Thanks for all who reviewed my previous chapter. I know, all of you waited for their first date. So, here it is. Don't know if it's like you expected it to be LOL ... but well, I tried my best. :)
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Chapter 19
The bell rang and Rory hurried to open the door. „Hey Luke, you're early." She gestured him inside. "Mom needs a few more minutes."
"Sure, no problem." He walked into the living room.
"Wow, Luke. I've never seen you in a suit before." Rory grinned and looked him over.
"Yeah, could be true." He nervously played with the rose in his hand. "I hope it's not that obvious that I'm not feeling really comfortable in it."
"Uhm no." Rory told him and smiled when her eyes fell on the rose in his hand.
"Good, good."
"Okay, I go and check on her." She ran upstairs.
A few minutes later Lorelai came downstairs, wearing a dark red dress, her dark brown hair falling curly over her shoulders. "Hey."
Turning around, Luke met her eyes. "Hey. Wow, you… you look beautiful."
"Really?" a smile covered her face. "You don't look so bad either."
"That was quite a compliment." Luke chuckled, his eyes still focused on her.
"You bet." She walked over to him, giving him a small peck on the lips. "You look great. I always wanted to see you in a suit, you know." She grinned before her eyes fell on the red rose in his hand. "Aw, is it for me?"
"What?" he asked confusing.
"The rose."
"Oh yes, the rose. Sure. It's for you. Here." He handed it to her, smiling.
"Thank you." She leant forward again and met his lips in a gentle kiss.
"Aw, you two are too cute for words." Rory said, watching them from the stairs.
Pulling apart, Lorelai smiled. "Luke definitely is."
"Lorelai."
"What?" she grinned before she turned around to Rory. "Can you put it in some water, please?"
She took the rose, "Sure. Have fun you two."
"We will. I'm sure we will." She slipped her hands around Luke's arm and leant against his shoulder.
"When are you going to be back home?" Rory asked curiously.
"Well, I don't know Mom." She emphasized the last word, which made Rory grin. "Why are you asking? Is there a curfew?"
"Watch your mouth or there will be one." Rory put her hands on her hips, trying to give her mother a serious face.
"Uhhh, did you hear that Luke? She doesn't want me to get out with you. I think I'll sneak out my window like always. Just wait outside." She gave him a grin and Luke rolled his eyes in reply.
"We should go now. Our reservation is for 7.45." Luke said, helping her in her coat.
"Okay. Rory, don't wait for me. And don't do anything that I wouldn't do myself, okay?"
Rory laughed, "Sure. Bye!"
xxxxxxx
In the restaurant
"Wow, Luke. I love this place." Lorelai bent forward and whispered. "I was definitely right with the fancy restaurant, was I?"
"I'm glad you like it." Luke gave her a smile.
"I do, I do." She smiled back at him before she took a sip from her champagne. She watched him over the rim of her glass and noticed how he was looking at her. "What?" she asked, grinning after she placed the glass back on the table.
"Hm?"
"Stop looking at me like that." She looked down, grinning.
Luke bent forward, "How am I looking at you?"
She met his eyes again. "Exactly how you're looking at me right now."
"I don't make you nervous, do I?" he asked her in a deep voice.
"Uhm…" she started but stopped when Luke reached for her hand, caressing the palm with his thumbs. She swallowed before she continued grinning. "You don't want to persuade me of skipping dinner and bringing me upstairs into one of their rooms, do you?"
"Of course not." Luke couldn't hide a small laugh. "Only if you want to."
She gave him a thoughtful expression before she answered. "No, I'm sorry, I don't think so. I'm starving, you know?"
"Same here."
"And I heard that the food is delicious here. It'd be a shame if we wouldn't give it a try, right?"
"Yep, definitely." Luke took the menu and flipped through the pages.
"But…"
Luke looked up, raising his eyebrows. "But… what?"
She shifted closer to him and leant forward to whisper into his ear. "Maybe we could make some special plans for dessert."
