A/N Agan, thank you for everyone who has read and reviewed the previous chapter. I hope you will enjoy this one. Thank you for taking the time. Again, not mine.

Ch3 Butch

Lorelai got up late Tuesday so she missed Luke's for breakfast and had to pick up coffee at the Inn. Sookie was creating a new entrée and Lorelai was grateful she was slightly distracted; otherwise she would have noticed the smile that played across Lorelai's face every so often.

The one that surprised her was Michel. As she was standing at the front desk going over the linen supply forms Michel stopped her, "What are you smiling about?"

Lorelai was shocked that he was talking to her, "What do you mean? I always smile, I am a happy person who greets our customers with a smile. There isn't anything more than that."

Michel regarded her with that stare that said I don't believe you but I am too self involved to care, "Hmmm. Well stop it. It is scary."

Lorelai took the rest of the order forms and went to her office. It was almost Noon when she finished so she decided to reward herself with lunch at Luke's.

When she went in the diner was packed and she couldn't even find a seat at the counter. There was an extra seat with Kirk and one with a woman she had never seen before. Having the feeling that Kirk would ask her about Rory's blow-up yesterday she went over to the woman to ask if she could sit with her. Just as she was about to reach the table Luke grabbed her by the elbow and guided her to the counter where a seat had just opened up.

"What the Hell were you doing there?" Luke snapped?

"I was going to ask that woman if I could share a table, since I really didn't want Kirk to ask about the gale force wind that was my daughter yesterday and there weren't any other seats open. Did I do something wrong or are you just having mood swings? Male menopause entering your life a bit early?" Lorelai snatched her arm away.

"Sorry," Luke said "it has been crazy today and all the nut jobs we call neighbors are waiting to see if there is a round two this afternoon. Are you eating lunch or just coffee?"

"I had thought lunch, but with the welcome I received I may rethink it." Lorelai was still miffed about being treated like a child.

"Lorelai, did you get breakfast today?"

"No, I was running late."

"Then please accept my profound apology and let me make you a heart attack on a bun and serve it with your liquid death, please." Luke said with accompanying eye roll.

Lorelai grinned, "Well if you insist. And if you really want to make it up to me you can give me a piece of boysenberry pie."

"You are very lucky today, I have one piece of boysenberry left, but I think I already made it up to you with the burger and coffee, for the pie I expect something extra," Luke leaned over the counter as he relayed the last part with a wink.

"Dirty!"

Luke went in to place her order. Just then the woman who Lorelai almost sat with went up to pay her bill. Ray was taking her money and the woman asked him, "Who is the guy in the baseball cap?"

Ray told her, "That's Luke, the owner."

"Huh, he looks familiar. Has he always lived here?"

"Oh, yeah, all his life."

"Hmm, nice looking, is he seeing anyone?"

"Lady, no offense, but does this look like Match dot com?"

With that the lady left and Lorelai started to feel queasy. Why hadn't she seen how handsome and amazing Luke was before last week? This woman only saw him for half an hour and she was interested. This also made Lorelai wonder, how many girlfriends Luke had before she knew him. She tried to think if she had been aware of him dating, but she couldn't remember, certainly no serious relationships in the past couple of years. She made a note to ask Sookie in an unobvious way who Luke had dated. Since Sookie also was a Stars Hollow native, she must have the scoop.

With that Luke dropped her plate off and noticed she didn't have any coffee, "Ray didn't get you a cup." he said as he poured one for her, it was really more a statement than a question, and he sighed, "I would love to find reliable help, so I might have a life in the near future."

"Oh," Lorelai inquired, "Planning on needing sometime away from the diner soon?" she grinned.

"I was thinking of taking up a new hobby, although it really requires a partner" Luke said suggestively, "have any thoughts on someone who might be interested?"

"Well," Lorelai leaned over the counter and licked her lips, "there was that woman who I was about to sit with today, I heard her ask Ray about you. Would you like me to track her down?" She grinned at him.

"Aw, jeeze." Luke went to fill coffees.

After she said that she wondered if she really liked to play with fire, what if Luke thought the woman was pretty? She needed to watch what she said in the future.

