I Now Pronounce You Mismatched Part II

You have eight new messages. First message:

"Lorelai, it's me," Sookie squealed. "Tom is here for the porch banister, but we have the Freemans meeting for their poetry thing in ten minutes out there. Can we just move them? I'm thinking move them. They won't be happy, but hey, anger inspires poets, right? Call me back, Hon."

Next message. "Mom, why didn't you answer? I can't find my blue camisole. Call me!"

Next message. "It's been five minutes! You still haven't called me back! Come on, Mom!"

Next message. "Hey, Beautiful. Max Medina here. Wondering if we can sync our watches up to meet sometime today. Call me when you get a chance."

Next message. "This is Max. Still no call back. Where are you? You've been off the grid for a few hours. Give me a call when you get this. I love you."

Next message. "Ohhh my god, the phone's still going to voicemail. Are you kidding me?" There was a brief shriek. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, just burned my finger. Just buuuuurned my finger. Shaking my finger, but pain's not leaving my finger. Crap, crap, crap. Oh, jeez. Ouch. Call me Lorelai. Tom's gone, the banister is fixed, everyone's happy, but I'm worried about you now. Just call me so I know you're alright, okay? Bye." She took the phone from her ear to hang up. "I need a band aid, please!" she yelled loudly.

Next message. "For the love of god. What's the point of having a mobile phone if you keep it turned off?" Emily's annoyance was apparent. "Lorelai, your fiancé just called me asking if I knew where you were. Makes me wonder how well you two really know each other if he thinks he'd have any luck coming to me about such a thing. Nevertheless, he has made…your father worry, so if you'd be so kind, give us a call as soon as you receive this. Thank you."

Next message. "…. still off. Yes, it is; I just heard the beep. Well I don't know, Suga. Guess we'll have to sit here for a while longer. I'm sure she'll be walking through that door soon enough. Morey's gonna have to wait, poor thing. But I have to witness her reaction to Luke's situation. Well, with any luck—oh look at that, I haven't even hung the phone-"

Lorelai erased the messages one by one, silently scolding herself for not remembering to turn her phone back on that morning after it'd finished charging.

First person she called was Rory. She got an earful and gave sufficient explanation as to where she had been for the past five hours. Since 10 am.

"A movie? You've been at a movie for half the day? That doesn't even make sense."

"Well, not just one movie. I've been at the theatre. Catching up on the latest releases."

"By yourself?"

"Matinees are made for the party-of-one parties. It was just a bunch of us stragglers searching for the meaning of life."

Rory sighed. "Are you on your way back to town now?" Lorelai had managed to catch those new releases two towns over.

"Not yet, Hon. Went to check the time on my phone, realized it was off, and as soon as I turned it on, all these missed calls assaulted my eyeballs. Thought I'd return a few of these before I snuck into my next movie."

"So not only have you disappeared and have people scared to death, but you're also committing felonies."

"Noo. Misdemeanors probably. But not felonies."

"When are you coming back?"

Lorelai looked around the near empty lobby of the multiplex. "I'll be home by dinner."

"So by sixish?"

She worked that over in her head. "Hm…sevenish, eightish. Let's be wild and dine at midnight."

"Is this supposed to be funny, Mom? Because it's not. I'm working at a zero humor level right now."

"Come on, Rory. Work with me. It's kind of hard to pull out the tickle monster over the phone."

Rory maintained gravity. "Are you okay?"

"Mmhm."

"Because something tells me you're not."

"Honey, I have to go. I have to check in with Max. Can you call Sookie and your grandmother? Let them know I'm okay?"

Sigh. "Sure."

"Thanks, Love."

"No problem. Hey, I'm leaving the library soon and was thinking about swinging by Luke's. I haven't seen him today to congratulate him." She paused there, seeing if her mother wanted to chime in with anything, but there was no response. "Do you want me to wait until you get back so we can go together?"

"Uh…it'll probably be best if you went on without me. I don't know when I'll get back and I think at least one of us should be there to show support, you know? I'd do it myself, but…I'm not there."

"Makes sense," she replied questioningly. "Do you want me to pass any messages on to him for you?"

"I think the standard congratulations will suffice."

"Okay. I'll pass that along. Even though I'm sure he'd like to hear it directly from you."

"He has," she replied uniformly. She changed her tone for the better. "And he'll hear it again. Just later. I'll be back later." She began rushing. "Be sure to make those calls for me, okay? And I'll see you in a few hours. Bye, Babe." She hung up without waiting on Rory's follow-up.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Lorelai came into the diner around eight that night. Looked around at the people there, surprised that Babette and others weren't holed up, drinking their umpteenth refill, waiting for her arrival.

She couldn't understand the interest the town placed on her and Luke's personal affairs. If either's situation shifted one bit, everyone expected there to be a new dynamic between the two. She had no choice but to live her life and work around that kookiness.

She planned to grab a table and eat her dinner there instead of the counter. Just to give Luke space, not knowing how much conversation and what kind of interaction would be appropriate with a married man.

Soon as she closed the door, her eyes met Luke's. He nodded at her and raised the coffee pot in his right hand. She smiled in kindness and headed on up to the counter against her better judgment. Figured it'd be rude to find a table at that point. Would no doubt be questioned since she never sat at a table when it was just her. She'd always hop on a stool and gladly allow Luke to keep her company.

Her eyes moved from the pot-holding hand and straight down to the other before she was even halfway there. That hand was in his pocket.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi." She sat. Couldn't keep her eyes from dropping to his lower body, anxious to see the hand that would make everything real.

"Where have you been all day?"

She began taking off her jacket. Could honestly not stop looking towards his waist. "Um, here and there. Mostly there. You know how it is."

His expression said he didn't know. "Yeah, I guess." Lorelai looked to the side of her for a second to place her jacket on the stool, and she caught only a blurry glimpse of him removing his hand from his pocket. Her eyes flew back there but not in time.

He'd begun reaching under the counter. "You want coffee, right?"

She nodded absently, heart rate up, eyes trained on the counter waiting for him to lift his hand and display his wedding band.

He fumbled under there for a lifetime. Like he had to reach all the way to China for a stupid mug. He may as well had been sculpting it out of clay with one hand, preparing it for the kiln with as much time as he took.

"Damn it," he whispered. He set the pot down and brought his other hand in to join in the search. "Jeez." With a frustrated sigh, he brought the mug up and placed it on the counter with his right hand while he continued to bump things around with his left.

Lorelai looked into his face to see if he was purposefully playing some sort of game with her but she could clearly see that he wasn't. Her focus returned to the counter.

He picked up the pot with his right hand and started to pour. As if it was the most casual unveiling, he brought his left hand to rest on the counter.

"Just made this pot, so you came just in time."

Lorelai unfroze herself, let the air out of her lungs, and blinked. "W-w-why aren't you wearing a ring?"

He balled his hand up and lowered it behind the counter. Her wide eyes lifted to his. "Luke, why aren't you wearing a ring?" she asked again, though it'd only been a few seconds. A few seconds too many. She needed that answer pronto.

He filled the mug up and gripped the upturned pot tightly as he looked down at her. "You mean you haven't heard?" he asked monotonously. "Gossip hounds must be losing their touch."

She shook her head quickly, no time to waste. "I haven't heard anything. What happened?"

He turned to put the pot back. "Exactly what you thought was going to happen," he divulged with no emotion. "She got caught up doing whatever it was she was doing. Went from driving to flying somewhere, and didn't make it back in time."

Lorelai's mouth dropped open in disbelief. Why hadn't Rory told her this? She'd stopped by hours ago. "She called off the wedding?"

He clenched his jaw. "No. She put it off."

She didn't say anything. Just stared at him. Put it off? That's it?

"Called me about five o'clock this morning," he volunteered. "Perfect wake-up call."

"I'm sorry, Luke," she lamented. For a few seconds, all she felt was sad for him. For a few seconds, she held off her own selfish feelings. "Where is she now?"

"Here."

Her eyes bugged. "Here here? As in here in the building?"

"Yeah."

She didn't know where to go from there. Was it really that easy to screw someone over and be allowed back into their life and their home as if nothing had happened? She shrugged, thinking of something to say, anything other than what wanted to come out. "When did she get back?" she asked mechanically with a shake of her head.

"Not too long ago."

She had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. "When…is the new date?"

He lifted his brows, leaned against the counter with his hands. "There isn't one," he answered simply. "She's upstairs getting her things."

"Really?" she asked with relief she couldn't hide. It was in her voice, all over her face. She was able to hear what he heard, and she didn't want it taken the wrong way. Didn't want him thinking she was happy things had worked out so terribly. "Because I just don't think that she knows what-"

"Lorelai."

"What? I was just going to say that you can do bett-"

"You called it. I get it. Just…don't say it."

"I don't care about being right. I'd give anything not to be right about this." She allowed her sincerity to come through to him. "You did the right thing, Luke."

"I know that," he said pointedly. "I wouldn't have made the decision if I felt it wasn't right. I know you mean well, Lorelai, but damn, can I have some credit?"

She opened her mouth to say something but closed it. Offered a humble look of apology instead.

He went on, letting out a little steam. "Don't blame her, either. It…kinda seems like you keep going in that direction, and you shouldn't. She has about as much intention to hurt me as I do with her. Sometimes things just don't work out. She is who she is, and I am who I am, and…that's just the way it is."

"I get it."

He took a deep breath, seemed resigned as he met her eyes. "It's been a long week," he said as a way of explaining his shorter than normal temper.

"It really has been," she agreed considerately.

