Not a Rebound

. . . . .

"Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking," she answered the phone at the reservation desk.

"Hey," he greeted her.

Her eyes widened and she swallowed hard as the sound of his voice sent a shiver of excitement through her body.

"Hi," she replied quietly, glancing around to see if anyone was in listening distance. Michel was at the computer at the other end of the desk, and a handful of guests were wandering the lobby.

"You haven't been around," he said. "I just wanted to make sure that... you know... you're okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Lorelai replied. "Rory and I just took a little road trip."

"Yeah, I heard. Sookie came in the day after you left and said you guys took off," he replied. "I was pretty surprised since you hadn't mentioned you'd be going anywhere."

"It was a last minute thing."

"I figured you would've stopped in when you got back... which I heard was a few days ago."

"Yeah, I've been super busy here at the inn," she told him. "I've been getting in early to catch up on some things, so I haven't had time for breakfast visits."

"And I guess no time for dinner visits either?"

"Well, Pete had his 'buy two, get one free' pizza sale the day we got back, so we've been living on pizza for a few days now. You know how we love continuous days of the same leftovers."

He sighed softly into the phone. "Lorelai..."

She glanced toward Michel, and then turned her back to him and covered the mouthpiece of the phone with her hand. "We can't do this," she whispered into the phone. "It's too soon, I told you that I wanted to wait."

"I know, but it doesn't mean you need to avoid me altogether," he replied.

"Yes, I do," she told him.

"Why?"

"Because I do, okay? I just do."

"You came to me that night," he reminded her. "You showed up at the diner, you told me you didn't love him, that you'd broken off the engagement. You're the one that initiated - "

"I know what I initiated that night," she interrupted.

"And I asked if you were sure... if you wanted to stop," he continued. "I mean, you'd just broken up with your fiancé, for Christ's sake, I didn't know where your head was at. I thought it was crazy that we were about to do that the same day you ended things with him. But you specifically said that it wasn't a rebound thing, that it was more than that, that there were feelings there." He exhaled a deep breath. "And I believed you, Lorelai. You were really convincing."

"It was the truth!" she exclaimed in a whisper. "Is the truth!"

"But then you disappeared!" he exclaimed. "What am I supposed to think when you disappear like that?"

Lorelai walked away from the front desk and headed toward her office for some privacy. "It wasn't a lie... it's not a rebound thing... there are feelings there."

"Well, then, I don't understand why you're mad at me and why you're avoiding me."

She walked into her office and shut the door behind her. "I'm not mad at you."

"But you are avoiding me."

"How would it look for people to see me with someone else days after I canceled my wedding?" She was still whispering, even alone in her office. "I don't want people to get suspicious, so I'm just trying to lay low. It's not about you. Everything I said to you was the truth."

"You going to the diner isn't going to make anyone suspicious," he told her. "You not going to the diner is what's going to make people suspicious."

Lorelai sat down at her desk. "I can't, not yet."

"I just want to see you."

"I want to see you, too, but we have to wait. It can't happen again, not yet."

"Nothing's gonna happen," he told her. "I told you I'm fine with waiting, that I'll wait as long as you want to."

"I know."

"But I didn't think waiting meant that you'd stop coming to the diner altogether. I still want to see you, to talk to you in person. We can do that without anyone being suspicious of anything - trust me, we've been doing it for years."

Lorelai exhaled a heavy sigh into the phone. "You don't get it... if I see you, it will happen again, okay? It will. It's all I've thought about for days. Rory was sitting next to me on the couch last night telling me about her Chilton summer project, and in my head were images of you and me in that ridiculously tiny bed of yours. I can't stop thinking about it... about you. And if it happens a second time, it's gonna happen a third time, and a fourth time, and it'll keep happening and we'll somehow get caught before we want to get caught. I'm just trying to prevent that, okay?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and then he finally just said, "Huh."

Lorelai narrowed her eyes and said, "You're smiling. I can tell you're smiling."

"Of course I'm smiling," he confirmed. "Who wouldn't be smiling after hearing that you have to stay away from them to prevent yourself from jumping into bed with them?"

Lorelai smiled into the phone and her voice softened. "Luke..."

