Disclaimer: Sorry to disapoint you, we do not own the characters of this story, we never have, and we never will. Those rights belong to Columbia Tristar Television, and various others.
Author's Note:This is the sequel to Untouched. The third book of the four book series. This takes place FOUR years after Untouched. Everything else pretty much ends up explained. Pacey and Joey haven't communicated at all.

Reclining back in one of the chairs facing the oak desk of Lucy Carmichael, Pacey grinned widely at the dark haired secretary later that week. A sealed manilla envelope sat forgotten on the chair next to him as he listened to her describe a mishap at the gallery's first opening.

"Joey practically had an anuerism when she saw what the advertisments read." She giggled, smiling at the very handsome stranger who had randomly appeared at her desk.

"I'm sure you handled it well. You seem like the type to possess grace under pressure." He smiled charmingly at her, watching the faint blush rise to the younger woman's cheeks.

"No," she shook her head. "That's so not me. I'm more the type to crumble under pressure."

Pacey shook his head, his charming smile firmly in place. "Joey wouldn't have kept you around if you weren't invaluable to her. I bet this place would fall apart without you."

"Hardly," she rolled her eyes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to flatter me."

Joey pressed the intercom button on her phone that connected her straight to Lucy's desk. "Lucy can you bring me the hard copy of the numbers from Saturday's opening? I can't seem to get it to come up on the computer." She frowned and went back to work on her computer trying to figure out what she was doing wrong, she sighed and rubbed the side of her neck still sore from when she had slept wrong. She pressed a few keys and let out an exasperated sigh when nothing happened, if Jack were there he'd be able to fix this for her with no problem.

Joey's voice came over the intercom, and Pacey pointed at it, "See, prime example." He winked at her, "And apparently, you don't know any better."

She leaned forward in her seat, something about this guy intrigued her, "So you were coming onto me?"

He chuckled, "I wouldn't quite say coming on...." He trailed off, a sly smile on his face. "But yeah."

Lucy smiled flirtatiously and leaned forward on her desk giving him an ample view of her cleavage through the top of her blouse. "So what did you say your name was again?"

"Pacey," He held out his hand, "Pacey Witter."

She grinned and placed her hand in his, letting it linger for longer than necessary. She licked her lips, approving of what she saw. "Lucy. Lucy Carmichael."

After another few failed attempts at getting her damn computer to do what she told it, she looked at her office door wondering why Lucy hadn't came in with the numbers yet. She was usually so efficient. She glanced at the clock on her computer screen it was one, she could either be in the restrooms or out to lunch, she frowned hoping it was not the latter because she had wanted her to pick her up something from the Chinese restaurant around the corner. She reached for the phone again and hit the intercom button. "Lucy? Are you there?"

Pacey ignored Joey's voice, "Well, Lucy Carmichael, you don't happen to have room in your busy schedule for a lunch do you?"

She smiled again. "Actually, I have a break in ten minutes-"

"Lucy, there you are!" Joey exclaimed upon spotting her secretary at her desk. "Didn't you hear me? I tried to page you." Her eyes wandered to Pacey and she suddenly realized Lucy had obviously ignored her. She turned to her assistant her voice even. "The computers giving me a hard time and now if it's not too much of an inconvenience for you, I need you to get me the hard copy of the numbers from this Saturday's opening." Lucy's gaze dropped to her desk, cheeks flushed in embarrassment and she nodded her head. "Now," Joey added with a frown and watched as the girl disappeared into the back room where they kept their records.

She turned her head to Pacey and winced as her neck complained about her movement. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she tried to massage the pain in her neck away.

"You didn't need to be so cold to the girl, we were just talking." He said, rising from his chair.

Joey rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't pay her to talk to you, do I?" she said already on her way back to her office. With a sigh, he picked up the envelope and followed her into her office.

She sighed as she walked into the carpeted office and plopped herself down on her chair behind her desk exhaustedly. It was only one in the afternoon and already the day was shaping out to be a long one. "So what brings you here?"

"Guilt." Pacey replied simply, sitting down in the chair across from her.

"Guilt?" Joey questioned. "Care to elaborate on that cryptic statement?"

"At first, I was mad." He told her, "I mean, we had sex, and you up and left. Then I realized, she's just doing what I did." He noticed he'd gotten her full attension. "I figured, okay, fine, I'll go see her tomorrow and we'll call it even and we can get back on the road to friendship."

"So you went to sleep that night and woke up today?"

He chuckled, "No." He threw the envelope across the desk to land right in front of her. "I realized I had some business to take care of before I could see you again. Hense, the guilt."

