Author's note: Well...it would be a shame to leave you stuck there. I've been accused of being a "tease"--how dare you! = ) Calico, here's your update. I'm sorry it's so short...it's...well gah! I can't write too much! I have a life! Honest! I have a date tonite! (That's how bad it is--I'm delaying getting ready for a date just to write fanfiction. Sheesh!) Well, like I said, it's short. And I'm sorry. *Sigh* But 10 more reviews and I'll post more tomorrow. I'm a feedback whore, yes, it's true, but whatever you do, just read on!--Annest
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"Whoa," Rory breathed as the door swung open on its own, revealing a hotel suite that was almost five times larger than any she had ever stayed in. Her jaw stayed dropped as Tristan pushed her in to the room and laughed, kicking the door shut gently with his foot as he carried both of their suitcases. "This is gorgeous, Tristan. And at the same time, even our surprisingly good budget can't possibly cover this room for a week," Rory told him, turning to face Tristan as he set down the luggage.

In return he nodded before crossing to the wet bar, taking a bottle of wine off of the rack and uncorking it. Pouring it into a small glass, his gaze connected with hers. "It's mine," he said simply. "Do you want any?" A gesture with the red-liquid contents of the glass didn't distract Rory.

"Yours?" she said, raising her eyebrows, and then sighing. "Of course it is," she said in resignation. Tristan took a step back to her.

"What does that mean?" he countered.

"Everything's yours," she said quietly. A quiet sigh again, and Rory turned away, once again cheerful as she opened first a door close to the sofa. Peeking inside she saw an immaculate bathroom with a full-sized whirlpool and shower, three sinks, a towel heater and everything imaginable, with floor-to-ceiling mirrors and a beveled glass window that let the late afternoon light inside. A few steps away, the next doorway, which didn't have an actual door, instead it opened up into a beautiful bedroom, complete with a king-size bed on a raised platform, covered in dark navy silk that perfectly matched the decor.

"Rory?" he questioned loudly, his voice wafting in from the kitchen.

"I...ah, yes?" Rory answered, peeking around the doorway. Her heartbeat quickened annoying at the look of Tristan, his blonde hair tousled perfectly, tanned skin showing from where he had casually left the top two buttons of his shirt undone.

"Do you want to take a short nap before dinner? I thought we'd stop by the restaurant of a friend of mine, maybe take in another show before tomorrow, since we probably won't have much free time once work gets started." His head was down the whole time, and Rory lost sight of Tristan when he ducked down to pluck a bag of unmistakable Kona Gold coffee from the freezer. "I promise, you can have some later," he laughed when she practically attacked him.

"Sure, I guess so," Rory answered, grinning grudgingly at his smiling face. "Yeah, Tris, I think I'll take a short nap. What time is it?" Turning around, Tristan caught sight of the silver kitchen clock.

"It looks like it's..."

"Aha!!!" Rory grabbed the coveted coffee from Tristan's loosened grip.

"Oh no you don't, Gilmore. No coffee until later." A quick side tackle proved just the thing to wrestle the bag away from her grasp. Rory lashed out teasingly and Tristan suddenly had her back against the laquered counter, holding the coffee up in triumph.

"Dang...dangit," Rory said, unexpectedly out of breath. Trying for composure she ducked underneath his arm and slipped away a few feet. "You...you keep doing...that, Tristan," she said huskily.

To her retreating back, Tristan's answer was quiet and equally breathless. And even more hopeful than she had ever heard. "And you keep doing that, Rory. You keep doing that."
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It wasn't bad waking up next to Tristan. His arms were strong, his breath warm against her neck, his hold on her waist welcome. Rory's hand tangled langurioussly in the blonde tufts of his hair, twisting softly as his breath awakened her.

"Morning," he murmured softly, still very asleep.

"G'morn..." Rory started to respond, a hairs breadth away from laying her lips gently on his when she realized where she was and who was with her.

Well, the inner Lorelei said, you knew exactly who you were with.

"Tristan, it's not morning," Rory said not-so-delicately into his ear. "C'mon!" She tried to roll away from him but one lean arm swung out to pull her back to him.

"Mmm," Tristan moaned, nuzzling his lips into Rory's neck. There goes that heartbeat again, Gilmore, she told herself.

"Tristan, wake up," Rory said, fighting her way away from Tristan and rolling to the other side of the bed.

Thump.

Rolling off of the bed, if one wanted to be technical.

But at least it woke him up.

"Rory?" he said, two piercing blue eyes, full of laughter, peeked at her over the top of the rumpled duvet cover.

"Don't even ask," she told Tristan between set teeth.

"I wasn't going to! Honest!" Still, Rory took a clean shot at Tristan with a nearby pillow before unceremoniously pulling herself off of the carpet and heading toward the bathroom.
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A half an hour later Rory appeared, brushing her slightly-damp hair back into a black barrette. Her black sleeveless wool dress hung lightly on her body, a perfect Audrey Hepburn picture framed in the bedroom doorway. Tristan's throat went as dry as the Sahara desert when she walked out, though he had seen her so many times before. He had seen her in perfect bridal white, even, and there was no doubt in his mind she was beautiful. But it was the pure simplicity that just WAS Rory; that was what took his breath away.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked quietly, also a little breathless as she caught sight of his crisp french blue shirt and classy gray slacks.

"You know, I...mm...you look beautiful tonight, Ror," he told her, grabbing keys and wallet off of the hall table, swinging them around in one hand and grabbing one of Rory's hands in the other.

"Mmhm...thanks," Rory murmured softly, again keeping her voice quiet enough that Tristan had to bend toward her to hear it, and had to take in the feeling of being so near to her.

"Anything for the woman of my dreams," Tristan said gallantly, shutting the double doors of the suite as the couple stepped out into the hallway.

"Funny...I didn't see my mother around here."

"Gilmore, if there was something funny there, I think I failed to catch it."

"Don't worry. I'm sure it's not the first thing you've failed at, Tristan," Rory told him, still laughing at her own private joke.

"Yes, but I don't intend to fail again," he said, with the slightest tinge of huskiness in his smooth voice. Rory's skin prickled where his hand touched the back of her neck. Out of a spontaneous...something...Rory's heartbeat tapped a rhythm that egged her silently on, and her lips softly landed on the nape of Tristan's neck. He jumped, she felt him.

"Hey," he said quietly.

"Hey," she answered back, staring at the back of his head as the elevator doors opened to admit other passengers. But he still had her arms wrapped securely around him, her weigh pressed securely against his. Around the third floor he tilted his head back and she felt his warm breath on her neck, his lips just at her earlobe.

"I...ah...mm."

"I'm sorry?" Rory laughed teasingly.

"I...I think that I like you, Rory Gilmore," Tristan said, pressing a kiss to her hand before wrapping it safely by his waist again.

That's good, she sighed silently, because I think I love you, Tristan DuGrey.
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GAH! So...short! That makes me mad at myself. Anyway, I feel terrible for this, but I feel like I have to. I'll update as soon as I get 10 reviews. Ack! I'm now a feedback slut! WHY?!--Annest