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Pacey sighed softly as he sat down, letting the rough edges of the dock scrape against his skin. The water was full of boats and noise, small yachts that seemed to exude the stench of money, especially as their well-dressed owners disappeared into the dimness of the Icehouse.
"So, where's the Viper?"
He didn't look over as Joey slid onto the silvered wood next to him, knowing she'd expect his grin even if she didn't see it. "I parked it somewhere safe. Have you seen some of the kids in this town?"
"I've only met the Sheriff's son."
"Shifty character?"
"The worst."
He nodded and leaned back, tilting his face up to the sun. "So, what else did McPhee tell you?"
"Before or after you turned in the assignment?"
"Before."
"Nothing I hadn't said myself on numerous occasions."
He smirked. "And after?"
"She kept calling you things like nice and sweet and amazing and surprising."
"To which you replied?"
"I didn't say a word. I was too busy laughing."
"Potter?" He put his arm around her shoulders, grinning as she promptly shrugged it off. "Promise me you'll never change."
~**~
Joey opened the door quickly, her face distorted with a scowl. "What?"
"If Dawson ever gets the opportunity to tell you that you're beautiful in the morning, just remember that he's most likely seeing you through a post-coital haze."
"Bite me."
"I think your boyfriend might take offense at you coming on to me like this, Jo." He raised his eyebrows as he pushed past her into the living room, moving to sit on the couch amidst the covers she'd pushed off to answer the door. "Speaking of your boyfriend, what are your plans for the day?"
"Why are you bothering me?"
"Just answer the question, Potter."
"Nothing." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"
"Because I want you to do something with me."
"Why?"
"Because you're a girl. And I need a girl."
"You need a lot of things, none of which I ever plan to be. So why don't you go away and bother someone else, okay?"
"Nope. You're the lucky one, Josephine."
"Don't call me that."
"So do us all a favor and go get dressed. And wear something nice. Adult. Make yourself look good."
"What?"
"Just go put on something that makes you look older. And hurry up."
"You're joking, right?"
"No. Just go do it, okay?"
"Not until you tell me what's going on."
"Joey, we both know that you're going to do it whether you know what's going on or not. So can we quit dancing around this whole subject and just skip to the part where you do what I tell you?"
"I don't shut up!"
Pacey sighed in exasperation then stood up, placing his hands firmly on Joey's shoulders. "Potter, you are the most infuriating girl I've ever had the displeasure of knowing. Now go into your sister's room, find some clothes that make you look like you've actually passed puberty and then get your ass back out here. Got it?"
"And I should do this, why?"
"Because if you don't, I'm going to drag you in there myself, strip you and stuff you into something that will be singularly unattractive. Now, go."
She glared at him for a moment, gauging the seriousness in his eyes. "You've got something planned, don't you?"
"GAH!" He started walking, his grip on her shoulders pushing her in front of him. "That's it. You can't do one simple thing without dissecting it like some sort of formaldehyded creature, can you? Well, I'm fed up with it, Josephine. You've left me no choice!"
"All right!" She laughed and pushed his arms off of her. "Give me a few minutes."
"You've got five."
"Fifteen."
"Ten."
She thought for a second until his face grew stormy then nodded. "I'll be back."
Pacey walked back to the couch and grabbed the blanket Joey used for a bedspread, folding it somewhat haphazardly as he waited. He stacked it on her pillow then grabbed the sheet that clung limply to the couch cushions, repeating the process. Finished, he sat down next to the stack and drummed his fingertips on his thighs, glancing at his watch to see how much time had passed.
Four minutes.
"Hurry up, Potter!"
"Shut up, Pacey!"
He grinned and leaned back on the couch, his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. Cobwebs clung in a few corners and he could see a dark spot on the wiring of the light above him. He'd tell Doug and he'd come by and fix it for Bessie, acting as if it were just chance he'd happened to stop by.
Shifting slightly, he pulled his hand down and glanced at his watch again. Six minutes. "Only four minutes to go, Potter. And if you're not ready, I'm leaving without your ass." "Like that'd be a disappointment."
"Whatever, Potter. Three minutes." He got to his feet, prowling the small room, heading for the kitchen. Grabbing a glass out of the drainer, he filled it with cold water and drank it down, upending the glass again when he was done. "Two minutes."
"Quit your shouting."
He turned around, his eyes widening as he saw her. She was dressed in a pale green dress that brought out the highlights in her eyes, the random copper strands of hair catching the light in the room. She'd applied make-up, Jen's tips from the Miss Windjammer pageant obviously coming into play. She looked at least twenty.
"Holy shit."
"I'll take that as a Pacey Witter compliment of the highest order."
He nodded. "Holy shit."
"So, why am I wearing my mother's dress just to hang out with you?"
He brought his eyes up from her endless legs to her eyes, the blue stormy and sad. "You look like your mom in that." He shook his head as if coming out of a trance. "Beautiful."
