A/N: Okay, here is the anti-dote for the last chapter. I get it – people no likey when things are left hanging. So I give you this, a gigantic pile of fluff, fluff, and more fluff. I threw in a little bit of smut to be on the safe side. And it's long too. Really long and really fluffy, okay? Forgive me?
Dead Legends and Party Punch
Luke peered down at the empty cup in his hand, a sad smile curving the corners of his mouth. What was once there, was now gone. All gone. It had been good. Too good. Over the years, he'd had many, many run-ins with the lethal concoction. More than he'd care to admit, and a few that he'd prefer to forget. He knew all too well the seductive allure of that first cup of that virulent red mixture. He also knew that refilling the cup from the punch bowl on the back counter would be tantamount to suicide. That was the problem with Patty's Founder's Day Punch, it tasted too good. It went down too easy. It felt too good too; this happy buzz that made the hum of conversation that surrounded him that much more bearable. It made the stories that much funnier and the laughter that much more comforting. And the pain? Well, it quieted the pain that days like today always stirred, muffling it to a dull roar.
Patty's punch was magical. Far too magical for a down to earth guy like him. But still, it made him feel good. Warm and fuzzy, like cute fluffy bunnies, or some girly crap like that. Clutching the paper cup tightly, he stood off to the side, watching as his friends and neighbors refilled their plates from the impromptu buffet set up on the counter. Luke stared at the bowls and platters of food he had not prepared spread out on the worn formica countertop that he had built with his own two hands, and wondered who had brought what. He knew who had brought the punch, he noted with a smirk. The rest was all a mystery.
Luke turned his attention back to the gathering, deciding to make a game out of matching the casserole dish to its owner. But then, he had to smile as he saw that the colonial hat perched atop Patty's head migrating slowly but steadily toward her ear. No, the punch made him feel good, too good, and that could be bad. He'd barely even flinched when Babette stood up and screeched, "I've got one! I've got one!" in her sandpapery voice in an effort to be heard over the others. He'd actually listened to Taylor whine about the dent that guy with the stand had put in his produce profits. Well, he'd listened for about fifteen seconds, but he figured even that much had to be a personal best. But the most disturbing side effect of ingesting even one cup of Patty's punch was his inability to keep his eyes off of Lorelai Gilmore. He knew he was watching too closely; his eyes following her every movement as she flitted easily from group to group. She sought him out occasionally, a pleased gleam in her eyes as she filed away another anecdote about his late uncle, and probably more than a few tidbits about his own youthful exploits. It was too much for him to handle; this warm fuzzy feeling, the happy buzz of alcohol humming through his veins, that irresistible magnetic pull he felt whenever she was nearby.
Dangerous, this is too dangerous, she's too dangerous. Luke knew he was treading too close to the line, but he couldn't help himself. She smiled and it made him smile. She laughed and it made him laugh. She touched his arm, and it made him want to pull her deeper into his. No, another cup of punch would be bad, very bad, he decided as he placed the cup on the counter and moved cautiously away from it. He glanced around to see if anyone was paying attention, and then, relieved to find that no one was, he slipped through the curtain that led to the steps.
****
Lorelai pushed her empty punch cup aside and looked up just in time to see the curtain swing back into place. Her brow puckered into a concerned frown as she tipped her head to check the time on Taylor's wristwatch. With another glance at the now still curtain, she decided she'd give him five minutes to reappear before she went after him. Of course, she knew he'd be upset if she did go after him. But the truth was, she was worried about him. And even though things like this might not be his thing, she truly believed that it was good for him to be down here; to hear the stories, to talk a little bit himself. Actually, the truth was, she was that she wanted him down here with her. Where she could keep an eye on him. Because she was worried about him. And the unvarnished truth was, she was a little bit worried about herself too.
It was a weird week. Busy, a little crazy, and more than a little confusing. Louie's death had brought her much closer to Luke, in a strangely morbid kind of way. And she liked that. The being closer part; not the strangely morbid bit. She was beginning to worry that she liked that a little too much. But, this was the first time in their friendship that Lorelai could remember Luke really needing her. He needed her. Not just her help with the room arrangements, or the diner; but really needed her, as a friend, a confidant, someone to talk to. Not that Luke did a lot of talking. But he did talk sometimes, and when he did talk, he talked to her. And she liked that. She liked it a lot. It felt good to be needed. Especially to be needed by Luke, who seemingly didn't need anybody. It felt good. Too good. She was afraid that she could get used to it. Too used to it. But the truth, if we're still telling the truth, was that she wanted him to need her. And that worried her enough for the both of them.
Lorelai cast a wary glance at the ketchup dispenser on the table, and then hastily excused herself from the table as a picture of herself gliding through the diner clutching that ketchup bottle as a bouquet flashed into her mind. And the truly scary part? Well, aside from proving her mother right, the picture didn't look too bad to her.
She carried her empty plate to the trash and then moved to the counter and began to clear away empty bowls and discarded plates. Once again, she found herself envisioning Emily's perfect Romanov wedding. As much as she hated to admit it, even if it was only in her imagination, it was beautiful. Then again, she had to smile as she recalled the gruff, 'They probably had it coming,' Luke had given in reply to her mother's query. Lorelai had to admit that his answer had inched him a little closer to being what she herself would consider a match made in heaven. She moved quickly away from the counter, trying to outpace the seedlings of hope taking root in her brain.
Lorelai picked up the empty cups scattered around the diner and carried them to the trash. She spotted one of the war re-enactors hats on a table and looked up to see Patty wearing a similar hat set at a jaunty angle as she toasted another one of Luke's uncle's dubious exploits. The fact that she looked like a drunken pirate made Lorelai smile. The fact that thoughts of pirates made her think of Luke ranting about his slightly disturbed cousin Franny, and her gorgeous Petey made her smile widen into a grin. And the fact that she was standing at the trash can grinning at absolutely nothing, scared the crap out of her.
"What's so funny?" Rory asked as she approached with a handful of plates to be thrown away.
"Oh. Nothing. You know, just stuff," Lorelai said dismissively. "Pirates and parrots and patriots," she murmured.
"Oh my," Rory gasped, playing along. She turned to look at the crowd gathered and said, "Nice turnout."
"Yeah," Lorelai said with a nod. "I can't believe that everyone did this. I have to tell you, being the only people standing in that cemetery was a little depressing."
"Aw, I'm sorry," Rory said quickly. "I should have blown off Chaucer and come to the funeral."
"No, you needed to hang with old Geoffrey for a while. You've spent a lot of time helping out here this week and I know that Luke appreciates it," Lorelai reassured her.
"Still, I should have come. How is he? Is he doing okay?" she asked anxiously as she searched the crowd for Luke but came up empty.
"He's fine," Lorelai answered. "A little sad, I think, but I think that may have more to do with his dad than Louie," she said as she stacked empty bowls on the back counter to be reclaimed by their rightful owners later. She glanced over at the curtain, and then turned back to Rory. "I'm gonna go check on him. Can you keep an eye on things down here? Make sure no one tries to storm the kitchen and claim the deep fryer in the name of Mother England?"
