"So you said."

"It'll just be a second…"

"What's the hold up here, ladies?" Doug moved easily to Bessie's side, taking Alexander from her and lifting him into the air. "Is this man being far too cute to be legal?" He settled him on his hip and winked at Bessie who gave him a grateful smile. "I apologize to all you ladies," he intoned seriously, his badge shining in the florescent lighting. "I'll arrest him and get him out of your way."

The woman behind Bessie laughed, flirting with Doug as he held out his handcuffs for Alexander to bat at. Bessie found the card she'd been searching for and gave it to the cashier, ignoring the searching look she got from the young girl.

As soon as the purchase was done, Doug followed Bessie down the line, heading with her out to her car. He watched her, shaking his head as she sighed and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "What'd I do now?"

"People are already talking in there, Doug. Why is Doug Witter with that Potter woman? Is he going to have to be that bastard's father since his real father - who was black, you know - left that poor woman to raise her son alone? You know, she's one of those Potter girls. Their father's in jail. Mother died. Cancer." She whispered the last word like it was some sort of secret. "I get enough gossip without having to fend off the stuff that's not true."

"People are going to think we're sleeping together just because I helped you with your kid?" Doug cocked an eyebrow. "I think you might be paranoid, Bessie Potter."

"And I think you've got no idea what it's like to be painted with the scandal brush, Douglas Witter."

"You've got me there," he admitted. "I'm pure as the driven snow and have no idea what it's like to have the good townspeople talk about me behind my back." He leaned in conspiratorially as she slid Alex into the baby seat. "However, I do know in my official capacity as deputy of this small town I could tell you a thing or two about a few of those people you think are looking down on you."

"I thought you were sworn to secrecy."

"Damn." He sighed. "That's right. I always forget that part."

She shut the door and grabbed the groceries from her cart, stashing them in the bed of the truck. "Thanks for your help, Doug."

"But don't do it again." He nodded and waved his fingers at Alexander, smiling as the baby waved back. "Gotcha."

"It's not that I don't appreciate it…"

"It's okay, Bess." He tipped his hat and started to walk away. "I understand."

"Oh, God." Bessie groaned deeply, her knees digging into his thighs as his hands kneaded her breasts, teasing the nipples until sensation shot through her, her orgasm coating his cock thickly. He groaned in response, still moving beneath her, thrusting up as she guided his hand down to her hips, holding them there as she ground down against his body until he shook with the force of his own orgasm.

She slid off of him slowly, collapsing on the bed beside him. He leaned over and kissed her, his tongue tasting her mouth quickly before he got off the bed, shuffling to the bathroom to dispose of the condom. Bessie watched him in the light from above the mirror, the firm muscles moving underneath his skin as he walked, the slick wetness of his cock before he snapped off the light and headed back to her.

He crawled back onto the bed, pulling her into his arms, his leg sliding between hers. His tongue was wet and warm on her neck, tasting perspiration. "Tell me," his words were still breathy, harsh from their frantic activity.

"What?"

"About how I'm not supposed to give people the impression I might be fucking you." Doug sucked lightly at her skin, his fingers slipping between her parted legs. "Especially since I am."

"That's…that's exactly why you can't." She moaned softly, falling backwards just enough to allow his fingers to slide in deeper. "If anyone suspected…"

"I know," he agreed, rolling over and trapping her beneath him, his hand moving in earnest now. "Don't worry, Bess. Our secret's safe with me."

"I just…"

"Bessie." He stilled his hand, feeling her body contract around him, continue moving in protest. "I get it. Now," he traced her clit with his thumb, his fingers moving again. "Shut up."

Joey looked over at her sister, watched her poke her pancakes with her fork. "You miss Bodie?"

"What?" Bessie looked up sharply, a deep flush on her face. "What?"

"Do you miss Bodie?" She shook her head. "I mean, are you missing Bodie?"

"Yeah." Bessie nodded, wondering if her guilt shone in her eyes. "I always miss him. And not just because I'd kill to have a man to do half the work around this place."

"I miss him too." Joey's shoulders slumped slightly. "I missed him before, but you know, since Dad…"

"I don't want to talk about Dad, Joey."

"I know." Her voice seemed to shrink as she shrunk in on herself.

"I'm sorry, Jo." Bessie slid off her chair and walked around to hug her sister lightly. "I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. I just don't want to even think about Dad right now. I can't."

"I'm sorry…"

"No apologies, Jo. It was…it was bound to happen, even if I didn't want to admit it. He was the one that made the mistake. You were the one who did the right thing."

"Did I?"

She couldn't quite meet her little sister's eyes. "Yeah. You did."

Joey grabbed her plate and moved away from Bessie's embrace, dumping the remaining food down the garbage disposal. "I'm going to go out, okay? Maybe head over to Screenplay and see if I can find Pacey."

"Sure," Bessie nodded and sighed as Joey shut the door behind her. Ignoring her food, she walked into the bedroom and checked on Alexander, turning on the baby monitor as she went back toward the dining room, picking up her coffee and carrying it, along with the speaker, out to the front porch.

It had been raining that day, fitting her bleak mood when the doorbell rang, forcing her to get to her feet. The couch sagged from where she'd been spending all her time, only able to go so far as to throw the ball to Alexander. Everything else took too much effort.

Her livelihood was gone. Her house was paid for but there was nothing to pay the bills. The father of her child had been gone for months. Her father was back in jail and her sister had been the one to put him there.

She'd opened the door, expecting some Jehovah's Witness or Latter Day Saint, the only ones brave enough to face the decrepit mess her house was rapidly becoming. Instead, he'd been there. At first, she'd wanted to slam the door in his face, hate him for everything that had happened. Instead, she'd stepped back and invited him in, figuring he had further questions, more evidence that he needed to gather, more of her life he needed to pick apart.

"You look like shit."

"Good day to you too, Deputy Witter."

"Let's skip the formalities, Bess. I've seen you naked."

"I was eight."

"So? You were still naked." He walked directly to the kitchen and started pulling dishes out of the sink, turning on the water, testing it as it grew hotter. "Go take a shower."

"Why?"

"Because you look like shit." He grabbed the dish detergent and poured some into the steaming water. "I'll look after Alexander. Go."

She'd gone, unsure of what else to do. She'd stripped and seen what she looked like, her hair and her eyes and her body, the weight loss from sitting and doing nothing hanging on her strangely. She stepped into the spray, surprised at how good it felt.

Nothing had felt good in so long.

She'd wrapped the towel around her head and dried off with the other, wearing it around her body like a toga as she'd managed to put on some makeup so she didn't look quite so pale, so tired. She hurried into her room and put on clean clothes, wondering if just putting the others in the hamper was enough or if she should burn them.

She walked out and he was sitting at the table, sipping a cup of coffee that he'd obviously made and there was another set out for her. "Where's Alexander?"

"Gale came and got him. She's taking him to the zoo for the day." He pushed her coffee toward her. "Sit down."

"I think being in law enforcement has gone to your head. You're bossy." She sat.

"Drink up."

She held the mug with both hands, watching him over the rim. "Why'd you come over?"

"Pacey mentioned you weren't handling things well and he wasn't sure what could be done about it. I thought I'd see for myself."

"Glad I can serve for your amusement."

"You think I'm amused, Bessie?" He looked wounded as he met her eyes. "You think seeing you like that gave me any sort of pleasure?"

"No."

"You're going through something traumatic. I just wanted to be a friend. We were friends once."

"Before my dad's criminal record put us on opposite sides of the law."

"No, just opposite sides of the court room." He reached out and freed one of her hands from the coffee cup, squeezing it gently. "You want to talk about it?"

Tears had flooded her eyes and she'd rambled and babbled, making no sense as she poured everything out of her, like she was a pitcher someone had upended all over her kitchen table. Everything spilled out with her tears and eventually she'd sunk down to the floor and wrapped her arms around her legs, burying her face against her knees.

He'd gotten down on the floor with her and rubbed her back, telling her that things would work out, that they'd be okay. Bodie'd come back and her father's crimes were his own and not hers. That she'd make it through, they'd figure out something to take the place of the Icehouse to pay her bills. She wouldn't lose Alexander and Joey wouldn't have to walk the streets to buy a gallon of milk. He'd managed the last with a straight face, but the look she gave him following it broke his resolve.

She'd glared at his laughter, hating him with everything she had left in her, which wasn't much. He'd kept laughing, the sound harder and louder as she'd seemed so indignant. So she'd kissed him to shut him up.

And the next thing she knew they were naked on her kitchen floor, linoleum sticking to her sweaty skin as he'd gone down on her, making her tremble with orgasm after orgasm, releasing the rest of her pent-up emotions until she lay crying in his arms.

He'd stroked her hair, half dried from her shower, half wet with sweat, and looked down at her, his blue eyes unreadable. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Does that mean you're not going to do it again?" She didn't recognize her own voice, the need and desire in it. She searched for guilt inside herself as she'd looked at him, wondering what it would be like to have something more than his tongue and fingers inside her, wondered what it would be like to be trapped underneath him, feeling his muscles move under her hands as he fucked her.

"Do you want me to do it again, Bessie?"

She'd nodded, the movement lost as he'd bent down to kiss her, the taste of sex heavy between them as his tongue slipped into her mouth, his cock into her body. She'd shuddered in response, coming again, her heels flat on the floor as she'd pushed up against him again and again until he groaned her name like a prayer and come inside her.

She'd pried her skin away from the floor as he'd rolled onto his back, easing his body from hers gently. She'd stared at his cock in fascination, as if she'd never seen one before. He watched her touch him, trace patterns through the liquid seared onto his skin. "Will you come back?"

He'd nodded and sat up, kissing her before he got dressed and left her alone. But not for long.

Bessie shook her head as Alexander's soft cries echoed out from the baby monitor. Clearing the haze from her mind, she set her coffee cup down and hurried into the house, into responsibility, into motherhood.

"Dawson's back." Pacey sat down across from Doug at the table, motioning for the waitress. She brought him a cup of coffee and set it down, patting him on the head as she left. "Why does she do that?"

"Because to her you're still the little five year old who tried to look up her skirt." Doug pushed the sugar toward Pacey. "And why should I care about your little dramatic ménage a trois?"

"Because it's going to bring everything back up, you know? Joey's going to be upset about her dad. More upset. Reliving it."

"I think she does that already, Pace."

"I just don't want her to get hurt again."

"It's not your place to make sure she doesn't." Doug stared down into the dark liquid congealing in his mug. Dawson home meant either Joey gone to his house all the time or Joey home all the time, avoiding him. Joey bringing up their father and making Bessie wonder about life, what was going to happen, about fathers. About Bodie. "You're just her friend, Pace."

"I have an idea."

"God help us all."

"No, it's actually a good one. I think." Pacey took a sip of his coffee then set the mug down, careful to place it back in the ring it had left on the Formica tabletop. "The Potters need money, right?"

