A/N: Insert into Middle Management Chapter 28 - Snapshots from Venice

Venetian Nights

Lorelai felt like they were living on golden time. Venice was perfect. Rory was perfect. Luke was perfect. It was all so damn perfect, and it was annoying the crap out of her. Something was off. Something had changed. At first she thought that it was the separation, or maybe the strange surroundings. Then she thought that maybe they were just settling, becoming one of those comfortable married couples she swore she and Luke would never be. They spent their days holding hands and roaming through ancient buildings and admiring art that took one's breath away. They studied the architecture, they bought cheap souvenirs, ate with gusto and took what seemed like hundreds of pictures. At night, alone in their room, Luke would make love to her gently and reverently. As always, their time in bed was punctuated with teasing and taunting, whispered words of love and devotion, jokes and laughter, sweet kisses and tender caresses. As always, Luke was slow and patient while Lorelai writhed with want and need. As always, she slept secure on the curve of his body, his hand draped across her, his hand sprayed protectively, possessively over her smooth skin. But now, Lorelai felt a yearning for something more. Something that had been there once, but now seemed to have fled. She just wasn't sure what it was.

She sat cross legged on the bed, loading pictures from their trip to Rome onto Luke's laptop. There were so many of them. Cityscapes, shots of strangers in piazzas, posed for shots of the three of them that kind tourists snapped, and shots where they caught one another unaware, wearing expressions of awe, disgust, adoration, boredom, and carefree happiness. As Luke showered, she uploaded the pictures and cleared the memory cards for the next day's excursion. She sat back against the pillows with a sigh as she idly flipped through the pictures, deleting blurred shots, or any that happened to catch her in a less than flattering light. Her mind wandered as she went through them. Tonight they were going out to celebrate their six month anniversary. Lorelai was torn between excitement over the evening alone with him and the itchy feeling that was nagging at her.

She smiled distractedly as she flipped past some pictures they had taken after they met up with Rory at the Spanish Steps. She paused, about to delete a picture of her bending over to tie her shoe. She was presenting a tremendous ass shot for the lens, laughing over her shoulder at something Rory had said as she snapped the picture, and Luke was standing beside her, gazing down at her. She had just hit the button to delete the shot, and for once she was thankful for the computer's annoying tendency to second guess her decisions. As her finger hovered over the button, Lorelai caught sight of the expression on Luke's face as he looked down at her. As she bent over in her short shorts, her hair tumbling forward in a mass of dark curls, Luke stared at Lorelai with such naked desire that just seeing the picture made her breath catch in her throat.

She quickly cancelled the action to delete the photo and looked at it carefully. She realized then what had been missing. That desire to possess each other unguardedly, whole heartedly. She stared transfixed, as she recalled the tender restraint of their love making. She recalled the carefully considered, almost courteous, way that he touched her now. What was missing was the passion. Not passion in the sense that they didn't feel deeply for one another, but passion which drove them with reckless abandon to claim one another as their own. They were missing that passion that sizzled around the edges of their love, sparking it into a blaze which neither could resist, even if they wanted to.

She pressed her hand to her stomach unconsciously as she flipped through some more pictures, her mind far removed from her task. A moment later, she stopped again as she stared at a picture of Luke standing behind her at the Trevi Fountain, his arms around her, his hand splayed across her stomach, a look of pure happiness lighting his smile as he glanced down at her proudly. She blinked as she realized that that was how he held her at night now. His hand no longer strayed to the curve of her breast, or cupped her hip as he slept. Now, it spanned the gentle curve of her flat stomach. It was then that she realized that she was no longer Lorelai Gilmore, the girl he had desired from afar and finally won, but Lorelai Danes, soon to be mother of his child.

She sat back against the pillow, blinking rapidly to beat back the unexpected tears that threatened. She shook her head to clear it, biting her lip as she wondered what she was going to do about it. She looked at the closet and saw the little black dress with the sexy scoop neck she had picked up at the Mercerie while Rory dragged Luke through yet another museum. The Ferragamo shopping bag sat on the floor, her new shoes waiting to make their debut at dinner that night. She got up and rummaged through a drawer, surveying her lingerie selection with a frown. Finally, she pulled out a black bra and a tiny black lace thong, eying them speculatively as she tucked them into the shopping bag with her shoes as she heard the bathroom door open.

Luke stepped into the room with a towel slung low around his hips, rubbing his hair dry with another towel. "Man, that felt good," he said with a smile. He looked at the laptop on the bed and asked, "You get them loaded?"

"Yep. Erased the cards, too," Lorelai said as she moved to gather her bath stuff and carry it into the bathroom.

"Any good ones?" Luke asked as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the computer to him. "Hey, that's a nice shot," he said gesturing to the picture of them in front of the fountain.

Lorelai plastered a bright smile to her face and said, "Yeah, I liked it." She looked at the bathroom door and said, "I'm gonna go take a bath, get ready."