He sighed, crossed his arms. "How are things going with you?"

Lorelai relaxed, pulled her mug closer as answers to his question flooded in. Luke's unfortunate news lifted tension from her shoulders. She suddenly saw all the things she could have done instead of wasting a day at the movie theatre. "Rory and I are meeting with my mom tomorrow for shoe shopping."

"For the wedding?"

She answered with hesitance. "Yeah…" Broaching that subject felt weird with his situation so fresh.

Luke was perceptive. "So, I won't plan on seeing you tomorrow then. If I know you, it'll be an all day event."

She smiled. Wider and wider as his lips curved a bit, too. "Well, I do believe the time on the implied invites was '9am until', so yeah, they're mine for the day. At least Rory is. My mom is free to leave as early as 9:05."

He nodded. "Getting close to having everything together?"

She shifted once, and then couldn't stop shifting. "Uh, not even close," she said with a soft nervous laugh. She looked up at Luke and saw him only smiling as he looked on thoughtfully.

He broke his trance, looked down before clearing his throat. "Well, you haven't asked for anything so you probably have it all under control, but if you need help with…uh, any of the setting up or anything, I'm here. Just with that, though. I don't know how much help I can be with picking out…garters or jewelry and all that other stuff."

Lorelai didn't realize how hard she was looking at him until he looked away uncomfortably. Her eyes dropped to the counter. "I think we have everything covered," she finally answered. "But…I am hoping that you've decided…" She lifted her eyes to his. "to come to the ceremony."

He looked over to the curtain that led upstairs. "I know you said you wanted me to, but-"

"I really want you to," she was sure to emphasize.

He couldn't look at her. "But it's just too much going on. I mean…with Rachel and everything…You know?"

She wanted to accept that. He'd been through so much that day already. She wasn't very good with holding back words with him, though. Because if she didn't say it, he wouldn't know. Picking up emotions wasn't his strong suit. "Sounds like you're making excuses," she said quietly.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to be here for you. I mean, the whole thing is…whatever, but I'm still trying to be here for you. I can even pick up the cake if you want me to, but I already told you, Lorelai, I can't do the wedding."

She locked her eyes on him. "No matter how much I want you there?"

"I told you I can't," he said deliberately through his teeth.

The question was in her eyes, but she was afraid to ask it again. Kind of afraid of what he might say. She'd already told him how important his presence would be. How much deeper did he need her to get on the subject? He was important to her. Why couldn't he just accept that, put on a damn suit, and come support her?

They stared wordlessly, intensely. Coffee getting cold in front of Lorelai and customers being neglected in front of Luke.

"Hey."

That greeting from a familiar voice made them both look over toward the curtain.

It was Rachel.

Hands filled with bags, she stood looking at them. It was anyone's guess at how long she'd been standing there. She smiled kindly after a moment of silence. Lorelai returned the 'hello' and Luke walked over toward her.

"Need some help?" he asked already reaching in.

She shook her head. "I've got it. Thanks."

Luke backed up. Looked over his shoulder out the diner's windows, and as he suspected, there was already transportation waiting there for her. "Mind if I talk to you for a minute?" he asked her.

Her eye contact was loaded. "We've already talked," she said quietly. "You've already talked."

He sighed. "One minute? Please?"

Rachel relented with one soft breath. She hadn't been willing to listen to all he had to say before. It was too much to take, too heavy on her heart. But they really did need a more affable parting. That, she could understand. Her eyes went from Luke's face straight to Lorelai's, and she witnessed her turning away as if she hadn't been focused intently on their exchange.

"One minute," she whispered to Luke as she set her things on the floor.

They slipped into the storage room. Lorelai glanced over until they finally came out a couple minutes later. Rachel picked up her things and headed out. Told Lorelai to take care of herself and got that same pleasant farewell in return. The two women didn't extend the goodbyes.

Luke returned behind the counter. He and Lorelai focused on one another, and that's where they were looking as Rachel's driver pulled away.

"You have lipstick on your lips," she observed.

He swiped fingers across his mouth. Looked at them. Did that twice. "No, I don't."

He actually did, but she didn't argue with him. "So, you kissed her," she commented.

He grew red and annoyed. "She actually kissed me. But this isn't a topic for discussion."

"Nor do I want to make it one," she added. "But you do know that kissing someone you're breaking it off with may add confusion because-"

"There's no confusion."

"If you say so."

He took a step back. "Did you want to order something?" he asked, drained.

She picked up his tone and instantly hated that she was contributing to his stress level. "Usual, please," she answered softly.

He nodded to her and brought his hand to his lips again before he was fully turned to go into the kitchen. Lorelai could see him wiping away Rachel's marks. She looked away. Couldn't find much of a capacity for that. She drank her coffee in silence.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

"Ma'am?"

Lorelai stared at a rack of keychains with snazzy colors and snappy messages. She leaned in some to see ones with tiny writing.

"Ma'am? How may I help you?" the store worker called louder.

Lorelai snapped her attention to him and realized that the line of people were waiting on her to move forward. She rushed up. "I'm sorry. I was a little distracted there." She smiled. "You should keep a yardstick back here so you can just reach out and poke people. Those keychains make for some fabulous reads. Better than the National Inquirer."

The employee smiled in courtesy. "What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah…I need to, uh, get a duplicate house key made." She smiled again. "What do you need from me? Social security number? Maiden name? Alias?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Just the key you need copied, please."

She frowned. "That's it? How do you know I'm not a burglar who snuck the key away from some little old lady who bent down to tie her shoes and I'm here trying to get the key made and returned before she shuffles on out to her El Dorado?"

"Are you?"

"No."

"Okay, great. Key, please?"

"Oh, man. How have you guys not ended up on Dateline? Pretty shady practices going on here, buddy," she rambled on as she reached in her purse for her set of keys. She pulled them out, dropped them. "Oopsie." Reached down to collect them and stood up again with an animated sigh. "Okay." She isolated the key ring. "I probably should have pulled this off before I came up here, right?" She shook her head as she turned the ring round and round in her hand. "I always have so much trouble with these things."

He reached his hand out. "I can help you with that, if you like."

"No, I've got it. I just have to—ouch!" She inspected her nail, which she'd managed to bend back. "Do you have a band aid? Actually, see if you can grab a few for me. I have a feeling by the time I get this thing off, my nails will look like I've been clawing at sandstone."

He reached for the key again. "Are you sure you don't want me to-?"

"You know what? Why don't I just step off to the side and let other people go so I'm not holding the line up." She grabbed her purse.

"Well, I don't think that's necess-"

"Thanks for your help, okay? If there were customer comment cards, I'd give you tens across the board. Unless the highest was like five, in which case, I'd give you fives. So many fives you'd be employee of the month every month for a year. Ceremonies, balloons, all that would be yours. You'd be a rock star."

He watched her confusedly as she backed away, still circling her fingers around the key ring. She finally just gave up the pretense and hurried toward the exit. He shrugged his shoulders. "Next in line, please."

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Lorelai waited behind the wheel of the jeep, and she watched Rory hurry from the house and hop in the passenger side. As soon as she was in, she threw her school things in the back and put on her seatbelt.

"He sounded upset," she mentioned worriedly.

Lorelai shook her head and began backing out of their driveway. "No, not upset. Just a little frustrated, Hon. It happens."

Rory looked ahead to the house, which grew smaller as they backed away. Lorelai hadn't kept Max on the speakerphone for long. It was easier to have her hands free as she jetted around her kitchen and living room, but when things became a little more intense, she'd picked up the handset and spoke to him with more privacy. Of course, Rory had heard the highlights.

"I don't get it. You've handed over plenty of keys to people in town. He's starting to read too much into this, Mom. Just give him a key. He can have mine if he wants."

"No, he can't have yours. What'll you use? Do you plan to pop out a window every day after school?"

"You know what I mean. I'll get another one. It takes five minutes," she pointed out. "I can go get it made during my lunch period."

Lorelai ignored that. When had a key become so important in a relationship? "And I've given keys out for a day or two to people in town. Not for forever. Not exactly the same thing."

Rory looked out the window. "It's starting, isn't it?"

Lorelai looked over at her. "What?"

Rory turned to her. "You pulling back, you not wanting to do this, you flaking out," she answered with frustration.

Lorelai looked hurt. She temporarily forgot about the road as she met her daughter's pure blue eyes. "I am not flaking out," she insisted.

Rory closed her eyes for a second. "That was probably the wrong choice of words. But why can't you just give him a key? It's not a big deal. You've already agreed to marry him and spend the rest of your life with him. You've said the words already. What's so hard about putting it into action?"

"It's not hard," she said with brevity. She gripped the wheel. "I talked about this with him already, and he knows I went to get a key made the other day. I was there. Standing in the line. How's that for action?"

"So, what happened?"

"I had to leave."

"Why?"

"Rory, please give this a rest. I hear enough of this from Max. The last thing I need is to get it from you too, okay? There's nothing for you to concern yourself with here."

Rory folded her arms, turned away, looked anxious to get out of that closed space.

"You're upset now?"

She didn't speak. Didn't even move.

Lorelai's tone was already affectionate, already patient. Always patient.

"Honey?"

"Mom, I don't want to talk about this anymore. Not if you won't be honest with me." She relaxed her tense body language but kept facing the window. "I don't know how you keep forgetting that this is my life, too."

"Of course, I know that this is your life, too, Rory. You're all I think about." Her wide eyes went to her. "You want honesty? Here's honesty. The idea of marrying Max scares the hell out of me. It's paralyzing. But that's all normal. I know he'd make a good stepfather, and I know how amazing he is, and any woman would kill to be with him. So, it's a little hard sometimes. What isn't?"

