Chapter Six

Luke wandered downstairs, looking a bit puzzled. Sookie happened by with a huge plate of freshly baked cookies, and caught his look.

"Hey, Sookie. Seen Lorelai? The jeeps still here but she's no where to be found."

"Sorry, Luke. I've been in the kitchen all morning. I haven't seen her since she went upstairs to see Rory."

"I'll find her. I know Rory just left."

He grabbed several of the cookies, and a couple napkins. A little fresh baked bribery for when he did find her. He looked out the window and saw the stables. Of course, the perfect hiding place. Luke poked his head in the door and there she sat on a bale of hay with her head in her hands.

"Was it that bad?"

She looked up and smiled. "It wasn't bad at all. She talked, I listened, and then we talked. It was good. Not easy, but good."

He handed her a cookie and a napkin and sat down beside her.

"Ummmm, Sookie outdid herself this time."

"Yeah, pretty good."

Luke bent closer to her and kissed her lips.

"Ummm, warm and chocolate flavored, my favorite kind of lips."

Lorelai laughed out loud. It was so good to be with him and have that heavy weight she had been carrying finally lightened a bit.

She kissed him back.....she even gave his lips a little lick. Luke grinned and took her cookie away from her.

"Hey, no messing with the chocolate. That's just not right."

Luke pulled her into an embrace and kissed her soundly. She moaned with delight and let her body melt into his.

"Ok, so maybe it's a little right."

Luke answered, "You're damn right."

They kissed for a while and then he finally gave her cookie back.

"It still tastes great....but that little interruption was pretty good too."

He reached over and fed her the last bite of his cookie.

"Wow. You really must like me."

Luke laughed, "Yeah, I really do. God knows why."

"I know why...I'm irresistible."

"Yeah, something like that."

They kissed some more and then Lorelai broke away.

"So, the diner's still there?"

"Running smoothly....of course, no one is there. Seems I have competition from the new inn that just opened. Hope it doesn't put me out of business."

"I don't see that happening, but if it does....I've heard the new owner is a push over for a flannel shirt and a backward baseball cap. I bet you could go to work for her. I've heard the fringe benefits are unbelievable."

"Oh, really?"

"Just repeating what I heard."

Luke laughed and loved the free an easy way they could still be with each other. Even though they had definitely started down a new road...the more than friendship one.

"Rory just headed over there. She was afraid Lane might be bored."

"She is, but she did have one customer this morning."

"I thought everyone was here," Lorelai teased.

"He was here, but he left. Somehow he just ended up at my place."

"Ok, who was it? You obviously want me to know."

"Boyfriend number one."

"Number one.....Jason? You're kidding, right?"

"None other."

"What was he doing there?"

"I'm thinking just trying to let me know that he was the proud possessor of your heart for the last six months. And letting me know that the next few months were mine.....until you dump me for the next guy."

Lorelai really looked at Luke. "You don't believe that do you? You don't think you are just one in a line of many. After all of these years, after our talk, after those kisses we shared."

"I'm trying not to. I know how I feel. I think you feel the same. I want you to feel the same. We've been dancing around this for years......but when I looked at his face, put myself in his shoes.... Lorelai I couldn't stand it if you left me now. I just realized that you're the only one for me. It took me years. I don't want it to last a few months and then, wham, you're off and running again."

Lorelai was stunned. She got up and tried to walk away. Luke jumped up and pulled her back. He wrapped his arms around her and looked into her eyes.

"Don't leave. We have to talk about this. What exactly is 'this' anyway?"

"I don't know. But I thought it was the start of you and me sharing a life. Not just dating for a while and moving on."

Luke smiled warmly and whispered. "Good answer. Perfect actually."

She reached up and stroked his beard with her hand. "Come here you."

She pulled his face to hers and kissed him. He kissed her back, wrapping his arms even more tightly around her. Time stood still as they made wordless promises to each other.

The horses started to get restless, and there was a loud crack of thunder and a bright flash of lightning. Lorelai screamed and grabbed hold of Luke.

Luke teased her about the power of her kisses. She laughed and walked behind him as they headed toward the open barn door. Just as they looked out, torrential rain started falling straight down. Luke pulled the barn door closed, and the horses immediately settled down.

"I think we're stuck in here for a while."

Lorelai asked, "Anymore cookies?"

Luke smiled, "No, but there's lots more of this."

He pulled her back into his arms again and kissed her. He let his hands run down her back, down to her hips, and then he pulled their lower bodies closer. She ground against him a bit....just a little tease. But it was enough to get them both extremely aroused. As the lightning flashed, and the thunder rumbled, he pulled her down to the bales of hay. The bales made a perfect bed and a perfect place to take their feelings a little further. She lay beside him and stoked his chest. It wasn't quite the same with his shirt on, so she unbuttoned it. Luke ran his hands down her back and around to her front. He caressed her beasts with his fingers, feeling her erect nipples through her blouse. He wanted to do more...feel her naked breasts, caress them, and suckle them. Every cell in his body was telling him to ravage her, do ungodly things to her, but his brain was saying something completely different. It was telling him to slow down -- that she had always been there for him, and that she always would. They had a lifetime ahead of them to explore and perfect. He gently pulled away, separating their bodies but still holding her close. He nudged at her nose, kissed her sweetly but deeply, letting his hands roam freely over her clothed body. She sensed his resolve and gave him a knowing smile. No words were spoken but each understood the desire to take it one step at a time. There was all the time in the world now. They both knew this was for life. Lorelai laid her head on his chest and they watched the flashes of light fill in the cracks of the barn walls. The thunder still rumbled but was starting to fade away. The rain fell in a heavy steady rhythm, like their beating hearts. They lay wrapped in each others arms, thoroughly content. Finally, Luke sat up, pulling Lorelai up with him. He pushed her dark hair behind her ears, and smiled into those beautiful eyes. She laughed as she brushed his hair back and then tried to button his shirt. She fumbled a bit and he finally had to take over.

"Guess you're better at the undoing than the redoing?"

"Funny. You just have this strange affect on me...making me all clumsy and uncoordinated."

"Yeah, I've sort of noticed." Luke thought about all those klutzy things he had witnessed, just now figuring out why. The strangest smile came over his face.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Luke?"

"I was just thinking how cute you are."

"No, you're the cute one, getting all mad and jealous over an old boyfriend."

"I saw my world slipping away."

"All you had to do was ask."

"And I did...."

"You almost didn't. You were going to walk right out and you never would have known the truth."

"You came running after..."

"I sure did. I saw my world slipping away."

He pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. He looked down into her eyes, "I think I may be falling hopelessly in love with you, Lorelai Gilmore."

"Ahhh, Luke. I think I may just feel the same. Wonderful place to fall, huh?"

The rain finally let up, and they took the short run to the back door of the Dragonfly. Sookie looked up as they burst through the door, laughing and out of breath. She saw Luke's besotted smile and Lorelai's bright eyes.......and it was enough. A new chapter had begun for her friend. And it was about time!

"And what have you two kids been doing?" Sookie asked suggestively.

Lorelai answered with a twinkle in her eye, "Just got caught in the rain."

"Too bad.

"Not bad at all." Lorelai looked up at Luke and winked.

Hope I'm keeping your interest. Happy Holiday!