Part 7: Rainy Days and Mondays

The sun was setting, shafts of light falling through the doorway and windows of Luke's small cottage, even as clouds were rolling in from the east. Lorelai sat just inside the doorway, letting the breeze blow through the screen, cooling her skin, as the smell of the coming rain floated through the house. Specks of water flicked and flitted across the window, lightening flashed, making Lorelai blink as thunder rumbled in the distance. A minute later, the rain fell in sheets and Lorelai could barely make out the driveway from where she stood. She pushed the chair away from the door, closing it so the rain wouldn't blow into the house. Hearing heavy footfalls on the porch, she opened the door again to find Luke dripping wet, but grinning.

"Need a towel?"

"Might help." He stood dripping in the entryway, afraid to move or he'd soak the whole hall with one small movement. Lorelai dashed back in with a towel. She laughed. "What?"

"One little towel won't help much. You better go back to the laundry room and

take off--" She paused as Luke smirked at her. "I'll just, bring you something to change into." Lorelai finished, flustered.

"Thanks." He slipped off his boots and left a trail of water droplets as he crept back to the laundry room. He stripped off his shirt and jeans so Lorelai found him in just his socks and boxers, but wrapped in the towel.

"Here you go." She set the clothes on top of the dryer, trying not to look directly at Luke. He captured her wrist and pulled her closer. Lorelai's forearm was moist from his touch but she was too caught up in the heat from his body so close to hers to care. She breathed him in and closed her eyes, his arm slipping down to her waist. All she could focus on was his breathing, warm on her cheeks and neck. She anticipated the soft brush of his lips on hers but it seemed to be taking forever. As she debated opening her eyes, she felt him brush across her lips ever so slightly. She was sure she made a soft moaning sound and pressed her body to his. Not capable of waiting any longer, she pressed her lips to his hesitantly. He didn't pull away and the kiss grew longer, deeper, until he parted her lips with his tongue. "God Luke," she breathed. "I missed that."

Luke didn't respond, just kissed her again and Lorelai stepped backwards, her back up against the washer. In one swift movement, Luke placed her on top of it, not breaking their kiss. His towel had fallen to the floor and she ran her fingers over his chest. He moved his kisses down to her neck and Lorelai made a sound as she wrapped her legs around him. When his kisses reached her collarbone, he seemed to realize she had too many clothes on and tugged at the hem of her shirt, which she let him slip over her head. "You're…beautiful," he murmured, a reverent look in his eyes and it took all Lorelai had not to break down. Instead she concentrated on the heat from his skin, his touch, the intense way he was looking at her and his lips on hers. He traced her curves slowly with his hand, the tips of his fingers rough on her skin and then he was following this path with a trail of kisses as Lorelai ran her hands through his hair, kissing the top of his head.

They left the clothes forgotten on the laundry room floor as Luke scooped her off the washer and carried her to the couch. Luke hovered above her for a minute and Lorelai planted kisses on his chest. His hair was starting to curl, still damp from the rain and Lorelai smiled as she fingered it. Then Luke was kissing her so hard that she knew she'd have beard burn in the morning, but as she kissed him back, her half memories of the way he used to kiss and worship her returned at full strength.

As he ran his hands along the hem of Lorelai's jeans and he reached for the button, somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that this would just make everything harder, but she didn't stop him. She might have tried to speak his name but it turned into an inaudible sound. She stopped thinking after that.

He lifted her ever so slightly, his fingers pulling on the straps of her bra as her breath caught in her throat. Her legs wrapped around his as she shifted slightly again as he divided his time between her mouth and chest, teasing her breasts with his lips and tongue. The slight scruff of his chin hitting her skin as he kissed her stomach made her jump slightly at the unexpected contact, her back arching up to meet him.

She reached down to undo the zipper on her jeans but Luke kissed her neck, making her hands fly up around his shoulders, her nails running over his back. Luke managed to get her pants out of the way, but Lorelai was barely aware how because his fingers were slipping in her panties and she let out a low moan. His face was buried in her neck and hers was buried in his and she was glad because otherwise he would surely see how much she needed this, how much she missed him.

A moment later he pushed into her, cradling her against him and they moved forward and back together, falling into the familiar rhythm. She marveled at this easy give and take they had, the only place they seemed to get it right. They hadn't done this in a long time but she remembered now that he was so damn good at it and as he pushed her to the edge, how she was caught up in it, the heat, the shifting and rolling and thrusting of their hips together as she called out his name. Then he was whispering hers in her ear, in that deep voice of his, and he held her as they finished together. He rested his head on her chest and all she could hear was the pounding of her heart, his heavy breathing matching hers.

They don't move from the couch for hours. Its cramped but after spending years apart, Lorelai didn't mind Luke's breath on her neck as he dozed off or that her foot kept falling asleep. She snuggled down deeper into the couch, turning her head slightly to study him.

She sighed, feeling the familiar tug in her chest. She wanted to wake him gently and tell him she doesn't know how she's been away from him so long, but that she was so, so stupid, and she would give anything to spend the rest of her life with him.

It was comfortable, but it was different now.