Rory stared at her in astonishment. "How long have you felt like this?"

"Like what?" she asked. She certainly didn't think the question and expression matched up with all she'd just said.

"Like you're in an arranged marriage!" Rory was quick to reveal.

Lorelai rolled her eyes, even laughed a little. "Come on."

"What part of all of that is normal? You marry people you can't live without, not people you have to talk yourself into wanting!"

"That's not what I said."

"Okay, then, make it clear for me. Tell me you can't live without Max."

She shook her head. "Rory."

"It's simple, Mom. Just say it."

"Why would I dignify that with an answer?"

"Can you live without me?"

She turned to her instantly, her voice calm but passionate. "You know I can't live without you. You're my kid. I love you more than I love anything. What kind of thing is that to say?"

"Now, tell me you can't live without Max!" she exclaimed.

Lorelai growled, so frustrated. So very frustrated. "God, Rory, will you stop?"

"Mom, jeez, can you live without Sookie?"

"Sookie is my best friend! My future business partner! I'd trust her with my life! What, are you going to go down a list now?"

"Grandma and Grandpa!"

"Why are you—those are my parents! Do you think I'm a monster? For goodness sake!"

Rory was in a complete state of disbelief. "Do you not hear yourse—" She stopped midsentence. Tossed her hands up. "Tell me you can't live without Max, the man you're marrying in one week!"

"I'm not playing this game," she answered with a calm headshake.

Rory attempted to calm down too, to match her voice to hers. "Can you live without Luke?"

Lorelai didn't say a word. She blinked repeatedly, fought eye contact. Nothing good could possibly come from allowing Rory to read her eyes in that moment. But she couldn't help but look over into her kid's curious face after a moment. Vulnerability, a weakness is what Rory saw. Lorelai blinked attention to the road as she saw Rory's expression change.

"Oh my god," muttered Rory.

"Rory."

"I can't believe-"

"Rory, I didn't say anything, okay? Just drop it. Now. Let it go. I mean it."

She dropped her head back on the seat. Couldn't stop shaking her head. Lorelai could see her from the corner of her eye, but she wouldn't look at her. She couldn't.

They drove through town, passed Luke's, which is where they were headed. Rory didn't even question it. They had planned to eat breakfast there before Rory caught the bus to school. But Lorelai kept driving. She would take her to school. Figured they'd stop at an IHOP or something along the way.

They were on the highway before one of them spoke again.

"When are you going to talk to Mr. Medina?"

Lorelai sat on the question. Felt sick at the thought of having whatever conversation Rory thought she should have.

"Let's not worry about that," she said almost in a whisper.

Rory clarified so there would no misunderstanding. She said the words clearly. "To call off the wedding, when are you going to talk to Mr. Medina?"

Her stomach lurched. She flustered so much. Her thoughts sizzled and scrambled like they'd just been electrocuted. She wanted to just shrink inside of herself, hide. Just tell someone to come get her when it was all over, whatever 'it' ended up being.

Rory looked at her dead on. "You needed someone to say it, right? To make it real? Well, I just did that. So…let's just talk about it."

Lorelai kept her eyes on the road. Slowly, her breaths got deeper. She swallowed and swallowed but couldn't get the lump in her throat to disappear. "I'm sorry, Baby," she said in a quiet voice to keep the emerging sobs from ripping apart her words. "I didn't mean to screw this up so badly," she finally admitted. She looked over at her, wiping away the first leaked tear from her eye.

Rory looked down to her fingers. "Luke is a great choice, too, Mom. You're not…letting me down by choosing him."

Lorelai's heart started pumping like crazy. She laughed through her tears, shook away her daughter's unexpected words, that unexpected subject. "Can we, uh, t-talk about Max…for now, please?"

Rory looked apologetic. "I'm sorry. Getting ahead of myself, aren't I?"

Lorelai laughed again. Felt her cheeks flush and her heart race some more. Romance with Luke was like an unattainable idea. She couldn't see it. Couldn't think about it. Her feelings put her there often enough, but the thought of doing anything about it made her imagination shut down.

She couldn't answer Rory's question. Didn't even know how to answer it. But since it was the last thing that needed to be on her mind anyway, it was easy to push aside. She finally got control of her silly amusement and her breathing and got them back on subject.

She couldn't deny that she'd messed up royally. Had foolishly let things get way too far. And to fix it, she would first have to shatter things. Important things. Starting with Max Medina's whole world.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Lorelai walked in the diner the next afternoon. She was on a break from the inn. The inn was where she'd been all morning. It was where she went after dressing in her best, styling her hair, applying her make-up flawlessly, and seeing Rory off to school. She was determined to keep the day as normal as possible, so that's what she went about doing.

She was a machine.

There was no wallowing after you dropped someone's heart down an empty elevator shaft. You got up and you dealt with life, dealt with your decision. Because you had no right to do otherwise.

Throughout the day, she broke news of the wedding cancelation to key individuals and relied on them to do what they did best: spread the latest dirt. It'd started last night when she returned home after visiting Max. After spending hours in silence and darkness, submerged in her thoughts, she had reached for the phone and called Babette. Had gotten the ball rolling with her. Next was her mother. She let her know the wedding was off, and spent the next ten minutes with the phone hovering an inch from her ear as Emily went on and on. Irresponsible…check. True-to-form…of course. Fickle…what else is new? She grew restless, lied about her cordless battery dying, and hung up the phone.

Now, in the diner, Lorelai walked to the counter and took a seat on a stool, all business. Was in such a mechanical state, it didn't dawn on her that she'd walked into one of the few places that didn't require that steely, eyes-on-the-prize attitude. That attitude was needed in a town like Stars Hollow after personal business went public.

Luke walked from the back like it was just another day.

It relaxed her immediately.

"Hey," he said. Very little inflection, no smile, and no rush to get to her. Yet, warm and familiar as only Luke could be. "When'd you get here?" He made it to the counter and reached for a mug while looking in her face, expectant of an answer.

"Only about a minute ago."

He nodded. Poured her a large cup of coffee. "You eating?"

"Of course." Their exchange, so casual and unassuming. "Just give me a second to decide what I want." She picked up her coffee and looked down the counter at the different meals people had in front of them.

"You mean no burger?"

She floated change. No reason why, necessarily. Just to do something different. She considered a club sandwich or a hot sub. At his mention of her usual, the always-mouthwatering visual came to her. "Yeah, who am I kidding? Just give me a burger."

He smiled. Turned and went into the kitchen without another word.

Lorelai, content, began drinking her coffee.

"Hey, I have something for you when you're done eating."

She looked up at the wall that stood between her and Luke. He was talking loudly to her from the kitchen. She chuckled at that. They'd done that plenty of times whenever she stayed past closing, but not usually in the middle of the workday with customers everywhere.

"Um, really?" she answered back with a shrug to the people who looked over. "Does it come in a box that says Zale's?"

"Last time I checked, I was your friend, not your sugar daddy."

"Hm, I guess if I add one of those to my Christmas list, I can do away with everything else, couldn't I? Something to think about."

"It's for your wedding," he revealed.

Lorelai sobered instantly. She looked to the side of her at the people there. From the glances, she could determine that her latest news had gotten around pretty well. Luke, of course, was the exception. The only good thing about that unexpected spotlight was that everyone in the diner was more of an acquaintance than a friend, and the chances were slim that any of them would openly address the awkwardness of that moment.

Luke kept talking.

"I made it, so I really hope you like it because there aren't any returns with this. I won't give too much away because I want it to be a surprise. I think you'll like, though. But if not, I guess I can make some changes, but it'll-" He looked up suddenly to see Lorelai entering the kitchen.

"Hey," she said quietly, apologetically.

He had a spatula in his hand, ready to flip her burger, but he'd paused at her entry. He wasn't angry or ready to rant. Just confused. "What are you doing back here?"

"Sorry," she offered with a humble smile. Broke about a million hearts in the process.

Luke nodded. Waited for explanation as his central nervous system briefly alerted him to that beauty he had yet to get used to.

She walked nearer to him for the private conversation. Put them close. They'd been closer, though—during those rare times when Lorelai became overexcited and hugged him. If you considered those infrequent instances, their distance, now, was nothing. If you didn't consider them, the new proximity was just that: New.

"I probably should tell you this before you, you know, become any greater than you are now," she praised mildly, "and volunteer to…give a toast at the reception or something."

"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you."

She smiled. "Word on the street is that Max and Lorelai are calling it quits. It's been confirmed by Ms. Gilmore, but she remains cryptic, as the events are recent, and she'd rather not have the topic discussed at this time."

He was quiet for a time as he stared at her. Said sincerely, "I'm sorry to hear that, Lorelai."

She shrugged like it wasn't a big deal, though it was. "This is life. People break up, you know?"

"Still tough."

She let those words settle. "If you have any questions…I'll answer them. I owe you that much."

"You don't owe me anything. And you said you didn't want to talk about it."

"Well, I was pretty vocal the other night with you-"

"Putting it mildly."

"So, it's not fair for me to play Susie Clamp-up with my relationship. Right?"

Luke weighed that logic with low interest. "Sure," he finally answered.

She read him with an emerging smile. "You don't want to talk about it, do you?"

He shook his head. "Not really."

"No curiosity?"

He shrugged. Pushed the spatula down on her patty. "I hope you're doing okay. Or will be okay. I'm curious about that, but that's about it."

