Doug closed his eyes as the soft strains of music lilted through the speakers. Back when he was in high school, Pacey had teased him mercilessly about his CD collection, and he’d reminded him how much a tortured voice could soothe an aching heart.

Pacey had always assumed Doug meant his.

Not that his heart was broken. Just…lonely. He fell into that odd middle ground of Capeside now that he wasn’t in high school. Not good enough for the one side of the creek, too good for the other.

Sighing, he let the music flow over him. Loneliness was no excuse for what he had done earlier. Andie McPhee was easily seven years his junior, not to mention his little brother’s ex-girlfriend. The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile as he thought of Pacey.

His little brother had actually done pretty well for himself, going to college then settling down into the relationship he’d wanted and agonized over his junior year.

A soft buzz broke into the song and he forced himself to his feet to answer the door.

“Yes?”

Andie blushed and smiled. “I was hoping that you still lived here. I mean, it’s been years since I’ve been home. But you’re here. Which is good.”

Unsure of how to answer, Doug stepped back. “Did you want to come in?”

“Sure.” She turned as if to leave and Doug tapped her on her shoulder and gestured into the apartment.

“It’s this way, actually.”

She looked back at him and nodded. “I know. I have a few things. In my car. Which I drove very carefully the whole way over.”

“Need help?”

“Sure.” She led the way to the Saab and unlocked it. Reaching in, she handed two grocery bags to Doug then grabbed the last one herself. “That’s it.”

“And will you be staying for the whole month?”

“Well, it’s almost eight.” Andie opened the door for him then followed him inside. “You asked me to dinner. I turned you down or you unasked me; I’m not really sure which. But I’ve decided to accept.”

“And so you went to the market and bought an entire aisle?”

“I wasn’t sure what you’d like,” Andie shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “So I bought a variety.”

Doug set the two bags on the counter. “And what if I’ve already eaten?”

“Well then, I guess I could leave and come back tomorrow. But to do that, I’d have to drive again, and I think we both know what a dangerous prospect that is.”

“So for the good of the community…”

She nodded. “Exactly.”

“Do you cook better than you drive?”

Andie started unloading groceries, giving him an impish grin. “Only one way to find out.”

Doug poured Andie more wine then leaned back against the arm of the couch. “So, where are you going to school?”

“Harvard,” she shrugged as if it were no big deal. “Then Harvard Law next year.”

“And then what? High profile cases defending innocent celebrities?”

“Actually, I’m thinking a little lower maintenance.” She blushed in the soft light. “I don’t always react really well to stress.”

“I’m sorry,” Doug started.

“So I thought I’d work for the state. I’m more of a small town girl, anyway.”

“Are you thinking of moving back to Capeside then, or are you looking to go somewhere else?”

“Well, my parents are here, so Capeside is a strong possibility.”

“Hmmm.” He took a drink. “Do you like school?”

“I love it. I’m sort of a geek that way.” She laughed and set her wineglass on the table. “Always have been. As Pacey could probably attest.”

“Well, since Pacey and I weren’t really on the best of terms when you and he were dating, it hasn’t actually come up.” He set his glass on the table and looked away from her. “You still hung up on my little brother?”

“What? Why do you ask?”

“You turn this delicate shade of pink whenever he comes up in a conversation.” Doug shrugged. “I thought you might still harbor some feelings for him.”

“I’ll always have feelings for Pacey. He was a lot of things for me. But I’m not still in love with him, if that’s what you’re asking. Besides, he and Joey are as good as married. I doubt anyone or anything could come between them.”

“Yeah well, no offense, but I think he deserves a little happiness.”

“We were happy for a while…” Andie’s voice was wistful. “In fact, I think that’s the last time I was happy.” She reached for her wine and stood up, walking over to Doug’s window. “What about you? When was the last time you were happy?”

When Doug didn’t answer, she turned around. He was standing by his stereo, turning to face her as the soft strains of music filled the room. She didn’t recognize the song or the singer, but she smiled anyway. He held out his hand to her. “Would you like to dance?”

A small smile lifted her lips and she nodded, setting the wine down once more. She moved easily into his arms and let him hold her as they moved slowly to the music. One hand rested lightly on his shoulder, curling over it from the back while the other rested above his heart. She lay her head on his chest, relaxing against him. “Should this feel weird, do you think?”

“What?” He asked softly, his breath ruffling her blonde hair.

“This feeling this good?” She didn’t look up at him, although she wanted to see the effect her words might have.

Doug unclenched the hand that guided her, letting his hand lay flat in the small of her back and covered the hand on his chest with the other. “I think I must be insane to be doing this,” he whispered, unsure how he’d gotten in this situation, unsure why he was there. “To be holding you, to be thinking the things I’m thinking about you.”

Andie slowly raised her head until her eyes met his. “What are you thinking about me?”

He shook his head, as if denying the thoughts, the spoken words. “I don’t think I am thinking, Andie.”

She smiled. “I think that’s the first time you’ve said my name.”

“It’s the first time I’ve done this, too.”

“Done what?” She stopped moving as he did, her eyes unable to look away from the deep blue of his. “Done what, Doug?”

He lowered his head, letting his lips brush over her lightly. “This,” he breathed, just before her lips parted, inviting him in.

Andie broke the kiss, stumbling back out of Doug’s arms. He stopped moving, his hands falling to his sides. “I…”

“Don’t.” He said the word softly, holding up a hand to keep her from speaking. “It’s late and we’ve been drinking.” He gestured needlessly toward the spent bottle of wine. “You should stay…”

“I don’t know that that’s a good idea.”

“I didn’t mean…” Doug sighed. “You take the bedroom, Andie. I'll take the couch.”

“But…”

“I’m a police officer. I can’t let you leave here.”

She smiled, hoping to alleviate the mounting nervous tension. “Was this your plan from the start? To ply me with alcohol?”

“You brought the wine,” Doug reminded her.

“That’s right. I did.” She moved past Doug toward his bedroom. “I also brought stuff for breakfast.”

He watched the door close behind her, his eyes narrowed. Sinking down onto the couch, he leaned against the arm and sighed. “And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Andie woke up and stretched luxuriously before realizing where she was. As soon as memory returned, she felt a warm blush on her cheeks. She’d kissed Doug last night. More accurately, he’d kissed her and she’d let him. She’d enjoyed it. Maybe even invited it. Rolling on to her stomach, she buried her face in Doug’s pillow. What the hell was she thinking?

“Sleep well?” She turned to look at Doug standing in the doorway of the bedroom.

She nodded, her blonde hair falling over her face. “Yes, thank you. You?”

“Well, the couch isn’t the most comfortable place, but I suppose I’ll survive.”

“That’s a relief.” She sat up. “Because I’d hate to have to explain your death.”

“Speaking of death,” Doug drawled. “I made breakfast.”

“I thought I smelled something burning.”

Doug walked into the room and sat on the end of the bed. “That’s the thanks I get?”

“I haven’t thanked you yet.” Andie climbed out of the bed and walked toward the kitchen, sniffing the air appreciatively. “I’ll thank you if I survive.”

Doug followed her. “I’m a cop, you know. I know all the best places to hide the body.”

“Yeah.” Andie took a piece of bacon off the plate. “Tasting this? That’s probably a good thing.”

“I'll have you know that I’m an excellent cook.”

“Mmm-hmmm.” She sat down at the table. “So impress me.”

