A/N: Okay, really improbable, I admit, but it was fun.
Out of the Kitchen and Into the Deep Fryer
"Hey everybody," Lorelai called as the bells above the diner door announced their arrival.
Babette smiled and waved as she called, "Oh, hey there, Dollfaces! Happy Thanksgiving!"
"Yeah, Happy Thanksgiving," Morey added with a nod.
Luke stepped out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel. "Hey," Rory said as she held out a bouquet of fall flowers.
Luke eyed the bouquet suspiciously and asked, "What's this?"
"Flowers," Rory answered patiently.
"What do I do with them?"
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Ugh, not this again," she groaned.
"Put them in a vase with water," Rory instructed.
"I don't have a vase," Luke said gruffly.
"You do this every year," Lorelai complained.
"I don't have vases," Luke reiterated as he turned to glare at her.
"Buy a vase!"
"But I don't need a vase 'cause I never have flowers," Luke pointed out.
"Except when we bring you flowers every year on Thanksgiving. Buy a vase," Lorelai ordered.
"Stop bringing me flowers," Luke growled.
"Stop bringing me flowers," Lorelai mimicked. "I knew you were gonna say that because you say the same thing. We have this same exact conversation every year," she said as she pointed at him accusingly.
"And every year you point that out," Luke shot back.
"And every year you point that out," Lorelai retorted.
"And every year you point that out," Luke sneered.
Rory stepped in, cutting them both off. "And then every year we put the flowers on the counter and forget the ugliness ever happened."
Lorelai smirked and said, "Well, at least we have a tradition."
"Good. I'll be right back." Luke pointed to a table set for four and said, "That's our table over there."
Lorelai and Rory stopped to talk to Kirk, and were shocked to find that Kirk and Cat Kirk were not exactly getting along swimmingly. As Kirk rambled about his travails with his new pet, Lorelai's gaze kept drifting to Luke as he moved around the diner. Tradition. It was a tradition to come to Luke's for Thanksgiving dinner. They'd been coming here for years. She sighed softly, wondering what she could have possibly been thinking when she decided that Luke's was the meal that they could do without. Hell, Luke's would be the best meal of the day. Except, well, I have to admit that the deep fired turkey sounded intriguing.
As Kirk described that incredible power that Cat Kirk derived from water, Lorelai caught Luke absently wiping his hands on the tail of his shirt and smiled as the words, 'Me too!' suddenly popped into her head. For a moment she wondered if she should feel the slightest bit guilty about ogling one of her best friends, but then quickly brushed the thought away. Ogling Luke was the favorite indoor sport of most every female Stars Hollow resident over the age of twenty-five. And there would quite a few who would gladly bump it down to second favorite, if only they could get their hands on him. Lorelai cocked her head as she eyed him. He was very good looking, but he didn't seem to notice. No, I take that back, he knows he is, but he doesn't care, Lorelai amended quickly. That was definitely part of the appeal. He was a reserved and generally self-effacing man, but there was still a little bit of cocky jock buried under all that flannel. It made a girl itch to see if she could get him to come out to play.
Rory nudged her slightly and Lorelai started from her reverie. "Well, then, I think it's good you're giving Kirk a little space right now," she said with what she hoped was a sympathetic smile. "Just relax and enjoy your food," Lorelai added as she and Rory began to inch away.
"I can't taste my food," Kirk said pathetically.
"Well, then, just try to relax," Lorelai advised, flashing him a quick smile.
"Thanks," Kirk mumbled.
"Hey," Jess said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere.
"Hey," Rory said softly as she gave Jess a quick kiss hello.
"Hi," Jess said as he turned to Lorelai.
"Hi. Happy Thanksgiving. So, are you joining us?" she asked, trying desperately to mask her discomfort.
Jess glanced at the table and then back at the two of them as he said, "Uh, sure, if that's okay."
Lorelai nodded quickly as she said, "Yeah, sit, sit."
They were just getting settled at the table when Luke and Caesar appeared with their plates. "God, I'm starved," Jess grumbled.
"You could've eaten," Luke told him.
Jess scoffed and said, "You kept telling me not to eat."
"I did not," Luke said, shifting uncomfortably in the seat next to Lorelai.
"You did, too. You said you were waiting for them," Jess said bluntly.
Lorelai looked over at Luke and said, "Aw, you didn't have to wait for us."
"I wasn't waiting for you, it just worked out this way," Luke insisted.
"Right," Jess snickered.
Anxious to nip yet another senseless debate in the bud, Rory piped up and said, "Looks great."
"Tasty," Lorelai agreed as she ate a forkful of potatoes.
"Shouldn't we give thanks first?" Luke asked.
Jess looked up from his plate. "Thanks for what?"
Luke rolled his eyes. "Well, that we're not Native Americans who got their land stolen in exchange for smallpox infested blankets," he said dryly.
"Amen," Lorelai agreed with a nod.
Luke picked up his utensils and asked, "So, where you guys in your day?"
"We hit the Kim's, we hit Sookie's, and we go to the grandparents from here," Rory reported.
"Full day," Lorelai said as she chewed.
"Yeah, well, you can skip eating this one if you want. Just have cokes or something, it's no big deal," Luke said as he shook his head.
"No, no way, you're the main event today, my friend," Lorelai insisted.
Luke's smiled with relief as he said, "Oh, good."
"What's good are the yams," Rory enthused as she pointed to the candied yams on her plate.
"Definitely," Lorelai agreed. "Got some more marshmallows?" she asked Luke.
Luke set his napkin beside his plate as he began to slide from his chair. "Yeah, I can grab some." He looked at Jess and said, "Hey, refill some coffees." Lorelai turned and watched as they looked away. She smiled as she saw Luke brush his palms over the tail of his shirt again and wondered if that ass looked as fabulous without the Levi's as it did with them.
When Rory placed her fork noisily on her plate, Lorelai turned back and toyed with her potatoes. "So, no offense, but lame-o kiss," she commented.
"What?" Rory asked.
"You and Jess, like a couple chickens pecking at each other."
"Mind your own business."