"You're all I've been thinking about, too," he told her. "And I know you said that if you and I are gonna start something serious, that we should hold off for a little while and let the canceled wedding ashes settle, and I get that, I'm on board with that... but I hate not seeing you, okay? I hate it."

Lorelai fiddled with the stapler on her desk. "I hate it, too."

"Just come by the diner," he said. "We'll be in public, it'll be fine, nothing will happen."

Lorelai covered her face with her hand. "This is all your fault, you know. You showed up with that chuppah and spouted out your words of wisdom and..." She paused to swallow the nervous lump in her throat. "...you know, made me realize things about him and about you and stirred up all these feelings, and an hour later, I'm driving to Hartford to return the ring."

"And then an hour or two after that, coming over to talk to me and make fun of my tiny bed."

Lorelai smiled. "Something like that."

They were both silent for a moment before he quietly said, "And then you left town without telling me."

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "It was an impulsive thing, okay? I just needed to get away from the town and the wedding stuff and let things settle down. I wasn't trying to get away from you, I promise. Please tell me you believe that."

He paused for a moment before he replied, "I believe you. I'm sure you were overwhelmed."

"I should've called and told you myself that I was going away, I know," she said. "I am sorry, really."

"It's okay, I forgive you."

"Thank you."

"Come in today," he said. "It doesn't have to be for food - just stop in for coffee. I'll put it in a to go cup, you don't even have to stay. You'll see that we can be completely casual and no one will be suspicious."

Lorelai sighed softly and twirled her finger in her hair as she considered it, and finally she replied, "Let me think about it, okay?"

"Okay."

"I should get back to work."

"Yeah... me, too," he replied. "Bye, Lorelai."

"Bye, Luke."

. . . . .

. . . . .

Every time the diner door opened and the bell jingled, he looked over hoping to see her walk in. He thought maybe she'd show up for lunch. When that didn't happen, he hoped to see her for an afternoon coffee... and then dinner... then maybe an evening coffee. But the hours ticked by, and she didn't show.

Luke kept the diner open a little later than usual that night, still hanging on to some shred of hope that she'd come by, and reluctantly locked the front door a little before ten. He was disappointed as he headed up to his apartment. And then angry at her as he brushed his teeth. And then mad at himself for being angry at her as he showered.

And then, as he was getting dressed for bed, feeling calmer after convincing himself that she'd probably stop in tomorrow, the phone rang. He rushed over to it, hoping it was the one voice he wanted to hear.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Is it too late for a girl to get a cup of coffee?" she greeted him.

His lips curved into a smile. "No. Where are you?"

"Back door," she replied.

"I'll be right down."

Luke walked downstairs and headed down the back hallway past the storage room to the door at the very back of the diner. He unlocked it and pulled it open, and he felt a sense of relief when he saw her.

"Hi," she said, flashing him a smile that made his heart race with excitement.

"Hey."

"Sorry it's so late."

"It's okay." After she had stepped inside, he shut the door behind her. "I figured you weren't gonna show today."

"I wanted to come alone so I waited for Rory to go to bed," she said. "And then basically snuck out of my house like a teenager." She noticed his wet hair. "You just take a shower?"

"Yup." He stared at her for a moment, suddenly feeling strangely nervous, and gestured down the hall toward the diner. "Um... so... did you want that cup of coffee?"

Lorelai smiled slyly as she put her hands on his chest, sending a tingle down his spine. "You think I'd show up at the back door late at night if all I really wanted was an innocent cup of coffee?"

Luke smirked. "I don't know," he replied with a nonchalant shrug. "I'm not gonna assume anything at this point... you were pretty adamant earlier that you wanted to wait, that we shouldn't repeat what happened last time."

"Yes, well, the part of my brain that thinks we should pause everything for now has been overpowered by the part of my brain that can't stop thinking about you," Lorelai told him. She rested her hands on his shoulders and pulled him toward her until their lips met in a passionate kiss.

He wrapped his arms around her as they kissed, holding her tight until they had to break for air. They were panting for breath, still loosely embracing as she rested her forehead against his chest.

Lorelai squeezed the fabric of his t-shirt in her hands and whispered, "God, I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he replied, and kissed the top of her head.

Lorelai looked up at him. "You want to repeat it as badly as I do, right? If not, you might wanna back away slowly because my actions toward you are about to become wildly inappropriate."