"Will do," Rory said with a nod.
"Thanks." Lorelai gave Rory's arm a gentle squeeze, and then headed for the curtain.
Just as she raised her foot to the bottom step, she heard heavy footsteps above and looked up. "Oh, hey," she said, flashing a bright smile. "I was just coming to look for you."
"Yeah?" Luke asked as he continued down the creaking old staircase, a bottle of beer clutched in his hand.
"Drinking alone?"
He glanced down at the bottle and shrugged. "Figured I'd be better off with this than that lighter fluid in the punch bowl."
"Ah, playing it safe," she answered with a sage nod. She peered up at him as he came to a stop three steps above her.
He returned her smile as he leaned against the wood paneled wall. "Seemed like a good idea."
"Chicken?"
"You bet," he answered easily. "Looking for me?"
Lorelai fought to tear her gaze from his smile. "Oh, yeah. Well, I might be one of those people who like you," she said with a shrug.
Luke's eyebrows rose. "Really? Huh, I thought those were just a rumor. One of those things you see in the tabloids, right next to the stories about alien autopsies and Elvis working at the 7-11 in Poughkeepsie. "
"Nope, we really do exist," she answered as she leaned against the wall too, and smiled up at him.
"So do they," he said gravely.
Lorelai laughed, delighted by his twisted, and too seldom employed sense of humor. "You're right."
Caught in the bright blue tractor beam of her eyes, he stepped down one more step, still leaning into the wall, but powerless to resist moving a little bit closer. "Hey, you wanna get out of here for a little while?" he asked.
Lorelai frowned as she looked up at him. "You okay?"
Luke nodded. "Just think I want to get some fresh air."
"You didn't get enough earlier?" Lorelai asked, and then immediately wished she had bitten her tongue.
But Luke just smiled, and shook his head. "Not there. I wanna take a walk."
"A walk?"
"You don't have to go," he said, trying to sound nonchalant as he pushed away from the wall.
Lorelai straightened up too, tugging at the lapels of her jacket. "No, I'll go," she said quickly. "I need to tell Rory." She glanced up at the beer in his hand and asked, "Got another of those?"
Luke looked down at the bottle he had forgotten he held. "Sure. Grab a couple of cups," he said as he turned to climb back up the stairs.
Lorelai pushed back through the curtain, adamantly trying to convince herself that the pleasure she'd felt at his invitation was simply that of a friend chosen to be the one that he wanted to lean on. She tried not to think about that slow smile that creased his face and made his eyes crinkle. She put aside all thoughts of that tie, loosened but still knotted, just below the opened buttons of his striped dress shirt. Instead, she focused on being his friend, the one he asked to take a walk with him, the one he wanted nearby when he just needed to clear his head.
She found Rory at a table by the window, engaging in what appeared to be a largely one-sided discussion with Jess. "Hey, sorry," she apologized as she interrupted Rory's discourse on Troilus and Criseyde. "Um, Luke wants to get out of here for a little while. Can you guys handle things?" she asked.
"Where are you going?" Rory asked as she rose from her chair.
"Just for a walk, but I'm not sure how long these guys will hang out," she said as she gestured to the tables of post-wake stragglers still occupying the tables.
"Oh, yeah, sure. And when they leave, Jess will put away what's left of the food. Won't you Jess?" she asked with a pointed stare. When he scoffed, Rory smiled sweetly and said, "I know he'll want the leftovers." Jess looked down at what was left of his second plate of food, and then shrugged as he nodded and looked away.
"Thanks," Lorelai said, smirking as Jess folded like a house of cards. "Be back in a while."
"No problem. Oh, hey, is it okay if I go by Lane's for a while, when were done here?"
"Pick up Al's on the way home?" Lorelai negotiated.
"Deal."
"Grab some money out of my purse," Lorelai instructed as she moved to the counter and grabbed two plastic cups from the stack near the punchbowl.
With a quick wave, she turned and hurried back to the curtain. When she pushed through, Luke stepped off of the last step holding two bottles of beer between his fingers. "Cups," she said as she held up the proof of her assigned task.
"Good work," Luke said as he took them and cradled them both in one large hand. He tipped the cups and neatly poured both bottles of beer at once.
"You have hidden talents," she said admiringly.
"Wanted to be one of those guys who sold beer at Fenway when I grew up," he confessed.
"Ah, the hopes and dreams of the American male."
"Yep. Wanted to marry Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island too," he said as he set the empty bottles on a step.
"Not Ginger?"
"Too many costume changes," he said as he handed one of the cups to her.
Lorelai eyed the still knotted tie hanging down the center of his chest and asked, "Is this a formal walk? I didn't bring my suitcase on this three hour tour."
"Oh," Luke said as he pressed his beer into her outstretched hand. He yanked on the tie until the knot unraveled and then pulled it from his collar. Luke tossed it onto the step with the discarded bottles and rolled up his cuffs as he turned back to her. "Thanks," he said as he reached for his beer and then gestured to the back door.
Lorelai grinned. "Slip out the back, Jack?"
"That the plan, Stan," he answered as he held the door open for her to pass.
Lorelai followed his lead as he wandered down the alley. "Where are we headed?" she asked.
"Down by the lake," he answered without hesitation.
As they turned onto the sidewalk, Lorelai slipped her hand through his arm. When Luke glanced down at her hand questioningly, she simply shrugged and said, "Heels."
Luke sneaked a quick peek at her shoes, his lips curving slightly as he noted that he had seen her run down the sidewalk in heels much higher when someone dared to utter the words 'free samples'.
He looked up at the flawless spring sky and said only, "Nice day."
"Yeah," Lorelai agreed, giving his arm a slight squeeze, and moving a bit closer, just as she had earlier that day.
Luke couldn't help but flex a little as he did his best to ignore the brush of her soft breast against his arm. Lorelai looked over at him as they slowed, meandering down toward the bridge. "So, that was nice, huh?" she asked.
"Yeah, it was."
"Just so you know, Sy may talk tough, but he's highly susceptible to guilt," she told him.
"Good to know."
"And Taylor, he's a blackmailer's dream. Little did he know, I was willing to go as far as to threaten to put a major hurt on his candy sales, not just the Pop Tarts," she said with a nod.
"Thank you," he said with a soft chuckle.
Their shoes fell heavy on the weathered wood of the footbridge, echoing in the early afternoon quiet. Lorelai glanced over at him and said, "Huh. Even the park has an afternoon lull."
Luke didn't answer. Instead, he slowed to a stop about halfway across the bridge. When Lorelai turned to look at him, he gazed out across the lake. "When I was little, my dad and I used to go fishing almost every night during the summer," he said quietly as he raised his cup and took a sip of his beer.
"Yeah?"
Luke nodded, licking the thin sheen of foam from his lip as he continued to stare into the distance. "He'd close the store, and after dinner we'd come down here and fish until dark. Sit right here," he added as he pointed to the edge of the bridge.