"Well, it was right in front of me," Lorelai pointed out.
"Well, you keep staring at Luke's butt right in front of me, but I didn't feel the need to give you a review on it," Rory hissed.
"I do not!"
"You've been staring at him ever since we walked in here," Rory whispered.
"You're imagining things," Lorelai said with a laugh.
"You were eating off of his plate!"
"I always do that. Besides, he doesn't like mashed potatoes," Lorelai said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"Well, I may not be very good with the public displays, but you're heading right for one," Rory muttered.
Lorelai sighed. "I'm sorry, Hon. I really wasn't criticizing. It's just that, you didn't seem to have that problem with Dean," Lorelai pointed out.
"I know, but now I just feel like everybody's watching me," Rory said with a shrug.
"People are not watching you."
"You were watching me."
"I created you. It's biologically predetermined that I watch you," Lorelai said as she took a sip of her water.
"I just don't know how this whole second boyfriend thing is supposed to go," Rory complained.
"Well, he's your first second boyfriend. Give it time."
Rory glanced around and then said, "The whole town got used to me with Dean, it's just weird."
"It'll get easier. You're gonna have hundreds of men in your life," Lorelai said encouragingly.
"Gee, thanks."
"Well, maybe not hundreds, but a couple, three, more. It'll get easier."
"I guess," Rory mumbled.
"Honey, they'll adjust to seeing you with Jess," Lorelai assured her.
"And then there's Dean. What do I do about him?" Rory asked worriedly.
"Well, you know, he'll be moving on, too," Lorelai shrugged.
"Oh, right. Of course he will, yeah," Rory said too quickly.
Babette and Morey approached their table just as Luke and Jess reappeared. "Well, we're outta here," Babette said as she pulled her hair from the collar of her coat.
"Time to walk some of this off," Morey added as he patted his flat stomach.
"Oh, we'd have to walk to China to walk all of it off! Which way's China?" Babette moaned.
"Thataway," Lorelai said as she pointed behind them. "Have a good night."
"Thanks." Babette turned to follow Morey, and then turned back. "By the way, that was some half-assed kiss you two had. You gotta give it a little something, honey," she said as she thrust a fist at Jess
Lorelai lifted her hand in a wave and called, "Bye, Babette. Bye, Morey."
Babette shook her head and said, "I'm just sayin'. You watch Luke," she told Jess. "I bet your uncle could kiss the bejesus out of a girl!"
"Bye, Babette!" Luke called as he kept his eyes focused on his plate. He eyed his mashed potatoes curiously and then glanced sidelong at Lorelai as the bells heralded their departure.
"Can you, Uncle Luke? Can you really kiss the bejesus out of a girl?" Jess asked mockingly.
"Shut up," Luke snarled.
"But I need pointers, you're my role model, Uncle Luke," Jess persisted.
"Did you eat my potatoes?" Luke asked Lorelai, hoping to change the subject.
"You never eat them all anyway," Lorelai answered with a shrug.
"You have your own," Luke said as he nodded to her plate.
Lorelai looked up with a devilish smile and asked, "What are you gonna do about it? Kiss the bejesus out of me?"
"You don't think I can?" Luke asked as he stared her down.
"Oh my God," Rory groaned as she propped her elbows on the table and covered her face with her hands.
"Dare ya," Jess taunted.
Luke shot him a look as he picked up his fork. "I'm not twelve. Eat your dinner."
Lorelai reached over and patted Luke's leg. "That's okay, Luke, we believe you," she said with an exaggerated nod.
Luke glanced down at her hand on his thigh and then up at her teasing blue eyes. He dropped his fork with a clatter, reached behind her and wrapped his hand around the back of her neck. As he leaned over, he thought maybe he heard a shocked gasp from the other side of the table, but he didn't care. Luke pressed his lips to Lorelai's kissing her firmly for a fraction of a second before he relaxed into her, his lips molding to hers. Lorelai's eyes widened and then closed as his lips softened against hers; moving across them slowly and lingering for a moment before he pulled back.
Luke turned back to his plate, picked up his fork, and kept his eyes locked on his dinner roll. "Pass the salt and pepper, please," he said gruffly.
Jess glanced at Rory and then Lorelai and saw that they both sat gaping at Luke wide eyed. He reached across Rory for the shakers and then passed them to his uncle with a small smile of masculine appreciation. "Good work. Looks like she's fresh out of bejesus," he commented as Luke took the salt and pepper from him.
Luke glanced at Lorelai and saw the perplexed frown that bisected her eyebrows. "Stay away from my yams," he said in a low voice.
A laugh escaped her lips before she could stop it. Lorelai reached over and swatted his arm lightly. "Geez, give a girl a little warning next time," she laughed.
"Where's the fun in that?" Luke asked with a smirk.
"Man, you should have to register those lips as a weapon," Lorelai said with a grin.
"I've thought about it," Luke answered with a shrug as he took a bite of his mashed potatoes. He dared to look over at Rory, who still stared at him in shock. "Food'll get cold," he said quietly.
Rory nodded mutely and picked up her fork once more. As she speared a piece of turkey, Luke turned to Lorelai and asked conversationally, "So, did Mrs. Kim make tofurkey?"
Jess turned to Rory and said, "They're showing It's a Wonderful Life at the BWR tonight. You want to go if you get back from your grandparents in time?"
"Luke just kissed my mom," Rory whispered in his ear.
"I know, I saw," Jess whispered back.
"You don't think that's strange?" she hissed.
"No stranger than someone eating tofurkey," Jess said with a shrug.
****
"Are you mad?" Rory asked as they walked toward Sookie's house later that night.
"No, I'm not mad," Lorelai answered
"You seem mad," Rory commented.
"I'm not mad."
"What are you feeling?"
Lorelai tipped her head back, rolled her neck and then said, "I wouldn't know how to word it."
"Try."
Lorelai stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and said, "See, my head knows that whichever one of these places you go, Harvard, Princeton, Yale; it's gonna be great. It's gonna be awesome, and you're gonna come out on the other side an even more amazing you." She sighed heavily and then said, "But I just wish my head could sit down and have a chat with that gnawing feeling in my gut that's there every time my parents get involved in anything and tell it, it's gonna be okay."
