone time with Joey all week. He was hoping to rectify that this afternoon. It was a beautiful day and he wanted to take the boat out. The two of them once again alone together on the True Love was just what they needed. It would also be a great way to celebrate getting his first A on an assignment since the school year started.
He walked with Jen from their government class, his A grade in hand, heading for Joey's locker. She quickly came into view, as did Dawson, but one glance in his direction and his former best friend quickly walked away. He wished Dawson would just get over it already. He rolled his eyes as he approached his girlfriend. "Someone couldn't have high-tailed it out of here fast enough," he griped, before leaning in to kiss her.
She hummed. "And you were in such a race to start conversation with him?" she challenged.
"She's right, Pacey," Jen agreed. "One day, one of you is gonna have to put an end to this great era of silence."
He gazed down the long west hallway, watching Dawson round a corner. Neither of them had spoken a word to each other since June. Even at Joey's birthday party last week, they both pretty much acted like the other was invisible. "But not me and not today." There were times he felt the void of Dawson's friendship, but he'd quickly suppress it. There was nothing he could do to change Dawson's mind about him, so why bother? He'd done his fair share of talking and apologizing last spring. The ball was in Dawson's court. Pacey turned his attention back to Joey and smiled. "Today, I am celebrating," he said, taking her in his arms.
"Celebrating?" she questioned as her arms went around his neck.
"Pacey done good," Jen said, smiling as she turned to open her locker.
"Oh, Pacey done very good. Pacey got his first A." He showed off his government paper that he'd spent Monday evening writing up. His girlfriend beamed. "Good omen, yeah? And I couldn't have done it without you." He kissed her.
"Aww." She pulled him into a hug. "I was but a mere study aide."
He rolled his eyes. "Sure, you were." It had taken him a good three hours to write it, with Joey sitting next to him on the floor in his living room with the laptop on the coffee table in front of her, looking up countless articles for him to use as references, not to mention all the proofreading. There was no way he could've gotten an A without her help. "So, now, you're gonna come sailing with me. Thursdays at the yacht club are deader than a doornail, you've said so yourself, and so I think you can take the afternoon off. Because this afternoon is bound to be one of the last beautiful days of the season and you have been conscripted back into first mate duties."
Joey inwardly groaned. She'd much rather be out on the boat. "I'd love to, Pace, but I have a project to do."
"Put it off for one day?"
"It's due tomorrow, and…" The thought of being holed up at the yacht club with Dawson and Drue Valentine wasn't exactly a thrilling prospect.
He had no idea why she was frowning like that over homework. "Am I missing something here?"
"It's with Dawson," she said. "It wasn't planned. We were assigned."
"Well, isn't that cute?" He wouldn't get to spend the day with his girlfriend, but Dawson would. Great.
"I'll go with you, if you want," Jen offered. "I mean, maybe the open horizon will lift my spirits a bit, huh?"
Surprised, Pacey smiled. "Really?"
Jen smiled back. "Yeah."
The bell rang, and he took Joey by the hand as they started walking in the direction of their Spanish class. "There you go—willing victim," she said.
"Oh, two things," Jen told him, glancing back over her shoulder as she walked in front of them. "First of all, I absolutely refuse to make out with you, and second of all, there's a distinct possibility that I'll puke."
Joey smiled and pulled Pacey's arm around her shoulder. "What do you know? Those are my two things," she joked, and then leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.
Hours later, he was aboard the True Love, sailing out on the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It was a gorgeous day, the weather warm and slightly humid, perfect wind, and despite his girlfriend not being able to come along, he was enjoying his time with Jen. He couldn't remember the last time the two of them hung out, although it must've been early on in junior year when their pact came to its inevitable end, before Joey became the center of his universe.
"It must've been hard as hell to turn this boat around and come back to reality," Jen said while sitting beside him on one of the cushioned bench seats in the cockpit.
"That's an understatement."
"You could just forget about the world out here."
"Yeah, you could almost forget that your girlfriend's spending the entire afternoon with her ex-soulmate," he snarked.
Jen shook her head. "Pacey, you know, I am probably the last person on earth that should be out here with you."
"Oh, that's not true. Ever see Dougie in a speedo?"
She laughed. "I mean, I love you and Joey, but, uh… if you're having doubts whether a teenage couple can sustain a relationship, I'm probably not the best person to talk to right now."
Scoffing, he shook his head, but before he could reply, a strong gust of wind filled the sails and the boat teetered as it sped up, making Jen nervous. It only lasted a moment as he maneuvered the tiller to go with the wind. After she inquired about the weather and he assured her the report from earlier that morning had predicted good weather and that a stormfront would pass right by them, he finally responded. "I'm not having doubts, by the way. Well, not too many. Sometimes I worry about what's gonna happen after high school, especially if I can't get my shit together, but I try not to think about that too much. Try being the operative word. But would there be serious doubts about having a relationship that can survive high school if, say, I was dating a freshman…?" He side-eyed her. "Yeah."
"You're right, you're right," she conceded. "What was I thinking? And I know me and Henry were in a completely different position than you and Joey are in now. You guys are the same age, on the same page, are mature beyond your years because of everything life has thrown at you, and are heading in the same direction."
"I hope we are." He worked the tiller. "Heading in the same direction, that is. Well, maybe not literally, but hopefully in the same, you know, vicinity. There's no way in hell I'd ever get into any school she'd get into, but I can certainly live wherever that school happens to be."
"Sounds like you've got it all worked out, Pacey."