"That sounds nice."
"It was."
Lorelai gave his arm another gentle squeeze and said, "We should sit down."
Luke smiled affectionately as he turned to look at her and then nodded, reaching for her beer as he gestured for her to go ahead. They settled on the edge of the bridge, sitting shoulder to shoulder; their feet dangling mere inches over the surface of the water. Luke shifted slightly, tugging at the crease in his suit pants as he tried to get comfortable. "We'd bring a radio. It was this ancient transistor that my dad refused to give up. It was held together with duct tape, but he said it got better reception for the Sox games than any new radio that he bought," Luke told her.
"He was probably right."
"Probably," he conceded. "We'd sit out here and listen to the game while we fished."
"That must have been like heaven for you," she teased, bumping him with her shoulder.
Luke ducked his head as he laughed quietly. "Yeah." He set his beer aside as he gestured to the lake. "There used to be lots of fish in here. Not so much anymore. I'd like to think it's because dad and I pulled 'em all out, but it's more likely that Taylor is leasing it to some other town for their toxic waste dump so we can rebuild this bridge with the proceeds," he grumbled.
Lorelai laughed and said, "Then we can have fundraisers to clean up the lake."
"It's all part of his master plan," Luke said darkly.
"I hear there's a plot to plant huge gardens next year, just to mess with his produce sales," Lorelai told him, her lips curving smugly as she raised her cup to her lips.
Luke snorted. "I'd pay to see you picking beans."
Lorelai shook her head and laughed. "I thought I'd just rent out a corner of the backyard to the highest bidder."
"Very forward thinking," he said with a nod.
"Well, the line of people who like to see Taylor turn the color of an eggplant grows exponentially every day."
Luke nodded, taking another sip of his beer as he turned back to the opposite bank. "Sometimes Louie would come out with us. Never could figure out why. He hated fishing. Complained the whole time. Now I know that he did it because he liked to bait my dad even more than a hook," he said quietly.
"I hear brothers will do that."
Luke shook his head and dropped his gaze to the cup in his hand. "I want to think I'm a lot like my dad, but I think I am more like Louie," he said gruffly.
Lorelai watched as he took a deep drink of his beer. "That isn't you, Luke," she said firmly.
"More Louie than my dad," he mumbled. He cut his eyes toward her and said hesitantly, "But I don't wanna be. I don't wanna be that miserable, that alone." He took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "I need to, I want to thank you. For all that you did. I know I'm not really good at sayin' this stuff, but I really appreciate it," he said sincerely.
"That's what friends do," she said softly.
Luke turned to look at her. "Yeah. That's what friends do," he repeated quietly.
Their eyes met and held for a moment, and then Luke turned away, looking back out over the gently rippling water to the other side of the lake. His fingers tightened around his cup as he stared at the shore; half wishing he was over there, on safer ground instead of sitting there half-buzzed on the old footbridge next to Lorelai Gilmore.
Lorelai searched the opposite bank, wondering what could possibly be holding his interest in the tall, winter-yellowed grass. "Hey, Luke?" she asked, not entirely certain of what would come next, but knowing that this time someone had to say something.
"Yeah," he answered, not daring to look at her.
She turned toward him, studying the line of his profile carefully as she measured her words. "Do you ever think about being more than friends? You and me?"
Luke blinked, stunned by both her question and the nearly timid tone of her voice. He turned toward her and found himself caught up in those bright blue eyes once more. He tried to form the word 'yes'. His brain screamed the command to make his lips move, but as he saw the uncertainty flicker in her eyes, he knew that the word would never be enough.
He leaned in, quickly closing the few inches between them, and kissed her softly.
Lorelai inhaled softly, but before her mind could register what had happened, she saw his long, dark eyelashes sweep upwards, and his deep blue of his eyes on her.
"Every day," Luke said quietly, carefully enunciating each word.
"Really?" she whispered.
"Yeah."
"Me too. I mean, I've thought about it too," Lorelai confessed softly. Her lips quirked at the corners as she saw that slow, sexy smile spread over his face. "That's good, right?" she asked as she reached up, unable to resist brushing the creases that fanned from the corners of his eyes with the pad of her finger.
"I guess so," he agreed, his voice pitched low and deep as she leaned in again. Luke brushed her lips with his, testing the waters, trying to be patient, giving her a chance to pull back. When she didn't, he pressed his lips to hers, letting them glide over them before he deepened the kiss, capturing her lower lip between his. Luke rocked back slightly to gauge her reaction and held his breath for her verdict.
Lorelai smiled and said, "You drank the punch."
Luke reared back. "Well, you gave it to me," he responded defensively.
Lorelai's smile widened as she said, "Your breath is a hundred proof."
"Aw, geez," he groaned as he turned away and started to push to his feet.
Lorelai grabbed his arm to stop him, pulling him back down with all of her strength. "I drank it too," she assured him as he resisted. When Luke scowled at her she laughed. "The only difference is that I ate. You didn't eat anything did you? You're running on fruit punch and grain alcohol."
Luke's frown deepened as he grumbled, "This is getting off to a great start."
Lorelai beamed as she leaned in and kissed his cheek, butterflies taking flight in her stomach as his rough stubble prickled her lips. "I think so," she said with an emphatic nod. "Sit," she ordered as she tugged on his arm again.
Luke dropped down onto his butt and reached for his beer. "Might as well go all the way," he said with a smirk as he toasted her with the plastic cup.
"On the first date? What kind of a girl do you think I am?" she gasped.
Luke choked on his beer, dribbling a little bit onto his chin and wiping it quickly with the back of his hand. "I didn't mean…" he sputtered.
"I know," she said as she gave his arm a pat and then released it. "Only a true friend would say that," she pointed out as she reached into the pocket of her flowered blazer and pulled out a box of green Tic-Tacs. She rattled the mints in their plastic container and said, "Karl Malden should have told us never to leave home without these babies," as she flipped the top open. She extracted one tiny mint and held it up to his lips.
Luke gave it a dubious glance and asked, "You think that'll do it?"
"Never underestimate the power of a Tic Tac, they may be tiny, but they get the job done. And, they're only one and a half calories," she added, holding up the box as if she were auditioning to be their spokesperson. "I know how concerned you are about what you eat."
Luke rolled his eyes as he parted his lips and allowed her to feed him the mint. Lorelai grinned and scooted a little closer to him. "I'll have one too, just to be safe," she said as she dumped a handful of mints into her palm and then popped them into her mouth.
"Nice."
Lorelai giggled and held offered him the box. "Want more?"
"No thanks," he said gruffly.
Lorelai sucked deeply on the mints and then began to crunch them loudly. She caught Luke's grimace and asked, "Changed your mind yet?"
"Getting there."
Lorelai swallowed what was left of the Tic Tacs. "Well, you had your chance," she said as she reached out and cupped the back of his neck, her fingers sliding into his soft curls as she pressed her mouth lightly to his once more. "Let's give this another shot," she murmured against his lips, and then parted her own slightly.