Luke nodded and said, "Okay. I'll get dressed in a minute," as he got up to get a clean pair of boxers from the drawer and pulled them on under his towel. He stretched back out on the bed and picked up the computer as Lorelai closed the bathroom door behind her.

She rummaged through her travel bag, cursing the day she decided to leave half of her arsenal at home thinking she wouldn't need those feminine weapons on this trip. She dumped half of the tiny bottle of bath gel the hotel provided into the running water and stepped into the warm sudsy water. Her hands rubbed her flat stomach gently as she thought about the days when they were first dating.

When the movie ended, they walked hand in hand to his truck, chatting amiably about the movie's funny moments. When they approached the passenger door, Luke spun Lorelai around and pressed her up against the side of the truck, assaulting her with passionate kisses. Lorelai responded eagerly, pushing her fingers into the soft curls at the base of his neck and urging him closer to her. Finally, Luke stepped back suddenly and blinked at her. "We've have got to stop this," he said, his voice ragged. Still in a daze, Lorelai looked at him uncomprehendingly. He opened the door for her and helped her into the truck. When he had walked around to the driver side and gotten in, he found her staring straight through the windshield.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, his finger tracing the arc of the steering wheel, "I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm acting like a hormone driven teenager." He turned to look at her, "I just can't seem to help myself." When she didn't respond right away, he continued, "I just can't believe that I get to be here with you, you know? I've wanted it for so long, and now it's here, in front of me, and I don't seem to have any self control."

Lorelai turned to him and looked at him solemnly, "You seem to be the only one with any self control in this truck."

"Lorelai," he started gently, trying to explain, "I want more than this. I mean, I obviously want that, too, but that's not why I'm here. I don't want you to think that."

"I know that Luke," she said covering his hand with hers, "I know that. It's almost like maybe we should just, you know, and then maybe we won't be so focused on it…"

"Lorelai Gilmore," he said seriously, "when we, um, well, I don't want it to be something we do to get it over with, or to ease our, I don't know, desires, I guess would be the word," Luke looked down to gather his thoughts "If that were the case, we could stop at a cheap motel right now if we wanted too. But," he said taking a deep breath, "we have only been 'dating' for about three days, you know?"

"I know," she said with a sigh, "It seems like so much longer. It seems like we have been waiting forever, for years, I guess."

He laughed a little and said, "Well, maybe we have been. But let me make one thing clear on my part," he said, reaching up to stroke her cheek as her stared at her with those penetrating blue eyes. "When we," he paused to swallow the lump in this throat, "make love, I want to make love with you, not have sex. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," she said, lost in his eyes, "I want that too."

When they did finally make love it was everything she knew it would be, safe but with an edge of danger, tender but with a passion simmering beneath the surface that would rupture like volcano and consume them both, the physical embodiment of a love that blossomed from a seed friendship and stayed deeply rooted there. From their first time together, she trusted Luke wholeheartedly. Trusted that he would care for her, trusted that he wanted her, trusted that he knew her like no one else did, and knew that he returned every bit of that trust.

He smiled sheepishly and said, "Take me, I'm yours," as he flung his arms out to the side in mock supplication.

She grinned at him and said, "Oh, goody," as she went to work trailing kisses across his chest. Her hands reached up to lock around the strong muscles in his biceps, feeling them flex as she held him down. She slithered down his body, nibbling at him as she went, letting her fingers trail languidly behind her. When she reached his stomach, she let her hair fall over his engorged penis, and a deep moan escaped his lips.

Smiling she kissed his hipbones, letting her hair tease and torment him. His hands came up off of the bed to bury themselves in her curls. She licked the crease between his hip and thigh, and allowed her hot breath to play over his balls as she switched to the other side, watching his penis twitch in anticipation. His fingers were flexing convulsively in her hair, tightening their hold on her, but still her tongue teased his thigh. Finally, she exhaled a long hot breath over him as she let her tongue dart out to touch the head of his cock. Luke sat up as if a jolt of electricity had shot through him. Chuckling, she eased him back murmuring, "I promise, I won't hurt you," in a teasing voice.

"You're about to kill me," he ground out roughly.

"Oh, poor baby," she murmured against his stomach. "Let's see if we can't get you a little relief," she said before wrapping her lips around him and drawing him into her mouth. She licked the head of his cock and sucked it feverishly while she wrapped her hand around his shaft and began stroking him. Luke lost himself in the pleasure of it, for a moment forgetting his need to be inside of her. When he felt the beginning of his orgasm coming, he reached down and pulled her up to him roughly.

"Hey," she protested, as he lifted her up further, and wriggled down off of the pillows. He held her hips firmly and guided her until she was straddling his head. He pulled her down to him, plunging his tongue into her soft folds. As he began to tease her clit with his tongue, Lorelai grasped for the headboard, riding the wave of sensation that was shooting through her. He licked and sucked her mercilessly, his fingers sliding into her. When he felt her begin to tighten and ride him with determination, he knew that she was getting close again.