"It's gonna be okay."
Lorelai snorted softly and said, "Nice try."
Rory put a hand on Lorelai's arm as she began walking again, and pulled her to a halt. "Wait. I think we need to talk about the other elephant in the room."
"Don't you mean the elephant on the sidewalk? We're not in a room," Lorelai pointed out.
"Mom," Rory whined.
"What elephant, Rory?"
"The one that had you mooning all the way to Hartford; the one that had you off in never-never land until someone, who shall not be named, mentioned Yale," Rory said impatiently.
"I was mooning? I was not mooning," Lorelai scoffed.
"Oh, there was mooning," Rory chuckled
"I mooned no one!"
"Well, your pants stayed fastened, but that's about all I can say," Rory said dryly.
"Rory!"
"Mom!"
"What?"
"Luke kissed you!"
"I know!" Lorelai huffed.
"Luke. Kissed. You," Rory said slowly.
"I. Was. There," Lorelai responded.
"Well? Is the bejesus gone?" Rory asked impatiently.
Lorelai laughed. "Oh yeah, long gone."
"So, wow, it was a good kiss?" Rory asked. "I can't believe I asked that," she murmured to herself.
"It was a very good kiss. Luke does not have to worry about getting bad reviews in the Village Voice, or from the village voice known as Babette Dell for that matter," Lorelai confirmed.
"Well, what does this mean?" Rory asked.
"What does what mean?"
"He kissed you!"
"Yes, we have confirmation on that. Eyewitnesses; first hand reports. There may be film, you never know what Kirk is up to," Lorelai said as she waved her hands around in exasperation.
"What does it mean that Luke kissed you?" Rory asked, undeterred.
Lorelai shrugged and said, "I don't know, uh, nothing?"
"Nothing? What does that mean?"
"It means that it means nothing, Rory. Remember? A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh and all of that," Lorelai said as she tried to turn away again.
"You were thinking about it all the way to Grandma and Grandpa's," Rory said adamantly.
"Well, sure, I mean, been a little while since I had a good kiss," Lorelai said as she tried to play off her distraction.
"So, you and Luke, what do you think this means?"
"I think it means he doesn't want me eating off of his plate anymore."
"Mom! Come on! What's going on?" Rory asked, her frustration boiling over. "First you're staring at him like he's your own personal Chippendale's dancer, and the next thing I know, he's planting one right on the kisser!"
"Nothing is going on!"
"Do you want something to be going on?"
"Rory, what do you want me to say? Babette made a stupid comment, Jess turned it into a challenge and Luke is a guy. Guys can never resist a challenge," Lorelai said firmly.
"You think that was all that was?" Rory asked, her voice laden with doubt.
"I see no evidence that it was anything else. He kissed me and then told me to stay away from his yams. Those aren't exactly words of seduction, Rory."
"But, he's been so into you for, like, forever," Rory insisted. "You don't think that maybe there was a little more to that kiss than just a challenge?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Lorelai cried in frustration.
"Well, do you want there to be more?"
"I don't know, maybe," Lorelai said as she flung her arms out to her sides.
"Maybe?"
"Well, Rory, I don't have a good answer for you. Do I find Luke attractive? Yes, he's an attractive guy. Did I like the kiss? Yes, it was a good kiss. A great kiss. Four stars, two thumbs waaaaay up! I don't know what else you want me to say!"
"Do you plan on telling Luke any of this?" Rory demanded.
"No way!" Lorelai said adamantly as she turned and started walking quickly toward Sookie's house.
"But, Mom," Rory called as she trotted after her. "Why?"
"Because if he was all that into me like you keep saying, he'd do something about it," Lorelai answered without breaking stride.
"He kissed you in the middle of the diner today."
"That didn't mean anything!"
"Yes, it did! You know Luke. You know he wouldn't have done something like that unless he wanted to. He'd never do that just to prove something, especially not to Jess," Rory said with conviction.
"So, what? You want me to go in there and ask him if he wants to kiss me again?" Lorelai asked, incredulous.
"Might work, it's worth a try," Rory said with a shrug. "Can we slow down? I'm in heels," she reminded her mother.
Lorelai slowed and said, "Sweets, I know that you mean well. I know that you just want me to be happy, and Luke to be happy, but I'm not sure that this is the best thing that could happen."
"Why not?"
"Because I am a dating disaster, Rory, and from what I can see, Luke isn't much better. We're friends, good friends, and that's way more important than a kiss. I'd rather have the bejesus back than screw with that," Lorelai told her earnestly. "Okay? Can we drop it now?"
"Fine, dropping it," Rory grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest as she followed Lorelai across Sookie's lawn.
"Hey, Sookie," Lorelai called to her friend, nervously eying the crowd gathered around the vat of boiling oil.
"Ah, hi there," Sookie said with a bleary smile.
"Are you okay?" Lorelai asked, concerned.
Sookie pointed to her margarita glass and said, "This tastes good."
Lorelai cast a worried look at Jackson and his cousins and said, "Yeah, it looks like they're deep-frying…"
"Everything," Sookie finished for her.
"Huh," Lorelai grunted. As Sookie proceeded to list the items that had found their way into the vat, Lorelai's mind drifted to the conversation she and Rory had just had. She glanced over at Rory and found her staring at her with a disconcerting expression. Lorelai flinched slightly and then turned her attention back to her friend.
"And yet, you're very serene," Rory noted as she continued to watch Lorelai surreptitiously.
"Uh, you're practically floating," Lorelai corrected.
"Well, you caught me at a good time, ladies. I've already gone through the five stages of grieving. Denial, anger… I don't remember these two, but they were served on the rocks with salt!" Sookie crowed happily. She sighed as she looked forlornly at the scorched lawn. "Now, I'm just happily enscotched in acceptance. Enscotched…" she tried again.
"Ensconced?" Rory suggested.
