Again, I don't own them. Nor would I want to....ASP does it so much better.

Chapter Eight

.

While Lorelai was in hostess mode, Luke had gone back out to the stable. He looked around and thought about how much better his life had become the last few weeks. He was still smiling when he walked into the kitchen, and ran into a bustling Lorelai.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself, haven't seen you for a while."

"I've been out with the horses. I'm not really into parlor games, and at least with horses, you know the company is good."

Lorelai laughed. "Take some other unsuspecting girl out there with you?"

"Nope, just me and the horses. Unsuspecting? Yeah, right."

"That's my story."

"Fairytale, you mean."

"Well, you're just in time for dinner. Everyone else is already in the dining room. Rory and Lane just got here and luckily, Dean and Lindsay left a while ago. Everything should run smoothly tonight."

"No old boyfriends?"

"Nope, just the mysterious new one."

"So, sit with me?"

"Oh, Luke, think that's a good idea? Patty and Babette, me and you, at the same table?"

"Sure why not..."

"Well, Lane and Rory are sitting alone. They're discussing their interesting day and planning how to spend their tips. I think Rory is giving Yale a second thought."

"Yeah, right."

"Sitting together, I guess it might work. I have to sit somewhere."

"Wow, do I feel special." Luke teased.

"I'll work on that later." Lorelai teased back.

Luke smiled and held the door open for her. Sookie and crew were already serving the salads. Luke held her chair for her and she thanked him sweetly. Babette and Patty looked on, making more mental notes. Something was definitely changing there.

Some of the guests had left, so this diner was more intimate and the alcohol flowed freely. After talk of the wonderful food, the conversation turned to the storm, and all the other activities of the day. Before the storm, some had taken the horses out and others had walked the nature trails. The rain had brought them all back inside, and exclamations of "I won" and "cheater" had been heard while some played parlor games. There was a lot of gossip about Kirk and Lulu and all the other couples that had taken 'naps' that afternoon. Lorelai giggled when she over heard it. She had to. She and Luke had slipped away for some quiet time and it had gone unnoticed... No one suspected anything. Well, no one except Sookie. While she was fixing dinner, Sookie had dropped some little hints her friend's way. Lorelai just told her she'd fill her in later. Sookie thought she'd die of curiosity, but knew she would get the whole scoop in due time. Meanwhile, she kept her eye on Luke and Lorelai. There was certainly a new vibe going on there.

Babette and Patty had finally come to a meal dressed in their regular clothes. During dessert, Patty dropped some chocolate concoction on her ample chest and both women headed upstairs to work on the stain. That left Luke and Lorelai totally alone at the table. They looked over at Lane and Rory, who were deep in conversation. What ever they were talking about, it was intense and very quiet, and had Lorelai curious.

Lorelai surveyed the dining room with pride.

"Its really happening, Luke."

"I told you that you could do it."

"You did. And now, I finally believe you."

Luke smiled. "It's going to be great."

After diner, a few more people left and the others, tired and sated, went up to their rooms. Lorelai walked out on the porch. A gentle rain had started. She smiled as she watched the rain fall, making everything shiny and wet. Luke walked up behind her and placed his hand on her lower back. Lorelai shivered.

"Cold?"

"No, just the opposite."

Luke leaned in and kissed her. "Luke..."

"Don't worry. We're the night owls tonight."

Sookie and Jackson walked out just then, disproving Luke's statement.

"Just the people, we've been looking for." Sookie clutched four glasses and Jackson carried a champagne bottle. "We just wanted to celebrate a little. "

Jackson popped the cork, "Trial run over and I declare it a success."

"Ah, Sookie. Jackson, this is sweet."

Sookie poured and they all clinked glasses. They drank to the success of the new inn and sharing many more such wonderful evenings.

"We're turning in. I'm tired and tomorrow Davey's coming home. I've missed him. The sooner I get to sleep, the sooner I get to see him," she squealed.

"Goodnight, partner. Sleep well." Lorelai gave her a hug.

Sookie grabbed Jackson's arm and said, "I'm sure we will."

After they headed back in, Luke poured more champagne in their glasses. He looked at Lorelai and spoke, "Good times, good company, and the future."

"And..."

Sookie popped back outside. "Lorelai, there's still a pot of coffee in the kitchen, and one last piece of that double chocolate cake you devoured after dinner."

Lorelai looked at Luke. "Heck with this stuff, let's go in the kitchen and get something really good. I'd much rather waste my calories on chocolate!"

Luke followed her back inside. She was already at the table, dipping her fork into the gooey creation. She patted the chair next to her and he sat down. She put the fork up to his lips and he opened his mouth. Her smile widened as he took it slowly.

"Um, sexy."

"Lorelai, I'm eating cake." "Yes, but its chocolate with whipped cream." Lorelai leaned over and licked off some chocolate icing that hadn't quite made it into his mouth, purposely on her part.

"Umm."

"I thought you didn't like nasty unhealthy things."

"I don't. But part of that was very healthy....at least for me."

"Dirty."

"Yeah, well, I get it from you."

"Dirty, again. And you wish."

They both laughed and enjoyed the intimacy of the moment. They quickly forgot about the rest of the cake and got lost in each other. As she kissed him, she could taste the chocolate. Finally, Luke pulled away.

"More?" Lorelai asked.

"Never can get enough."

"Cake, I mean."

"No thanks. I like the other dessert better."

She laughed and shoved the last bite in his mouth.

Lorelai walked over to the sink and deposited the dish. Luke followed and pulled her toward him and started kissing her again.

"This is nice. Late at night, you and me, alone in the kitchen."

Luke had to agree.

They headed back to the front porch and watched the rain gather in small puddles all around the drive.

"So, I know how much you love snow. What exactly, are your feelings on rain?"