He lifted her again, and positioned her directly over him. She smiled as she took him in hand and guided him to her entrance. With a forceful thrust, Luke drove into her, pulling her hips down on him simultaneously. Lorelai threw her head back in pleasure and Luke saw the feline smile that creased her face as she rode him hard. His hands teased at the crevice of her ass, her own hands held her breasts as she stared at him challengingly. He moved his right hand around so that his thumb would press against her clit as she slid up and down his shaft. After only a moment or two of the combined friction, Lorelai began to lose control, her breath catching in her throat as she gasped his name over and over again.

When she peaked this time, Luke was there with her, losing himself in her. "Lorelai," he groaned helplessly. "Oh God, Lorelai!"

After they had been together for a while, they both expected the fire to bank itself and burn with less fervor. They were both wrong.

Slowly, deliberately, he plunged first one finger then another into her. Lorelai pressed her head back into his shoulder and arched up into his hand, closing her eyes. Luke was mesmerized by the sight of her in the mirror, wanting, aching for him. "Look Lorelai," he whispered again. "I'm inside of you." She moaned and opened her eyes to watch his hand sending shockwaves of pleasure through her. He felt the tension begin to build as she clenched his fingers with her walls. "How long will I want you, Lorelai?" he asked.

"Forever," she whispered, unable to tear her eyes from their reflection.

"How long will I love you?" he asked.

"Forever," she ground out, feeling her orgasm coming.

"Watch, Lorelai," he whispered. "Watch while I make you come," he said, locking eyes with her in the mirror. He wrapped his arm around her to hold her up as her legs buckled beneath her. His fingers driving her higher and higher, Luke kept whispering and chanting in her ear. "Forever, Lorelai, forever."

As she toppled over the edge, he kissed her temple murmuring, "So beautiful, so beautiful to watch you come." He kissed her again and said, "I love that I can make you come. I love that you want me."

Lorelai opened her eyes and stared at him in the mirror. "Forever," she panted, trying to clear her head.

Lorelai bit her lip as she found herself skimming her hands over her body under the surface of the water. Memories flashed through her head like a slideshow of photographs on the computer. Luke pressing her against the wall as he ripped the sheer pink thong from her. Luke tied to the bed as she drove him wild, his voice cracking as he begged to touch her. Luke stripping her naked and loving her under a blanket of stars. Luke's face as she knelt on the floorboard of his old truck and took him into her mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut as a tear seeped from the corner of her right eye. Angrily, she wiped at it with her wet hand, and sat up to pull the plug from the drain. She stood up in the tub and showered quickly.

Wrapped in a towel she stood in front of the mirror and carefully applied her makeup, thankful for the light tan she had acquired over hours of sightseeing. She smoothed lotion over every inch of skin that she could reach, and untwisted the towel from her head, combing through her tangled curls with her fingers before she applied product to her damp tresses. She used the hotel blow drier on its lowest setting to try to dry her hair into some semblance of order. Finally, she dug through her bag until she found a sparkly rhinestone clip, and pulled her hair back from her forehead, letting the curls tumble wildly down her back.

She stepped out of the bathroom long enough to snag her dress and the bag with her shoes and lingerie. She glanced over and saw Luke standing in front of the mirror above the dresser, fidgeting with the collar of his new black silk sweater. She eyed him appreciatively and said, "I'll be ready in a minute," as she ducked back into the bathroom.

She quickly sprayed perfume in a few strategic areas and slipped into the black bra and lacy thong. As she adjusted the straps on the thong, she smirked thinking about the granny panties she would surely be wearing in the near future. She stepped into her dress, leaving the back unzipped because she knew Luke loved finishing that task for her. She pulled her beautiful new shoes from the box and strapped them on. She looked into the mirror, tugging gently on the skirt of the dress to get it to hang properly, ran her fingers through her curls, and took a deep breath before she stepped out. She walked slowly over to Luke and turned her back to him demurely purring, "Zip me?"

Luke smiled and said, "Gladly," as he gently pulled the zipper into place before resting his hands on her shoulders and nuzzling her neck. "You look beautiful," he whispered.

Lorelai sent him a saucy look over her shoulder and said, "And you only saw the back of me."

Luke smiled as she turned in his arms. He lifted a brow and said, "I have never been disappointed by the front of you. You do look beautiful," he said softly. "More beautiful than you have ever been."

"Thank you," she said with a slightly bashful smile.

Luke looked down at her and said, "You know, I never really got that whole thing about pregnant women glowing. I do now," he said kissing her gently. "You look like you're lit from within."

Lorelai's smile faltered slightly at the compliment, but she was not sure why. She quickly covered by asking, "Are we ready?"

"I think we are," he said reluctantly releasing her.

