Subtle Touch

I see ya blowing me a kiss
It doesn't take a scientist
To understand what's going on baby
If you see something in my eye
Let's not over-analyze
Don't go too deep with it, baby

So let it be, what it'll be
Don't make a fuss and get crazy over you and me
Here's what I'll do
I'll play loose
Not like we have a date with destiny

Jennie showed up to set with baked goods. The cast and crew ran over to grab one of her cupcakes.

"You baked these?" Brian asked astounded

"Yep. Had some free time." Jennie smiled

"These are amazing, Jen!" Gabrielle insisted after a bite.

"Delicious." Luke winked at her as he took a bite of a cupcake. It didn't take long, since they've been friends again, for him to fall right back into place with her.

That one little wink made her weak in the knees.

She was almost frustrated with his ability to make her swoon.

Once the crowd had dispersed, Luke followed her to one of the lunch tables.

"I didn't know you baked." He said as he grabbed another cupcake. "God, these are so good."

"Yeah I have since I was a little girl. I love baking a good pie, cookies, cupcakes, you name it." Jennie beamed, and Luke loved her child-like enthusiasm

"Well, you did good, Florence Henderson." He grinned

"Oh." Jennie squinted her eyes. "Why does that sound like a bad thing when you say it?" She playfully groaned

"It's not." He chuckled. "It's actually... a compliment. Your future kids will worship you." He determined

"Oh I can't wait to do that stuff with my kids." She sighed, picturing it. "Just like my mum did with me."

"Yeah..." He gazed at her, smiling, "You're gonna be a great mother someday."

She turned to him and smiled, touched by his words. Family was the most important thing in the world to her.

He reached up to brush her hair back behind her ear, and for a moment his fingers hovered over her neck. He wanted to lean in and pull her close as she gazed back at him.

Hesitating to hug her in that moment as he knew wasn't over her.

"Alright guys!" Chuck interrupted them, as he called everyone over. "Time is money people! Let's get on your marks." He ordered

She sheepishly smiled at him, sensing the hesitation.

Luke awkwardly moved away, offering her a faint smile as he got up.

She breathed out the discomfort before getting up to head over to the cast.

As they began filming the Halloween episode. Jennie struggled with her costume as Marla did her hair.

"It's just so tight." Jennie fidgeted with the straps. "...I feel so naked."

"I know, honey." Marla consoled. "Let me try adjust them for you."

"I should've started working out before filming." She chuckled

"Oh not you too." Marla groaned, "You girls need to stop reading about yourselves. You're a tiny little thing!"

"I don't even know anymore. I'm just tired of revealing outfits and creepy dudes. It's gotten to the point I don't even wanna leave the house!"

"You have to find a balance" Marla sighed. "You can't take let fame take over your life but you do have to make changes. Your life has changed."

Jennie pondered on that thought. She had no idea how to cope. She then observed herself on the mirror. She didn't recognize the blonde bombshell in makeup. Where is the small town girl who would often forget to brush her hair?

"I'll say this though. You do one hell of an updo, Mar." Jennie smiled at her

The crowd were in their positions to shoot, waiting for Kelly Taylor's big entrance.

"Bonnie and Clyde!" Tori said as she chuckled at Luke and Shannen, "I can't get over how good you guys look!"

"Shannen looks good. I, on the other hand, woulda preferred a trench coat." Luke playfully insisted.

"And action!" The director yelled as Jennie came out in her costume.

"Oh fuck me." Luke mumbled under his breath as he gawked at her in a corset and cape with her long legs exposed.

"Want me to pick your jaw up off the floor." Ian teased once he spotted Luke staring at Jennie.

Luke playfully punched his shoulder. "Damn... That body." He shook his head.

"I'll never understand it." Ian sighed, "You coulda had it."

"Don't overthink it, man." Luke brushed it off.

Luke clicked his tongue, lost in thought. He felt torn between his feelings for her and his unwillingness to commit to a relationship too soon.

"Met the "rapist" " Luke began as he and Jason were in the hair and makeup trailer. "Gonna be tough to shoot those scenes."

"Go easy on the guy. It's just a job." Marla reminded

"It's 'cause it's Jen's scene." Jason grinned

"Oh." Marla gathered. "Thought that was done?"

"I don't know." Luke shrugged, "Lately, I've been thinking I made a mistake."

"What do you mean?" She asked

"Maybe I wanna be with her." He uttered

"Maybe it's just a crush" Marla sighed. "Look, you know I love you kids. But I think you're too young. I mean no one can prepare you for this level of fame. There's so much to explore at your age, and it's hard, especially in the public eye. It's hard to know who you are when everyone is trying to tell you who to be."

"But that's it. I can be myself with her. Hell, she is the closest thing I have to home, here in LA."

"But you said yourself you're a jealous guy and wouldn't be able to handle the woman you're with getting all this public attention. Besides are you ready for a commitment?"

"No, no." Luke insisted, "I'm not talking about forever here."