He slid into the seat opposite her and offered her the platter of eggs. “Dig in.”

Finishing the last bite, Andie leaned back. “Okay, I admit it. You’re not…too terrible.”

“Damned with faint praise.” Doug picked up his dishes and headed for the sink. “Try not to perish.”

“Perish?” She grabbed her dishes and joined him at the counter. “From your cooking? Or the surprise?”

“Either.” He took the dishes from her. “Or both.”

They stood in silence as Doug started the water running. “Would you like me to dry?”

He shrugged and looked at her. “Shouldn’t you be getting home?”

“My parents are gone for the weekend.” She looked down at the sudsy water. “They forgot to tell me, or they forgot I was coming. So I could go home, but I don’t have much to go home to.”

Doug turned off the water and reached past her. Grabbing the towel hanging in front of her, he held it out. “Dry away.”

Andie stacked the last pan neatly on the table. “All right, your kitchen is spotless. I should probably go.”

“You just said…”

“I know. But I do have some homework to do. Besides, don’t you have a real life to live?” She didn’t really want to leave, go home to an empty house. In fact, if she was honest with herself, she wanted to stay right here and continue enjoying Doug’s company.

She was enjoying Doug’s company. And she really didn’t want to analyze that.

“I’m off-duty this weekend.”

“I’m not, unfortunately.” Setting the towel on the rack to dry, Andie smiled at him. “Thanks for last night and this morning, Doug. I had a nice time.”

“Me too.” He followed her to the door, not saying anything as she slipped on her shoes and grabbed her purse. “Drive carefully, okay Miss McPhee?”

“Always, Deputy Witter.”

He walked her out to her car, holding the door open for her “Will I see you again?”

“Knowing my driving?” Andie smiled up at him and pulled her door closed. “Probably.”

Doug stared at the house in front of him, knowing he needed to leave. Ostentatious was not what he wanted, not what he needed. Definitely not what he was good at.

Knocking hesitantly, he took a deep breath, bracing himself. He had no idea what he would do or say if anyone other than Andie answered the door.

Her father. Her mother. A servant.

“Yes?” Andie looked startled. “Doug?”

“Hi.” He felt a hot blush stain his cheeks. “You’re probably wondering why I’m here.”

She took a deep breath, wondering if he could sense her excitement. “A little. Maybe.”

“Maybe.” He nodded. “Me too. Mostly to apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“Could I do this inside?” He looked around at her neighborhood. “I feel like your neighbors are going to call the cops, telling them there’s a door to door solicitor stalking you.”

“You’d end up having to arrest yourself.” She grinned and stepped away from the door. “Which would mean you’d be in handcuffs.” She stooped moving so that he couldn’t enter. “That might be fun.”

“He rubbed off on you, didn’t he?”

“Who?”

“Pacey.”

Andie finally moved out of Doug’s way and let him inside. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“After living with him for seventeen or eighteen years? It’s a bad thing.” He followed her into the sitting room and sank into a chair by the window.

Andie sat on the other side of the room, watching him. A small smile lifted her lips. “So.”

“So,” Doug nodded and stared at the painting over her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“What?” He looked at her and she was smiling.

“What are you sorry for?”

“I had no…I shouldn’t have asked you out. And I shouldn’t have invited you in. I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

“Why not?” The smile had faded somewhat, replaced by curiosity. “Why shouldn’t you have done those things?”

“Well, the first, I was an on-duty officer dealing with a traffic situation. The second because it created a false sense of intimacy that perpetuated the third.”

“So you’re sorry that you kissed me?”

“No.” Doug shook his head. “Not that I’m sorry. It’s that…well, let’s face it. You’re Pacey’s ex-girlfriend and…”

“I’ve been Pacey’s ex-girlfriend for almost five years now. I’m pretty sure that’s a moot point.”

“You wouldn’t feel strange being involved with your ex-boyfriend’s older brother?”

“Are we going to be involved?”

“No.” He shook his head and stood up. “No. We’re not. Because I came to apologize and I’ve done that. And now I’m going to leave you to your homework.”

“Okay.” Andie followed him to the door. “Well, it was good seeing you again, Doug.”

“Nice to see you too.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he left the house. “Enjoy the rest of your stay.”

“Thanks.” She stepped back and closed the door, leaning against it for a moment. She jerked in surprise as the soft knock filled the quiet foyer.

Doug stood there, his posture defeated, his eyes pleading with her.

Andie smiled. “Pick me up at eight?”

Doug sat in his car outside Andie’s house, mentally berating himself. What the hell was he doing? What the hell was he thinking? This was a mistake.

“It’s a good thing my parents aren’t home.” Andie slipped into the car. “As my father would undoubtedly give you a hard time for not coming to the door for me.”

“I was…” He turned toward her, his sentence lost when he saw her. “Wow.”

She blushed, glancing down at her outfit. “Thanks.”

“I was coming to the door. I was just…”

“Trying to find the nerve?”

“Something like that.” Doug grinned. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks.” Andie closed the car door. “Again.”

Doug sat there for a long minute just staring out the windshield. “Are we completely out of our minds for doing this?” Casting a sidelong glance in her direction, he sighed. “I’m too old for you…”

“Plus you’re gay.”

Doug turned to glare at her, his voice a low growl. “I am not gay.”

Andie looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “Then there’s no problem, is there?”

“Pacey always said you were stubborn.”

“I prefer insistent and usually right.” Andie smiled then let her grin fade slowly. “I’d really like to have dinner with you, Doug.”

He started the car. “Dinner I can handle.”

Andie nodded, deliberately not looking at him. “And anything else?”

“Anything else we’ll deal with later.”

Doug parked the car and rested his hands on the steering wheel. Andie’s brow furrowed as she surveyed their surroundings. “Where are we, exactly?”

“The beach.”

“Hmmm.” She bit her lower lip then looked around again. “We’re going to have to leave quite a tip for the waiter. He’s got one hell of a trek from the kitchen.”

Doug smiled and got out of the car. “Don’t worry. I already factored that into the gratuity.”

Andie sat still as he walked around and opened her door. She looked up at him, her bangs shadowing her eyes. “What are we doing here, Doug?”

“Capeside’s a small town.” He shrugged and opened the back seat, grabbing the blanket and picnic basket he’d stowed there. “I don’t think I really have to remind you of that.”

“No.”

“So, rather than listen to the small minds of our fair city make disparaging comments all night, I thought we’d go for something a little more private.”

She climbed out of the car, obviously skeptical. “You’re not going to try to take advantage of me, are you?”

“You spent last night in my bed and managed to make it through unscathed.” He held out his hand and nodded towards the sand. “I think you’re safe.”

“You think?”

“And if I do anything untoward, you can report me to the local police station.”

“You’re a deputy and your father is the sheriff. Is it shocking that that provides me with surprisingly little comfort?”

“Not really.” He stopped and set the basket down, spreading the blanket on the sand. The sun was just starting to dip down in the sky and gave the water a golden glow. “Which leaves you two options. You can go back and wait in the car while I enjoy an excellent meal, or you can take your chances with my intentions and join me.”

“You’re not carrying a gun are you?”

“No. No gun.”

She sank down slowly on the edge of the blanket and raised an eyebrow. “What did you make?”

Doug hid his smile as he opened the basket. “Well, we have a wide variety of dishes, since someone was kind enough to fill my refrigerator with enough food to last me for most of the next year.”