"You're sweet." With his focus on the grill, her focus remained on his face.

He grumbled. "I don't want you to be crushed, so suddenly I'm a Danielle Steel character?"

"Don't be so dramatic."

"No one's being dramatic."

She stood there for seconds in silence, eyes floating between the grill and him. Mostly him. "So, this gift that you have, am I allowed to know what it is or have I forfeited all rights?"

He looked at her. "Do you want to know what it is? I'd figure you wouldn't want anything to do with it since-"

"Well," she interrupted. "You did say you made it. I'm more curious as to what you made."

He shrugged, gave up his concern. "It's a chuppah. So you could have something to exchange vows under."

"Wow." She paused there, uncomfortable. "That sounds really nice." He nodded, just acknowledging her words. "And you made that?"

"Yeah. Carved some animals on it for you, too."

She nodded. "I'd like to have it."

"Really?"

She managed a smile. "If you don't mind."

He looked at her sideways, wondered if he should be flattered. "What are you going to do with it?"

"I don't know. Use it as the world's most unique entryway, maybe? I'll think of something."

A smile broke through. "Well…sure. Whatever you want. I mean, it's weird, but, ya know, you're weird," he ended jokingly.

She shrugged. "So, it's settled then."

"Yeah, guess so."

"Great. Thanks, Luke."

"No problem," he said.

"Seriously. Thank you." The softness of her words mixed with the instant solemnity made him look over. Her pretty eyes were on him. It made him nervous, honestly. She had an amazing and intimidating kind of focus when she bothered to sit still long enough to focus on anything.

He nodded, cleared his throat. "Looks like we both had an, uh, interesting couple of weeks," he mentioned, changing direction a bit.

Thinking of their extremely similar and equally disastrous situations, she was fast to agree. "You can say that again. Guess there were 2 short straws in the bunch, after all."

"One day we'll be able to laugh about it, I suppose."

"Yep," she agreed indolently. She stared at her burger as it sizzled and popped grease everywhere. "Well, you know what they say. Everything happens for a reason."

Luke accepted that after a little consideration. His eyes wandered over to her, and their eyes met.

She was the one to look away that time.

"Okay," she began with a heavy exhale. "I guess I better get out of here before you come to your senses and start yelling about insurance liability."

He smiled, shook his head as he went back to tending to her food. "Yeah, get out of here before a bag of flour flats you," he ordered on cue before looking back up at her.

She sashayed toward the exit, waving her hand over her shoulder. "See you out here," she called.

Luke bit down on his lip. Wondered if she was trying to walk sexy or if the body-hugging skirt just made her regular stroll look way more dangerous.

He put it from his mind. Flipped her burger and went to load up some french fries.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Lorelai was on her way inside the diner when she saw her through the window. She was talking to Patty, smiling with her. Then, she turned and headed up the staircase, briefly looking at Luke over by the register.

Lorelai stopped where she was. Was frozen for a moment. She looked at Luke through the glass, and he was busy with a customer. She looked over, again, to where Rachel had disappeared, and then she stepped back a few steps and turned around. Walked quickly to nowhere in particular.

Her head was filled with thoughts, questions, confusion.

Rachel was back. What did it all mean? Was she and Luke giving it another go?

Rory told her earlier that day that she'd seen Rachel near the diner, and Lorelai was skeptical. After all, she had been witness to the infamous departure, and kiss aside, both, she and Luke seemed certain of their decision to part ways.

Lorelai wanted to talk to Luke. She felt that desire immediately. As if he owed her explanation, when in fact, he owed her none. She hurried along the sidewalk and slipped into the bakery for a fast cup of coffee. She'd drink coffee and just head back to the inn. Though she had planned time for a sit-down lunch at the diner, revising those plans came easy.

As she reached in her shoulder bag for payment, her phone rang and she grabbed it and answered without slowing or checking id. "Hello?"

"Hey," Luke greeted familiarly.

She stopped what she was doing. Kept the employee waiting as she switched the phone to her right ear and spoke.

"Luke? What's going on?"

"Nothing much. Just wondering, you planning on coming in here sometime today or what?" he asked like he was perturbed. "Lunch is almost over."

She relaxed, rolled her eyes. "Is there an appointment I wasn't aware of, Father Time?"

"No. But I still expected you," he answered honestly. "Hey, can you take that over to that table right there? Thanks." He turned back to the phone with a sigh. "So, where are you?"

She'd caught both the sincerity and the disappointment in his initial words and it definitely had an effect. "Headed back to the inn," she answered as she finally paid the lady for her coffee. "Why? Keeping tabs on me?"

He scoffed. "Yeah, I lose sleep at night thinking about what you're doing," he stated in sarcasm. He looked down, aware of the amount of actual truth to that statement.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" Rachel was on her mind, heavy. But hearing him and speaking to him, knowing his attention was on her for the moment, she felt less anxious, less pressed.

"It's been four days. I feel like if I don't bring that chuppah by your house, it's going to have to declare my address as its primary."

"After four days?" she asked absurdly.

"Hey, take that up with the chuppah."

"I take it you're ready to bring it on to the crapshack."

"That's the plan."

"Set a date and I'm there."

"Today."

"Wow, you don't give a girl time to prepare, do you?"

"What preparation do you need? It's me dropping off something. Open the door and tell me where to stick it, and our business is done." She chuckled. Luke reddened on his end. "I just heard it. No need to say it."

"I wasn't going to," she said while laughing.

He steadily turned red. "What time can I drop it off?"

She got control of herself. "I'll meet you at the diner."

"For what?"

Lorelai had made it outside and was now leaning against the door of her jeep. She looked around, thinking of something to say to that. "So, I can help you with it. Or check it out first. Who cares? I'll just meet you at the diner tonight."

"It doesn't make much sense that you're going to meet me here if I still have to-"

"It's settled, Lucas. I'll see you later tonight."

He sighed, resigned. "When?"

"I'm not sure."

"I'm just supposed to sit and wait for you?" he asked flatly.

She smiled, picturing his expression. "I'll try not to keep you waiting too long."

"How nice of you."

She pushed herself off of her jeep. "Talk to you later, 'kay?"

Luke shook his head, accepted her lunacy like always. "Alright. See you."

Lorelai gently hung her phone up. Looked across at the diner for a long moment before climbing in her jeep.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Lorelai got home in the late afternoon. She let Rory do what little homework she had in peace, and then she cajoled her into watching some good old-fashioned reruns on TV while they ate pizza and talked about everything under the sun.

Rory retired to her room with her phone and Dean on her mind. She ignored her mother's kissing noises as she yelled her goodnights and closed her door. Lorelai fell to the couch and studied the time on the wall clock. Figured now was as good a time as any.

"Hon?" she yelled.

"What!"

"I'm stepping out!"

"Where?"

"Luke's!"

"Why? We've eaten!"

"I'm hungry again!" she called with a smile.

"No, you're not!"

She got in a sitting position. "Still going! You need anything, want anything?"

"From Luke's? We've eaten!"

"When has that stopped us before?"

"Well…that's true! Bring me back pie! And ice cream…and some cheese sticks!"

"But we've eaten," Lorelai mocked.

Rory opened her door and poked her head out. "When will you be back?"

Lorelai smiled as she straightened her clothes. "Scared to be here alone? Just make sure you lock the doors and don't say scary things in threes with the lights off, and you'll be fine."

"Wait, isn't the diner closed?" Rory asked, suddenly remembering the time.

Lorelai secured her shoes. "He'll open back up for me," she said simply.

Rory couldn't argue that. He would open for her. "Well, scrap the food order. Some of us actually respect the man's business hours."

She shrugged. "Pushovers, maybe."

"Okay, at least I'll know where you'll be," she said rushing the conversation. "Love you." The phone had been resting against her chest, and she quickly brought it back to her ear and started talking to the patiently waiting Dean as she closed the door. "Oh, and Dean says hi!" she yelled to her mom.

"Tell him hi back!" She yelled a follow-up before Rory could fully close the door. "And remind him that my absence in no way permits him to come climbing into any windows or doors of this house at this hour! Dreamboat Dean or no Dreamboat Dean, he's still a boy and remains the enemy after nightfall!"

"Got it!" she responded, her voice muffled by the walls.

Lorelai was out of the house in ten minutes time. When she arrived at the diner, she was happy to see the blinds still open. She peered all inside and saw only Caesar as he headed to the door. She smiled through the blinds and waved. Stepped back apologetically when he jumped in shock at seeing her standing there. With his hand over his heart, he completed the task of flipping the lights out, and he proceeded to open the door. Noticing he had a jacket on and a backpack hanging from one shoulder, she realized she'd come later than she thought. He was leaving for the night.

"Hey! You're gone already?" she asked, surprised.

"Yeah. It was a slow night so closing was easy," he answered. "You here for Luke or coffee? Coffee's officially off the table, I think."

"It's fine; it's okay," she replied as she looked past him. "So, Luke's here, then?"

"Mmhm. Upstairs."

She nodded and moved in to slide past him. "Don't worry, he's expecting me," she explained at his hesitation.

With that, he shrugged his okay and let her pass. Was more than willing to take her word for it. It wasn't like her late night diner presence was something abnormal.

"Goodnight, Lorelai."

"Night, Caesar." She watched him leave. When the blinds stopped shaking and Caesar was well on his way to his car, she took in the dark diner. She'd never seen it so still and quiet. The smell of burgers permeated all of the breathing air. She turned to the vacant counter and smiled. She suddenly felt like she was burglarizing the joint.

