A/N: For Craig, because without Crazy Internet People, I would be lost.
He's Toast
Stare at the toaster. Stare at the toaster. For God's sake whatever you do don't look up. Don't look up! Dammit, you looked up! You're toast, man, toast!
"I can give you tea and a Balance bar," he countered gruffly.
Lorelai blew out an exasperated breath. "Please, please, please tell me you're kidding."
Luke sighed and set the toaster down, happy to have the opportunity to turn away. "I'm kidding."
"You're sick."
"Yup." If only you knew, he thought as he grabbed the coffee pot from where he had stashed it in the kitchen.
"You're a sadist, you're a fiend!" When he turned back to her with the pot in hand, she beamed and cooed, "You're pretty."
"For here or to go?" To go, to go, please say to go, he chanted inwardly.
"To go, please," she answered.
"You wanna know what this stuff does to your central nervous system?" he groused as he reached for a carry out cup.
"Ooh, do you have a chart? 'Cause I love charts," she drawled.
"Forget it, kill yourself," he grumbled as he slid the cup across the counter. "So what happened this morning that was so awful?" he asked as he resumed tinkering with the toaster.
"Rory started Chilton," Lorelai said with a sigh.
"Really?" Luke asked. He couldn't stop himself. Honestly, he couldn't help it. He looked up. He couldn't help it; he eyed the clingy pink tie-dyed t-shirt and alarm bells went off in his head.
"Yeah," she muttered. Lorelai looked up and saw the strange look on his face. "What?" she asked defensively.
"That's how you dress to take Rory to Chilton?" he asked, unable to resist rubbing it in a bit. Rubbing it in, he thought with a laugh. I wish.
"No, but…" she began.
"I mean, that's a fancy school," he pointed out.
"My clothes were at the cleaners, and I had the fuzzy clock and it didn't purr on time," she cried.
"It didn't purr?" Okay, I really couldn't help that. I had to ask, he reasoned.
"It's fuzzy. It purrs." Lorelai huffed and began gathering her coat and dry cleaning from the stool next to her. "You know what, never mind. I gotta go. I had a plan, damn it," she muttered under her breath.
Luke focused his attention back on the toaster. "Me, too. Next time you're getting tea," he said without looking up.
He extracted the charred piece of toast that had been trapped in the toaster and tossed it onto the back counter as he let out a relieved breath with a whoosh. Just as he was congratulating himself on surviving the onslaught, he looked up and saw her open the door to her Jeep.
A surge of lust coursed through him, setting his nerve endings on fire as he stared at the eighteen inches of slim, tanned thigh those ridiculous shorts bared. "Oh God," Luke groaned as his eyes dropped to the cowboy boots. "Too soon, you looked up too soon," he whispered as he envisioned those boots somewhere in the vicinity of his ears, and his hands sliding along that mile and a half of smooth tanned skin.
"I can make you purr," he murmured as he watched her bend over to rearrange the slippery dry cleaning bags. "Please do that again," he prayed under his breath.
Luke felt the tightening in his jeans, but was incapable of tearing his eyes from her as she climbed into the seat. The ragged hem of her shorts rode up a little higher and an involuntary and decidedly unmanly whimper escaped his lips.
The sound jolted him from his reverie, and a blush immediately flooded his cheeks. Luke turned back to the toaster and scowled at it, counting the seconds until he knew it would be safe to look up without running the risk of ogling his friend.
****
Visions of tie-dyed t-shirts and Daisy Duke shorts tormented him for the rest of the morning. And the boots. Luke couldn't even let himself think about the boots. If he did, his brain automatically detoured into what would undoubtedly be considered un-friend-like territory. A guy simply wasn't supposed to trace the tops of his friend's boots with his tongue. He wasn't supposed to spend hours thinking about what her calves would taste like, was he? He was pretty sure that he definitely wasn't supposed to imagine what the heels of those stupid boots would feel like when they dug into his bare back.
Instead, he delivered BLTs and patty melts and doggedly ignored the urge to drop down on his knees and beg her to wrap those insanely long legs around him. He refilled coffee mugs and topped off water glasses, never letting on that all he wanted to do was chew his way through those skimpy cut-offs. Throughout the lunch rush, he managed to pretend he wasn't pushing that t-shirt up over that flat, golden stomach.
He was good at it, the pretending. He took orders while picturing the creamy white skin of her breasts, knowing from his sightings of her at the lake just where the tan lines from her bikini would start and stop. He flipped burgers and pretended he wasn't picturing flipping her over onto her stomach and doing unspeakable things. He rang up customer after customer, thanked them for their business, all the while he thanking God for giving her such a perfect ass in tight jeans.
It was simply one of those days, and Luke knew it. Most of the time, he was pretty good at tamping down on the unbridled lust he felt when he looked at her. After all, he wasn't some seventeen year old boy with a raging hard-on anymore. She was his friend. He liked her, respected her, genuinely cared for her and for Rory. Deep down he knew it was wrong to think of her that way, but even deeper down he knew there was no way in hell he could help it. Especially on days like today. It'll pass, he told himself as he cleared vacated tables. It always does. She'll come in wearing chain mail and say something annoying, and it'll pass, he assured himself. And we'll just be friends again. She'll pester me, I'll sneak her decaf. Yeah, decaf. I'll give her decaf the next time she comes in. That'll teach her to tease a guy with those damn shorts. And the boots. Decaf for the rest of the week for the boots.
