Beyond the Pale

“I know I’m talking to the wrong person here,” Pacey Witter said.

Dawson Leery looked offended. “So I’m a virgin. So sue me.”

Pacey slumped over on Dawson’s bed, lying on his side. He sighed heavily as Dawson, in the desk chair across the room, frowned at him. “I didn’t mean anything – I just wish there was someone I could talk to who’s had this experience. You know, sleeping with a virgin. ‘Cause Tamara wasn’t.”

“Obviously,” Dawson said. “Well, hey, you could always go hit up Chris Wolfe. I’m sure he’s slept with numerous virgins, both human and animal.” Dawson grinned devilishly.

“Eeeeww,” Pacey said, making a face. “Be serious, here. I don’t think I want advice from Gonorrhea Boy. I’m just nervous about this.”

Pacey had already told Dawson the sordid story of Doug walking in on him and Joey half-naked. Dawson had snickered. “You guys don’t have much luck in that department,” he’d said, thinking of the time he’d walked in on Pacey and Joey.

“No kidding,” Pacey’d said.

“What’s the problem?” Dawson asked now. “You’ve done this before.”

“Yeah,” Pacey said. He rolled over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling thoughtfully. “But she hasn’t.”

Dawson snorted. “C’mon, Pace. Do you think she’s going to be overwhelmed by your enormous manhood or something?”

Pacey turned his head to glare at his friend. “I’m not kidding, D.” He looked back at the ceiling, his face flushing slightly. “I don’t want to hurt her in any way,” he said softly. “I love her too much.”

Dawson felt awkward. This was just too weird, sitting here with one of his best friends, who was discussing his plans to sleep with his other best friend. “It’ll be okay,” he offered. It was the only thing he could think of to say.

~o~

It was late afternoon, and Tori sat in Joey’s front room, quite amused, watching her friend arrange votive candles in different locations. “You might want to take it easy, Jo,” she said, trying not to smile. “You don’t want the guy to think he’s just walked into a French whorehouse, do you?”

Joey whirled around, pinning Tori with her anxious stare. “Too much?”

“Joey. You have fifteen candles sitting around the room. Your rendezvous may be interrupted by the fire marshal,” Tori said.

“So far I think he’s the only one who hasn’t interrupted us!” Joey said snidely.

Tori snickered.

“Okay,” Joey conceded. “Two on the T.V. and one on each end table. I’ll put the rest of them up.”

“What time’s he coming over?” Tori asked as Joey gathered the candles, the glass votive holders clinking together in her hands.

“Seven o’clock,” Joey said. She stuffed the extra candles into the small cabinet that stood next to Bessie’s bedroom door and turned around. She took a deep breath.

“You’re not nervous or anything, are you?” Tori teased.

Joey crossed the room and threw herself onto the couch next to her friend. She ran one hand through her hair. “I’ve taken three showers today,” she said.

“Stop,” Tori said. “You’re gonna dry out your skin.”

“I think I’m going to puke,” Joey said, only halfway joking.

Tori looked at her with serious blue eyes. “You don’t have to do this, Joey,” she said softly. “You don’t owe it to him or anything.”

“I want to,” Joey said. “I love him. But I am nervous…I can’t help it.”

“There’s no chance of your sister coming home?” Tori asked. “Or Bodie, or the postman making a very late delivery…?”

“Nada,” Joey said. “We’re short on help at the Icehouse. Bess and Bodie will be over there until at least eleven. There’s no way either of them will be able to leave before then. And the door will be locked to keep out all other intruders.” She smiled impishly.

“Well,” Tori said, “I’ll be at Dawson’s, driving myself nuts wondering how it’s going over here. I’ll expect the unabridged report sometime tomorrow.”

“You’ve got it,” Joey said.

~o~

At 6:55, Joey was sitting on the porch steps waiting for her boyfriend. The sticky summer heat had finally faded from the sky. Dusk was about half an hour away. Thunder rumbled in the distance and thick gray clouds had started drifting across the horizon; rain was imminent.

The Witter family deathtrap drove noisily up the street. Joey winced. That thing could use a new muffler. She smiled as Pacey cut the engine and stepped out of the truck. “Hey, beautiful,” he said. He perched on the step next to her, pocketing his keys.

“Hey,” Joey said. She could feel herself blushing; they both knew perfectly well why he was here.

Pacey leaned toward her for a kiss. His lips touched hers softly. “I love you,” he murmured.

The first drops of rain began to fall from the cloudy sky. “And I love you,” Joey said. She took his hand almost tentatively. “Let’s go inside.”

The front room was deliberately dim. Joey’s votive candles glowed from the top of the television and the end tables flanking the couch bed. There was a muffled click as she locked the door behind them. She turned to face Pacey. He was watching her intently, serious now, his brown eyes warm.

Joey breathed in a deep, silent breath. Her heart was thudding in her chest like a tribal drum.

Pacey stepped closer. “Are you afraid?” he asked softly. With one hand, he pushed her hair off of her shoulder.

“I’m...not sure,” Joey said. She leaned against him, inhaling the clean scent of soap and warm male skin.

“Don’t be,” Pacey whispered. His hands moved down her back, pulling her tightly against him. Joey trembled as he kissed her neck, gently sucking at the tender skin there. She worked her hands underneath the back of his shirt, feeling the heat of his body. Soon she would see all of it. She was seized by an abrupt surge of desire, and excitement began to overcome fear.