She looked up to the ceiling and the smile slowly left her face as she opened her ears to listen. It was a bold move on her part because if the sounds she listened for were to actually come floating down to her, she wouldn't know how to deal with it.

She heard nothing. With a sigh, she continued her unauthorized ambling for a minute longer before she finally made her way to the staircase.

She found her way quickly into his private sectors. She approached his door and knocked. Called out, "It's me, Luke," without being prompted.

He opened the door, and she smiled bright, hands clasped behind her back. "Hey," she greeted cheerily. "Ready?"

His features contorted, showing her just how out of her mind he thought she was. "Have you looked at a clock?" he asked slowly.

"I can pick one out of line-up, if that's what you mean."

"When I told you it was okay to meet me here, I meant at a reasonable hour, Lorelai. I'm not doing anything this time of night. Are you crazy?"

"No biggie," she followed with a shrug. "Want to do it tomorrow?"

"Anytime when the whole rest of the town isn't deep in sleep should be okay," he emphasized, sure she'd disregard his stinging judgment of her.

She did, of course. "Great! Let's say around noon tomorrow." She smiled.

He shook his head. "You baffle me every day. Every single day. It's unbelievable how much."

She looked into his apartment. Stood on her tiptoes, even, to see around him. Seemed to make a show of it. "Is Rachel here?" she asked casually as she met his eyes. "I saw her earlier, and I didn't know she was back in town. Is she here?"

He squinted. "No, why?"

"Hm," she followed with intrigue. "Is she out buying toothpaste?"

"What?"

"Okay," she said with a very unembarrassed, relaxing smile. "So, she's not back back, then. If she was back back, she would be here right now because it's so late. Unless she was out buying toothpaste."

"If by 'back back', you mean in town, then yeah, she was in town," he answered, trying to keep up.

"You said was," she quickly pointed out.

He frowned. "Yeah, and?"

"Was means she's not in town anymore."

"I know what was means, Lorelai."

"So, she was in town, but she's not in town now? It was a visit, then? Temporary? She forgot her favorite ink pen or something?"

"I think we established that she's not here anymore!" he snapped, annoyed. "What's with you?"

She held up a finger. "So, it was temporary? You didn't answer that part."

"Yes," he answered solidly through his teeth. "It was temporary." He answered her clearly, in hopes she'd focus enough to answer his question. "Now, what is this about?"

She sighed. Ended up looking into his apartment once more like all was well. "Nothing. Just curiosity."

"Curiosity?" he asked incredulously. His mouth actually hung open for a second as he looked at her. He shook his head. "No, I don't accept that," he relayed evenly.

"It's the truth," she answered with a dismissive shrug. She went on. "I'm sorry I bothered you so late. But you know…gotta have that chuppah," she told him with intentional gusto. She smiled on, unconcerned with how put off he was. She pointed over her shoulder. "You'll have to come lock up behind me. Caesar has already left. You mind?"

He dropped the shock and rolled his eyes. She was really starting to get on his nerves.

He leaned on the doorframe with his forearm. "Yes, I mind."

Her eyes flashed to his bicep in the short-sleeved shirt. Did that twice. "If you don't want to sleep in an unsecured building, you might want to follow me down. Unless you want Switchblade Sam to pay you a visit."

"So, what if he does?" he stated to get under her skin.

She backed away, turned to leave. "Hey, your mangled intestines."

"Do me a favor. Leave the door open on your way out. Don't want to make it any harder for him than it has to be," he called after her. She'd already waved and started for the stairs.

"I'm not amused, Luke! Not amused at all."

He narrowed his eyes at where she'd disappeared. Mumbled to himself. It was really quite a shame how much he had to stop himself from heading down, too. To lock up…or bicker some more—whatever would allow him the opportunity to spend another few seconds with a mentally disturbed and highly frustrating woman.

Too wrapped up in his own head, he stayed leaned in the doorway, and he was able to hear her clomping back up the staircase about thirty seconds after she'd descended.

Luke felt a moment of satisfaction but had his poker face locked tight.

She reappeared, and he looked bored. "Forgot something?"

She walked over and stopped midway as she beckoned him with her hand. "Enough of the stubbornness, you. Come lock the door so I don't have to live with some maniac slicing you to pieces."

He rolled his eyes. Lowered his arm and dropped both hands into the pockets of his jogging pants as he leaned back into the doorframe with his shoulder.

They looked wordlessly at one another, feeding into the baseless standoff.

"Are you deaf?" she asked calmly with a smile forming.

"Yeah, I'm deaf. That's it," he replied facetiously as he subtly and unconsciously looked down the length of her body. His eyes went to the floor when he realized what he'd done, and it took a count to five for him to convince himself to stop overreacting and look her in the face.

She responded when his eyes met hers. "Deaf. Interesting. Guess I need to speak much, much louder."

"Great. Just what I need," he deadpanned.

"Or maybe the distance is a problem. Need me to say it closer, Lou Ferrigno?" she inquired with a temperate approach.

He shrugged carelessly as she walked up close as if they were going to start a waltz. He looked down at her. Scanned her gorgeous eyes as she stood staring. Taking in her silence, he asked calmly, "You have something to say to me?"

She didn't speak. Looked like she was evaluating him. His boldness continued as if he didn't share the mild fear in her eyes, as if his heart wasn't going like a drum roll. He moved closer, growing sick of the back and forth game they always played. He decided to ride with instinct.

He waited for objection but didn't get it.

Luke brought either hand lightly to her sides. He pulled her body to his and dipped to meet her lips. She didn't fight it. That was all he could comprehend as he told himself to keep it together. So weird to have years of yearning extinguished in an unplanned second. Her lips parted, and his tongue went in. She moaned the sweetest sounding moan and Luke felt her slowly start to hold him while melting…melting into that kiss. He felt himself harden against her. She broke the kiss immediately and put two feet of distance between them.

Her eyes were on the floor. He could see her blinking, thinking. For once, her thoughts weren't quick enough to keep up with the situation.

Luke stared at her dumbfounded. His chest rose and fell with breaths of exertion and so much passion, he didn't know what to do. Before he could fully come to terms with what had happened, he was excusing her actions. He wanted it, and he now knew she wanted it, too. But it didn't mean she was ready for it. He'd taken a chance and it'd backfired. It hurt like a firecracker exploding in his chest. But he knew it was mindless to be so rash with her. Their relationship was much too complicated for such easy transitions.

He swallowed. "Hey," he called quietly. Her eyes remained low. He got close enough to whisper, close enough to rest his hand on her hip like it belonged there. Not touching her was impossible right then. He said into her ear, "I'm going to go into my apartment and lock the door. You go downstairs…get in your car…and we'll just put this behind us. I'll be down in five minutes to lock up. Is that okay?"

She put focus on him.

Luke nodded encouragingly like he wanted that out just as much as she did.

His jaw clenched and he left her eyesight and leaned in again. His lips brushed her lobe. She would just have to accept that he was doing the very best he could. Showing her all restraint in his power. "I'm sorry I put you in this position." He breathed in her skin, smelling her cherry blossom scent. Found it so hard to move away. Made harder because Lorelai was accepting it, not pushing him away. He finally stepped back.

"See you tomorrow," he said as normally as he could.

Luke went inside of his apartment and pushed the door to a crack as he walked away from it. Lorelai saw his shape fade from the glass. She recalled his instructions but didn't consider following them for one second. All he had to do was give her a minute, one short minute to steady herself. She took more deep breaths, actually rushed the process. She moved forward, and the door that was supposed to be locked, according to Luke, only required a shove to open it. She walked inside, closed the door, and used the lock.

Immediately, she spotted Luke sitting at the kitchen table with his back to her. She approached him quietly. He had his chair turned backwards, the back of it against the table. His arms were folded over the top of the chair and he rested his chin on his forearms while he stared at nothing.

He didn't acknowledge Lorelai's presence. She made it to the kitchen and took another chair out from the table. She placed the front of it directly against the front of his and didn't say a word as she straddled the conjoined chairs and ended up behind him. For a moment, she sat all the way back and watched him from behind. Watched for a reaction that didn't come. She ran fingers down his spine. Felt the butterflies that came to her stomach as she touched him in such an intimate way. He didn't turn or react.

She scooted up, got as close as she could. Did that sensually as she spread her legs wider to accommodate his body. She moved her hands from his back and slid them along his thighs. Then his sides, stomach, chest, and arms. It felt electrifying. Dangerous.

She started kissing across his back. Brought her fingers low on his sides and began to pull his shirt up at a snail's pace. When she rested delicate fingers on his bare skin, Luke broke. He helped her remove his shirt. She pressed her upper body to him as she sprinkled kisses and tickled his flesh with her slow moving fingers. He started to stand slowly, and so did she. They got clear of the chairs and faced one another. Got close. He looked beautiful, strong, and uncertain. Painfully mindful of her.

She stood on her toes and kissed his lips.

Parted for a split second before she went up and got in another soft kiss. For the third kiss, she pulled him down to her. Gently brought his mouth upon hers, and the kisses became deeper, more intense, a tad bit sloppier and desperate and it wasn't long before she felt him expand against her again. It took her breath away, same as before.

There was no doubt about it. Luke was all man.

He urged her to the bed, undressed her. Wasn't long before he was inside of her. They quickly moved from one stage to the next. Luke squeezed a pillow as he glided inside of Lorelai. She felt good. So good that he had to reassess his pace every few thrusts. Lorelai kept biting her lip, kept driving him insane with the sex faces.

