RETURNING HOME, PART THREE
CHAPTER ONE. HOMEWARD BOUND
***
Jess was off-duty that day but he hung around by the diner's cash register, taking money and handing out change when warranted. He was just killing time. Rory was coming back to town that evening and she had mentioned that, after her house, Luke's would be her first stop. Jess would, of course, be there when she arrived.
He was sitting on a stool that he'd brought around to the back of the counter, a paperback in hand. The reading was interesting, but even still, for the last hour or so, every time he heard the dingle of the door opening, he would look up from his book. It was the supper rush. Jess was looking up so much, that he had only read two pages since he'd been sitting there.
With new resolve, he focused on his book and purposely ignored the next few dingles.
"Hey there, stranger," he heard a sweet voice say.
Oh my God, he thought, his body finally succumbing to the jittery nerves he'd been suppressing. He looked up from his book. Rory, looking cuter than he had ever seen her, was standing sideways at the counter, leaning on one elbow and looking across at him over her shoulder. Her hair, perhaps a little longer than he remembered, was pulled back at the sides and curled up at the ends. Her cheeks were a beautiful light shade of burgundy and they matched her dark form-fitting sweater. "Hey yourself," he rumbled with a grin.
Lorelai, who had just entered the diner after Rory, came up to the counter as well. "Quit ogling my daughter, Mariano!" she said good-naturedly. "You want to stay on my good side, you will not ogle!"
"Tell her to quit looking so good then," he came back lightly, but inside, he chastised himself for having been caught in the act by her mother. He did want to stay on Lorelai's good side.
Rory laughed abashedly and sat down on a stool as Lorelai grunted and rolled her eyes.
Just then Luke waltzed out of the kitchen, carrying a plate. "Rory!" he cried, the plate's destination forgotten.
"Luke! Hi!" Rory replied, hopping up from the stool again and rushing over to give him a hug. The two embraced affectionately, as a father and daughter might.
Jess and Lorelai were watching as Kirk, who was also sitting at the counter, tapped Luke on the shoulder and interrupted their hug. "Is that my tuna melt?" he asked, referring to the plate still in Luke's hand.
Sighing and rolling his eyes, Luke broke off the hug and passed the plate to Kirk. "Yes, Kirk. Sorry," he said gruffly before turning back to Rory. "How are you? How was your trip?"
Rory returned to her stool and sat down. "It was good Luke. It made me the vice-president I am today! Or will be in a couple of weeks anyway," she said before launching into a brief overview of her stay in Washington, D.C.
Jess closed his book, tossed it down beside the till, and pulled his stool closer to the counter so that he was sitting directly across from the Gilmores. Luke came around to the back of the counter and stood beside him. Both men were listening to Rory with rapt attention.
During one break in the conversation, Luke took notice of Jess sitting there and asked him, "Shouldn't you be working?"
"Hello. Day off."
"Oh. Right. I guess that mean's I'm working today. So," Luke turned back to Rory contentedly, clapping his hands together. "What can I get you two? Besides coffee," he added, looking pointedly at Lorelai as the woman opened her mouth to speak.
"Well, Luke. Coffee does sound good right about now," Rory pitched in.
Luke nodded his head agreeably. "For you, I've got coffee. For Lorelai, no. I know she's already had too much today."
"How do you know I haven't had too much today?" Rory inquired.
"Have you?"
Rory's eyes grew very large and innocent, almost resembling a deer caught in headlights. "No," she said seriously, but not at all believably.
Luke raised an eyebrow. "Well… It is your first day back," he grumbled, turning around to pick up the pot and pour a cup for Rory. When he'd finished that, Lorelai reached for the pot but he pulled it away in time. "And to eat?"
"Hmm," thought Rory. "I'm thinking chilli fries… And a chocolate sundae for dessert! No, actually, bring the sundae out at the same time."
"You're kidding," Jess piped up.
"Nope, not kidding," Rory replied, turning her attention to Jess once more, smiling and sharing a sweet but smug look with him.