****
Luke froze when he saw her walk through the door that afternoon. Jesus, God, shit on a shingle! he cursed silently. Seriously? First the shorts, and the boots and the legs and now this? The flippy skirt? Are you trying to kill me? his brain screamed at her.
"What are you doing here?" Luke felt a moment of relief as the words tumbled from his lips, happy that his mouth had somehow managed to play the voice of reason without his brain's input. He knew that at the moment, his brain was not about to be much help because all thought processes moved decidedly southward the moment he spotted those legs again.
"See, now, that's why you were voted Mr. Personality of the New Millennium. Where's your crown?" Lorelai asked, lifting the messenger bag from her shoulder as she strolled to the counter.
"I just mean you don't usually come in at this time," Luke said gruffly as he turned to the coffee maker.
"Well, I have to pick up Rory from school," she explained. She frowned as Luke poured her some coffee, no questions asked and no commentary offered. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"No lectures?" she asked suspiciously.
"My blood sugar's low. I'll eat an apple and get back to you," he promised. Like an apple's gonna help, he thought derisively.
"Hmm," Lorelai hummed as she took a sip of her coffee. "God, this has been one hectic, bizarro day for me."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. This morning with the being late, and my mother with her existing," she added with a pointed stare. "Oh, and this father, this father from Chilton, he, uh, drove out to the inn all the way from Hartford just to ask me out," she said casually. Lorelai watched carefully as Luke flinched slightly, and felt a rush of satisfaction when he schooled his features again.
"Really? You going?" he managed to ask as he focused too intently on the lunch receipts in his hand.
A small smile twitched at the corners of her lips. "No. He's got a kid in school with Rory, and the whole thing just seemed a little weird."
"Oh, good," Luke answered, forcing himself to let the air trapped in his lungs out slowly and carefully.
"Good?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow challengingly.
Luke glanced up momentarily, but immediately looked away from her bright blue eyes. "Yeah, I think it's good that you turned him down."
"Okay," she drawled.
"I mean, he's probably old, right?" Luke winced inwardly at his own justification, knowing it sounded lame.
"Old?"
"Yeah. I mean, he's got a kid in high school."
"Well, so do I."
"Yeah, but you were young when you had Rory. Most people aren't that young. Most people are, uh. . ." he trailed off, seeing no possible way to actually win this argument.
"Old."
"Yeah."
"Like this guy who asked me out," Lorelai reiterated, unable to resist baiting him a bit.
"But you're not going," he reminded her as he dared to take another peek.
Lorelai met his gaze and confirmed, "No, I'm not going."
Luke nodded and looked down at the tickets in his hand. When he looked up through his lashes, he saw her lips curve into a smile. Emboldened by the near miss, and by the small smile lighting her eyes with pleasure, Luke dove in. "Would you like to have dinner with me?" he asked, not daring to look up at her.
"With you?" Lorelai asked, stunned by the bold invitation.
"I'm not a dad," Luke said as he put the pile of receipts down and braced both hands on the counter, leaning toward her slightly.
Lorelai blinked rapidly as she stared up at him, her mouth agape. "Uh," she managed to grunt as she took in his broad shoulders. Her eyes dropped to the fine dusting of dark hair on his forearms as she fumbled for words. "You are older than me."
"A few years," he conceded as he splayed his fingers on the countertop and pushed into them, his knuckles turning white as he waited for her answer.
"Dinner?" she asked as she looked up at him questioningly.
Relived that she hadn't said 'no' flat out, Luke nodded and said, "Tomorrow night. I know you'll be busy with Rory tonight, but I can pick you up at about seven tomorrow."
"Seven?"
"Earlier or later, no problem," he offered with a shrug.
"Did I say yes?" Lorelai asked with a puzzled frown.
Luke's smile was slow, spreading across his face warm and a little rakish. "You didn't say no," he pointed out.
Lorelai jumped when the cell phone in her purse rang. "Oh, that's me." Luke turned and pointed to the 'No Cell Phones' sign, but Lorelai pointedly ignored him as she pulled the phone from her purse. "Ugh." She answered the call with a supercilious stare. "Hello? Hi Babette. What? Okay. No. No, I'll be right there. Thanks," she said as she hung up. "Um, I have to go," she told him, fumbling in her purse for her wallet.
Luke held up his hand to stop her. "Keep it. I gave you decaf."
Lorelai scowled at him as she shoved her wallet back into her purse and hurried for the door. The bells chimed as she turned to take one last look at him.
Luke crossed his arms over his chest and stared back at her unflinchingly. "Seven?"
"Seven," she muttered under her breath and ducked out of the door.
Luke scooped the pile of receipts from the counter and dropped them into the drawer beneath the register. He turned back to the coffee maker, plucked the carafe holding the decaf coffee from the burner, and dumped it back into the carafe rimmed in orange, all the while humming 'I Got Spurs that Jingle Jangle Jingle' under his breath.
****
Lorelai's mind was a million miles away as Rory and Lane recounted their first of school without each other. Feeling guilty for her inattention, she offered to take the girls into Hartford on Tuesdays and Thursdays so that they could hang out together while she was at class. Soon Lane polished off her slice of pizza and announced that she was late for dinner. She procured Rory's crust by invoking some tofu based sympathy and took off toward the antique store.
Without Lane as a buffer, Lorelai had to force herself to pay closer attention as Rory bemoaned her encounters with the dreaded Paris. She made all the right noises, offered all of the wrong suggestions for how to get rid of the scourge of Paris, and willingly gloated as she basked in her daughter's brilliance.