Luke slowed when he couldn't stop watching her. Had to be his fortieth pause in the few minutes they'd been connected.

She tightened her thighs, held him there, and created her own nonstop movement up and down his length. Luke grunted. She moaned and kissed him deep. She let up, to Luke's relief but followed that by spreading her legs wider, higher and guiding him in and out of her using her hands to initiate her preferred speed and rhythm. A rhythm so amazing, it had her losing strength. Luke gritted his teeth and attempted to keep up the pace on his own. It was hard. He couldn't not look at her, couldn't not be affected by the vise grip her insides maintained.

He felt her nails run lightly over the back of his neck, and that was it.

She opened her eyes slowly and looked at him. Caught the end of his 'O' face. It made her smile in the midst of her heavy breathing. She'd been so close. So close. But looking at him, she couldn't feel the disappointment. It was Luke.

He kissed her neck and then sucked it passionately. "You're kind of a dream come true," he confided quietly. "I'm sorry."

Her heart fluttered, and she had no idea how to respond to that. "It's okay," she whispered in the softest timbre.

He shook his head. "No, it's not." He wasted no time moving down. He kissed along the way until he was fully beneath the covers. Lorelai started moaning as soon as he got to work. She came quicker than he expected, and he kept going. Made her hit her peak another time and then once more as he gave her fingers and suction. Sucked her clit like it had a secret he wanted to squeeze out of it.

Before she could catch her breath, he was back on top of her, back inside of her. He'd used a condom the first time, and she was sure he wasn't using one this time. The feel was different. It was better. She was on the pill, and she'd shared that with him, but she was surprised at how willing she was to let that be enough. Flying without a back-up parachute wasn't her style by a long shot.

Luke made up for the last time. Letting Lorelai know what he usually brought to the table was important to him. Couldn't get disqualified on a technicality. Lorelai climaxed twice with penetration before she asked him to come with her.

He fell asleep soon after, and Lorelai used the time to call home. She was honest with Rory and told her where she was. Rory already knew. When Lorelai got off the phone, she took to watching Luke sleep. Too wired to sleep, herself. She watched him for a while. Studied his breaths, the movement of his chest and the fluttering of his lashes. When he'd been asleep for an hour and she still couldn't rest, she moved her face to his chest and kissed it.

"Luke," she whispered.

He snored lightly.

She called him again and nibbled his ear. "Luke."

"Hm?" he answered, half-asleep.

Her hand slid down his body and she squeezed and pulled until he was hard in her hand. "Wake up, Baby," she whispered, feather-soft.

He moaned in his sleep as Lorelai's hand continued to move up and down his shaft. He moved to lay on his back when she pressed her body to him. She straddled his waist and touched her lips to his. "Are you awake?" she asked softly.

He mumbled something unintelligible. Lorelai put him at her opening and slid down until he was all the way inside. She bit her lip and saw as he opened his sleepy eyes to her.

He smiled a little, brought his hands to rest on her hips and said a groggy, "Hey" as he instinctively started rocking her back and forth.

She took off, filled the room with love notes. His girth was perfection personified, and he felt better than any one man should. She alternated between putting him deep, deep inside of her and swerving her hips on him like she was keeping a hula-hoop in motion. She looked down on him, and he was stoic and sexy and staring at her with passion that blazed through the darkness.

Her breaths got short and jerky, and she came hard. Started tweaking her own nipples as Luke pounded into her, moving her weight around like it was nothing. He slowed when she got strong enough to pick up speed again. He sought her clit and felt her juices cover his thumb as he pressed and fondled her. She liked that. Loved that. Couldn't find something to clutch quick enough.

He felt so much lust for her that it overshadowed all of the deeper feelings. When having sex, Lorelai oozed sex. Was so beautiful he could barely stand it.

Her eyes stayed closed a lot like she couldn't keep them open. She wasn't talking incessantly like he knew her to do. She didn't say anything. Just his name. Whispered every other minute or so. It was no wonder his first time with her had ended so abruptly. It really felt like every move and every pant was all for him, all because of him. Whether or not that was his own ego, he didn't know.

She came again. Never at her most sensual than at that moment. She was rubbing and touching as Luke allowed her tight walls to close in tighter around his pulsating head. He clenched his teeth as he released inside of her. She took that with a gasp and a more passionate gyration. A peace came over her face and with a sigh, she opened her milky eyes to him. Silent. He caressed her hip as he stared back, wondering what she was thinking.

"Be right back," she whispered and climbed from him on her way to the restroom. Luke waited patiently while looking over at the open door. Water ran in the sink and he guessed she was cleaning herself up. Thirty seconds later, the water shut off and she came back out, the moonlight hitting her naked body just right.

"Everything okay?" he asked quietly.

"Of course," she answered simply as she climbed back in the bed.

She moved close to him and Luke smelled the clean, hot towel. She touched it to his groin area without warning and he sucked in air. Made her laugh. "Sorry." She kissed his shoulder. Did that as she wiped him gently. Seemed to take forever as she spent more time caressing than anything else. Finally, she laid the towel on the headboard.

"Thanks," he whispered. He turned on his side to face her. Thought maybe she was ready to talk. They hadn't done any talking at all. She brought her mouth to his at that rotation, and they kissed long and slow. He ran his fingers through her hair as their tongues glided.

"Anytime," she finally whispered back. She offered a soft smile before she turned her back to him and lined her bottom with his still warm front.

He sighed. Brought his arm around to her stomach and felt her hand come over his. She settled her head on the pillow, causing his face to be buried in her hair. He moved his head until he found breathing air but stayed close enough to have the smell of her locks mixed in.

They slept.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Luke checked the time again. He'd gotten up a late due to all the activity of the previous night, but, to his own surprise, he was doing well on time. He was showered and dressed and was reaching for his shoes when Lorelai called him from the bathroom. She had been in the shower for only five minutes.

"Yeah!" he answered.

She asked him if he minded washing her back, and he smiled. One night with her, and already, he knew what that was code for.

"If you don't hurry, you're going to have to have breakfast with everyone else," he reminded. She'd wanted her breakfast time to be more private, so she agreed to go down with him and eat while he prepared to open.

"Please?"

He smiled again. Maybe she really did want him to wash her back. He shook his head at the low likelihood of that as he pushed his shoes aside and headed for the bathroom.

He knocked before pushing the door open. "Here I am," he announced to the steamy bathroom.

She pushed the shower curtain back completely. "Hey," she greeted while looking over at him. His eyes started wandering over her body, so perfectly proportioned. Perfect in every way in his eyes. She put her hands behind her back and leaned on the wall of the shower as the water hit her side, on down.

"What are you doing?" he asked distractedly.

She leaned her head back, placed one foot casually on the edge of the tub. "Trying to entice you," she answered in honesty. "Is it working?"

He walked over like he was in a daze. "Yeah, it's working," he answered back.

She smiled and moved forward in the tub to meet him. When he got there, he ran his hand down her arm and leaned in to kiss her neck. She limited her wet touches to his face.

"Take off your clothes," she whispered. "Don't want them to get wet."

"Oh, yeah," he remembered. He stepped back quickly and started stripping. If she hadn't reminded him, he would have gotten in with them on, forgetting they were there. There was no doubt in his mind about that.

She watched him patiently and was all smiles when he closed the door and climbed his naked body in with her. He grasped her sides and kissed her immediately, eagerly.

She held his face, swam in those deep, slow kisses. He lifted his mouth from hers and put it at her neck. Had her palming the back of his head while she whimpered. He attached his mouth to her breasts. Sucked her nipples into his mouth while taking his fingers around to her front and rubbing between her legs. Inspired choppy, erratic breaths. She moved further away from the sprays of water, to the far back wall, Luke latched to her and moving with her. She put a foot on the side of the tub and climbed up, managing to tower over him. He moved closer and she lowered herself, squeezed herself between the wall and him as he got his erection ready for her descent. Her breathing changed again when she made contact. He filled her, and her eyes fell closed. She grasped his neck and their mouths connected. He was able to move into her easily in that environment, and he took advantage of it. Smooth, fast, long, and circular strokes. Her legs were around him now. Locked at his waist. He got her to put her foot back on the edge of the tub and he spread her other leg wider, got her to lower her pelvis against the wall, got it adjacent to his, and he pounded into her with more efficiency, more force, more everything. It felt like he added five inches to his length. She cried out, gripped his back. He eased up on the drive but continued to go so deep, his pubic bone hit her clit each time. She moaned, panted, and experienced the most freeing orgasm. Her sex speech expanded, with soft, breathy utterances of curses being added to its near-empty catalog.

Her weight became dead weight, and it was harder for him to hold her up. She gave him a signal that it was okay to let her go. He supported her to keep her from hurting herself as she slid down the wall like jelly, further than he expected.

She got control of her loose limbs as soon as she passed his chest and navel. She smoothly took him in her mouth. He gasped and watched himself disappear. In, out. In, out. In, out. He swallowed, placed both hands on the wall in front of him, and closed his eyes tightly. Wound up pushing in and out, fucking her mouth. Couldn't help it. It felt way too good. He stopped when he heard her gagging. Got control of himself and ended up making fists against the wall. She didn't slow. She actually tried to encourage him to be as free as he was before but he held back. She ran her hand softly along his side, licking and sucking while continuing to stroke him. She removed her mouth when he came. His grunt was sexy, long, and a complete turn-on. She ran her thumb back and forth over his head, watching him shoot, and she stroked and stroked until he was done. Luke looked down just in time to see her bringing her mouth back to where it'd been. She stuck her tongue out and licked tenderly over his, now, sensitive tip as she tasted him.

