Almost Paradise
The previous evening after much arguing and fussing, it was decided that Rory would simply drop them off at the airport. Lorelai reasoned that she wouldn't be able to get past security, and they would be in a rush to check in and get to their gate on time. Rory pouted and told her that it wasn't any fun just to drop people off, and that she wanted to see them off. Luke finally intervened and told Rory that she could come in and see them off if she agreed to eat only veggie pizza that night. Rory acquiesced to her mother's desperate pleas to save herself with a pout and turned her nose up at the proffered slice.
The ride to Hartford was quiet the next morning. Luke drove, while Lorelai sat in back with Rory, talking only in fits and spurts. When they approached the airport, Lorelai turned to Rory with tears in her eyes.
Rory smiled and said, "I went to Washington for the whole summer without you. We can make it ten days," she assured her mother.
"I've never left you before, ever," Lorelai answered softly.
Rory hugged her and said, "I'm a big girl now. I'll be with Grandma and Grandpa. We'll be fine," she said blinking back her own tears.
Luke clenched his jaw and kept his eyes resolutely on the road. After a minute he cleared his throat and said, "We don't have to go."
"What?" Lorelai and Rory asked in unison.
"We don't have to go," Luke repeated slowly, meeting Lorelai's eyes in the rearview mirror.
"It's your honeymoon!" Rory protested.
"We're going," Lorelai said loudly. "We're just a little weepy," she said with a smile. "Besides, if we don't go, we can't bring Rory presents."
"There's some good logic for you," Luke mumbled.
"We're going," Lorelai said again.
He glanced in the mirror and said, "If we go, neither of you are allowed to mope, got it?" he said firmly.
"There will be no moping," Rory said quickly. Feeling guilty that Luke was feeling bad about going on his honeymoon. "I want my presents," she insisted. "And they had better be good ones," she teased as Luke pulled into the unloading zone.
They got out of the jeep, and Luke went to the back to get their suitcases as Lorelai and Rory had a moment alone. "I'll miss you, kid," Lorelai said softly as she hugged Rory tightly.
"I doubt it," Rory squeaked out with a smirk.
Lorelai grinned as she released her and said, "I will, really." She glanced at Luke over her shoulder. "He'll miss you too," she whispered.
Rory grinned as Luke set the bags on the curb and looked over at them with a worried frown and his hands on his hips. She stepped around the Jeep and asked, "Do I get a goodbye hug?"
"Sure," Luke said as he wrapped his arms around her. "You sure you'll be okay?" he asked softly.
"I'll be fine," she said confidently. "I'm trusting in you to monitor Mom's souvenir shopping," she warned. "No coconut bras or bobble head dolls," she instructed as she gave him a squeeze.
"Got it," he said as he set her away from him and smiled down at her.
"I'll check in with Jess and the diner," she told him.
"Appreciate that," he answered gruffly.
"Okay go," Rory said waving her hand at them and darting to the driver's door.
"Bye Sweets," Lorelai called softly.
"Bye Mom, bye Luke," she called with a wave. "Love you."
"Love you too," Luke called as he took Lorelai's hand.
They watched her drive away in silence. After a moment, Lorelai turned to Luke and asked, "Ready?"
Luke gave her a nod and said, "Let's go."
As they stood in a short line to check in at the counter, Luke pulled the two manila envelopes that Richard had given him out of Lorelai's carry on bag. He frowned at the note he had scrawled across the front of one and handed it to Lorelai.
"What is this?" she asked, opening the envelope.
"That one has some information he said Elliot gave him on things to do on the islands," Luke said as he shuffled through the other envelope to pullout their airline confirmation. "I haven't looked at it yet."
"I'm sure we'll be able to entertain ourselves," Lorelai said with a smirk.
Luke pulled the airline information from the envelope and grinned as he said, "My thought exactly."
"I'm actually looking forward to doing as little as possible," she said with a smile as she shoved the envelope back into the bag without looking at it.