He didn't hesitate. He touched the tip of his tongue to her lip, and then leaned in closer, deepening the kiss. Her tongue tentatively touched his, and he angled his head, reaching to pull her tightly into his arms. His tongue circled hers lazily, taking his time, drinking her in, kissing her just as thoroughly as she would expect from Luke Danes. Lorelai sighed into his mouth, desperate to move closer too. She leaned forward, almost knocking him back with her sudden burst of ardor, and definitely knocking her cup of beer over onto his leg.
Luke pulled back; a bewildered frown replaced the initial flash of panic on his face as the liquid seeped into his suit pants. "Oh crap, I'm sorry," Lorelai cried as she swiped ineffectually at his thigh as what beer that hadn't soaked the leg of his pants ran down between the old wooden slats. "Very smooth, Gilmore," she muttered under her breath as she bunched the fabric in her hand as if to wring the moisture out.
He laughed and said, "Not the first time a girl has dumped her drink on me." When she released the fabric and then began to smooth it with her palm, her fingers trailing over his inner thigh, Luke stilled her hand with his. "It's okay." Lorelai looked up at him, and his eyes lit mischievously as he said, "Usually I don't get the, uh, helpful clean up. Thanks."
A bubble of laughter burst from her lips, and Lorelai shook her head as her cheeks colored slightly. "My pleasure," she said with an impish smile.
"We could argue that."
"We can argue most anything," she pointed out.
"True," he agreed as his fingers closed around hers.
She cocked her head and asked, "So after they spill their drinks on you, do they offer to get you out of those wet clothes?"
Luke barked a laugh, tipping his head back to look up at the clear blue sky. "No," he stated unequivocally.
Lorelai smiled, unreasonably satisfied by his answer. "Give it another try, or have you had enough?" she asked shyly.
Luke turned his face to her and said, "Not enough," as he let go of her hand. He framed her face with his hands, watching as she tipped her lips up to his, and her eyelids drifted shut. He brushed his thumb gently over her lower lip, watching as her lips puckered and kissed the pad of his thumb lightly. "I'm kissing you," he whispered in an awed tone and then covered her lips with his.
Lorelai moaned softly as she opened her mouth, inviting him in as his fingers trailed slowly over her jaw to her neck. She slid her tongue over his, tasting the remnants of fruit punch and alcohol lingering just beneath the hint of spearmint, and winding her arms around his neck. As she leaned in, there was a loud crinkling sound, and then the plastic cup squashed between their legs slipped up and popped free, tumbling into the lake with a soft plop.
She felt Luke's soft snort of disbelief, and began to laugh. Still pressing her lips to his, she cradled the back of his head, holding him their as their laughter tangled just as surely as their tongues had moment before.
"We suck at this," he said in an incredulous tone.
"Yeah."
"We should get out of here," he whispered, but still did not pull away.
"Hmm," she hummed in agreement before capturing his lower lip with hers and pulling on it gently.
"Or not," he amended.
"No, we should go," Lorelai murmured as she pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth.
"I don't wanna," he said gruffly.
"It's broad daylight. We're in the middle of town," she reminded him as she kissed the other side of his mouth.
"Then stop kissing me," he grumbled.
"I'm having a hard time with that," she said with a sly smile, and then pecked another kiss to his lips.
"You're not the only one."
"But we should stop," she said, pulling away at last. Her fingers tangled in his hair, letting the silky curls slip and slide against her skin as she blinked at him. "Wanna walk?"
Luke's eyes bored into hers as he answered, "In a minute."
She pulled back slightly, tipping her head questioningly, and then smiled when he simply raised his eyebrows pointedly. "Oh."
Luke rolled his eyes and reached up, gently removing her hands from his neck, and then brushing a kiss to her knuckles before lowering then to the safety of her own lap. He watched as she turned away, a faint pink blush tingeing her cheeks even as a pleased smile lit her face. He looked down at the water beneath their feet and frowned. "Where'd the cup go?"
Lorelai gestured to the faint current rippling the surface. "Thataway," she said as she jerked a thumb toward the opposite side of the bridge.
"I should get it out of there."
Lorelai scrambled to her feet and peered over the other side of the bridge. "Afraid Taylor's toxic waste will eat through the plastic?" she asked as she moved to the opposite side.
"Yep."
She spotted the cup floating lazily out from under the bridge and knelt down to retrieve it. "I'm betting you're more worried about the littering fine."
"It was your beer," he pointed out.
"Which I got from you. And the cup," she pointed out as she leaned over the edge of the bridge.
"Hey, I'll get it," Luke said as he scooted over to her.
"I can't quite reach it," Lorelai answered.
Luke knelt on the bridge and then lowered his chest to the edge. He reached down and snagged the rim of the cup between two fingers. "Got it," he grunted as he pushed back up and sat back on his heels.
Lorelai looked down at the dirt smeared on his dress shirt and shook her head pityingly. "You're a mess."
Luke glanced down and then brushed ineffectually at the streaks of dirt. "Yeah, I guess."
Lorelai laughed as she pointed to the lake water dripping from the cup he held onto his other pant leg. "Come on, let's get you out of those wet clothes," she teased as she pushed to her feet and peered down at him, tucking her hair behind her ears.
"Not on the first date, I'm not that easy," he growled as he rocked to his feet and stood up, unfolding his body slowly. Lorelai laughed as she picked up his cup and downed the rest of its contents. "Hey, that was mine," he pointed out.
"I figure I already have your cooties," she said proudly as she handed him the empty cup. She slipped her hand into his arm again and leaned close as she said, "Besides, I know where there's more."
Luke looked over at her and then shook his head slightly. "Nah, I don't wanna go back there yet. Let's walk," he said as he started for the nearest trash can to deposit the cups.
When he started for the trail that circled the lake, Lorelai pulled in the opposite direction. "Let's go this way," she suggested.
"What's that way?" he asked with a perplexed frown.
"Stuff that isn't that way," she answered easily.
When Luke shrugged and changed directions, Lorelai gave his arm a squeeze and then grinned at him. "I like your arm."
"I noticed."
"Does it bother you?" she asked.
"No, not like that," he said, pressing his arm to his side and trapping her hand there.
"How does it bother you?" she teased as she pulled him toward Pear Street.
"How do you think?" he growled and Lorelai giggled. They lapsed into silence as they wound their way down one fruit and then onto a tree street. Luke cleared his throat softly and then asked, "Do you want to go to a movie or something this week?"
Lorelai smiled. "Are you asking me on a date?" she asked flirtatiously.
"Wasn't that the point of the whole more than friends thing?"
Lorelai shrugged and said, "I don't know, was it?"
"What does that mean?" Luke asked as he jerked to a stop.
Lorelai looked up as he turned to face her. "I don't know. I wasn't sure if the more than friends thing was the kissing part. I mean, technically, that would make us more than friends, and if it goes beyond the kissing, that would make us a lot more than friends, but it doesn't necessarily mean that we'll be seeing movies together. What kind of movie?" she asked in a rush.