Joey gazed at the envelope curiously. "And that would be?"

"I needed three full business days." She gave him an exasperated look and he returned it, "Just open it."

She reached for the envelope and opened the clasp, pulling the white sheets of official looking paper out. She flipped through them as realization of what they were dawned on her. Her eyes widened as she read. "Wow."

He gave her a nervous look, "I realized we didn't use protection...and I haven't been tested since Jen. I've always used protection, so I wasn't that worried, but things have been known to break and they're never 100% safe...so, like I said, I felt guilty." He rambled. "I wanted to make sure that I didn't pass anything I might have aquired onto you. So I got tested. And I didn't think you'd really believe me if I just told you I was clean..."

Joey took in what he said quietly slipping the papers back into the envelope and redoing the clasp. She handed it back to him. "Thanks," she said sincerely.

He shrugged taking the envelope back from her, "No problem." He met her eyes, "So are we even now? I left you, you left me. Can we wipe the slate clean?"

She nodded and then rubbed at her sore neck. "Yeah sure."

There was a knock on door, and Lucy peeked her head in. "Here are the numbers." She walked in, her eyes flickering to Pacey and handed them to Joey.

She raised an eyebrow accepting the papers and placed them on her desk. "Thanks."

"No problem," she smiled, turning on her heel, Lucy saundered out of the room, an added swing to her hips. The door closed quietly behind her.

Joey sighed and sorted the papers that Lucy had given her, trying not to move her head too much. "Well, I have work to do."

"Yeah, and it looks like it's killing you. What have you been doing,sleeping in your chair?"

"Yes," she said sarcastically. "I've been sleeping in my chair, of course I haven't. I just slept wrong last night."

He rose from his chair, "Would you mind if I...?" He asked, moving towards her. He stood behind her chair and put his hands on her shoulders, waiting to see if she'd rebuke him.

She tensed. "What are you doing?"

He dropped his hands, "I was going to give you a neck massage. Purely innocent." He told her stepping away. Inwardly he cursed to himself, why couldn't he seem to keep his hands off her?

She tilted her head to look at him and winced. "I don't need a massage. You'll probably just end up making it worse."

He nodded his head, "Yeah, okay." He walked around her desk back to his chair.

Joey shrugged and glanced down at the paperwork on her desk. "Well..."

He picked up the envelope and glanced back at her. "As you said, you've work to do. So, I'll see you around, Potter."

She paused thoughtfully. "Um, if you don't have any plans and if you haven't eaten lunch, it's time for my lunch break and we can go get something to eat? Together," she added hurriedly.

A slow smile tugged at his lips, "Yeah," he nodded, "I could use some food."

She nodded her head and smiled feeling a little relieved. "Okay."

"You have anyplace in mind?" He asked, leaning against the doorjam as she arranged her desk.

"Um, I've been having a craving for some Lo Mein," she said glancing up from her desk.

"Lead the way," He held open the door for her. "I don't exactly know my way around this neighborhood."

She smiled. "It's only around the corner."

"Great," He returned her smile with a twinkle in his eye. "So, they any good as far as chinese goes?"

"Well, I love their Lo Mein," she said.

"I'm not big on Lo Mein. I'm more of a egg roll, kinda guy." He closed the door behind them and they headed down the hall. He nodded to Lucy as they passed.

"I'm going to go out to lunch Lucy. Want me to pick you up anything?" Joey asked glancing back at her friend. Her hand flew to her neck. "Ow."

Pacey sighed, noticing her pain and wishing she'd let him do something about it.

Lucy eyed Pacey and Joey together and shrugged, staring back at her computer screen. "No, Joey. I'll just pick something up later. You go ahead." Her eyes flitted back up to the pair, "Enjoy yourself."

Joey shrugged rubbing at her neck. "Okay. I'll see you in an hour."

"Bye Lucy," Pacey said as they walked out the double doors.

He gave Joey a concerned look, "Are you okay? Have you taken anything for your neck?"

Joey brushed it off. "I'm fine. I took two Advils this morning."

"If you say so." He let it go, he knew she'd just get angry at him if he pressed it. And this time, he was determined both not to fight with her and not to jump her. The latter being the hardest to resist since she'd chosen to wear a loose fitting blouse that hugged her in all the right places as she moved.

"I should be fine."

"Alright." He agreed. "So, Joey."

"Pacey?"

"When are you ever going to show your own work?"

Joey pretended to think about it. "Um�Never."

He quirked an eyebrow at her, as the walked along the crouded sidewalk, full of people on their way to lunch. "And why not?"