He sighed as uncertainty welled up inside him. "I just have to work my ass off this year in order to graduate. Easier said than done."
She smiled brightly. "Well, you're doing good so far, Pacey. Have you gotten a single grade this semester that was less than a B?"
"Well, no…" He blushed and fought a smile, a sense of self-satisfaction coloring his face.
"You going to take the SATs next month?"
He shrugged. "Joey keeps trying to talk me into it, but I don't know…"
She threw him a pointed look. "You're smart enough to get a good score, Pacey. You obviously get good grades when you make an effort, as evidenced by the A you got today. I bet if you got a high SAT score, you'd still do well with college applications even with a low GPA."
"Yeah, that's was the college advisor said—admissions offices would look at my transcript and see 'smart slacker' all over it. But let's face it, I'm probably not getting in anywhere other than Capeside Community College, so why even bother wasting my money on application fees?"
"You definitely could get into UMass. It's not Harvard or MIT, but it's not CCC either."
"I don't even know if I want to go college, Jen. What would I even do there? Study, but study for what? To be what? To do what? College is just a holding pen for eighteen to twenty-two-year-olds before they're forced to grow up and join the real world."
"You make a very good point there, Pacey. I have no idea what the hell I'm going to do with my life. I guess college is the place where you're supposed to at least try to figure that out. Unless you're someone like Dawson who's bound for film school, and in that case, you've got your future already mapped out."
"Now he just needs to figure out how to get back together with his erstwhile soulmate and everything will fall into place exactly like he always said it would," he snarked.
"Oh, Pacey. I think it's fair to assume that this thing with Joey that exists between the two of you has probably been going on for most of your lives, but it's time you all moved on. I'm sure it'll add years to your lifespan."
He threw her a pointed look. "Jen, do you honestly think Dawson's moved on? He still thinks I stole something that belonged to him, that I preyed on her vulnerability, as if Joey doesn't have the free will to decide for herself. Do you think Dawson's given up on Joey? That he's accepted the choices she's made? He's accepted that his future no longer lies with her and that I'm the one she wants to be with?"
Heaving a sigh, she looked away and only shook her head.
"That's what I thought, and that's why this thing will never truly be over. We'll always be in love with the same woman."
"Time heals all wounds, Pacey, or at least significantly dulls the pain. Dawson may not be ready to move on right now, but maybe when he sees that you and Joey have and that even though he's still angry, you still want to be his friend…" She grinned at him. "You catch more flies with honey, as Grams would say."
"Why does everyone think I need to be the one to extend an olive branch? Has everyone forgotten what happened at the regatta? I would think Dawson nearly killing me and Will Krudski would somehow trump the evil of falling in love with his ex-girlfriend."
Again, Jen sighed, but before she could reply another strong gust of wind rocked the boat. She gazed out at the sky, slowly darkening with cloud cover. "Um, are you sure that storm is supposed to pass right over us?"
Pacey's grip tightened on the tiller, steadying the boat. "That's what the weather report said. It's gonna head out to sea. There's absolutely nothing to worry about."
Hours later, while sitting beside his girlfriend in an entirely different vessel, he saw the True Love for the last time. As they sailed away from his most prized possession, a storm of emotions raged inside him, to match the powerful storm raging all around them. An urge to scream, to weep. He was furious with himself, with fate, even with Dawson for setting foot onto his boat and practically forcing him off it, as irrational as it was. A wave of depression rolled over him.
"Pacey, what were you thinking?" Joey demanded angrily, shouting over the noise of the rain pelting down on them. "How could you do that? How could you entertain the thought of letting yourself go down with that boat?"
He stared at her, dumbfounded. "I had no intention of going down with her, Jo," he shouted back. "She's not in that bad shape! We weren't sinking!"
She shook her head in exasperation. "We'd come all that way to help you, Pacey, and despite the danger we were all in, you untied the rope and refused to get off! Your life is more important than a boat! How could you hesitate, even for second? How could you be so selfish, even for a moment? Because it's not just your life, Pacey! It's mine, too!"
"I never intended for you to risk your life out here, Joey! And as if abandoning the True Love would be the easiest, most natural thing I could ever possibly do!"
She stared, at a loss for words. Why didn't he get it? Something so devastating becoming so real had been terrifying.
He clenched his jaw and refused to speak any longer. His stony silence continued for the rest of the journey back to shore. Eventually the wind abated, and by the time they were pulling into the yacht club's harbor, it had stopped raining.
As the fishing boat was being moored to the dock, Pacey saw Mitch and Gail, Jen's grandmother, Andie, and Jack standing around in anxious anticipation. But not a Witter in sight, he thought. Shocking. He stepped off the boat and walked through the small crowd of concerned friends without speaking a word to anyone. Joey followed him up the dock and away from the waterfront. She was still pissed off, but he couldn't help how he felt.
"Jo, the best memories of my life are on that sailboat. It represents everything that's good to me in this world. So, you just gotta excuse me if I'm having a bit of a hard time letting all that go right now."
"No, I won't excuse you, Pacey. I don't think I've ever been that scared for someone in my whole life."
He watched her eyes fill with tears; she'd been scared to lose him. His anger melted away. "I'm sorry that I put you through that. You know, you and I have been through a bad storm together before, one much worse than this."
"The difference being we were actually together. Even the worst is endurable as long as we're together. So, can you do me a favor? You know, in the future when you're dealing with life and death matters, um…" Her eyes filled with fresh tears and her voice became thick with emotion. "Remember that you're thinking for two."