"Well then, I think you should take me out on our date," Lorelai said with a nod as she reached for her purse. She glanced down at her serviceable shoulder bag with a grimace as she looked down at her pretty dress and shoes.

Luke saw her internal debate and said, "You don't really need it."

Lorelai plucked a lip glass from the bag and asked, "Would you put this in your pocket?"

Luke smirked at the tube and said, "Don't need that either, it just gets kissed off."

"Please?" she asked, unwilling to do with out at least one bullet in her arsenal.

Luke took the tube from her fingers and slipped it into the charcoal grey dress pants her was wearing, He grimaced and grumbled "Just don't expect me to whip it out in public."

Lorelai gasped and giggled, "Dirty!" as she headed to the sitting room to say goodbye to Rory.

They were led to a tiny alcove with a rounded banquette lit by a candle. Lorelai frowned slightly as she ordered sparkling water and Luke nodded for the waiter to bring the same for him. "You can have a beer or a glass of wine," she said a little more tersely than she intended.

Luke shrugged and said simply, "I like the water."

They perused the menu, trying to make heads or tails of the selections without Rory to translate for them from her travel dictionary. They finally ordered in a flurry of bad pronunciation, pointing to the menu and gesturing helplessly with their hands. They settled back and lightly discussed the sights they had seen in Rome and the pictures they had taken. The antipasto platter appeared before them, and Luke turned the platter so that the olives were easily accessible to Lorelai. By the time their entrees were served, Luke frowned slightly and asked, "Do you feel okay?"

"I'm fine," Lorelai said as she picked up her fork and attacked her meal.

"You're awfully quiet," Luke observed as he watched her carefully.

"Hungry," Lorelai mumbled, unable to meet his eyes, her frustration feeding on itself and growing larger and larger.

They spoke haltingly as they ate, the tension at the table rising slightly with each passing moment. As their plates were cleared, Luke reached over and covered her hand with his, rubbing his thumb over her skin affectionately. "Dessert?" he asked with a smile.

Lorelai shook her head and said, "No, I think I'm good."

"Cafee e latte?" he asked, trying to cajole her.

"No, thank you," she said softly.

Luke cocked his head and asked, "Have I done something wrong?"

Lorelai shook her head slowly and said, "No, you've been perfect."

"Are you tired?" he asked solicitously.

Lorelai shrugged slightly and said, "Not really."

Luke nodded slowly and asked, "Well, what would you like to do? Do you want to go to a café and listen to music? Or, we can go for a walk," he suggested.

Lorelai smirked and said, "New shoes."

Luke nodded with understanding as he dropped some Euro notes on the table and said, "Well, uh, we could find some kind of show to see or something. It's still early."

Lorelai drew a deep breath and looked at him seriously. "I want you to take me back to the hotel and make love to me like a woman," she blurted.

Luke blinked with surprise and asked, "Like a woman? Like I'm a woman?" he asked, clearly confused.

"No!" she said shaking her head in frustration. "Like I'm a woman," she hissed.

Luke drew back slightly from her vehement response and said, "I don't understand. What have I been doing all these nights?"

"Gah!" Lorelai said as she scooted from the banquette and said, "Let's go."

Luke slid out and hurried after her as she weaved her way through the restaurant. When she reached the sidewalk, she drew in a gulping breath as Luke grasped her arm and spun her to look at him. "Hey, talk to me!" he demanded.

Lorelai looked at him with tears brimming in her eyes and said angrily, "I want you to love me like you used to. I don't want to be treated like a Madonna, unless her last name is Ciccone. I'm not just the mother of your child, I'm a woman!" she spat at him as she jerked her arm from his grasp and hurried toward their hotel.

"Hey!" Luke called as he jogged up behind her. "Hey!" he said again, grabbing her hand to stop her. "What the hell is this?" he demanded.

"Let go," she said petulantly.

"What have I done?" he cried incredulously.

"Nothing," she grumbled.

"I don't understand what you want from me," he said angrily. "Are you unhappy? Have you not been, uh, satisfied?" he asked in a low voice as he glanced around nervously.

"No," she whispered as she looked away from him.

"No, you have or no, you haven't?" he asked shaking his head.

"I have," she said softly, looking at the open toes of her beautiful new shoes.

Luke glanced around and said, "Come over here," as he led her to a bench overlooking the canal. When she sat he slid down next to her. He brushed a lock of hair back over her shoulder gently and said, "Lorelai, please, talk to me."

"It's stupid," she said at last, blinking back tears.

Luke shrugged and said, "Well, it's apparently important enough that you're crying about it. Tell me."

Lorelai wiped at her eyes with back of her hand and said, "Stupid hormones."

Luke shook his head and said, "This is more than hormones. I'm not buying that."

Lorelai stared blankly at the water and said softly, "You've been perfect. Sweet, attentive, tender and loving," she trailed off.

Luke looked at her pointedly and said, "But,"

Lorelai cast her eyes up as she whispered, "I miss the fire."

"The fire?" Luke asked blankly.