“I like to be prepared.” She peeked into the basket and looked at the array of foods. “Did you spend all afternoon on this?”

“Not all,” Doug pulled out plates and silverware, handing them to Andie. “Just some. What did you do today?”

“Studied Legal Ethics.”

“We’re quite the wild pair.” Doug finished dishing out the food and pulled a wine bottle out of the bottom of the basket. “So, does your limited trust of me extend to me pouring you a glass of wine, or are you abstaining on moral principle?”

“One of us is going to have to drive home,” she reminded him.

“True. But I, as you were kind enough to point out, have an in with the local law enforcement. So, what’s the verdict? Does the lady wish to imbibe?”

“You forgot the glasses.”

Doug twisted the corkscrew he’d been using and popped the cork from the bottle. “I thought we’d rough it a little.”

“You brought plates and silverware for fried chicken, Doug. That’s not roughing it.”

He held the bottle out to her. “Drink, McPhee?” A strange look passed over Andie’s eyes and Doug winced. “Right. Sorry. That’s my little brother’s territory.”

“It’s not that…okay, it is that.” She sighed. “This is just a little strange.” She wrapped her hand around the base of the bottle. “I mean, I was in love with your brother for a long time. And even when I wasn’t in love with him, I was still trying to get over him, you know? And you remind me of him.”

“I don’t expect you not to be reminded of Pacey, Andie. I’m simply wondering why that fact would be stopping us from being friends. You were…and still are friends with him, right?”

“Right.”

Doug tilted his head, “So what’s the problem?”

“I fell pretty hard and fast for your little brother, Doug.” Andie finally took the bottle out of his hand and took a drink. “I’m just a little afraid that the same thing is going to happen again.”

“You’re going to fall for Pacey?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m going to fall for you.”

Doug took the bottle from her and leaned in slightly, his breath ruffling her hair as he whispered a kiss across her cheek, “Don’t worry, Andie. I’ll catch you if you do.”

Andie shivered a little as Doug pulled back, her eyes trained on the blanket. Her heart was pounding from the small caress, her throat dry. She’d backed away from his kiss the night before, knowing that she was seeing things in him that she wanted to see. Seeing images of his brother. Unwilling to see him for himself. “So…shall we eat?”

Doug took a drink and nodded, wondering if he’d taken it all a step too far. “What are you in the mood for? We’ve got chicken and potato salad and roast beef sandwiches and soup and…”

“Doug?”

He looked up from the basket and met her smile. “Yeah?”

“Pass the wine.”

“So,” Andie finished off the wine bottle and upended it in the sand. “Why is it that Pacey thinks you’re gay?”

Doug groaned and lay back on the blanket, staring up at the now dark sky. “I’m going to kill him one day, I swear it.”

“No.” Andie packed up the remains of their dinner and moved the basket out of the way before she lay down beside him. “It’s an endless source of amusement.”

“Right. Just what I want people talking about around the quad at Harvard.”

“I don’t talk about you.”

He turned his head to grin at her. “Not yet you don’t.”

She giggled and turned her head as well, facing him. The warm night seemed to settle down around them, and Andie could feel herself blush. “You think you’re worthy of water cooler talk, Deputy Witter?”

He watched as her lips parted slightly in anticipation of his answer, her tongue darting out to wet her pale pink lips. Shaking his head, Doug leaned into her. “You tell me, Miss McPhee.”

“No,” Andie breathed as she moved in, letting her lips find his. “Let me show you.”

Doug groaned softly, pulling her closer. His hand tangled in her hair as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Andie parted her lips further, taking him inside her. Her hand reached out, tentatively settling on his hip. Taking advantage of her acquiescence, Doug rolled her gently onto her back, letting his body settle lightly on top of hers.

Andie’s hand grew bolder, moving over his hip to the smooth line of his back, tracing the muscles there, moving along his spine until she reached his upper back. She brought her other hand around as well and spread them out over his shoulders.

Doug deepened the kiss, his tongue tracing patterns on the roof of her mouth. She captured it with her own, sucking on it lightly as her hands explored him, roaming over his back and arms and down to the curve of his ass. She squeezed lightly, her hands soft against the denim of his jeans.

The pressure flooded through Doug, straight to his groin. He pressed into her, pinning her down to the blanket. He broke the kiss and stared down at her, feeling the air trapped between them as they both struggled to breath. One leg slipped between hers, letting their bodies find each other more intimately. “Andie?”

She smiled at the sound of her name, raising her head to kiss him again. Her lips were light as they barely brushed his, leaving him wanting more. “Capeside thrives on too much analyzing and pontification, Doug. Can’t we leave Capeside behind for this once?”

“And what would that entail?” He asked as he rained a myriad of kisses on her cheeks and eyelids. “Exactly?”

Andie opened her eyes and stared at him in the moonlight. “I’m not sure.” She touched his forehead then ran her fingertip down to his lips. “Something like kissing me. And maybe making love to me.”

“Maybe?”

“Although I’m pretty sure that public nudity on a beach is a felony or something.”

“Misdemeanor,” he mumbled against her neck. “And I told you, I have some pull in this town.”

Andie’s hand snaked between them and she pulled on his belt. “And so, Deputy Witter, do I.”

Doug laughed and rolled off of her, putting some space between them. Andie clung to his belt and let his momentum carry her forward so that she lay on his chest. “How much pull do you have?”

Raising herself up on her elbows, Andie let her hand play over the belt buckle. With a gentle tug, she freed the leather then worked her way down to the button that fastened his jeans. “Quite a bit, it would seem.”

Doug slipped his hand between Andie’s breasts, trailing down her chest and stomach until he found the fastening of her jeans. His hand made short work of the button and zipper, easing the denim away from her warm skin.

Andie arched off the blanket, giving Doug the opportunity to push her jeans and panties down, revealing the silky flesh of her thighs. He slowly ran his hand up the inside of her leg, reveling in the delicate convulsions that trembled through her.

Leaning in to her, Doug brushed his tongue over her lower lip before catching it between his teeth. He sucked at it lightly as he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, holding her in the kiss.

Andie’s hands clutched at Doug’s shirt, tugging it from his jeans before moving between them to unbutton his shirt.

Still caught up in the kiss, Doug parted Andie’s swollen nether lips with his thumb, brushing it over the hard nub of her clit. She gasped beneath him and Doug pressed the advantage, sliding his tongue into her mouth as his fingers penetrated her damp opening.

Andie’s soft cry was lost between them. She unbuttoned Doug’s shirt with shaky fingers, pushing it off of his broad shoulders. He lowered her trembling body back to the blanket, slowly removing his fingers from the warm cavern between her thighs so that he could shrug his shirt off.

Andie tugged her own shirt over her head, unhooking her bra and tossing both aside. She stared at Doug’s muscled chest, slowly letting her eyes travel back up to his. Doug reached out and brushed back a lock of her hair.

“You okay?”

She nodded, shivering in the cool night air. Lifting her arm, she caught his wrist and pulled him closer. Doug groaned softly, wrapping his arms around her and crushing her chest to his. “What are we doing, exactly?”

He shook his head, just holding her close. “Honestly? I’ve got no idea. I planned to bring you up here, have a nice dinner and take you home. Instead I’m holding you in my arms, we’re both half naked and I’ve got no idea what to do next.”