They stood, pressed together. Pacey’s lips moved from her neck to her mouth, kissing her hotly and passionately. Between hungry kisses, they removed one another’s shirts. Rain was pounding against the roof, making the rest of the world seem very far away. Joey sighed softly as Pacey unhooked her bra, pushed it off of her shoulders and covered her breasts with his hands.

Joey’s hand wandered to the front of Pacey’s khaki shorts, tracing the hard length of him through the material. This action prompted him to reach down and slide her nylon shorts over her hips, followed by her panties. Joey kicked them aside, blushing as she realized that she was standing here entirely unclothed. “Don’t,” Pacey whispered, seeing the expression on her face. “You’re beautiful.” His eyes admired her in the candlelit semi-darkness.

Pacey moved her hand to the button at his waistband. “Your turn,” he said. Joey unbuttoned and unzipped him and pushed his shorts down. They fell to the floor, and he stepped out of them. She hesitated at the waistband of his boxers, chewing at her lip unconsciously. Pacey had to smile at her. “It doesn’t bite,” he said huskily.

Gingerly, Joey pushed the boxers down over his erection. Pacey slid them the rest of the way off and backed toward the couch bed, pulling her along with him. They sank together into its welcoming softness. She traced the contours of his body, so different from hers. He teased her with his hands and his mouth until she was no longer the least bit nervous. Pacey reached for the condom she’d left on the end table; Joey watched curiously as he opened the packet and rolled it on.

Pacey settled on top of her, nudging his way between her knees, using one hand to guide himself. Joey drew in her breath as he met resistance at her innermost core. He eased her legs farther apart and clasped her buttocks, pulling her against him, sliding into her carefully and slowly. At first there was a slight discomfort at his penetration. It passed quickly, and a growing warmth spread through her as he thrust into her. “Joey,” he whispered breathlessly into her ear.

Joey ran her hands from his broad shoulders to his rear, wanting to touch every inch of his skin that she could reach. She kissed the pulse that throbbed in his neck, then nipped his ear gently with her teeth. Pacey captured her lips, plunging his tongue deep into the well of her mouth. He moved faster, stirring new sensations inside her.

Suddenly, Pacey paused, working one hand between them, gently rubbing the sensitive bundle of nerves at the juncture of her thighs. “Pacey,” she gasped, moaning softly as he continued to touch her. Lightning bolts of pleasure burst inside her, and she cried out, stiffening against his fingers as she climaxed.

Joey was still feeling the aftershocks as he began to thrust into her again, his breathing harsh and uncontrolled in her ear. Almost immediately he collapsed onto her, and his entire body trembled as he came. He caught his breath and kissed her tenderly, whispering, “Joey. You’re amazing.”

Joey wrapped his arms around him, kissing him back as the evening thunderstorm raged overhead. “So are you,” she said.

~o~

Tori and Dawson sat on the couch on his screened-in porch, listening to the rain. Tori was resting her head against Dawson’s shoulder, feeling sleepy and contented. They’d eaten dinner with Dawson’s mom and then watched a movie in his room. It was now 9:30 p.m.

She was just itching for the scoop on Joey and Pacey, but she supposed she’d have to wait until the next day. Patience was not one of her strong points. Tori sighed.

“You still awake?” Dawson asked her softly.

“Yeah,” Tori said, tipping her face up to meet his eyes. She smiled.

“You’re thinking about Joey, aren’t you?” Dawson wanted to know.

“Guilty as charged.” Tori reached up and idly traced the line of Dawson’s jaw. “Pacey seems like a nice guy,” she said.

“He is.” Dawson shrugged. “I guess I just feel really protective toward Jo. We’ve been friends since we were five years old.”

“She’s lucky to have someone who cares about her that much,” Tori said wistfully. “I never had a friend like that before.”

“You do now,” Dawson said. His eyes told her that it was much more than friendship. Did she dare to hope that the L-word was lurking in his heart? Tori kissed his cheek softly, and then laid her head back on his shoulder. She was in no hurry. They had all the time in the world.

“She’ll be fine,” Tori whispered. She could feel Dawson’s nod.

Dawson stared out into the darkness. He smiled to himself. He would always worry about Joey, he would always care about her, but for once he decided not to analyze. For once, he relaxed and enjoyed the moment. Tomorrow would be another day.

~o~

It was 10:30. Pacey stepped out of the house onto Joey’s porch, inhaling the clean, fresh scent of the rain. Joey followed him outside, dressed in her t-shirt and shorts once more. “You won’t get wet going home, Pace,” she observed. The thunderstorm seemed to be over.

Pacey hugged her, pulling her close and smoothing her hair. He felt inexorably connected to her, and more in love than he’d ever imagined being with anyone. There’d been a calm, happy silence between them as they got dressed, folded up the couch bed and put the candles away. Bessie and Bodie would not be suspicious when they returned home. “I wouldn’t notice if I did,” he murmured.

“I guess not,” Joey said. She relaxed against him, turning her face to the side to look out at the night. She smiled. For quite a while now, her earth had not revolved around the sun. It had revolved around one very special guy.

Pacey seemed to be reading her thoughts; he murmured, “You’re everything to me, Jo.”

“I love you,” Joey told him. She pulled back slightly, looking into his face.

Pacey’s dark eyes warmed her. To her, he was the sun. “I would have waited forever for you, Joey,” he said. “I’ve loved you for a long time.”

Their lips met in a tender kiss, and they held each other tightly. Right now, forever didn’t seem so very far away.

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