"Because I'm not even halfway as talented as the artists I host and I don't need that kind of humiliation. I'm quite happy working behind the scenes."

He rolled his eyes, "Joey, you've been talented since you picked up your first crayon. Remember, our kindergarden teacher always used to hold your drawings up to the class. The most Dawson or I ever got was a muffled laugh."

"It was a square house with a triangle roof, hardly a work of art."

"You're too hard on yourself." He paused, "What about your photography?"

"Point and click."

"There's more to it than that, and you know it. But, hey. If you're satisfied just watching others shine, that's your business."

"Hmm...What about you? You planning on stripping for the rest of your life?"

He shrugged, his hands slipping into his pockets. "I donno, the money's good. It's something I'm good at...which is rare. I might just stay in it until my body gets too nasty for anyone to want to look at."

"So you're happy doing that?"

He made a face, "Come on, Joey. Would you like taking your clothes off for screaming men?"

"Then why do you do it?" she asked curiously. "It's not like you can't do anything else. I read your book, I've seen how talented you are."

"How talented I was, maybe." He said dryly. "I haven't been able to write anything more than dribble in the last few years."

She rolled her eyes. "No one just suddenly becomes untalented."

"I've set a precident then." He opened the door to the small chinese restaurant, he touched her at the small of the back as he followed her inside.

"I don't believe you," she said as she walked toward a booth in the back.

"Fine, you can call it writers block, I'll call it loss of talent." He conceded, sliding into the booth across from her.

Joey smiled. "Maybe you're just lacking inspiration."

"That's a definate possibility," he mumbled concentrating on reading the menu. The last thing he wanted to discuss with her was his inspiration, or lack there of. "You didn't tell me the actual menu was in chinese."

Joey laughed and leaned forward in her seat flipping over Pacey's menu. "English on the other side."

He laughed, "Good, I was about to have you order for me. And that's just not good for a man's ego."

"You have control issues," Joey commented while looking over her menu.

"I do not," he scoffed.

"Yes, you do."

"Because I like to order for myself?" he replied, running his eyes down the menu.

"You like to be in charge," Joey said not missing a beat.

He put his menu down, having chosen already. "Hardly, Joey. When have I ever been in charge in my life?"

"Okay," Joey said shutting her menu and meeting his gaze evenly, "for instance, when we slept together you liked being in charge."

"That-that's not true," He stammered slightly, thinking back to their last two times together. Trying to remember what exactly he'd done to make her think he was controling.

Joey raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Yeah. Sure. I just imagined it."

He looked uncomfortably down at the table, "Sorry, about that, then."

"What are you apologizing for?" The corner of her mouth curled up into a wry smile.

"Because I--if you--I didn't--that wasn't--" he sighed, trying to regain control of his vocal cords. "Because I didn't even realize I was...."

Joey reached for the pitcher of hot tea and served herself some in one of the white ceramic mugs. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

He laughed, "Yeah."

She traced the rim of her mug with her fingertip before wrapping her hand around it, raising it to her lips, and blowing lightly across the top. "I'm sorry about that. I just think that if we're even going to attempt to be friends it'll be best if we're honest with each other." She took a tentative sip.

"No, I'm all for honesty. I just, I didn't know that I... did that." He frowned, "So, yeah, I'm sorry if I...I hurt you or anything." He apologized again.

She shook her head and placed her mug back down on the table. "You didn't hurt me."

He nodded, a visable wave of relief washing over him. "Good. Next time I'll-" He cut himself off. What was he doing talking about next time? There wasn't going to be a next time...was there?

"Let me be on top?" Joey finished with a wink.

He chuckled, "I wouldn't count on it, Potter." He stole her cup and stook a sip of her tea. He grimiced, "Not enough sugar. Besides, there is no next time."

She nodded taking her mug back. "Right, it's bad enough we made the same mistake twice."

"Exactly, sex between friends just doesn't work." He agreed, "I mean, look at all the fighting we've done since that first time."

"Absolutely," Joey concurred.

"We couldn't," he shook his head, trying to convince himself more than her.

"Yeah, it'd be wrong."

"Horribly wrong." He swallowed, watching a tendril of her hair brush against her neck as she leaned towards him just slightly.

She nodded her head softly. "Terrible."

"Do you care?" He asked, his voice gone suddenly husky as he stared into her darkened eyes.

"Do you?" she countered immediately, slightly breathless.

He looked around the nearly empty restaurant and spotted one of the waiters, "Check please." He asked, his voice cracking.

"We didn't order anything and the tea's complimentary," she said sliding out of her seat.