Lorelai paused as they passed the diner and she saw Luke cleaning off the tables. "Hey, what do you think of Luke?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, do you think he's cute?" Lorelai asked. I do! I do! the little voice inside her head shouted, waving her teeny tiny arm and practically pulling a Horshack.
Rory's eyes widened as she took Lorelai's arm and dragged her from the window. "Oh, no. No way."
"No way what?"
"You cannot date Luke."
"I said nothing about dating Luke," Lorelai insisted.
"If you date him, you'll break up, and we'll never be able to eat there again," Rory said adamantly.
"I repeat, I said nothing about dating Luke."
"Date Al from Pancake World, his food stinks," Rory grumbled as they crossed the street.
"I cannot believe what I'm hearing. Al's food does not stink, Al stinks," Lorelai joked nervously. She paused as they stepped up onto the opposite curb and turned to face her daughter. "I have a date with Luke. Tomorrow."
"You have a date with Luke? How? When did this happen?" Rory demanded.
"Today. This afternoon. He asked, I didn't say yes, and now he's apparently picking me up at seven tomorrow for a date," she explained in a rush
"Wait, you didn't say yes?" Rory asked with a puzzled frown.
"I didn't say no either," Lorelai said desperately.
"Do you want to have a date with Luke?" Rory prodded.
"I don't know," Lorelai confessed as she turned to glance at the diner. She saw Luke step out onto the stoop and flip the sign to 'closed' before wandering back into the diner.
"Yes," she answered, grimacing as she turned away from Luke's retreating back to face her daughter again. "Is that bad? It's bad isn't it? I can break it," she assured Rory quickly. "I'll break it. See if maybe Al is free instead," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. She took Rory's arm and began to quickly walk away from the diner.
"You have a date with Luke," Rory said in an awed tone. "I never thought he'd do it."
"I don't have a date. Breaking it, remember?"
"Aw, you can break it, you'll break his heart," Rory said sadly.
Lorelai snorted. "No, I won't."
"He's liked you for a long time," Rory said knowingly.
"We're friends."
"Do you want to go out with him? Do you want to be more than friends?"
Lorelai stopped walking, jerking Rory to a halt. "Honestly?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah, I think I do. I mean, I like him," Lorelai admitted.
Rory nodded once and gave Lorelai a tug as she began to walk toward the house once more. "What are you going to wear?"
Lorelai smiled as she glanced over at Rory affectionately. "I thought I'd wear what I wore to school this morning," she teased.
"Excellent choice. That outfit goes anywhere," Rory agreed with an emphatic nod.
****
At precisely seven-ten the next evening, Luke knocked on the door. "Coming!" Lorelai called as she hurried down the stairs barefooted. "Hi! Almost ready," she assured him breathlessly as she pulled the door open.
Luke smirked as he looked down at her pink polished toes. "I'm pretty sure the place we're going has one of those shirt and shoes signs."
"Sorry," she said as she fled to the living room in search of her black strappy sandals.
Luke stepped cautiously into the living room. "Is Rory home?" he asked, rubbing his hands together nervously.
"Library with Lane," Lorelai answered, one high heeled sandal dangling from her fingers. She dropped to her knees in front of the couch to search for the left shoe.
Luke bit the inside of his cheek hard as she bent forward, her short black skirt riding up to reveal the supple flesh of her smooth thighs. Frantically, he tried to decide how long he could survive on just the air trapped in his lungs because he was fairly certain that he had just forgotten how that whole breathing thing went. "Uh, can I help?" he asked gruffly.
"I can see it but I can't quite reach it," Lorelai answered as she pressed her cheek to the floor, lifting her bottom into the air.
"Oh, God," Luke breathed. "Um, here, let me," he said as he knelt behind the sofa and lifted the ruffle to peer underneath it.
"No! Don't look!" Lorelai cried in a distressed voice.
"Geez, Lorelai," Luke huffed as he saw the accumulation of crap shoved under her couch. He closed his fingers around the sandal and pulled it from the wreckage. "This place should be condemned," he muttered as he sat back on his heels.
Lorelai scrambled to her feet, pushing the hem of her skirt down as she skirted the end of the couch and stopped in front of him. She wrinkled her nose and said, "Yeah, pretty bad, huh?"
"Uh, yeah," Luke managed to grunt as he forced his eyes to travel higher than her narrow waist. Oh no, don't stop there, he admonished himself as his gaze lingered a moment too long on the soft curve of her breasts beneath the snug pale green sweater she wore. He held up the shoe as his eyes met hers. "You look nice," he said in a low voice.
"Thanks," Lorelai answered, mesmerized by his intent stare. She licked her lips nervously as she plucked the sandal from his hand and dashed for the safety of the other side of the couch. "I knew there was a reason I was supposed to say 'no' to tonight," she rambled as she dropped down onto the cushions and began to wriggle her toes into the shoes.
"Oh?" Luke asked as he stood up.
"I should be in class. It's Tuesday," she reminded him.
"Oh, man, I forgot."
"No big deal, it was cancelled anyway. The professor sent an email this afternoon," she explained as she slipped the straps behind her heels. What she didn't explain was her intention to skip class if it hadn't been cancelled. With a satisfied smile, Lorelai stood up and asked, "Ready?"