“Because I’m a girl?”

Doug growled low in his throat and pushed her back onto the blanket. He moved over her, one hand easing his jeans off his hips while the other supported his weight. “You really think I’m gay?”

“Well, that’s what Pacey always said. And I can honestly say that, other than this weekend, I’ve never seen any evidence to the contrary.”

“Let me provide you with ample evidence then, shall I?” Free from his jeans, Doug pressed his body to hers, the hard press of his erection hot through the thin cotton of his boxers. “Still doubt that I’m interested in women?”

Andie gasped slightly as he rubbed against her, her skin still damp from his finger’s earlier exploration of her. “All for show.” Her voice trembled as he continued moving, insinuating his body against hers. “You haven’t proven anything yet.”

Doug moved down so that his body rested just above hers, their chests touching. “You want irrefutable proof, do you, Miss McPhee?”

Andie nodded vaguely, her eyes hazy with desire. “I’m going to be a lawyer, Deputy Witter, I need all the hard facts.”

With a hungry smile, Doug rolled off of her, ignoring her protests. When he came back to her, he covered her body once more, this time free of his boxer briefs. His skin was hot on hers as he pressed the tip of his erection against her slick fold. Andie shivered as he slipped past the rosy flesh, sinking into her in a smooth, liquid motion. His breath caught for a moment as he stared down at her, her body surrounding him. “Hard enough?”

“As facts go,” Andie agreed. She felt like her body was pulsing, her skin embracing him, her body hungry for him. “Doug…”

He shook his head slightly then kissed the tip of her nose. “Shh, Andie.” They lay still and silent for a moment before he moved, pulling almost completely out of her warmth before diving back in again. Her skin was soft beneath his as he moved inside her, filling her, feeling her.

Andie’s hands moved up to his short hair, touching the nape of his neck and caressing him there before running her fingers over the broad expanse of his shoulders, down the sweep of his back to the firmness of his ass. Doug groaned as she touched him, pushing even further inside her, increasing their rhythm until breathing became labored, hard, panting. She shuddered beneath him, trembling her way to completion, the hot rush of her climax pushing him toward his own.

His arms shook with sensation as he thrust inside her, pushing him over the edge. He roared silently as he came inside her, his body jerking harshly as they crashed together again.

Doug moved away from her slowly, pulling his body away reluctantly, easing it from her heat. He quickly disposed of the condom before moving back to her and taking her in his arms. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She sounded sad, unnerved.

Doug tilted his head, trying to see her eyes. “Why do I not believe that?”

She lifted her head, trying to smile. “I just…”

“Just what?”

Andie pulled away, tugging her clothes back on without speaking. Doug watched her in silent confusion for a moment before following her lead. When she was sure that he’d finished dressing, Andie turned around. “We should clean this up.”

Doug waved off her hand and shoved the food and dishes back into the basket. Without a word, he picked it up and set it aside before grabbing the blanket and shaking the sand from it. Andie didn’t speak as she watched him, her face laced with guilt.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what, exactly?” Doug’s voice was calm, official. “Committing a misdemeanor while in the presence of a police officer is only going to get you in trouble if the officer reports it. I don’t think you have to worry on that score.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Really?” Sarcasm was thick in his voice. “How surprising.”

“I’m not…good at this. At sex or the after part.”

“No, you’re wrong. You did fine at the sex, Andie. As for the after, you’re doing just great with that too.” Doug folded the blanket under his arm and picked up the basket. “Come on. I’ll get you home before dark, just so that none of the neighbors will wonder what you’ve been up to.”

She didn’t say anything as she followed him to the car, although tears slipped slowly down her cheeks. She couldn’t look at him as he held the door open for her, slamming it closed as soon as she was in the car. When he finally sat beside her, she turned to face him. “I’ve only had sex with a couple of guys in my life. Pacey was the first. And there have only been a few after him.”

“I really don’t need to know this information. We were careful. I’ll call you if anything comes up.”

“I’ve had sex before, but every time it was before I should have, before I was ready. I liked you. You’re funny and sweet and sexy and…and I didn’t want to mess it up. And now we have.”

“Sex doesn’t have to mess everything up, Andie.”

“For me it does. It always has.” She looked away as Doug started the car, not wanting to see his face, not wanting to know if any of her words bothered him. “I’m sorry.”

“So you’ve said. Repeatedly. I’d really rather not hear it again.”

She nodded and leaned back in her seat, her arms folded protectively over her chest. Doug drove quickly, silently, efficiently to her house, not wanting to prolong the awkwardness that hung in the air between them. When they reached Andie’s house, he got out of the car and walked around to open her door. She sat there, staring up at him for a long moment before finally getting out.

They stood there, facing one another, neither speaking. Finally, Andie spoke. “I didn’t mean for this to end this way. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I’m not hurt, Andie.”

“And I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“You’re sorry you had sex with me, and sex for you always ends badly, this time being no exception. Now why would I be insulted? Oh right. Because you’re sorry.” Doug shut the door behind her and shook his head. “Can you make it inside all right, or do you need an escort?”

“I can make it fine.”

“Great. Then you have a nice life, Miss McPhee. And do us all a favor, would you? Learn how to drive."

Joey blinked rapidly against the bright sunlight as she opened the door. A cool breeze drifted in, sending goosebumps dancing over her exposed legs. With the hand that didn’t hold the doorknob, she tugged the bottom of Pacey’s pajama top down to cover more of her thighs. “Andie?”

“Hi. Bad time?” Worry darkened her tone, made her seem paler. “It is, isn’t it?”

“No. Not exactly.” Joey took a step back as she yawned. “You want to come in? You can make coffee while I get dressed.”

“Actually, I’m here to see Pacey.”

“Ah.” Joey raised an eyebrow. “Well, you can make coffee while I wake him up then.” As Andie headed for the kitchen, Joey walked into the bedroom, sinking down next to Pacey. She rubbed his shoulder lightly, trying to wake him.

Opening one eye slightly, Pacey grabbed her arm and pulled her down on top of him. “Mornin’ Potter.”

“You’ve got a visitor.”

He took her hand and guided it beneath the sheets to his erection. “How ‘bout that? So do you.”

Joey smiled, stroking him with her hand. Pacey’s eyes closed again and he moaned softly, arching up to meet her. “You really do have company.”

His hand snaked up into her hair and he guided her lips down to his. His tongue danced over their pink surface before sinking inside her mouth, tasting the mint of her toothpaste. Joey kissed him back, her tongue finding his and taking control of the kiss as her hand circled the tip of his cock, stroking the sensitive skin rapidly.

Pacey struggled to breathe, trapped in the kiss, her hand quickly bringing him to his breaking point, her fingers concentrating on his weak spots. He broke the kiss, panting as Joey smiled down at him. “Your company’s going to last longer than mine.”

“You think I can’t last, Potter?” He gasped the words, as her other hand slipped beneath the sheets to cup his balls, kneading them with gentle strength, her thumb pressed against the vein throbbing at the base of his cock.

Using her body, Joey shouldered off the covers he’d managed to pull over her and moved down his body, easing her mouth over his erection without missing a stroke. Pacey turned his head, shoving the pillow against his mouth as he lost control; his hot come spilling between Joey’s eager lips.