She took his hand and pulled him from the booth. He rose and stood chest to chest with her, his lips just barely brushing over hers as he spoke, "Where to?"

She licked her lips anxiously. "Um, the gallery is closest."

"Your office okay?" He ran his fingers up her side.

She shivered lightly. "It's fine."

He hooked her fingers in his and pulled her towards the door. "Suddenly I'm not craving chinese anymore."

She shook her head. "Surprisingly neither am I."

He slid his arm around her waist as they walked quickly back to the gallery. They entered through the front and breezed past Lucy. The second the door was closed Joey pressed him flat against the door kissing him hungrily, her hands already at the button to his pants.

"Anxcious aren't you?" He mumbled against her mouth. He tugged her blouse out from the waistband of her skirt. His hands warmed her skin as they re-learned the contours of her body for the third time in two weeks. He caught her lips in a smoldering kiss, his tongue ravaging the soft interior of her mouth.

She groaned against his mouth, his hands slid the soft material of her skirt up her legs, as he guided her backwards. Joey let out a surprise cry as the back of her legs hit the desk.

His hands curved behind her back gently laying her across the desk. Moaning low in his throat as her nails scraped the back of his neck, his fingers went to work on the buttons of her blouse. His lips traveled up and down her neck, she tasted too good to stay in one place. His lips quickly followed behind his fingers, his hot breath tantalizing her skin.

She slid her hands between them, her fingers doing quick work of the buttons to his shirt. She moved them up to his shoulders pushing the material off and turning her head to kiss the newly revealed skin, her breath warm and ragged.

"You are delicious," he murmured against her skin. The straps of her bra slid down her arms easily and he nudged the material away from her breasts and circled her nipple with the tip of his tongue. His other hand slid up her thigh, nudging the material of her skirt higher.

She moaned, the stirrings of desire uncoiling in her stomach and she gasped loudly, arching her back to meet his touch and running her fingers through his short brown hair.

His lips glided across the heated velvet of her skin. The feel of her tender thigh against his fingers left him burning with desire. He caressed her inner thighs urging them to part for his eager hands. "You are so beautiful," he breathed heavily, moving to her other breast.

She whimpered quietly, spreading her legs to accommodate him and shifted back on the desk, knocking pens and papers on the floor. His hands slid up her thighs, tugging at the material of her nylons. His frustration grew and he gave them another tug. Getting no where, he growled low in his throat and claimed her mouth with his, giving up. His tounge swept through her mouth teasing hers while his fingers fumbled with her nylons, which, try as he might, he couldn't remove from her.

She gasped softly pressing herself closer against him. She kissed him hungrily, eagerly devouring the cavern of his mouth as she fought for dominance of the kiss and raked her nails over the tense skin of his neck.

"Hmmm," he sighed into her mouth. She arched against his hard length and he pulled away from her panting, "Potter, how do you get these damn things off?!" He demanded impatiently.

She smiled faintly in amusement. "It's really not that hard."

"A little help here?" He asked, his lips devouring her neck again, as he tried again to pull the nylons off her body.

She tilted her head to the side and smiled crookedly. "Just pull it over my hips."

He moved her skirt up higher, trying to find the waist band of the nylons as his lips suckled on the skin of her neck. "I think they're glued on." he announced breathlessly, the heat of her skin tormenting him.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's what it is."

"You gonna help, or do you want me to rip them?"

"Aww, you need my help." She smiled teasingly.

"No, I need you." He growled and then smirking, he moved his fingers down her thighs. Caressing her lightly, he moved them to the apex of her thighs, teasing her through her nylons and underwear until she was aching from his touch. "Now, about that help?" He whispered huskily in her ear.

She whimpered biting down on her lower lip. "Rip them."

"Yes, Ma'am," he mumbled, tearing the material away from her. Her underwear soon followed and his finger drove into her moist heat, eliciting a gasp from her.

"See?" Joey breathed heavily. "Easy."

"Hmm," he sighed, adding another finger to her velvet warmth, his lips hovering over hers as his other hand fumbled with his belt.

She moaned softly thrusting up to meet his hands and captured his lips in a heated kiss. He withdrew his hand, unable to withstand the feel of her liquid heat around his fingers. He fumbled with the buttons of his pants and pushed them down with his boxers, his erection standing at attention.

She sat up a bit licking her lips and gazed up at him her hand working between them to stroke him. She leaned forward and ran her tongue lightly over his lips.

"God, Jo..." he gasped arching into her hand, crushing his lips against hers.

She smiled into his mouth, running her tongue over his teeth, her strokes growing more assured.