A short time later Lorelai was in line to pay when Luke came over to the counter. He told Ray to pick up an order in the kitchen just so Luke could ring Lorelai's order up. "I'll see you at five?" he whispered grinning.

"I will be ready at five-thirty," she countered.

"As long as we understand each other."

"Yep, gotta get back to the inn. See ya." And with that she was out the door and down the street.

Luke smiled at the thought of the night ahead and then frowned about the woman Lorelai almost sat with. She had looked familiar and until he remembered her he didn't want to have her too close to Lorelai. He closed the register drawer and went to take a new couple's order.

At exactly five-thirty Luke rings the doorbell and Rory answers smiling. Luke groans, "Please tell me she is ready?"

"Well," Rory says conspiratorially, "she actually has been ready since five til five, but I'm not supposed to tell you."

Luke grins, "I didn't hear a word. But I am really thankful, this movie has only one showing tonight and if we are late they don't let you in."

Lorelai 'descends' the stairs and stops right before the bottom, "Wow, you look nice." The flannel has been replaced with a black sport coat that looks like fake cashmere although very good fake if he could have afforded it she thinks it would be real, but Luke wouldn't spend the money on real cashmere.

He paired it with a charcoal sweater and nice jeans that are showing that the diner outfit does no justice to the body. The baseball cap is nowhere to be found and Luke has some very nice hair. It almost looks styled. Lorelai smiles at this last thought.

Luke's heart has suddenly moved into his throat and he has a difficult time responding, "You look beautiful." She is wearing a navy blue top that highlights her eyes and his favorite jeans. Simplicity and elegance he doesn't know where the hell that phrase came from but it seems to suit her tonight.

After small banter with Rory and promises to be home at a proper hour they leave for Woodbridge. Lorelai is making small talk for the fifteen minutes that it takes to get to the theater.

It is an old Art Theater that shows classic films, and tonight they are showing Fritz Lang's movie Metropolis with the 1985 soundtrack by Giorgio Moroder.

Lorelai is grinning, "You realize that this is a silent movie?"

"Yep."

"You are taking me to a silent movie?"

Luke grinned, "You've seen it yet?"

"No, I haven't have you?" she challenged, 'Luke never watches a movie Danes' could not have seen this before.

"Actually it is one of my favorite movies. It is a social commentary on the morality of big business that makes its money off the backs of the working poor. There is even a love story for you where the son of the big business owner has a change of heart and falls in love with a daughter of a worker and together they make the world better."

Lorelai is stunned and isn't sure how to respond.

Then Luke leans towards her and says, "plus there is a high cheese factor and the bad acting alone will give you and Rory mocking material for months to come." And his eyes dance as he smiles down at her.

This dating Luke keeps her on her toes, that's for sure.

The movie has a surprisingly good soundtrack by artists from the eighties, Freddie Mercury, Bonnie Tyler, Loverboy, Billy Squire, Adam Ant, Jon Anderson.

Her favorite song became Pat Benatar singing "Hearts on Fire." The first time it comes up is when the hero is having a fling with his socially acceptable girlfriend and he sees his true love. Then later when the hero learns of the plight of the workers he listens to his true love inspire the workers and calls out to her after the workers have gone, they share their first kiss.

Pat's voice is beautiful and swells over the scene and Lorelai is actually starting to tear up, Luke's hand grazing her face causes her to turn to him as he catches her tear and he leans in. Just like at the lake he kisses her softly, she can feel his lips on hers like butterflies on her skin. Then he deepens the kiss as the music engulfs her and she feels a sob rising out of her throat. The feelings she is having for this man are overwhelming and all they have done is kiss four times.

Luke pulls away and smiles at her, his eyes radiating with care and she sees concern. He is worried that she is afraid. The thought that has surprised her most however is that instead of feeling afraid she feels safe and protected. This is new territory for her. She cannot remember a time when she has been cared for with this intensity. Rory is protective, but it is not the same.

Lorelai smiles at Luke and leans her forehead on his shoulder and whispers, "major cheese factor."

Luke chuckles and she hopes he is comforted.

