Chapter 1

Lorelai breezed through the diner's door, hearing the familiar bells signal her arrival.

"Luuuucas!" Lorelai wailed as she entered.

"Don't call me that…" Luke grimaced as Loralai sat down on her stool.

"Oh but its a sweet name" Lorelai winked, trying to geode him.

"That's it, no coffee for you" Luke walked away starting to serve other tables.

He watched as Lorelai's face dropped with sudden panic as she attempted to form coherent words. Luke smiled inwardly, victory.

"Bu—but but Luke. No! I'm sorry! I wont call you that again I promise! I love your name Luke. I love "Luke". I love you!" Lorelai stumbled quickly trying to gain control over the situation.

Luke looked up quickly from the opposite side of the room as he heard her words. Lorelai caught his eyes, and felt her breath turn into a silent small gasp. They held each other's gaze for a few seconds, although truth be told it felt like hours.

They were having a moment Luke realized in the small amount of time they had stopped talking. One of those moment were his heart speeds, his palms sweat and the urge to rush over and kiss her is overpowering.

Just as he was seriously contemplating that last part, Lorelai dropped her eyes, and the spell was broken.

Lorelai's heart was racing.

Its not like it was that serious of a comment, but everything between her and Luke always felt like it had a double meaning.

When he caught her eye she realized what she said, and she couldn't bring herself to look away. She wanted him to come to her, sweep her up in his eyes and kiss her like there was no tomorrow.

Luke, Luke's lips, Luke kissing—oh god, she had to stop this. She quickly dropped her eyes.

Luke blinked a few times and walked back around to the coffee machine, his back towards Lorelai. He needed a few seconds to compose himself.

"So uh… how's Nicole?" Lorelai stuttered.

Luke closed his eyes. Nicole. His girlfriend. His girlfriend of 3 months.
He turned around and looked at her. "Nicole… she's uh great."

Lorelai forced a smile. She wasn't one to judge a person straight away without really knowing them, but she didn't like that women. That… lawyer. With her daily pressed suits and her neatly primped hair.

"That's, well, that's good. I'm glad", she said as she glanced down.

Luke looked at her, her raven hair slightly sparkling in the sun streaming through the window. Her pale skin screaming to be touched with his finger tips.

Lorelai looked up and saw Luke staring at her. Her breath caught for the second time that day in the space of 5 minutes. She stared at his chin, the roughness of his stubble; she wondered how it would feel rubbing up against her cheek. She looked at the brown waves peaking out from under his cap, and ached to run her hands through it to feel if it was a soft as it looked.

She slowly reached his eyes. And she knows he knows she's been staring. And strangely she can't bring herself to care.

They stare into each other eyes once again, the closer space between them now both very known to them.

Lorelai's hand lay on the counter top, and she felt rather than saw Luke's hand slip closer and closer towards her.

She didn't move her hand back, rather she inched it forward.

The intense gaze they shared wasn't broken as this happened.

Deep breaths were the only thing that could be heard, unconscious of the surrounding customers who were all oblivious to the intense internal battle that was happening between the owner and the best customer, as only seconds had passed.

Luke and Lorelai stopped the movement of their hands when they were a millimeter apart.

Each heart skipped a beat as both simultaneously moved theirs slightly and fingers brushed against fingers. Lorelai let out the breath she was holding, and started breathing even deeper. Luke curled his fingers slightly grasping her fingertips.

"Hey Luke can you help me with this?"

Lorelai and Luke jumped about a foot each way, Lorelai nearly knocking her self to the floor.

They both glanced quickly to Nicole who had walked down the stairs and thanked the gods she was focused on clasping her necklace shut near her chest, so she didn't see the both of them trying to catch their breaths, and retain a normal stance.

Luke recovered first, "oh sure thing". He walked to her and brought the necklace around the back and closed it.

"Thank you", Nicole said as she stood on her tippy toes and kissed him.

Lorelai looked down quickly as an uncontrolled flash of jealousy raced through her.

She didn't chance looking up until she heard Nicole speak, "Oh Lorelai hi, I didn't see you there. How are you?"

"I'm pretty good you know, can't complain" Lorelai said attempting to find her witty demeanor among the jealousy.

Nicole smiled, and laid a territorial hand over Luke's on the counter.

"And how is that gorgeous boyfriend of yours?"

Lorelai glanced quickly at Luke, "Oh Chris, he's fine yeah. Missing Rory you know? She's at a school thing for smarty pants in Washington for 8 weeks. I think she's secretly planning to take over the world."

"Well that's nice, I'm excited for her" Sure you are Lorelai thought; you're as fake as your hair colour Nicole.

"So its just you and Chris at home?" Nicole asked.

Luke felt jealously bubbling at the pit of his stomach. He didn't like that, Christopher… god even the name was pathetic. The so called father to Rory who had stayed far away as Rory grew into the beautiful girl she was today. Only coming back when he thought he could grasp a chance with Lorelai.

Luke wanted to wring his pathetic blonde head.

"Yeah I guess" she replied.

Lorelai was stumbling her way through the conversation; her mind was still reeling from what had happened between Luke and her before. What the hell was that? What did it mean? Although it couldn't mean anything seeing as they were both with other people? No, they would have to forget it. Ignore it. But… she couldn't help recalling the strong feelings of desire that coursed through her from the simplest of touches.

"Hey now I have a great idea, how about we have a sort of double date one night?" Nicole said clasping her hands together.

Luke looked at Nicole quickly, he could think of nothing worse, he'd happily jump into a pool of snakes than go on a hideous double date with that Hayden bloke being present.

"Oh Nicole – I uh—" Luke started.

"Come on Luke we're not teenagers. It will be an adult double date. And it will give me a chance to meet this Christopher and see Lorelai's house."

Lorelai for once had no words, no excuses to get out of this terror. Besides she thought to her self, it gives me a chance to see Luke, even if it's with her.

"Well I uh guess. I'll run it by Chris but he should be fine with it."

"Oh goody. How about tonight? No time like the present?" Nicole stated.

"O..kay… we could order Chinese or something? You both okay with that?"

"Absolutely" Nicole said.

Luke was still stunned but managed a short "sure".

"Great I'll see you tonight then, 7 ish I guess." Lorelai said as she stood attempting to sound excited but rather felt as though butterflies had nested in her stomach.

She glanced quickly at Luke when she reached the door and saw the same look of dread on his face. She turned and left, grateful of the cold air that hit her face.

A double date. A double date with Luke.

Well at least I can finally see Luke on a date she thought a small smile on her lips, even as her heart screamed that she wished it were with her.