"I don't know, Pace. I'm not their accountant."

"But you're sure being a dickhead." He narrowed his eyes at Doug. "Look, it's obvious they're not swimming in dough. They got an insurance settlement from the Icehouse fire, but it's not going to last them the rest of their lives. I know they don't want to open a new restaurant because the overhead sucks and you never manage to actually make money, so I was thinking we could help them do something else."

"We?"

"We. You. Well, I need your help."

"Such as?"

"Joey's mentioned a couple of times that a bed and breakfast would be the perfect solution to their problems. The house needs repairs, but revamping it would take care of that. Bessie could stay home and take care of Alexander and she wouldn't need to pay for daycare. It's a win-win situation."

"Where do I come in? Oh, excuse me, we."

"Well, I'm thinking the police auxiliary is looking for a new project to work on, right? And since the Icehouse was destroyed by arson, which is a crime, it qualifies for their help."

"The Icehouse does."

"The Icehouse was owned by the Potters. C'mon, Doug. Have a little heart." He lifted his mug, watching his brother mull his idea over. He knew it was good and he wasn't going to try and explain - even to himself - what motives might be behind it. "Well?"

"I'll discuss it with Dad."

"Thanks, Doug."

"Don't thank me yet." He paid for both coffees as he stood up and started to walk away. "Oh, Pace. This is for you." He fished a card out of his wallet and handed it to his younger brother. "Go see this guy."

"Why?"

"He's got something you might be interested in buying."

Doug's teeth sank into the silk of his tie, grinding together through the slippery material. His hands curled and clenched around the headboard, gripping it so hard his knuckles were white. Bessie's dark hair was a shadow on his pale skin in the moonlight as her mouth moved over him, sliding along the length of his cock as her fingers massaged his balls. He swallowed hard, letting his head fall back, his hips thrusting off the bed slightly as she pulled back, sucking hard on the sensitive tip.

His low growl of pleasure was muffled by the tie, secured just tight enough around his head that he couldn't dislodge it and wake the rest of the house as she tortured him, sucking and licking his cock agonizingly slowly. He begged her without words, soft sounds against the silk as she increased her speed, taking him faster and deeper into her mouth, the firm pressure of her lips moving against the pulsing throb of blood.

His hands trembled as he tightened his grip, his muscles clenched to their breaking point, his whole body fighting for release. Bessie ran her free hand over his thigh, her palm tickling against the rough hairs there as her mouth focused on the ridge of his cock, pulling it tightly into her mouth. He groaned loudly despite the gag, his orgasm pushing into her, her hungry mouth sapping what remained of his strength from his limbs.

He slumped down on the bed as she moved, allowing him room to stretch out. She sat at the edge of the bed, looking down at him. Doug lifted the gag free then moved his hand to her breast, trailing his fingertips lightly over the soft flesh. "I have a question for you."

"Should I be apprehensive?" She closed her eyes as he captured the nipple between his thumb and forefinger, teasing it gently.

"No, I don't think so." He lay there, watching pleasure drift across her face, mixed with rapidly fading interest in their conversation. "If someone approached you about free labor to turn this place into a B&B, what would you say?"

Her eyes snapped open and she stared down at him, confusion and hope in her eyes. "What?"

"Have you ever given any thought to turning this place into a…" His question ended when she found his mouth with her own, her tongue slipping between his parted lips. Doug groaned again, his arms slipping around her as he rolled them over, pinning her beneath him. "Is that a yes?"

"Joey and I have talked about it." She nodded, straining against his hold on her to kiss him again. "But free labor…?"

"Pacey thought of getting the police auxiliary to kick it in. I checked with my dad and he agreed." He smiled at her as she spread her legs wider, allowing him between them. "If you can stand a few Witters hanging around all the time."

"I've put up with you this long." She arched her back, pressing her body firmly against his. "I can put up with you getting all hot and sweaty working on my house."

Doug reached down, pressing the tip of his cock to her wet skin, easing inside her. "There are other ways to get hot and sweaty."

"Show me."

Joey sank down onto one of the lawn chairs and blew her hair out of her face, wondering if she was as hot and sweaty as her sister looked. "This is hard work."

"Yeah." Bessie glanced over at Joey, her gaze narrowing. "What's wrong?"

"Just…" she shrugged. "Dawson's got himself a new girlfriend who likes…doing stuff in public places. And I'm a little tired of feeling humiliated every time I see them."

"Why are you humiliated, Jo?" She set her drink down on the ground, devoting her attention to her sister. "You're not doing anything."

"But it just makes me feel like everyone knows about Dad and about Dawson and how I told him I never wanted to see him again and then I made this huge fool out of myself with him and I…" she blushed and stared at the ground. "I just feel like everyone feels sorry for me."

"Because you're feeling sorry for yourself?"

"Maybe. A little." She looked up and watched as Pacey and Doug carried a stack of lumber to the back of the house. "I shouldn't be though, huh? I mean, look at all of this. It's like we're making something of our lives."

"You're going to make something of your life, Jo." Bessie reached over and took her sister's hand. "I promise you that."

"Have you told Bodie about this?" Joey avoided Bessie's earnest gaze. "It'd be nice if he could come home, don't you think? I mean, if this place makes money, he won't need to be away and we could all be a family."

Bessie's eyes lifted, watching Doug as he stopped at the cooler they'd set up, lifting the lid and pulling out a dripping soda can. Droplets fell on his bare chest as he opened it and tilted his head back, pouring it down his throat. "I sent him a letter."

"You think he'll come back?"

"This place may not make money right away, Jo. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high."

"You want him home, don't you, Bessie?"

She forced her eyes back to her sister, wide and surprised. "Of course I do, Joey! How could you think otherwise?"

"It's just that…sometimes it's like you don't even miss him." Joey sounded small again, her face shielded from Bessie's view. Once again, they weren't talking about Bodie at all.

"I miss him all the time, Joey. So much it hurts sometimes." She reached out and stroked Joey's hair. "And I know you miss Dawson."

"I don't. I mean, I do. I miss his friendship, but…well, Pacey's been nice to me." She laughed softly. "Who'd have thought that, huh? The Potters and the Witters working together, being friends, all because Dad's drug running caused us to lose our source of income."

"Stranger things have happened." Bessie stood up, leaning over to kiss the top of Joey's head. "Have you tried talking to Dawson?"

"It's kind of hard when the only films he seems to be interested in right now are porn films." She smiled at Bessie's outraged look. "I'm joking. It's just a metaphor for his newest…hobby."

"Don't worry, Jo. Boys like to play around with girls like that, but it's girls like you they fall in love with."

"Yeah?" Joey sighed. "You mind telling me when?"

Doug opened his door, surprised to find her standing there. "What's up?"

"Can I come in?"

"Sure." He backed out of the way, allowing her inside. Shutting the door behind her, he leaned against it, his arms behind his back. "Where's Alexander?"

"Pacey and Joey are watching him. Giving me the night off." She looked around the room, nothing out of place. "They're going to be trouble."

"Yeah." He shook his head, clearing it. "Not that I'm not thrilled you're here, Bessie, but what are you doing here?"

"I got a letter from Bodie today."

"Ah."

The air seemed to shift in the room and she looked at him, her eyes tinged with guilt. "Joey wrote to him and told him all about what we're doing and he's all excited, suggesting ideas and giving me all the kitchen specs he wants implemented."

"That's great. We'll need that when we get to the inside." Doug refused to look at her, his eyes focused instead on his kitchen door. "You want a drink? Something to eat?"

"What are we doing, Doug?"

"We're just surviving, Bess." He pushed away from the door and headed for the kitchen. "I need a drink. You? Do you want anything?"

"No." She shook her head and watched him walk stiffly from the room, wanting desperately to follow him. He came back in, a glass of something in his hand, settling on the couch as she sank into the chair opposite him. "I don't know what to do."

"What do you want to do?" His voice was cool, reasoned. He was playing cop, sitting across from her, asking questions, allowing her to incriminate herself.

"I love Bodie."

"That's not an answer." He met her eyes, watching her over the rim of his glass as he took a drink. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to spend a night with you where you don't have to sneak out before it gets light. I want you to walk in the front door instead of climb in through my bedroom window. I want to scream out your name as I come all around your cock." She blushed, as surprised by the words as he was. "I don't want to feel guilty."

"The two seem mutually exclusive."

"Yeah." She stood up, moving over to sit beside him. She touched the back of his hand, waiting as he turned it over, allowing her to stroke his palm. "You're not a substitute for him."

"You'd be fucking me even if he wasn't gone?"

Tears flooded her eyes at his harsh tone, hating that the question was valid, hating that they both knew her answer. "I love you."

Doug sucked in air, fighting against the emotions her whispered words fueled in him. "Don't say things like that, Bessie."

"Why not? It's true." She reached up and found his chin, forcing him to face her. "I love you, Doug. So much."

"It's just sex."

"No. Sex wouldn't hurt this bad." She leaned in and kissed him softly, her lips light against his. "Sex would be easy and over when it was done. You'd walk out the door and I'd be fine."

"How are you when I walk out the door?"

"You actually crawl out the window," she cracked a small smile, "but it kills me inside. I want to pull you back in and wrap myself around you so you can't leave me." She kissed him again, longer this time, harder, deeper. "Not ever."

"Bessie…" He moaned her name hungrily, wanting more than the faint tastes she was offering him. "What are we doing?"

She stood and pulled her sundress over her head, standing before him in nothing at all. "You're going to make love to me. Over and over again and I'm going to scream out your name so loud all of your neighbors are going to shake their heads, wondering what you're doing to me."

"And what will I be doing?"

She grabbed his hands and led him to his bedroom, closing the French doors behind them. "Everything."

Doug stood in front of Pacey, his arms crossed over his chest, waiting. After a few minutes he cleared his throat then snapped his fingers in front of his brother's face. Pacey started and took a step back, shaking his head as he focused on Doug. "Well, welcome back to planet earth, little brother."

"Hey." Pacey nodded then glanced back at the Potter's house. "I was just taking a little break." He started to walk off, stopping when Doug grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back to where he'd been standing. "What?"

"What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah. You randomly zone out completely when nothing's wrong." He tilted his head, honest concern on his face. "C'mon, Pace. What's going on?"

"It's personal. And, no offense, Doug, but you and I just don't do personal."

"True," Doug admitted, squatting down and pulling at a long blade of grass, very carefully not looking at Pacey. "But who else you got to tell? I mean, you barely see Dawson anymore since his femme fatale blew into town."

"She's blown out."

"That's not the point." Doug looked up, watching Pacey sigh as he thought. "You can tell me, you know. It won't go anywhere else. I do have some semblance of brotherly loyalty."

"You do?" Pacey seemed honestly surprised. "Since when?"