Luke's eyes lingered too long on the long, tan legs showcased by the strappy high heels. Lorelai frowned as she looked down. "They don't look right?" she asked in a perplexed tone.
"Perfect," Luke murmured, not realizing that the thought had escaped his internal censor.
Lorelai's smile was brilliant as she preened a bit. "Really?"
Luke cleared his throat as a pink flush crept up his neck. "Well, the boots would look better," he tried to joke.
Lorelai laughed, tossing her hair back over her shoulder. "I almost wore that outfit."
"You should have," Luke replied, embarrassed further by the noticeably husky timbre of his voice.
Lorelai blinked, jolted by the shiver that ran up her spine. "Liked that, did you?" she asked curiously.
Luke chuckled and cleared his throat again. "Uh, yeah."
"Wow. Who knew that Luke Danes has a thing for Daisy Duke?" she teased, hoping to break the tension that hummed noisily between them.
"She did have a Jeep," he pointed out.
"Is it the car? Are you after my car?" Lorelai gasped, pressing her hand to her heart.
"No, that's not what I'm after," Luke said, his dark eyes meeting hers.
Lorelai's smile faded as she tilted her head, trying to read his mind. "No?"
"No," he answered quietly.
Lorelai's brow furrowed. "Luke, are you hitting on me?" she asked at last.
Luke reared back at her direct question. "Uh, I asked you out," he began slowly. "That would, um, imply some interest."
"How much interest?" she asked boldly.
"A lot," he answered honestly.
Lorelai stared back at him, lost in the dark warmth of his blue eyes and the smoldering fire she would swear she saw in their depths. Her mouth went dry and she swallowed hard. Oh man, it would be so nice to get… she cut off the thought before it could go too far. She licked her lips nervously and said, "Well, uh, we should get to it. Dinner, I mean," she corrected quickly.
"Dinner," Luke repeated with a nod. When she hesitated, he stepped back and lifted his arm in a gesture for her to precede him. Lorelai nodded as she started for the door, jumping only slightly when she felt the warmth of his hand in the small of her back.
"So, um, where are we going?" Lorelai asked, daring a glance at him from the corner of her eye as they walked down her porch steps.
"There's a new Mexican place in Woodbridge, I thought maybe we could try that," he suggested.
"Sounds great," Lorelai said with an enthusiastic nod. I could use a margarita. Or six, she decided. Okay, not six. That would be too much, and I am pretty sure I want to be conscious at the end of this date, she reasoned. She turned to look at him as he opened the passenger door of his truck. "You look nice. Did I tell you that?" she asked, smothering a little giggle.
Luke smiled as he offered her his hand to help her into the cab of the truck. Once she was settled on the bench seat, he leaned in slightly and said, "The healing powers of a bath, right?"
Lorelai colored as he slammed the door shut and trotted around the hood. When he climbed into the seat, she turned to him with a sheepish smile. "Heard that, huh?"
"I hear a lot of things," Luke said as he put the key in the ignition. He gave her a small smile to assure her that he hadn't been offended and said, "Thanks for noticing."
"Anytime," Lorelai answered with a grin.
They chatted haltingly on the way to Woodbridge, keeping to the safer topics of town meetings, and the denizens of their fair burg. "So, Taylor after you about the Harvest Festival yet?" Lorelai asked, hoping to inspire a rant.
"Always," Luke answered with a nod. "The season may change, the annoyances don't."
Lorelai nodded and stared through the windshield, stealing surreptitious peeks at his wrist as he draped his hand over the top of the steering wheel. It's a wrist. How hard up are you? she asked herself. But look at that wrist. It's attached to that arm. And that hand. Lucky wrist.
"Lorelai?" Luke called, trying to capture her attention.
She startled a bit and then turned to him. "Huh?"
"Did Rory's first day go okay?" he asked again.
"It was a little bumpy," she admitted. "It's going to take some adjustment, you know, socially. Stars hollow High and Chilton are very different schools."
"Yes they are."
"You went to Stars Hollow High, right?"
"Yes, but I've done all that I can to block those years from my memory," he said with a wry smile.
Lorelai grinned and turned in her seat a little. "Was it bad?"
"Isn't every high school bad?"
"Were you a nerd?" she asked in a low, conspiratorial tone.
Luke snorted. "No."
"A burnout?"
"Hardly."
"Motorhead, geek, slut, blood, waistoid, dweebie?" she queried.
"Nope."
Lorelai gasped and said, "You were a jock!"
"Not really."
"You either are or you aren't," she accused.
Luke pulled into a spot near the restaurant and set the parking brake. He turned to her and said, "There are some who would argue that guys who run track are not jocks."
"Aww. You were a geek sporto," she said, her voice dripping with sympathy. "I bet you wore your letter jacket."
Luke rolled his eyes and reached for the door handle. When he spied Lorelai doing the same, he reached over and put his hand on her leg to get her attention. "I'll get that," he told her, and then he was gone.
Lorelai stared down at her thigh, sure that there would be a scorch mark on her skirt. When he opened her door, she jerked her head up and turned to him. "You are hitting on me, right?"
"Yep," Luke answered as he stepped back, offering his hand once more.
Lorelai slipped her fingers into his palm, and almost moaned when his fingers closed firmly around them. He closed the door, but kept her hand safe in his grasp. "Is that, I mean, should I not?" he asked frankly.
"No. Yes, I mean, you can, that's fine." she stammered. "That's good."
"Good." Luke nodded. "Hungry?" he asked as he nodded to the restaurant.