The rest of the movie is very mockable and she will have a field day with Rory over this. She knows that Luke has set this up as a gift as well. Even though it is a favorite of his, did not see that one coming, he has shared it knowing she will mock it unmercifully. But he also will know that she too has been touched by the class distinction that is badly portrayed on the screen.

She wonders if he sees them in that story. He the son of the working class and she the frivolous daughter of big business. But in the movie they were able to overcome the class differences and make a change for the better in the world. Lorelai sighed, yeah, major cheese factor.

Let's just face facts, she wants Luke in her life and she wants more of him.

After the movie they go to a Mexican restaurant, again he surprised her, he has said that he hates Mexican food well, OK maybe that was Mexican fast food, which is not really Mexican food at all. After they place their order he talks to the waiter in Spanish. "What did you say to him?" Lorelai asked.

"I wanted to get something to take with us so I asked him to place the order later."

Luke says. As the evening progresses he talks about his family and his sister Liz.

"Why have I never met her? Are you keeping her from Stars Hollow?" Lorelai asks.

"You have never met her because she ahs not been back in ten years. I go down to New York about every other month to see her and Jess and make sure they have a roof over their heads and are eating."

"Who is Jess?"

"My nephew, he's around Rory's age, Liz had him when she was eighteen."

"Huh, so another teenage mom, eh?"

"Yep, I have never kept Liz from Stars Hollow. She, like a lot of hometown kids never found a comfortable place there. They wanted more, they wanted adventure and excitement."

"So you are timid and dull?" Lorelai joked.

Luke smiled, "No, with mom dying when I was almost ten and dad when I was twenty -two it meant more to me to have a stable home than to travel and rebuild my life somewhere else. I didn't go anywhere and I had to do that."

Lorelai realized how much in common they had, "Like I did at seventeen? I know what you mean about Stars Hollow, they may drive me nuts with how much they want to be in my life, but I know that town would do anything for me."

Luke took her hand in his and looked in her eyes, "You know that includes me don't you? I will do anything for you and Rory. You are part of my life, my family."

Lorelai smiled at him, eyes brimming, "Mr. Danes that is the second time tonight you have been the cause of happy tears, I am going to have to get waterproof mascara if we are going to continue to go out."

Luke leaned in and gently kissed her and signaled the waiter to bring them the check. "Then why don't we go get some coffee?"

Lorelai brightened and bounced up and down in her seat. Luke rolled his eyes and picked up the bag the waiter dropped off with his credit card receipt.

They drove a bit to a small shop called Ashley's and Lorelai saw it was an ice cream parlor. Her eyes widened and she turned to Luke, "How is it we are doing all the things you rant against everyday and so far not a peep? You are not going to expect me to walk into an ice cream parlor and not order ice cream are you?"

Luke chuckled, "Everything is made with fresh ingredients and they even have fresh fruit in their ice cream although I am not fooling myself that you would ever try it let alone order it willingly."

Lorelai saw the sign that promoted gourmet coffee as well and squealed, "You have brought me to heaven, or maybe Nirvana!"

"Glad to be of help in your afterlife." Luke said dryly.

Lorelai ordered a hot fudge sundae with rocky road and coffee ice cream, extra whipped cream and cherries and a cup of coffee. Luke ordered a scoop of Strawberry non-fat yogurt and some chamomile tea.

They were talking about the movie and Lorelai said. "I never thought I would like a silent movie so much."

"What was your favorite part?"

"There is so much there, the mocking of the bad acting, the close up shots that looked like they were going to run into the camera, the cheesy plot of good over evil, and that soundtrack was amazing! But I guess my favorite was the kiss."

"Between the hero and the girl?"

"Nooooo," Lorelai rolled her eyes, "your kiss." She said softly.

"That was my favorite part too." Luke reached over and took Lorelai's hand. After a moment, he said. "Too cheesy?"

She laughed her eyes sparkling, "Artery clogging, just how I like it."

Later Luke was telling Lorelai about how Miss Patty was trying to get information out of him about Rory's blow-up when he stopped mid sentence. Two women had walked in the door and were headed towards their section. The first woman was a tall slender blond and the one behind her was shorter, rounder and had brown hair.