"Wearing as little as possible," he mumbled as he shrugged out of his coat, warm in the over heated airport. They stepped up to the counter and greeted the woman working the computer. He handed over their information and they waited as she checked their reservations. She frowned and muttered, "It looks like there's been a change in your flight arrangements."
"What?" Luke asked as Lorelai turned to him wide eyed with panic.
As the woman behind the counter punched two more buttons on the computer, she frowned as she read and then her face broke into a grin. "That's the kind of change we like to see," she said with a smile.
"What's that?" Lorelai asked.
The airline clerk put their boarding passes and baggage claim checks into a larger folder and said, "Your seats have been upgraded to first class."
"First class? How?" Luke asked blankly.
"Because we can't have our precious Lukie flying coach," Lorelai mocked in a haughty voice.
"Huh?" he asked.
"I'd wager that Mom or Dad upgraded us," she told him as she bent to pick up her carry on bag.
The woman behind the counter smiled as she handed him their information. "Once you clear security, you are welcome to use the Captain's Club lounge, just follow the signs. You will pre-board in about forty-five minutes. Enjoy your flight," she said with a smile.
"Thank you," Luke mumbled as he absently took the envelope from her. "Here, let me carry that," Luke said taking the bag from Lorelai as they stepped from the counter. Once they were out of the way, Luke said, "Hang on a second." He set the bag down by a wall and looked at the airline information again. "Same flights," he mumbled. "Why would they want us to fly first class? What does it matter?" he asked her.
"Because you're their favorite," she teased.
"Lorelai," he said impatiently.
She shrugged and said, "They always fly first class, and they were probably horrified that we were going to mingle with the common folk in coach."
"Is there that much difference?" he asked.
"Bigger seats, more legroom, nicer attendants, free drinks, better food," she listed. She looked up and saw the uncomfortable expression on his face. She reached for his hand and said, "Hon, they were just trying to be nice, not institute a caste system."
"I know," he mumbled as he reached for the carry on bag again. "Just feels weird."
"It'll be nice, you'll see," she said as she took his hand to pull him toward security. She looked down and said, "You didn't wear slip on shoes."
"I don't own slip on shoes," he pointed out.
"You're gonna have to take them off to go through security," she told him for the millionth time.
"I know, that's why I was sure to wear the socks with the really big holes in them," he grumbled. "You're just going to have to wait until I put my shoes back on," he told her with exaggerated patience.
"Do you have sandals or something to wear to the beach? You aren't planning on wearing boots to the beach are you?" she asked, suddenly realizing that the mental images of Luke and beach did not mesh in her head.
"Yes," he answered as they stepped forward in line.
"Yes what? Yes sandals, or yes boots?" she asked worriedly.
"Yes sandals," he answered gruffly.
Lorelai burst out laughing and said, "I can't picture you in sandals!" Luke rolled his eyes and tried to ignore her, mentally checking off the things he needed to put in the little tray when they got up there. "What kind of sandals?' she asked with a grin.
"Lorelai, it's too early to be mocked," he told her
"I'm sorry, I just realized that in all of the time I have known you, I have never seen you go out in public in shorts," she said with a giggle.
"You've seen me in shorts. You've seen me in swim trunks and you've seen me in a lot less," he pointed out.
"Yeah, but not walking down the street in shorts and flip flops," she said with a grin. "They're flip flops, aren't they?" Luke ignored her and craned his neck to count the number of people ahead of them. "Oh my God, they are!" she giggled. "I should have known! You're going to Margaritaville my little Buffet-head!"
"Parrot head," he corrected automatically.
"What?" she asked.
"Parrot heads, Buffet fans are Parrot heads, not Buffet heads," he explained.
Lorelai looked at him solemnly and said, "Just the fact that you know that could be grounds for a divorce."
"Doesn't sound half bad," he grumbled as they approached the front of the line.
Lorelai turned and beamed up at him. "I adore you," she whispered.