"Special plans?" he repeated.
"Yeah."
"What kind of plans?" he asked though he knew what she was talking about.
She touched his cheek with one hand when she leant forward again, closer to his ear so that he could feel her breath on his neck. "I'm sure we can think of something."
"Probably, yeah." He pulled back and focused his eyes on her for a short moment before he rubbed his lips over hers, ever so softly.
"Lorelai?" they suddenly heard a voice and jumped apart.
Placing a hand on her heart, Lorelai looked up and found her mother standing in front of their table, staring at them.
Taking a deep breath, she stuttered. "Mother. What… what are you doing here?"
Emily's eyes wandered to Luke before she turned her attention back to Lorelai. "Having dinner with my friends of the 'Woman association'." She told her daughter. "You?"
"Me? I mean we… we're having dinner too. That's what people do in a restaurant, isn't it?" Lorelai took a quick glance at Luke.
"Uhm, nice to meet you, Mrs. Gilmore." Luke said uncomfortable.
"Hello." Emily greeted him nonchalantly.
"Mom, this is Luke."
"Yes, I know. We've met before. At Rory's birthday party, at the hospital." she said, expressionless.
"You're right." Lorelai waited for a moment but Emily stayed silent. "So, is there something else?"
"I was just wondering, if we could talk for a second?"
"Yeah, shoot." Lorelai said before she sipped from her champagne again, wishing it would've been whiskey or scotch.
"Just the two of us."
"Well, as you can see that's not possible apart from leaving the restaurant which I'm definitely not going to do. So just say it before our food arrives." Lorelai lifted her brows and waited.
Emily's eyes wandered to Luke one last time before she started. "I thought maybe you want to bring Luke to dinner tomorrow night."
"Uhm…what?"
"I asked you to bring Luke to dinner tomorrow."
"Tomorrow."
"Yes."
"For dinner."
"Yes."
"Your Friday night dinner." Lorelai repeated.
"Yes Lorelai. Of course our Friday night dinner. Who else invites you to dinner every Friday?"
"Well, unfortunately…" she trailed off and glanced at Luke. "Look, I don't think that Luke can…"
"It was just a question, Lorelai."
"I know and I'm just trying to say that he…"
"Mrs. Gilmore, your invitation is really nice." Luke threw in. "Though I'm not sure if I can manage it. The Diner is pretty busy around Friday night and I'm not sure if I can find some help in such a short time."
"I understand. Well, just let me know if you're going to change your mind." She looked down at him.
"No, it's not that I don't want to. It's just I'm not sure if I'll…" Luke tried to explain but she stopped him.
"It's okay. You don't have to explain yourself to me. So maybe we see each other tomorrow. And Lorelai, "She turned to look at her daughter. "We do see each other."
"Yes, we do." She said under her breath.
"Good. Then see you tomorrow." Emily turned on her heels and walked away.
Lorelai pressed her fingers to her eyes, "I don't believe this."
"What?" Luke asked.
"Is she gone? Please tell me, that when I open my eyes, she is gone."
"Uhm, she's not at our table anymore."
"This sounds like there's going to be a but."
"Well..."
Lorelai opened her eyes and looked at him confused. "What? What does that mean?"
"She's sitting over there, having dinner with her friends like she told us before." Luke told her calmly.
"Facing us, of course. Am I right?" she asked, her eyes still on Luke.
Luke nodded hesitantly.
Lorelai turned to look at the table, Luke gestured a few seconds ago. "Oh my god, this is so not happening."
"Lorelai."
"This is our first date. I don't want to have my mother around on our first date, watching our every move."
"I don't think she's going to watch us." Luke reached for her hand.
"Of course she will. This is Emily Gilmore, Luke. My mother." She emphasized the last word slowly and clearly. "Every time when I'll think back to our first date, there's this picture of my mother, which won't go away."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't say that. How could you know that my mother is going to be here. Sometimes I have that strange feeling that she's following me."