The blond stopped at their table and said. "Hello, Butch, long time no see. What brings you to Guilford?" The brunette wasn't looking too happy and didn't even look at Luke.

"Good evening Rebecca, Anna. Lorelai and I were out for some quality ice cream and I knew Ashley's would appeal to her. Lorelai Gilmore, this is Rebecca and Anna Nardini."

Lorelai wasn't sure who looked more uncomfortable, Luke or Anna. She had a very uneasy feeling that this was more than old friends and she wasn't too sure she wanted to find out. At the same time it was like watching a car wreck; you want to see the outcome.

After they made their pleasantries and the women left, Lorelai looked at Luke and said, "Do you want to get out of here?"

Luke gratefully looked at her, "Would that be all right?"

Lorelai had a very bad feeling in her stomach, what if one of those women was the love of Luke's life and here he would be able to compare her with them and she is sure he would find her lacking, after all, what had she contributed to the evening? She wasn't sure he would even want to go on another date with her.

When they got in the truck he drove them to a small park. He got out, opened her door and extended a hand to her. "Let's take a walk."

They walked in silence for a bit and Luke spoke, "Anna and I had a relationship for about two years. It ended badly, about five years ago. This is the first time I have seen her since then."

Lorelai did not want to ask this question, but she couldn't help herself, "Do you wish you were still with her?"

Luke's eyes flew open wide, "Good God no! I was the one who caused the break up and until yesterday I didn't even realize it. About a month before Anna and I broke up another Hurricane Gilmore blew through my diner, this one in search of coffee."

Lorelai's eyes were wide, could he be saying what she thinks he is saying?

"Anna felt the difference even though I didn't notice it. She started harping every time you would come through the door and when Rory showed up she started saying some really derogatory things and like I said before, you are my family, I think I felt that from the first day I met you."

"So, long story short, after that comment I started sleeping on the couch and within a month Anna was gone. So you can see why she did not greet you with open arms?"

"Wow," was all Lorelai could say. Suddenly she needed to know how many girls have had the privilege of Luke Danes. "So, how many serious girlfriends have you had in your life time?"

Luke was taken back by the similarity in her question to the one Rory asked yesterday. He knows from the timber of her voice that Lorelai is probably feeling a little insecure because he recognizes it from his own experience so he leans in and pointedly says, "Potentially four."

Lorelai takes a second to realize what he is saying and smiles saying, "For me it is potentially two."

Luke places his hands on her hips, draws her close as he kisses her and whispers, "That sounds like a perfect number."

Lorelai wraps her arms around his neck and opens herself to his kiss. Luke pulls her closer to him and she feels his desire for her through the denim they are both wearing. She feels the ripple of his muscles on his back as he tenses and the desire builds. She wants to meld into him so that there is only one body. She starts kissing him on his neck just below his ear and she hears his sharp intake of breath. Luke pulls back and Lorelai whimpers at the loss of him.

He looks in her eyes and they mirror the desire of his own. He combs his fingers through her hair and weighs the risk of moving too fast with the want he feels them share.

Finally he sighs and says, "I need to get you home before I am unable to let you go. I want you Lorelai, but not just for tonight and we need to take some time before we go to the next level."

Lorelai looks at him and is grateful that he put a stop to tonight, because she wasn't sure she would have and it may have been the step too far. She had to tell Luke though, "Luke, I need you to know something that you may not have been consciously thinking about but I would be more comfortable if you knew. Rory is sixteen, her dad was the only other serious relationship I have had before. The last time I saw him was ten years ago and the last time I saw him was seventeen years ago. Do you know what I am saying?"

Luke gently kissed Lorelai and said, "Give me a month to get use to the change that has occurred in our relationship, after that it is your call when we move ahead. OK?"

"Perfect."

"And Lorelai, I am surprised that no other man pursued you in all this time, and I do not expect anything if you don't want it as much as I do."

"Oh, I didn't say they didn't pursue me," Lorelai said with a Cheshire cat grin, "I just never stood still."

"Duly noted. Let's go home, eh?"

"And for the record, I would say not to worry about the desire."

Luke smiled, "Looking forward to it"

"Dirty." Lorelai laughed then asked,

"Did she call you Butch?"