"Ouch." Doug stood up. "Okay, keep your secrets. But remember that I'm here if you need me." He started to walk off, whistling quietly.

"Doug?"

Turning he looked at Pacey, surprised by the tortured look on his face. "Yeah?"

"If someone…if you thought someone had been date raped…or almost…" He blew out a breath, shaking his head. "If you'd just…shit."

Doug didn't say anything for a long moment. "Did someone get hurt, Pace?"

"No. At least…she said he didn't do anything…not really, but…" He looked up, his eyes uncertain. "If someone hurt her, or tried to hurt her, she wouldn't…she wouldn't…"

Understanding hit Doug and he shook his head. "No, Pace. If she'd just been in a threatening situation, even if nothing had actually come of it, she wouldn't want to have sex with you."

He flushed guiltily and turned away, his arms wrapped around his stomach, as if he were going to throw up. "I didn't want to, I mean, I knew…in the back of my mind, I knew it couldn't be true and I didn't want to, didn't want her, even if she wasn't lying. But she wanted…"

Doug walked forward, placing his hand on Pacey's shoulder. "It's okay, Pace."

"She wanted me to…to be with her and I couldn't. I mean, I don't…not like that and not like…not with that…how could she think that I'd want to do that after what might have happened? Like the thought of her being raped would scare me enough to turn me on?" He shuddered, sinking into himself slightly. "She lied to me, Doug."

"People do desperate things when they're lonely." He looked away, watching Bessie as she talked with his father, watching the nervous gestures she fought so hard to control. "They don't always think straight and they don't always do the right thing. She loves you, Pacey, and she's hurting, and she probably feels guilty because she knows what she did was wrong. Both times."

Pacey nodded, not looking any happier. "She thinks we're together again. Even though nothing happened…not really, she thinks we're together again and I have to tell her we're not. We can't be."

"You just have to be honest with her."

"I feel like I'm gonna vomit."

Doug stood still for a moment then put his arm around his brother's shoulders, squeezing them lightly before pulling away. "You'll be fine. I'm not promising you won't vomit, but you'll be fine."

"Thanks, Marcus." Bessie smiled as one of the officers walked out of the room, tapping the blueprints on his jean-clad thigh. Doug stared at her from where he was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression dark. Bessie finally turned back to face him, her eyes widening at the look on his face. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Not nothing." She smiled slightly. "You're pissed about something. Tell me what it is."

"It's nothing." He pushed off the wall and started to walk toward the door.

Bessie reached out, grabbing his arm to stop him. "What's going on here, Doug?"

"It's bad enough that I have to share you with Bodie," he growled, turning and advancing on her, pinning her to the wall, her back against the exposed stud. "But I'll be damned if I'm going to watch you falling all over a jerk like Marcus."

"You're jealous." Her voice was breathless, her smile somewhere between bewildered and amazed. "You're jealous?"

Doug's hands found her breasts, caressing them through the faded cotton of her shirt. "I see the way he looks at you, Bess." He unbuttoned the top button, the worn fabric giving way easily. "Like he wants to touch you." His hands slipped beneath her shirt, touching the soft flesh beneath it, teasing her nipples through the pale lace of her bra. "Taste you."

Bessie's mouth found his, her tongue pushing between his lips to slide into his mouth, taste the bitterness of the coffee he'd been drinking. His hands continued moving over her skin, unhooking the front clasp of her bra and gathering her breasts against his palms, her nipples hard against the smooth skin.

Doug groaned hungrily and pushed her back against the stud, his hands leaving her breasts to unfasten her shirt completely, touching her stomach lightly as he found the fly of her denim shorts. He unbuttoned and unzipped them, slipping his hand past the fabric, pushing past her panties to find her wet clit with the tips of his fingers.

"Yes," she breathed, slipping one leg behind his, pulling him closer. Doug groaned again, his cock pressed hard against her thigh as he straddled her leg. His fingers slipped deeper, stroking up inside her. "Oh, yes."

Doug's free hand unfastened his jeans, shoving his belt out of the way before easing the denim down, pushing his boxer briefs past his cock. He found her hand and wrapped it around him, his body trembling as she stroked his length.

"This is the cock I want, Doug," she nibbled on his lower lip, tasting him as she circled the wet head of his cock with her thumb. "Yours. Only yours."

He pulled his fingers free of her, using both hands to shove her shorts and panties down. Moving slightly, he stood between her parted legs, guiding his cock to her wet flesh. He traced her thighs then brought his hands up to her ass, lifting her, his body shaking as her wet heat surrounded his cock.

"Oh…yes," Bessie moaned, her head almost smacking into the stud as she threw it back. Doug shuddered again, his body thrusting upward into her. Bessie's hands grasped at his shoulders, clenching his shirt in her hands as she used the wall for support, her body grinding down to meet his.

Doug gasped, his mouth hot on her chest as he sought out her nipple, sliding his tongue over the tight peak. His lips closed around it and he sucked gently. Bessie shivered, her breath breaking into soft pants as her body stiffened, her orgasm flooding around him.

"Bessie," he pleaded against her skin, his tongue still torturing her as he jerked with the force of his orgasm, thrusting it up inside her as her muscles contracted around him. He fell against her, both of them using the wall for support as she carefully slipped down his body. His forehead rested against hers and he kissed her softly, pulling away finally, just enough to see her eyes. "You drive me crazy, Potter."

"The feeling's mutual." She pushed him away playfully, reaching down to fix her clothing. Doug stepped back and did the same, ignoring the cool wetness as he pulled his jeans back up over his hips. Smiling at him, Bessie shook her head. "I'm not interested in Marcus."

He returned her grin. "Me either."

"That's a relief." She stepped forward, wanting him closer again.

"Bessie?"

She pulled back just as Gale and Sheriff Witter walked in the room. "Hey."

"We've been looking all over for you. We have some questions about some of Bodie's plans." Sheriff Witter looked from her to his son, his eyes narrowing. "Maybe you could go with Mrs. Leery and explain what exactly it is that he wants?"

"Sure." She gave Doug a casual wave. "Thanks for your help, Doug."

"My pleasure." He nodded in her direction, not looking at his father as Bessie and Gale walked out the door. When they were gone, he finally met his gaze. "What's the look for?"

"Are you messin' around with Bessie Potter?"

"No." Doug smiled slightly, incredulously. "First of all, Dad, she's with Bodie. She's got Bodie's child to prove it."

"Doesn't mean you're not providing her with the goods while he's out of town."

"Bessie and I were friends a long time ago, Dad, and that's all we've ever been. I'm helping her with this project…"

"Wasn't it your idea?"

"Pacey's, actually." Doug shrugged. "I just greased the wheels with you for him. I'm not stupid enough to get involved with someone who's as good as married, Dad."

"He's not going to be gone forever, you know. He's gonna come back."

"And that's fine, since there's nothing going on." He shook his head. "What makes you think there is, anyway?"

"There's a rumor or two floating around town."

"Let me guess, I swept her off her feet at the grocery store, left Alexander crying in his cart while I screwed her on the conveyor belt?"

"Somethin' like that."

"I picked the kid up so she could find her wallet. I carried him out to the car for her; I said goodbye." He laughed. "I take that back. I might have shut her door behind her as well. I certainly didn't provide her with the goods in the produce aisle."

"Hmmm." Sheriff Witter shook his head. "Rumors are dangerous in a town like this, Doug. Just be careful."

He nodded as his father turned around. "Hey, Dad? Did you really believe it?"

"Me?" He looked back over his shoulder, somewhat surprised. "Hell, no. My son wouldn't date a felon's daughter."

Bessie looked around the room, shaking her head in disbelief. "It's so strange."

"What's that?" Gale looked up from the blueprints, smiling automatically at Bessie's look. "It is strange, isn't it? But I think your parents…your mom would be very proud of what you're doing here."

"Who would have believed it would take my dad's drug running to actually make this kind of thing a reality?" Bessie sighed and sank down at the table, turning the blueprints toward her. "Not that he'll ever know."

"Have you been to see him?"

"No." She shook her head. "I have no desire to. What he did…he could have killed us all. What if I'd been there? What if Alexander had been there? What if Joey and her friends hadn't gotten out of there?" Bessie shivered. "It's for the best. Even if the best is hard."

"Speaking of doing what's best…" Gale paused, tapping her fingernail lightly on the tabletop. "It's none of my business, I know. But I think maybe I'm the only one in a position to talk to you…to tell you about this."

"What?"

"Your mom and I were friends, Bessie, and I have to think that she'd want me to look out for you. A little. I mean, you're doing so well. You've done an amazing job raising Joey and Alexander and keeping the restaurant going, and I know it can't have been easy, especially with Bodie gone…"

"What are you trying to say, Mrs. Leery?"

"Gale, Bessie. Call me Gale."

"Fine. Gale. What are you trying to say?"

"It's just that I've been in your shoes and I know how it all comes down. You saw what happened to me and Mitch, and even though you and Bodie aren't exactly in the same boat, you have a son you have to think about. I just don't want to see you make the same mistakes…"

"What mistakes are these?" Bessie's voice was measured and cold, her hand settling on top of Gale's to keep her fingers still. "What are you implying exactly?"

"This thing with you and Doug."

"What thing?"

"You being with him."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're having an affair with Doug Witter." Gale stopped. "Aren't you?"

"What makes you think I'm having an affair with Doug? Because he's helping with the remodel? Well, hell, so are about fifty other cops. Did Doug just win the draw or am I supposed to be putting out for all of them?"

"I didn't mean…I just thought…" Gale blushed and avoided Bessie's gaze. "I was at the market the other day and there was some talk. About how you and Doug were shopping together and you left together. Everyone was wondering what had happened to Bodie…"

Bessie smirked and shook her head. "First of all, I was shopping with Alexander and, while I was checking out, Doug happened to come into the store. He took care of the baby while I paid for my groceries and then he carried him out to the car. After that, I can't really tell you what Doug did, but I can assure you it wasn't fuck me."

"I didn't…"

"Secondly, I love Bodie and I wouldn't cheat on him. Even if we're not married, we're in a serious, committed relationship and I'm not going to jeopardize that just because I got lonely while he was away. He's working hard to send money home to us and I certainly have no intention of making a mockery of that by screwing around behind his back."

"I just…"

"And just because you made a mistake, Gale, it doesn't mean I'm going to make it too." She relented slightly, her voice softening. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to take this all out on you. I'm just tired of so many people talking about what's supposedly going on in my life."

"I'm relieved." Gale smiled and turned her hand, squeezing Bessie's. "I didn't really believe it, but Capeside gossip is a force to be reckoned with."

"I can't believe they don't have something better to talk about."

"Well, you're alone and, you have to admit, you've been a topic of conversation more than once in this town. And Doug's a magnet for gossip - nice looking, unattached. I would venture a guess that most of the gossip is actually just an excuse to fantasize about what Doug looks like naked."