His heart swelled and Pacey felt that odd sense of wonder again, the wonder that came from knowing Joey loved and cared for him just as much as he did for her. From knowing she couldn't lose him, just as he couldn't lose her. He smiled tenderly. "I can do that," he said before pulling her into his arms and holding her close. Their hug was warm and enveloping and filled with strong emotions.
Joey pulled away and moved back to look at him. "You knew he was going to come for you, didn't you?"
"What makes you say that?" he asked, although he was certain she knew the truth of it.
"Because you know him just as well as he knows you. It's the nature of best friends."
And she was probably the one person who knew them both better than anyone else. He shook his head. "No. Ex-best friends now."
"You know, whether you guys hang out or not, he's still a part of you, Pace. How can you really be whole if you continue to act like he doesn't exist?"
He'd been honest with Jen earlier—he did regret the state of his friendship with Dawson and wished things were different. He also knew their relationship was beyond repair at this point and there was probably little he could do to change that. Jen had told him to just be honest with Dawson and tell him that, but he'd be a fool to believe the situation could be fixed just by having a conversation.
Pacey wrapped his arm around Joey's shoulders and they walked to the yacht club's parking lot. When they reached the Potter's blue truck, she handed him the keys. He opened the passenger side door for her, and as he did so, she turned to face him, stepped forward, and kissed him. The kiss was short and sweet, but full of emotion—warmth and comfort, tenderness and love. He closed the door behind her after she slid into the seat.
They were soon pulling into the beach house driveway. Pacey shut the engine off, and they just sat there in silence. It had started raining again; drops pattering lightly on the windshield. Joey unbuckled her seatbelt, slid over, and leaned her head against his shoulder. She remembered her earlier fear. Again, tears stung her eyes. How could she ever survive the turmoil of losing him?
He heard her sniffles and turned to get a good look at her. "Jo, are you crying?"
"I can't help it," she choked. "I think I'm still scared. I can't lose you, Pacey."
"I'm so sorry I frightened you. It's the last thing I would ever want to do, but everything's okay now. I'm safe. You're safe. Jen's safe. Dawson, too. No one was hurt." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
Joey tightened her hold on him and buried her face in his neck. Unable to fight her emotions any longer, she let her tears fall. He held her as she cried, whispering soothing words of reassurance. She realized that what frightened her most was the very thought of being without him was so painfully devastating, was enough to make her seize with panic. How could she ever possibly endure the reality of it, should it ever become one?
"It's all right," he said quietly when she finally pulled back. With the pads of his thumbs, he wiped her tears away. "I'm all right. You didn't lose me, and you're not going to. We're gonna have a long life together, you and me. I promise not to do anything so reckless as to risk my own life. When I refused to leave my boat, I wasn't thinking of you in that moment and how it would affect you, and I'm sorry, Jo. I'll never do that again. Never. Please forgive me."
She couldn't smile, even to comfort him. "There's nothing to forgive, Pacey. As long as you hold me. As long as you kiss me."
He kissed her. Gently. His lips parted hers, his tongue stroked, but in comfort rather than in desire, in love rather than in that loving lust they shared. This was a kiss to warm, to comfort, to soothe. It was a kiss to bind their hearts and souls, and to build a foundation of future promises. When Pacey lifted his head and gazed at her tenderly, Joey touched his jaw, and this time, she managed a smile.
On Friday night, when Joey's shift ended at the yacht club, she drove over to the beach house and was soon knocking on the front door. After a moment, Gretchen answered. "Hey, Joey," she greeted, before stepping aside to let her in.
"Hey. How are you?"
Gretchen closed the door behind her. "I'm good. You?"
She shrugged. "I'm all right. Work was a drag, but I'm glad to be here, though." She glanced around the kitchen and peered into the empty living room. "Where's Pacey?"
"He's upstairs."
Joey considered the rather glum way she'd said the words. "Is… is he okay?"
"I don't really know, but I'm gonna guess he's having a bad day."
"Did something happen after school?" she asked. While her boyfriend hadn't exactly been cheerful earlier, understandable after the events of last night, there wasn't anything that had caused her concern.
"Uh… a couple things, actually." Gretchen walked over to the fridge and opened it. "You want anything to drink? I've got some Diet Coke."
She nodded. "Sure. Diet Coke sounds great."
Gretchen pulled out two cans of soda and handed one over. "So, when Pacey got out of school today, he went with Doug and one our brother's friends to Crescent Island to look for the True Love."
Her eyes widened. "Really?" She felt like her heart was in her throat. "Did he… did he find it?"
"No. Doug's friend assumes it smashed into the cove and then sunk."
Disappointment and sadness welled up inside. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Oh, Pacey," she sighed.
"Yeah. And then after that, he went over to Dawson's house to talk to him."
Joey gaped. "He did what?"
Gretchen nodded and took a sip of her soda. "Yep. Apparently, he went over there and thanked Dawson for what he did last night and apologized for everything and told him he hopes that someday they can be friends again."
"Wow. I, uh…" Stunned, she almost couldn't believe it. "Pacey told you that?"
"No. He hasn't said more than ten words to me all day. Dawson told me."
Her brows knitted. "Dawson? When was this?"
"We ordered dinner from Leery's Fresh Fish, and when I went over there to pick it up, Dawson was there, and he told me about Pacey's surprise visit this afternoon."