Lorelai nodded and said softly, "The heat, the need, the passion, desire."

Luke nodded as he processed that information. "And you think I don't feel that?" he asked cautiously.

Lorelai turned to look into his eyes and asked, "Do you?"

Luke's eyes searched hers as he whispered, "I can't believe you have to ask me that." He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. When he broke the kiss he said, "Always."

Lorelai looked at him and said, "I don't want to be put on a pedestal. I want to be loved. Well and truly loved."

Luke nodded and said, "I just," he said pausing to chew the inside of his cheek. He tucked his chin to his chest and said in a deep gravelly voice, "I'm just so happy. I'm so thankful. I guess I just wanted you to know how I felt." He took her hand in his and said, "Lorelai, I feel so lucky. I have you, this beautiful, sexy, infuriating, crazy, passionate woman, so full of life, so ready to take a bite out of it. And, you are carrying my baby. It's incredible to me that my baby gets to have a part of that. That zest for living," he said with a sigh. "I guess I have been a little cautious. I'll admit I'm not sure it's appropriate to shove the mother of my child up against a wall and have at it, but that doesn't mean I don't want to," he said with a rueful smile.

"It's appropriate," Lorelai said with a solemn nod.

Luke chuckled and looked down at their joined hands with a faint blush. "If you say so," he mumbled.

"It is," she insisted. "As much as I love sweet and tender Luke, I also love hot, sexy Luke. I need to know that you feel that way about me. I need to know that I can bring the passion out in you," she explained.

Luke smiled and said, "You can, more than even I knew." He blew out a breath as he gazed at the water. "If it makes you feel any better, I've had a hard time, uh, holding back," he said softly, releasing her hand and rubbing his palms together. He turned to look at her and said, "I love the heat too. I don't want to lose that." He leaned his elbows on his knees and looked back at her as he said, "You know, I've always been afraid that I'm gonna hurt you. That's how much I want you. Sometimes, it gnaws at me, this impulse, this need." He turned back to the water and said softly, "Now, I'm petrified."

"I'm hardly fragile," she said softly. "Hell, I'm almost as tall as you are," she said nudging him with her elbow.

Luke chuckled and said, "You don't know. There are times I would gladly shred the clothes right off of you. There are times when I want you so badly, it's all I can do to keep from crawling right inside of you."

"Like a Tauntaun?" she teased.

Luke snorted as he sat back and said, "Almost, but not quite." He turned to her and said, "Hurting you would hurt me worse. Hurting our baby would probably kill me."

"I don't want you to beat me or anything, I just want you to love me the way you want to, the way I want you to," she said rubbing her hand over his thigh. "I don't want to be treated like I'm untouchable. I'm not delicate. I need the fire," she said gently.

Luke nodded and swallowed thickly and whispered, "I'll try."

Lorelai patted his leg and said, "All I'm asking is that you don't try not to."

Luke smirked and said, "We've been together too long. I understood that perfectly."

"That's the beauty of us," Lorelai said with a smile. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk at dinner," she said sincerely.

Luke smiled back and said, "I'm sorry that I tried to love, honor and cherish you too much." He lifted his arm and draped it across the back of the bench, nudging her closer to him. They watched the boats skimming the water for a while and finally Luke asked, "Would you like another gondola ride?"

Lorelai gasped softly and asked, "You mean without a chaperone?" in a scandalized tone.

Luke nodded and said, "And the singing."

"Aw, come on, what's a gondola ride without the serenade?" she asked swatting at his chest playfully.

"Peaceful," Luke said with a smirk. He unwound his arm and said, "Come on, let's go find a guy willing to take our American millions."

Lorelai grinned as her offered his hand to help her from the bench and said, "Please, that's why we wore our flashing 'sucker tourists' signs."

As they walked hand in hand along the canal, Luke asked, "Is her last name really Ciccone?"

"I'll get you a subscription to US Weekly," Lorelai said as she wrapped her other hand around his bicep and squeezed appreciatively.

As they floated through Venice, Luke pulled Lorelai closer to him, his fingers trailing along the soft skin of her arm as he leaned over and nuzzled her ear. Lorelai's hand was on his thigh, rubbing gently as he pressed his lips to her neck. "Are you trying to make out in a gondola?" she whispered.

"Yeah, how am I doing?" he whispered back.

"Pretty well," she admitted as she turned her head to catch his lips. They kissed softly as the water lapped at the sides of the boat, and their gondolier discretely averted his eyes as he kept the boat moving gracefully through the water.

Luke pulled back and whispered, "We'd better stop."

"For now," she whispered back.

"For now," he answered as he pulled her closer to his side and let the tips of his fingers brush casually over the side of her breast.

"Tease," she said with a soft chuckle.

"I plan to follow through," he said in a deep sexy voice.

Lorelai smiled and said, "I plan to hold you to it."

