Hi, so for those very few people who are following the story, thanks for your patience. I am so swamped with work at the moment, I need a shoulder to cry on. Re-reading this just made me all mushy though so enjoy!
oxoxoxoxo
The chef brought her friend into the kitchen and turned sharply, waving her hands in despair.
"Lorelai…what the hell?"
"What?" Lorelai frowned.
"Oh don't you play that game," Sookie pointed her finger at the taller woman and growled. She softened a little. "Honey, I know you're lonely but this isn't the way to go about it."
"What are you talking about?" The brunette needed it to be said to her. Something was driving her to ask the questions and she waited, wanting to see what Sookie had observed.
"You know what I'm talking about, Lorelai." She sighed as the woman made her say it. "You and Paris. Getting far too close for things to be comfortable."
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "What do you mean? We were chatting!"
Sookie scoffed. "Well that 'chat' was about to turn into a kiss. Do I need to remind you who Paris is, Lorelai?"
"She's…"
"She's your daughter's friend. She is also a woman."
Lorelai scowled. "So?"
"So… you're a straight woman. She is a woman. You were about to kiss her, I could see it with my own eyes. What's not adding up here?" Sookie stood with her hands on her hips and shook her head.
"She…" Lorelai sat down on a chair and sighed. "Sookie, come on… she's, well… she's beautiful."
Sookie's eyes widened at her work colleague's whisper. "Lorelai…"She shook her head, not being persuaded by her friend. "Lorelai, she's sixteen years younger than you! Sixteen! She is the same age as your daughter, what could be more wrong than that?" She raised her voice a little and froze when she heard a knock at the swinging doors as Paris stood there in her dress and jacket.
"Look… I'm gonna go. Obviously my being here is causing the both of you to feud and I wouldn't want that." She walked over to Lorelai and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Remember what I said… You'll find someone."
"Paris… Paris, wait." Lorelai held her hands, refusing to let Sookie's presence annoy her. "You've had way too much to drink, where are you gonna sleep - the town gazebo? No… come on," she squeezed her hand. "We've got half an hour," letting go she looked at Sookie. "I'm sure we can put our differences aside, right Sookie?" She looked at her best friend. "Right?"
Sookie grumbled slightly but nodded. "Sure, go help yourself to some snacks, Paris. It's fine…"
"Thanks," the blonde's hands shook slightly, not realizing she was so scared of the usually bubbly chef. This whole place had her on edge. It was a life she'd left behind and now her past attitudes were coming back to haunt her. She moved to leave the kitchen and went in immediate search for Kieran, freaking out about how serious this actually was.
Lorelai looked at her friend and tried not to explode with anger. "First of all, you don't rule my life. Secondly, it has been such a long time since anybody, male or female has made me feel like that, so god help me… if I wanna get a New Years kiss from somebody who looks so stunningly beautiful that it makes me just want to cry, I will have that kiss, alright?" She turned to leave, knowing that it was mainly the alcohol that was causing her to bite and babble like a schoolgirl. She shook her head angrily. "I mean… Look at her! She's turned her life around so much, she made an effort…that dress just, ughh and just.. leave me alone." She stood in front of the door and stayed silent, holding her head.
Sookie was too shocked to move and watched as Lorelai's shoulders began to shake, not from sadness or crying, but from laughter. Soon, the brunette was howling against the door, tears streaming down her face. "Sweetie?"
"I'm losing the plot, aren't I?" She sniffed, "I'm lonely, this is the first New Years without Luke, and I'm trying to get into a twenty-two year old's panties. Panties…not boxers." The chef watched as her friend began to cry. "I'm a pervert."
"Lorelai…"
"I am, aren't I?"
Sookie's scowl melted and she took her friend into her arms. "You're not a pervert." She kissed her shoulder and sighed. "You're just…in a funny place right now."
Lorelai whined and pulled away. "I'm not imagining things, am I? She does look… nice, right?"
The chef nodded with a smile. "She does," she admitted. "Very nice indeed." She watched the brunette sniffle and closed her eyes. "Lorelai…"
"Yeah?"
"You're right. It's your life… do what you want."
The brunette looked at her with a confused gaze and frowned. "You really mean that? What about all you said? Rory's friend and everything."
"Lorelai, it's nothing serious, right? Just a couple of kisses at New Years Eve." She held Lorelai at the arm.
"Just a couple of kisses," Lorelai grinned. "Lonely straight girl kisses. That's all."
"Go be a slut," Sookie giggled and gave her friend a little push. "I just don't want to hear anything about it."
Lorelai chortled and nodded. "Deal." She turned her back and felt her heart hammer hard in her chest. She had basically just been given permission to make out with somebody the same age as her daughter. Shit…
Walking back out of the kitchen, she found Paris keeping her distance, looking up occasionally with an almost sad expression as she pretended to listen to the conversation she was having with Kieran. Lorelai gave a little wave and watched as the blonde smiled and gave a shy wave back.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time to start the countdown," Sookie bubbled excitedly, "We have ten minutes, would you please make your way outside to the garden. We have fireworks ready and all they need now is you." She herded the people out of the inn with Lorelai who got her coat and hopped up and down excitedly.