"Ensconced – that's it!" Sookie said with a big nod. "I do believe I heard Phil suggest throwing Junior in," Sookie whispered conspiratorially.
"Junior?"
"His nephew."
"Whoa," Lorelai breathed.
"I chimed in on that one," Sookie confirmed with a proud smile.
"What happened over there?" Lorelai asked as she pointed to the lawn.
Sookie took a sip of her margarita and said nonchalantly, "Mm, about a half-hour ago they set the lawn on fire."
"Ah," Lorelai acknowledged.
"But Phil says it's okay and everything 'cause it'll grow back twice as lush. Though that's what he said when he broke my salad bowl that I brought back from Belgium. That'll maybe grow back, too, huh?" Sookie asked loudly, pointing to one of the guys huddled around the vat. She laughed and said, "Phil is a riot." She turned back to Lorelai and asked, "Am I crying or laughing?"
"Laughing."
"Good."
Rory's pager chirped and she pulled it from her pocket. "Who's that?" Lorelai asked.
Rory read the display and said, "It's Lane. It just says 'bible kiss bible'."
"What does that mean?"
"I have no idea. Good band name, though," Rory said as she slipped the pager back into her pocket. "Seems to be a big day for kissing," she said pointedly.
"Honey, we should get going," Lorelai said quickly. "You gonna be okay?" she asked Sookie.
"I'm Sookie," her friend answered.
"Yeah, I know, but you're gonna be okay, right? You'll go to bed soon?"
"Unless they deep-fried it," Sookie said darkly. She looked up as they stood up and asked, "Big day for kissing? You kiss your boy today?" she asked Rory.
"Um, yeah. Mom did too," Rory said cryptically.
"Okay, we'll see you tomorrow," Lorelai said in a rush.
"You kissed Jess?" Sookie asked Lorelai, blinking her eyes in confusion.
"No, she kissed Luke. Or Luke kissed her, I should say," Rory ratted.
The night air was pierced with a high pitched squeal as Sookie struggled to get up from the picnic table, but fell immediately got her legs tangled in the throw and fell back to the bench. "Luke? Luke kissed you?" she asked loudly.
"Aw, she's just messing with you, Sook," Lorelai said as she grabbed Rory's arm and started to pull her away.
"Oh," Sookie whispered, her face falling. "You should kiss Luke, he's so into you," she said with a sad shake of her head.
"See?" Rory demanded.
"Mean girl!" Lorelai hissed in her ear as she waved goodbye.
"Sookie agrees with me," Rory said smugly. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Sookie staring into her glass with a sad smile. "Poor thing," she said softly.
"Oh, she may not remember any of it," Lorelai said optimistically.
"Deep-fried shoe!" Jackson cried happily.
"Deep-fried shoe!" another guy echoed.
"Let's hope not, at least," Lorelai added with a smirk as they hurried away from the scene of the crime.
"I'm gonna go meet Jess," Rory told her.
"I wonder if Luke has any leftovers," Lorelai mused.
"I bet he has something that'll satisfy you," Rory said drolly.
"Oh my God! Drop it, already!" Lorelai demanded. "He kissed me, big deal! Does that mean I can never go back to the diner again?"
"You're going there now," Rory answered smugly as they crossed the street.
The diner door swung open and Luke followed Jess out onto the steps. "Get more trash cans," Jess groused.
"I don't need more," Luke answered stubbornly.
"You make me run around town for a place to dump this," Jess said as he hefted the trash bag.
"Just dump it in one of Taylor's bins. It gets it out of here and it'll drive Taylor crazy. It's a win-win," Luke said with a smirk.
"Hi guys," Lorelai called out as they stepped up onto the curb.
"We're out of food," Luke said preemptively.
Lorelai shook her head and said, "Oh, please, we're not eating for a year."
"Or 'til tomorrow morning," Rory corrected.
"Whichever comes first." Lorelai looked at Jess with the trash bag slung over his shoulder and said, "Hi, Saint Nick."
"Tell him he needs to get more trash cans," Jess grumbled.
"Just go," Luke said as he pointed down the alley.
"You got any coffee?" Lorelai asked Luke hopefully.
"That I've got. Come on in," he said as he opened the door for her. "Hey, did I see flames coming from Sookie's place about a half-hour ago?"
"Yeah, why?" Lorelai answered nonchalantly.
"No reason," Luke mumbled as he moved behind the counter.
Lorelai smirked as she saw Rory follow Jess around the side of the building. "So, good day?" she asked.
"Pretty good," Luke replied with a nod.
"The food was great. Best meal of the day, and I should know, I had a few," Lorelai said as he placed a mug in front of her.
The bells chimed as Rory rushed in. "Ooh, coffee," she said gratefully as Luke turned to pour another mug.
"So, how did the four dinners work out? You guys must feel more stuffed than you've ever been," Luke said as he slid the mug in front of Rory.
Lorelai turned to her daughter and frown in concentration. "I don't know. Is this more stuffed than the great Six Flags hot dog consumption of '99?"
Rory shook her head. "No, or the taffy binge of '97."
"Not by a long shot," Lorelai agreed. She turned back to Luke and said, "See, we didn't eat at my parents because of the upset, so we really had three dinners, not four."
"Which means…" Rory said with a sigh.
"What?" Lorelai asked worriedly.
"We didn't have to skip rolls," Rory said sadly.
"Oh yeah," Lorelai breathed as the realization dawned. "Hey, do you have any rolls left?" she asked Luke.
"No. Come on," he groaned in disbelief.
"Just a little something for the walk home," Lorelai cajoled.
"You ready?" Jess asked as he poked his head in the door.
Rory hopped from her stool and said, "I'll make my date buy me popcorn. See you later!"
"I don't see how you do it," Luke grumbled as the door closed behind them. He dropped a baggie holding about a dozen rolls onto the counter and shook his head.
"Well, you're not us," Lorelai said as she took a sip of her coffee. She watched as he moved around behind the counter, straightening and wiping things that appeared to have been already straightened and wiped.
"You guys should be studied."
"You volunteering?" Lorelai asked archly.