It was like she was doing thatt for the first time. Again, he thought, probably his own ego at work. But it was an intimate experience watching her. She licked once, paused as she licked her lips considerately, and then, brought her mouth in to lick again before making the decision to lick him clean.

Luke was shuddering by the time she was done.

She stood up between his arms that were still extended to the back of the tub. "You taste good," she complimented in an intimate whisper.

As uncomfortable as that made him, he was still flattered, and he still smiled. She smiled, too, and then moved in to meet his lips. Her tongue found his, and they relaxed against the shower wall. They made out for the better part of ten minutes, the water, now, cold against Luke's legs and underneath their feet. The steam disappeared in the bathroom.

"Are you not freezing?" Luke asked as he kissed her jaw and chin as she breathed thirstily.

He was pressed into her, and his skin was very warm despite the chill. She waited until he stopped sucking her neck and she brought her mouth to hover over his as she replied. "I've been burning hot since last night." She accepted his tongue with a satisfying moan.

"Tell me about it," he managed to say after a while. They kissed more. And more and more. "I'm officially late for work now."

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be."

"I'm sorry that I'm not sorry," she ended with a wicked smile.

He pulled away. Knew it was time to get going. "Come on, let's get out of here," he said as he gave her room to get out while protecting her from the ice cold water now washing down his back. She stepped from the tub and he followed her after turning off the water.

They grabbed towels and wrapped themselves in them. Luke helped her wrap up and dry her hair as much as possible while she faced him. She moved in and started kissing his neck and he smiled and ushered her from the bathroom.

He looked in the mirror at his own wet hair, figuring he'd do without the hat for a few hours while he let it dry in the diner. He grabbed items of his clothes from the bathroom floor and dressed as quickly as he could.

He came out to see Lorelai dressed as well, fastening the clasp on her pants she'd worn yesterday. She smiled at him. "Just let me get my shoes and we'll be good to go."

She leaned down by his bed to retrieve them, her bottom raised and tempting. Luke was surprised to feel himself aroused again. It was definitely something she brought out in him. He didn't care about the diner in that moment. Couldn't care less about being responsible. He saw her in that position and could only think of how many times he'd seen her in innocent but sexy positions before and couldn't do anything about it. Now, he had permission. A VIP pass. Didn't he? He walked over to her like a dog in heat and immediately tested his theory by pressing his impressive hardness to her ass. He pulled her back tight against him like he wanted her to come from the friction.

Caught off guard, she grasped the bed. Looked over her shoulder at him. She was game. Desire flashed in her eye like an instant hunger.

"So much for getting dressed," she said with heavy breaths as she started taking off her clothes. She was faster than him. She climbed onto the edge of the bed and remained on her knees, pushing against him, making a wet spot on the front of his jeans.

Luke took off the flannel and left his undershirt on as he hastily undid his pants and pushed them down to his ankles.

"You really are every woman's dream, aren't you?" she breathed out.

"I only want to be one woman's dream." He entered her in one stroke. She moaned and arched her back. He put his hand there, forcing her to relax and then gave her all he had. His pace was fast and not very merciful. He wanted to get her off. Make her come hard and have her climbing the walls, as this session wasn't entered into while whispering sweet nothings. His intention was to sex her like he'd never been able to all those years before.

She panted heavy. Moaned every time he hit a really good spot. There was lots of moaning. Luke felt it when she tensed and suddenly she was whimpering and breathing like she was going to cry. Pulsing walls gripped him and tried to milk him with everything they had, but Luke couldn't come yet. He'd had too many orgasms in the past eight hours, and his stamina was going to become otherworldly soon. With the way she threw her body back against him, he didn't even consider the possibility that he'd hurt her. She was in heaven. Right up there with him.

He slammed into her with a force that seemed way too unkind, but she dealt with that pain like it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. She came again with a fierce growl and gripped sheets and covers in her fists.

"Luke…god!" she called in a strangled and disoriented voice.

He went a little slower before pulling out. She looked back, worried, breathing so hard. She noticed him kicking his pants free and as soon as he had them off, he was back inside of her. She pulled her hair to one side and regrouped. Started building back up a fast tempo along with him.

He wiped moisture from her back, leaned low and kissed her skin over and over before he stood back up and plowed hard enough to make her cry out again.

His breathing was loud. Her breathing was loud. They were wrapped up in each other and the feeling, and the euphoric waves multiplied with every thrust.

Neither heard the key. Neither heard the door open or the approaching footsteps.

They didn't even hear the loud gasp.

Luke just happened to glance over when he felt a sudden presence in the room.

"Oh, jeez!"

Lorelai held fistfuls of linen, her lips were pressed together, and her eyes were shut tight. She started to open her eyes at Luke's outburst and was suddenly blinded by covers being thrown over her face and body.

Luke had pulled out of her in a flash, and she found herself on her side scrambling for sight.

"Rachel, what are you doing here?" he exclaimed.

She gasped under the covers. Froze. 'Did he just say Rachel?' she thought. She was suddenly a little less anxious to find her way out of the covers. But once she did, she peeked out, and sure enough, Rachel was standing there.

Rachel's eyes were locked on her as she emerged from the covers. Agony was in her face. "I should probably be more surprised than this, right?"

Luke finally thought to cover himself up. His first priority had been to shield Lorelai. He looked around for his boxers and when he found them, he snatched them up. "I want to know what you're-" He looked up to see that Rachel was no longer there, and he looked around the partition to see her walking from the apartment.

Lorelai looked over at him, still covered up to her chin.

"I'll be right back," he said through his teeth. He didn't wait for her response before he dashed after Rachel. "Rachel, wait!" she heard him call before he closed the door.

Lorelai climbed from the bed and found her clothes. She dressed quickly and silently, her hands shaking nonstop. She put her shoes on and then her jacket, found her purse and went back to Luke's bedroom to decide the best way to get out of the apartment. She didn't know if they were talking in the diner or on the stairs or even right outside the door. Thinking of their tearful conversation was making her sick. She needed to get out of there. Immediately.

She was standing in one spot staring at the floor when Luke came back in. He was not happy. He'd been gone between five and ten minutes, alone with Rachel, and all Lorelai wanted to know was if she was still there. If she had a clear shot to the exit or not. That was about all her mind could handle at that moment.

He was confused at the sight of her standing there fully clothed. Whatever he was annoyed about, he put it from his mind. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I have to go," she said quietly. She felt the tears. She tried to smile like nothing was a big deal, but it was shaky and weird and she just decided to leave on that note.

She barely got past him before he pulled on her hand. "Wait, what? What's wrong with you?"

She turned because though she tried to pull away, he wouldn't let her go. She sighed with a roll of her eyes. "I'm completely humiliated," she admitted.

"Why?"

Her eyes grew to twice their size. "Why? Did you not see what she walked in on?"

He looked over at the bed. "Well, yeah, and it's not something that I'm glad that happened, but she shouldn't have been here," he argued rightfully.

She felt so much pain. "I thought you guys were broken up, Luke."

"We are broken up!" he assured.

She kept shaking her head. "You called off a wedding eleven days ago. Week before last. I should have known that…"

He clenched his jaw. "Known what? You called off yours less than a week ago. What are you getting at?"

"Maybe this was too soon," she came out and said. "If she's still coming into your place with keys, then don't you think-"

"That has nothing to do with anything, Lorelai."

She stared into his eyes, couldn't stop feeling haunted. "I am so humiliated," she said again with a cracking voice.

He sighed. "Why are you humiliated? Why? You didn't do anything wrong. Rachel was wrong. She had no right to come in here like that. I didn't know she was still in the area, and suddenly here she is walking into my apartment without even knocking?" he asked, getting riled up again. Lorelai finally got insight into how their discussion had gone on the other side of the door.

Lorelai looked down. "Rachel has never done anything to me. She's perfectly nice. And here I go…" She swept her arm across the room "Her relationship isn't even cold yet, and I'm…in her guy's bed," she ended shamefully. "Who does that?"

Luke considered that. He supposed he could see where she was coming from…if she and Rachel were friends who hung out or something. But they weren't. They'd taken a three-minute car ride together once and had some small conversations in and around the diner from time to time, and that was it.

"First of all, I'm not 'her guy'. Not anymore. And why are you worrying about Rachel anyway? This is about you and me. At least I thought it was."

"She was devastated," she muttered.

"And I feel horrible about that," he said honestly. "But she and I…are over. She knows that. She knew that every since we both agreed that we were over. She's a grown woman, Lorelai, and she can take care of herself. I'm moving on with my life. With a woman I've been crazy about for years and who is finally, finally giving me a chance here. I choose you. Every damn day of the week, I choose you."

Lorelai didn't say anything and didn't appear too moved by his words. He would have been worried if it wasn't for the only part of her she wasn't able to control. Her eyes. As she stared at him, it was clear how much he meant to her. Blazingly clear.

He still had to ask, was nervous in asking. "Do you choose me?"

She nodded her head as she diverted her eyes.

He looked down thoughtfully. Hated to bring it up, but he did. "I know you just broke up with Max a few days ago, and what you said is true. We did start this really soon. I've explained my position but I know that how I feel isn't necessarily how you feel. You haven't been willing to talk about too much since last night, so I don't know. Guess I've been too chicken to ask. Is this hard for you?"

Lorelai wasn't a fan of talking about those things. All she wanted to say was in her eyes, but there was also vulnerability there that made it difficult. It usually stood in the way. She made an effort to let him know where she stood. The very best she had to offer.