She blushed and hid her eyes behind her hair as she bent her head. "Shut up, Pacey."
"Right. Okay." He started for the door, glancing back at her for a moment. "Wait here."
"Why?"
"I have to change too."
"Into what?"
He chuckled softly. "A responsible adult."
~**~
Joey sat uncomfortably in the cruiser, shifting as if the seatbelt were bothering her. "We shouldn't be doing this, Pacey."
"Doug."
"You're not Doug."
"Well, obviously, since I have a girl by my side." Pacey grinned over at her as he pulled the car onto the freeway. "But for today, we're pretending I'm Doug."
"Which requires stealing "
"Borrowing."
"Borrowing the police cruiser so we can go to Boston?"
"Yes."
"And that's all you're going to tell me?"
"You want more detail than that?" He looked saddened. "I tell ya, Jo, nobody trusts nobody nomore."
She shook her head and leaned forward, snapping on the radio. It crackled for a moment before the dispatcher's voice kicked in, announcing some minor infraction of Capeside law. "Isn't Doug going to miss the car?"
"Nope. Dougie's at a seminar in Providence, learning how to be a better cop. Or something. Personally, I think he's up there with his latest boytoy, putting the Witter skills to the test."
"And you know what about the Witter skills?"
"Hey, didn't you hear? Andie and I have like fifteen kids or something." He pressed his foot harder on the pedal, kicking their speed up as he eased into the flow of traffic, settling in for the ride, enjoying the thrill of seeing every other car suddenly become a model of driving behavior.
"And a Viper."
He nodded and gave her a wide smile. "And a Viper."
"This is about the Viper, isn't it?" Her eyes narrowed and she folded her arms across her chest, turning to get a better view of him. "We're going to Boston so you can steal a Viper."
"I'm not going to steal it."
"What are you going to do?"
He reached over and patted her thigh. "I'm just going to take it for a test drive."
~**~
"I'm not doing this!" Joey pulled her hand back, tempted to raise it up to slap some sense into him. "You're delusional if you think this is even going to remotely work."
"Joey," he grabbed her hand again, tighter this time as he pressed the small gold band to her fingertip. "You look amazing. Like an adult. Like like your mom. And I know I can pass for older."
She glanced at him, not for the first time, and had to admit he was right. He was dressed in casual slacks, Dockers that hugged his ass, giving it shape that she was loathe to notice. His dress shirt was probably a little long in the sleeves, but he had them rolled up casually to his elbows, the whole ensemble neatly pressed. He looked older and smoother, more confident now that they were miles from Capeside.
It was the wedding ring on his finger that was throwing her off.
"That doesn't explain why I have to pretend we're married."
"Look, Jo, we can pass for older, but we're bound to do or say something that might make them suspicious. I figure these," he held up the extra ring that he'd been trying to slide on her finger for the past several minutes, "give us a little breathing room."
"Who's are these?"
"That's not important."
"Are these your parents' rings, Pacey?"
He rolled his eyes and exhaled slowly, impatiently. "Joey, just wear the damn ring, okay?"
"Not until you answer my question."
"I found 'em in Doug's room. I don't want to know what they are or where they're from, because I have a horrifying feeling in my gut that I know and I don't want to know, so will you please shut up for once in your life and put on the fucking ring? Because all I want to do is test drive a fucking car so will you please just shut up for once in your entire life?"
"He bought this for Bessie, didn't he?"
Pacey closed his eyes, the words bringing everything back. They'd only been ten when it happened, and it wasn't ever discussed out loud. Everything was in whispers, as vehement as shouts. "Just put on the ring, Jo."
She did as he asked, tears standing in her eyes. She'd heard more, never shared it with him. She'd seen the fallout and it had put space between her and Pacey, putting more bite into their friendship until it was almost nothing but animosity.
He pulled out his wallet and handed her a slim card. "Here."
"Josephine Witter." She glanced at the fake ID, impressed with the smooth lines of it. "Why are you Doug, but I'm still Joey?"
"I couldn't make a fake badge, so I had to take the real one."
"Do you know what the fine is for impersonating an officer?" She looked at him, her eyes wide and shocked. "Pacey, you could get in serious trouble."
"I doubt they're going to call the cops for a joyride." He held open her car door and smiled, trying not to notice the sun glinting off the wedding ring as she played with it. "Come on, Mrs. Witter. I want to get home before dark."
"Before you get caught."
"Either is acceptable."
~**~
Joey looked around the showroom with wide eyes, her fingers hovering over the sleek paint of the sports car Pacey was casually leaning against. She was half listening to him as he spoke with the salesman, poking him gently every time he threatened to get too outlandish.
"It's okay to touch it," he breathed softly, moving his body behind hers, almost pressed against her. "And don't smack me because the guy's looking at us."
Joey glanced over to the salesman, watching him look back at them as he disappeared into the office. "You're lucky he is. Otherwise you'd be a dead man."