Luke snorted and said, "Please, I could give a dissertation on you and your habits."
"Tell me, Dr. Danes, what have you observed?" Lorelai said as she cocked her head, looking up at him coyly as she shrugged out of her coat.
"You have a cast iron stomach and the highest tolerance for caffeine of anyone, ever."
Lorelai chuckled and said, "Tell me something I don't know."
Luke stopped wiping the back counter and turned around. He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest as he said, "Well, let's see. You're possibly the smartest person I've ever known, maybe even smarter than Rory, but that would be a close call. Your house is a mess, especially your bedroom, but it's clean. Cluttered, I guess is the word. You have a strange relationship with your parents, but deep down you crave their approval, that's why it hurts you when you don't get it."
"Wow, I guess I should have called you Dr. Freud," Lorelai said with a short laugh.
"Your hair is naturally curly, but sometimes you do something to it to make it straight. Personally, I like the curly better. Oh, and your lip stuff tasted cinnamon-y," Luke said with a nod as he gestured to his lips.
"I knew that. I bought it," Lorelai said quietly.
Luke continued to nod as he watched her warily. "Well, maybe you didn't know this. I didn't kiss you because Jess was goading me."
"Why did you kiss me?" Lorelai asked breathlessly.
"Because I wanted to."
"Not to keep me away from your yams?"
"You can eat my yams," Luke answered calmly.
Lorelai's lips curved as she said, "I'm sure there's a dirty in there somewhere, but I'm a little too distracted to pick it out." She slid from her stool and made her way to the end of the counter, keeping a close eye on him as she went.
"Distracted?" Luke asked, not moving a muscle.
Lorelai nodded as she stepped into his sacred space behind the counter and made her way toward him. "How come I can eat your yams?" she asked quietly.
"You want them, you can have them," Luke said, struggling to sound casual.
"What if I don't want yams?" Lorelai asked as she came to a stop in front of him and leaned back against the front counter, mirroring his stance.
"What do you want?"
"Well, you already gave me the rolls," she said as she jerked her head toward the baggie on the counter. "What else you have to offer?"
Luke's jaw flexed as he ran the edges of his teeth together, weighing his words carefully. "Mashed potatoes?" he asked, stalling for time.
"You said you were out," Lorelai said as she arched one eyebrow.
"I do have some turkey left," he said as he hooked a thumb toward the kitchen.
"I'm not hungry."
"You wanted rolls."
"I wanted you to give me rolls."
"Then why don't you just tell me what else it is you want me to give you," Luke suggested.
Lorelai narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "You know so much about me and I feel like I know very little about you."
"That's because you talk all of the time," Luke said with a smirk. "What do you want to know?"
Lorelai pursed her lips as she glanced down at the toes of her shoes. When she lifted her eyes again she looked at him boldly and said, "I want to know how you got to be such a good kisser."
Luke's lips curved into a smug smile as he said simply, "Practice."
"Practice?"
Luke shrugged and said, "How else do you get good at anything?"
"Practice? Like on your pillow?" Lorelai asked with a laugh.
Luke shook his head slowly and said, "Nope. On Marcie Kimball."
"Marcie Kimball?"
Luke nodded and said, "Yep. Tenth grade. We spent the better part of the three weeks she was my girlfriend working on that."
"Wow. Uh, where is Marcie? I feel like I should write her a thank you note for that kiss earlier," Lorelai said, impressed.
"I have no idea. Her folks moved over the winter break, never heard from her again," Luke told her.
"Were you devastated?" Lorelai asked sympathetically.
"Frustrated, more like it," Luke said with a wry smile.
"Ah."
"Yep. So, now you know my secret," Luke said as he pushed away from the counter with his hips. He stepped closer, purposefully invading her space as he leaned on palm on the counter behind her and spoke into her ear. "You know, if you want, you can thank me and if I ever hear from Marcie again, I can pass it along," he offered in a low voice.
"Thank you?" Lorelai asked, not daring to turn her head to look at him.
"I'm just sayin'..."
"Are you gonna kiss me again or what?" Lorelai snapped impatiently.
"I think I'd like to kiss you again," he said softly. Lorelai shivered as his warm moist breath tickled her ear.
"Do it," she whispered.
"Not here," Luke said as he rocked back on his heels, his eyes fixed on her.
"You weren't so shy earlier," Lorelai said as she lifted her chin and stared back at him.
"Not shy now," Luke said as his hand encircled her wrist and he pulled her away from the counter.
Lorelai swayed toward him but frowned in puzzlement when, instead of meeting the solid wall of his chest, she felt herself being pulled in his wake. "Where are we going?" she asked as he held the curtain back for her to step through.
"I'm not into the public thing. Learned that in eleventh grade when Crazy Carrie decided to jump me at the homecoming bonfire," Luke said with a chuckle as he followed her through the curtain.
"Up?" Lorelai asked, pointing to the steps.
"Probably not safe," Luke said as he wrapped one hand around her waist and pulled her to him.
"Safe?" Lorelai asked, tipping her face up to look into his dark blue eyes.
"For you," he answered as his lips grazed hers softly.
"Me?"
Luke pushed her back into the wall opposite the curtain as he shook his head slowly. "Definitely not safe for you," he said in a deep gravelly voice.
He kissed her again, this time drawing her lips against his and nipping at them softly. Lorelai kissed him back relishing the feel of his lips against hers again, marveling at how soft they were, reveling in firm, commanding give and take of them. She felt the tip of his tongue teasing her lips, tracing them softly, requesting permission. With a sigh, she parted her lips. Her fingers knocked his blue cap to the floor in their haste to bury themselves in his hair. He stroked her tongue softly at first, gently exploring this new territory before resuming his quest for unconditional surrender.
When he pulled back, Lorelai sucked in a shuddering breath and kept her eyes closed as she whispered, "Thank you, Marcie."
"I'm sure she'd appreciate that," Luke said with a hoarse chuckle.
Lorelai opened her eyes and pressed her head back against the wall as she looked at him steadily. She wet her suddenly dry lips and then said, "Take me upstairs."
