Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls, I just like to write about it's wonderful, eccentric characters. I also don't own the song mentioned in this chapter. It belongs to it's respective artist (Otis Redding), writer, producer and publisher.
AN: I am not the kind of person to make excuses but the holidays were not so merry for me. Do all people with big families have this problem or is it just me? I planned to start writing again after everything settled down but I was hit with yet another setback. It's kind of hard to do much of anything when you have migraines so bad that it feels like a drumline is using your head as a drum nearly every single day for two and half weeks. Needless to say I am so ready to start the new year...three weeks late.
AN2: This chapter contains lemons, if that isn't your thing than feel free to skip over that part.
The moving truck had shown up at dawn with Zach in the drivers seat honking loud enough to wake the entire street. After Lane had apologized a dozen times on her husbands behalf Dean finally stopped her. Zach had been the first to volunteer when Rory mentioned that Dean needed someone to drive the truck.
Kyle and Clara's boyfriend Bobby had proved that they were more than capable of helping Dean clear out the apartment above the garage while Rory and Lane went to grab lunch for everyone from Luke's. Dean had a couple of guys from his firm waiting in Hartford to help move stuff in.
Rory had not expected Dean to ask her to move in with him. She'd only lived with Logan and she had reservations about accepting his offer. She knew that Dean was nothing like Logan but that didn't mean that problems wouldn't arise. Dean wasn't known for being rational when they fought and she didn't want to hurt him or be hurt by him again. She didn't want to ruin their relationship since it had gotten off to such a great start. She still hadn't answered him when it was time for him to leave.
"You don't want to live with me?" he asked, hurt.
"It's not that. I've lived with a boyfriend before and I barely made it out of that relationship with my sanity intact. I don't want to ruin what we have."
"Then lets do a trial run. You're lease will need to be renewed in a couple of months. How about you stay with me on the weekends? And if I for some reason or another drive you crazy you can go to your grandparents."
She nodded with a smile, she shouldn't have worried. Dean hadn't given her any reason to doubt him and she could see that he had changed. He pulled her around the side of the house out of Zach and Kyle's sight where they were arguing over how to get Dean's pool table onto the truck. His hands cupped her face before leaning down to capture her lips.
Rory's arms wrapped themselves around his neck like it was completely natural. She had always felt safe and protected in his arms. Her mom used to say that she wouldn't give her bad news unless he was holding onto her. She folded her body to fit against his, shutting out Zach and Kyle's bickering around front.
The sound of the truck door rolling shut made Dean pull away. He gave her a small smile, running his fingers through her hair.
"You should go before one of them finds us," she said sadly.
"Call me later?"
"Sure. It'll be like I'm right there with you," she said with a sad smile.
"Cheer up. This is only temporary," he said pulling her to him.
She hugged him, letting him hold her as tight as he wanted. Kyle called for Dean to let them know that they were ready when he was. He brushed his lips over her forehead before pulling away. Rory wrapped her arms around herself and kept her head held high until Dean got into the truck with Zach. Kyle left first and Dean looked back one last time and she waved with a fleeting smile.
If she was going to make it through the next couple of months she was going to need be strong than this. Why hadn't she moved with him like he wanted? It wasn't like there was anything keeping her from leaving. Sure, she'd lose her deposit on her rental house but would it really matter? Her mom and Lane would understand her reason for leaving, and it wasn't like she was moving across the country, she would only be half an hour away.
With her mind made up she called her landlord to let them know that she would be out by the end of the week. Next she called Luke and Doosey's to ask them to save her as many boxes as they could. Since Lorelai was already at Luke's Rory let her mother know her decision.
"Are you serious right now? Because I can't tell," Lorelai asked once Rory made her way to the diner.
"I'm dead serious. The idea of being without him even for only a few days a week felt like my heart was being carved out of my chest. Haven't you ever felt like that?"
"When Luke and I called off the wedding," she said with a nod.
"I'm not moving to Antarctica, you can came and see me whenever you want...but call first and
I'll come and see you."