After their ride was over, Luke took her back to the café they had visited before and ordered tea and a caffe e latte. Lorelai smiled and said, "Now I know you're trying to seduce me."

Luke snorted and said, "There was a time when I begged you to stop drinking it. Now, I order it for you."

Lorelai cocked her head and said, "I think we've found some middle ground."

Luke nodded and said, "It's all about the compromise."

"And fear," Lorelai added with a smirk.

Luke grinned and said, "Well, earlier you did point out the fact that you could probably kick my ass."

Lorelai laughed and said, "Probably not, but I bet I could hold my own for a little while. Besides," she added with a shrug and an impish smile, "I'd rather kiss it."

"Now who's the tease?" he asked mildly.

"It is a fabulous ass," she said with a considering gaze. "I'd kiss it," she concluded with a nod. "Or at least try to take a bite out of it."

"Ouch," he grimaced.

Lorelai grinned as their cups were placed before them and said, "I bet you'd like it."

"Probably," he said with a good natured laugh.

They sat listening to the music and watching the floor show of fellow tourists in the piazza. When he took her hand to leave, Lorelai clutched his arm, brushing up against him suggestively as they threaded their way through the tables. She slipped her fingers to the palm of his hand that tickled it with a naughty grin. As soon as they turned the corner, Luke pressed her up against the stone wall and braced his hand beside her head. "Stop that," he growled before kissing her passionately.

"Don't wanna," she panted when he released her lips.

He leaned closer to her and whispered into her ear. "I want you right here, right now."

"Now that would be an interesting tourist attraction," she said softly as her fingers played over his shoulder. "Look Morty, here's the picture of that nice couple we saw doing it in the street in Venice," she mocked.

Luke laughed and said, "If that was what it took to make you believe me, I'd do it."

"I don't think you'll have to go that far," she said reaching up to caress his cheek. "Take me to bed," she said softly.

Luke smiled and said, "An excellent idea."

"I thought so," Lorelai replied in a breathy voice. They walked slowly to the hotel, their fingers laced together, and their hearts beating with fresh anticipation.

When they entered the suite, Rory was nowhere to be seen. Luke turned to Lorelai with a frown and asked, "Did she go out?"

Lorelai shook her head and said, "I think she's in her room." She walked to Rory's room and tapped softly on it. When she got no answered, she cracked it open to see Rory stretched out on the bed, her headphones on, and a book in her lap. Lorelai waggled her fingers and mouthed, "We're home."

"Goodnight," Rory said loudly over her music.

Lorelai giggled and said, "She's fine. Reading."

"Why was she yelling?" Luke asked as they walked to their room.

"She had her headphones on," Lorelai said casually.

"Oh," Luke said, clueless about Rory's comments to Lorelai about their anniversary activities.

Lorelai closed the bedroom door and turned to find Luke standing close. "Oh!" she said as she bumped into him.

Luke caught her with one arm as the other moved to caress her face and jaw. He bent his head and kissed her softly. The kiss lingered with promise as they both felt the shiver of excitement that coursed through them. Luke stroked her jaw with his thumb as he angled his head and claimed her mouth in a punishing kiss. When he drew back, his chest heaving, he whispered, "Silly girl. How could you think that I don't want you?" he asked as he took her hand and pressed it to the impressive bulge in his pants. His eyes probed hers as he said, "I want you as much as the first time I had you. More even," he added as he tilted her head back and pressed his hot mouth to her neck. "More because now I know," he whispered against her skin. He stepped back and asked in a gravelly voice, "You really want this?"

"Oh yes," she said in a breathy voice, mesmerized by the battle raging in his eyes.

"I'm trusting you," he said sternly.

"I'll tell you," she whispered as she tugged him back to her by the sweater. She looked up at him and said, "Now."

Luke pressed into her, his hand bunching the skirt of her dress up as he sought her skin. "You're leaving those shoes on," he growled before he captured her lips again, pressing her against the door. He found the soft skin of her thigh and lifted her leg onto his hip as he braced his hand on the door and bent to kiss the soft curves peeking over the deep neckline of her dress. He fingers found the string of her thong and he groaned deep in his throat as he slipped one under it to trace along her hip. He smiled at her and asked, "Not pulling any punches are you?"

Lorelai shook her head and said, "I was desperate."

Luke slid his hand out from under her dress and over her breast, squeezing her roughly. "I'd better take what I can get now, right?" he asked raggedly. "Before they're off limits," he said as he pressed his lips to the soft material of her dress.

"Yes," she hissed as he filled his palms with her. Lorelai hooked her leg firmly on his hip and arched into him, pressing back against the door.

"How much do you like this dress?" he asked, his voice muffled against her.

"Don't you dare," she said with a laugh.

"Just asking," he said innocently as he lifted his head and grinned at her.

Lorelai shook her head and said, "Yeah right."

Luke pressed against her, grinding his erection into her as he whispered, "You're the one who wants to be fucked."