"Ditto," he said with a smile. "You go," he said as he gave her the boarding pass and a gentle shove toward the security checkpoint. Luke dumped the bag on the belt and began to empty his pockets into the bin. He leaned over to unlace his boots and plunked them into the bin before walking through the metal detector after her. When he made it through without a beep, he blew out the breath he had been unconsciously holding.
Once he had his boots back on, they made their way to the Captain's Lounge. When they stepped into the room, Lorelai immediately headed for the coffee pot and poured herself a cup while Luke dropped their bag to the floor, and all but collapsed into a chair. He tried not to shift in discomfort as the people in their tailored business suits, fiddling with their palm sized electronics, eyed them suspiciously. Lorelai sashayed back over to him holding an icy cold bottle of water between her fingers. She handed it to him with a kiss, plopped down next to him and looked around the room. She glanced down at her comfy old jeans and the zip front sweater she had pulled on over a t-shirt. "Man, I feel underdressed," she whispered to him.
"You aren't the only one," he whispered back.
She looked around the room again and shrugged. "Look at it this way, they'll be all trussed up like this again tomorrow, and we'll be naked," she whispered in his ear.
Luke grinned and said, "Makes you kind of feel bad for them."
"Not really," Lorelai said flashing a sassy grin at the Barbie Business Woman that kept shooting her dirty looks.
Luke chuckled and bent down to pull the manila envelope that Richard had given him the day before from the bag. He opened it and pulled out a sheaf of papers. "Bored already?" she teased.
Luke smiled and said, "I thought that we should at least look at them."
"You are the nice one," she teased. She leaned over to glance at his watch and said, "I'm gonna make sure Rory made it okay," as she flipped her cell phone open.
Luke smiled gently and said, "Okay," as he read through the notes Elliot had made for them. There were restaurant recommendations, shopping tips, even a rundown on nightclubs. Luke flipped to the next page and saw the words, 'Welcome to the family' scrawled in Richard's writing across the top. He scanned it quickly and saw that it was a list of suggested presents for Emily and Trix. Luke barked a laugh, which made Lorelai look over at him quizzically while she waited for the maid to get Rory on the phone. Silently, he handed her the paper just as Rory came on the line. "Hey Sweets!" Lorelai greeted her daughter, dropping the sheet of paper into her lap.
"Miss me already?" Rory teased.
"Yes," Lorelai answered honestly. "I just wanted to be sure you made it there okay," she said twisting a lock of hair around her finger.
"I'm fine," Rory assured her. "Just had a huge muffin," she said with a grin.
"Good, good," Lorelai said with a smile. "Well, okay, we'll call you when we get to the villa thing, okay?" she asked hesitantly.
"Okay Mom," Rory said with a smile in her voice. "I can't wait to hear about it."
"Can't wait to tell you," Lorelai said softly. "I love you sweets," she whispered.
"I love you too, Mom. Talk to you later," she said quietly.
"Later, kid," Lorelai said as she hung up.
"Better now?" Luke asked without looking up from the brochure he was reading.
"Much," Lorelai answered as she looked down at the list Richard had made and laughed out loud. "Man, he's good," she said shaking her head.
"You don't know the half of it," Luke grumbled as he handed her the envelope.
Lorelai peeped into it to see a clump of American Express Traveler's Checks clipped together. She drew them out to find that they were already made out to them. She glanced over at Luke and saw that his jaw was clenched in annoyance. "Luke," she began softly.
"What does he think? Does he think I don't know to bring presents back? Does he think I can't afford to buy someone a nice present?" he asked working up to a good rant. "He knows better! He checked my financials; he knows I have plenty of money. Why do they keep handing us money? How much did he give you yesterday?" he demanded.
"Five hundred," Lorelai murmured. "Checked your financials?" she asked.
"When we were dating," he said with a careless wave. "It's insulting! We aren't kids, we're adults!"