"Boy, am I," she breathed as he led the way to the door, her fingers clinging to his as they wove their way through the parked cars.
****
How they made it through dinner, she'll never know. Not that it was bad. God, no. It was good. Too good. The food was great. The sangria flowed as freely as the conversation. The tension ebbed and flowed around them. Sometimes sizzling like the skillet that delivered her fajitas. Sometimes, it seeped in slow and stealthy like the punch her wine held. Sometimes it arced between them, building like the crescendo the mariachi band worked up to at the end of each song.
By the time Lorelai drizzled honey over her sopapillas, Luke was unabashedly enraptured. She basked in the heat of his gaze as she licked the sticky honey from her fingertips "Want some?" she asked with exaggerated innocence.
"Yes."
"Here," Lorelai said as she pushed the plate a little closer to him.
"That's okay," he said with a low chuckle, and took another sip of his beer.
"Let me," she said as she tore off a corner of the pastry with her fingers and drizzled it with a generous amount of golden honey. She bright blue eyes were amused as she reached across the table to offer it to him. She half expected him to take it from her fingers and eat it. The other half was not disappointed as he leaned forward and opened his mouth, his lips grazing her fingertips as he pulled away, chewing slowly.
"Thank you," he said, holding her gaze.
"You're welcome," she said softly, unable to tear her eyes from his. When she saw a smug smile curve his lips as he lifted his beer glass, Lorelai narrowed her eyes and lifted the same fingers to her mouth to finish cleaning them off.
Luke set the glass down a tad too forcefully and asked, "You ready?"
"I am," she answered, even though she was not entirely sure what she was agreeing to.
Lorelai finished her dessert as Luke settled the check, and then they stood to leave. Lorelai swayed a bit on her high heels, and he reached for her elbow to steady her. "Okay?"
"My foot's asleep," she confessed as she swayed into him.
"Sure it's not the sangria?" he teased.
"Are you insinuating that I'm drunk?" she asked, clearly affronted.
"Not at all," he answered smoothly.
"I'm not," she assured him. "I'm warm. Maybe a little fuzzy, but nowhere near drunk."
"Good."
As held the restaurant door for her, Lorelai asked, "What now?"
"Um, we could see a movie," Luke said with a shrug.
Lorelai thought for a moment and then asked, "Do you mind if we see what's playing at the BWR? Rory should be home by now, and I don't want to be too far away."
"Sure, no problem," Luke said as he took her hand in his again.
Lorelai smiled, mentally measuring the breadth of his shoulders as she followed him through the maze of parked cars once more. When he opened the passenger door, she hesitated for a moment before climbing in. Luke's brow creased as he turned to look at her questioningly. "I can take you home if you want," he said slowly.
"Your home?"
"I meant yours," Luke said quickly.
"And I meant yours," Lorelai said, listing her chin a bit.
Luke sucked in a breath as he saw the clear invitation in her eyes. He started to respond, but instead found her lips pressed to his. Instantly, he wrapped his arms around her, hauling her against him even as he propelled her back against the open door. Her mouth was soft and yielding, her breath tinged with wine and honey, her tongue tentative as it touched his lower lip. He felt his body seize and then surge and pulled away as if he had been seared. He stared down at her, his jaw working as his eyes bore into her with laser precision. "Are you sure?" he asked at last.
"I'm not sure of anything," she confessed.
"I should take you home," he said gruffly as he stepped back.
"Oh no! I take that back. I'm sure I don't want to go home," she said quickly.
"Maybe not my place," Luke said as he gestured toward the seat, encouraging her to get into the truck.
Lorelai gnawed her bottom lip as she watched him walk slowly around the hood of the truck. She saw him draw a deep breath before yanking on the door handle, and heard him expel it as he climbed into the truck. She turned to him and asked, "If we did go to your place, what would happen?"
Luke turned and stared at her, incredulous. "We'd play Parcheesi," he said dryly.
Lorelai's smile started slow and grew until it wreathed her eyes. "I love Parcheesi."
Luke rolled his eyes and said, "I don't have Parcheesi," as he cranked the engine.
"We could pretend. I'm an awfully good pretender," she said with a nod.
"You are?" he asked as he began to back out of the space.
Lorelai nodded and said, "Yep. I just convinced you that I didn't want you to take me home and take all my clothes off. See? You bought it."
Luke stomped on the brake, jerking them to a halt just before he took out the bumper of the Corolla behind them. "Whoa, boy," she laughed as she clutched the dashboard.
Luke blinked rapidly, trying to be sure he had heard her correctly. "Pretending?"
"I do it a lot. I'm not entirely sure if it's polite to ask for a jack omelet, coffee and a side of diner guy," she said solemnly.
Luke jammed the truck into first gear and cranked the wheel as he muttered, "You've got nothing on me."
"Oh, you like to pretend too?" Lorelai asked as she reached over and placed her hand on his denim clad thigh.
"I'm tired of pretending," he said as he wheeled out of the lot and headed toward Stars Hollow.
The certain knowledge of what was about to happen hummed along with the tires on the pavement. Neither said a word as the needle edged higher and higher on the speedometer. Only when she squeezed his leg gently, did his let off of the gas and offer her a small smile of gratitude.
"That would have been a hard ticket to get out of," Lorelai commented quietly. "Mr. Danes, where are you going in such a hurry."
"I wouldn't fight it."
