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October 1, 01
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Thanks to Kobe for this AWESOME idea. This chapter is rated PG 13.
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Carol held the handkerchief tightly between her hands and studied the dark wood of the pew in front of her, the one Doug was sitting on. She sighed.
"I just wanna be happy," She paused, "and I'm so afraid I never will be."
"You will." Doug said immediately. He watched her from the corner of his eye and when she didn't turn to look at him, he reached back and slid his hand warmly over his, easing her. "You will." Carol turned her head and finally met his gaze. Doug, wanting her so badly but knowing he couldn't have her, finally looked away.
"Do you want to head out there? Be with your family?" He asked quietly. She paused and then shook her head.
"No. I want to get out of here." She said. He glanced at her and eventually nodded.
"Alright." He replied.
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Carol, now dressed in a pair of jeans, a black tanktop, and a jean jacket, looked across the jeep toward Doug. He was watching the streets through the windshield and pretending to ignore her. She glanced back out the side window but couldn't stop herself.
"Doug. Thank you." She said. He glanced at her and nodded.
"Sure." He said and flicked his finger over the blinker. The turn signal came on and Carol glanced through the darkness toward the glowing light of the sign.
Benny's Bar and Grill.
"This okay?" Doug asked. Carol nodded.
"Perfect." She replied and hopped out of the jeep before he had even shut the jeep off. He watched her head toward the entrance for a moment before shaking his head and sighing. He climbed out of the vehicle and watched her enter the bar, knowing he was only getting himself into more trouble.
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Carol was drunk, but not drunk enough to pass out. Doug knew that was probably not a good thing. He also knew it was a good thing he hadn't let himself drink right along with her because first of all he needed to get her home and secondly he knew if they were both drunk he wouldn't be able to restrain himself.
"Doug, are you ready to go? I'm ready go get out of here!" Carol exclaimed and grinned sideways at him. He couldn't help but smile, remembering how fun she was when she was intoxicated.
"I think we need to get you home and into bed." He said and stood, helping her off the stool. She shook his hand off and walked toward the door, tripping slightly only once.
"Now you've got the right idea." She said, slurring just a little as she pushed her way outside, Doug closely on her heels.
"Carol, I meant alone." He said. She stopped and turned, peering back at him.
"What fun is that, Dougie boy?" She asked. He rolled his eyes. This was definitely not good. She tried to take a step back toward him but she stumbled and he had to loop an arm around her waist quickly to hold her up. "Woah." She grinned up at him. He chuckled.
"C'mon. We'll get you home." He said and led her to the jeep.
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"Doug, come on, come in." She said, motioning widely with her hands as she stood at the door of her apartment.
"Uh, Carol, I don't think..." She swayed slightly and he caught her waist in his big hands. "Alright." He said because he wasn't sure how far she'd get into the apartment before collapsing on the floor. "Let's go." She grinned.
"Great. I knew I'd convince ya." She said. He chuckled.
"Yeah, you convinced me alright." He said. She nodded and struggled to find the light switch. He couldn't help but laugh slightly as he reached over and flipped the light on.
"There we go!" She exclaimed, proud that she had gotten the light on. Or thought she had gotten the light on. He laughed under his breath and pushed her gently toward her bedroom.
"C'mon, let's get you into bed. You'll pass right out." He said.
"Nuh-uh, I'm wide awake." She said and grinned at him.
"That's what I'm afraid of." He muttered and walked into her bedroom. She lifted her arms and he chuckled, sliding her jacket from her shoulders. He looked around before settled to hang it on the back of her bedroom door with her robe. She turned and was watching him when he looked back at her. "Let's get you into bed." He said and walked to the bed. He pulled the covers down and hit her pillow once, for good measure.
"Crawl in." He said. She shook her head.
"Not with my jeans on." She said. He sighed.
"Carol." He murmured. She watched him.
"I can't sleep in jeans." She said and felt her mind clearing slightly, very well aware of what she was trying to do. He sighed.
"So take them off." He said. She began fumbling with the buttons, making her hands less useless than they really were. He couldn't help himself and felt that his eyes were drawn to her hands. Then he sighed, knowing she would never get those jeans off with hands like those. "C'mere." He said and muttered a curse. She smiled when he bent his head and began to work the snap on her jeans. She pretended to lean against him for balance, when in reality she just wanted to feel his body against hers. "Carol." He said and looked up at her. She looked up at him and he ran his hands through her hair, pushing it away from her face. Then he stepped back and dropped his hands, knowing if he didn't move away he wouldn't be able to stop touching her.
Carol tugged gently on the jeans and they fell, pooled around her feet. She watched with awareness as Doug hungrily eyed her legs. Then his eyes traveled up her body and met her gaze. She stepped out of the jeans and walked toward him. He stepped back and turned.
"Get settled in." He said. Her brows puckered and she quickly thought of something else. So she smiled seductively at him and walked to the bed, only a little unsteady on her feet now. The alcohol had wore off to a new physical awareness of him and herself. She slid under the covers.
"Tuck me in." She said, her voice slightly husky. He cleared his throat and bent over her, pulling the covers up to her chest. Then, without warning, her arms wound around his neck with a surprisingly strong grasp and she pulled him down. He, not expecting it, stumbled and fell across her chest.
"Don't go, Doug, please don't go. I don't want to be alone. Not tonight." She said, completely serious now. His breathing quickened as he felt her taut nipples pressed against his chest through the thin tanktop.
"Carol, I really should go." He said, his self-control quickly crumbling. She moved her lips across his neck and whispered.
"I need you." He groaned and turned his head, meeting her lips with his own. She sighed and kissed him back with all the pent-up passion that she had felt since their last kiss in the trauma room at work. Slowly she pulled him completely down onto the bed with her, greatly anticipating their lovemaking.
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Later that night, in the early hours of dawn, Doug quickly pulled his clothes on in the soft light coming from the alarm clock. He glanced at the bed and studied the beautiful woman curled against pillows, her naked breasts pressing against the blanket. He sighed and turned, slowly creeping out of the room and out of the apartment.
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