"He checked your finances when we were dating?" Lorelai asked incredulously.
"Yes," Luke said with a nod. "He knows that we have plenty of money. Why are they acting like were a couple of spoiled teenagers going to the mall?" he demanded. "I don't need your daddy's money to take you on a honeymoon," he hissed.
Lorelai held up her hand to stop him saying, "Hey! I didn't do this. Don't start blaming me."
"They're your parents!" he insisted.
"Let them be involved, Lorelai. Let them in, Lorelai. Let them do this, they're your parents, Lorelai," she mimicked mercilessly. Luke drew in a breath to continue but blew it out noisily, hanging his head in defeat. "This is what they do, Luke. If you want to accept them and have them peacefully in our lives, you just have to learn to accept this. This is how they take care of people, like you take care of me and Rory," she explained.
"They just handed us a thousand dollars in the last twenty four hours," he said tiredly. "To shop with," he said with a sneer. He turned to look at her and said, "I'll never get used to that."
"Me either, hon," she said patting his hand.
"You're going to inherit it all," he whispered.
Lorelai shrugged and said, "Maybe not, maybe they'll leave it to Rory."
Luke shook his head and said, "No you. Your Dad told me." He dropped is head back to stare at the ceiling and laughed bitterly. "I married an heiress," he said with a smirk.
"It isn't going to change us Luke," she said softly. "If we have it, if we don't have it, it doesn't matter. I have you and Rory and Jess. And one day, we'll have our family together. We have Sookie and Jackson and all of the crazy residents of out teeny tiny town. Those are the things we need," she said insistently. "If my parent's money comes our way, then we'll just save it, or invest it or something for the kids. Trust me I have no intention of joining the D.A.R. and becoming my mother."
"I never really thought about it, I mean your Dad and I talked in a round about way," he mumbled. He sat up and stared at her. "I never signed a pre-nup!" he said in a panicked voice.
Lorelai jerked her head back and blinked at him. "Why would you?' she asked incredulously.
"I told your Dad I would," he said rubbing his hand over his face. "Maybe we can do it when we get back," he murmured.
"No!" she said loudly, causing heads to turn toward them. She flashed an apologetic smile and turned back to him. "No, Luke, no! You're acting crazy! What is the matter with you?" she hissed.
"I can't support you like this," he said angrily.
"No one asked you to," she shot back.
"I mean, I can buy us a nice house, we can take vacations and stuff, but not like this," he ranted.
"Again, no one asked for that stuff," she insisted.
"I can't just hand you a wad of cash and say 'buy yourself something pretty' or whatever," he said earnestly.
"I don't need you to," she said desperately. "Luke, how long have you known me? Do you think this is the life I lead? Or want to lead for that matter?" she asked.
Luke dropped his chin to his chest and said, "But given the choice."
"I would still choose what we have," she told him firmly. "Yes, I grew up with money. I had the very best of everything. I hated it. I wasn't happy. I wasn't me," she said clinging to his hand, her eyes pleading for his understanding. "I love you. I love us. I love our life, our house, our town," she told him. "I would change absolutely nothing," she said, her blue eyes searching his desperately.
Luke looked down at their joined hands and said, "Sorry. I don't know why this is getting to me like that."
"Well, we've been pretty drawn into the web, what with the wedding and all," she said with a nod. "But Luke, when we get back. I want to go back to our life. I love that my parents and I are getting along better, and I love that they love you, but I really don't want to spend too much time in that world, okay?" she asked softly.
"Okay," he answered with a slight smile of relief.
"We're good?" she asked.
"We're good," he answered.
She looked at him and asked, "He had you checked out?"
Luke smiled slightly and said, "Yes, and before you get all worked up, you should know that I will probably want to do the same thing when Rory brings a serious boyfriend home." When she looked at him doubtfully and Luke said, "I should get that guy's name and number," he joked. When he saw her set jaw, he said, "Let it go, I have," in a calm voice.