Bessie shuddered, ignoring the change in Gale's voice. "A lot of old, horny women who need to concentrate on their husbands rather than fantasize about another man. Don't you think?"

Gale stood up, nodding at the pointed question. "The house looks great, Bessie."

"Thank you."

"But, if I were you, I'd be aware that the rumor mill is churning. And I'd make sure Doug isn't the last to leave at night."

Bessie moaned softly as the cool breeze hit her bare legs, shifting slightly on the mattress. The humid air hung heavily around her as she awoke, her eyes wide as a hand settled over her mouth.

"Don't say a word."

She nodded as Doug's hand slipped under the hem of her long t-shirt, two fingers parting her bare flesh, sliding easily inside her. His breath was hot on her skin, his body hard against hers.

"I shouldn't be here."

She nodded again, his hand still over her mouth. He removed it, his lips hovering over hers as his fingers wove through her damp hair. He straddled one of her legs, his body hunched above her.

"We need to stop."

"Yes," she breathed, her body arching up toward him.

He slid another finger inside her, moving them easily as his voice dropped huskily, "You're so fucking wet."

"Yes." She nodded wildly. "God, yes."

"We can't do this, Bess." Another finger thrust inside her, his thumb centered over her clit as he kept sliding his fingers in, feeling her body tighten around him.

"Yes…yes."

He pulled his fingers from her, breathing in her gasp as he moved his body, replacing his thrusting hand with his cock, sliding it easily inside her. "People are suspicious."

"Yes."

"It's wrong."

She kept nodding, her legs wrapping around his as she thrust upward. "Yes."

Both hands tangled in her hair, holding her still as he looked down at her. His body kept moving, the rhythm of his hips increasing as he stared into her eyes. She licked her lips, parting them in anticipation of his kiss. Instead, he moved his hand back over her mouth, closing his eyes as he lost control, his orgasm pushing inside her.

Bessie whimpered softly, her fingers raking lightly over his back. Doug's body shook as he kept thrusting into her, his eyes opening. He looked at her seriously, his eyes wounded. "We have to stop. We have to stop." He whispered the words, shaking his head in denial. Bessie felt her body grow taut, the pounding rush of her climax echoing through her as she bathed Doug's cock with her orgasm. He bent his head, burying it against her shoulder, tasting her skin as he kept thrusting, the softly spoken phrase changing as he moved. "I can't stop. I can't stop."

Dust settled around the truck as Bessie pulled it up beside the house, sitting there for a moment to survey the changes to the building. It looked similar but completely different from the house she'd known all her life. Four extra bedrooms, a remodeled kitchen, and repairs to almost everything else. The insurance money was rapidly dwindling and the money Joey had been bringing in from the gas station - which had gone more to her college fund, though it did help them make the daily ends meet - wasn't there anymore.

"I should get a job, kiddo." She glanced over at Alexander and sighed. He was asleep in the car seat, looking angelic in the fading light. "But then I'd have to shell out for daycare, which would cost more than I'd bring in, so I guess you're just stuck with me. But we can make this work; I know it." She sighed and unfastened her seatbelt. "We have to make this work."

Getting out, she walked around to the passenger's side and unbuckled Alexander, lifting him and carrying him toward the house. She stopped at the base of the stairs, her eyes guarded as she looked up at the bench that had recently been added beneath the window. Doug sat there, hunched over, his elbows on his knees. "Hey."

He looked up. "Hi."

"Happy Thanksgiving."

"You too."

She walked up the stairs and unlocked the door, carrying Alexander directly into his bedroom and laying him down in the crib. She came back, walking past where he still sat on the porch and headed for the truck, grabbing the bag of dishes and leftovers Mrs. Ryan had insisted she take home. She stopped in the doorway this time, leaning against the doorjamb and looking at him. "Are you coming in?"

He shook his head. "I shouldn't."

"No. We determined that the last time you were here when I was alone. After all, rumors are flying. People are suspicious." She shifted the bag to the other hand. "What did you have for dinner?"

"My mom made a turkey roast and she boiled cauliflower then covered it with melted Velveeta cheese." He shuddered. "You?"

"I was at Mrs. Ryan's."

"Mmm." He sighed. "Good?"

"Very." She tilted her head and smiled at him. "I have some leftovers." She glanced down in the bag. "Not a boiled cauliflower among them."

"Is that an invitation?"

She licked her lips, finally bringing her gaze back to his. "Joey's going to be gone for a while. I don't see that we can fuel the rumor mill unless there's a bunch of people watching my house."

"Well, I wouldn't put it past a few people in this town, but I tried to be discreet on my way here."

"Where's your car?"

"I walked."

She shook her head. "Come inside. I'll feed you some real food."

He stood and followed her inside, shutting the door behind him. The room was sparely furnished, piles of wood and tools taking up most of the space. He walked into the kitchen, watching her as she emptied the bag, placing used dishes into the sink. "Can I help?"

"You can wash." She moved a ways away from the sink to allow him room to work. "We have ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes."

"Sounds good." He laughed at her raised eyebrow. "Turkey, stuffing, and gravy. Please."

Bessie pulled a plate out of the newly redone cabinets and dished up his food, slipping it in the microwave. "How much longer until the house is done, do you think?"

"Not too much longer. Three weeks?" He ran hot water into the sink, testing it with his hand. Bessie stared at the movement, watching as he used his other hand to roll up his sleeve. "It's pretty close. The bedrooms are done, but you'll need to decide on decorating. We have to finish the floor and finish up the living room. Shouldn't take too long, but it's always hard to get a specific date when it's all volunteer work."

She nodded, moving closer to him. Her hands settled on his hips, her body pressed against his. "Doug?"

He bent his head, taking a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. He reached up and turned off the water as the microwave beeped steadily. "Bessie…"

She put pressure on his hips to stop her hands from shaking. He turned slowly and faced her, his hands still gripping the edge of the counter. "I know it's wrong. And I know we need to stop. And I know that maybe there's someone out there who's watching us and waiting to report what position I like best to all the blue-haired women gathered around this week's National Enquirer." She smiled as the corners of his mouth quirked up in a grin. "I know we shouldn't." Her hands slid up, grabbing his shirt and pulling it free from his jeans. "But I want you. And I love you."

"Bessie." He bent his head, his breath warm against her ear.

"And we both know you didn't come here for Grams's cooking. No matter how good it is."

"No." He pulled his hands free and slid them up her sides, lifting her off her feet. He walked forward, setting her gently on the kitchen table. He pulled the chair out of his way and moved closer. "No, that's not what I came here for." His hands moved down to her jeans, unfastening them. "And definitely not what I'm hungry for."

His hands moved upward, pressing her down onto the table. She lay back, her breath already shortening as his fingers skimmed over her stomach and back down to her jeans. She lifted her lips slightly as he eased them down, pushing them towards the floor as he knelt in front of her.

Bessie moaned softly as his hands settled on her knees, parting them as he moved between them, his breath stirring through the downy strands of dark hair that shielded her wet flesh. His fingers made their way higher, trailing over her inner thighs, moving higher still, parting the swollen skin.

One finger traced her opening as he bent forward, his tongue grazing her clit. She inhaled sharply, her body reacting with a series of muscle spasms as his finger moved down, following the rivulets of liquid over her slick skin to the tight muscle of her ass. He traced around the puckered flesh then brought his finger back up, sliding it inside her.

His tongue teased her lightly, promising everything with soft flickers over her clit, tracing the hard nub as she fought for breath above him. Every sound was muted as her legs closed slightly, holding him captive as he began tasting her in earnest, his tongue moving over her hungrily.

Another finger joined the first, his slow, steady rhythm matching the shallow thrusts she was making down toward him. Bessie's fingers gripped the edge of the table and she pulled herself closer to him, her body arching away from the smooth surface. Doug's tongue slid down, thrusting inside her, in unison with his fingers.

She gasped softly, the first wave of her orgasm crashing through her. Doug's tongue continued moving, pushing up into her, tasting her. She shuddered around him and he stood, staring down at her as his fingers continued moving slowly and steadily.

Her eyes were glazed, hungry and dark, as he unfastened his own jeans, shoving them down over his hips with one hand as the other moved inside her, his thumb against her clit. He watched her with hooded eyes as he pressed his cock to her clit, moving his thumb out of the way as he rubbed the head slowly over the hard nub. Bessie reacted again, her slow shivers growing as he removed his hand from inside her, replacing it with his cock.

Her legs went around him, her heels digging into his ass. Doug moved his hands under her ass, supporting her as her back arched, her head pressed hard to the table's surface. He thrust slowly, feeling the wet flesh constrict around him, losing himself in the heated sensation of her body.

Bessie's breath hitched as she felt another orgasm threaten, the thick boiling in her stomach sliding deeper, wrapping around his thickness as he pushed into her. She lifted her hands, reaching up for him. Doug leaned forward, allowing them to lock over his shoulders as she sat up, taking him deeper as she slid down his length.

His hands slid up her back, caressing her skin as he held her. Bessie's breath was warm on his neck, her tongue tracing rivulets of sweat down his skin. He groaned and stumbled over to the side, sinking into the chair he'd pulled out of his way. Bessie settled around him, gripping the back of the chair and beginning to move, her hips rolling against his.

Doug groaned low in his throat, the sound rumbling between them as he slid his tongue past her lips, sharing the taste of her. Bessie sucked hard on his tongue, her body moving wildly, erratic and quick as her muscles constricted around Doug's cock, the threat of another orgasm sweeping over her.

His hands pressed against her, pushing her hard against his chest as he held her still, his body coming off the chair as his climax hit him, thrusting up inside her. Bessie stilled above him, relaxing slowly as he did. Doug broke the kiss, letting his head fall back, his mouth open, his breathing harsh.

He lifted his head slowly, a sly smile on his lips as he brought one hand around, slipping it between their bodies. His fingers parted wet, slick flesh, finding her clit easily, teasing it gently. Bessie gasped, her body shaking as he pushed her quickly over the edge, falling back again as her orgasm flooding between them.

"I hate men."

Bessie looked up from the newspaper at her sister and tilted her head. "Any particular reason? Or is this a general hatred stemming from the collective unconscious of women everywhere?"

"Fine." Joey dropped down in the seat opposite her sister. "I hate Pacey and Dawson."

"What'd they do now?"

"They…they acted like guys!" She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, her face a mask of irritation. "And they never do that. Well, Pacey does it all the time, but usually in a less annoying way."

"What did he do this time that made it so annoying?" She pushed the paper aside and gathered her cup of coffee in her hands, settling back to watch Joey. "In the past, the crimes have been pulling your hair, pantsing you in the local pool, feeling you up and asking you when the boob fairy was going to visit you…"

"God, shut up." Joey got up and stormed over to the counter, pouring herself a cup of coffee then lacing it with a healthy dose of milk. "Don't remind me what a creep he is."