Jason scoffed with a chuckle. Luke and Marla looked at him. "I'm sorry. It's just... Well, I think you're in denial." Jason grinned

Luke rolled his eyes.

"-Luke... Just be sure." Marla interjected. "Don't do this because you're afraid of losing her. Because you will lose her, her friendship... you'll lose it all if you don't know what you're getting into."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Jason observed Luke who was fiddling with his fingernails.

"Talk to Chuck." Jason whispered once they left the hair and makeup trailer

"What?" Luke crinkled his forehead

"He helped me with Christine. He gives good advice." Jason assured

"Yeah?" Luke nodded slowly as he pondered that thought

"Trust me. He'll get it." Jason reiterated as he walked off. "Talk to him."

"Got a moment?" Luke asked as he entered Chuck's office

"For you? Sure!" Chuck offered Luke a seat. Once they were seated, Chuck exhaled. "Let me guess, Shannen was late? You wanna work with older women? You want to do more alcohol relapse scenes? You wanna know when Vivica Fox will return?"

"Isn't she supposed to come back? You said you were gonna pair us up." Luke reminded

"I don't know if that's in the cards anymore." Chuck shrugged

"Okay." Luke nodded. "But no, that's not why I'm here."

"Oh?" Chuck seemed surprised.

"Jason... He said you helped him out with Chris and all that. And well, I kinda need some advice along those lines."

"Who are you dating?" Chuck got right to the point

"No, no one." Luke maintained. "Uh... I have a connection here and nothing ever came of it."

"Jennie."

"How'd you know?"

"Everyone here knows." Chuck chuckled before noticing Luke's face fall. "Don't worry, no one's gonna leak it to the press or anything like that. Hopefully."

"Well..." Luke breathed out, "She's... she's very special to me. And I don't wanna do anything that would jeopardize that. But... I'm conflicted."

"You're attracted to each other. You enjoy being with each other." Chuck understood

"Yeah."

"She has a boyfriend, doesn't she?"

"Yeah." Luke groaned. "This summer something happened and... she wanted something more and I..."

"And you didn't wanna put all your eggs in one basket." Chuck grinned and Luke didn't want to answer.

"Now..." Luke moved ahead. "...I don't know." He realized he didn't know what he wanted right now. All he knew was that he missed her and what they could have had.

Chuck studied him and it didn't take long to read between the lines.

"Look. I get it. You're young, you don't want to settle down. But you also don't want to lose what could potential be the love of your life."

"I wouldn't go that far." Luke chuckled anxiously

"No?" Chuck challenged him and Luke realized that Chuck never missed a thing that happens on this set. "If you hadn't ended things, where do you think you'd be in a year or two?"

Luke shrugged

"All I'm saying is when you know, you know." Chuck continued. "With Karen, I knew this was my person. Everyone else paled in comparison. It was like... she connected with my soul, she understood my outlook on life. She just gets me."

Luke understood exactly why Chuck was telling him this. After all, it was no secret that he and Jennie had so many things connecting them, and the fact that they met on this set seemed as though it was written in the stars.

"She's clearly important to you. I see it, we all see it. So you just need to figure out what's holding you back" Chuck warned.

"How do I do that? She has a boyfriend."

"That boy has been in her life for a few months. You have a much deeper relationship with her... Just talk to her, Luke."

"There's no way Brandon would kiss like that." Tori chuckled as she compared Jason and Christine's kissing scene with his character's other girlfriends.

"Jason doesn't even remember his character's name at this point." Shannen scoffed as they all watched Jason and Christine shoot their scene.

"That's a little intense." Jennie crinkled her nose, "Did you see how he's manhandling her like that?"

"Would you like that?" Luke leaned forward and whispered in her ear. And playfully tugged on her up-do.

Jennie turned around and smirked at him, "No... I much prefer your way. Your... subtle, gentle touch."

He couldn't help but blush a little as he grinned back at her.

As he gazed at her, her big blue eyes were smiling, her updo had loose tendrils after the whole day of filming had loosened her bun. She had washed off her makeup and looked beautiful, natural.

He exhaled, wondering whether he should take Chuck's advice.

"...Are you-" He blurted out, and realized he had to finish the sentence. "Are you still seeing that guy?" Say no, he thought. Just say no.

"Dean? yeah..." she muttered quietly. It was almost as if she didn't want to tell him.

Luke nodded "That's good. Real good." He shot her a forced, weak smile.

Interviewer: How does it feel to be labeled the teen heartthrob of the '90s?

Luke: I hate it

Interview: Sure you don't mind all the women. (Laughs) What tips can you give the rest of us be as good with the ladies as you?

Luke: Well, what I've found is I'm very in touch with my feminine side. Any good lover is. Meaning that women don't always want to be manhandled. A lot of times they want to be made love to by a man who can do it softly.

It's raising my adrenaline

You're banging on a heart of tin
Please don't make too much of it baby
You say the word forevermore
That's not what I'm looking for
All I can commit to is maybe

It's just a little crush
Not like I faint every time we touch
It's just some little thing
Not like everything I do depends on you