[h3] Duke [/h3]

Duke laughed quietly when Esme actually teased him back. It was all he wanted, for the moment. He just wanted to know that he was part of her life, enough that she felt comfortable around him. She could joke with him. She could tell him anything. She could ask him…to do…anything.

When she asked if her job was basically to have men drooling over her, Duke’s smile faded just a bit but then he returned it to his face to cover the jealousy that his own intrusive thoughts were causing. He shrugged his shoulders, “You get your own trinkets and if any of those men lay hands on you, I’ll break their hands and whisk you away, the second I get back.”

His voice was serious, despite the smile on his face as he watched Esme’s eyes.

[h3] Dean and Duke - A little bit later -[/h3]

Dean and Duke walked into the dress shop behind Esme, almost as if they were holding hands, they were walking so close. Dean seemed particularly uncomfortable, whereas Duke looked around the room and he tilted his head back, taking in all the glitz and glamor of the dresses and the random racks of jewelry that were obviously way out of most of the town’s price range. Luckily for them, Bobby had managed to talk the old lady out of enough money to get both the boys Tuxedos and to practically pay for any dress that Esme wanted.

As Esme talked to the nice lady at the shop, Dean shifted on his feet and he placed his hands in his pockets, frowning at the way the women talked about the boys. Duke just smiled brightly, “I told her she should go with blue…or maybe purple. Her eyes. Look at her eyes.”

Dean nudged Duke with a slight pang of jealousy, wishing that he had thought to make some sort of suggestion. Duke just paid more attention to those sorts of things, where Dean was happy to see Esme in anything. She would know what looked good on her.

As the woman led Esme away, both boys followed like twins, and as if he belonged there, Duke stepped away from Dean just as they arrived in the dressing area. Duke tossed himself on the couch, and a pretty blond brought him a glass of wine, asking if he wanted anything else, “No beautiful.  I think this will do me just fine. You goin’ to the party tonight?”

“No. Why? Do you need a date?” She asked him, blushing. And Duke tilted his hat back on his head as he picked up the wine glass with a dazzling smile.

“Maybe I’ll get back to you on that…” He flirted, winking at her as she walked away from him, gossiping with another girl excitedly. Duke turned his eyes up to Dean who was just staring down at him with a look of disbelief.

“Really?”

“What? Free booze and pretty girls. Lighten up a bit, brother. C’mon!” Duke beamed at him, before slapping Dean’s thigh, and patting the couch beside him.

As Esme turned to them, showing them the dresses she had chosen to try on. Duke raised his eyebrows as he thought of her body in each choice, and he was speechless for a moment, mulling it over. He elbowed Dean and Dean opened his mouth, before frowning in thought.

“I think…you’ll be very distracting in that dress.” Dean stuttered out, blushing red in his cheeks. Duke laughed and he pointed, as Dean was handed a glass of wine.

“Plenty distracting…forget your boyfriend kind of distracting…” Duke chimed in, taking his bottom lip between his teeth. Dean glanced over at him with a look that told him to shut up, but he simply smiled brightly, “But these ladies seem to know what they’re talkin’ about. I’m sure you clean up real nice.”