"Hey. That sounds good," added Lorelai, eyeing the coffee pot safely in Luke's hands one last time. "Make that two."
Jess momentarily broke away from Rory's satisfying gaze to notice Lorelai switch gears and surreptitiously reach for Rory's coffee cup. With his eyes, Jess pointed this out to Rory, who, smiling, smacked her mother's hand away and moved the cup a foot and a half to the left.
Luke argued. "Chilli fries and ice cream? You eat like that; it'll send you to an early grave. I can't serve you that."
"Sure you can," Lorelai replied. "You're the inimitable-"
"Incomparable," Rory broke in.
"One-and-only Luke Danes!" Lorelai finished, the eternal quest for coffee momentarily set aside. She'd taken up the cause for junk food instead.
"You can do anything you put your mind to Luke," Rory added.
Taking two napkins out the dispenser, Lorelai suddenly threw her hands into the air, brandishing the napkins as pom poms. "Luke! Luke! He's our man!" she breathed in a girlish voice.
"If he can't do it, no one can!" Rory chimed in, laughing.
The two boisterous women hopped from their stools and caused a scene right there in the diner, in the end falling into each other's arms for a giddy hug. A number of patrons stopped to watch the show, forks halfway to mouths, and a sprinkling of laughter was heard throughout. From what Jess could tell, revealed by the women's outrageous behaviour, a Gilmore reunion was an experience to be treasured.
Luke opened his mouth as if to say something but no sound came out. Rory and Lorelai were surveying him with identical grins of rapt expectancy. Jess snickered to watch the whole procession. Luke, Luke, Luke, he thought. With the back of his hand, he reached over, pushed Luke's jaw closed and gave the older man a condescending pat on the cheek. No one, least of all Luke, could compete with the Gilmore girls reunited.
Wordlessly and still apparently in a daze, Luke turned to head back to the kitchen, coffee pot still in hand.
"Hey! Leave the pot!" Lorelai instructed.
"You make me tired," he stated as he placed the coffee pot on the counter and continued to the kitchen, no doubt, Jess guessed, to make up a batch of chilli fries and ice cream.
***
A short while later, Rory was revealing more about her trip to Washington in between mouthfuls of chilli fries, which, due to the thawing properties of chocolate sundaes, she and Lorelai had chosen to eat as dessert instead of as the main course. "Oh my God. I have to tell you," Rory exclaimed to Lorelai and Jess, as a thought occurred to her. "Paris really outdid herself this time. You just wouldn't believe it. A couple of days ago, Congressman Daigle came in to give a presentation on leadership roles. His speech was really good, by the way. He's really well spoken," she added parenthetically.
"Anyway at the end of his speech he asked if anyone had any questions about the presentation, and Paris, who was sitting right beside me, stood up and totally denounced Congressman Daigle's whole stand on the SRIGA issue, right in front of the whole auditorium! I mean, that wasn't even the subject of his presentation! It was totally out of left field. You should've seen the look on his face. He, like, turned all purple… I mean, I was laughing despite myself, even thought I felt bad for it."
Lorelai shook her head and murmured, "That girl is incredible." Jess, chuckling, had to agree. He could fully picture Paris standing up in front of an entire lecture hall to spout opinions in an air of commanding self-assurance.
"Infuriatingly so," Rory concurred. "Paris did make some really valid points though, naturally, and the two of them sparred for about ten minutes. I gotta hand it to him, he knows his platform down pat and it only took him a second or so to switch gears." Rory turned to look at her mother. "You know, after their debate, I wasn't even sure which side I was on; both their arguments were that strong."
After the Gilmores had polished off their meals - with Luke eyeing their emptying coffee cups and plates in distress, every time he came out of the kitchen - the conversation slowed a bit. Rory took the opportunity to turn to Jess, "Um. Can I talk to you for a second?"
"Ooooh!" said Lorelai in mock-teasing annoyance, lifting her hands up and wiggling her fingers beside her face.