Luke caught his upper lip between his teeth and shook his head sadly. "I can't."
"The kids are at the movies, we have at least a couple of hours, especially if we include their necking time," she argued.
"I can't take you up there. I never should have kissed you today. Now all I can think about is kissing you," Luke confessed as he brushed a stray strand of hair from her cheek. "Not that I thought about much else before," he added with a short laugh.
"Take me upstairs," Lorelai said more firmly.
Luke's eyebrows jumped and then knit into a frown. "Are you sure?"
Lorelai slid her hands down his neck, to his shoulders and finally to his chest, letting them rest there as she nodded and said, "Take me up, Luke."
Luke reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers as he pulled her gently away from the wall and led her to the staircase. They walked silently hand in hand up the creaky wooden steps. Luke twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open, gesturing for her to precede him into the apartment. He closed the door quietly behind them and turned to face her as Lorelai wriggled her fingers free from his and stepped back, bumping into the kitchen table. The sound of the lock shooting home seemed to reverberate in the room as they looked at each other cautiously, neither sure of what the next move should be.
"You're not gonna get all shy on me now, are you?" Lorelai asked nervously. "'Cause I think I need you not to be the shy one here, okay?"
Luke clenched his jaw and shook his head mutely as he looked at her standing there, wringing her hands together. "We can grab the rolls and I can walk you home," he offered.
"I don't wanna go home," Lorelai said quietly.
"Do you want to be here?" Luke asked in return. Not trusting her voice, Lorelai simply nodded. Luke looked at her quizzically and asked, "Are you scared?"
"A little."
"Of me?"
"No," she whispered as she stepped closer to him again. "I thought about you all night," she confessed. "I think about you a lot."
"You do?"
Lorelai laughed a little and asked, "Does that surprise you?"
'Yeah."
"It shouldn't."
"How do you figure?"
"Please, Luke, half the women in this town would give their, their, whatever to be standing where I'm standing and having you look at them like you're looking at me," she said as she gestured between them. "My mother would say like a porterhouse steak, but I don't think you like red meat…" she babbled.
"I don't want half the women in town," Luke said, cutting her off.
Lorelai tilted her head and asked, "What about the other half?"
"Nope."
"Do you want me?" she asked, flashing a nervous smile.
"Oh yeah." Luke reached out and brushed his knuckles over her soft cheek before unfurling his long fingers into her hair. "I'm crazy about you, Lorelai. Haven't you heard?"
A breathy laugh rushed from her lungs. "You know about that?"
Luke shrugged and said, "How could I not know? They aren't very subtle and I guess I was pretty obvious about it."
"Kiss me again," Lorelai whispered. Luke smiled, curling his fingers into her hair as he cradled the back of her head in his palm and kissed her gently. "Are you really?" she asked.
"Yep." He kissed her again, this time a little slower, a little softer, and a lot more sensually.
"This is gonna be good, isn't it?" Lorelai asked, squeezing her eyes shut tightly.
"Look at me," Luke whispered as he brushed his thumb over her moist lips. When Lorelai opened those dazzling blue eyes, Luke nodded as he gazed into them and promised, "This is going to be good."
Once she nodded her agreement, Luke captured her lips again, this time parting them with his tongue and kissing her deeply. Lorelai gave a throaty moan when he trailed off, blazing a line of hot, demanding kisses along her jaw to her ear. "I knew it would be," she told him, her voice growing more confident. Lorelai raked her fingers through his hair, pulling his head back until she could kiss him again, this time taking control as her tongue sought his. Luke pulled her closer, molding her body to his, his hand sliding down to the soft curve of her ass and pulling her roughly against the straining denim of his jeans. Lorelai released him gasping for air. "I always knew we would be, I knew we would be," she panted to the ceiling as he plundered her neck. She moaned as his coarse stubble scraped against her delicate skin, setting each and every nerve ending on fire.
"Yes," Luke murmured against her throat, dipping his tongue into the hollow at the base of it and drawing the tip of it slowly up over her creamy skin. He kissed her again, his tongue tangling with hers as she arched into him, desperately seeking the friction she needed.
Lorelai felt like she was on fire, desire bubbling to boil inside of her, seeping through her veins and escaping through her skin. "Touch me, Luke," she panted in his ear.
With a barely suppressed groan, Luke squeezed her ass gently as his other hand skimmed over her ribcage and nestled beneath the curve of her breast. Lorelai's hands were suddenly everywhere, one fisted in the curls at the nape of his neck, as the other slipped under the tail of his flannel. She ran her hand over the taut muscle of his as and moaned as he caressed her breast trough her blouse. She lowered the other hand and grunted in frustration when all she felt was his wallet tucked into his back pocket. Lorelai fished it out with two fingers, tossed it over her shoulder as she tipped her head back and grabbed his ass with both hands. "Ahh," she moaned appreciatively as he ground against her, tugging the soft skin of her neck into his mouth and laving it with his tongue.
Lorelai ran her hands over his ass and then slid them up under his plaid shirt, raking her nails over the thermal shirt he wore beneath the flannel. She pulled on it, freeing the shirt from his jeans, desperate to touch the warm skin radiating heat through the faded cotton. Her fingers danced over his smooth back, stroking the taut muscles that clenched beneath his skin. Luke groaned as he kissed his way along the neckline of her blouse, his hand snaking beneath the hem to circle slowly on the soft skin of her stomach.
"How does this come off?" he asked as he pulled at her blouse.
"Like this," Lorelai said as she stepped back and pulled the blouse and the camisole she wore beneath over her head.
"I didn't want to tear it," Luke said with a sheepish smile as he reached for her again.
"I appreciate that," Lorelai said softly as his warm hands began to glide over her back. Seconds later, she felt the catch of her bra give way. Lorelai looked up at him in surprise, steadying herself with her hand on his shoulder. Luke answered her with a cocky smile and then kissed her hot and hard. "The top looked complicated. This I understand," he explained with a naughty lift of his eyebrows as he skimmed the straps down her arms. His eyes dropped to her small pink tipped breasts and he sucked in a breath.