"I…knew it was time to break up with Max the first time I was forced to compare him to you," she revealed as way of an answer. She looked up to avoid his eyes, made it look like she was thinking of things to add to a list. "Um, there are a few things that I don't do when it comes to sex. Ever. I did two of them with you…the first night," she stressed casually. She continued to avoid his gaze. "I couldn't imagine my life without you, Rory adores you, and you've always been a soft spot for me. It gets worse every day, month, year, no matter who I'm with. I sometimes feel so much toward you that it hurts," she stated, her voice dropping below a whisper on that last word. "And I'm pretty sure that I felt my heart break when you ran after Rachel." She sighed, got herself together, and finally looked at him. "To answer your question, being with you isn't hard for me. I'm sad that I hurt Max, but it doesn't change anything."

He took that in quietly. "So, you choose me, too," he determined.

"Every damn day of the week," she answered with a smile.

He smiled. With his head, he gestured her in, and he was ecstatic that the air was clear enough for her to come to him. He kissed her hair as she hugged his waist. "Your heart isn't still broken, is it?" he asked quietly.

"It was a false alarm."

"Good." He kissed her hair again, her temple, her forehead. He held her for a long moment, and they swayed together. "I guess this is really happening, huh?"

"What?" she whispered.

"Us."

She smiled, nuzzled his neck. "Looks that way."

He loved the sound of that. "Guess we're going to have plenty of time to learn this stuff, but out of curiosity, what are the two things we did that you usually don't do?"

She leaned back and looked at him. His face turned red instantly. She chuckled and stepped away.

"I just said that to prove something to you. I don't necessarily want to talk about it."

"Why? I'd like to know."

"They don't apply to you, Luke. That's what I was getting at, and it'd probably be a little weird for you to know. I don't want you thinking I'm a prude or something."

He had to laugh at that. "I doubt I'd ever think that about you."

"Not sure that's a compliment, but…sure, thanks," she remarked with a light roll of her eyes. She sighed and decided it wouldn't do much harm to tell him. "I don't have sex without condoms, and also, as crazy as it is in this day and age, I don't do semen in the mouth. It grosses me out like you wouldn't believe."

Luke didn't really know how to proceed with that one. "Really?"

She shrugged. "Worse thing ever," she answered with personal nightmares playing in her head.

He was confused and staring. "So, you don't usually…? B-because you were really…good at it."

She was quick to correct him, ended up flustering a bit. "Well, no, I-I've done that…of course, but ya know, just the…the, um, the end part—for the finale, I'm not usually in any…front row seats." She laughed at her own words.

Luke rolled his eyes at her way of explanation. "Well, you know you don't have to do anything you're uncomfortable with."

"Oh, I know," she was quick to agree.

"So…" He looked at her with his eyes squinted. She lifted her brows for him to finish. "Just to be…clear…" He cleared his throat, turned fiercely red. "You do…or don't have a problem with …oral?"

"I do not." She smiled. "She says as she spit-shines the halo."

He was relieved at that. Relieved and hid it poorly. Lorelai held in laughter. "And that other thing?"

"Condoms?"

"Yeah. Did I do something wrong with that?" he asked remembering how natural it came for him to forgo that method at simple mention of her pill. So much so that he'd failed to ask if it was okay.

She shook her head, no. "I would've told you if I had a problem with it," she assured quietly. She folded her arms. "The thing is, you don't get pregnant at sixteen and not set some ground rules afterward, you know? I've been on the pill off and on since about…" She tried to think, "age twenty, I think. There were big chunks of times where I was off of it and times where I just forgot to take it, and it just became a common thing for me to always have the condom back up. And honestly, I don't even know what was going to happen after Max and I tied the knot. Maybe we would've stopped with the condoms. Who knows? I never thought about it." She gestured to him. "And then in walks you, and everything goes out the window." She looked at him silently for a few seconds. "I don't know how grand that is on your scale, but for me, it's huge."

He nodded. "It's pretty big," he followed as he stared at her.

She shrugged, self-conscious now.

He smirked. "Are you saying that you wouldn't mind having my baby?" He reached in and pulled her to his body.

She smiled in amusement. Relaxed in his embrace. "Just saying that I care about you. And I trust you," she confided.

"Good," he told her seriously. "I feel the same way."

She squinted playfully. "Is this going to become a thing with us? Are we going to be having heart to heart talks every day?"

"God, I hope not," he mumbled to her relief and amusement. He took a heavy breath and splayed his fingers across her lower back. "As bad as it sounds, I am glad that Rachel came in here, though. It got us talking about stuff I'm honestly not so sure we would have talked about."

"We would've talked. Eventually."

"You sure weren't in a rush to do it," he commented, a little miffed.

"Why talk when we can spend time…not talking?"

He rolled his eyes. "Well, sometimes words are needed."

"And sometimes actions say it best. I can't believe I have to say this to you, of all people."

"Well, believe it. I didn't know what was going on in that crazy head of yours."

She smiled sweetly. "Wasn't much. Just a whole lotta happiness and a whole lotta good-god-where-has-this-man-been-all-my-life? That kinda stuff."

He chuckled. "Is that right?"

"Extreme accuracy."

He tried to move past the—what he had to assume was—exaggerated reverence. "You still up for that breakfast?"

"I'm starving." She ran her hands through his wet hair. "We've burned off a lot of calories, Hon."

"I'll say."

"Guess I'll have to eat with everyone else like common townsfolk. I'm sure people are lined up outside by this point."

He nodded. "They are. They were out there when I followed Rachel downstairs."

She backed up some, looked down to confirm his current wardrobe. He still only wore boxers and an undershirt. "They saw you like this?"

"I'd be surprised if they didn't."

"I don't think I like that."

"Really?"

"In fact, I know I don't."

His lips curled. "Gotta say, jealousy from you is kind of nice."

"Come to think of it, Rachel saw you before you even put on the skivvies. She saw you naked. Even though, now it's occurring to me that she's probably seen you naked millions of times, so it really shouldn't matter… aaaand now I'm realizing that this is the very last thing on the planet that I'd like to talk about, so this is where we change the subject." She backed up completely. "How about that food?"

There was brief laughter and a shake of his head as he went to grab his flannel and jeans. "You might get your wish, after all, you know. They still have to wait out there while I prepare the grill and get everything ready. There should be time for a muffin and coffee, just you and me."

"I'll take it."

He pulled up his pants as a sudden thought made him grumble. "We're about to be the talk of the town. I hope you're ready for that," he said casually.

She sat on the bed and crossed her legs. "Ready as I'll ever be."

He grabbed his flannel. "You know you're going to be the reason I broke up with Rachel."

She smiled, shook her head. "And there's no doubt in my mind you'll be the reason Max and I didn't make it."

"How do you think you'll come off?"

"Oh, like a tramp, of course. I'll have called you the night before your wedding, confessing my undying love for you and begging you to dump Rachel for me. And then I would have seduced you."

"Shame I don't remember that happening."

"Isn't it, though?"

"Well, I'll come off like a hero."

"Double standards are so unfair."

"I'll have driven up to Hartford, holster at my waist, and challenged Max to a duel or something."

"Will you have won, you think?"

"I think he'll have chickened out and you—so impressed with me, a real man—couldn't resist and fell into my arms. Sounds stupid enough to fly."

"Fabulous. A tramp and a damsel."

"A hero and an adulterer."

"I want to trade."

"Mine's not much better."

"Least you get to be a hero," she pouted.

"This next month is going to piss me off."

"Two months, Babe. At least that."

"Jeez."

"Why'd you have to be engaged, Luke?" she asked bitterly.

He was bent down tying the lace on his boot. "Why'd you have to be engaged?" he countered.

"Makes things so much more complicated."

"For everyone else, you mean."

"Well, everyone else is who has the ability to make our lives hell, so let's show them due respect."

He scoffed. "When hell freezes over. Be nice if they got a life."

She stood up with a sigh. "Ready to head down?"

Shoes secure, he erected himself. "Yep. Let's get it over with."

She smiled and walked ahead of him. "Hey, I have an idea," she proposed.

"What's that?"

She turned and pointed at his chest. "You go down and flip the blinds. And then I'll come down, we have a private breakfast, I sneak out the back, you open up the diner, and we just…deal with this whole thing tomorrow." She continued tiredly. "It's only seven, and we've already had enough drama for one day. And plus, I have to go home, have a real talk with Rory and also fill Sookie in. They're my best friends. It'd be nice to not have them hearing about this from other people."

He nodded his head thoughtfully. "So, we wait?"

"Is that okay?" she asked, willing to nip the idea if it wasn't.

He smiled a little. "Sure. Let's make it two days, three days, six. However long we can put this off, let's do it," he joked.

She moved in and kissed him on the lips. "No, one day'll do. We go live tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me." They headed out the door. "Where are you sleeping tonight?" he asked casually.

"Is that a trick question? Just like I plan to slip out this morning, I plan to slip back in tonight. You and I have unfinished business, Mister."

He smiled as he crossed the threshold behind her. Watched her stop at the place where she would await his signal. "Just making sure we're on the same page," he said with a kiss to her cheek. "Can't wait," he ended intimately before moving past her.

"Me either." She looked after him with a grin. Stood swaying and allowing that happiness to spread through her. Luke was halfway down the stairs when she dropped the smile and jetted over to the opening of the stairwell. "Hey, you did get your key back from Rachel, right?"

-The End-

Hope that was pleasurable in some small way. Tell me what you think, Readers! :) Until next time.