"My little girls all grown up and doesn't need me anymore," she directed to Luke who was behind the counter with a pout.
"There's always April," he reasoned.
"Oh yeah," she said, her mood lightened.
Rory rolled her eyes with a smile and a shake of her head. She was glad that her mom was taking the news so well. There was a lot to be done but luckily she wouldn't have to move since her house had come fully furnished. With her mom's help she knew she could get it done.
XXXX
Rory looked up at the house, Dean was watching TV. She dialed his number and he was out of her sight long enough to grab his phone from off the coffee table.
"Hey, are you on your way yet?"
"I just pulled up. Can you help me bring my stuff in?"
"How much did you bring with you? I thought that you were going to bring over a little at a time."
"Come outside and see," she said with a light laugh.
Rory was leaning against the front bumper with a smug smile when Dean opened the door thirty seconds later.
"What did you do?" he asked, taking in Luke's truck packed high with her stuff.
"I couldn't wait two months," she said sheepishly.
Dean pulled her to him and her hands rested on his shoulders. She leaned up on her toes to kiss him and his hands held her hips to keep her in place. She kissed him deeply, throwing every emotion she felt for him at him. He picked her up and carried her into the house. She was pushed against the front door once they were inside.
She pulled away breathless a minute later. She had trouble thinking of anything other than him.
"Lets go upstairs," he said, his voice low.
"Yeah," she agreed, nodding her head quickly.
He carried her up to the bedroom and deposited her gently onto the bed. He climbed on top of her, his hair falling into his face. That was when she remembered what she needed to tell him.
"Wait," she said, putting a hand on his chest.
"I've got condoms, I promise," he reassured her.
"Good to know but that wasn't why I stopped you. The sky looked like it was about to open up and unleash a torrential downpour and I need your help setting the tarp that Luke loaned me up."
"Stay here and don't so much as unbutton your shirt," he said climbing off of her with a sigh.
"You don't have to do it yourself," she objected.
"I'll get it done faster if I do it myself. I'll be back in a minute. Where's the tarp?"
"On the front seat."
He took the stairs two at a time and was outside less than a minute. He got the tarp tied down just as the first drops of rain hit his sweatshirt. He noticed the change in light streaming from his room once he reached the upstairs landing.
Rory stood in the middle of the room surrounded in the glow of a half a dozen votive candles. He smiled as he crossed the room to stand in front of her.
"I thought the candles would be a nice touch," she said, the light catching her eyes.
He nodded, reaching down to slowly unbutton her shirt. Once unbuttoned she pulled her arms out then reached for the hem of his shirt. He lifted his arms, not taking his eyes off of hers. His shirt fell to the floor to join hers and he pulled her to him, their hearts beating the same rhythm. Some slow song that Dean didn't recognize played softly from the surround sound speakers as he led them to the bed which Rory had turned down.
Rory climbed on first and Dean followed, casting her a longing look. His hands were between them to try to undo the clasp of her dress pants. He growled in aggravation a few seconds later and her hands gently pushed his out of the way. With a smooth flick of her wrist she had the catch loosened from the clasp and the button free.
"Think you can manage it the rest of the way?" she asked with a coy smile.
He gave her an even look before pushing the pants down her legs. He took a moment to let his eyes travel up her body. His eyes grew dark as they stopped on her black and white form hugging boy shorts. Her torso was as amazing as he remembered, flat with only a slight peek at her rib cage. Rory had never been stick thin and he appreciated that. Her breast were pushed up and almost spilling out of her matching bra.
"You're one of those guys that likes his girl to keep her shoes on. I never would have guessed," she teased.
"I like them. Very sexy, Gilmore," he murmured.
"Then I would love to find out what you think of my thigh high boots," she thought out loud.
He pulled away from her, giving her a look of intrigue.
"I was Wonder Woman for Halloween last year," she said with a shrug.
"God, that must have been so hot," he said with a groan.