He groaned and leaned into her, gently pushing her back across the desk, sending more papers fluttering to the floor. He kissed his way over her chest, positioning himself between her parted legs.

She sighed lolling her head back enjoying the feel of his mouth on her heated skin. She hooked her long legs around his waist and pulled him into her, arching her hips up to him. He entered her slick passage swiftly, groaning aloud as her inner walls gripped him. She gasped loudly, clutching his shoulder and tightened her legs around his waist urging him deeper inside of her.

He pulled away from her and thrust deeply inside her welcoming body again, groaning at the hot feel of flesh. He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her lips to his, sighing as the pleasure of being inside her reverberated through him.

She moaned meeting his thrusts eagerly, her short nails digging into his shoulder blades as the tension built within her. Their sighs and moans chorused through the room as their pace rapidly increased, causing the desk to begin to creak.

�Oh God...oh God,� he panted as they stroked the fires of passion.

She arched her back as she came, her breasts jutting proudly up to him. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out too loudly. She trembled as wave after wave of her orgasm rocked her body. She clung to Pacey as her body shuddered.

He hissed through his teeth as he came deep within her, his arms shaking as he braced himself over her, his essence spilling hotly into the depths of her body.

He kissed her deeply before pulling away, "You okay?" he asked, attempting to bring his rapidly beating heart back under control.

She nodded her head gently and smiled faintly. "Yeah, I'm okay," she answered as she caught her breath.

"Hmmm, good." He kissed her neck and held out a hand to her, helping her up from the desk.

She sighed and began straightening her clothes. "That was surprisingly not so terrible."

"Don't stroke my ego too much there, Jo." He chuckled quietly, buttoning his pants.

Joey frowned and ran a hand through her disheveled hair. "Pacey, um, this is probably the wrong time to ask, but how many other women are you sleeping with...besides me?"

"I--I wasn't really aware we were 'sleeping together'." He said carefully. "But in answer to your question...no one since, um, just before that night I brought you home."

She nodded taking in what he said. "What are we doing here? I mean, the first two times were a slip. Now it's happened again. Are we going to stop?"

"I've been trying to stop from the beginning." He said, crossing the distance between them. He touched her cheek lightly, "But I...I can't not want to touch you."

Her gaze dropped to the floor. "We don't owe each other anything do we?"

His eye brows drew together, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, is this a relationship? Is it not? Are we just having fun? Are we allowed to see other people?" Joey asked leaning against her desk.

He looked at her blankly, "I don't know. What do you want it to be?"

"You don't know?" She sighed and rubbed at her forehead tiredly. "Don't feel you have to date me just because we slept together a few times."

"What if I want it to be more than a few times?" She didn't answer. "I'm not looking for a relationship here, or anywhere else for that matter, but at the same time, the harder I try to stay away from you, the more I'm drawn to you."

"Friends," Joey said quietly coming to a decision. "We're just going to stay friends and friends don't sleep together."

He smiled thinly, "I can't say I agree with that statement. We've disproven it three times already."

"Well, we're not," she said shaking her head. "Not anymore. I want you in my life Pacey as a friend and sex is just going to mess that up eventually."

"You're probably right." He nodded, "And I could certainly use more friends in my life. So no more?"

She nodded solemnly. "No more."

"Okay," he nodded. "Great. I think maybe that's my cue to leave then." He shot her a small smile.

She glanced at the disarray on her desk before turning back to him. "Yeah, sure. Um, wait-" she walked over to him and began to fix the buttons on his shirt. "Wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong idea," she said not breaking her gaze from the task.

"Of course not," he mumbled huskily, his hands drifting uncontrolably to her sides. He watched her eyes narrow as she fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.

"Yeah, uh, right�" Joey said as she struggled with the last button.

He swallowed, "You're sure about this?" He mumbled, as her hands slid down his chest, her task completed.

She nodded uncertainly raising her gaze to meet his. "Yes."

"Okay," he tried to ignore the electricity he could feel between them. "I'll, uh, call you soon. I've got plans with Jack this weekend, but maybe later we could...?"

She shook her head distractedly. "Yeah, sure later."

He couldn't seem to make his feet move even though his mind directed him to leave. She didn't seem to be in much of a hurry to get rid of him either. The hungry look in her eyes belied her words.

Despite protests to the obvious, she reached up and shut her eyes as she brushed her lips lightly against his unable to resist.

He slid his arms around her back, pulling her tightly into his arms again. "We can be friends who sleep together," he whispered against her lips. His mouth opened under hers as the passion between them ignited again. She nodded against his mouth her hands already beginning to undo the buttons she had redone just moments ago.