Luke shook his head, trying to catch up. "I don't know," he stammered.
"I mean, you know that I like movies, but I don't even know if you like movies. Do you like movies?" When Luke nodded, she went on, "Well, what kind of movies do you like? I can see just about anything, but we should probably be a little careful about what we pick out. No one wants to go see something like Body Heat on a first date, right? Talk about uncomfortable," she mumbled.
"You pick."
Lorelai shook her head adamantly. "That's too much pressure. I have no idea what you'll like. You pick, but choose carefully," she warned.
Luke rolled his eyes and said, "How about dinner instead?"
"I love dinner!" Lorelai said with a happy smile.
She pulled on his arm to make him start walking again. "So, this is a dating more than friends?" she asked cautiously.
"If that's what you want too," he hedged.
Lorelai glanced over at him and asked, "And if I said I just wanted some benefits with my friendship?"
Luke hesitated a beat too long before he shrugged and tried to sound casual as he said, "Okay."
"I like the dating idea," Lorelai said with a smug smile as she hugged his arm a little tighter. "I don't want you thinking that I think you're too easy."
"Thank you," he said with a chuckle. "Where are we going?" he asked as she took another left.
"Shortcut."
"Shortcut to where? We're supposed to be just walking," he pointed out.
"To a place with beer," she said enticingly. "It's going to get a little hairy in a minute, but I want you to remember that you're a man and he's a Pomeranian. I expect he'll act like a Pomeranian when we cut through his yard, so I expect you to act like a man."
"What?"
"Shortcut to the shortcut," she explained as she slid her hand down his arm and laced her fingers through his. "Ready?" she asked hopefully.
"For what?"
"Come on," Lorelai said as she tugged him onto the scrubby lawn surrounding a tiny white house with peeling paint. They made it about ten feet before a puffy reddish ball of fur flew around the corner of the house heading straight for them. Without breaking stride, Lorelai looked down at the yapping dog and said, "Hey, Clancy. Almost summer, better get used to it all over again, huh? Clancy and I, we go way back," she told Luke.
"I see," Luke muttered as he scowled at the barking dog.
"Just keep going. If he gets a hold on you, he's got jaws like a pit bull. That's what happened to my grey Donna Karan pants."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Luke said as they covered the ground with long strides. "Where are we going?"
"Through there," Lorelai said as she nodded to a narrow opening in the hedges.
"Why?"
"To get to the beer. Just keep moving," she reminded him as she ducked her head and began to push through the shrubbery. "Bye, Clancy!" she called over her shoulder as she pressed their joined hands into the small of her back and all but yanked Luke through the too tiny opening.
Luke pushed through the shrubs, cursing under his breath. "Okay, I'm a little bigger than you," he complained as he pulled his hand from hers and began to brush at his already dirty clothes.
Lorelai turned around and burst out laughing when she saw him. "Aw, poor guy," she cooed as she reached up to brush some stray leaves from his hair, smoothing the tufts back into place.
Luke scowled as he looked up. He placed his hands on his hips and tried to work up to a full blown glare, but found it impossible when her hands when fluttering over hair, his neck, his shoulders. He bit his bottom lip as he looked over her shoulder and spotted a familiar back porch.
"This is your house."
"Yep. The place with the beer," she said with a nod. "Told you I'd get us here."
Luke jerked his thumb toward the hedges they had just plowed through and said, "That little shortcut saves what? A block and a half?"
"Yeah, but if you go around you don't get the adrenaline rush of beating Clancy," she pointed out.
"You get a rush out of besting a dog that stands eight inches high?"
"Gotta take my thrills where I can get them," Lorelai said as she started across the lawn.
As Luke followed her up the porch steps she said, "Rory was going to help Jess clean up the stuff at the diner and lock up before she went to Lane's. I'm assuming that you weren't planning to open tonight," she said as she threw her hip against back door and stumbled into the kitchen.
Luke was about to tell her that he had planned on opening for the dinner rush, but stopped when she turned around and waved him into the house. "That's fine."
"Good," she said as she opened the fridge and pulled out two bottles of beer.
As she let the refrigerator door slam behind her, Luke leaned back against the counter and stared at her, wondering how she could possibly look as fresh as she had when she appeared at his diner that morning.
"What?" Lorelai asked self-consciously.
Luke looked down at his own dirt streaked and damp clothing and shook his head. "Nothing."
"So, what night did you want to have dinner?" she asked as she approached, holding out one of the bottles for him to take.
"Tonight, tomorrow, you pick a night, I'll make it work," he answered without hesitation, and without taking the proffered beer.
Lorelai looked down at the two beers she still held. "You don't want this?" she asked.
"Nope," he answered with a slow smile.
"Tomorrow?" she asked, her fingers tightening around the necks of the bottles as he continued to stare at her. "I already told Rory to pick up Chinese food from Al's on her way home."
"Tomorrow is fine," Luke said with a nod, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Are you going to kiss me again?" When he blinked slowly and then nodded, Lorelai held up the unopened bottles and said, "I should put these down, huh?"
"Yep."
"Okay," Lorelai said as she placed both beers on the counter next to him. She stepped back and looked from the bottles to his face and then back again. "Maybe we should move away from them," she suggested with a nervous smile.
"Good idea," Luke agreed as he pushed away from the counter and reached for her. He cupped her cheek in one hand as the other arm wrapped firmly around her waist, pulling her up against him. His fingers slipped into her hair, running through the long, straight strands until they cascaded to her shoulder once more. "You ready?" he asked in a husky voice.
"Ready as I'll ever be," she whispered as he lowered his lips to hers.
He kissed her softy, his lips sliding over hers, teasing the corners of her mouth as she had teased his just a short time before. When she sighed, he captured the tail end of it with his mouth, parting her lips with his tongue as he tipped her head back, kissing her passionately.
Lorelai moaned as his tongue swept into her mouth. She clawed at his shoulder, clinging to the fabric of his shirt as she hung on tight, willingly letting him take what he wanted. "So much better," she breathed as his lips trailed off to her cheek, her chin, her jaw.
Luke opened his mouth, pressing his lips to the tender skin just beneath her ear, and touching the tip of his tongue to the pulse that throbbed there. When he sucked the soft flesh into is mouth, Lorelai grasped both of his arms and began to walk backward. She managed to skirt the table, but bumped into the edge of the counter as she tried to pull him into the living room. Luke's arm tightened protectively around her waist as he dipped his head to the curve of her neck and nipped gently. Lorelai pushed her hands into his hair, holding him there as she fell back against the archway.
"My room is a mess," she whispered as he pinned her there, his hand skimming over her ribcage, his thumb brushing the side of her breast.
"It always is," he answered as he moved to the other side of her neck and smothered her skin in hot, open-mouthed kisses.
"Yeah," Lorelai agreed, tilting her head so that he could get to more of her. She felt the buttons on her jacket give way, and hummed her approval as his hand slipped inside, his fingers spreading wide across her back as his tongue traced the hollow of her collarbone. "Wanna see it?" she asked breathlessly.