"Sure. Where?" Jess asked, ignoring Lorelai's antics.
"Let's go for a walk. Mom, I'll meet you back at the house later OK?"
"Sure Hon," she replied, taking another sip of coffee, as Rory led Jess out of the diner, into the fading light of the evening. The two crossed the street to the town square, walking side by side in equal postures of hands in pockets.
"So, you heard all about my summer," Rory stated. "What did you do this summer?"
"Oh you know: tried to stay awake in class, tried to stay awake doing homework, tried to stay awake studying for tests. You know how it is."
"Sure," she replied as their feet hit the grass on the other side of the street.
"Wait a minute! What am I saying? You don't know how it is. You're so hopped up on caffeine, you probably don't even sleep at night!"
"No. I do."
"You probably glow in the dark!"
"Jess!" she cried, laughing. "I sleep. I have a very high tolerance level. It's genetic."
"I guess!" he agreed. A moment later they were sitting side by side in the gazebo.
"Come on," Rory begged. "You must have done something else this summer."
"Not anything you don't already know: school, work, basketball."
"Not anything?"
Jess looked at her and grinned. "Well we didn't exactly lose touch while you were gone. We've got the phone bills to prove it."
She chuckled and met his gaze. "You're right. I'm glad we were able to talk so much this summer. I really did miss you… Your friendship - you - mean a lot to me."
Jess swallowed and looked down at the gazebo's wooden floor. He was just gonna have to kiss her. So then, playfully, Jess whistled through his teeth, turning his attention innocently skyward. In a fluid movement, he used his hands to lift himself up and slide right beside her on the bench. Once close to her, he tilted his face to her slyly, eyes twinkling. Outwardly, he'd adopted an air of comedic relief, but inside he was really quite serious.
"Smooth." Rory chuckled warmly as her eyes fluttered downward shyly, but she didn't move away. She stopped him by saying, "Jess, you should know… I'm going over to see Dean tonight."
Jess let his breath out in a whoosh, but the shell of a smile never left his face. "I figured," he said. Jess wasn't the least bit surprised; he'd been prepared for the inevitability. At least she'd seen Jess first.
Rory just tilted her head to the side and looked down at her hands intently, as though scraping dirt out from under her fingernails was of the utmost importance. Jess noticed she wasn't wearing Dean's bracelet and it heartened him. "I have to see him."
"I know," he said, teasing her quietly. "You have to dump his ass in person." He couldn't believe he'd actually said it out loud. He stifled a laugh.
She turned to him, looking him in the eyes. Amused outrage was reflected on her smiling face and his laugh burst forth. "Come on, Jess. Dean has some very redeeming qualities."
"What, like a coupon? You can redeem him for goods and services?"
"Jess!"
"What? Cash and prizes?" he came back seriously. Rory smacked him on the ribs and he laughed again. "OK… No Dean jokes." Jess's voice softened. "I'm sure Dean's a… gleh," he stopped himself. He'd been about to say 'great guy' but his tongue gagged at the notion, his body retched. "I'm sure he's fine."
She shook her head in amusement. "You're incredible."
"Hmmm… Good sign," he murmured, taking it as a compliment, even though he knew she'd meant it in exasperation. "Rory," he said, becoming serious again. "You do what you have to do."
"OK," she replied, nodding as she smirked at him. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him in for a quick but firm kiss, once again catching him totally off guard. Jess closed his eyes at the pleasurable friction her lips created.
Releasing him, she smiled. "Goodnight, Jess." And with that, she headed off into the night.
She was already a good fifteen feet away from him before he caught his breath. "You gonna break up with him?" he called after her, his heart beating fast.
"We'll see," she called over her shoulder mysteriously.
"Nine out of ten doctors recommend it!"
She spun around to face him again, still walking backwards and smile glowing. Then with a bubbly laugh and a gleeful skyward glance, she turned away again and continued across the lawn.