"Okay, that's ridiculous and you know that." Luke said, shooting her a small grin.
"Yeah, I guess."
"You wanna go somewhere else?" Luke suggested, caressing her hand with his thumbs.
"No." she shook her head, giving him a smile. "You planning this was so sweet. And like I told you before, I love this place. I just have to ignore the fact that my mother is sitting over there, observing us."
"Relax."
"I try, I try." She nodded. "Oh and by the way, the excuse with the Diner was great. You coming to one of Emily's dinners would be your biggest mistake ever. I don't want to bother you with the urge of hanging yourself afterwards, like I always do when I come home."
"It can't be that bad."
"Oh, believe me. It can."
"Maybe I'm coming with you. Just have to ask Cesar if he can watch the Diner for a few hours. Shouldn't be a big problem."
"No, Luke. You don't have to do this. It's more than enough when I'm going through hell and back. You really don't have to join me here."
"And what if I want to?"
"Then I'd say that's suicidal."
"If you say so." He gave her a charming smile before the waiter came, bringing them their food.
xxxxxx
"Coffee?" Luke asked when they entered his apartment.
"Since when you've got coffee upstairs?" Lorelai asked, facing him.
"I thought it would be a good idea to be prepared."
"Prepared? How could you be so sure that I'll come over to your place after dinner?" She asked, grinning.
"I didn't…I mean, I didn't say that I… ah geez, Lorelai. Don't give me that look. I just thought you'd come over eventually."
"I understand. Being prepared is a good thing." She gave him a serious nod before her lips twitched into a smile again. "And thanks. Coffee would be great."
"Okay, I'll make some." Luke walked over to the kitchen and began to fill water into the machine while Lorelai opened the fridge.
"Wow, Luke."
"Hm?" he was still busy with making coffee.
"What's all this? Oh my, it looks delicious. With all that cheese and ham, and this cute little tomatoes and mushrooms. Oh oh, and this? Is this what I think it is? A chocolate dessert? I loooove chocolate."
Luke stepped up behind her, placing his arms around her waist. "I know. That's why I made it." He began to kiss her neck.
"And oh my god, do I see a pie, too?"
"Hm-hmm."
"So you wanna tell me again, that you didn't expect me to come over?" She slowly closed the fridge and turned around so that she could face him.
"I told you I just wanted to be…"
"Prepared. I know." She leant against the fridge, giving him a smile. "You're cute."
"I'm not cute."
"Yes, you are." She nodded. "You really planned this."
"I just wanted to make it special."
"It is special. Even without that chocolate dessert." She looked at him, biting her lower lip.
"Good to know."
"Yep."
"So, coffee's ready in a minute." He said, placing both of his hands on the fridge on either side of her head.
"Okay." She reached up and linked her arms around his neck, pressing her body close to his. Within a second, their lips meet in a passionate kiss. A kiss that felt like home. Despite all their concerns at the beginning of crossing the line of friendship, this is what they needed. What they wanted. And both knew that.
Luke felt her tremble when his hands glided up and down her body, all the time holding her as close as possible.
Caressing the back of his neck, she could feel his heart raging against hers. Breathlessly they pulled apart and looked at each other. Lorelai was the first to speak. "Wow."
"Yeah, wow." Luke cleared his throat. "Maybe we should…"
She grabbed the collar of his suit and pulled him slowly toward his bed, grinning at him.
"But coffee is ready in a minute." Luke told her, while he followed her.
"Who needs coffee?" she helped Luke out of his jacket while she brushed her lips over his. "I want you." She whispered into his ears and pulled him down on the bed until he was lying on top of her.
"What about dessert?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
"You are my dessert." She cupped his face and pulled him in a kiss. And he couldn't do anything but let himself slide in the sensation about what's going to come…
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To be continued... Please R&R! :)
So, that's enough for now. Hehe... evil ending, huh? :P But we all know what's going to happen, don't we?
Please tell me how you liked this chapter. Thanks. :)