Luke chuckled softly as he pulled away, lifting his head to look at her. "Yes," he said without a shadow of a doubt.
"Okay," Lorelai whispered, her gaze steady on his as she reached for his hand.
She led him to the steps, glancing back only once as she began to climb them. When they stepped into her room, she whirled around to face him. "This would be a lot more than friends," she said nervously.
"Too much more?" he asked gently.
Lorelai flashed a quick smile and then wrinkled her nose slightly as she said, "Too much and not enough."
"Okay," he replied, drawing the word out as he tried to puzzle out what she could possibly mean.
"This is it, Luke. If this goes any further, we won't be able to just laugh it off and say, 'Hey, remember that time we got tipsy on Patty's punch and made out,' you know what I mean?" she said uncertainly.
"I'm not tipsy," Luke said gruffly.
Lorelai gave him a wan smile and said, "Me either, but we could blame it on the punch."
"Do you want to?"
Lorelai shook her head slowly and said, "It's not the punch."
"No."
"Not that it isn't powerful. Very potent stuff," she amended quickly.
"Dangerous," Luke agreed.
"I think this might be more dangerous," Lorelai said softly. "Are you nervous? I'm nervous," she babbled.
"I'm, uh, a little nervous," he admitted.
"Maybe you should kiss me again," she suggested. "That seems to work."
Luke nodded slowly as he processed her suggestion. "Or, we could go back downstairs and pretend that I just came up here to see how messy your room is."
"No."
"Yes, it is extremely messy."
Lorelai shook her head quickly as she said, "No, I don't want to pretend. No, I don't want to blame it on the punch. And no, I don't want to go back downstairs. Kiss me, damn it!" she ordered, all but stomping her foot.
Luke pulled her to him and cupped the back of her head as she tipped it back, her eyes fixed on him. Pouring all that he had into the kiss, he parted her lips, threading his fingers into her hair. The slippery fabric of her open jacket rasped against his shirt as she moved closer, wrapping her arms around him tightly. He hands splayed over his back, pushing the wilted cotton of his shirt up as their tongues circled and danced. He pressed into her soft curves, and his hands fell to her shoulders, pushing the blazer over the curve of her shoulders and pulling it down to her elbows. He lifted his head as she lowered her arms, letting it slide to the floor as she lifted her chin to look him square in the eye.
"It's not too late," he rasped.
"I think it was probably too late a long time ago," she answered.
Lorelai reached for the hem of her bright pink shirt and began to pull it up, shifting the material between their bodies as she refused to move away from him. Luke caught the edge of the shirt and helped her pull it up over her head. He tossed it aside and caught her arms before she could lower them, skimming his hands along the delicate skin beneath them until they came to rest on her ribcage.
He looked down at the gentle swell of her breasts and wet his dry lips as she lowered her arms. "Really too late now," he murmured as he ducked his head and pressed his lips to her bare shoulder.
"I did shave under there this morning, didn't I?" she asked in a breathy whisper.
Luke chuckled as he kissed his way along her collarbone. "Yes, but I couldn't care less."
"Good to know," Lorelai said with a relieved sigh. She slipped her hands between their bodies and began to unbutton his shirt. "Now, let's get you out of these wet clothes," she said coyly.
Luke raised his head and smirked as he watched as she deftly freed button after button. Lorelai parted the shirt and ran her hands over the smooth white t-shirt he wore beneath, causing him to suck in a breath as her hands fell to his waistband and she pulled both shirts free. Suddenly feeling far too confined, Luke yanked at his collar, grasping the undershirt too and he pulled them up and off. "There," he said as he dropped them to the floor and pulled her against him once more.
"Mmm," Lorelai hummed, rubbing against him as he pecked soft teasing kisses to her lips.
"Good?" Luke asked as he opened the clasp on her bra.
Lorelai laughed as she felt the elastic give. "You are good."
"Motivated," he answered as he pulled the straps from her shoulders.
Lorelai rocked back on her heels slightly and let him pull the bra off, watching as his lips parted at the sight of her bare breasts. She curled back into his chest, closing her eyes as his soft hair tickled her sensitive nipples into aching points. "Small," she whispered as she pressed her lips to his neck.
"Perfect," he answered as his hands roamed the smooth skin of her back.
She nipped at his earlobe playfully. "I'm not gonna win any wet t-shirt contests," she said with a self-conscious laugh.
"Good," Luke said as his hands moved to the sides and gently pushed her away from him.
"You could," she told him as she ran her hands over his muscular chest.
"Shh," he whispered as he lowered his head, urging her to lift hers so that he could kiss her again. Lorelai melted into the kiss, letting go of any insecurities she may have clung to as he filled his hands with her breasts and caressed her reverently. His mouth covered hers; kissing her hungrily as his hands grew more insistent. Lorelai moaned as he pinched her nipples, gently pulling on the tightly furled tips and then soothing them with his warm palms.
"Bed," she gasped as they broke for air. She grasped his arm with one hand as she swiped at the clothing, purses and hairstyling aids that littered the bed futilely. "I really gotta learn to put stuff away," she muttered as she relinquished her hold on him and bent clear the bed.
When she stood up, she bumped right into the hard wall of Luke's chest. "Oh my," she murmured as he snaked one arm around her waist. Without missing a beat, he swept her hair aside, holding it there with his free hand as he plundered the curve of her neck and teased the muscle in her shoulder with his teeth.
"Luke," she whispered as she reached behind and held him there with her hands in his hair.
"Hmm?"
"Just trying it out."
"How's that working for you?" he asked as reached for her breasts once more, crushing them into his palms as he sucked on her neck, grinding his hips against her soft bottom.
"So good, so good. Who knew it would work so good?" she panted.
"I did," Luke answered as he lifted his head and his hands slipped to her waist to turn her around. "I did," he repeated as she stared back at him unblinkingly.
"You and my mother," she corrected.
"Not now," he admonished.
"Not now," she agreed as she reached for the buckle on his belt. She slid it open, her eyes never wavering from his. She unhooked his suit pants, and he stood immobile, letting her take the lead. She slowly drew the zipper down, her knuckles brushing the hard flesh below, and smiled as his knees buckled slightly.
As Lorelai began to push his pants from his hips, Luke covered her hands with his to stop her. "Hang on," he said as he quickly toed off his shoes.
"Oh, good idea," Lorelai said as she followed suit. "Better?" she asked as she began to ease his pants down again. Luke lifted his hands and raised them in mock surrender as he quirked an eyebrow at her. She laughed and shoved them down, smiling as they pooled at his feet.
"Smooth," he grumbled as he pulled back and quickly extracted his feet from his pants and socks.
Emboldened, Lorelai grinned as she said, "If you think that was good, watch this," as she opened her pants and pushed them down, dragging her panties down with them.
"You win," Luke said gruffly.