Lorelai nodded and turned her attention back the road. "Best not to fight it."
They sped on through the dark night; his headlights directed resolutely toward home, their thoughts their own. As they passed the sign welcoming them to Stars Hollow, Luke slowed dramatically and blew out a soft breath. His hands tightened on the wheel as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Do you want me to take you home?" he asked quietly.
Lorelai shook her head imperceptibly and without looking at him whispered, "I want you."
Luke caught his bottom lip between his teeth and bit down none too gently, trying to fight back the rampant desire racing through him. "I want you too," he said at last, turning into the alley behind the diner and pulling to a stop near the back door.
He killed the engine and her hand slid reluctantly from his leg as he opened the door and lunged from the cab. There was no easy trot or slow deliberate walk. He all but sprinted to the other side of the truck, jerked the door open and pulled her down into his arms, his lips blindly seeking hers and finding her cheek before they hit home.
Lorelai clung to his neck, winding her fingers into his hair and pulling him closer still as she parted her lips. The keys clutched in his hand bit into her back as his tongue plundered her mouth. She bowed back under the assault, and then leaned forward, desperate for more as he pulled away. "I want you," she said breathlessly.
Leaving his arm wrapped securely around her back, Luke drew her away from the truck and slammed the door with his free hand. He jingled his keys in his palm, trying to find the right one by touch, and failing. With a grunt of frustration, he released her as he bent his head under the dim security light and sorted through them. Lorelai took full advantage of the opportunity and caught his earlobe with her teeth, letting them rasp over it before sucking the soft skin into her mouth gently.
Luke dropped his keys, negating all of that hard work, and pinning her up against the door. "Don't do that," he said, his voice hoarse with need.
"I couldn't help it. You were right there."
Luke captured her lips in a crushing kiss, pushing against her, his arousal evident and insistent as he pressed into her hip. Lorelai's hands slid down over his blue oxford cloth shirt, her nails raking the material against his chest as she gave as good as she got. "Oh God, I want you," she exhaled in a rush as he pressed hungry kisses to the taut muscles in her neck. He sucked the tender skin into his mouth and laved it with his tongue, causing her to purr low and soft in her deep in her throat.
"Yes, purr," he murmured as he dipped his head and scraped his teeth against her collarbone. "All day yesterday," he groaned as she arched away from the door, pressing her breasts into the hard wall of his chest.
"You thought about me," she whispered confidently.
"Legs, skin, boots, me," Luke managed to string each word along as he rained wet open-mouthed kisses over her neck.
"Take me upstairs," she ordered as she curled her fingers into the crisp fabric of his shirt. "For God's sake, take me."
Bracing one hand on the Luke, Luke literally pushed himself back, wresting his body from the intoxicating allure of hers. He stooped to pick up his keys, and leaned forward, covering the soft skin above her knee with his mouth. Lorelai jumped as if she had been shocked. Her hands flew to his shoulders, grasping handfuls of his shirt and jerking it upward.
"Sorry," he breathed as he pushed to his feet.
"Save it," she said as she stepped aside, nodding to the lock on the door impatiently.
Luke quickly sorted his keys and slid the correct one into the lock. The tumblers turned and clicked loudly in the deserted alleyway, and the hinges protested vehemently as he pulled the door open. Lorelai ducked under his arm and hurried into the entryway, following the light at the top of the wood paneled staircase as if it were a beacon. Luke shot the bolt home again and followed her, closing the distance between them in three long strides. His hands caught her hips in a vain attempt to halt the tantalizing sway of them as she steadily mounted the stairs.
Lorelai stopped suddenly, almost knocking him back as she turned. Luke reached on hand toward the wall to catch his balance and looked up at her questioningly.
"It's not just sex, right?" she asked as if she already knew the answer.
"Hell no," Luke confirmed.
She reached for his hand and pulled it from the wall, holding it behind her as she tucked it into the small of her back. "Hurry," she said as she started up the stairs again.
They burst through the apartment door the moment the latch gave way. Lorelai walked Luke in a small circle, pulling him with her as she kissed him feverishly. His hands reached for the hem of her sweater as he unerringly guided her in the direction of his bed. He pushed it up over her stomach, flattening his palms over her skin as his tongue circled hers. Thos same palms boldly grazed her breasts as he pushed the fabric higher, drawing her tongue into his mouth and sucking it gently before pulling away.
His chest heaved as he yanked the sweater unceremoniously over her head. Lorelai's breasts all but spilled from the demi-cups of a powder blue push up bra. "Beautiful," he managed to murmur before ducking his head and kissing the top of one soft mound.
"Small," she whispered self-consciously.
"Perfect," he countered as he trailed his tongue along the edge of her bra. He licked softly at the sweet valley between her breasts and then pressed his nose to her, inhaling the scent of her perfume.
"Oh, please," Lorelai breathed as he showered her other breast with soft kisses.
Luke tilted his head and captured the hardened nipple that pressed insistently against the lacy cup. He drew it into his mouth even as his fingers released the clasp of her bra. Lorelai moaned as he pulled back to look at her and the cool air kissed the sensitized skin. Then she cried out softly as his hot mouth closed over her. She laced her fingers through his soft hair, tugging on it lightly as he pulled her deeper into his mouth.
"This is nuts. I shouldn't want you this much," she said helplessly as she felt the straps of her bra slide down her arms and fall at her feet.
"No," Luke agreed as he moved to her other breast and began the assault on her senses all over again.