Lorelai groaned and arched into him. "Language," she gasped into his ear.

"Isn't that what you wanted?" he asked sternly.

"Yes," she whispered.

Luke smiled and arched a brow at her as he said, "You want the dirty, I'll give you the dirty."

Lorelai smiled back and cooed, "And you're such a good provider."

Luke laughed and said, "Let's see," as he pressed his cock to her and rubbed against her through the layers of material. "I can't take you against the door. Too noisy and besides, we already tossed the standing up thing out there, so it wouldn't be very creative," he mused as she slid her hands under his sweater and clutched at the muscles in his back.

He leaned back from her, careful to keep his hips pressed into her as she wiggled against him. He smiled wolfishly and said, "I like your sexy dress."

"You are not ripping this dress," she tried to say sternly.

Luke shook his head and said, "No, I won't." He slipped his hand back under her skirt and ran his finger along the string of her thong, brushing teasingly along her folds. He pulled away from her completely, and reached between them to touch his finger to her clit. Lorelai moaned and pressed into his finger, gyrating against it. Luke smiled and said, "You're nice and wet."

"Yes," she panted.

"Are you excited?" he asked softly. "Are you ready for me, Lorelai?" he asked.

"Yes," she said in a husky voice.

"You're ready to feel my cock inside of you?" he said as he withdrew his hand.

"God yes," she said.

Luke stepped back and took her hands to pull her over to the bed. He stopped at the foot of the bed and said, "Stand still."

Lorelai froze as he slid his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. He rubbed them roughly back over her arms and down to her breasts, cupping them and pressing them up as he bent to kiss the creamy mounds that spilled over her neckline. He slid his hands down over her hips, and grasping them firmly, turned her to face the bed. He stood behind her and lifted her hair from her back, pressing hot wet kisses to the nape of her neck. He felt the shiver pass down her spine and groaned as he whispered, "Bend over."

Lorelai complied bracing her palms on the mattress as she glanced back over her shoulder at him. Luke shook his head and said, "Look straight ahead. Don't look at me."

"But," she started to protest.

Luke stepped between her legs and pressed his erection to her ass and said gruffly, "You don't need to see me. You just need to feel me. You already know I love you," he whispered as he ran his hands over her still clothed body, claiming it as his own. He lifted her skirt up to expose the creamy skin of her ass and squeezed her roughly. "Do you know how I want you?" he rasped as his fingers slid between her legs to tease her.

"Yes," she whispered.

"I'm not sure that you do," he taunted as he slid a finger under her thong and ran it over her heated flesh. "Spread your legs for me," he commanded.

Lorelai parted her legs further and pressed her weight onto her hands as he thrust a finger into her heat. "Oh yes," she moaned.

"Yes," Luke hissed as he hurriedly unbuttoned his pants with his left hand, fumbling as he stroked her. When he finally freed himself, Luke pulled his finger from her and Lorelai whimpered softly. "Such a pretty dress," he said softly. He bent over and nipped at the soft cheek of her ass. "Such tiny panties," he said with a smile. He glanced down at saw her legs tremble slightly in her high heels. "Such sexy shoes," he growled. He stood and leaned over her and whispered, "Someone was just asking for it."

"Yes," she said in a raspy voice.

"Ask me," he whispered. "Ask me nicely."

"Please Luke," she whimpered. "Please put your cock in me," she said as she pressed her ass up into him.

"My pleasure," he answered affably as he yanked her thong to the side and pressed the head of his cock to her entrance.

He entered her with one forceful stroke, the material of her thong rubbing against her swollen clit. "Oh God," she moaned, collapsing to her elbows.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" he panted as he thrust into her. He slipped his hand into the thong and stroked her clit.

Lorelai bucked and moaned, her fingers digging into the bedspread. "Luke! Oh!" she moaned. "Oh God, Luke," she panted.

"Is it good?" he taunted in a low voice. "Am I giving you what you need?" he grunted as he thrust into her forcefully.

"Oh God, Oh God," she whispered as he orgasm came fast and furiously. She lifted her hips higher as he drove her over the edge.

Luke felt the muscles contracting around him, but refused to give in to them. He pushed her until the spasms subsided, pulled out of her abruptly and stripped the thong down her long legs. "Turn around and look at me," he growled as he toed his shoes off.

Lorelai pushed herself up and turned over, sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked up at him, her eyes warm and dazed with pleasure. She saw him standing over her, his turgid cock jutting from the opening of his pants. She watched as he pulled the silk sweater up and over his head, his muscles rippling with each movement. He quickly pulled his boxers down over his erection and shed his pants and socks. He stood before her naked and asked, "Is this what you wanted?"

"Yes," she whispered as she leaned forward to grasp his hips, opening her mouth to take him in.