***
The next day, as Jess was stepping out of the bookstore, he saw Rory turn a corner across the street. She hadn't noticed him. Jess picked up his pace and followed her, meaning to ask her what had happened with Dean the night before.
As Jess came around the building that Rory had disappeared behind, Jess found out she was not alone. Dean was there as well. Jess whirled around and slipped back to the far side of the building, putting his back against the wall. He was breathing heavily. A moment later he chuckled at himself. He was acting like a jewel thief. A pathetic one at that.
Jess relaxed and peeked back around the side of the building. Rory and Dean were crossing the street now, heading towards the gazebo, the same spot where Rory had kissed Jess the night before. Jess stayed put, observing them from a safe distance. The two sat down for quite a while, talking. After a while, Dean put his arm around her shoulders.
Crap, Jess thought. Why am I watching this? I don't need to watch this! Just as Jess was about to turn around, however, he saw, out of the corner of his eye, Rory shrug Dean's arm off her shoulders. Jess's head snapped back to attention, focussing once more on the action at the gazebo. It was getting interesting.
Rory turned around on the bench to face Dean. The two of them were talking still, too far away to be heard. A short time later, Dean jumped up from the bench.
Dean actually spoke loud enough, then, for his voice to carry itself all the way to Jess's ears, although Jess couldn't make out what the words were. Dean seemed agitated. They both seemed upset. Jess watched as Rory stood up, took hold of Dean's hand, and gently pulled him back to the bench. As the two sat for a while longer, they appeared just as they had before, only, this time, Jess couldn't tear his eyes away. His heart was pounding and he leaned up against the building for support.
Dean didn't put his arm around her again, but before getting up to leave, alone, he did kiss Rory on the lips. The suspense was killing Jess. Had they broken up? Jess wanted to go over to Rory and ask her right away, but Dean was coming back across to Jess's side of the street. Not wanting to be seen there, Jess decided to make himself scarce.
When Jess went looking for Rory later that day, she was nowhere to be found.
***
Late the next afternoon, Luke rolled his eyes and said, "Hey, why don't you go into Hartford tonight? Get outta my hair. I don't know; call Derek, go see a movie. You can take my truck."
Jess sighed. He knew that he'd been bugging Luke with his attitude. Jess had had a short fuse all day. All he'd been able to think about for the last 3 days was Rory, culminating in the scene he'd witnessed the day before at the gazebo. He still hadn't talked to her.
Yesterday evening, he'd decided to just wait it out, let her come to him. But the wait was making him irritable. Now Luke was so sick of him, he was actually kicking him out. "OK! OK!" Jess said as Luke all but tossed his truck keys and Jess's jacket at him.
"Make sure you're back by nine-thirty to help me close up."
"Yeah, yeah." Nine-thirty! Yee-haw. Fun night out, he thought. But he picked up the phone and gave Derek a call. He could use a night out, however short-lived it would be.
Fifteen minutes later, he and Derek were picking up Neil and Laird in Luke's truck. The other two climbed into the back of the extended cab, and then the four of them headed into Hartford.
***
"Sorry I have to cut this so short, guys," Jess said about three hours later, as they were cruising back down the freeway, the truck cutting a sleek line through the night, its interior lighting up with every streetlight they passed. "For some reason Luke needs me back at the diner tonight. Maybe Caesar had to leave early or something."
"S'OK, Man. We understand completely," replied Derek as the other two echoed in agreement and Jess signalled and pulled onto the off ramp leading to Stars Hollow. "Besides, we can come in the diner for a while."
"OK," Jess agreed. The four of them had actually had a pretty good time at the movies that night. Jess had suggested something from the action/adventure genre and the others had readily agreed. As it turned out, the movie had been very good and Jess had had a blast. The other guys, who were apparently in a partying mood, were being very good about having to head home so early.
Arriving, Jess pulled the truck into the parking lot behind the diner and all four of them hopped out. Jess flipped through Luke's keys, looking for the one that unlocked the diner's back door. That's funny. Luke took that key off the ring, he thought. "Come on. We have to use the front door," he said to his friends.