Whilst outside, everybody stood with sparklers, drawing names in the air. Waiters filed out with flutes of champagne, ready to hand them out at the countdown. Lorelai stood at the back, smiling at her friends. The people she worked with were so pleasant and charming, and she finally felt okay after the hiccup with her best friend. Looking ahead, she saw Paris standing next to Kieran. She did look happy, she had to admit. But the jealousy soaring through her veins was enough to make her feel sick. She shouldn't feel like this - at all. She stared at the girl's shoulders, frowning at the shivering.
Everything was so well planned. A plasma television was stood on the patio showing the Times Square celebrations. Lorelai gulped a little as she watched Paris move over to a waiter to get a flute. Ten.
She took a deep breath an slowly walked towards the med student.
Nine.
Eight.
She looked around and peered at the other people who were minding their own business.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Lorelai took one more breath and slid up behind Paris, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist. Paris jumped hard, looking back and finding a pair of deep blue eyes in front of her face.
"You looked cold." Lorelai whispered, holding the woman tight.
Four.
Paris felt like her lungs had just dissolved and she couldn't breathe. "Wh-what are you doing?" She leaned back slightly, feeling herself sink further into Lorelai's soft puffa jacket.
Three.
"I… I have no idea," Lorelai admitted, pressing her cheek to the younger woman's. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you like this," she whispered softly.
Two.
One.
The fireworks soared into the air and made screeching sounds until they exploded with bangs, scattering colors into the new year sky.
"Lorelai…" Paris felt the woman circling her stomach, clenching with desperate fingers.
"Happy New Year, beautiful…" She nibbled her ear gently, unable to believe what she was doing. This wasn't her. She would never, ever do this. This was wrong, Sookie was right. Breaking away from the blonde. "I'm..I, I have to say Happy New Year to everybody else," she stuttered and walked away from the woman, her mind totally and utterly muddled.
Paris stood there on her own like a fish out of water, feeling upset and used. She had no idea what Lorelai was playing at and mumbled a quick Happy New Year to Millie and Kieran and then Sookie and Jackson, before she stood back to take in the fireworks. Before she knew it, Lorelai was back and was holding her hand. "Come with me?"
Paris's mouth opened and she nodded, feeling the brunette squeeze her hand slightly, following Lorelai back into the inn. "Can… can you tell me what's going on? Because sometimes I think you're into me, and then you just run away and I…" A palm cupped her mouth and stopped her from talking.
"Shh…" Lorelai's chest contracted, and she took her hands away from the girl's lips. "I really wanna… what I'm saying is I… Fuck, what is wrong with me?" She growled and looked around the lobby, making sure nobody was there.
"Lorelai, it's okay…" Paris whispered. She didn't know what 'it' was, but she wanted to calm the woman down.
"No…it's not okay, I really really… just," she looked at the door and saw a bough of mistletoe. She dragged the girl over and took a few more hasty breaths before she pushed forward and kissed the blonde, unable to breathe and just waiting to see what Paris did next. Paris pulled back with fear in her eyes, her pupils large and aware.
"Lorelai…" Unable to stop herself, she lunged forward and tasted the innkeeper once more, letting Lorelai cup her face softly. They kissed again, Lorelai's hands pushing away suddenly after it all became too real. Taking deep breaths, she traced her thumbs around Paris's cheeks and hair.
"Oh god, you are just…" Lorelai could hardly speak, playing with the honey colored shortish hair in her hands. Paris's hair was now choppy, and neatly styled. For once she actually looked cool. Sexy. She slowly kissed the woman again, smiling lightly when she felt a soft tongue against her lips. Her lips parted and she moaned, letting the med student in. "Wait…wait!"
"No," Paris pulled back and looked up at the tall woman, "no more waiting… no more running."
Lorelai nodded hesitantly, "okay.. No more." She backed Paris against the wall and brought her hands up to her chest. "Wow…"
"What?" Paris asked breathlessly, letting the woman kiss at her neck, trailing her tongue over the skin.
"Boobs," she whispered, mouthing against sensitive skin. "Weird."
Paris laughed and wrapped her fingers through the long curly hair. "Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?" She felt a little worried, not sure if Lorelai's flight reflex would kick in again.
"A good thing," Lorelai chortled. "A very good thing," she palmed a breast through the black and white sequined dress. "Fuck… it's a very good thing." She kissed her again, amazed at how responsive the blonde was. She faltered a little and detached herself from the embrace. "I still have to be a hostess." Lorelai sighed, pissed off.
"And?" Paris pecked her nose, finding the movement bold but unable to care. "I'm not going anywhere. Free room, right?" She fluttered her fingers down Lorelai's modest cleavage. Seven years. That's how long she had waited to touch the small breasts. "I still get the chocolates by my pillow, right?"
"Many many," there was a kiss, "many chocolates. I promise. I have to go…be a hostess. It's room 9 by the way."
"I know." Paris sighed. "Listen, are you actually sure about this?"
Lorelai swiped the woman's hair back from her forehead. "If I wasn't, we wouldn't be doing this right now." She stroked her cheek against Paris's own and kissed her neck again. "You make me feel things."
"Oh god…" Paris gripped her arms and clenched. "Been waiting to hear that. Good things?" She smirked as she felt the wet tongue sliding against her chin.
"Verymmm very good things," Lorelai smiled, "And now I need to go and be a hostess."
"You said," Paris laughed. "Right behind you." She held her hand and they walked outside until people were visible and the joint hands brushed away from each other and the women went their separate ways.
tbc.