Luke stepped back shaking his head and said, "No Lorelai. I'm going to finish this inside of you. You're going to look me in the eye and know." He pressed her shoulders back to the bed, pushing her up onto the mattress. He knelt at the edge and looked down at her, his eyes dark and smoky. He leaned over her, bracing his hand beside her head as his other hand pressed her knee up to her chest. "Are you watching Lorelai?" he asked softly. "Look at my eyes," he whispered. "I'm taking you with me," he said as he entered her smoothly.

"Yes, take me with you," she whispered as she clung to his back. She hooked her leg over him, the heel of her sexy shoe digging into the soft skin of his ass with each thrust.

Luke stared down at her determinedly as he slowly drove her mad. When he saw her eyes darken again, he smiled and thrust into her harder. His hand held her thigh against him, pressing up with each stroke. His gaze never flickered, and Lorelai was lost in it. "My Luke," she whispered. Luke gritted his teeth and began to move faster. Lorelai pressed her heel to the bed and rose to meet his trusts as she wrapped her hand around his rigid arm for added leverage. She looked up at him and panted, "I want you like I've never wanted anyone."

"Got me now, haven't you?" he asked breathlessly as his gaze burned into her.

"Yes. Yes I do," she whispered as her fingers trailed over the fine sheer of sweat that covered his back. She moaned softly as he rode her hard, her eyes fluttering closed as she savored the sensation of him moving inside of her.

"Open," he demanded.

Lorelai's eyes sprung open on his command, and the look of raw desire etched on his features took her breath away. "Oh Luke," she whispered as she felt herself growing close again.

His gaze never wavered as he struggled to hold his release at bay. Clenching his jaw he plunged into her recklessly, determined to pleasure her again. Lorelai groaned softly and raked her nails over his back, her fingers clenching his bicep in a vise like grip as her eyes opened wider and he saw a look of pure feminine pleasure warm them. She pressed her leg into him, holding him deep inside of her as she began to clutch and squeeze his cock within her walls. "That's it," he whispered raggedly as he loosed his control and rode out the rolling waves of heat with her, filling her with his desire as he flooded her.

Unable to stop himself, he thrust into her still as he hung his head, gasping for breath. Lorelai's hands ran over his arm and back mindlessly caressing him, as the tremors left his body. Finally he collapsed, pressing kisses to her cheek and hair as his quivering muscles gave way beneath him. "Geez," he breathed softly.

Lorelai chuckled and asked, "Is that all you've got to say?"

Luke smiled against her soft skin and whispered, "Hey, thanks, I needed that."

Lorelai laughed the sound bubbling out of her in a fountain of pure delight. "You are most welcome, my friend," she said with a huge smile.

Luke pushed himself up to relieve her of his weight. He looked down at her and said, "I'm not going to ask if I hurt you."

"Good," she said with a nod.

"Because," he started.

"I would tell you," she finished. "Are you going to ask if I'm happy now?" she asked.

Luke smiled down at her with that arrogant grin that both aroused and infuriated her. "Nope."

"Sure of yourself, are you?" she asked playfully.

Luke shook his head and said, "Sure of you."

"That was," she paused with a sigh.

"Incredible, amazing, hot, sexy, Earth shattering?" he asked, nodding the while time.

"Oh, well, I was going to say nice or pleasant," she teased.

Luke smiled at her lovingly and said, "Next time, remind me to give you the shut Lorelai up special."

"Will do," she said with a laugh. "Uh, can I get out of this dress and shoes now?" she asked.

Luke sighed as he pulled away from her and said, "If you must." He sat back and said, "Roll over, I'll unzip you."

Lorelai flipped onto her stomach and Luke slowly drew the zipper down, exposing the soft skin along her spine. He pressed soft kisses along the line and then said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Is it okay to love you again or do I have to just keep ravishing you?" he asked softly.

"I'll take the love, thanks," she said with a soft smile.

"Good," he said as he sat back and gently undid the ankle strap of her shoe and placed it on the floor at the end of the bed. He gave the other foot the same treatment, gently massaging them after he discarded her beloved footwear. "Up," he said softly, tugging at her hips to get her to kneel back against him. He pushed the dress from her shoulders and let it slide to her waist. He gently unhooked her bra and tossed it aside before smoothing the dress down over her hips and whispering, "Down," into her ear. Lorelai sprawled back onto the mattress with a grateful sigh as Luke pulled the dress down over her legs and left it in a crumpled heap at the foot of the bed.

As he stretched out beside her, his hand gliding over her smooth skin, Lorelai turned her head to look at him and said, "Man, I hope that we never get subpoenaed. That dress is gonna be key evidence against you, buddy."

Luke turned to look at her and said, "May as well go down in flames," as he patted her bottom playfully.

Lorelai lifted her head and shook it sadly. "Such a promising political career," she teased.

"I stand by my record," he said with a smirk.

Lorelai nodded slowly and said, "As you should," as she leaned over to kiss him gently. "It's very impressive," she assured him earnestly.

Luke smiled and said, "You want to see impressive, check back with me in about a half hour."