Chapter 22

It was about 11pm when Luke got out of his truck and walked up to the front door of the Gilmore House. He knocked softly and waited for someone to open. He was a little surprised when Rory answered the door a few moments later.

"Luke?"

"Oh, uhm. Hey Rory." Luke greeted her nervously, shoving his hands in the back pockets of his jeans.

"What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

"No no, it's uhm… your Mom called me to come over. And… I know it got a little late and yeah…" he looked at her.

"Oh, okay. No problem. I was still up anyway." She stepped aside and gestured him in. "Come on in, it's freezing out there."

"Thanks." Luke entered the house and closed the door behind him.

"Mom is upstairs." Rory told him while she walked back into the living room, kneeling down in front of the small table where she worked on her history paper.

"Okay then, I'll go upstairs too." Luke said hesitantly and made his way up the stairs.

Rory shook her head grinning and turned back to her paper.

Upstairs, Luke stood in front of Lorelai's room. He knocked slightly before he opened the door to peek inside. Lorelai was laying on her bed, already wearing her pyjamas and with her back to him.
Silently, he stepped inside and walked over to her bed, sitting down. Her breathing was steady, so he figured that she was already asleep.

So he decided to slip out of his shoes and take off his baseball cap, to lay down behind her. Slipping a hand around her waist, he gently placed it on her belly, shifting his body close to hers.

Feeling his warm touch, Lorelai began to stir and slowly opened her eyes. "Hey."

"Hey." Luke whispered back, close to her ear.

She tilted her head back a little and smiled. "You're late."

"I had to wait for the bread delivery." He told her, his hands slipping under the top of her pyjamas, caressing her belly ever so softly. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"And I didn't mean to fall asleep." She ran her fingers over his forearm. "I'm glad you're here now."

"Me too. "

She rolled on her back and turned her head to lock her lips with his. When she pulled apart, she looked at him, grinning.

"What?" Luke asked when he noticed it.

"It's just… you smell soooo good." She grinned again, biting her lower lip. "Like one of your burgers. Yummy!"

"Oh god, really?" He smelled at the collar of his flannel shirt. "Ah geez, you're right."

"Of course, I am." She ran a finger along his jaw line and over his stubble.

"I'm sorry. I had no time to take a shower. I came straight to your house and…"

"Hey, I told you it's okay. It just makes me a little hungry but you know how food obsessed I am."

Luke let out a small laugh. "Yeah, I heard about that."

"Good." She slowly began to unbutton his shirt. "Uhm, you're staying over night, aren't you?"

"Uhm…" he looked down at her busy fingers. "If you want that?"

"Yes I do." She sat up, gesturing him to come closer. So he sat up too.

A second later, their lips met in a warm kiss. Slowly at beginning but soon it became more passionatly. Her tongue explored his hot mouth while she pulled his shirt off his broad shoulders.

Luke captured her face to deepen the kiss. Their tongues met, breathing became faster and heavier. Lorelai glided her hands under his shirt, running her fingers up and down his well built back. Panting, they pulled apart, looking at each other. Lorelai gave him a smile and pulled the shirt over his head, throwing it on the floor.

When she started to kiss him again, Luke mumbled against her lips. "Rory. What about Rory?"

"Busy with her homework." She nibbled at his lower lip, while she was caressing the back of his head.

"But what if…"

Lorelai stopped to look at him. "Are you feeling… uncomfortable?"

"A little bit… yeah!"

Grinning, she climbed out of the bed to lock her bedroom door. "Better?"

"What if she's gonna hear… you know… anything?"

"Then baby, you'll have to try to stay a little quiet. I know that I can control myself but what about you?" she asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"It's no problem for me either."

"Really?" she gave him a disbelieved look and climbed back into her bed. "When I think back to yesterday, I doubt that."

Luke laughed. "But yesterday, there was no purpose to control myself, was it?"

"Hmmm… you definitely have a point here." She ran a finger down his bare chest.

"See." He flipped them over until Lorelai was lying beneath him.

"And what now? Are you going to prove it?" she asked, shooting him a wide grin.

"You bet!" he intertwined his fingers with hers, pulling them up over her head while he bent down and started to kiss her again…

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The next morning when Lorelai woke up, the space next to her was cold and empty. Luke was gone. Sighing, she looked at her alarm clock. 9am. Of course, he was gone to open the Diner. Gahhh…hate the Diner.

She pulled the covers up to her chin and turned to her side. When she lifted her head, she saw a piece of paper on the pillow next to her. She grabbed it and started to read.

Good morning, sleepyhead!

I definitely should come over more often, after work. And as far as I can say, the "controlling thing" really worked. Maybe not for you, but for me. Not really, Mister. Lorelai laughed.

Oh and I checked the coffee in your kitchen and noticed that it's not mine. So, I hope you'll come over later. For a cup, or two or… whatever. It doesn't matter when, because you know I'm always there.

Luke.

Smiling, she put the note down again. Yeah, I love the whatever part most.

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An hour later the bells above the door of the Diner jingled when Lorelai walked in. When she couldn't find Luke, she walked around the counter and entered the kitchen where he was busy with making pancakes and scrambled eggs at the same time. With his back to her, he didn't notice her walking in. Slowly she slipped her arms around his waist, whispering into his ear. "Hey."

"Hey. You know you shouldn't be back in here."

"Yes, you told me that zillion times before but now it's different because I'm your girlfriend, am I? And as your girlfriend I have certain rights, you know?" her hands glided up his chest.