"Not much going on there," Lorelai said with a self-conscious laugh.
"Perfect," Luke murmured as he brushed his thumb over one rose tipped peak and watched as it tightened in response.
He pressed his hand into the small of her back and pulled her against him as he kissed her again, his tongue sweeping into her mouth possessively. Lorelai moaned softly as he pinched her nipple and gently rolled it between his thumb and forefinger. Luke walked her one step back into the kitchen table and Lorelai stumbled slightly as she toppled onto it. Luke tore his mouth from hers and with a frustrated grunt reached up to pull both of his shirts up over his head. The tangle of flannel and thermal cotton hit the floor with a whoosh as he pressed his bare chest to hers, growling deep in his throat as her nipples rasped against the soft hair on his chest. He kissed her hungrily, pushing her back onto the table as his mouth worked steadily down her throat, across her collarbone, nipping at the curve of her shoulder as he reached for her hands, raising them up over her head as he laid her back on the table.
"Oh God," Lorelai whispered as his fingertips trailed lazily down the tender skin inside her arms.
Luke watched as the goosebumps rose in their wake and her nipples furled tightly. He bent over her, lowering his mouth to one dusky pink tip and circled it with his tongue. Lorelai gasped as he blew cool air over her dampened skin, and then whimpered softly as she arched up off of the table, urging him to take her. Luke closed his lips over the very crest of her breast, pulling the aching flesh into his hot mouth and suckling deeply. Lorelai curled her fingers into the soft curls at his neck and writhed beneath him, shamelessly rubbing against the hard thigh that pressed against the apex of her legs. Luke moved to her other breast and began the maddening treatment all over again, warming the damp skin he had abandoned with the palm of his hand.
"Luke," she whispered raggedly.
"Mm hmm," Luke hummed as he sucked the hardened tip into his mouth, swirling his tongue over her teasingly.
"Please," she said in a raspy voice, pressing against his leg and circling her hips.
Luke continued to suckle her as he reached for the button on her pants and deftly opened it. He drew the zipper down as he scraped his teeth lightly over her nipple and then caught it between his teeth, biting gently. Lorelai's gasp turned into an aching moan as she gyrated. Unable to resist, Luke pressed his hand to her, cupping her sex over her clothes as she thrust against it wildly. Luke released her breast and stood up, his chest heaving as he looked down at her, his eyes smoldering with desire. He reached for the waistband of her pants and began to pull them roughly down over her hips. He snagged the elastic waistband of her bikini panties as he pulled her pants down over her thighs, pushing them down her legs. He reached for her calf and lifted her leg, hurriedly unzipping her boot and letting it fall to the floor with a thud. He stripped the pants and panties over her foot and yanked her sock of by the toe. Carefully keeping his eyes averted, he repeated the same steps on the other side, only lifting his eyes as the last scrap of clothing fell to the floor.
Luke licked his lips as he let his eyes slowly travel up her long legs, his knees weakening as he saw the triangle of dark curls that stood in sharp relief against her milky white skin. "Lorelai," he rasped as he gave in to the impulse and dropped to his knees. He ran his hands over her thighs, kneading the soft skin with his fingers as he worked his way higher. His eyes stayed riveted to those dark curls as he parted her legs, licking his lips as he pressed her legs further apart. He pressed his lips to the glistening pink flesh and inhaled deeply. Lorelai's hips jerked as she bucked up off of the table, and Luke pressed her legs up, bending them until her heels rested on the edge of the table.
"Luke," she moaned.
Luke stroked her clit softly with his tongue, noting with satisfaction as she groaned and pressed against him. He teased her; gently stroking her clit with teasing glances of his tongue, nuzzling her with his nose, raking his tongue the length of her demandingly. He used his tongue to circle her entrance, pressing into her tauntingly and then retreating to her clit, drawing it into his mouth and sucking fervently. Lorelai undulated against him, whispering words of encouragement, moaning his name, whispering pleas for release. Luke drank her in, pressing his tongue into her, thrusting rhythmically. He reached for the buckle of his belt, and opened his pants, seeking relief from the intense discomfort of his jeans. He reached to readjust his straining erection in an effort to ease the ache, and then pressed his fingers to her entrance. He drew her clit into his mouth, circling it slowly as he slipped his finger into her heat.
"Oh, yes," Lorelai cried as he thrust into her. "Oh, oh," she breathed as he stroked her mercilessly, driving her higher and higher. Lorelai cried out as she peaked, calling his name loudly as she grasped for him desperately. Luke continued to stroke her until she slowed, her moans subsiding to soft sighs as she came down.
"Incredible," Luke said in a deep throaty voice, pressing soft kisses to the insides of her thighs.
"Oh, yes," Lorelai agreed.
Luke smiled as he stood up, taking her ankles and wrapping them around his waist. "Now I know how to make you lose your words," he teased as he bent, sliding his splayed hands over her stomach and cupping a breast in each hand as he pressed his lips to the valley between her breasts.
"Oh, yes," Lorelai agreed with a feline smile. She ran her hands over his hair, smoothing the curls her fingers had ruffled and purring deep in her throat as she caressed his smooth shoulders. "Are you taking me to bed?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered.
"Soon?"
"Now," he said as he straightened up and pulled her into a sitting position. Lorelai wrapped her arms around his neck and tightened her legs at his waist. "Am I carrying you?" he asked with a smirk.
"Yes."
"Hang on," he said as he slipped his hands under her thighs and lifted her, his biceps flexing as he adjusted to her weight. "No more rolls for you," he teased as he slid one arm under her bottom and turned toward his bed.
Lorelai giggled as she buried her face in his neck. "You smell like rolls," she said as she nipped at his neck.
"Last thing I made today," he said as he lifted a knee to his narrow bed and dropped her down onto it gracelessly.
Lorelai laughed and said, "No, I am."
"Lorelai," he laughed as he followed her down onto the mattress.
"Lose the pants," she said as she pushed at the waistband of his jeans.
"I'm getting' there," Luke grumbled as he pushed himself up onto his knees.