"And here I just always thought he had a crush on you."

"Well, that's obviously not the case." Joey sat down again, the anger draining out of her face, replaced with something more wistful. "He's got a pact. With Jen."

"A pact?"

"A sex pact. A 'whenever the feeling strikes us, let's do it' pact. A fuck for fun pact." She took a big sip of her coffee, wincing at the heat, but still keeping an eye on Bessie to see if she'd react to her language.

"So they're having sex? Are they dating?"

"No!" Joey groaned and got up, pacing the kitchen. "They're just screwing around. No dates, no relationship, no strings. No feelings. And that's not Pacey."

"Why not?"

"Because he's not like that. He feels things. I mean," Joey paused and sighed, sinking back into her seat. "Pacey doesn't have casual sex. It always means something."

"Have you had sex with Pacey, Joey?"

"WHAT?" Joey spilled her coffee all over the table. "Why would you think I…how could you…What?"

Bessie hid her laughter as she got up and grabbed a towel from beside the sink, mopping up Joey's spill. "You just seem to know a lot about what sex means to him."

"Because I talk to him, not because I've…I can't believe you think I've slept with Pacey!"

"I didn't say I believed it, Jo. I just asked if you'd done it." Bessie dumped the now-brown towel into the sink then sat back down. "Which you obviously haven't."

"That's right. I mean, he's Pacey, for God's sake." Joey gave her sister an uncomfortable look. "Anyway, he's been messing around with Jen…"

"Sleeping with her?"

"No." She shook her head. "He never seemed to get that far, I guess. Which just proves he's not the kind of guy to mess around with someone who doesn't mean something special to him. Right?"

"Or maybe Jen's not the girl he wants to be with."

"Andie?" Joey sounded surprised and shook her head. "He can't still be in love with Andie, can he?"

"I have no idea, Joey. You're the one who spends nearly every day with him. I think if anyone knows how Pacey Witter feels about a girl, it would be you." She smiled innocently. "So he's been fooling around with Jen?"

"In Dawson's room, apparently." Joey continued to give Bessie uncertain looks. "And so when Dawson saw the two of us together last night, he assumed we were doing…something."

"And what were you doing?"

"Dancing."

"Dancing?"

"Taking dancing lessons. I told you about the scholarship."

"Right. And Pacey's helping you with this?"

"It's a long story."

"Obviously."

"Look…we were dancing, and Dawson and Jen showed up and Dawson thought Pacey and I were fooling around; although, what would ever make him think that, I can't even imagine. And then the instructor said something stupid about there being all this sexual tension, which is obviously completely insane, and so Dawson was even more suspicious." Joey chewed her lower lip for a moment. "Anyway, Pacey left and Jen left and then Dawson and I were going to leave, but when we left, we ran into Jen and Pacey and they were making out."

"Making out?"

"Yeah. She was kissing him. They were kissing and…" Joey paused for a moment, her brow furrowing. "Maybe he was kissing her."

"They were kissing works."

Joey looked up at Bessie, confusion plain on her face. "I left and Dawson followed me. I didn't want to hear all their explanations and rationalizations. And then Dawson agreed with them! Agreed that sometimes you need someone, even if it's not necessarily right. But I think that was more about excusing the time he got a blow job on Mitch's boat rather than why Jen was all over Pacey."

"Dawson got a blow job?"

"That's not the point, Bessie!" Joey shook her head. "Anyway, I went inside to apologize to Pacey, because I overreacted."

"You?"

Joey pointedly ignored the sarcasm. "And we left. And it was okay, but on the way home, he was all quiet, like he was thinking about something."

"Or someone?"

"Do you think he was thinking about Jen?"

Bessie glanced toward the front door as the sounds of the first volunteers floated in from the lawn. Standing up, she moved to the front window and looked out at them. She found Doug talking to a group of men as they discussed the last of the work they had to do on the roof. Pacey was standing off on the lawn a ways away from the other workers, his eyes fixed somewhere in the vicinity of Joey's bedroom.

"No. I think it's safe to say he most definitely wasn't thinking about Jen."

"Do you think Pacey's falling for Joey?" Bessie draped her arm over the one Doug had wrapped around her waist.

"I think it's pretty safe to assume." He nuzzled her neck, his breath warm on her skin. "What about Joey?"

"She's got all the classic signs of being addicted to a Witter boy."

"And what signs are those?"

She rolled over in his arms, facing him. She parted her legs, allowing him to slip one of his between them, bringing their bodies closer together. "Unexplained jealousy, spending inordinate amounts of time with someone you supposedly can't stand, unfocused gazes, staring out the window of your house at said Witter boy, especially when he's got his shirt off and all sweaty."

"Is that Joey or you?"

"A little bit of both of us." She kissed him softly, her tongue feathering lightly over his lips. "I'm afraid the addiction is highly contagious."

"Is there a cure?"

"Intervention is really the only way to help it, I'm afraid." She shook her head. "And I have a feeling both Joey and I would be vastly opposed to interventions at this stage of the game."

Doug nodded and moved closer, his body flush with hers, his cock trapped between them, hard against her stomach. "I have to admit that I'd be a little opposed to an intervention right about now too."

"Really?" Her voice deepened, hunger lacing her words. "Why's that?"

"Because," he rolled her onto her back, his knee spreading her legs so he could slip easily between them, his cock pressed against her opening, "it would really distract me from what I'm doing."

"And what is that," she gasped as he pushed inside her, her body surrounding him eagerly, "exactly?"

"You don't know?" He chuckled quietly, beginning to thrust.

"I have my suspicions." Her arms draped around his shoulders as she pulled him closer, leaning in to suck on his earlobe. "Want me to tell you what they are?"

He shuddered as her warm breath traveled along his nervous system, fueling his thrusts. Lowering himself onto his elbows, he closed the distance between their bodies, her breasts crushed against his chest. His lips moved over hers gently, tasting the swollen flesh in soft, hungry kisses. "I love you, Bessie."

She sobbed softly, unaware of the sound escaping her lips as she slipped her tongue into his mouth. They moved together, bodies rocking silently as her fingers dug into his skin, wanting him closer. He slid his hands under her back, cradling her to him as his hips continued moving, thrusting deeper.

Bessie broke the kiss, gasping for breath as he moved his lips to her neck, sucking the salty flesh, his teeth nibbling at her throbbing pulse. She arched off the bed, crying his name softly, begging him not to stop as her orgasm hit her, her body constricting around his.

Doug groaned against her skin, thrusting into the heat of her climax as he came, his body trembling above hers as their movements slowed. When they finally stopped, they clung together, perspiration holding them together. Doug gazed down at her, his blue eyes serious. "I meant it."

"I know," she nodded. "I love you, too."

He moved away from her slowly, rolling off the bed and staring out the window. "I should go while it's still dark." She nodded again, not speaking. He sighed, giving her an understanding smile before pulling on his clothes and disappearing into the night.

Pacey looked up as a shaft of light spread across the floor of the workshop, his eyes widening as the long shadow evolved into his brother. Reaching back, he turned off the saw, sending the room into silence. "Hey."

Doug looked around the small room, taking everything in. "Hey."

"What brings you here?" Pacey's brow furrowed. "Is everything okay?"

"What?" Doug shook his head, smiling slightly. "Everything's fine. I just ran into my friend and he asked how your little caveat emptor was coming along."

"She's looking great." Pacey laughed at Doug's raised eyebrow. "Trust me, she's looking great. Not ready, by any means, but great. Or better, anyway." He reached up, running his fingers through his hair, painting the dark brown with a swath of sawdust. "So..." He paused and looked around the room. "What are you doing this afternoon?"

Doug followed his gaze to the work table. "Let me guess, providing free manual labor?"

"Hey, you're doing it for the Potters. And they're not even family." He grabbed a sander off the table and tossed it to Doug. "Besides, don't you think it's time you honed a few more manly skills?"

"I thought that's what I was doing working on the house."

"Not when you spend half the time talking with Bessie about what she should do with her kitchen to increase its feng shui."

"You're mocking me." Doug gestured at Pacey with the sander. "Is that really the best way to keep free help?"

"With you, big brother, it's the only way I know." Pacey grabbed the board he'd been working on, hefting it over his shoulder. "Come on. It'll do you good to actually get your hands on a woman."

"It's a boat."

"She's a boat."

Doug rolled his eyes and let Pacey lead the way out to the boat, watching his brother climb aboard easily, even with the load over his shoulder. "You look pretty at home up there."

"It feels like home." Pacey set the board down and gestured toward the ladder. "Come aboard."

Doug joined him on the deck, surveying the obvious work Pacey had done. "What are you going to do with it…her when she's finished?"

"Sail her around the world."

"The world?"

"Well," Pacey shrugged. "Maybe not the world. Not yet. This summer maybe just the eastern seaboard. But after that…"

"What about college?"

His voice was suddenly wary. "What about it?"

"I just wondered if you were thinking about it."

"Why bother?" Pacey's voice changed, light and uncaring. "I mean, it's no secret that I suck as a student, and the chances of me graduating, much less getting some institute of higher learning to even consider me, are pretty slim."

"And the effort of applying yourself in the next few months and next year just isn't worth it?" Doug's voice was laced with sarcasm as he started working on the boat, not looking at Pacey as he did the same.

"Again, what's the point? Anywhere worth going isn't going to take me, even if I manage to somehow mix my brain up with Joey Potter's over the next year and half. And somehow the prospect of Capeside Community College isn't the bright and shiny pot at the end of the rainbow."

"So, what?" Doug's voice remained calm and non-confrontational, not judging. "You're just going to sit here in Capeside doing nothing?"

"I told you, I'm going to sail my girl around the world."

"All alone?"

"There are people in other parts of the world. Or so I'm told." He stopped working and faced his brother, his arms crossed over his chest. "What's all this about, Doug? Did Dad tell you to talk to me?"

"No." Doug stood up and shook his head. "I'm just curious as to what your plans are."

"I don't plan to do anything, Doug. I'm just going to get my girl up and running and let the rest of the world and the rest of my life sort itself out." He shrugged. "Tell me, when you made all your big plans for your life, did you plan on ending up back in Capeside, working for your dad and spending every night at home alone?"

"No, not really." Doug shrugged in return. "I planned on becoming a police officer and settling down. I'm halfway there."

"So by settling down, did you actually mean with a woman? Because you forgot the whole 'become heterosexual' step in there."

Doug shook his head. "You're a one-hit wonder, little brother."

Pacey grinned and shrugged, disappearing below deck. He came back up, tossing Doug a Coke. "Joey's in Boston this weekend."

"Oh yeah?" Doug managed to keep his smile from showing.

