Title: A Wedding Story, Chapter 4 - Bachelor Butch

Author: Gluglug

Spoiler Warning/Timing: Late Fourth Season

Rating: PG-13

Summary: His sister's impending wedding leads Luke to make some decisions about his own life. SPOILER WARNING

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls and all characters are property of The Dubba Dubba Dubba WB, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Amy Sherman- Palladino. They don't belong to me, just borrowing.

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Her lips tasted like raspberries and her hair smelled like citrus, orange blossoms or something he couldn't put his finger on. She kissed him slowly and seductively, drawing him into her. He was intoxicated by her touch and the more they kissed, the more he wanted her.

"Lorelai," he breathed.

Suddenly the room erupted into applause and cheers. Startled, Luke looked around him – he and Lorelai were lying on a bed half-dressed on the stage at Miss Patty's studio. The entire town was watching them and cheering him on.

"Go for it, Luke." "She wants you, man." "Give it to her, stud."

Luke halted Lorelai's advances and got up from the bed and screamed at them. "Get out of here! Ever hear of privacy?"

The townies stopped cheering and left the studio in silence. Only one chair was still occupied. It was Nicole and she stared at him with the most horrified look on her face.

"Nicole!" Luke exclaimed.

"What, Luke, what is it?" Nicole's hand was on Luke's shoulder, trying to wake him.

Luke opened his eyes and remembered where he was. He was at Nicole's place in Litchfield in "their" bed. Nicole was dressed in a silky nightgown and he instantly recalled what occurred earlier in the evening.

Luke came over to the townhouse apartment at seven with a couple of Cobb salads. They ate in relative silence until Luke found himself apologizing for all of the arguments they'd been having lately. He promised to spend more time with her and try to make their relationship work. He told her all about Liz's upcoming wedding and how he looked forward to introducing Nicole to her new in-laws. After dinner they talked a bit more, shared a bottle of wine and wound up making love for the first time in weeks.

Luke thought it was all was okay again until he had that nightmare.

"I just had a bad dream, that's all."

"I know - I heard you scream out my name. What happened?"

"I um, don't remember really. I just knew that I was trying to find you..." Luke lied.

"Well you found me, sweetie. I'm right here." Nicole put her arms around Luke and tried to make it all better.

Luke pulled away. "I'm tired, Nicole. And I have to get up early to open the diner this morning."

Nicole felt a little resentful but realized how lucky she was to have him back in her bed, so she didn't push.

"It's okay, go back to sleep. But I still think you work too hard. You should have Lane or Caesar open the diner for you once in a while."

"Yeah, you're right. Goodnight."

Nicole kissed him and rolled over onto her side. She certainly hoped that tonight was a new beginning in their relationship. For weeks they barely saw each other due to Luke's schedule or her business trips. And when they were together, they did nothing but argue. Nicole was sure that they were headed for divorce and was going to broach the subject again when Luke called her tonight.

But now, things seemed different. There was a new passion and hunger in his lovemaking tonight that she had never experienced. Somehow Luke seemed different to her, more serious, more mature. And that's exactly what she wanted.

Luke closed his eyes and tried to sleep. He was thankful that he hadn't called out Lorelai's name in his sleep. Damn that dream. He knew what it meant. The town had been watching "Bachelor Butch's Love Life" ever since Rachel broke his heart years ago when she left Stars Hollow to pursue her photography dreams.

The town watched him fall in love with a certain sassy single mother and her sweet, smart daughter, his diner the perfect public stage. They waited for him to make a move, but whenever he got up the nerve, something would fall between them. Yet the town still waited, wondering when she would reciprocate. In the meantime, Butch got tired of waiting and dated an elegant lawyer, a woman not exactly his type. But she liked his charm and they enjoyed each other's company. Until they made a big mistake. That's when it got really interesting and confusing and....

All this thinking about his love life made Butch very tired, and he finally fell asleep.

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Lorelai lay awake in her bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about the day's events. She tried to focus on all of the tasks that lay ahead of her over the next three weeks, but her mind drifted to Luke again.

She kept thinking about his arms around her in the kitchen, his arousal and his scent. Luke always smelled like Ivory soap and something else she couldn't place, a mixture of sweat, musk and just something masculine. Yes, that was the perfect word to describe him. Masculine.

Yet there was a tenderness about him that was almost feminine. She saw it whenever she looked in his eyes. Even though he had shot her a look like she was crazy, she saw something else in his eyes – desire, tenderness and dare she think it? Love.

But now she wondered if she had messed everything up. Luke was angry with her and she didn't know what to do. Sookie said to give him space, but for how long? Could she go into the diner in the morning and face him? Pretend that her feelings were still platonic? Try to go back to normal? Or she could take the easy way out and play the avoidance game. They were both good at it.

Lorelai realized that she had an opponent – Nicole. What if her little charade sent Luke running into Nicole's arms? What if Luke never woke up and smelled the coffee, as Sookie so eloquently put it?

That was it. Luke was what she wanted, and she wasn't about to give him up without a good fight.

TBC