"Huh." Joey pursed her lips, thinking it all over. She found herself standing in front of the calendar on the wall next to the fridge, and recognized it as the one Pacey had gotten in Key West. It was vivid and colorful, in contrast to the subdued natural colors of the kitchen. It had a fancy pocket for holding notes or letters, guarded by topless mermaids, intertwined with seaweed fronds. The picture above was of a beautiful tropical island landscape. Joey flipped the calendar to see what picture was on the next month. In black sharpie, "Planned Parenthood, 4pm" was written under Thursday, October fifth. Her eyes went wide.
She didn't want to be nosy, but she couldn't help herself. "Uh, Gretchen… not that it's any of my business, but I guess I'm just…" She pointed to the appointment. "Have you been there before? I guess I was just wondering because I've been, you know, thinking about it, and… Well, I've never been, but I'm thinking I should. What's it like there? Are the people nice? Is it intimidating? I want to go, but I also kind of panic whenever I seriously think about picking up the phone and calling them to make an appointment."
Gretchen laughed. "Well, if you'd stop your nervous rambling, Joey, I could tell you that that isn't my appointment. And no, I've never been to the one in Hyannis. I've been to the one in Boston, though. A few times. The staff there were very nice and easy to talk to."
Her gaze flew back to the calendar and she stared. "You mean, that's… that's…"
"Yes. That's Pacey's appointment."
The free clinic had services for men? There was so much about this stuff she didn't know. And why would Pacey be going? She turned back to Gretchen.
"Before you can ask me the obvious follow-up question, that's really something you should ask him." Then she watched Gretchen walk down the hallway and stand at the bottom of the stairs. "Pacey! Joey's here!" A moment later, she heard his footsteps in the hall and then coming down the stairs.
Pacey's heart leapt when he saw her; she was a sight for sore eyes. "Hey, Jo," he said, smiling.
"Hey." She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him in a hug, careful not to spill her Diet Coke.
"Well, I'll make myself scarce," Gretchen told them. "I'll be up in my room if you need me."
"We won't," Pacey snarked, gazing down at his girlfriend.
Joey snorted. "It was nice talking to you Gretchen," she called out as his sister started going up the stairs. "And thanks for the soda."
Once he heard his sister's bedroom door shut, he dipped his head and kissed his girlfriend. "I'm happy you're here. It's been a day, let me tell ya."
"Talk to me." She took him by the hand and led him into the living room where they sat on the couch. She set her can of soda on the coffee table and her backpack down by her feet.
Pacey recounted the events following school. "We circled the entire island, and nothing. I just… I just can't believe she's gone. It's like a nightmare." Tears pricked his eyes. "I'm sure it's stupid to mourn a sailboat, but…"
Joey held his hand reassuringly. "It's not stupid, Pace." It was finally sinking in that the True Love was lost to them. They would never set foot on it again. They would never go sailing on it again. Never sit together while Pacey cleaned and cooked the fish he caught for their dinner. Never get into their hammocks again. "I'm so sorry." Tears filled her own eyes. "All your hard work to restore it. All those memories we made, our whole summer together. The boat was priceless..."
"And now it's at the bottom of the ocean. Do you think it's a bad sign? That the boat I built for you and named True Love sunk? The other shoe is bound to drop, right? Or was this the other shoe? Why does everything good in my life end up a disaster?"
She sniffled and laid her head on his shoulder, squeezing his hand in hers. They sat in silence for several moments, grief tugging at their hearts. "At least you and Jen are okay. We may have lost the boat, Pace, but your life is far more precious. The boat may be gone, but not our memories. It's something we'll never forget, and I have hundreds of pictures to ensure we won't. The True Love still exists in our hearts. It's a part of our history that can never be erased, something we'll always cherish."
"Yeah, you're right." He smiled and kissed her head. "Afterwards, Doug insisted we stop by Mom and Dad's to check in on them—well, mostly Carrie and the kids—and of course my brother had to regale my father with how I'd lost my boat in the storm. That was a fun conversation. There was only so much of a verbal beating I could take, and I just walked out of the room and right out the back door. I was standing out there, staring at the creek, and the realization hit me that Jen and I really could have gone down with the boat if Dawson hadn't come out there…" He sighed. "So, I walked over to the Leery's house and thanked him for what he did."
Joey lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him. "What did he say?"
He shrugged. "Well, he was civil, but he didn't say much. Just that there was no need to thank him because I would've done the same thing if the situation had been reversed."
"You would've."
"I don't know about that, Jo. I'd like to think so, but…"
"Pacey, you'd lie down in traffic for Dawson. Is there anything you wouldn't do for him? Come on."
He smirked at her. "Other than give you up?"
She fought a smile. "Well, other than that… yeah."
"Anyway, I suppose he evened the score. He nearly killed me once, and now he's saved my life. I guess we can wipe the slate clean. Well, as far as I'm concerned. Not that he wants to kiss and make up anytime soon, seeing as how I basically stabbed him in the back…"
"We both did. We share the blame equally. Just give him some time, Pace. Maybe he'll remember why you two were friends in the first place. Your friendship had nothing to do with me. And he hasn't exactly forgiven me yet, either, you know. Civil, yes. Friends? Far from it. But I won't give up hope that'll change in time."
Her gaze fell on the kitchen, and once again the wall calendar came to mind. "Um… so, I was checking out the calendar next to the fridge. You know, the one you got at that shop in Key West."
"Yeah? Good place for it, huh? I'm glad I took it from the boat last weekend." He pouted. "The mermaids were lonely."