As soon as his muscles relaxed, Joey pulled away from him, a smile of triumph on her face. “I know exactly how long you can last, Witter.” She lay on top of him, kissing his chin. “But I have a feeling the person that’s waiting for you needs to see you far more than you need to be inside me.”

He shook his head. “No one could need me that much.”

“Get up, get dressed.” Joey climbed off the bed and pulled on a pair of sweats, tugging them up to her waist and pulling the cord tight.

“You could wear your own clothes instead of always stealing mine.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” She blew him a kiss as he headed for the bathroom, opening the bedroom door and starting toward the kitchen.

Andie looked up as the door opened, giving Joey a timid smile. “I made coffee.”

“Thanks.”

“You guys weren’t…busy, were you?”

“Us?” Joey shook her head. “No. Pacey’s just hard to wake up sometimes. He had a late night last night.”

“Where’s he working now?”

“He’s doing volunteer work at some of the local shelters. He’s helping out the kids there, teaching reading to a lot of them. He needs some community service for his teaching certificate.” Joey grabbed three cups out of the cupboard and poured coffee in each of them. “You want cream or sugar?”

“No. Thanks.” Andie stood up and took the cup from Joey, cradling it in her hands. “And you’re almost through with school?”

“Yeah. Soon a business degree, in all its glory, shall be mine.”

“You’re more likely to get something with a business degree than with an art degree.” Andie sat down again, her whole body fidgeting nervously. “Not that…I sound so judgmental, don’t I?”

“No. You’re right. That’s why I did it.” Joey sat across from her, her brow wrinkling in puzzlement. “What’s wrong, Andie?”

“Nothing. Everything.”

Concern marred Joey’s features and she moved a chair closer. “Anything I can help with?”

“I don’t think so. It’s sort of something I need Pacey for.” Andie looked down at her hands, not wanting to meet Joey’s gaze. “That sounds bad, I know. But it’s not. I’d never try and break you guys up. I just…I need his opinion and right now, he’s the only one I trust.”

“It’s okay, Andie.”

“I just feel weird. I mean, here I am, his ex-girlfriend babbling on about how I need to see him and only him and…” She broke off as Pacey walked out of the bedroom, pulling a T-shirt on over his head. His chest was tanned from the sun and still slightly damp from the shower. Lifting her cup, Andie closed her eyes and took a long drink of coffee, not caring that it burned her tongue.

Joey stood up and walked toward Pacey, shaking her head all the way. “Who exactly do you think you are, Witter?” She whispered the words softly as she kissed his cheek. “Brad Pitt?”

“Why not? You were both in awe.”

“Of the sheer size of your ego.”

“It’s not my ego you marvel at the size of, Potter.” He slipped his arm around her waist and guided her back to the table, sitting across from Andie. Joey got his coffee for him and set it in front of him before sinking back into her seat. “Hey, Andie.”

“Hey.” She smiled at him then looked away, his gaze reminding her far too much of someone else’s. “I was wondering…if I could talk to you?”

“Sure.” Pacey took a sip of his coffee then smiled. “Talk away.”

“Alone.”

Joey raised an eyebrow and started to stand. “I can leave.”

“No!” Andie shook her head. “I don’t want…God, this is so hard. Pacey? Can we go for a walk?”

Pacey looked at Joey quickly before standing up. “Sure, Andie. Let me put on my shoes and we’re out of here.” He moved to the couch as Andie stood, heading for the door. “You need anything while I’m out, Jo?”

She shook her head. “Nope, I’m good. You two have fun.” Picking up her coffee cup, Joey walked into the bedroom, refusing to look over her shoulder and watch them leave the room together.

“Soooo,” Pacey drawled the word slowly as they reached the park. They’d been walking in silence for the past fifteen minutes and he was beginning to worry. “You wanted to talk?”

“This isn’t easy.”

“Sure it is,” he nudged her with his elbow. "There's absolutely nothing you can possibly say that could have the impact of our first serious talk junior year, so don't be scared."

“I had sex with your brother.”

“What?”

“I had…sex. With Doug.”

“Doug? My brother, Doug?”

Andie nodded. “About a week ago.”

“Doug?”

“Yes. Doug.” Andie stopped and glared at him. “I had sex with Doug.”

Pacey’s voice was plaintive. “Why?”

“What?”

“Why? Why Doug? There are millions of guys in the world. Most of them would pretty much love to have sex with you. Only one of them is my brother! Why?”

“I was in Capeside and I…”

“Decided to crash the policeman’s ball?”

“This is kind of hard for me, Pacey.”

“Me too.”

Andie stopped walking and glared at him. “Would you just shut up?” Pacey stopped as well, his gaze locked on his shoes. Andie watched him for a moment before sighing. “I don’t know who else to talk to. I don’t have…girlfriends, and I’m confused. And…and hurt.”

Pacey’s blue eyes snapped up, fire in them. “He hurt you?”

“No.” Andie looked away, not wanting to look at him as she spoke. “I hurt him. I…I screwed everything up. He was so nice and sweet and kind of bumbling. And he was so…” She saw Pacey flinch out of the corner of her eye and laughed. “I wasn’t going to give you any specifics.”

“Good. Because I don’t want to know them. About any man, much less my brother.”

“He was perfect though. And I hurt his feelings. I told him that it was too soon and that I wasn’t ready.”

“Were you telling the truth?” Pacey took Andie’s hand and led her to a nearby bench. She squeezed his hand, seeking comfort. “Was that how you really felt?”

“Sex has always been sort of rushed for me. I mean, you and I said no and then we did. Marc was a mistake on so many levels and the guys at college…” Andie blushed and shook her head. “Never mind the guys at school. And don’t get all indignant,” she warned him, noting his look. “They didn’t do anything I didn’t let them.”

“Andie, you still haven’t answered my question.”

“I wanted to have sex with him, Pacey.”

Pacey winced slightly. “Then what’s the problem?”

“After it was over, it was just sex, you know?” She didn’t look at him, didn’t know if he knew what she meant. He’d gone dateless for a long time after her; broken only by his short lived relationship with Joey. After high school, she’d known little of his social life other than the fact that he and Joey were still friends. And then he and Joey were lovers. Had he ever just had a meaningless sexual encounter? “He was still nice and caring and sweet, but I started thinking, how does a small town cop fit in with my plans? What would my father say about me dating a guy at least seven years older than me?”

“Andie?”

“What if I liked him too much and it all fell apart like it did when I loved you?”

The words hung in the air, the true reason behind her fears out in the open. Pacey clenched his hands together in his lap, searching for the right thing to say. “Andie?”

She shook her head, not wanting to answer, afraid he’d sense her tears.

“Andie?” Pacey raised one hand, turning her chin so that she faced him. Her eyes were misty, shimmery with unshed droplets. “What happened between us…wasn’t necessarily something we could control. Yes, there were things we could have done differently…”

“I could have done differently.”

“And maybe I wasn’t the most forgiving person, but what happened then isn’t what your life is about. And it’s not what your relationships are going to be about. You’re in college, that’s about the time in your life when you’re supposed to rush out there and start having a little sexual fun. Now, admittedly, I never thought you’d be doing it with my brother, but…” Pacey grinned.

Andie turned her head away, freeing it from his touch. “I was so in love with you, Pacey. Maybe not enough if I was willing to find comfort in Marc. But I was head over heels. And I look at your brother and I start having these feelings. These feelings that I haven’t felt since the day I first met you.”