Lorelai kicked them aside and ran her hands over his chest as she said, "I thought that might do it." Her fingertips danced over his abs as she worked her way lower, and then hooked her fingers into the elastic of his boxer briefs. She pulled them down slowly, warmed by his deep groan as his erection sprang free. Once then fell past his knees, she left him to finish the task, too distracted to see it through.
Luke stepped out of his underwear just as she wrapped her long fingers around him and stroked him gently. Lorelai looked up in time to see his eyes roll back as he closed them, humming low and deep in his throat. She watched as her hand slid the length of him, her thumb skimming the bead of moisture from the very tip and massaging it into his velvety skin.
She swallowed hard and lifted her eyes to his face. "You'll still be my friend, right?" she asked softly.
Luke's eyes popped open and he nodded; leaning forward to kiss her lingeringly. "Lorelai, I'll be anything you want me to be," he said quietly but firmly.
"You'll have to be both," she warned.
"I can do that."
"You hate change," she teased him gently.
Luke reached down to still her hand. "Some change," he told her frankly. "I can honestly tell you that I don't hate this at all."
Lorelai's smile was quick as she watched him lift her palm to his lips. He kissed it gently, his eyes boring into hers over the curled tips of her fingers. "I don't hate it either," she whispered. When he laughed, her heart raced. "You should do that more though."
"Kiss your hand?" he asked as he folded her hand into his and pressed them to his chest.
"Laugh like that."
"I'll work on it."
"Do that," Lorelai said and then kissed him firmly. "Now, I think we should get on the bed," she whispered conspiratorially.
Luke kissed her again, this time propelling her back onto the mattress as he followed her down, catching his weight on his hands and knee. "Like that?"
"We're sideways," she said with a sly smile.
"You're twisted."
"And you like me," she retorted.
"No, you like me. You said so," he argued as Lorelai shifted around until she rested on the pillows.
"Yes, you, Elvis and alien autopsies."
"Glad to know I'm first."
"Well, you never know what I'll say when I see Elvis at the 7-11," she told him solemnly.
"True."
"I do like you, though," she assured him.
"Good. I like you too. A lot," he added for good measure as he dropped soft kisses to the freckled skin of her chest. "I really like the freckles," he murmured as he moved a little lower, nuzzling the curve of her breast.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," he confirmed. Luke pressed his lips softly to the valley between her breasts and hummed against her skin. He breathed deeply as he ran his hands down over her hips to her thighs, and stroked them until Lorelai bent her knees and drew them up to cradle him. "You have a sweater. Red. Got the neck that goes like this," he said as he trailed the tip of his index finger over her chest, outlining a deep scooped neck.
"Yeah," Lorelai confirmed.
"Makes me nuts," he muttered and then began to kiss his way up over the curve of her other breast.
"We don't have much time," Lorelai whispered, almost breathless with anticipation by the time his warm breath teased her taut nipple.
"I don't wanna rush this."
"We have to. Um, Rory," she said softly.
Luke closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. He looked up for a second, as if to say something to her, and then abruptly lowered his head again, capturing her nipple and drawing it deep into his mouth.
"Oh!" Lorelai gasped as she bucked up off of the bed, clutching his head to her. "A little warning," she laughed.
"What'd ya think I was doin' here?" he grumbled as he moved to the other breast. He cocked an eyebrow at her and asked with exaggerated patience, "Are you ready, Lorelai?"
Lorelai swatted his shoulder, and then pressed back into the pillows as she pulled his head down to her breast. "Shut up," she ordered with a laugh. Luke chuckled even as he pulled her nipple into his mouth, the vibration of it rocketing to her core as he laved her tenderly. And this time, it came out in a moan, "Ohhhh."
Luke continued to laugh softly as he kissed his way along her stomach, nuzzling the undersides of her breasts teasingly as he traced the marks left behind by her bra with his tongue. Lorelai squeezed his sides with her thighs, and ran her hands through his rumpled hair as she softly called, "Luke?"
"Huh uh," he grunted, pushing her leg wider as her pressed his chest against her. Lorelai moaned and circled her hips, desperate for the friction she needed.
"But I wanna touch you too," she protested.
"In a minute," he promised as he slid down between her legs. He caressed her thighs, kneading the taut muscles gently as he brushed his nose across the dark curls that covered her sex.
Lorelai exhaled a long shaky breath, and then had to force herself to draw another as he looked up at her, each puff of his breath stirring her curls. When she met his eyes, he lowered his head, dipping his tongue into her folds, and watching as a strangled groan escaped her parted lips. He closed his eyes, sinking into her damp folds, tracing them with his tongue and teasing her gently as she bucked against him, anxious for more. His hands tightened on her thighs, the pads of his fingers digging into the smooth flesh as he pressed deeper, thrusting his tongue into her.
Lorelai gasped his name, pushing against him wantonly as his tongue circled her clit and then he pushed into her once more. Luke could feel her thighs tremble with barely contained need as his hands pressed her legs open wider still. Lorelai whimpered and he drew her into his mouth and sucked gently, pressing his index finger into her. She clutched at the quilt that covered her bed, fisting it into her hands as he stroked her slowly and steadily, setting a deliberate pace that drove her mad as he drove her up.
"Inside me," she panted. "I want you inside me."
Luke squeezed his eyes shut, lifting his head and pressing his mouth to her stomach as he rasped, "Please, god, tell me you have a condom."
"Condom?"
"I wasn't really planning this when I woke up this morning," he said as he pressed fervent kisses to her stomach. "Let me…" he trailed off as he pressed his mouth to her once more, drawing her clit against his tongue.
"I'm on the pill," Lorelai blurted.
Luke looked up and asked, "You sure?"
"I should know, I take it every night," she said with a breathless laugh.
"I mean, are you sure that's okay? With you," he stumbled.
"Roll over," she ordered.
"What?"
"Roll over," she said impatiently as she pulled on his arms.
"Okay." Luke looked up at her with a puzzled frown and then pushed up over her and rolled onto his back.
"This is the part where the 'shut up' comes into play, okay?" Lorelai said as she scrambled to straddle his hips. She took him into her hand and stroked him lightly, pushing him up against her damp curls.
"Okay."
"We're not gonna debate it, we're not gonna discuss it to death, and we're not going back," she told him as she rose up onto her knees. Lorelai positioned him at her entrance and then began to sink down slowly onto him. "We're just gonna do this," she whispered as she balanced herself with her hands on his stomach.
Luke groaned and pressed his head into the pillow as he looked up at her with heavily lidded eyes. "Tryin' to be considerate," he grumbled as he grasped her hips, pulling her down as he pushed up into her.
"I know, and it was very sweet," she said sincerely. "Now shut up."
Luke couldn't help it. He smiled because she smiled when she said it. When she looked down at their joined bodies and then back up at him in shock, he laughed as a tiny laugh of disbelief tumbled from her lips. And when she began to move, she grasped his forearms, squeezing them gently with each rise and fall of her hips.
"Lorelai," he said in a deep husky voice, and she looked up at him questioningly. He caught her wrists and pulled her down on top of him. "Commere," he said softly as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she continued to move. She straightened her legs, and his hands claimed her bottom, guiding her firmly but gently as he moved deep inside of her.