Joey snorted, rolling her eyes. "Um… so, I flipped the calendar and saw the Planned Parenthood appointment."
So, that's why she brought it up, he thought. He pursed his lips and nodded. "Ah."
"Well? Is there something I should know about, Pacey?"
"It's just my regular six-month check-up, Jo."
"What are they checking, exactly?"
Licking his lips, he hesitated, not knowing how comfortable she'd be with the subject. "It's for STD and HIV screening."
She was stunned; he'd never mentioned this to her before. "When did you start doing that?"
"When I was dating Andie," he explained. "She insisted that I get tested before we started… you know… and I happily obliged. I've been going pretty much every six months since then. Well, it's been longer than six months this time. I kind of bailed on my appointment back in July seeing as how I wasn't around."
"Were you nervous about going?" she asked, wondering about her own hesitation to make an appointment despite knowing how much she should.
"It's like going to any doctor's office. Sitting in the waiting room is kind of weird. Like, you're sitting there wondering if everyone else is judging you or wondering what your problem is, but then you realize that the other people sitting there are probably worried about the same thing. So, the first time was a little nerve-wracking, yeah. You don't really know what to expect, and no one likes to be poked and prodded or asked a bunch of personal questions. It wasn't so bad, though. The faces soon became familiar and they're nice enough."
"You never fail to surprise me, Pacey Witter."
"Does this impress you?" he laughed.
"Well," she smiled, and couldn't help the blush suddenly coloring her cheeks. "Just that… I think out of all our friends, you're the most mature and grown up out of all of us. You're like this grown man walking around inside the shell of a seventeen-year-old boy."
He let out a breathy laugh. "But like most kids, I still screw up."
"Yeah, well, adults screw up all the time," she said dryly.
"That they do, but I guess that's being human. Humans screw up regularly—some more than others—but it's in our very nature. I guess I should try to make peace with that."
"You don't screw up regularly, Pacey. That's your dad talking, as if he has any freedom of speech when it comes to accusing people of screwing up. Just look at him. And you're just… figuring out life, like all of us are. We're all gonna make mistakes from time to time. We just can't get down on ourselves every time we do. We gotta pick ourselves up, learn from those mistakes, and just keep going."
He gazed at her, his heart full. "Enough about me. How was work?"
She shrugged. "Just work. Drue and his mother were their usual worst selves, but I made some good tips. I think those tacky snobs are starting to warm up to me. And something weird… Drue asked me if I'd come to a birthday party for Jen if he threw one."
"Isn't her birthday in May?" he asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.
"Yeah."
"The guy must be throwing one hell of a party if he's planning this far in advance."
Joey then inched closer to him and brought her lips close to his ear. "I really don't want to talk about Drue right now," she whispered.
Grinning, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. "You don't, huh?"
"There's something I want to tell you," she continued to whisper. "I adore you. Because you're smart, you're funny, and you're so sweet and wonderful. Anyone who doesn't think so is an idiot."
Pacey blushed at her compliments, and chuckled softly. "I adore you, too." She wrapped her arm around his waist and sighed. He held her close, then put one of his hands on the side of her face. Joey looked at him again. The way he studied her face made her feel as if she were the most beautiful, most desirable woman in the world.
Pacey brushed her cheek with his thumb, then leaned his head down and gently kissed her lips. He only tasted her briefly, slightly disappointing her; Joey ached for more. He loved the taste of her lips every time he kissed her. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he was not taking it for granted. Then he smiled and kissed her again, this time a long, deep kiss, sending Joey's heart fluttering. He sighed as he kissed her, and she clutched his clothing, lost in the passionate embrace.
Finally, they came up for air, their breathing ragged, their faces flushed. Joey felt herself come alive, desperate to kiss him again, desperate to feel his body come alive beneath hers. Oh, how she wished his sister wasn't home, or that they were somewhere else, somewhere where no one could disturb them. That was another thing they'd lost with the boat—their fortress of solitude.
Pacey smiled at her. He could see the wheels turning inside her head. "What are you thinking about?" he whispered.
Joey blushed again. "Nothing, nothing," she said quietly. "Just that I like being alone with you, but I don't want Gretchen to walk in on us. And it's not like we can just go upstairs to your room, because then, well… she'd probably hear us or she'd at least know why went up there, and…" Her face grew hot.
He laughed. "Well, then we'd better not be doing anything unfit for public consumption," he murmured. "Although it is tempting."
"Pace?" she whispered.
He cupped her jaw and cheek, tracing her lips with his thumb. "Yeah?"
"Kiss me again."
He made a hoarse sound and obliged. The instant she parted her lips, his tongue slid inside. If hers hadn't stroked his in return, he might've retreated before the kiss could become something else. As it was, the kiss quickly became deep and passionate. He held the back of her head, slid his other hand up her rib cage until it rested just beneath her breast. When he lifted her mouth from hers for a quick breath, she stared at him, her brown eyes dark and dilated with passion. "We could go for a drive and, you know, park somewhere," he breathed.
Joey pursed her lips. "What kind of girl do you think I am, Pacey Witter?" she teased. "Besides, knowing our luck, Deputy Doug would probably come along and knock on a fogged-up window."
He started laughing. "Older siblings, who the hell needs 'em?"
