looking forward to his dead week, the week before finals.
Duke was finally going back to work. After the team's loss, he thought he should at least be there to show them that they were still winners in his book. They had a phenomenal season. He wondered if they lost because they were worried about him, trying to win for him and getting frustrated with themselves causing them to not play a hundred percent.
Sighing, he turned once more. He knew he was awake and there was nothing he can do about it. He might as well get up and do the chores he had been neglecting. His laundry pile was a mile-high it seemed like. He didn't even do dishes after cooking dinner earlier. Duke listened for sounds as he got out of bed and looked out the window. He didn't see any other cars in the driveway. Deciding it was safe for him to wander in his boxers, he picked up his laundry basket and headed out of the room.
***
Duke started filling up the sink with soapy water. He had already started laundry, did the dusting, cleaned the counters, and mopped the kitchen floor. Now the only thing left was dishes. He had quiet music playing from the MP3 player he had hooked up in the kitchen. He had put on his 90's country music playlist that always made him relax. He figured maybe by the time he finished dishes, he could put his laundry in the dryer and head to bed, hopefully sleepy.
Stopping the water, Duke started with the bigger pans he used. He methodically washed and rinsed them before setting them on the drying mat. He found himself singing along when he heard a giggle behind him. He turned and saw Paxton standing there covering her mouth.
"Is this how you clean? Late at night, in your boxers?" She raised an eyebrow.
Duke grabbed a dish and brought it out of the water to scrub, "No, I just couldn't sleep." He checked it to make sure it was clean and began rinsing it.
"Why can't you sleep?"
"I just can't. What are you doing here anyways?"
"I just got off my shift. Jack texted that he was back and I thought he was here but he's not. I'm too tired to drive out to the cabin. I called him and he said to stay here tonight."
Duke set the dish on the drying mat and paused. "I didn't even know you were here. I didn't see any cars in the driveway."
"I parked out on the street. I didn't know which side you were parked on in the garage."
"I'm always on the left side," he said over his shoulder as he finished rinsing the last dish in the sink.
Duke turned and faced her. He felt his breath hitch as he realized she was only in a long shirt, her hair tousled around her shoulders. She stood there watching him. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms again. His feet stayed planted where they were. His head was still fighting his heart and urges to take Paxton to his bed.
"Good to know," she looked around and bit her lower lip.
Before Duke knew what he was doing, he found himself walking towards Paxton. He noticed her breathing stopped as soon as he reached her. They stood inches away from each other, neither making a move but his hand was twitching, as it wanted to extend out and tuck her hair behind her ear, feel her soft skin against his, and lead her to his bed.
"I can't do this again, Duke, not right now," she breathed.
"I know," he kissed her forehead. His head was screaming at him. "I know," he said again. "You're with Jack, but we betrayed him. You can't tell me you still don't ache for me too."
Paxton didn't say anything and Duke leaned in a little closer, his lips hovering over hers. The indecision he felt heightened. He could see her lean in even closer. Their lips barely separated. Duke closed the distance between them, pulling Paxton in against him.
Suddenly the door swung open and Link came bounding in. They quickly backed away from each other. Jack appeared in the doorway, looking behind him to make sure the garage door shut. Duke hated the interruption but he was
Duke was finally going back to work. After the team's loss, he thought he should at least be there to show them that they were still winners in his book. They had a phenomenal season. He wondered if they lost because they were worried about him, trying to win for him and getting frustrated with themselves causing them to not play a hundred percent.
Sighing, he turned once more. He knew he was awake and there was nothing he can do about it. He might as well get up and do the chores he had been neglecting. His laundry pile was a mile-high it seemed like. He didn't even do dishes after cooking dinner earlier. Duke listened for sounds as he got out of bed and looked out the window. He didn't see any other cars in the driveway. Deciding it was safe for him to wander in his boxers, he picked up his laundry basket and headed out of the room.
***
Duke started filling up the sink with soapy water. He had already started laundry, did the dusting, cleaned the counters, and mopped the kitchen floor. Now the only thing left was dishes. He had quiet music playing from the MP3 player he had hooked up in the kitchen. He had put on his 90's country music playlist that always made him relax. He figured maybe by the time he finished dishes, he could put his laundry in the dryer and head to bed, hopefully sleepy.
Stopping the water, Duke started with the bigger pans he used. He methodically washed and rinsed them before setting them on the drying mat. He found himself singing along when he heard a giggle behind him. He turned and saw Paxton standing there covering her mouth.
"Is this how you clean? Late at night, in your boxers?" She raised an eyebrow.
Duke grabbed a dish and brought it out of the water to scrub, "No, I just couldn't sleep." He checked it to make sure it was clean and began rinsing it.
"Why can't you sleep?"
"I just can't. What are you doing here anyways?"
"I just got off my shift. Jack texted that he was back and I thought he was here but he's not. I'm too tired to drive out to the cabin. I called him and he said to stay here tonight."
Duke set the dish on the drying mat and paused. "I didn't even know you were here. I didn't see any cars in the driveway."
"I parked out on the street. I didn't know which side you were parked on in the garage."
"I'm always on the left side," he said over his shoulder as he finished rinsing the last dish in the sink.
Duke turned and faced her. He felt his breath hitch as he realized she was only in a long shirt, her hair tousled around her shoulders. She stood there watching him. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms again. His feet stayed planted where they were. His head was still fighting his heart and urges to take Paxton to his bed.
"Good to know," she looked around and bit her lower lip.
Before Duke knew what he was doing, he found himself walking towards Paxton. He noticed her breathing stopped as soon as he reached her. They stood inches away from each other, neither making a move but his hand was twitching, as it wanted to extend out and tuck her hair behind her ear, feel her soft skin against his, and lead her to his bed.
"I can't do this again, Duke, not right now," she breathed.
"I know," he kissed her forehead. His head was screaming at him. "I know," he said again. "You're with Jack, but we betrayed him. You can't tell me you still don't ache for me too."
Paxton didn't say anything and Duke leaned in a little closer, his lips hovering over hers. The indecision he felt heightened. He could see her lean in even closer. Their lips barely separated. Duke closed the distance between them, pulling Paxton in against him.
Suddenly the door swung open and Link came bounding in. They quickly backed away from each other. Jack appeared in the doorway, looking behind him to make sure the garage door shut. Duke hated the interruption but he was
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