“That’s not such a bad thing. They were good feelings to have.”

“But what if I don’t have them for Doug?”

The soft sound of laughter drifted toward them on the wind. Andie stood up and started walking toward the sound, headed for the small playground in the center of the park. Pacey sat quietly for a moment before following her. When she reached the edge of the park, Andie stared at the little kids laughing and playing on the merry-go-round.

“I didn’t have someone after you, Pacey. You had Joey and you fell for her like you’d once fallen for me. It didn’t work out at the time, but look at you guys now. You’re in love, you’re happy. You act like nothing’s ever going to change that. You’ll be together forever.”

“You’ll find that, Andie.”

“What if I already found it and I let it go?”

“There’s not just one person out there. There’s not just that one perfect guy. Besides, Andie, we already know that I wasn’t the perfect guy for you. If I had been, you wouldn’t have needed someone else. You wouldn’t have felt the way you did.”

“What if I’m looking for you?”

“You’re not going to find me.”

“What if you’re the one that I want, though? The one my heart wants?” Andie smiled as one of the kids waved to her. “And what if I was using Doug to find that again?”

“When you were with Doug, when you were…together…what were you thinking about?”

“What do you mean?”

“When he was…” Pacey looked queasy. “When you guys were…oh God.”

“Having sex?”

“Thank you. When you guys were doing that, what did you think about?”

“How good it felt, how tender he was, how…”

“Not wanting details.” Pacey reminded her quickly. “Were you thinking about Doug? Or were you thinking about me?”

“I…I don’t remember.”

“Think hard.” Pacey took her hand and started walking, heading back to his and Joey’s apartment. “If you were thinking about me, then you need to stay away from Doug. Because if he’s not the one on your mind, you’re both going to get hurt. But if you were thinking about him, I think it’s safe to say it’s perfectly fine for you to have sex with my brother.” He shivered. “As long as I never, ever hear about it again.”

Pacey patted the roof of Andie’s car, smiling down at her. “Drive careful.”

“I will. And Pacey?”

“Yeah?” He bent down, looking in the window.

Andie leaned forward and kissed his cheek softly. “Thank you. For listening, for everything.”

“My pleasure.”

“But mostly for not being too completely freaked out by what happened.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. I’m going to walk into that apartment and have some sort of nervous breakdown. I mean, isn’t this sort of like incest?”

“No worse than you and Dawson swapping women the entirety of your high school careers.”

“I’ll have you know that the only women Dawson and I have in common are Jen and Joey, which isn’t that bad of an average in a small town like Capeside.”

“And the only woman you and your brother share is me.”

Pacey shook his head, warding off the words. “Never again speak those words in my presence, McPhee.” He stood up, hunching over and kissing her on the forehead. “Drive careful.”

“Why does everyone keep telling me that?” Andie backed out of the parking space, bumping up against the curb behind her. “Oops.”

Pacey headed up the stairs to the apartment, trying not to laugh. Opening the door, he was surprised by the silence. “Jo?” When there was no answer, he slipped off his shoes and locked the door behind him. Silence meant only one thing.

He moved stealthily down the hall, inhaling sharply as he neared the bedroom. The air was heavy with sandalwood. He opened the door quietly and tugged his shirt over his head, dropping it on the edge of the bed. Unfastening his shorts, he slipped them off as well, dropping them and his boxers to the ground. With another deep breath, he pushed the bathroom door open and smiled at the sight in front of him.

Joey was stretched out in the tub, her honeyed skin smooth and silky in the caress of the water. Steam filtered through the room as he closed the door, assaulting his senses with the heady scent. He can hear the soft music on the headphones, blocking the world out for her. Grabbing the towel from the rack, he spread it on the floor and knelt beside the tub.

Her eyes were closed; her mouth opened slightly as she inhaled the scented air. One hand held the washcloth, bringing soft waves of hot water up to cover her breasts, the nipples hard from the change in the air and, no doubt, from the actions of her other hand.

Watching through narrowed eyes, Pacey wet his lips as Joey’s hand slipped back between her thighs, her fingers searching out the hard nub of her clitoris. Her legs were parted, allowing him a view of the swollen flesh, making him wonder how long she’d been here like this, what she’d been thinking of.

“Need a hand with that, Potter?”

She started slightly as he guided the headphones away from her. “How was your chat with Andie?”

He shook his head, bending down to lick the damp cluster of sweat that was pooled at the base of her neck. “Not interesting enough to stop what I’m doing.”

She closed her eyes once again as his hand moved under the water, catching the washcloth. He took it from her hand and pushed it away before letting his fingers trail down her body even further. Spreading her legs a little wider, Joey let her hands fall to her sides as Pacey knowingly touched her.

His lips were warm against her already heated skin, licking and nibbling along the length of her neck as his fingers parted the perfumed folds of skin, slipping inside her effortlessly. With skilled hands, he touched her in all the right places, eliciting gasps of pleasure as his thumb caressed her clit. As his fingers pressed inside her, he fought the firm grip of her muscles as he slid inside, the resistance of the water as he withdrew.

Joey’s body quivered as he teased her to her breaking point, his touches relentless. She purred softly as he brought her over the edge, bathing him in something more sensual than the touch of the hot water that continually kissed his skin. He nuzzled her earlobe, whispering words of love as she slowly calmed.

Grinning up at him, Joey helped him ease his hand away from her body. “You were going to give me a hand?” Pacey nodded, standing up. Joey’s grin widened as she noticed his erection, hard and throbbing. “Although it looks like you could use one.”

“It’s not a hand I want.” He grabbed her towel and held it open for her, waiting for her to step inside it. Instead, she shook her head and grabbed one edge of it, tugging him toward the bedroom. Pacey followed her willingly as she headed for the bed.

She dropped the end of the towel and climbed up on the mattress, lying spread-eagled like a sacrifice. “What do you want then, Mr. Witter?”

He shoved his shirt off the bed and moved toward her, making his way slowly up her still damp legs, kissing the wet skin. Joey shivered at his touch, so light and so unsatisfying, waiting anxiously for him to reach her.

Kneeling in front of her, Pacey pressed the tip of his cock to her opening, penetrating her as easily as his fingers had in the tub. “You, Potter. I want you.” He embedded his cock inside her, rocking their bodies in the slow, easy rhythm of lovers. Her body was liquid with her earlier orgasm, his erection sheathed in her wetness.

They moved together, dancing to their own song until Joey’s legs locked around Pacey, increasing his tempo, meeting faster and harder until neither could breathe. Pacey murmured her name as he came, spilling himself inside her, desperately. Joey ground up against him, rubbing her clit against the rough hair of his body until she found her own completion, and they both lay on the bed exhausted.

“Relaxing bath?”

Joey stretched languorously. “You can’t imagine.” Rolling onto her side as he situated himself beside her, Joey watched his body move with a hunger that should have been sated, but that he constantly provoked in her. “So, did you and Andie have a nice talk?”

“She’s sleeping with my brother.”

“Doug?”

“Yup.”

“Deputy Doug?”

“Yup.”

“Why?”

Pacey laughed, “I asked the same question.”

“And what was her answer?”

“She didn’t know.”

“Is she falling for him? Are they dating? Are they doing this on a regular basis? Are we both going to need therapy just for knowing this?”

“They’re not dating. They just slept together and it didn’t go well.”

“Because Doug is gay?”