"Let's make a date," she proposed, feeling excited about her idea now that she'd thought of it. "There are no B&B guests booked on Sunday night. Bodie has the night off from Gail's restaurant, and he's taking Bessie out to dinner at some fancy place up in Provincetown for their anniversary, leaving me to watch Alexander. How about you pick me up at the yacht club when I get out of work and then once we have my nephew fed and asleep, we'll spend the whole evening together… in my room. I know it won't make up for the tragic loss of your boat, but maybe some quality alone time will help ease the pain."
"I like the sound of that," he grinned.
Joey nestled closer, holding him tighter. "Me too."
October 1. It was nearly seven o'clock on Sunday evening and Pacey found himself in Joey's bedroom as planned, except his nose was buried in a book. "You know, when you said, 'let's make a date,'" he said after finishing a chapter. "Spending the evening doing homework wasn't what I had in mind."
She laughed, shaking her head. "Work first, play later. These assignments have to be done by tomorrow and they're not going to do themselves. Besides, you already finished most of your homework, and weren't you the one who once told me that you received certain rewards for studying?"
He perked up. "Are you saying I'm gonna be rewarded?"
"Maybe," she answered coyly. "How many chapters do you have left?"
"I still have to read three more," he grumbled.
"Well, then you're wasting time, aren't you?" She shot him a teasing look over her shoulder.
He shook his head. "I still think assigning homework over the weekend is cruel and unusual punishment."
"Pacey, the sooner you finish your assigned reading, the sooner we can have fun."
"What kind of fun we talkin' about, Potter?"
She turned to look at him, his eyebrows waggling at her, and she smirked. "Read."
Forty-five minutes later, he lowered his book and gazed at her. "I'm bored."
"Good."
"Good? I thought you were supposed to be concerned about me in light of the recent tragedy I've suffered."
"Pacey, it's precisely because of the recent tragedy you suffered that you could use a little boredom. Now keep reading."
"Seriously, Jo, what's the point of reading a book about the future when the future in the book is already the past?" he complained, before launching into a winded diatribe about how nonsensical it was to be reading 1984. After a quip about Boy George, he tossed a pillow off the white wicker chair next to her desk to sit down but saw a pile of envelopes and brochures in the seat. He picked it up. "What's this stuff?"
Her stomach tightened. "Oh, nothing," she said evasively, reaching to take it from him. "It's just junk mail."
"Oh, junk mail," he replied sarcastically.
"It's just college mail that came over the summer."
As he sat down in the chair, Pacey stared at the large envelope in his hands. "You get junk mail from Princeton University?"
"It doesn't mean anything," she said, trying to make light of it, and took the envelope from him. "It comes from everywhere." She began looking through the pile on her desk. "I mean… for instance, like I'm gonna go to St. Olaf College? Or, uh… the University of Hawaii? Or, uh… Valparaiso University? I mean, where is that? It's like in Brazil or something."
"It's in Indiana, Jo. They play in the Missouri Valley Conference."
"I'm guessing that's a sports reference."
He smiled. "It is."
"Well, as if I'm gonna go all the way to Indiana, Pace. Just because these schools send out brochures doesn't mean I'm actually gonna go to these places."
"But you are gonna go somewhere?"
Her stomach tightened again. She didn't want to be having this conversation. Well, she did, but she didn't, as she felt unsure where the conversation would lead. What if she did decide on a college that was a thousand miles away, or even farther? Could she really expect Pacey to pack up his life and leave everything behind just to follow her to middle-of-nowhere Indiana? She frowned, but then tried to make light of it again. "Well, not right this second."
Pacey scoffed; she must have some idea of where she wanted to go.
"I mean, it's early yet." Joey got up from the desk and moved over to join him in the chair, sitting on his lap as his arm came up to pull her down. "There's no rush to make any choices right now. I still have plenty of time to decide which schools I want to apply to. Once we take the SATs later this month, I think I can start narrowing down the possibilities." She kissed him. "You are going to take the SATs, right, Pace?"
"Only if forced," he snarked.
She kissed him again. "This is me forcing you."
"You're buttering me up, aren't you, Potter?"
She smirked and pressed her lips to his. "Works every time."
Shaking his head, he sighed in defeat.
A little while later, he was sitting on the bed reading the last assigned chapter, his back against the pillows, his legs sprawled out in front of him. Joey sat next to him, having already finished all her homework. He could sense her fidgeting and grinned to himself. He decided to keep her waiting. Although he'd finally finished the chapter, he still held the book open, staring at the page and trying not to laugh at her impatient sighs.
Joey slid down on the bed, propping up on one elbow to look at him sitting there. "Pacey, are you seriously going to read all night? How long does it take to read five measly chapters?"
"I finished like ten minutes ago. I just wanted to make you suffer," he teased.
"Jerk," she giggled, and grabbed the book from his hands, tossing it aside, before pulling him down towards her.
Laughing, Pacey dipped his head and touched his lips to hers, all the while reminding himself not to get carried away with lust, despite being alone and on her bed; he knew she wasn't ready to go too far. The warm caress of his lips spun a sweet pleasure through her blood, and Joey savored the taste of happiness. She leaned into the kiss, enticed by the tender persuasion of his mouth. He angled his head to capture her lips more fully, yet his kiss remained infinitely patient, his touch light and careful.
She raised a hand to his shoulder to steady herself and curled her fingers into his shirt. The tip of his tongue teased the seam of her mouth, and she opened to him. She was almost surprised to realize the breathy moan that whispered through the quiet room was hers. After a moment, she grew impatient with his caution, his restraint. She wanted to lose herself in Pacey's kiss, in the mind-numbing sensations he stirred, and the pleasurable comfort of his touch.