"Yeah. She and Dawson and Andie and Jack. Half the gang's up there, looking at schools." He popped the top of his drink, not looking at Doug. "I guess it does feel kind of weird not to be there. I mean, Dawson and Joey and I…we've been the three musketeers for a long time."

"Isn't Dawson planning on going to Hollywood?"

Pacey laughed, the sound slightly bitter. "You really think Dawson and Joey are going to stay away from each other for any prolonged period of time?"

"I don't know," Doug glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye. "Seems to me Joey's spending more time with you lately than she's spending with Dawson."

"A minor aberration in the norm, I assure you." Pacey sighed. "Did a lot of your friends leave town after high school?"

"A few."

"You miss 'em?"

Doug sat back on his heels and regarded Pacey thoughtfully. "Some of them, yeah. But we still talk every once and a while."

"Do you ever regret staying here?"

"Sometimes." Doug sat on the edge of the boat, sipping his drink as he faced his brother. "But you know what I regret more?"

"What's that?"

"Chances I didn't take."

"Like what?"

He shrugged and avoided Pacey's gaze. "You'll know 'em when they come along." Doug gave him a half-hearted smile. "They change everything."

"Nothing changes."

"I don't know, Pace. I think things are changing all over the place." He finished his Coke and tossed the can in the bucket Pacey had set up on the deck. "And I think you should give yourself a little more credit."

"Yeah?"

Doug nodded, climbing off the boat and moving behind it, patting the nameplate. "And have some faith, little brother."

"Tell me something." Bessie turned onto her stomach and glanced down at the floor where Doug was sprawled on the faded carpet.

"Something in particular or something general?" He reached up and took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. "For example, do you want to know how many doughnuts cops really eat or do you want the myth perpetrated by the media?"

"Why are you here?" "Here in the existential sense? Here in your bedroom?" He looked up at her and met her serious gaze. "Or here with you?"

"You're being facetious." She released his hand and poked him sharply in the stomach.

"What do you want me to be, Bessie? You're asking questions that are sort of against the ground rules."

"There are ground rules?"

"You know there are." He sat up and watched her from a distance, his knees pulled up, his arms draped across them. "And you know what they are, even if you feel like disregarding them. So don't pretend you don't."

She didn't say anything for a long moment, watching him just as intently as he watched her. Finally, she spoke. "I guess I just don't see what you're getting out of this. Why you're doing it."

"I've been doing it for almost a year, Bessie," he reminded her, his voice deceptively light. "Why ask now?"

She sighed and sat up, swinging her legs off the bed. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize fucking was the only activity sanctioned by our ground rules." She walked across the room, disappearing into the bathroom.

Doug rubbed his face with his hands, taking a deep breath before getting to his feet and following her. He leaned against the bathroom door and knocked softly. "Bess?"

"Is there some sort of orgasm limit in our ground rules? Have I exceeded it or anything? Am I in violation of some sort of treaty?"

"Now who's being facetious?"

"No." She opened the door and glared at him. "I'm being pissed off. Is that really all this is to you, Doug? A fuck?"

"Yes. I'm risking my reputation, your reputation and the future of your family because I only want to fuck you." He rolled his eyes. "What do you think, Bessie?"

She bent her head, covering her mouth with her hand. After a few moments, she looked up at him. "You know this is going to end at some point, right? You know he's going to come back and I can't leave him. I won't. I love him. He's the father of my baby."

"I know all that, Bessie."

"Then why are you here?" She spoke louder, tension thick in her voice. "What are you doing wasting your life fucking me?"

"I love you," Doug reminded her gently. "There's no rhyme or reason to it. I love you. I love talking to you and touching you. And yes, as much as I loathe admitting it, I love fucking you." He smiled and caught her chin, tilting it up just enough to see her do the same. "Can we go back to bed now?"

"This would have been much easier if you'd just jumped me in high school."

"Are you kidding? In high school I was a total geek. I had braces and dressed like a nerd."

"You weren't a nerd."

"Bessie," he admonished, waiting for her smile. "I was a nerd."

"Yeah. You were." She leaned into him, kissing him softly. "I hate myself sometimes for not telling you to leave. I hate that I can't let you go, and I hate that you're going to get hurt in the end. That I'm going to hurt you."

"It's worth the price." He smiled as she stepped back, catching his hand and pulling him toward the easy chair that dominated one corner of the room. "You're worth the price."

The blush suffused her entire body, the slightly tanned flesh turning rose with pleasure. She guided him to the chair. "Sit."

He did as she said, watching with interest as she took a few steps back and looked at him, her eyes roaming up his legs to his waist, his bare stomach and chest before reaching his eyes. She took his hands in hers and placed them on the armrests.

"Stay."

He stilled, his blue eyes intent on her as she sank down to the floor, her hands resting on his knees, spreading his legs apart. "What are you doing, Bess?"

She shook her head, her hair brushing his thighs as she moved closer between his legs. She stopped and leaned down, her lips gliding over the inside of his thigh. Doug closed his eyes, sinking back in the chair, his hips sliding forward.

Bessie's mouth roamed over his skin, her light breath stirring the dark hairs that stood out against his tanned skin, her tongue tracing delicate patterns on his flesh.

Doug's breath shortened as she worked her way higher, her teeth nibbling on the sensitive skin. His body tensed, muscles standing in high relief as she transferred her attention to his other leg.

Pulling away, Bessie ran her hands over the top of his legs, her palms rubbing the scratchy surface, the silky hairs rasping against her skin. Doug swallowed hard, his body tight with arousal as she stopped her hands at the top of his thighs, her attention focused on his cock.

"Do you like it when I touch you?"

"Yes," he breathed as she moved her hand, letting her thumb brush along the length of his cock.

"Do you dream about me?" She bent down, letting her tongue move over the tip, tasting him.

"Yes." Doug's hips arched upward, his legs spreading wider. He watched her with desperate eyes, hungry for her as she wrapped her hand around his cock, stroking it slowly as she held his gaze.

"Do you do this when you think of me, Doug?" Her voice was low and husky, seductive with promise. "Stroke your cock and pretend it's my hand? My mouth?"

"Yes," he nodded, his soft gasps of breath hitching in response to her slow movement. "Yes."

Bessie straightened, her breasts brushing his skin. Her hard nipples pressed against his legs and he let out a moan, his body shuddering in response. "Or do you just pretend it's me? All around you, surrounding you."

"Bessie," he pleaded with her, his hand leaving the chair arm to thread through the thick mass of her hair. He pulled her to him, wanting to taste her.

Bessie retreated, releasing him despite his protest. She stood, the dark thatch of hair at the apex of her thighs framing her rosy skin. He reached out, brushing the wild tangle, watching Bessie's body tense. She shook her head and captured his hand, moving it away from her.

Lowering his hand back to the chair, she held it there, using both for leverage as she crawled on top of him, straddling him, her knees slipping down beside his thighs. She tilted her head slightly, watching desire dance through his eyes. "Taste me."

He obliged her, taking a nipple in his mouth as she lowered herself onto him, his cock easily parting her wet flesh. He groaned around the hard peak, sucking it gently as she held onto the back of the chair, slowly beginning to move along his body.

Doug kissed his way across her chest as Bessie continued stroking him with her body, her muscles tight around him, clenching and unclenching as she rose and fell steadily. As he wrapped his mouth around the second breast, her body quivered and her movements began in earnest, the speed of her thrusts increasing.

"Touch me," she panted.

Doug's hands moved as the words left her lips, running up and down the length of her back, curving over her ass. His fingers found her hips and stomach, caressing her everywhere. Bessie's breathing dissolved as she gave up all pretense of control, her body rocking wildly against his.

Doug held her close, his hips grinding against hers, crashing together as hard and fast and deep as they could. His fingers dug into her hips as he held her still, arching off the chair, his body barely supported as he loosed a husky rumble, burying his orgasm inside her.

Bessie gasped for breath, fighting for air as her body shook uncontrollably, her hands grasping at the back of the chair, her legs past supporting her as she went weak, the thick heat of her orgasm colliding with his.

She slumped against Doug, her head resting in the hollow of his neck, the salty taste of perspiration on her tongue. Doug turned and kissed her forehead, his breath cool on her warm skin. "After that, do you still wonder what I'm doing here?"

She smiled weakly. "I knew you only wanted me for sex."

"Oh yeah. The other stuff was just sweet talk to get you to do that to me."

"Worked well."

He grinned at her, kissing her once more. "That it did."

Bessie stood in the back door, staring up at the sky. The night was cool, comfortable and, above all, quiet. Bodie's parents had come down and taken Alexander for the weekend while she got ready for their grand opening.

She took a deep breath of sweet, creek-scented air, gasping softly as a hand slipped around her waist, another covering her mouth. Doug's breath was warm on her neck. "Quiet. Don't want the meddling kids to hear us."

She turned, unable to keep from grinning as he started backing up, his hand sliding around to catch hers, pulling her toward the back of the house. "There aren't any meddling kids."

"Those are the best words I've heard in a long time." He pressed two fingers against her lips. "Let's go to bed."

"Maybe I have plans." She grinned. "Or do you think I'm just sitting around with nothing to do on a Saturday night?"

He stopped in the bedroom doorway, cocking an eyebrow in her direction. "Are you telling me you have plans?"

"You don't have to seem quite so surprised."

"Since it's so common for the single mother with a steady, if absent, boyfriend to paint the town red?"

"Something like that." She pushed him into the bedroom and pulled the door shut behind her. "I suppose I could somehow manage to wrangle out of any other commitments."

"And what," he asked as he caught her hips, bringing her body against his, "would those other commitments be?"

"Well, I was thinking about taking a bath. Possibly washing my hair." She laughed softly, tilting her head as he nuzzled her neck. "But I'll see if I can get out of it." Bessie pushed Doug away slightly and moved over to the window, glancing up at the sky. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"

Doug didn't glance up as he held her hips, pulling her body back against him. "Very beautiful."

"Doug!" She reached back, trying to remove his grip, finally giving up and just leaning out the window, pulling against him. "I was stargazing."

"I'm not stopping you." His hands moved back, caressing the curve of her ass. "In fact, given your current position, I'd be more than happy if you just kept gazing at them the rest of the night."

"You're incorrigible."

"No," he assured her, letting his hands slide around and find the fly of her jeans. "I'm insatiable. There's a difference."

"You're going to ignore this beautiful night for sex?"

He undid her jeans and pushed them down, his fingers slipping under the waistband of her panties and guiding them down her legs as well. "Not just sex." The material pooled at her feet as he undid his own fly, pushing his pants down as well. "Really good sex. Really beautiful sex."

"If you do say so yourself?" She kept her gaze focused on the pale moonlight.