"It's pretty, isn't it?" He reached past her, his arm against hers as he stroked the dark purple exterior. "You slide behind the wheel of this baby and it's like you're flying."
"You really think they're going to let you test drive this thing, Pacey?"
"Oh yeah. They're calling right now to verify that Doug's an officer, I'll bet you anything. And as soon as they get the a-okay from that, not to mention the fact that he's the sheriff's number one son, we're both buckled into the front seat of the sweetest ride on earth."
His breath was warm on her neck, one hand on her hip as the other reached out for her hand, bringing her fingertips in contact with the car's paint.
"Feel her, Jo." He nuzzled closer, tasting the orange and vanilla scent of her hair. "Doesn't she feel good? Can't you just imagine being inside her?"
Joey's heart pounded in her chest, her breath hitching in her lungs. "What makes you think I'm getting in the car with you behind the wheel. I'd have to be insane."
"Yeah," he agreed, bringing his other hand to her hip and slowly turning her around to face him. His blue eyes were gray and molten, burning her up as they met hers. "Or my wife."
"They're never going to believe your wife's going to let you buy a Viper. We're a newly married couple, Pace. We can't afford this."
"We're rich, living off your father's ill-gotten gains. We've got cash to spare and you want to please me. You want me to have a car that gives me a ride almost as good as the one you give me every night. You want me to think about you, all hot and wet and wild, when I'm driving along the highway, rushing home to you."
Joey licked her lips, unable to look away from his mouth, the sensual movement of his lips, dripping honeyed words that she wanted to taste on his tongue. "You're delusional."
"Maybe," he agreed huskily, pulling away as the salesman walked toward them, his body still uncomfortably close to Joey's. "But I'll bet you take the test drive with me."
~**~
Pacey pulled the car to the side of the road, glancing over at Joey. Her head was against the headrest, her eyes closed, her hair whipped wild by the wind. She turned slightly to look at him, her eyes golden in the sunlight. "You like?"
"I like."
"What do you say, dear? Should it be your daddy's wedding present to me?"
She shook her head. "I think it should be my daddy's wedding present to me." She smiled as Pacey pouted, her eyes crinkling slightly. "And if you're very, very good, I'll let you drive it."
"I'm always very, very good, Mrs. Witter." He smiled wolfishly at her as he unhooked his seatbelt, moving closer to her in the small confines of the car. "I thought you knew that."
"Oh, I do, Mr. Witter." She nodded, enraptured as he got closer, heat that had nothing to do with the sun beating down on them filling the car. "You've proven it time and time again."
"So we just make it my car?"
"My car."
Pacey shook his head, no distance between them, except for the soft exhalation of breath. "Mine."
They were kissing, neither of them sure of when or why or how it happened, just one moment they weren't and the next they were. Someone moaned, the sound filling the small space, prompting the other to respond. Pacey's hand slid up her side, his thumbs touching her breasts before they broke apart, both panting, both wide-eyed, both scared to death.
"We should get back," Joey whispered, clearing her throat and repeating the statement in a slightly stronger voice. "Otherwise they're going to think we did jack the car and we're going to have a lot of explaining to do."
"A lot of possibly incriminating explaining to do that might result in serious jail time for yours truly." He nodded and turned the key, guiding the car back onto the road. "Good plan."
They drove in silence back to the lot, the salesman's expectant expression fading as he saw the looks on their faces. "Not the car you're looking for?"
Pacey glanced at Joey, watching her shift uncomfortably and knowing she dreaded the ride home as much as he did. "Not the car I expected."
~**~
Pacey stopped the police cruiser up the road from Joey's house, out of sight of anyone who might be looking for headlights in the quickly approaching darkness. "Here ya go, Potter. Safe and sound."
"I I had fun today, Pacey. You're insane and it's going to get us both into trouble some day, but I had fun." Her hand smoothed the material of her dress. "Even if it wasn't real."
"Some of it was real," he said softly. "That car that car was real."
"The car was real." Joey nodded, her eyes still on her lap. "But everything else that was dress up and make believe and pretend." Her gaze lifted and met his, imploring. "Right?"
He nodded back. "Right, Jo."
"Right." She heaved a soft sigh, part relief and part something else and started to climb out of the cruiser. She stopped as Pacey grabbed her hand, expectation in her eyes as he pulled her back toward him. Her lips parted slightly, full and tempting. "What?"
"The ring."
"Oh." She freed the ring from her finger and handed it back to him, watching as he slipped it into its place in the small box he'd pulled out of his pocket. "The ring."
"Don't... don't mention them to Bessie, okay?"
"Of course not."
"And everything else." He looked at her, held her eyes with his. "Nobody else needs to know about that, right?"
"Just between us." She nodded and moved quickly, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight, Pacey."
He waited until she was up the path, disappearing from his sight before responding, his sentence nearly lost as he turned the key, firing the car's engine. "Goodnight, Mrs. Witter."