"The boots too," she said as she nodded to his feet.
"Dammit," Luke grunted as he turned to sit on the edge of the bed. He loosened the laces on his boots and pulled his feet free. He stripped off his socks and stood up to shuck his jeans and boxers off in one swift move.
Lorelai's smile grew as he turned and crawled back up over her. "Hel-lo," she said as she reached out and ran her fingers over the length of his erection.
"Hey," he said in a hoarse voice.
"My turn," Lorelai said as she pressed on his shoulder, urging him to roll over onto his back.
Luke smiled as he acquiesced, rolling onto his back and scooting beneath her on the narrow bed. "Need a bigger bed," he said with a self-deprecating smile.
"Yes," Lorelai agreed as she straddled him and flipped her hair back over her shoulders.
"I'll get one tomorrow," Luke said as he ran his hands over her bottom. "Will you be in it?"
Lorelai smiled and said, "I'm not sure Jess would appreciate that."
"Once in awhile?"
"As often as possible." She ran her hands over his chest, memorizing the contours of him, trailing her fingers down to his narrow hips. "Are you really going shopping on Black Friday?" she asked with a grin.
"Maybe Saturday," Luke amended as he tucked her hair back behind her ear and then allowed his fingertips to trace her collarbone. "I can't believe we're here."
Lorelai's smile brightened as she trapped him beneath her damp folds, undulating slowly. A strangled groan caught in his throat as she whispered, "We're here." Lorelai leaned down and kissed him deeply, tasting herself on his lips and tongue. She lifted her hips teasing the head of his straining cock as he tried to press up into her.
Lorelai shook her head as she raised her hips higher and pressed her open mouth to his neck, letting her breath wash over him. "You're mine now," she murmured against his skin.
"Yes," he said softly. "I want you."
"You'll have me," she promised as she kissed her way down his neck to his chest.
"Now," he said in a deep gravelly voice.
"Soon."
"Need. Now," he whispered as her hair trailed over his heated skin.
"Soon," Lorelai promised again as she kissed a line down the center of his chest and over his stomach, following the thin line of hair that narrowed and then flared below his waist. She brushed her lips over the tip of him and Luke groaned loudly. Lorelai parted her lips and touched the tip of her tongue to him, lapping gently at the drop of moisture that collected there. She hummed softly and swirled her tongue around him.
Luke's voice cracked as he said, "You're killing me."
"Softly. So softly," Lorelai promised as she closed her lips around him and drew him into her mouth.
Luke brushed his fingers blindly through her hair as her tongue caressed his throbbing cock, and then tangled in her curls as she began to suck him. Luke pressed into the mattress, trying to resist the urge to thrust up into her mouth, knowing he wasn't going to be able to take much of this exquisite torture. "Lorelai," he said raggedly. Lorelai drew him deeper into her velvety soft mouth, sucking harder. "Oh God, Lorelai," Luke said as he grasped her arms and pulled her up off of him.
Lorelai looked up in surprise. "What?"
"Need you," he said as he urged her up. Lorelai climbed back up over him, pressing her lips to his stomach and chest as she made her way to him. Luke pushed his hands into her hair and pulled her up to kiss her. "Need you," he said breathlessly when they parted.
Lorelai nodded mutely and pushed away, bracing her hands on his stomach as she straddled his hips. She kept her eyes locked on his as she reached for him, stroking him softly as she positioned him at her entrance and began to sink slowly onto him. She moaned as Luke sucked in a breath, holding it until she fully enveloped him in her heat, and letting it out slowly. "You okay?" Lorelai asked.
"Never been better," he said with a low chuckle as he slid his hands up to cup her breasts.
Lorelai smiled slowly as she began to circle her hips. "Mmm, you feel good," she whispered. She began to ride him a little faster. "Good?" she asked.
Luke gave breathless laugh.
"Yes?"
"Good," he said as he brushed his thumbs over her breasts.
"Good."
"Great," Luke grunted as he ran his hands over her stomach and around to her ass. He squeezed her roughly as he thrust up into her. "Amazing," he gasped as he sat up, wrapping his arms around her tightly and pulling her down onto him. Spreading his hands over her back, Luke moved her up and down faster.
Lorelai's breath caught in her throat as she ran her hands over the corded muscles in his back, riding him hard and fast. "Yes," she panted.
Luke pushed her down with each thrust, grinding his hips up into her as the shaft of his cock stroked her clit. He felt her tightening around him, her walls squeezing him tightly in a silken vise. "I can't," he grunted, knowing he wouldn't be able to hold back much longer.
"Yes, yes," she chanted as she felt her climax building.
Luke lost all control, grasping her hips and pulling her down roughly as she rode him to completion. He shot into her filling her with his heat as she threw her head back and cried out. "Incredible," he whispered as they slowed, holding her to him tightly.
"Yeah."
Luke pushed her hair back as she slumped against him. Keeping one arm wrapped tightly around her, he lowered himself to the bed, pulling her down on top of him. He stroked her hair as her breathing slowed, letting his fingers work their way gently through her tangled curls. "Mashed potatoes," he murmured.
"Hmm?"
"I'll make you mashed potatoes every day if you want me to," he promised.
Lorelai smiled as she kissed his neck gently. "I don't need mashed potatoes every day."
"No?"
"Coffee, yes. Maybe, pie," she said as she turned her head and brushed her hair back.
Luke smiled as he smoothed her hair back, gathering it in his hand. "Anything else?"
"Maybe a kiss or two. Are those on the menu?"
"Definitely."
"Or ten," she corrected quickly.
"Done."
They lay quietly for a few minutes, reluctant to stir and dress. Lorelai traced delicate patterns through the soft hair on his chest and heaved a gusty sigh.
"Hmm?"
"I don't want to go."
Luke kissed her forehead and said softly, "I wish you could stay."
They lapsed back into silence, as Lorelai milked a few more minutes wrapped in the cocoon of his embrace. "Chili topped Pringles?" she asked hopefully.
Luke chuckled and hugged her tightly as he pressed a kiss to her lips. "Now you're pushing it."