Lorelai had spent the day reading and relaxing while Luke was at work. She felt like a bum since she hadn't exerted herself more than a walk for about a week. Not that she had ever been the exercise type but all the things going on at the inn usually exhausted her so much—physically and mentally—that she wasn't used to this…stillness.

Plans changed quickly though. Luke acted almost spur of the moment now. The night before he'd ordered her to put on some shoes so she could come out and look at the stars. And tonight he came home with the biggest I'm-up-to-something grin she'd ever seen him wear. "What's going on?"

"Did you bring a dress?" Lorelai nodded. "Wear it."

She raised her eyebrows. "Where are we--"

"Trust me. You've got two hours." So she did. She tried not to let her mouth gape open when she emerged from the bathroom to see Luke in a suit, sans tie.

"Wow. Fancy. I like it." She fingered the collar of his shirt as he drew her close. Her red dress set off her dark hair, the slit up the side accenting her long legs.

"I figure I have some making up to do," he said softly.

"I'm not objecting." They both stood there for a second, smiling at each other. Lorelai remembered this feeling: she and Luke had only acted this idiotic when they'd first started dating. "Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

Luke grinned, throwing her a small wink as they walked outside. "It's a surprise." They drove out towards the ocean and Lorelai assumed they were going to one of the many seafood restaurants. Instead, Luke pulled up behind a building that looked like a mansion. The grounds extended out into the dark, and Lorelai could make out adjacent buildings spreading out from the main one.

"Is this a country club?" Fear struck her heart for a second, afraid all the things her parents had said had gotten to Luke.

"No," he shook his head. "It's Bar Harbor Inn."

"Thank God. My whole teenage life was flashing before my eyes."

Luke chuckled. "No, you're safe. This place has an amazing view and a great restaurant, which I thought you'd appreciate."

Lorelai was overwhelmed by a feeling of warmth as they got out of the car and walked around the wide expanse of the main building, Luke's hand resting on her back. She heard music and laughing as they rounded the corner and her breath caught in her throat. The tables were arranged around the porch, a dance floor at one end. A white tent--like the one they used at the Dragonfly for weddings--was set up in the yard, which led down to the dock and the ocean.

"This is an inn?" She breathed to Luke. "It's beautiful." She glanced through the French doors and saw more tables inside, the lights dimmed and candles flickering. Lorelai continued to drink in the atmosphere as they waited a few minutes for a table.

As they sat down, Lorelai couldn't help but think about their first date a little. Luke caught her daydreaming. "Lorelai? Is wine okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Sorry." She was glad the room was so dim so Luke couldn't see her cheeks redden.

"Red or white?"

"Whichever. You pick. You're the chef." This, of course, reminded her of when she found out Luke could cook. Not just burgers and fries but real cuisine. Stuff Sookie raved over and half of which Lorelai couldn't pronounce. She watched him and it was almost as if she was seeing the scene in third person: he was talking to the waiter about wine as she looked on almost lovingly. Stop that, she told herself and snapped back to reality, her concentration going back to the menu.

"You know what that reminds me of?" Luke's voice was in her ear and she looks up, startled.

"What?"

"There's no story on the back of the menu." He flips it over. She smiles, their eyes connecting and its clear in that instant that maybe she's not crazy. He remembers all those things too. They mean something.

"I was just thinking about that." Lorelai admitted. "How are Buddy and Maize?"

"They're the same as ever."

"Do they even know you moved?"

Luke nodded. "Liz spilled the beans last Thanksgiving. They weren't too thrilled."

"I can understand why." Lorelai replied without thinking too much about it. Luke didn't acknowledge the comment and just then their waiter returned.

Luke handed her a glass and they toasted each other. "Lorelai, I've been wanting to tell you…" She held her breath, the wine stinging as it made its way down the back of her throat. "…how happy I am you came to see me. It means a lot."

And I love you, Lorelai added, not really surprised that the conversation was taking a different turn than she expected. "I'm glad. It means a lot to me too."

They started talking about Rory, Luke's job, anything to ignore the feelings they both know exist, that were so rampant and obvious last night as they made love on the couch. Lorelai wondered if its better this way: to know what they had and to feel that void now, or if it was better before, when they were just "friends" for those eight years and it was all about the not knowing.

As Lorelai was finishing her dinner, she glanced outside and notices a few couples swaying in time to the music on the dance floor just outside the French doors of the dining area.

"Wow, this is eerily familiar. Dirty Dancing, maybe."

"What?" Luke asked, baffled as usual.

"People are actually dancing. That only happens in places like this in movies."

"Well, in that case…" Luke stood up.

"I thought you said you didn't dance." Lorelai couldn't help saying, a smile growing slowly across her face.

"Nobody puts baby in a corner." Luke replied, winking. Lorelai laughed, long and hard, something that was unusual for her these days and caught her a little off guard, but it felt so wonderful. Luke seemed almost pleased with himself, whether it was the movie reference or the dinner and dancing, Lorelai wasn't sure. And as a new song started and Luke held her hand a little tighter, pulling her body closer to his, she didn't much care.