When the four walked around to the front, Jess noticed the lights were off in the diner. "What the hell! Luke closed up early! Jerk," he muttered good-humouredly but slightly miffed, "Sorry guys, guess I coulda stayed out later after all." Jess had really wanted to.
"Not a problem, Man. We'll just hang out. We have the diner all to ourselves," said Derek. Laird snickered then and Neil smacked him on the arm. Jess looked at them strangely for a beat, but let their oddness slide and proceeded to unlock the door.
As Jess walked inside, the lights suddenly burned bright. "Surprise!" shrieked a number of people, as they all popped out of the woodwork. Jess nearly jumped out of his skin. "Happy birthday, Jess!" chorused Luke and Rory, as they came over to give him hugs. Jess received slaps on the back from his friends behind him and more birthday greetings all around.
In shock, Jess checked the date on his watch. Sure enough, it was his birthday. "It's my birthday," he admitted bashfully to everybody's laughter. He couldn't believe it, but he'd actually forgotten about his birthday until that very moment. But then again, his parents had never been much for throwing him parties; he'd basically grown up not celebrating his birthdays, barely even recognizing their occurrence at all. Besides, he'd had so much else on his mind lately.
Lorelai broke into his thoughts, "Hey Jess. Happy Birthday," she said, patting him somewhat awkwardly on the shoulder. "You remember Sookie and Jackson."
"Yeah. The fruit people. Hey," Jess replied pleasantly as Lorelai's friends offered their birthday greetings. Jess looked around. Caesar, Rory's friend Lane, Bobby and a couple other guys from the basketball court were there as well. It was a small crowd but they created a warm reception. Someone had even hung a banner across the back wall.
Lane came up to him then. "Hey, Jess. I can't stay, but I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. My mom doesn't know I'm out."
Jess looked at her strangely. "Oh. Short party."
"Short, but the look on your face was worth it." The girl turned to Rory and added. "See ya Rory, I have to go climb in my window now."
"Godspeed, Girlfriend," came Rory's amiable response as she gave her a hug. "Thanks for coming." After Lane dashed out of the diner, Rory met Jess's confused expression and added, "Strict mother issues."
"Ah," Jess murmured.
Lorelai pushed Jess away from the door then, further into the diner. "Let's get the party started, Birthday Boy."
"Don't you dare sing 'Happy Birthday' to me," Jess said to her, embarrassed.
"But Luke baked you a cake and-" Lorelai broke off momentarily. "Oops, I guess I wasn't supposed to let that slip out. Oh well. He did. And how can you eat cake if we don't sing? You can't eat cake if we don't sing."
"You can't eat cake if we don't sing," Sookie echoed and Rory agreed.
"Sure I-" uttered Jess, before Lorelai interrupted him.
"No! It's a universal impossibility! And I need chocolate and I must have some of your cake, and it wouldn't be right for me to eat your cake if you can't have any. So we have to sing 'Happy Birthday' to you, so that I can have cake. Luke, go get the cake!"
Jess laughed. She'd been hitting the coffee again, obviously. "All right. All right."
Luke brought out the cake and, true to their word, Lorelai, Sookie and Rory broke out into song. The others joined in, singing in various volumes of off-keyedness. Derek didn't sing. He was too busy laughing at Jess's mortification.
The cake they presented to him was large and round with dark chocolate frosting. Around the edge, in slim white piping, was a Greek Key pattern of angular spirals and eighteen flickering candles. Gracing the centre, in more white piping, was a simple printed message.
day of another 365-day
journey around the sun.
Enjoy the trip.
Happy Birthday Jess.'
Jess was touched. It was the most unique cake he had ever seen. It was obvious that someone had put a lot of effort into decorating it. "Ah… Rory decorated this," he smiled, catching her gaze.
Luke turned to him. "Of course she did, if it were up to me, you'd get the standard issue icing and sprinkles."
