Absolutely, I never got any sense of sexual attraction between Jennifer and Duke, either. I still don't now.
And I agree that their relationship seems weirdly uncomplicated, given... well, Duke.
In a way, how easy and uncomplicated his relationship with Jennifer seems to be for Duke reads as a huge, blinking sign of "it's not serious" to me. If Duke's emotions were actually engaged, then - Duke being Duke -, this would not be anywhere *near* easy or uncomplicated. But the show is making it clear that this is meant to be read as far more than a casual "just sex" arrangement, and... it just doesn't work for me.
Duke wouldn't try for a casually sexual relationship with Jennifer because she doesn't seem like the kind of woman who would go for that, and Duke isn't the kind of man who likes to break hearts. And I just don't see the spark of romance between Duke and Jennifer, or understand why Jennifer would be someone Duke would fall in love with.
it's almost like he's in love with them as a couple, but he can't see any way he can be a part of it.
Hmm. Well, I do think it's possible that he's still in love with Audrey; he did throw several looks her way that suggest he might not be as completely okay with not being the one she loves most as he has been pretending to be. And it would certainly make far more sense to me if he were still meant to be in love (although then I understand even less what the show thinks it's doing with Jennifer and Duke, because Duke is neither callous nor cruel).
But I never got the impression that he's in love with Audrey and Nathan as a couple, exactly. I would buy that Duke is in love with Audrey, and loves Nathan (sexually or not), and thinks that they might be happy together, and genuinely hopes that they will be... that he has decided to do what he can to ensure that they are happy together, now that Audrey has made her choice, because he loves them both. (Oh, Duke. Puppy.)
Oh, how I wish the show would go into OT3-land, but unfortunately I am very certain that they won't. Personally, I feel that Duke and Nathan's relationship only makes sense if there is sexual attraction involved on some level, especially from Nathan's side, but the show doesn't seem aware of this; it's also not the kind of show that ever seemed interested in pushing boundaries in that way.
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And I agree that their relationship seems weirdly uncomplicated, given... well, Duke.
In a way, how easy and uncomplicated his relationship with Jennifer seems to be for Duke reads as a huge, blinking sign of "it's not serious" to me. If Duke's emotions were actually engaged, then - Duke being Duke -, this would not be anywhere *near* easy or uncomplicated. But the show is making it clear that this is meant to be read as far more than a casual "just sex" arrangement, and... it just doesn't work for me.
Duke wouldn't try for a casually sexual relationship with Jennifer because she doesn't seem like the kind of woman who would go for that, and Duke isn't the kind of man who likes to break hearts. And I just don't see the spark of romance between Duke and Jennifer, or understand why Jennifer would be someone Duke would fall in love with.
it's almost like he's in love with them as a couple, but he can't see any way he can be a part of it.
Hmm. Well, I do think it's possible that he's still in love with Audrey; he did throw several looks her way that suggest he might not be as completely okay with not being the one she loves most as he has been pretending to be. And it would certainly make far more sense to me if he were still meant to be in love (although then I understand even less what the show thinks it's doing with Jennifer and Duke, because Duke is neither callous nor cruel).
But I never got the impression that he's in love with Audrey and Nathan as a couple, exactly. I would buy that Duke is in love with Audrey, and loves Nathan (sexually or not), and thinks that they might be happy together, and genuinely hopes that they will be... that he has decided to do what he can to ensure that they are happy together, now that Audrey has made her choice, because he loves them both. (Oh, Duke. Puppy.)
Oh, how I wish the show would go into OT3-land, but unfortunately I am very certain that they won't. Personally, I feel that Duke and Nathan's relationship only makes sense if there is sexual attraction involved on some level, especially from Nathan's side, but the show doesn't seem aware of this; it's also not the kind of show that ever seemed interested in pushing boundaries in that way.