Disclaimer: Still don't own them.
AN: A lot of you had opinions on the last chapter. And I'm all for taking advice, so thank you. He won't be asking her to marrying for a while. But it will happen, because I am hopeless romantic at heart.
Tristan tossed and turned before looking at the clock. It was almost two. He wasn't looking forward to the rest of the night. He hadn't slept in days. Not since Rory came over, all of the feelings he had ten years ago had come back without warning. And now he was scared to act on them. He could see her living with him. But marrying her? It was too soon for that. He pushed the thought from his mind willing sleep to come. Megan had called that afternoon and had said that Maddie could stay with her until Sunday. She had never seen him like this.
"You are eating aren't you?" She asked teasing him.
"I haven't got it that bad." He said rolling his eyes.
"Give it a month." She said being as serious as she could.
Tristan shook his head in annoyance. Leave it to Megan to be a smart ass when he was trying to be serious. He swung his legs over the side of the bed hoping to find something to help him sleep. He rifled through the medicine cabinet trying to find the sleeping pills he kept there. He found the box and he tipped it hoping he wasn't right. He was right; it was empty. He made his way back to his room in defeat. He'd get more tomorrow. Right now he was so tired he couldn't see straight.
He sighed sinking against the pillows. The TV was on so he flipped through channels until he found infomercials. He turned the volume down low and was asleep ten minutes later.
XXXX
Rory was still having trouble dealing with 'Hostile Jess'. Even after he apologized he was on edge. It was almost as if he were hiding something. He had left yesterday afternoon saying that he would be back Sunday night. What was wrong with him now? He was worse than a woman sometimes. She left the brownstone and as she was walking down the street she was knocked down.
"Jack!" Tristan said running up to her.
"Could you get him off of me?" She asked laughing.
"You're not mad?" He asked helping her up.
"No. It just means he likes me." She said wiping off her jeans.
"He's not the only one." He said staring at her.
She blushed as she put up a hand to block the sun.
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see you." He said taking her hand again.
They walked down the street in silence. They were at his building a few minutes later. Rory sat on the couch as Tristan went to get them something to drink. He came back and jumped over the back of the couch.
"Trying to relive your teen years?" She asked teasing him.
"I'm gonna do it while I still can." He said grinning at her.
"Where's Maddie?"
"With Megan. I hadn't been sleeping. At all, I finally got some sleep last night. And I got to sleep in 'til noon." He said draping an arm over her shoulders.
"Why hadn't you been sleeping?" She asked getting closer to him.
"I had a lot on mind."
"Everything okay now?" She asked looking at him.
"Everything is perfect now." He said brushing his lips against hers.
They grew quiet again as Rory lay her head in his lap. He ran his hands through her hair making his way down her side. She closed her eyes not wanting the moment to end. He pushed up her shirt making lazy designs on her stomach. She sighed not able to hold back a smile. It didn't get much better than this. Without sex being involved anyway. He grabbed her wrist with his other hand. He was tracing lines when Rory finally giggled.
"Am I tickling you?" He asked innocently.
"Don't act so innocent." She said smiling up at him.
"Who says I'm acting?" He asked his hands becoming still.
Rory put her hands over the hand on her stomach. It was times like this when she was glad she worked out when she had a chance. Which wasn't often, but at least it was something. Her cell phone rang making Tristan pull away.
"You should answer that." He said running a hand through his hair.
She reached for her purse on the coffee table. She was going to kill whoever was on the other end.
"Hello?"
"Hey you."
"Mom." Rory mouthed to Tristan.
He nodded playing with her hair.
"You still there?"
"Uh huh." She said looking up at Tristan.
"Whatcha doin'?"
"Nothing." She said pushing his hands away from her side.
"Are you the queen of one and two word answers?"
"Yeah." Rory said once drug his fingers slowly down her side.
"You're no fun." Lorelai said sighing.
Rory held back a laugh, glaring at Tristan.
"Are you still listening to me?" Lorelai said getting annoyed.
"Mm hmm." Rory said before laughing.
Tristan gave her a cocky smile before sticking his tongue out at her.
"What is going on?"
"Nothing." Rory said still laughing.
"You're with Tristan aren't you?"
"No." She lied trying to calm down.
"You are!" Lorelai said with a gasp.
"Okay, I am." She said sitting up.
Tristan pinned her to the couch before taking her phone.
"Bye Lorelai." He said before he hung up.
"Aww, you're gonna get it." Rory said laughing again.
"I'll take my chances." He said lying on top of her.
XXXX
Tristan had talked her into staying the night. He hadn't had to do much convincing. He watched her change from across the room. She had had to roll the boxers he had lent her to keep them from falling off of her hips. She had kept her tank top on. He had never seen a woman look so beautiful. Not even Rachel. Rachel. He hadn't thought about her in over a week. He had a feeling she would want him to be happy. Rory made him happier than he had been in a long time.
He could be himself around her. And he was glad she could be herself around him. She didn't pass judgment on him. And to make things better, she hadn't walked away after meeting Maddie. That meant something.
"What are you staring at?" She asked walking over to him.
"You." He said as she sat next to him.
She rolled her eyes in response. He was being cheesy, and he knew it. But he didn't care. He ran a hand up her leg starting at her toes. He looked her in the eye as his hand trailed up her leg. Rory leaned down brushing a piece of hair off his forehead. She kissed him as his hand stopped just under the boxers. He wasn't going to push her, even if he did want things to go farther.
Rory deepened the kiss letting herself lay on her side next to him. His hands were in her hair as she ran her hands up his stomach. He pulled away brushing a piece of hair out of her eyes.
"Unless you want this to go farther we need to stop."
Rory nodded as Tristan rolled over on his stomach.
"I love you."
She smiled knowing he meant it.
"I love you too."
She was surprised how easy it was to say to him. It had taken her almost a year with Dean. She didn't say it with Jess until it was too late. And it was months before she said it to Logan. She was still getting to know him. But she wouldn't change a thing. She turned out the light and turned on her side. The light from outside cast an eerie glow over them. She watched Tristan knowing he wasn't asleep. He opened one eye before turning on his side.
"Come here." He said pulling her to him.
He draped an arm over her waist before closing his eyes again. She sighed before closing her eyes. They fell asleep a few minutes later.