Luke smiled. "Let's go upstairs."

Lorelai laced her fingers through his and led him down the hall toward the staircase up to his apartment. The door was open, and she glanced back at him with a smile. "Someone rushed out of here in a hurry."

They went inside and shut the door behind them, and their lips immediately reconnected. They kissed as they made their way through the apartment, and they separated when they reached the bed.

Lorelai smiled down at it amusedly. "I can't get over how small it is."

Luke leaned in close to her ear and his voice huskily said, "You know, that's not something a guy likes to hear from a woman."

Lorelai's smile widened. "I was referring to the bed," she said, and her hands went to the waistband of his sweatpants. "And not to anything that is currently concealed by these baggy pants I'm about to remove."

Luke smirked. "Okay, good."

Lorelai pushed his pants down and he stepped out of them, and then she pulled his t-shirt up over his head. She ran her hands over his chest and arms as she kissed him hungrily, her arousal already starting to grow in intensity.

Luke reached for the bottom of her shirt, and their lips parted so he could pull it up over her head. She'd forgone a bra, and his mouth immediately went to her chest. She moaned softly as he sucked on her breasts and lavished them with his tongue. He felt her nails dragging lightly against his head as she combed her fingers through his hair, and that was arousing him just as much as her moans were.

When he eventually lifted his head from her chest, she nodded toward the bed. "Lie down," she said, and then tugged at his boxers as she added, "After you lose these."

Luke pushed his boxers down to his ankles, and then he grimaced when he realized he didn't have any protection. "Shoot, I still don't have anything here." He didn't have any during their first encounter either, but she'd told him she was on the pill. "I meant to get some for the next time, but you said you wanted to wait so I thought I had more time before the 'next time' got here. Plus, I was gonna get them out of town in case someone saw, and I haven't had time to - "

Lorelai interrupted him by leaning in to kiss him. "Shhhh, it's fine, I've still got it covered," she murmured. "Who would've thought I'd be the more responsible one of the two of us?"

Luke smiled against her lips. "Not me."

She gestured toward the bed. "Lie down."

Luke lay on his back on the mattress, and Lorelai walked over to the foot of the bed. She slipped off her shoes, and then watched his face as she pushed down her pants, revealing that she had forgone underwear, too.

She watched his eyes move up and down her naked body, and then she tapped his foot and said, "Spread 'em."

He obliged, and she climbed onto the bed between his spread legs. She leaned over his upper body, resting her hands on the mattress on either side of his chest, and she kissed him long and deep.

His hands caressed her body, starting at her shoulders and moving down her back to her ass. He squeezed her cheeks and slid his hands back up toward her shoulders, and cradled her neck in his hands.

Lorelai pulled back from the kiss and raised an eyebrow. "So... you've been thinking about me the past few days?"

Luke nodded. "Mmhmm."

Lorelai leaned down and brushed her lips softly against his. "With my clothes on or without?" she whispered.

Luke smiled. "Both."

"Same here," she said.

She kissed him gently on the lips, then his neck, his chest, and his stomach as she slowly made her way back down to the bottom of the bed.

She kneeled between his legs and took his hardness in her hand, and Luke inhaled sharply at her touch. She leaned down, gently ran her tongue across his tip, and then wrapped her lips around him. She began working her magic on him, and Luke soon became lost in a daze of pleasure as he stroked her hair and groaned his approval.

After a few minutes, she crawled back up over his body and smiled down at him. "Hi," she said breathily.

"You are unbelievable," he muttered before pressing his lips against hers. His tongue tangled wildly with hers until he could barely breathe, and then he reluctantly pulled back from her.

She was panting heavily to catch her breath and her body was throbbing with arousal, and she pushed herself back up onto her knees to straddle his waist. She took his hardness in her hand, guided it to her opening, and lowered herself onto it.

Luke groaned at the sensation as he filled her. "Jesus."

"Oh, my God," Lorelai moaned. She closed her eyes and was still for a moment as she adjusted to him. She gyrated her hips and they both groaned with pleasure, and she opened her eyes to look at him. "Yup... feels just as amazing as I remember it."

Luke nodded in agreement and ran his hands up her sides. "You're so beautiful."