He stepped away from her, running his fingertips along her spine, smiling as she shivered, her grip on the windowsill tightening slightly as he let his fingers move lower, gliding over the curve of her ass, stopping just before the brushed damp flesh. "Are you disagreeing with my assessment of our relationship, Ms. Potter?"

She shook her head. Doug smiled and ran his hand up her back, slipping under her shirt. It clung to her skin despite the cool night air gently blowing in on them. He stepped closer and slipped his other hand under her shirt as well, moving them over her skin, around to her stomach then up to cup the swell of her breasts.

Bessie straightened and leaned back against him, moving her head slightly so he could kiss the column of her neck. Doug murmured softly against her skin, whispering nothing at all as his tongue tasted her. She had difficulty catching her breath as she spoke. "Doug, Joey's due home any minute."

"I know." He pressed closer, his cock hard against her ass. "I don't care." He reached down, his fingers grazing her inner thigh as he urged her legs further apart, brushing the rosy flesh before wrapping his hand around his cock and guiding it to her opening. "At all."

Bessie closed her eyes, the starlight above forgotten as she leaned forward slightly, feeling his body stay with hers, his chest still firm against her back as he wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her to him.

She clung to the hard wood of the window frame, clenching it tightly as he began moving slowly, his shallow thrusts barely penetrating, despite the thickness that filled her. She felt every breath against her body, the moist heat warring with the chilled night air, sending shivers through her body, her nipples hardening almost painfully.

"Doug," she breathed, pushing back against him as he thrust again. He groaned, the sound trembling through her body, his hands slipping up her stomach then further to her breasts, cupping the full mounds, his fingers fondling the hard nubs.

Closing his eyes, Doug lost himself in the sensation of her, the warmth surrounding him, the heavy weight in his hands, the firm yet soft skin of her nipples, the silkiness of the flesh that wrapped around his cock, the taut muscles constricting around him with every thrust.

Bessie's hand slid down between her legs, her fingertips pressed lightly to her clit. Doug noticed her movement and stilled then released one breast, letting his hand follow hers down. His larger fingers replaced hers, tracing the pulse pounding beneath her flesh.

Whimpering softly, Bessie closed her eyes, the image of their skin bathed in starlight burned on her brain as he continued moving inside her, slowly and steadily, every thrust pushing him deeper into her.

"Bessie?"

Doug nearly groaned as he pulled away from her, stumbling back against the wall. Bessie held on to the window frame in an effort to remain standing, breathing heavy as her sister knocked at the bedroom door.

"Bessie? You asleep?"

"No." Her voice sounded strange, thick and desperate. Her body ached, on the cusp of orgasm as she wove her way through the dark bedroom to the door. She fumbled with the knob, finally managing to twist it and open the door.

Poking her head into the dim light of the hallway, Bessie blinked and focused on her sister. Joey smiled shyly. "I'm sorry if I woke you. I'm home. And I'm going to bed."

"Did you have a good weekend?" Bessie acknowledged, forcing her gaze to stay with Joey as her mind and body focused on Doug as he stripped off his clothes, still standing against the wall. His cock, wet from being inside her, seemed to glisten in the dim light filtering in from the hallway. "How was the school?"

"It was all right. It started out bad, but it got better."

"How was your roommate?"

Joey blushed and ducked her head. "He…he was okay."

"He?"

She looked up and smiled, blushing. "There was a mix-up. But it worked out okay."

"Oh?" Bessie looked at her sister, watching the heat rise on her cheeks. Finally she nodded, faking a yawn as Joey looked away again. "I'm beat, Jo. See you at breakfast, okay?"

"Yeah." Joey smiled and nodded. "Night, Bessie."

"Night." She shut the door and leaned against it, the wood cool against her forehead. She glanced back at Doug, watching him as he waited there for her, not moving. "Come here."

"No." He shook his head, refusing to make any further movement. "You come here."

She turned slowly and stared at him for a moment before pulling her shirt over her head and tossing it aside. Her bra was bunched up above her breasts and she unfastened it, dropping it to the floor as well as she advanced on him. "Asserting your dominance, Deputy Witter?"

"No," he answered honestly, his blue eyes unreadable in the darkness, "I just need to see you come to me."

Bessie stopped in front of him, cupping her breasts with her hands. "Is there anything else you need?"

He bent his head and took one hard nipple in his mouth, suckling it lightly. Bessie buried her fingers in his hair, holding him to her chest. His low rumble of pleasure was lost against her skin as he kissed and licked his way to her other breast, offering it the same treatment.

Her whole body shaking, Bessie tugged at his hair, pulling him away from her. He looked at her through glazed eyes, rife with hunger, then wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, bringing her lips to his.

Bessie rested her hands on his shoulders as his free hand slid around her waist, lifting her. She wrapped her legs around him as he carried her to the bed, laying her down gently and sliding inside her in one smooth movement. He didn't speak as his body moved, thrusting between her parted legs as her legs slid down, pulling him even closer.

Doug gasped as Bessie's body tensed, the hard rush of her orgasm bathing his cock. Closing his eyes, he thrust deeper, focusing his thoughts on the constant, rigid pulse of his blood, matching his strokes with the insistent throbbing. He lost himself in her as he moved, startled as her hands pushed at him, shoving him away from her.

He retreated, unthinking, at the touch of her hands. He started to speak, stopping as she slid off the bed, onto her knees, wrapping her mouth around his cock, sucking hard at the wet, aching tip. He reached down, bracing himself on her shoulders as she took him deeper, one hand caressing his balls as the other snaked down to finger her clit, riding out the last waves of her orgasm. With a low rumble of release, Doug's head fell back as his hips shot forward thrusting into her mouth, his orgasm buried between her lips. Bessie continued to move with him, taking him in, allowing her lips to caress his skin as she slowly pulled away.

Doug sank down toward the bed, missing the edge of it and landing on the floor beside her. She settled next to him, her body decorated with perspiration, her head falling on his shoulder. "I could stay like this all night."

"You'd get sore eventually. Or cold."

She nodded, already feeling the cool air begin to assault her skin. "We could grab a blanket."

"Until when? Just before sunrise?" He shook his head, turning to plant a kiss on her forehead. "Go to bed, Bessie."

"Stay the night."

He kissed her again, in earnest this time, tasting both of them on her lips. "I'll stay until you fall asleep."

"I'm going to stay up all night," she assured him, trying to stifle her yawn. "Or I would if you wouldn't exhaust me so thoroughly."

"I'll pass your complaint along to management." He helped her to her feet, guiding her to bed.

She kept hold of his arms, pulling him down beside her. "Stay."

Doug kissed her again, softly, barely brushing her lips. "Sleep."

She yawned, allowing him to pull the covers over her. "Stay?"

Doug grabbed his clothes and put them on, waiting until her breathing evened out before slipping out the open window into the starlight.

Bessie leaned against Joey's doorframe and smiled as her sister looked around the room. "What do you think?"

"I think I've never been happier to have my own room."

"You've never had your own room."

"I thought of the living room as my own." Joey gave her a half-smile. "Can we afford for me to have my own room?"

"No. I plan to kick you out on weekends and rent it out as a theme room. The nautical room, the forest room, the high school teenager's room." She smiled. "Of course we can afford for you to have your own room. That's how we worked the plans."

"Still…"

"Joey, you can't sleep on the couch in the main lobby of our business, no matter how much you might want to." Bessie walked into the room and sat down on the edge of Joey's bed. "You like it?"

She nodded and moved over to hug Bessie tightly. "I love it."

"It isn't rent free. When this place is up and running, I'll need help here and there."

"I know."

"Especially since it's just going to be the two of us, really."

"And Pacey."

"Yes, and Pacey." Bessie smiled and nodded. "And I'm sure we'll see Dawson a time or two." At Joey's frown she tilted her head and settled back on the bed, leaning against the headboard. "What's that look for?"

"Nothing."

"Not nothing." She patted the mattress beside her. "Tell me."

"It's really nothing. It's just…" She sighed and sat down. "Dawson and I hardly see each other anymore. And it seems like when we do, we spend most of our time snapping at each other, misunderstanding each other. We certainly don't really talk anymore."

"What do you want to talk to him about?"

"Well, just anything. We used to be able to say anything to one another without worrying about how it might be taken or misconstrued. Now it's like setting a match in a puddle of gasoline whenever one of us opens our mouth."

"Is this about Pacey?"

"Pacey?" Joey's brow furrowed and she shook her head. "No. It's about Dawson. About his parents and his new friend."

"Oh?"

"Well, you know about Mitch and Gale. Who doesn't know about Mitch and Gale, right?" She sighed, her shoulders falling heavily. "But there's this new girl at school, Nikki, and I think Dawson likes her."

"As a friend? Or as something more?"

"Well, I think he's sort of jealous of her. All he can seem to ever say is that she's really talented and she has vision."

"Another filmmaker, huh?"

"Yeah. That obvious?"

"Dawson's not always great at recognizing talent outside his chosen field." Bessie grinned. "But go on."

"Well, her parents are divorced, which is another thing they have in common. And another thing I don't have in common with him."

"You don't have to have everything in common with someone to like or love them, Jo. And vice versa." Bessie was quiet for a moment, watching Joey. "Why does it bother you that they have so much in common? Are you afraid of Dawson liking someone else?"

"No. And I don't think it's like that. I mean, if anything, they have more of an adversarial relationship and why are you laughing?"

"Joey, honey, you know I love you, but you're completely oblivious in the realm of relationships, aren't you?"

"And you're a big expert?" She snapped. "Fine, Miss LonelyHearts, what am I missing?"

"Adversarial relationships tend to become other kinds of relationships. Look at you and Pacey."

"We're not in a relationship!" Joey felt the heat of a blush crawl up her cheeks. "We're barely even friends."

"That's why you spend almost every spare moment together? Between working on the B&B and working on his boat and just lounging around in your room or on the dock? Because you're barely even friends?"

"We're certainly not in a relationship."

"I never said you were. I was just using you as an example to point out that just because you argue with someone a lot, it doesn't necessarily mean you don't have some feelings for that person."

"I don't have feelings for Pacey."

Bessie let out a long sigh. "Okay, Jo? I'm not trying to say you're sitting in a tree kissing him. I'm just allowing that it's possible antagonism might hide a little…more positive emotion."

"So you think Dawson and Nikki like each other?"

"I couldn't tell you, Jo."

"Do you think I spend too much time with Pacey?"

Bessie reached out and pulled her sister to her, settling Joey's head on her shoulder. "Do you have a good time when you're with him?"

"Well, mostly he drives me insane, but yeah."

"Then you're not spending too much time with him." She hugged her sister lightly. "Have you tried talking to Dawson?"

"Yeah. He doesn't want to talk to me about it. I don't know if he just thinks I can't or won't understand or if he's just tired of me."

"Maybe he just wants someone who didn't know his parents as the ultimate happy couple?"