"I hope you like it," Rory admitted shyly, stepping forward. Rory looked especially beautiful that evening. She wore blue jeans and a summery patchwork sweater, the sleeves so long they covered the palms of her hands. Her hair was whisked back from her face by a matching narrow bandana and her cheeks were rosy.
As she stood there before him, elbows straight, arms wound once around each other and hands clasped, she had an endearingly hopeful expression on her face. "Rory I love the cake," Jess enthused. "It's great. I like the spirals."
"I thought you might," she said. "You didn't exactly strike me as the rosette and swirls type."
Lorelai broke in, "Come on! Blow out the candles. I need chocolate."
With a chuckle, Jess gave in and took part in the festivities. When cake had been eaten, and birthday cards given, Rory pulled Jess aside. "Jess, I wanted to get you something besides the card, but I have to admit, I didn't have the slightest idea what to get you. I mean, I did. I had something all picked out, but then Lane reminded me how important a gift's message to the other person is and… well I thought maybe I could take you out for dinner, in Hartford, maybe. If you'd like."
Jess smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Dean won't mind?"
Rory, holding his gaze steadily, spoke in unwavering contentment. "Dean has no say in the matter. He and I broke up."
Jess gulped and then grinned at her slyly. "It is a happy birthday then, isn't it?" he said, to which she blushed. "You OK?"
"Better than OK," she nodded. The two looked at each other a while, lost in a powerful spell. Any moment now, alone in the world, they would kiss…
Just then, Lorelai grabbed Jess by the upper arm and pulled him to the back of the room. Jess was a mixture of surprise and disappointment, as he glanced back at an equally startled but grinning Rory. Jess was reminded that they weren't actually alone after all.
The interruption was for the best though, he decided. He'd rather kiss Rory in private anyway.
Jess tried to put all thoughts of Rory's lips out of his mind and focus on what her mother was telling him. "I like you now, Ponyboy," she was saying, her voice stern but not totally without warmth. "But don't get me wrong: you hurt my daughter and I'll have you whacked! Got it?"
"Capisce, oh Boss of Bosses," Jess replied.
Lorelai scowled. "I'm very serious."
"So am I."
Lorelai looked hard at him, gauging his sincerity, then nodded and released her vice-like grip on his arm. "Luke says your mother phoned to wish you a happy birthday," she advised, some semblance of a smile appearing on her face. "Don't forget to phone her back."
Jess smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it."
***
"Luke, don't let him take down the banner," Lorelai called over her shoulder as she followed her fellow partygoers out the door, later that night.
Rory stayed behind to help Luke with the clean up. When Jess made a move to clear off a table, Rory stopped him forcefully, "Don't touch that! It's your birthday."
"OK! OK! I know my place," Jess conceded, backing off with a hasty grin.
"Luke," Rory said, still holding Jess's amused stare. "I'm going to wrap up the rest of this cake, all right?"
"Plastic wrap is above the sink," Luke replied, as he stacked some dishes in a plastic tub.
Once Rory left with the cake, Jess stated, "I'm taking down the banner," and slid his chair over to the wall.
"Are you sure?" Luke asked. "It would piss Taylor right off if he knew the only time I let the diner be decorated is for your birthday."
Jess laughed. "Yeah. That is a perk… But I'm gonna take it down."
"OK," Luke shrugged.
Jess stood up on the chair and spoke again. "You knew what you were doing when you kicked me out of the apartment today."
"Yeah, I did."
"You threw me a party," Jess added, turning back to glance at his uncle.
Luke looked up at him and smiled bashfully. "Yeah well. It's what you do for family."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"So… I'm eighteen," Jess hinted with a touch of apprehension.
"Yup."
"I guess I don't need a legal guardian anymore."
"Nope."
"So… you want me to move out or something?"
Luke dumped another dish in the tub and looked at Jess with an exasperated expression. "Jess, do you have any idea how much it cost to expand that apartment?" he said, first pointing upstairs, then pointing at Jess for effect. "No. You're staying till your room is good and paid for."