Drawing on the boldness he'd encouraged in her and the assurance that she was always safe with him, Joey pulled back from the kiss and looked at him as they lay on their sides facing each other. "I, um… I wanted to tell you that the homework you assigned me has a been a fabulous success."
Pacey blinked for a moment. When realization set in, a broad smile spread across his face, his blue eyes sparkling with delight. "Oh, really? So, you've been thinking about me, huh, Potter? And, uh, what did you think about?" he murmured huskily. "Did you think about how you want me to touch you? About what you want me to do to you?"
Joey nearly stopped breathing. She swallowed. Blood rushed into her face, leaving her feeling embarrassed and turned on at the same time. Unable to look him in the eye any longer, she stared at his mouth.
"You did, didn't you?" he teased. "Thinking, imagining, wishing it was happening, wishing I was really there. So, what does it look like, Jo, when you imagine me and you together?"
"Um…" She giggled nervously, feeling like she was going to burst.
"Hmm, let me guess, then," he told her as his hand caressed her side and then pulled her leg over his hip. Then he smoothed his hand over the backside of her jeans, pressing her body closer to him. "Do you want to be on top, Jo? Do you wanna ride my cock? Take control, hold me down while you pleasure yourself?"
Joey gasped. Their eyes locked, and the look Pacey was giving her set her on fire with lust and had her chest heaving. She could feel her blood rushing to her head, her eyesight becoming blurry, her mind swirling in a heady fog of desire.
Pacey watched her reactions with pleasure. This was a puzzle piece he'd figured out: she liked words, and she liked his voice. He thought back to all the times she'd asked him to read to her. Of course. He began breathing heavily himself. Excited, he inched closer and pressed his lips to her ear. "You like that, huh? Hmm… but that's not how you pictured it." He thought for a moment. "Do you want me to take control? You want me to hold you up against your bedroom wall, your legs wrapped around me while I fuck you hard enough to wake up all the B&B guests?" he teased playfully.
Joey giggled, and already heavily stimulated by his words, shivered as his hand slipped beneath the hem of her shirt and stroked the soft skin of her stomach. Wetness pooled at her aching center. She squirmed at the sensation and felt herself flush even darker. It felt as if her blood was on fire.
Pacey went on, encouraged by her reactions. He pressed a brief, passionate kiss to her lips, sliding his hand further up her rib cage to rest just below her breast, before breaking the kiss and gazing at her heavy-lidded eyes, smoldering with desire. "Hmm, not that either." He arched his brow. Lustful ideas swam in front of his gaze and he grinned wickedly before lowering his mouth and leaving a trail of kisses down her throat, across her shoulder, and back up again. "You want me to bend you over in front of me and slide my cock into your pussy from behind?" he murmured against her jaw.
Her whole body shuddered against his as he touched and teased her. She clutched helplessly at the front of his patterned shirt, her breath coming in quickened pants. The feeling of him hard and pressed between her legs was working Joey into a hot mess and she rocked against him. It'd been too long since they'd been able to be together like this.
"But that's not how you imagined it…" He lifted his face to gaze at her. Their eyes met, and he smiled. "Do you want to feel me on top of you, your arms around me, your legs locked around my waist, me pressing deep inside until you mold tightly around me and I make you come around my hard cock?"
Joey, in a fog of stimulation and mindless desire, whimpered at his words, a desperate mewling sound escaping her throat.
Pacey grinned hungrily. "Bingo. We have a winner." His hand finally slid higher, up and under her cotton bra, to fondle her breast.
She captured his lips, kissing him passionately. New wetness seeped between her legs. She was wetter and hotter than she'd ever been in her life. "Please, touch me," she begged, her eyelids fluttering low. "Pacey. Touch me now."
He stared in surprise as she pulled his hand out from under her shirt and then started unbuttoning her jeans. His heart hammered beneath his ribs as he watched her pull the zipper down. Leaning over her until she lay back against the bed, he lavished her mouth with another kiss, and then whispered, "Are you sure, my little skittish kitten?"
She gazed up at him. His eyes twinkled with humor, but also uncertainty. "Yes. I need you, Pacey."
The magic words. She needed him. He rested his forehead against hers and slid his hand inside her jeans, down between her legs, his eyes darkening when he found her underwear wet. His own body throbbed with desire, but he tried to ignore it. "You are so damn beautiful, Joey." He palmed her in his hand. "And you're so damn wet."
She whimpered again as he rubbed her clit through the thin, damp fabric. His fingers felt good, even though there was a barrier between him and her skin, but not good enough. "I want you to really touch me, Pacey," she pleaded when he rubbed again. He laughed, but his dark blue eyes were glowing with such stark, raw desire that she felt as if she were melting under the heat of his gaze.
"Don't be impatient, Jo," he said softly, his deep, husky voice bringing her closer to the edge.
The need in him burned through his veins. He finally slipped his hand beneath the fabric of her panties, and her breath caught in anticipation. He gently parted her soft hair and slid his fingers down the center of her silky, wet folds. It had been so long since he'd touched anyone like this, and he almost couldn't believe he was touching her like this. She was so soft, and felt so good beneath his fingers.
She shuddered, and her eagerness sent a thrill surging through him. He wanted to take his time, savor the moment, but she was now mewling desperately. He quickly found her spot, rubbing her in slow circles. Joey moaned in response, arching off the mattress.
"I love you, Pacey," she whimpered. There was so much she wanted to do, wanted to say, but all she could do was experience his gentle touch and the extreme pleasure it gave her. "You make me feel so good. I want to make you feel like this."