"How am I going to look at you again?" she wondered as her fingers curled into his scalp. "How am I going to look at you and not want you?"
"Welcome to my world," Luke said as he raised his head and brought his lips to hers again. They kissed greedily, each trying to take their fill. Lorelai pulled his shirt tail from his jeans and slid her hands under it, only to whimper in frustration when she encountered his undershirt instead of the smooth, hot skin that lay beneath.
"Off, off," she said as she grappled with the thin cotton barrier. "All of it off," she demanded.
Luke chuckled at her impatience and pulled both shirts up over his head. He yanked his hands free of the cuffs and then tossed the tangled clothing aside carelessly. He pulled her to him, groaning as her bare breasts molded to his chest. Lorelai glanced behind her and then grasped his arms, kneading the muscles appreciatively as she walked three more steps back to the bed. When the back of her knees bumped the mattress, she dropped down onto it and immediately attacked his belt buckle. "I said all of it," she said as she looked up at him teasingly.
"I thought you meant both shirts," he answered with a smirk, standing docilely in front of her as she opened the buckle, dipped her fingers into the waistband of his jeans and popped the top button open.
"I meant everything," Lorelai said pointedly as she looked up at him and pulled on the denim, releasing the button fly with a series of satisfying pops. She pressed her palms to the open vee of his pants and smoothed them over his hips, easing the jeans down over his boxer briefs.
"Hang on," Luke said as he covered her hands to still them.
"I'm barely hanging on as it is," she complained.
"One sec," he promised as he stepped back and bent to untie his boots. He toed them off quickly and then skinned his jeans down over his muscular thighs.
"Ah, yes," Lorelai said with a nod. "Shoes."
Luke stripped off his jeans and socks and then knelt beside the bed. Cupping her calf in his hand he lifted one foot from the floor and gently slid the strap of her sandal over her heel. As it clattered to the floor, he tenderly massaged her leg, his fingers caressing the smooth skin reverently. Lorelai sucked in a breath as he lowered his head and kissed her knee softly. Her toes curled as she pressed her foot to his stomach, feeling the soft hair against her arch. Her breath came faster as she wet her lips. Luke slowly lowered her foot to his thigh and lifted her other leg. Once again, her shoe clattered to the floor as he ran his fingertips teasingly over her skin. Once again, he pressed his mouth to her kneecap. This time, she moaned softly, telling him of the ache that burned deep inside of her.
Luke skimmed both hands over her legs, inching higher with each caress, driving her wild with each stroke of his callused hands over smooth skin. Her breath hitched in her chest as he rose up on his knees, working his way steadily higher, inching the hem of her skirt up little by little; letting his fingertips trail lazily to her ankles before pressing his palms to her demandingly for the next pass. His thumbs teased her inner thighs, his fingers spread further and further beneath her skirt.
"Take it off," Lorelai whispered as she pressed her toes to the cool wood floor and lifted her hips from the bed.
"No," he answered with a slow shake of his head. He pulled his hands back up to her calves and then wrapped his fingers around them, lifting her feet as he pushed her back across the bed.
"Luke," Lorelai gasped as he pushed her skirt up to the tops of her thighs.
He opened his mouth and pressed it to the inside of one thigh, feasting on the golden flesh that tormented his days and haunted his nights. "God, I want you," he murmured against her skin as he moved higher still. He inhaled deeply, drinking in the scent of her arousal as his nose grazed her panties.
"Yes," Lorelai cried softly, pushing her hands into the mattress and lifting her hips. "Oh, yes," she moaned as he pressed his lips to the damp satin that covered her. "No," she whimpered as he began to kiss his way back down her thigh.
Luke smiled as he lifted her leg, letting his tongue tease the tender skin at the back of her knee. Lorelai writhed, torn between arousal and ticklish laughter. She leaned forward and grasped his head with both hands, the smile on her face belying her stern glare. "Sorry," he said with utter insincerity.
"You will be," she threatened as she pulled him back up, guiding him to the pulsing heat between her legs.
"Yeah, punish me," Luke said in a hoarse voice. He pressed his mouth to her again, tasting her on the slippery fabric that did absolutely nothing to withhold evidence of her arousal. She slid his tongue along the satin, circling it against her with maddening deliberation.
Lorelai pushed back, her head dangling over the edge of the mattress as she braced both heels on the bed and pushed up against him. Luke reached for the elastic that encircled her leg and jerked it aside impatiently. He pressed his tongue to her clit, circling it slowly as she gasped above him. She circled her hips, her body begging for more, and he was more than happy to provide it. He licked her hungrily, drawing her clit into his mouth and sucking greedily before releasing her to plunge his tongue into her folds.
"Luke, now, now," she panted as she tugged at his hair.
He hummed his resistance against her, pushing her directly to the brink as it vibrated through her. He pushed her thighs further apart and plunged his tongue into her, teasing her with maddening strokes. Lorelai cried out as she broke, pushing against his demanding tongue wantonly as she whispered his name over and over again.
Slowly he eased the tension in his fingers, knowing that he had probably left marks on the tender skin of her thighs. He kissed her gently, bringing her down slowly as she shuddered with the aftershocks of her orgasm. "Oh my," she whispered as he pressed his lips lovingly to the red marks his fingers had imprinted on her legs.
"Mm hmm," he hummed with satisfaction.
Lorelai gave a breathy laugh and said, "Sorry, jumped the gun. Been a while."