Lorelai bit her lip, and then drew a deep breath. She turned his wrist over and saw that they only had ten minutes before they boarded. She cocked her head and asked, "If I go to the bathroom, will you still be here when I get back?"
Luke nodded and said, "Definitely."
"Okay," she said with a wary sigh. She stood and looked toward the restroom, reluctant to walk away from him.
"Go," he mouthed with a smile.
"Be right back," she said as she spun on her heel and took off at a rapid pace.
As they settled into their seats in the First Class cabin, Luke looked around and said, "This is nice."
"It is," she answered cautiously.
"Roomy," he said stretching his legs out.
"Nice squishy seats," she said with a grin.
"Sorry I freaked," he said softly.
"Everybody does sometime," she answered resting her head against the seat and turning to gaze at him.
Luke laughed and said, "That's what Jess told me after the wedding day meltdown."
"Hey, what happened with that, you never told me," she prodded. Luke's lips curved into a rueful smile as he told her the whole story. When he finished, Lorelai reached out to stroke his cheek and said, "Oh, poor baby!"
"I was a big baby," he said with a grin.
Lorelai shrugged and said, "Nothing wrong with missing your parents, Luke. I wish I could have met them," she said softly.
"They would have loved you," he said confidently. "And Rory, they would have adored Rory."
When the engines revved up and they pushed back from the gate, Lorelai saw Luke grip his armrests a little tighter. She looked over at his suddenly pale face and asked, "Are you a nervous flyer?"
"I don't know, I've never flown," he answered honestly.
"Really?" she asked shocked. She took one of his hands in hers and rubbing it gently.
Luke smirked and said, "I've haven't gone anywhere. I've lived in the same place all of my life. Every place I've ever visited was within driving distance."
"Wow, it never occurred to me," she said.
"Yep, you really did marry a yokel," he joked nervously as they taxied to the runway for take off.
Lorelai smiled. "I haven't flown in years. Since before Rory," she told him.
"Really?" he asked, feeling a little better.
"Well, yeah. I traveled with my parents a lot when I was younger, but since I had Rory, and then I left," she trailed off with a shrug. "We never went anywhere. We couldn't afford to drive somewhere, much less fly," she said with a snort.
He looked at her and smiled. "So, this is a big adventure for us," he said gently squeezing her hand.
"Yep," she said with a grin. As the engines sped up in preparation for take off, she looked over at him and said, "Tell me about them."
"What?" he asked.
"Tell me about your Mom and Dad," she said gently.
As they lifted off into the air, Luke flipped the armrest between them up, wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him as he told her funny, sweet stories about his family.
When they landed in Charlotte Amalie, they were to look for a man with a sign reading 'Danes'. His name was Bob Betts and he worked for the Van Ness Corporation. Scanning the crowd at the arrivals gate, Lorelai nudged Luke and pointed to a tanned, dapper looking man in his mid-sixties. When they approached him, Luke asked, "Mr. Betts?"
Bob smiled and said, "You must be the Danes'! Welcome to St. Thomas. I'm Bob, and I'm going to be looking after you this week," he said jovially.
"It's nice to meet you," Lorelai said returning his warm smile.
After they exchanged introductions, they collected their bags and followed Bob to a taxi stand outside. He smiled and said, "Taxis are the easiest way to get around with all the tourists and stuff."
"Like us?" Lorelai asked as she stepped into the small SUV.
"Precisely," Bob returned with a grin. As they rode to the harbor, Bob explained, "It's about a forty five minute ferry ride from here to St. John, but I have the cruiser, so we should get there faster."
When they reached the marina he led them to a pristine white yacht and helped to stow their bags for the ride. "You like boating?" he asked Luke.
"Love it," Luke answered with a grin. He looked at Lorelai with concern and asked, "Do you get seasick?"
Lorelai shook her head and said, "It's been years since I've been out on one, but I never got sick before."
"Feel free to explore while I get us out of here," Bob said. "The galley is below, and there are usually some snacks and stuff stored in there."
