Chapter 9 Dancing
A/N Sorry for the delay major family health issues that take a lot of energy. Hope you enjoy this. Please let me know what you think. It makes my day.
Lorelai smiled as she opened the front door and heard Kermit singing 'The Rainbow Connection' coming from the living room.
"Back, side, together, forward side together. Good Rory!" she heard Luke using a tone of voice with her daughter that was gentle and parental.
"Oh, I'm sorry Luke!" Rory's voice came into the foyer.
"It's fine Rory, don't worry you're doing good." Luke's encouragement warmed her heart.
"Hello people! The wonderful mother and girlfriend has returned to the hearth-fires," Lorelai called out. She could hear Luke rolling his eyes and the smile in his voice before she saw him.
She walked into the living room and smiled brightly at the sight of Luke and Rory in formal waltz pose just like Arthur Murray taught. Rory was frowning and Luke looked at her pleadingly.
"So how are the dance lessons going?" she asked brightly.
Simultaneously they answered, "She's doing good." "I suck."
Lorelai smiled, "Well as long as there's a consensus. Man this brings back memories of Miss Collette's. Sweets, I'm sure you're doing much better than you think you are."
Rory shook her head, "I've stepped on Luke's feet more than I've stepped on the floor."
Luke squeezed her hand as he contradicted her, "No Rory, you've got the basics, now you just have to let yourself move to the music. You know the steps but when you think it gets you confused."
"Maybe it's Kermit who's confusing you," she smiled up at Luke.
He looked at Lorelai and shook his head, "It's a typical waltz pattern that's easy to follow. Why don't you let your mom show you how easy it is to do?"
"Fine, but not with the frog, put another song on."
Luke sighed as he changed the track and turned to her. He held out his hand to her as she took Rory's place. She instinctively moved closer to him but he held her in the same formal pose. Cocking one eyebrow she looked at him as he shook his head. "Behave. This is to show Rory."
She sighed and struck the formal pose that you could drive a truck through between them but she chuckled as she heard Neil Diamond coming through the speakers. "Play Me? Really Luke, I thought this was strictly PG."
"Lorelai it's a CD of contemporary waltzes. Just show her how to move to the music ok?" he said through gritted teeth.
"Fine!" she said glaring at him. They started to do a very deliberate waltz and Lorelai was more irritated at Luke than listening to the music. About halfway through the song Luke looked in her eyes and smiled, suddenly she felt the rhythm and they were dancing smoothly although still yards apart. She started to move closer to him when she felt him resist her attempt.
"Later," he whispered. "After she goes to bed we'll dance."
Lorelai smiled and moved gracefully to the music. Rory gasped and Lorelai lost her concentration long enough to trip over Luke's feet bringing them both to the floor. Rory started laughing and Lorelai soon joined in as Luke scrambled to his feet.
"Oh, God Lorelai! Are you hurt? Did I fall on you, man I'm so sorry are you ok?" he leaned over her as she started to laugh so hard she cried. Luke saw the tears and really started to panic as she was gasping to catch her breath.
"Lorelai can you talk to me? Where does it hurt? Oh, man I'm so sorry I didn't realize that you were going over and then I just went with you." He was standing over her when he said the last and it started a new peal of laughter as she struggled for her breath.
"Di..dir..tee" she finally got out as she pointed to him. He shook his head and sat on the floor.
"Ok, so if you're going there I guess I didn't hurt you right?" he looked at both Gilmore girls as they convulsed in laughter.
"Enough with the dance lesson for the night, I'm going to cook dinner." He picked up his baseball cap that had fallen on the floor and stalked into the kitchen.
Rory and Lorelai tried to call after him but neither could stop laughing. As they heard him moving around the kitchen they eventually were able to contain their laughter. Lorelai sighed and said, "OK sweets why did you gasp? It made me lose my concentration and that's when I took Luke down."
Rory shook her head, "You guys looked amazing, just really in synch and I don't know, I guess I didn't really realize that you're there you know?"
Lorelai looked around and then back at her daughter, "We're where? We're in the living room with you Rory. Where did you think we'd be?"
"No Mom, 'there' that place where you know that this is it. You know." Rory was getting embarrassed, they'd never talked about what it means to love someone who wasn't blood related.
Suddenly Lorelai realized what she was talking about, "You mean that Luke and I care a lot about each other?"
Rory had a sudden fascination with the rug as she nodded her head.
"Ah," Lorelai said. "But you knew that we're talking long term, I mean last week in the kitchen you heard us and you seemed pretty happy sweets. Is this going to be a problem?"
Lorelai was concerned that Rory may be changing her mind about Luke and her mind raced to think what complications that could present that she almost missed Rory's shaking her head.
"No Mom, I really like Luke and I meant what I said, I'd love if you guys were it, but I never saw that look before on your face. And it wasn't just you. Luke had the same look. It surprised me that's all. You guys aren't the PDA couple so you're more likely to tease or snipe in public but the look you had was just, I don't know. It's what I want I think, someday." Rory finally looked at her mom who had tears in her eyes.