"Or wasn't the one who knew his mom was cheating on his dad and didn't tell him?"

Bessie shrugged. "You guys have a lot of history, Jo. Maybe the weight of it is oppressive sometimes."

"Maybe." They were silent for a long time, just leaning on one another. "Pacey's going to be in a play."

"Really? Acting in front of a captive audience seems right up Pacey's alley. Which play?"

"Barefoot in the Park. He wants me to run lines with him."

"You going to?"

"Yeah." She turned her head slightly. "Do you think it's going to work out?"

"You and Pacey running lines? Something tells me it might."

"The B&B."

"Oh." She grinned. "Yeah. I think everything's going to work out just fine."

"Me too." Joey sighed and snuggled closer to her sister. "I love you, Bess. But I wish Mom was here."

"Me too, kiddo. Me too."

Bessie woke up to the smell of bacon, her stomach grumbling hungrily. A small sliver of uncertainty crept up her spine as she sat up reaching for the nightshirt Doug had left pooled beside the bed when he'd stripped it off of her with his teeth the night before.

The cool breeze from the open window sent bumps dancing over her flesh, tightening her nipples to hard peaks. Getting off the bed, she walked over and pulled it closed, rubbing her bare arms. She glanced outside as the sun began to creep over the horizon. Sighing she grabbed the shirt and pulled it over her head, stepping into her sweats before heading into the hall.

The scent of bacon mixed with the sweet tang of blueberries and the hard whiff of coffee. Just the smell seemed to wake her up more and she wondered who was playing chef. Mrs. Ryan, no doubt.

Stopping before she got to the kitchen, she rested against the wall, feeling the rise of unbidden tears. It was just now dawn and he was gone, slipped from her bed, even though he'd promised to stay until morning. Blinking the tears away she took a deep breath and turned the corner.

"Mrs. Ryan, you didn't have to…" She froze, her heart stopping for a moment before it began racing erratically. "You're here."

He turned from the stove and gave her a slow, sexy smile. "Hey, Bess."

"Bodie!" She ran to him, letting him sweep her up in a hug, spinning her around in the small space. When he set her down, she threaded her hands in his short hair and pulled him down to her, her mouth opening to his warm kiss.

He pulled away from her slowly, regretfully, sucking on her lower lip. His voice was husky with emotion. "Hey, baby."

"You're home." Tears stung her eyes again, falling freely this time. Her hands caressed his face, stroking his skin. "You're home." She kissed him again, her hands moving down to his arms then over his chest, feeling his heart matching the wild beat of hers. "How…how are you home?"

"I got a letter from Pacey telling me, in no uncertain terms, that even though the Potter women are more than a match for anything life throws at them, I'd better get my ass back to Capeside."

"He's an intimidating little punk, isn't he?"

Bessie started, turning to look at Dou, sitting at the counter slowly sipping his coffee. His blue eyes were unreadable, but she could see the pulse pounding in his jaw as he clenched his teeth. "H…hey, Doug."

He tipped his baseball cap to her. "Morning, Bessie."

Her eyes raked over him quickly, noting that he looked as if he's slept for hours rather than spent the night inside her, using every surface he could find to brace her against as he made love to her over and over, getting up to leave…when? When Bodie came home? Before? "What brings you here?"

Honesty flashed in his eyes for a moment and she caught her breath. He gave her a half-hearted shrug. "I just brought over some of the paperwork to be finalized. Basically disavowing any knowledge of the project should anything happen to make the department look bad." He took another sip of his coffee and set it down. "I didn't realize Bodie was going to be home. If I'd known that, I wouldn't have already eaten breakfast.

Strawberries that he'd used to write on her stomach, licking the juice off her skin with the tip of his tongue, drizzling it over her clit.

"If you're anything like your little brother, I know you could eat another breakfast." Bodie moved to the stove and tended to his pancakes. "There's some almost ready, if you're up for temptation."

"I gave up temptation for lent."

"You're not Catholic," Bessie responded automatically.

Doug nailed her with a glance. "I'm not a lot of things." He shifted his eyes away, unable to watch as Bodie moved back to Bessie, his hand sliding around her waist. "Doesn't stop me from using the perks to my advantage."

Bodie reached for his own coffee and took a drink, savoring it for a moment before turning back to Bessie and kissing her softly. She could taste the hint of sugar, feel the hitch of emotion in her throat as she pulled away, her eyes on Doug as he lifted his cup to his lips.

They only tasted of coffee.

"Anyway," Bodie slipped back to the stove, leaving Bessie standing in the middle of the kitchen, "as I was saying before I was so sexily interrupted, the place looks amazing."

"Yeah, the guys did good work." Doug's eyes watched her, undressing her as easily as his hands had the night before, causing her to blush and move instinctively to Bodie's side. Doug flinched and looked away immediately, never seeing the look of pained regret in Bessie's eyes as she realized what she'd done. "But it was a worthwhile project. Good for the community and our reputation. Nothing looks better for the department than helping those affected by the arrests we've made."

Bodie slid a stack of pancakes onto a plate and waved it in Doug's direction. "Sure I can't tempt you?"

"Positive."

Shaking his head, Bodie placed the plate in the warming oven then poured more batter onto his skillet. "So I hear we've got a houseful of guests?"

"None of them paying," Bessie admitted. "Including the B&B reviewer Pacey invited without telling anyone."

"Pacey's got a knack for doing things with the best intentions and the worst timing." Doug finished his coffee and stood up. "I'll come back later with the paperwork, Bessie. I know you've got a lot of stuff on your mind right now."

"No. We can go into the living room and work on it. I'd hate for you to have to make a return trip." The words left her mouth and she hated herself, hated the look on his face he didn't quite manage to hide. "Not that you're not always welcome…"

"It's okay. You've got guests that are bound to be waking up any minute, breakfast to serve and a very significant other to welcome home." He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it slightly mussed.

Bessie's breath caught in her throat, remembering him beneath her just hours ago, disheveled, his body thrusting up into her, his hand caressing her skin. Bodie touched her side and she shivered, closing her eyes painfully as she he slid his arms around her in response, cradling her close to him. "Come by for dinner one night," Bodie offered. "I'll show you some of the fancy culinary tricks I learned on the ship."

"Sure." Doug nodded and started for the door. "I hope Pacey's machinations work out for the best."

Bessie pressed her lips together to fight back a sob as he smiled sadly at her. Bodie answered for her again, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. "I'm home a hell of a lot sooner than I would have been otherwise. Right now, Pacey's my favorite person in the world."

"Yeah." Doug's tight smile never reached his eyes. "That's my little brother. Anyway, good luck."

"Thanks, man." Bodie waved, still holding Bessie's body to his. "For everything. But especially for looking after my girl."

Doug nodded as he walked out the door. "My pleasure."

Doug left the back of the police station, wondering if he should defy his father and unlock the door so Pacey could leave or if he should just let his brother think for a few hours. Not that it mattered. His speech had, no doubt, inspired his brother to rush headlong into a romantic mess with Joey. Butterflies. What had he been thinking?

"Doug?"

He looked up, startled to find Joey still there, standing right in front of him. "You're free to go, Joey."

"I know. I just…" She looked over his shoulder. "Is he going to be okay?"

"Given that he vomited most of it out of his system? Yeah, I think so."

"I didn't mean the alcohol. I meant…I mean, is he going to be okay in there overnight?"

"Yeah, Joey. He'll be fine."

"He wasn't really doing anything wrong."

"Underage drinking's a crime, Joey."

"Yeah. I know."

"Joey?"

Both of them looked over at Bessie's panicked voice. Doug immediately stepped back as Joey averted her eyes. "Hey, Bessie."

"Don't 'Hey, Bessie' me! What the hell are you doing here, Joey? Why the hell are you being arrested?"

"She didn't actually do anything wrong, Bessie." Doug's voice was calm, almost cold. "Other than borrow a golf cart. But she was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Jesus, Joey."

"I didn't do anything." She glared at her sister. "I was just trying to keep Dawson and Pacey out of trouble."

"Oh, and it looks like you did a stellar job of that." Bessie grabbed Joey's arm. "Come on. I'd like to get home before Bodie and Alexander wake up and we have to explain it to them. Or worse yet, have to explain to the few guests we do manage to get why my sister's on the post office's most wanted poster."

"Not that you're exaggerating or anything." Joey shrugged off Bessie's grip. "I'll be in the truck."

"Fine." Bessie started to follow her, stopping when Doug called her name. She turned, slightly wary. "Sorry about that."

"There's a little bit of paperwork I need you to take care of. Joey's still a minor, so you get to deal with all the legal stuff. It won't take long."

"Can't I do it tomorrow?"

"Sorry. Regulations state I need this signed before I can release her back into your custody." He gestured to a pile of papers on his desk. "And yes, technically, she's already in your custody, since she's out in the truck, so I'm already in trouble." Pulling a pen from his front pocket he offered it to her, watching her closely as she took it carefully, being sure not to touch his fingers. "It really won't take long."

"Okay." She sighed and sat on the opposite side of his desk. Doug slid onto his seat, glancing at the top paper then passing it over to her. "Did she already get her stuff back?"

"Yeah." He didn't say anything else as he slid another piece of paper her way. He watched her avoid his eyes as she glanced over the words, signing her name at the bottom of each one. It had been weeks since he'd seen her. He tried not to think about it, about her, as he realized she wasn't wearing a bra, her loose t-shirt the same one she always wore to bed. "How are you, Bessie?"

Her hand trembled as she stopped writing. "I'm good."

"How's the B&B?"

She resumed signing her name, her hand still shaking slightly. "Fine."

"Pacey told me everything worked out well with Fred Fricke."

"Yeah."

"Bodie's blueberry pancakes are enough to win anyone over."

She set the pen down and lifted her eyes, the warm blue begging him to stop. "They're better than mine."

"I wouldn't know." He took the paper from in front of her, sliding it into the file he had ready. "I never got to stay long enough to have breakfast."

She looked at him with wide eyes, her expression hurt, her body recoiling as if he'd slapped her. "You knew. We knew going into it that it was going to be like that. You knew that it wasn't anything…"

"Important?"

"How can you say that?"

"Because I haven't seen or heard from you since Bodie came back to town."

"He just got home, Doug!"

"And how's that going to change once he's been home for a while?" His voice stayed neutral and calm. "Admit it, Bess; I was just a distraction for you. I was someone to keep you warm while you were lonely, someone to make the nights go by faster."

"Is that what you think?" Tears stung her eyes and she shook her head. "Is that really what you think you mean to me?"

Doug stood up and moved from behind his desk, heading toward the door of the station. "You really haven't given me much other choice."

She shook her head, a wounded look in her eyes. "Then I guess there's absolutely nothing more for us to say."

He held the door open for her, waiting until she was almost through to speak again. "Happy Valentine's Day, Bessie."

9/12/02