When Bob went to the bridge, Lorelai and Luke shared a giddy grin as they poked around the boat. When they went downstairs, they found a fully stocked mini bar and a pantry filled with snack foods. Lorelai tore into a bag of chips while Luke took two beers from the fridge, opened them and handed one to her. Lorelai clinked the neck of her bottle against his and said, "This is so cool!"
"It is," Luke agreed.
They ate enough to satisfy their munchies and then went back up above to look around. They were in open water, but there were dozens of boats scattered across the horizon. They could see the huge cruise ships anchored in the distance, and tall sailboats floating along on the warm breeze. Luke shed his flannel and took Lorelai's sweater to stow with their bags. They saw St. John in the distance and stood at the rail to take it all in. Lorelai rested her beer on the rail while Luke stood close behind her, his arms braced on either side of her protectively. Lorelai looked up at him and smiled. "Its heaven," she breathed.
"Paradise," Luke agreed, kissing her gently.
When they reached the marina at St. John, Luke hurried to gather their belongings as Bob maneuvered the boat into its slip. After he secured the boat, he found Lorelai and Luke waiting for him on the pier. He pointed to their bags and said, "That's my job."
Luke shrugged and said, "Sorry, you were busy," with a friendly smile.
Bob took Lorelai's bag and Luke followed with his as they trooped to a mini van parked in the lot. As Bob lifted the back gate to stow the luggage, he smirked at Luke and said, "Not the coolest ride I've ever had, but I spend a lot of time hauling people and stuff around."
"It works," Luke said with a nod.
Bob gestured to the van and said, "Slide in back with your pretty wife," as he went to open the door for Lorelai. Once they were settled, he told them, "It's a pretty small island. This is the busiest part. Most of it is national park land. The house is on the north shore. You're going to love it," he said with a smile.
"So Bob," how did you get this gig?" Lorelai asked curiously. "I hear a Jersey accent, I think."
"You're right. I worked for Mr. Van Ness' company for thirty years. I came on at about the same time that he took over from his father. I was in sales management for most of that time. I wasn't really thinking of retiring yet, but a few years ago, my wife, Jean, she developed pretty severe arthritis. The winters up there were torture for her. So, I decided to retire so we could move south for warmer weather. When I spoke to Mr. Van Ness about it, he told me that they were buying this place, and if I wanted to, we could move here and take care of it for them," he explained.
"Pretty cool," Lorelai said with a nod.
"Very cool," Bob answered with a laugh. "I'm semi-retired, still on the payroll and living in the islands," he said shaking his head. "I was used to entertaining clients when I was in sales, so this is easy for me," he said with a smile.
Luke smiled and asked, "Is Mrs. Betts doing better down here?"
"Much better," Bob said enthusiastically.
"Good," Luke said with a smile.
"You fish, Luke?" Bob asked.
Lorelai saw Luke's eyes light for a moment before he said, "I do, but I probably won't this trip."
Bob laughed and said, "Honeymooners. Bigger fish to fry, so to speak."
Lorelai pouted and said, "I don't think I like being called a fish."
"Beautiful, tropical, exotic fish," Luke said indulgently.
"Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I'd be happy to take you guys out for the day," Bob offered.
"Let's do it," Lorelai said to Luke.
"You want to fish?" Luke asked.
"No, I want to lie in the sun on the deck of that pretty boat while you fish," Lorelai said with a grin.
Luke smiled back and said, "Maybe we will later in the week."
Bob nodded and said, "Jean has the fridge stocked at the big house, but if you need anything, I'm in town most days. Mr. Van Ness told me the cars and scooters are to be left at your disposal if you want them. I'll leave the keys at the house."
A short time later, Bob turned up a lane lined with flowering hedges. He pointed to a pretty cottage nestled at the bottom of the hill and said, "That's ours."
"Pretty," Lorelai said, admiring the garden as they passed.