"Oh Rory, I'd love you to have this too someday many many many years in the future. It still scares me a bit you know?" Lorelai looked at her daughter who nodded her head.
"But in a good way right? Like 'Carrie' or the original 'Halloween' not like 'Chucky'" Rory replied.
Lorelai laughed, "Right, in a good way. But don't tell Luke about wanting this for yourself. He wants you playing with paper-dolls for a few years still."
Rory laughed, "He does realize that I haven't played with paper-dolls since we moved here right?"
"Eh, let him dream a bit sweets. He's really concerned that when you start dating you'll get your heart broken and then he'll have to kill some young boy." Lorelai chuckled and helped Rory off the floor.
"Come on now, let's get our guy and see what he's cooked up for us, ok?" Lorelai grinned at Rory who giggled as they walked into the kitchen.
After dinner Luke danced with Rory for another half an hour before she had to study. "Thanks Luke, I think I feel better about the dance tonight." She smiled shyly at him as he nodded.
"You seemed more relaxed after dinner Rory, that was good." He raised his hand in a parting gesture.
"Sleep well and we'll practice more tomorrow after you get out of school, OK?"
She returned his wave and nodded. "Night Mom, night Luke." As she turned to leave she gave her mom a kiss on the cheek and then paused. She turned back to Luke and gave him a quick hug that he was too stunned to return.
Lorelai smiled at the red blush that came to his face and called out to her, "Night sweets, sleep well."
She stood up to walk towards Luke as he turned to the CD player. As he gathered her in his arms she heard the soft horn section that began Frank Sinatra's song, 'The Way You Look Tonight.'
She melted into his arms as he danced her around the living room. She sighed into his neck as they folded into one being. Luke was certainly smooth on his feet as he held her close. When the horns had a solo he twirled them so she laughed up at him as Frank sang, 'and that laugh that wrinkles your nose touches my foolish heart.'
Luke chuckled and drew her close, "It does." Then he gently kissed it. The song came to a close as Lorelai melted into his embrace and he hovered over her mouth before gently kissing her.
"Wow, you're good," she breathed.
He smiled down at her, "What?"
She shook her head, "This is so not what I expected of you, it's almost smooth. Like a Casanova which I know you're not because you told me you weren't."
Luke stood away from her and frowned, "What do you mean 'almost smooth'? Am I such a doofus that you expect me to trip over my own feet? Oh wait, that was you."
He broke away from her and snapped off the CD player. Lorelai walked over to him and turned him to face her, "No Luke, that's not what I mean at all. And yes, I did trip us up because Rory gasped and I lost my concentration. But I was just surprised that's all. It was a great wonderful surprise that you waltz so well and that we fit."
She was crooning to try and get him to smile but the frown was not budging. "Luke, what can I do to get you to see that I love this side of you, no other person in this town knows that you dance so well do they?"
Still frowning he shook his head. She grinned up at him, "Then why are you upset that I'm so happy to find this wonderful gift of dancing Luke?"
Still not smiling he dropped on the chair and shook his head. "Because Lorelai, you had formal dance lessons, my mom taught me. You've been to balls and fancy dances and I've danced in gymnasiums. You expect a guy in a tux and I have one suit that I wear to the bank every six months. You're use to the smooth operators and I'm not Casanova although I said Don Juan last week."
She sat gently next to him playing with the curls at the nape of his neck. "Luke, I love the fact that you were taught by your mom, I went to exactly four balls and then found out I was pregnant with Rory, I would love to see you in a tux so I could get you out of it and the best part of this is that you're so not a Casanova, but you do seduce me with that look of … um. Well I know that you really care about me."
She stumbled on the last thought not sure of what she should say since he hadn't formally said anything. Luke finally smiled at her and took her face in his hands.
"Yes Lorelai, I do love you. I think you feel the same?" He paused as she nodded and he smiled. "Good."
He kissed her deeply and broke it off way too soon for her liking. "No!" she whimpered.
He smiled at her and nodded at Rory's door. "You know that's all we can do tonight."
Lorelai sighed and snuggled into his arms. She giggled and he looked at her, "That's why Rory gasped and I tripped and took you to the floor."
He raised his eyebrows and waited. "She said that she saw that look you gave me and that it made her realize that we're in love."
Luke sat up straight and looked at Rory's door. "Doesn't she want us to? I thought she was happy?"
She patted him on the hand, "Relax babe, she is happy and she does want us to. Dirty by the way. But is surprised her because we're more likely to snipe than snuggle in public and it just surprised her. But in a good way."
He smiled and stood offering her his hand. "In that case Miss Gilmore, would you like to dance?"
"Why Mr. Danes, how kind of you to ask." She smiled up at him as Frank once again filled the air. "So you gonna take all of me Mr. Danes?"
As they danced around the living room he whispered, "You bet."