She shrugged again with a smile. She unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down until he was able to kick them off. She took her time examining his body. She had seen him in just his boxers before but this time was different because for the first time in five years they would be coming off. Time had been good to Dean, he had filled out in all the right places and was the type of guy that a girl would be crazy not to want.
Dean leaned down, his weight resting on his arms to bring his forehead to hers. His hair fell in his eyes and she brushed it away before lacing her hands behind his neck. He pushed her underwear down and she kicked them off so that they wouldn't have to break contact.
"This is staying on too," he said, fingering the strap of her bra.
"Yes, sir," she said with a mock salute.
Things were a lot easier this time around relationship wise. Neither had any hang ups or were tied to someone else. Things came naturally and when they didn't they tackled the problem and worked through it together. He thought that he would never have another chance with Rory and he wouldn't love anyone as much as he loved her. He had her back and he wasn't giving her up without a fight.
"Where are the condoms?"
"Top drawer," he said, motioning with his head to the nightstand.
It was easier for her to reach for them and she felt around in the drawer until her fingers brushed over the familiar foil packets.
"There's only been one other guy, right?" he asked as she tore a condom from the long sheet.
"Mmhmm," she confirmed as she opened it.
"And two other girls for me."
"Good to know," she said reaching between them as he pushed down his boxers.
She helped him roll it on and lifted herself off the bed to help guide him into her. Her sigh of satisfaction and his moan of pleasure were the only sounds as the song changed to These Arms of Mine. He started a slow place that she was able to match easily. He rested his weight on one of his arms because his overwhelming urge to touch her was getting restless.
His fingers started at her neck and moved down her shoulder to her arm. He ventured left when he reached her elbow to caress her breast. He could push the cups down if he wanted to but he wasn't ready yet. His hand dipped inside one cup to brush his thumb nail over her already puckered nipple. Her breath hitched and her body arched into his hand.
He rolled over into a sitting position, pulling her with him. In this position he sank deeper into her and legs were spread wider, making it easier for her to move. She draped her arms over his shoulders before continuing the pace from before. His hands went to her hips to guide them until she got used to the change of pace.
She hadn't known that sex could be leisurely before tonight. She had role played a couple of times with Logan but he was always the one in charge and he only knew one position and that was missionary, making her acceptable to his every whim. Dean was gentle and attentive but he also had a hungry look in his eye that let her know that they were far from done. That look once trained on her caused heat to spread throughout her entire body and her orgasm hit her with a tidal wave of emotions all at once.
She rolled off of him once she got her bearings and he was on top of her and inside her before she could blink. She rose up to meet his deep penetrating thrusts, her breath coming out in short bursts. He thrusted into her one last time, his eyes slid closed and he groaned, his whole body going rigid. Rory pulled him to her not bothered by his weight.
She ran her fingers through her sweat slicked hair coming to the realization that his long hair wasn't so bad. She liked sweeping it out of his face while he slept and it was cute when it fell in his eyes when he was looking down at a set of blueprints.
"We're not leaving this room at all this weekend," he said against her neck.
"What if we get hungry or need something to drink?" she asked with a giggle.
"I'll be right back," he said pulling away from her.
He left the room, not bothering to put on clothes. He had a pair of hockey sticks tattooed on his right shoulder blade which she knew about but she had never noticed the AC/DC logo on his left hip bone. He came back with a wicker basket loaded down with food. He put most of it in the mini fridge on his side of the bed and he moved to her nightstand to open her bottom drawer.
"Is that enough?" he asked, gesturing to a junk food stash that would keep her and her mom satisfied for a week.
"What about water?"
"There's some in the fridge."
"You thought of everything," she said with a smile.
"And if you want take out I can tell them to bring it up to the sliding door."
She had wondered why there were stairs leading up to the balcony and now she knew. He really had thought of everything. Now all she had to do was come up with a good excuse to give her grandmother as to why she had missed dinner tonight. She was surprised that Lorelai hadn't called her already. Luke had more than likely taken her phone from her. She would deal with it on Monday.