"Jean likes to garden as much as she can," Bob said with a nod. They rounded a bend near the top of the hill and caught a glimpse of the villa, shining in the bright sunlight. "This is the big house," he said as he pulled to a stop.
Lorelai and Luke merged from the van slowly, awed by the lush beauty of the setting. "It's gorgeous," Lorelai whispered.
"Much better than the pictures, and they were great," Luke agreed as he went to help Bob with the bags.
Bob gave them a quick tour of the house, showed them where he had left the keys to the vehicles, and how to use the intercom to the cottage in case they needed anything. "Jean left a couple of casseroles in the freezer, in case you didn't feel like cooking," he said as he handed Lorelai a sheet with warming instructions.
She glanced at it and automatically handed it to Luke. Luke grinned at Bob and said, "I'm the cook."
"Oh, okay," Bob said surprised.
"I'm a wiz with the toaster," Lorelai said with a grin.
"I own a diner," Luke explained.
"Oh well, good, you won't starve," Bob said with a good natured laugh. "Just so you know, the beach is technically private, but there are public beaches on each side, and most people don't heed the boundaries." He turned to Luke and said, "If you want privacy, I would stay up by the pool."
They thanked him for the advice and all of his help. Bob walked to the door saying, "We won't be coming up to check on you, so if you need anything at all, call us. Oh, and let me know if you want to go out on the boat," he said with a wave.
"We will, thank you," Lorelai called. "Oh, and thank Jean for the food," she added.
"I will, enjoy your honeymoon," he said as he closed the door behind him.
Lorelai and Luke stood alone in the airy living room and stared at each other for a moment. "We're all alone," Lorelai said in a low voice.
"We are," Luke said with a grin as he advanced on her.
"What do you want to do first?" she asked flirtatiously.
"Start the honeymoon," he said as he pulled her into his arms.
Lorelai smiled at him blindingly and said, "I was hoping you would say that. Lose the clothes. Operation Nekkid on the Beach is underway!"
Later that afternoon, they had changed into their bathing suits and were lounging by the pool, basking in the sun. They had checked in with Rory and Jess and all seemed to be well at home. Lorelai flipped onto her stomach and asked, "Will you put some sunscreen on my back?"
"Sure," Luke answered, setting his beer aside and reaching for the tube she held.
Lorelai untied the straps of her top and buried her face in a towel. Luke warmed the lotion between his hands and began to smooth it over her skin. After making sure her back was protected, he slipped his hands to her sides and massaged lotion in, brushing the sides of her breasts teasingly. "Didn't get enough earlier?" she asked.
"Nope," he answered as he squirted more lotion from the tube and moved down to rub it into her legs.
"I already got my legs," Lorelai told him.
"Can't be too careful," he said as he kneaded her thighs gently.
"You're probably right," she said with a happy sigh. Luke finished rubbing the lotion in and then stretched out on top of her, pressing his arousal into her ass as he kissed her neck. "You're blocking my rays," she said softly.
"Throwing myself bodily in front of those damaging rays," he corrected. "Hey Lorelai," he whispered in her ear.
"Yeah?" she whispered back.
"Wanna skinny dip?" he asked in that deep sexy voice.
Lorelai gasped and said, "Luke Danes! In broad daylight?" she asked with a smile.
"We're all alone," he reminded her as he pressed against her and rubbed teasingly.
"Lift up," Lorelai commanded. Luke moved off of her and she flipped over, exposing her breasts to the sun. "Come back," she said in a husky voice.
Luke moved over her again and kissed her deeply. "No skinny dipping?" he asked, disappointed.
"Soon," she said. "First I want you to make love to me here in the sunshine," she told him as she stroked his back. "Then we can cool off in the pool," she said with a grin.
"Good plan" he complimented as he leaned in to kiss her and then moved to her neck.
"I thought so," she said as her breath caught.
When he bent to kiss her breasts, he whispered, "This is paradise."