Jess smirked. Luke's exasperation was just for show, he knew. Jess was beginning to realize that 'You're staying till your room is good and paid for' in Luke-speak meant 'I'd miss you if you left'.
***
After the diner had been returned to its original state of cleanliness, Rory and Jess bid Luke a good night and headed over to the gazebo.
"Any particular reason you broke up with Dean?" Jess said, fishing for a compliment as the two of them stood facing one another in the gazebo.
"Hmmm… no," she said sweetly.
"Uh-huh." Jess smirked. He didn't buy her innocent act for a single second. Damn! he thought with awe-filled desire.
Rory gazed up at the wooden planked ceiling, her eyes dancing with delight. She was rocking back and forth on her heels, feigning innocence. "Nope. No reason at all." That was the precise moment that Jess pulled her into his arms and kissed her, for once beating her to the punch.
When their kiss broke off a while later, Jess held her loosely in his arms, relishing the light-headed, heavy-lidded expression on her face. "You're sure you're all right about… Dean?"
"Yeah," she said sincerely and Jess knew he could believe her. "The break up was a long time coming. I've thought about that all summer."
"I've thought about this all year."
"We haven't even known each other a year," she giggled.
"Hmm, interesting paradox." He shot her a look that was deeply thoughtful, though thoroughly farced, as though assessing the conundrum. "What does your mom think about all this?"
"She's taking it very well. Actually I was kinda surprised. Before I left for D.C., I was pretty sure she thought you were the anti-Christ. What happened while I was away?"
"You got me."
"No really."
Jess shrugged. "I helped her and Luke patch things up."
Rory grinned and moved to sit down on the bench. Jess followed as Rory stuck her hands in her pockets again and spoke, "Thanks. It's horrible when they're fighting."
"Tell me about it."
"They totally want each other," she said, tracing one of the floor planks with her sneaker-clad toe.
"Yeah. Kinda like us." Jess put his arm behind her on the backrest. She leaned into it.
"She asked me if it was infatuation between us."
"Infatuation? That would imply that this," he gestured the space between them and spoke earnestly. "Whatever this may be, is only physical. I would have to say that a lot of it is intellectual."
"I concur," she replied, giving a studious nod of her head.
"Although there is a definite physical aspect." Jess gently pushed her hair away from her neck. The delicate skin exposed to him in the process beckoned. Slowly, Jess drew closer to her, placing a string of feathery kisses down the side of her neck.
"Yeah," Rory murmured, shivering in his arms. "My grandparents are so going to hate you."
"Oh. Good," he joked. Jess was enjoying the response he was getting from her, so he continued to drop kisses, focussing now on her jaw line. "As long as you like me, I'm good."
"Guess you'll be good for a long time," Rory threw back, adjusting her posture so that his lips fell on hers. She placed a hand on his thigh as the other one traced lazy circles up and down his neck. The feeling was incredible, and it drew Jess deeper into the kiss.
A little while later, a moan escaped her lips and set his body afire. She pulled back slightly, letting the kisses taper off. "It's kinda late," she began warmly. "I guess I should really be getting home." She kissed him one last time.
Jess sighed, but remained happy. Clearing his throat, he collected himself. He was glad at least one of them was keeping their wits about them. "I guess so. Wouldn't want you to turn into a pumpkin."
"Will you walk me home?"
"Oh yeah," Jess assured her with ardent mockery. "'Cause Stars Hollow really is the mean streets!"
***
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Thanks to Jamie for the whole Paris/Congressman Daigle debate bit. That was her idea that I ran with. Please note that I have no idea about American politics and, if there actually is a Congressman Daigle or if there actually is a SRIGA issue, or if Congressmen actually do have 'platforms' it's a total fluke and coincidence that I happened to write about it!
OK, did the birthday scene surprise anyone or was it totally obvious that something like that was going to happen?
Stay tuned for more guys. Please review! Thanks.