"You feel so good," she murmured, pressing her lips to his neck.
"Can I talk now?" he asked in a gravelly voice.
"Sure."
"You feel incredible," he groaned as he thrust his hips, pulling hers down firmly.
"Thanks," Lorelai said with a laugh.
"Shut up," Luke grunted as he pulled her down and kissed her firmly.
His lips curved against hers as they clung together, sharing each shaky breath and swallowing each other's gasps. When Lorelai tensed and coiled around him, her muscles heavy and taut, Luke kissed her softly and used his hands and hips to drive her on to where she needed to be. And when she cried out at last, he was there to catch her as her body grew lax and liquid; melting into him as he desperately sought his own release. She pressed her lips to his, steadying him as he shuddered, her eyes locked on his until they popped open.
She smiled, and he laughed softly; he squeezed her arm, still too weak for words, and she wrapped hers around him, holding him tight. Lorelai pressed her face into the crook of his neck, unabashedly resting all of her weight on him. She laced her fingers through his and pressed his arms up over his head. Luke remained in that very spot as she propped her forearms on his chest and tensed her muscles around him as she grinned down at him. "Like having my own Gumby doll," she teased.
"Keep doing that and I'll let you do whatever you want to me. At least, for about ten minutes," he quickly qualified.
Lorelai's smile widened. "We were good, weren't we?" she asked with a smug smile.
Luke laughed, the sound of it setting the butterflies loose in her stomach again. "Yeah, we were good."
"Hey, do me a favor?" she asked as she toyed absently with the fine hair on his chest.
"Sure."
"Okay, and I can say this because we're friends, right? And there's no expectation whatsoever, it's purely hypothetical," she cautioned sternly.
"Uh oh."
"No, seriously, I need you to promise me something."
"What?"
"Well, if, and that's a big if, because I know me and I know you, but if, this keeps being, you know, good. And many, many moons from now, when things have been good for a while and we're both really good with the goodness…" she said by way of preface.
"Got it, things are good. This is so hypothetical it's hanging out with the aliens and Elvis and waiting for an autopsy. Get to the point," he prodded impatiently.
"You have to promise me that if things get serious, we won't do it in the diner," she said in a rush.
Luke's eyebrows shot up. "Do what in the diner?"
"You know, that thing that people do when they're really serious about their, uh, other person." When he blinked up at her, she blew out an exasperated breath. "The thing that people do where their family and friends all go to a place to hear them say things to each other and make promises about being together for a really long time," she said as she gestured with her hand, encouraging him to catch on.
Luke laughed and asked, "Are you talking about a wedding?" He snorted and said, "I'm not worried about that, in the diner or anywhere else, considering that you can't even say the word."
"I was trying to be subtle. This is kind of our first date and I didn't want you to think I had expectations. And, I don't want to see your bare, albeit fine, ass beating a path out the door at the moment. I just want to make it clear that if things eventually go in that general direction, I don't want burgers and fries for a wedding dinner. Well, actually, I'd love that, but I can't have that because that would mean my mother was right about that too, and I can't let her be right about everything," she rambled.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked.
"The Romanovs," she answered soberly.
"No firing squads, no burgers and fries, no wedding in the diner," he repeated back to her.
"Thank you."
"What was she right about?" he asked with a knowing smile.
Lorelai narrowed her eyes at him and said, "That mushrooms would have been fun and whimsical and would suit Sookie's personality perfectly."
"Okay."
"And you. She was right about you. And me. You and me," she added.
Luke smiled as he ran his fingers through her silky straight hair. "I really like how you stumble over that."
"It's new!"
"I know," he said as he toyed with the ends of her hair. "How do you do this?" he asked as her hair tickled his chest.
"Do what?"
"It's curly, right? Naturally? How do you make it straight?"
Lorelai smiled as she nestled into his neck again, letting him run his hands through her hair. "Flat iron," she mumbled. "And a legion of products designed to tame it and force it to bend to my will."
"Seems like a lot of work."
"Yeah, I'm exhausted just thinking about it." Lorelai smiled against his neck. "You're comfortable."
"I'm glad one of us is," he grumbled as he flattened his hands to her back.
"We should get up," she said with a sigh.
Luke pressed her tightly to him. "In a minute."
"Do you want to stay and have dinner us? Do you like Chinese food?"
Luke blinked up at the ceiling and said cautiously, "I like Chinese food."
"You could stay and hang out with me and Rory. We can say it was our first date, that way you don't come off as being easy. A little revisionist history, if you will," she said as she pulled back to look at him. "Would you like to?" she asked hopefully.
"I'd like that."
Lorelai nodded and smiled. "You are easy, though," she said pointedly.
"I know."
"But you're a pretty good guy."
"Not so good," Luke said with a smirk.
"It was good for me."
"I meant that I don't always do the right thing," he said as he rolled his eyes.
"But you try. You try to do the right thing."
"Sometimes. Sometimes I do things I probably shouldn't do."
"Like what?" she asked cautiously.
Luke smiled and said, "Like run off with the girl I like in the middle of my uncle's wake. Like how, by some strange fluke, Lou Gehrig's rookie card may not have made it into that casket with Louie."
Lorelai gasped and said, "You are bad!"
"Willie Mays and Joe DiMaggio may have slipped out too," he admitted, laughing as she began to laugh.
"You pilfered King Tut's tomb?"
"Hey, it cost me another seven hundred bucks for King Tut to even be able to take his Johnny Unitas football with him," he said defensively.
Lorelai grinned and said, "You are a bad, bad man."
"Still like me?"
"Enough to run up to Poughkeepsie for a Slurpie with you," she answered promptly.
"We should get dressed," he said as he gave her bottom a playful pat.
"Gonna wear your new pith helmet for dinner?" she asked as she rolled off of him.
"Ha ha."
"Gas mask?" she prodded as he rolled up off of the bed and began searching for his underwear.
"Sent that with him."
"Antique dueling pistols?"
"Six feet under."
Lorelai rolled onto her side and propped her head up on her hand. "Hey, Luke?"
"Yeah?" he answered as he adjusted the waistband on his underwear and looked around for his pants.
"I think your dad would be proud."
"You think?" he asked with a snort.
"You are a good man."
Luke froze for a moment, and then looked over at her. "Thank you," he said gruffly, holding his pants up in front of him.
"You're welcome," she said as she scooted off of the bed and pressed a quick, possessive kiss to his lips. "Besides, I'm sure he would have loved to have had those baseball cards too," she added as she sashayed toward the bathroom, peeking over her shoulder to see if he was looking.
Luke turned to watch her go; unable to take his eyes off of her, and patently unashamed of it. When she flashed a bright smile at him before closing the door, Luke smiled too, and began to pull on his pants. He shook his head slightly as he scrounged for his shirts, and then laughed quietly as he realized that Lorelai was right. His dad would have called Louie was a damn fool, and snatched those cards right out of the casket. He probably would have grabbed the football too.