Luke chuckled as he continued to kiss her thighs, his hair brushing against her as he alternated legs, sure to give equal time and appreciation. His hands travelled the length of both legs, over and over again.
"Leg man, huh?" Lorelai asked softly.
Luke laughed again and looked up with a sheepish smile. "Could ya tell?"
"Maybe a little."
"You came in wearing those shorts yesterday. Thos shorts should be outlawed," he said gruffly as he pressed into the mattress and pushed himself up.
"You don't like them?" she asked innocently as he knelt on the edge of the bed and reached to pull her up onto it lengthwise.
"You can't wear them in public," he said with a pointed look. "Look what happens."
"Oh no," she said in mock horror.
"I might have to insist. First that poor schmuck that you turned down, thank God, then me."
"Oh, so it was just the shorts? Just yesterday?" she asked, running her hands over his arms as he loomed over her.
Luke lowered his body to hers, trapping her beneath his weight. "Yeah, just since yesterday," he said with a smirk.
"I don't believe you," she said shrewdly.
"Smart lady," he said with an approving nod as he lowered his mouth to hers. He kissed her deeply and then whispered, "I want you. I've wanted you for a long time."
Lorelai nodded and then said, "Might be a little hard for you to have me if you insist on keeping your underwear on."
Luke promptly pushed up once more and knelt between her legs as he pushed his boxer briefs down over his hips. Lorelai purred as she reached down to stroke the rigid length of him. She ran her thumb over the velvet tip of his cock, and sighed softly as she collected the drop of moisture there.
Abandoning his briefs, Luke reached for her hand and pulled it up to his lips. He placed a moist kiss to her palm and said, "I really don't want to jump the gun. Ruin my rep as a track geek."
Lorelai smiled her understanding and nodded as he released her hand and went back to shedding his underwear. Once he kicked them off of the end of the bed, he resumed his spot between her long, silken legs and sat back on his heels; his erection jutting proudly as he brushed his fingertips against her damp curls. He watched her carefully, trying to memorize the way she looked when he touched her like that, cataloging each shortened gasp as he stroked her there, and basking in every tiny moan as he began to drive her up once more.
Lorelai watched him through heavily lidded eyes, noting the arrogant lift of his lips, committing to memory the way his face softened in wonder each time she moaned her pleasure, and waiting patiently until she was sure he would be hers. She circled her hips, pressing against his fingers urgently until he gave in and allowed one to slip into her. Lorelai smiled her triumph as he closed his eyes, clearly enraptured by the feel of her closing around him.
"Luke," she whispered.
He fought to open his eyes, his fingers plunging into her as if he were unable to stop himself. He wet his lips, but no words came out.
"I want you inside of me," she said softly. A strangled groan ripped from his chest as he pulled his fingers from her heat and leaned forward, catching his weight on his hands. Lorelai shook her head and said, "Lie down."
Luke squeezed his eyes shut and then shifted onto his side, letting her slide out from under him on the narrow bed. She shimmied out of ehr skirt and panties as he moved onto his back and looked up at her, his eyes wide as she straddled his hips. He swallowed hard, trying to wet his dry throat. "I won't, I might not," he rasped as she wrapped her fingers around his stiff shaft. "Lorelai…"
"Shh," she soothed as she guided him to her entrance.
"Oh God," he ground out as she sank slowly onto him. "While. Won't last," he said in a rush as her wet heat closed around him, holding him deep inside of her.
"Then we'll be even," she answered with a soft smile as she began to ride him slowly. Lorelai was rewarded with a series of tiny grunts as she found a steady rhythm. She braced her hands on his chest and leaned forward, moaning as the shift in position afforded her the friction she craved. "Oh, yeah," she breathed as Luke began to thrust up into her, meeting each stroke.
"You feel incredible," she panted as she began to ride him faster.
"Guh," he choked as she tightened around him even more.
"So good, so good," she chanted as she pushed back against him.
"Lorelai," he rasped as his control snapped and he flooded into her, filling her with hard, hot bursts.
"So good," she drawled as she tossed her head back and pushed harder.
"Come, come," he gasped as he gripped her hips, pushing her onto him urgently as she reached for her release. He felt her tense, her muscles coiling in preparation for the flood of pleasure. "Jesus, Lorelai," he groaned as she clenched around him.
Lorelai's breath caught on a squeak, and then she moaned long and low as the waves of her climax washed through her, turning her bones liquid as she sagged against him. Luke caught her, lowering her to his chest and wrapping her up tight in his arms. "Dear God, yes," he breathed into her ear.
Lorelai slid her legs out from under her, straightening them alongside his as she buried her nose in his neck. He stroked her back, trailing his fingertips along her spine and then letting them swirl lazily over the sweet curve of her perfect ass. "Thank you for not saying no," he mumbled.
Lorelai's satisfied smile made her eyes twinkle as she raised her head and peered down at him. "My pleasure. Twice, actually." When he chuckled, she kissed him lightly on the lips and said, "Next time I'll wear the boots," she whispered.
"The, uh, sandals work too," he said gruffly.
"What wouldn't work?"
"Pretty much nothing," he admitted.
Lorelai smiled contentedly as she toyed with the bits of hair that curled behind his ear. "I purred."
Luke smiled up at the ceiling and cradled her head to his chest. "I know. Pretend you didn't hear it. I don't wanna get up yet," he said as he pressed a soft kiss to her hair. "You wore me out. I'm toast," he added, chuckling at his own joke.