"You do, huh?" He kissed her, but then she quickly pulled away.
"Please, please, please, please," she begged. It felt as if every muscle in her body had coiled tight, and she throbbed between her legs, desperate for release.
"Is this what you want?" He stroked her faster with his middle finger, smoothing her own hot wetness over her swollen clit, and in seconds she was coming apart under his hand. "That's it, baby. Come for me."
Climax struck her so hard, it left her breathless, but that didn't stop Pacey. He kept stroking her through it, arousing her all over again. This time he slipped his middle finger inside her, and she gasped, gripping his arm. He paused and looked down at her, brows furrowing with concern. He'd gone too far. He started to pull his finger out of her, but she shook her head. "No, don't stop."
The corner of his mouth curved. Then he pumped in and out, careful not to go too deep, his palm pressing hard against her clit with each stroke, causing another orgasm. It was more intense this time, making her toes curl and her body arch off the mattress. With his name on her lips, her mind flooded with pleasure.
"Pacey…" She started laughing, except it was a laugh he'd never really heard before. God, he loved that sound, that breathy, deliriously happy giggle. He wanted to hear more of it. It made him feel… he didn't even have a word for it. He didn't even have a place for the feeling, but it made him pull her closer and kiss her ardently.
Frantic with lust, she then shifted them until they were both on their sides again. She reached between them, her fingers going to the waistband of his pants.
His body went rigid. "Joey." He shook his head, suddenly feeling nervous, and tried to pry her hands away. "You don't… That's not…"
Looking into his eyes, she unzipped his khaki pants and reached for him, wrapping her fingers around his aroused length, stroking him through his boxers. He closed his eyes and leaned into her. She had turned the tables; she was in control. His eyes grew smaller, his breaths ragged. It was more exciting than she had ever imagined, but she wouldn't be satisfied unless she could feel his skin, the same way he'd felt hers.
"You don't have to do this, Jo," he groaned. "This wasn't about me. It was supposed to be about you."
She smirked. "Well, this is about me, too. I know I don't have to do this. I want to." When she reached inside his boxers to feel him, he let out a moan, and stopped being coherent. "Were you saying something, Pacey?"
Against her shoulder, he shook his head. "N-no. Fuck… no."
She wrapped her hand around his thick length, pulsing inside her grasp. He felt smooth as silk, and yet hard as steel. She wasn't satisfied with just a touch. She stroked the length of him, teasing the crown with her thumb, running it over the soft, smooth tip. "That's what I thought."
Then she explored him as much as he had her, depending on instinct and the sounds he was making for instruction. The sound of his moans made her body come alive more than she had ever imagined. All she cared about was making him feel good. His hands raked through her hair. It was not his usual soft, gentle touch, but the rough, passionate feel of a man who was no longer thinking with reason.
Joey knew he needed her, just as much as she needed him. Her heart swelled, full to bursting.
He rested his forehead against hers and stared down between them, at where her hand disappeared inside his pants, where she was stroking and exploring with her soft fingers until he thought he would scream. Then she moved her hand up the length of his shaft with one long, tight, fantastic squeezing stroke, her thumb brushing over the sensitive slit in his cockhead.
"I don't really know what I'm doing, Pacey," she said, sounding worried.
"It's great, Jo," he said, his voice strangled. "Do that again."
She made that soft, giggling sound again. God, that sound drove him crazy. She obliged him, petting and pulling and squeezing and milking his cock until he was gasping for air and clutching her, his body shaking as he thrust into her hand.
Fluid was now leaking steadily from the tip, making her glides over his erection slick. She knew he had to be close. "Tell me how to make you come. I want to watch you come…" she whispered, wanting to see his face twist in that sweet agony.
He groaned, her words making his eyes roll. "You're doing fine, Jo."
"Pacey, just tell me," she demanded.
"Okay, squeeze tighter and go faster."
She did as he instructed, taking him faster, each tight stroke of his cock a thrust of pleasure. Joey kept her face close to his, wanting to watch every reaction. The pressure to climax gripped his entire groin. Her hand clenched and stroked his cock over and over, the sensation sending him over the edge. Pacey closed his eyes hard as ecstasy flooded him. He let out a guttural sound and his body shuddered. He whispered her name passionately as he buried his face in her neck.
"Oh, baby, baby, baby," he moaned as the warmth of his orgasm spilled over her fingers. "I love you."
Joey smiled, his pleasure immensely satisfying. Knowing she was the one to make him feel that way made her feel excited, powerful. She listened as his breathing slowed. "Did you come?" she teased.
He snickered as she baited him. "No. Did you?"
"Liar," she giggled as he lifted his face from her neck.
If he lived for a thousand years, Pacey would never get enough of that sound. Then Joey was back in his arms and they were kissing and holding each other fiercely. Their love bloomed stronger than ever, filling their hearts and joining them together.
On Monday, when Joey got out of school, she greeted Bessie and Bodie as she walked through the front door. Once she was alone in the kitchen, she pulled the Barnstable County Telephone Book out of the drawer and grabbed the cordless phone off its base and retreated into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Sitting on her bed, she flipped open the large book and started searching for the right page. When her gaze fell on the listing for Planned Parenthood in Hyannis, a town just thirty minutes west of Capeside and more than twice its size, she stared at it for a long moment.
Her stomach tightening with nerves but her mind made up, Joey picked up the phone and dialed the number.