"After today, it comes a very close second."

"Good answer."

Lorelai yawned and Luke made some comment about getting her off to bed.

"The only one I'm sleeping with tonight is my daughter and her friend."

As if on cue, Lane and Rory ran through the rain up on the porch.

"Hey, mom, I know you gave us Grandma's room. But how about a trade? You take it so Lane and I can have your room? We want to be closer to the action. We've heard about the strange nocturnal occurrences."

Lane added, "And so we can sneak downstairs and snack in the middle of the night."

Lorelai smiled at her daughter, and couldn't refuse her anything right now. For the moment she seemed happy and acted like the cloud had lifted a bit. There would be time to talk it all out. But this wasn't it. Tomorrow when they were both back home, and alone.

"Sure, I can do that.' Lorelai shot a glance at Luke. Luke shot it right back.

"You two sleep tight. And don't snack too much. Remember, Sookie's making breakfast in the morning. You have to save room for that."

Rory hugged her mom and whispered thanks and added "We'll talk tomorrow, I promise."

The girls ran into the inn, leaving their wet shoes in the entrance hall.

Luke looked at Lorelai. "I think you've been dumped. And you with the honeymoon suite and all."

"There will be no honeymooning tonight. But if you'd like to share a night of cuddling and a little kissing...." Luke kissed her his answer. Lorelai revised her statement. "A lot of kissing. But there will be no breaking of the bed in there mister."

Luke laughed as he followed her out into the gentle rain. They entered the suite and Luke looked around. "How is it that I've never seen this particular room?'

He wandered into the bathroom. "Jacuzzi tub, double shower, and soft music...." he wandered back out...." king sized bed with satin sheets. Lorelai, what were you thinking putting your parents in here?"

"I was thinking they could use a little romance in their lives. This is the perfect make-up room."

Luke laughed at her. She pretended to pout and he took her in his arms.

"So want to make up?"

Lorelai laughed at how she had been out maneuvered.

"Oh, Luke."

Luke gently pulled her down to the bed. He caressed her face, and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Very nice bed, by the way."

"I picked it myself. Only the best for our honeymooners here at the Dragonfly."

"The best indeed."

They lay in each other's arms and necked like teenagers. Luke finally pulled away mumbling something about keeping the resolve and needing a cold shower. He closed the door to the bathroom, and she soon heard the shower running. Should she? No, she told herself; don't make this harder than it already is.

Luke soon came out with a huge white robe wrapped around him. She thought he looked handsome with his wet hair, all wrapped in white. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hey, I just got out of the shower. I don't think I need a return trip quite so soon."

"Well, I was thinking maybe ......" she whispered in his ear.

"Lorelai Gilmore, shame on you. And me trying to be so nice and all."

"Oh, you are nice, very nice."

Lorelai kissed him, gently separating his lips to allow her tongue to enter. Luke caught his breath as her hands softly floated down his back. She pressed against him and ground into him a bit.

"God, Lorelai, you have to stop."

"Not yet."

She slid her hands in the front of his robe, working them around to caress his naked back. He tightened his embrace and gently kissed down her neck. Feeling his warm breath on her ear, she moaned with pleasure. Slipping his hands under her shirt, he unfastened her bra and slowly, gently caressed her breasts. It was her turn to catch her breath.

"Luke..."

"Not yet."

Luke gently eased her onto the bed, slipping her shirt off admiring the beauty of her naked upper body. His mouth took possession of first one breast than the other. His sensual touch made sensible thought impossible.
She closed her eyes and enjoyed the mind numbing sensations he was causing. When she couldn't take it any longer, she rolled over on top of him and tried to untie his robe. He stopped her small hand with his huge one.

"We can't, not yet."

"Since when are you the voice of reason?" She asked breathlessly.

"Since someone has to be."

"Luke, I think I want you...I know I want you... now."

"But..."

"No buts."

"But, will you respect me in the morning?"

Lorelai burst into laughter. "Well, I didn't expect that."

"But, it worked. Broke the heat of the moment, letting cooler more logical minds prevail."

"What if I didn't want logic at this moment?"

"Believe me you will thank me in the morning."

Lorelai got up off the bed and Luke soon heard the shower running. He laughed but he was so tempted to follow her.

She reappeared in a matching white robe, wet ringlets falling down her back. The robe huge on her small body and he thought she looked like a little girl. And that really made him feel like a dirty old man.

"Hey, how come the robes at the inn are yellow, but the ones out here are white?"

"Boy, you are trying to get your mind off the inevitable. Easy answer, this is the honeymoon suite...white, virginal, wedding white."

Luke laughed.

"What?"

"Cute idea, Lorelai, wedding white. And, for the record, you look cute in your virginal, wedding white."

"I don't feel very virginal right now. I feel turned on and unsatisfied and ..."

"Your shower must not have been cold enough."

"Like yours was?"

"Come here, woman." Luke patted the place beside him on the bed.

"Gladly, I love this new side of you."

"It's always been here." Luke enveloped her small body in his arms and just held her. He made no move to kiss her or caress her. He just held her and took in the scent of her wet hair. They fell asleep in that exact position. And they slept that way until a low rumble of thunder, and a flash of lightning, woke them up. Sleepily she drew closer to him, and sleepily he untied her robe. She untied his and finally their naked bodies made contact. It had been a long time since either of them had woken up to someone in their bed... in that middle of the night, close, warm, and sexual way. Quietly and sensually, they let their feelings take over. Luke and Lorelai did what came naturally, they caressed each other. He ran his hands all over her body; he kissed her in wonderful places. She returned his actions and they both revealed in the intimacy of the moment. It was quiet and dark and they were they were the only two people in the world.

And before they knew it, they were at the brink.