Lorelai leaned down to kiss him. "Thanks. I bet you say that to all the girls who show up to your place, declare their feelings, sleep with you, and then disappear for days before coming back to sleep with you again."

Luke smirked. "That's true... I do. But I always mean it."

Lorelai smiled and kissed him again before she sat back up. She started rocking against him, sliding up and down his length, and her sensual moans filled the room, the ones that had been playing over and over in his head all week.

His hands explored her body as she rode him, caressing her thighs, her breasts, her arms, her ass, anything within reach. He'd graze his fingers against her clit and she'd gasp with pleasure in the middle of a moan. He loved watching her reactions, seeing how she responded to every touch.

After a few minutes, when she leaned forward to kiss him tenderly, Luke murmured against her lips, "Let's switch places."

They couldn't roll over as easily as they would've in a larger bed or else they'd roll right off of it, but after a little coordinated maneuvering, she was lying beneath him. He rubbed the tip of his cock against her folds and her clit before he slid his length back into her wetness.

He began thrusting into her, taking it slow for her sake, not wanting to wear her out, and when he didn't gradually pick up the pace, she breathlessly urged, "Harder."

Lorelai was staring up at him, panting, sweating, looking sexy as hell, begging him to go harder, and for a moment, he couldn't believe this wasn't a dream.

He slammed into her a little harder, and she moaned a little louder, and before long, she begged again, "Harder, Luke..."

He could tell she was so close she could taste it. He picked up his pace, evoking even louder enthusiastic moans from her, and rubbed her clit until she reached her peak.

He felt her body clench his cock as she climaxed, and he watched the waves of pleasure rush through her, then he continued his hard, deep thrusts until he exploded inside of her.

Resting over her on his forearms, he kissed her as she gently stroked his arms and back.

When their lips separated, they stared at each other for a moment before Lorelai softly said, "I'm sorry I left without telling you."

Luke nodded. "It's okay," he said. "You're not gonna disappear on me again this time, are you?"

Lorelai shook her head. "No, I promise."

"Good."

"This is not a rebound," Lorelai reassured him. She'd said it before, but she felt like she needed to remind him of that considering the timing of everything. "I had a lot of time to think on that road trip, and that's something that was very clear to me."

"What was?"

"That these aren't sudden, superficial, rebound feelings," Lorelai told him. "They've always been there, and I would just ignore them... but they were there. I noticed them a lot when Rachel was here, the jealousy I felt..." She suddenly paused for a second and then narrowed her eyes. "Wait, I'm not your rebound from Rachel, am I?"

Luke cocked his head to the side in disbelief. "Seriously? You don't actually believe that."

"Well, who knows? It's been months, but I don't know what your rebounding routine is. Maybe you haven't had one yet."

"You're not a rebound," he firmly stated. "I don't do rebounds. A relationship ends, you move on, you eventually start another one, that's it. I don't do stupid flings that don't mean anything and just waste time."

Lorelai gently traced her finger along his jawline. "Okay. So... I think we can conclude that neither of us are the other one's rebound, fling, or unimportant notch on a bedpost."

"Right." Luke brushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Look, if you wanna wait to tell anyone, or if you wanna wait to do this again, I'm fine with that. But I'm not okay with you avoiding me altogether. I still want to see you, even I can't do anything else with you."

Lorelai smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "But you know if we see each other, people are gonna be able to tell. They're gonna see that 'I wanna tear his clothes off' look in my eyes and that 'I can't wait to get her back in my tiny bed' look in your eyes. How do we hide the looks?"

"I guess we're gonna have to wear sunglasses."

"But if we're both wearing sunglasses indoors, they'll think we're hungover because we were out doing some heavy drinking together, which would also be suspicious," she pointed out.

Luke sighed. "Okay, how about you wear the sunglasses, and I'll just try like hell not to look at you seductively, okay?"

"Okay." Lorelai pulled him down into a kiss, and then smoothed her hand over his hair as she told him, "I'll start coming back to the diner."

"Yeah?"

"Yes." She placed her hands on his face and gently stroked his scruff with her thumbs. "Can you do me a favor?"

"What?"

Lorelai moved her lips close to his ear and whispered, "Can you get a bigger bed?"

Luke smiled and nodded his head. "You got it."

. . . . .

. . . . .

Author's Note: Thanks for reading!