“Apparently, according to Andie, not gay. And not bad. Which is way more than I ever wanted to know about my brother’s sex life. But she’s not sure. She handled it badly, I guess, and so she’s worried. About what to do.”

“Is she dating Doug because he reminds her of you?”

There was no jealousy in her voice, but Pacey looked over at her anyway. “It doesn’t matter to me. I’m not in love with Andie anymore.”

“It would matter to Doug.”

“And that’s what I told her.”

Joey nodded briefly. “Living with me has rubbed off on you, obviously. Made you smarter.”

“Not smart enough yet.” Pacey pulled Joey on top of his body and let his hand find the hard tip of one nipple. “Rub off on me some more?”

Andie leaned back and took a long sip of her drink, trying to stifle her giggle. “You’re such a liar.”

“And you’re a little drunk.” The guy sitting across from her leaned in, reaching out to catch her free hand. “I think you’ve had a margarita too many.”

“Never too many!” Andie giggled again, setting the glass down on the table. “I have it on good authority that there’s no way to have too much tequila.”

“I think I should take you home, Andie.” He pushed his chair back and came around the table to help her to her feet. “Before you do something silly.”

“Silly!” Andie looked incredulous. “I’ll have you know that Andie McPhee doesn’t do anything silly. Not now, not ever. Andie McPhee is always thinking, planning, plotting. She’s a master strategist. Nothing slips by her. She is…” Andie hiccuped and giggled again, pulling away from the protective arm he had around her shoulders. “She’s perfectly capable of walking on her own.”

“You’re also perfectly capable of falling down, which would be what I’m trying to prevent.” He caught her as she started to sway, guiding her toward the door of the bar they were in. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”

“It’s hot.” Andie tugged her sweater over her head, not caring that the shirt beneath it was also caught in her grip. Pulling on it, she managed to yank both the sweater and the shirt off, leaving her clad only in her bra. “Damn it. Now I’m cold.”

“Andie.”

“Stevie…”

He grabbed her clothes from her hand and tried to drape them over her so that they covered her exposed skin. They were halfway through the bar and everyone’s attention seemed to be locked on Andie’s half-naked body. “Why don’t you put your sweater back on and then you won’t be cold.”

“No. It’s too hot.” She shrugged his gestures off, pulling away from him and stumbling into a group of people who were walking the opposite direction. “Whoops!” Andie looked up, surprised to see a familiar face. “Doug?”

Doug froze, his eyes drifting down to Andie’s state of undress. “Andie.”

She looked at him curiously, struggling to focus. Doug was standing in front of her. Doug who she hadn’t seen in months. Doug who hadn’t tried to contact her in all that time. Doug who had his arm draped around the shoulders of another man.

Shoving Steve’s hands off of her, she planted her own hands on her hips. “You said you weren’t gay.”

“What?” Doug took a step toward her, anger lighting his eyes.

“You’re here…with another guy!”

“So are you!”

“I’m a girl!”

“Oh, Jesus Christ.” Doug grabbed her arm and started to pull her out of the bar, stopped only when Steve grabbed his arm. Doug met his eyes with a dangerous glare. “You want to let me go.”

“What do you think you’re doing with my date?”

“I just want to talk to her.”

“Yeah, well I find a lot of guys want to do more than talk to a woman walking around in just a bra. And I’m not about to let that happen.”

“I’ve already done a hell of a lot more than talk to your date, buddy.” Doug shook off his grip, his body practically shaking with anger. “And if you don’t back off, I’ll have your ass in jail so quickly you won’t even remember which direction you were facing.”

Andie shook her head, pushing past Doug toward Steve. “You don’t have to worry, Steve. I think we’ve made it clear that Doug is gay. He’s not going to hurt me.”

“I am not GAY!” Doug’s hands clenched into fists and he turned back to Andie, his voice dropping to a whisper. “If I were gay, would I have made love to you on the beach?”

“If you weren’t gay, would you be here, away from home where no one can see you, with your arm around another guy?”

Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Doug stepped away from her. “Fine. I’ll be outside, Andie. You want to talk to me, you can come out there of your own free will.”

“Why do you want to talk to me?” She seemed genuinely confused.

“Never mind.” He shook his head, looking back at the group of guys he was with. “I’ve got to go. I’m sorry.”

“Catch you at work Monday,” one of them said, nodding in his direction as they all headed back to their table.

Doug gave Andie one last glance. “Goodbye, Andie.”

She watched him walk away; his shoulders slumped as if in defeat. Looking over at Steve, she shook her head. “I don’t get this at all.”

“That might be because you’re drunk.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “Maybe. Should I talk to him?”

“I don’t think so.” Steve watched as Doug left the building, heading down the street. “I think you should just let me take you home so you can get sobered up.”

She leaned on him, the weight of confrontation adding to the alcohol in her system. “Yeah. Okay.”

Steve used his body to hold Andie against the wall as he slipped the key into her dorm room door. She leaned into him, resting her head on his chest. “You’re all warm.”

“I think that’s you.”

“No. I’m not warm. I’m dizzy.”

“Maybe you’re both.” Steve managed to unlock the door, pushing it open before turning back to Andie. He lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. “You ready to walk again?”

“Not exactly. Maybe I could just stay here for a while.” She nuzzled against him.

“I don’t want to stand here in the hallway, Andie.” He ran a hand through her hair. “At least let’s go inside, okay?”

“Okay. Inside is nice. There’s a desk and a computer…”

Steve kissed her lightly. “And a bed.”

“I should go to bed.”

“We should go to bed.” Steve wrapped his arms around her, carefully guiding her the short distance to the door. “Don’t you think that sounds nice?”

“Doug and I never got to the bed,” she sighed softly. “I really messed that up, you know.”

“Don’t worry about Doug anymore. Just worry about you and me.”

“And the bed?”

“And the bed.”

“I don’t want to go to bed with you, Steve. I don’t.” She shook her head, trying to push him away as he moved them closer to her bed. “I just want to go to sleep.”

“You can sleep soon enough,” he promised her.

“Sooner than you think.” Doug leaned against the open door, smiling maliciously. “I would suggest, if you want to keep your spine intact, that you lay her very gently on the bed and then get the hell out of here. Otherwise, you’re going to find yourself writhing on the floor in more pain than you’ve ever expected existed.”

“And who the hell do you think you are, buddy? You’re just some asshole who fucked her once.”

“No.” Doug calmly removed his wallet, flashing his badge. “I’m a police officer who fucked her once. And I’m very willing to be the police officer that throws your ass in jail for attempted rape. Your call.”

Steve released Andie, letting her fall back on the bed. “You’re going to regret this, buddy.”

“No.” Doug stood his ground as Steve got closer, his body tensed and ready for a fight. “You will. That is if you’re stupid enough to try anything. You that stupid, college boy?”

Steve brushed past Doug, his face red with anger. Doug watched him as he stormed down the hall before stepping into Andie’s room and closing the door. Making sure to lock it, he walked over to the bed and sat down next to Andie’s prone figure.

“You still conscious?”

“Yeah.” She rolled halfway over, squinting into the light. “I suppose I should thank you.” She sat up quickly then darted toward the bathroom. Doug followed more slowly, kneeling beside her, holding her hair away from her face.

When she was finished, he got her a cool washcloth. “You okay?”

“I guess I never could hold my liquor.”