"Oh really? Is that so?"

"Yep. Besides this, it makes you so incredible sexy when you're cooking."

"Ah geez, Lorelai."

"That's the truth. How you handle the pans and the spatulas. Very impressive. Very professional." She looked over his shoulder with a wide grin.

"Cesar is running late today because of a dentist appointment. So I have to do all the cooking... and the serving."

"Hmmm, you know… I could give you a hand. I have nothing else to do anyway."

"Really? You wanna help?"

"Sure, it's no big deal. I mean, I definitely won't help you cooking because we both know this would lead to some horrible things like injuries and fire but I could make the service and stuff."

"I could really need some help."

"Good." She paused for a moment. "There's just one condition."

"And that is?" he turned around, finally facing her.

"Free coffee!" she batted her eyelashes, smiling sweetly. "Aaaand…"

"I thought just one condition?" Luke gave her a smile.

"Well, I just noticed that I didn't have any breakfast today."

"Okay." He nodded. "What do you want?"

"Hmm." She grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer until they were just inches apart. "Any recommendations?"

"Well." He looked up at the ceiling. "Danish, Doughnut, chocolate pancakes, raspberry pancakes, blueberry pancakes, ham and eggs, scrambled eggs with bac…"

Before he was able to finish, Lorelai grabbed his face and pulled him into a deep kiss.

"That wasn't on the menu."

"That honey is always on my menu." She grinned. "I'll take a Danish."

"You sure?"

"Yep."

"Okay." He was still looking at her when he heard someone calling for him.

"Excuse me. When do I get my scrambled eggs?"

"Maybe I should…" she gestured with her head towards the Diner.

"Yeah." He handed her the plate.

Lorelai took it and gave him a small peck on the lips before she moved around and walked back into the Diner.

"Scrambled eggs?" Lorelai asked with the plate in her hands.

"Here." A man on the counter lifted a finger and she put it down in front of him.

"More coffee?" she grabbed the coffee pot and refilled his almost empty cup.

Suddenly, the phone rang and Lorelai jumped. She looked at it and shouted into the kitchen. "Luke, telephone!"

"Can you take the call, please?"

"Oh yeah, sure." Wow, Luke lets me pick up his Diner phone. She smiled and took the phone. "Luke's."

"Here's Mrs. Gilmore. Can I speak to Luke Danes, please?"

And her smile faded. "Mom?"

"Lorelai? Why are you answering the phone at Luke's Diner?"

"And why are you calling at Luke's Diner? When you wanna talk to me you should call on my cell phone." Lorelai told her, leaning against the counter.

"But I didn't want to talk to you. What are you doing there anyway? Don't you have to be at the hotel?"

"Not today."

"Oh okay."

"Yeah."

"So, can you get Luke on the phone, please?"

"Why?" Lorelai asked frowning.

"Because I want to talk to him."

"About what?"

"Lorelai, please. Just get him on the phone."

A moment later Luke came out of the kitchen and saw Lorelai was still talking on the phone. "Who is it?"

She covered the phone with her hand. "My mother."

"Oh okay." He was about to walk away again when Lorelai grabbed his hand.

"It's for you."

"What?" he looked at her confused.

"Yes." Lorelai shrugged and handed him the phone.

Taking a deep breath, Luke answered. "Luke Danes."

"Luke. This is Mrs. Gilmore speaking. I'm not sure if Lorelai talked to you already. That's why I call you myself."

"Talked to me about what?" his eyes settled on Lorelai.

"About dinner next Friday. I wanted to invite you again. It was such a pity that you weren't able to come yesterday but I understand that you couldn't leave the Diner that early. So, maybe it's possible for you to find someone to stand in for you for next week?"

"Uhm, next week... yes okay."

"Wonderful. Mr. Gilmore and I are looking forward to meet you."

"Okay then… next Friday."

"Yes. See you then."

"Yeah, bye." Luke hang off the phone when his eyes wandered over to Lorelai. "So, when do you wanted to tell me about it?"

"Today. It totally slipped my mind yesterday. God knows why." She grinned innocently.

Luke blushed slightly and looked down at his feet.

"So, you really want to join me for dinner next week?"

"Yes." He finally looked up at her again. "Got some problems with that?"

She waited a moment before she shook her head. "No. I guess not."

"Good because there is no way to talk me out of this again."

"No, I wouldn't… I mean…" she sighed. "It's just, you don't know my mother."

"Don't be worried. It's going to be fine."

"Yeah, okay." She gave him a small smile. Then her eyes fell on Tayler's flyers on the counter. She picked one up. "Hey, what's that?"

"Some flyers. There's this stupid firelight festival next week. Every year the same thing. It kind of really bugs me that all those crazy people are dying to go there over and over again." He told her, wiping the counter.

"Oh." She paused for a moment. "Yeah, you're right. It's really annoying." She put the flyer back to the others, looking at it sadly. She really wanted to go there.

Luke noticed her expression and stopped wiping. "But you know what? Maybe it's going to be better this year."

Lorelai lifted her head, meeting his gaze. "Yeah? Why's that?"

"Because I have someone I can go with." He grabbed her hands and turned her towards him. A small smile was playing on her lips.

"Do you want to go to the firelight festival with me?"

Her smile grew wider. "I'd love to."

"Then I'd say, it's a date."

"Yeah, it's a date." She repeated smiling, throwing her arms around his neck.

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To be continued... Please tell me how you liked this chapter. Thanks! :)