“Well, I’m sure the threat of a potential rape didn’t exactly help it all settle in your stomach.”

“I should thank you.” Andie reminded herself, slowly getting to her feet. “But I think I’m angry with you.”

“Why?” Doug helped her to the sink where she brushed her teeth and drank a glass of water. Guiding her back to the bed, he helped her lay down then sat in the desk chair.

“You lied to me.”

“Did I?”

“Yes.” She looked away; turning to faced the wall. “You were in that bar with another guy.”

“Yeah. I was.”

“But you said you weren’t gay.”

“I’m not.”

“But you had your arm around him and you guys were walking together, talking and…”

“And he was drunk off his ass. A lot of men get that way at their bachelor party.” Doug leaned back slightly, resting his hands behind his head. “He’s getting married next weekend and I was just doing my duty.”

“Duty?”

“Duty. Buying drinks for the guy who’s about to give up his life and freedom for the shackles of marriage.” Doug smiled at her, even though she wasn’t watching him. “Pacey told me you stopped by to see him.”

Andie rolled over quickly, her eyes frantic. “He did?”

“Just mentioned it in passing. I was curious what you guys talked about.”

“Teaching. Him teaching. And I talked to Joey. We’re friends.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“You’re…you’re not gay?”

He shook his head, slowly getting out of the chair and moving over to the bed. He knelt beside it and brushed her damp hair from her forehead. “I can promise you that I am not gay. Never have been. Never intend to be. Nothing wrong with it, mind you. I just much prefer my blondes to be young, nubile and female.”

“I’m young.”

“And nubile.”

“Female.” Andie watched his eyes, wondering at the emotion there. “And blonde.”

“Fancy that.”

“Doug?”

He brushed his fingertips across her forehead, soothing the lines of distress there. He followed the gentle touch with the lightest of kisses. “Yeah?” he asked breathlessly.

“I’m sorry for all the things I said. I never…I was nervous and scared.”

“I know.”

“And I didn’t want to get hurt, or hurt you, or…”

“It’s okay, Andie.”

“And I need to say this.” She sat up, swaying slightly, putting distance between them. “I think I was afraid that I was with you for the wrong reasons. That I was with you because I was lonely or because I was sad or alone or…or because you reminded me of Pacey.”

Doug got up and sat beside her on the bed. “All perfectly good wrong reasons.”

“And you deserve better than that.” She sighed and looked down at her hands, not daring to glimpse any emotion from him. “Both of us do. I deserve to be with a man I love. And he deserves for me to love him without question.”

“So you ran because you had questions.”

“And we wouldn’t work. We couldn’t. You were everything that I was afraid of. Everything that was the wrong thing in my life. You know about my past and you know about all the things I’ve done. You were there when I was arrested. Hell, you arrested me. You know all the bad stuff. And I wanted to be with someone who only saw the good. Who didn’t know about the Andie who had a breakdown and lost her mind for a while, who cheated on the guy she loved just because she was scared. I didn’t want to have to look into the eyes of a man who knew all the things I had been.”

“So you left. Started dating other guys.”

“Dreamed about you every night.” She lifted her eyes shyly, not sure of him.

“If you dreamed about me, why didn’t you…”

“I didn’t know that I could. I thought I had ruined everything. I thought I’d see you and you’d laugh in my face. Or worse, tell me that I did it all wrong, and that I wasn’t very good at the sex stuff.”

Doug reached out, taking her hand in his own. “Maybe it’s ridiculous Andie. Maybe it’s absolutely incredible and stupid that I spent those 48 hours chasing after you like a man who’d lost his mind. Maybe we are all wrong. Maybe you need someone who doesn’t know all the bad. But…maybe it’d be better to be with someone who knew. And who it didn’t matter to.”

She nodded wordlessly, tears trickling down her cheeks. “I did say I wanted to be a small town lawyer, didn’t I?”

“I can’t think of a town smaller than Capeside.” Doug smiled at her, wiping the tears away with a gentle hand.

She sniffed back her tears and nodded, trying not to laugh. “That’s true.” She looked up at him; her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. “So what happens now?”

Doug slipped his arm around her, pulling her into his embrace. “I’ve spent the past several months trying very hard to get you out of my mind. It hasn’t been easy since I’ve also spent a lot of that time hounding Pacey for information on you, about you.”

“He told you things?”

“I threatened to give him a detailed account of our night together if he didn’t.”

“Ah.”

“And you’ve been dreaming about me.”

“Which I’ll deny should you ever try and tell your friends such a sappy story.”

“So I was thinking that maybe we should try this dating thing for a while. See what comes of it. See if we actually like each other or if it’s just some sort of bizarre hormonal thing.”

“Or if it’s just your pathetic attempt to prove to the denizens of Capeside that you’re really not gay, no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary?”

“This gay thing’s going to get old really, really fast.”

Giving him a sly look, Andie got off the bed and unfastened her bra, suddenly glad that Steve hadn’t managed to get her shirt and sweater back on her. “I can think of a really easy way to dispel the rumor.”

Doug smiled as well, standing up just in front of her, his body close enough to feel the warmth of her skin. “Really?”

Andie stood on tiptoe, pressing her lips to his. “Very easy. Not hard at all.”

Doug shook his head and pulled her body against his. “That, Miss McPhee, would be where you were very, very wrong.”

Pacey kissed Joey softly before heading down the hall. He walked into a small room, smiling as he saw his father straightening Doug’s tie. “Well, well, well. All three Witter men gathered together on this lovely day. Will there be any harsh words spoken? Will there be any accusations thrown? Or will peace on earth and brotherly love rule the day?”

“Well, that’s all sort of hinging on whether or not you keep your mouth shut.” John Witter gave his youngest son a smile. “We’ve got a bet going. Care to hear the odds?”

“I can imagine the odds.” He gave his dad a smile in return as he walked out of the room, walking toward his wife. Pacey leaned against the wall and looked at his older brother. “So, you’re really going through with this?”

“That’s what the invitations meant.”

“And it’s not weird to you that I’ve slept with your bride?”

“I’ve slept with her too.”

“Doesn’t bother you?”

“It’s not like she’s calling out your name at night, Pacey. You can rest assured, I’ve managed to erase the memory of your teenaged fumblings from her mind.”

“It’s just not right on any level.”

“So when are you and Joey going to tie the knot?”

Pacey blushed, shaking his head. “Whenever I get up enough courage to actually ask her. You’d think that it wouldn’t be so hard after living together for so long, but…”

“You’ll manage it when the time is right.” Doug held out his hand. “You’ve got the ring?” Pacey pulled it from his pocket and handed it to Doug. He looked it over then handed it back. “It just doesn’t seem real yet. I mean, I wasn’t exactly the Casanova of Capeside. I just never quite figured I’d be doing this.”

Pacey grinned. “And then there’s the fact that you’re gay…”

“I am not gay!”

Pacey laughed at Doug’s clenched teeth and angry glare. “As long as you’ve got Andie convinced of that, I guess that’s all that matters.” He tilted his head as the music started. “That’s our cue. You ready?”

“Tell me again what I’m doing?”

Pacey tugged on Doug’s sleeve, dragging him toward the doorway to the church. “You’re going to stand out there in front of all our friends, enemies, neighbors and family and marry my ex-girlfriend.”

“Right.”

Pacey shook his head as he followed Doug in. “We have such a weird family.”

09/18/00