A/N: Wow! So much going on, and all of it exciting! First off, I have not abandoned Packaged Goods, there's just been a lot going on in Mags' world this week. I promise to get back to it as soon as I wrap Straight Shootin' up. Okay! Do not miss this week's fabulous installment of the Gilmore Girls Virtual Season 9! Yes, that was a shameless pimp. Deal with it. The Stocking Stuffer Author Auction starts next Saturday, be there or be square. We can't let those Dr. Who fan's take over our little corner of the world! The Stars Hollow Meet and Greet scheduled for February 2009 in Kansas City is coming to fruition! For more information check out the thread in the General Gabbery section of TWoP. I can't wait to meet you guys, and to watch our favorite episodes of GG on the big screen! Squeee! Man, I'm exhausted now! I know! I'll take a healthy dose of Luke and lie down for a while… Good plan.

Ridin' Out

The flashlight wasn't necessary, the restaurant could be lit with neon, and Lorelai would be ordering only one dessert, but nonetheless, forty minutes later, Luke opened the passenger door and Lorelai slid onto the bench seat. After closing the door, he spent the twenty seconds it took to circle the truck coaching himself not to stare openly at the way the slit on her black skirt rode up and opened at mid-thigh. He slipped behind the wheel, jammed the key into the ignition and looked into the rearview mirror just in time to see Kirk trying to wrestle his bike from the hedges where he had hidden it.

"We have a tail," Luke grumbled as he shifted into reverse and began to back down the driveway.

Lorelai glanced over and spotted Kirk, standing as still as a statue among Babette's boxwoods and grinned. "Think you can lose him?"

Luke smirked and said, "It'll be tough, but I'll do my best."

He drove sedately through town, winding up and down a couple of side streets and smiling slightly as he let up on the accelerator to give Kirk a chance to close the gap a little. Lorelai grinned as she looked over her shoulder through the back window. "You are twisted, and I have to say, I like it," she told him with a laugh. She gave Luke's knee and encouraging pat and turned back to watch Kirk puffing away on his old ten-speed.

"Well, I have to give him a chance. Besides, I don't think his mom lets him go past the sign," he added as he nodded to the 'Welcome to Stars Hollow' sign.

Luke accelerated slightly as they passed the sign and Lorelai saw Kirk coast to a stop just short of the invisible boundary line. "Aw. Poor Kirk," she breathed sympathetically.

Luke shrugged and said, "Well, he tried."

Lorelai turned back in her seat and smiled as she studied his profile. "So, where are we going?"

"There's a little place in Litchfield, Italian, not as fancy as Silvano's, but the food is better," he said as he glanced over to gauge her reaction.

"Tiramisu?"

"Of course," Luke rolled his eyes.

"Then I say, let's go!" Lorelai answered happily. "Do they have drippy candles?"

Luke frowned as he thought for a moment and then said, "I'm not sure if they're drippy, but I think there are candles."

"We don't have a reservation," she pointed out.

"Made one. Had plenty of time," Luke drawled.

"Hey, I had to look good didn't I?" Lorelai asked indignantly.

"You always look good."

Lorelai smiled ruefully and said, "I wasn't looking so hot when you came to pick me up earlier."

Luke cut his eyes toward her as he asked, "Wanna bet?"

A pleased smile curved her lips as she scooted a little closer to him on the bench seat. "You look really good," she said as she reached over and patted his leg.

Luke's eyebrows shot up as she let her hand linger on his leg for a moment before pulling it away. He caught her hand and pulled it back, placing it on his thigh and covering it with his. "That's good right there," he said in a low voice.

Lorelai smiled shyly and said, "I think we're supposed to talk. I'm not sure that this is conducive to talking."

Luke kept his hand firmly atop hers and said, "You came out tonight, that's enough."

They lapsed into silence for a few minutes. Finally, Lorelai said, "I wasn't going to."

"I figured," Luke admitted.

"I just, I couldn't, you know, think about you that way," she said, stumbling over the words in a rush to get them out. When she saw his frown, she shook her head and said, "I mean, I did, but I didn't want to, I wasn't supposed to."

"Says who?" he countered.

"Well, me, mainly. And Rory," she said as she began to rub the soft material of his pants between her thumb and forefinger nervously. "You're important to both of us."

"Afraid I'll cut off the coffee supply?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"That's part of it," Lorelai said with a grin. "Seriously, Luke…"

"I get it," he said, cutting her off.

"Do you?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah. I had to think about this a lot, Lorelai," he told her in all seriousness. "You, well, you're probably the best friend that I have. I don't want to ruin that, but I can't help it. I want more," he said bluntly.

"More," Lorelai repeated as her eyes fell to his leg. Luke looked down quickly and then back up at the road. He signaled a right turn and pulled off of the state highway onto a deserted country road. Lorelai's eyes widened and she asked, "Taking me parkin', Butch?"

Luke pulled to the side of the road, put the truck in neutral and set the parking brake. He turned to her and stared at her solemnly as he said, "Let me be really clear, because I don't want any confusion." When she nodded mutely, Luke took a deep breath and said, "I meant what I said earlier, Lorelai. This thing we're doing here, me, you, I'm in. I'm all in."

"All in," she breathed, mesmerized by his deep blue eyes.

"All I want is a chance to be with you," he said quietly. "I think I can make you happy. At least, I'd try my best."

"Luke," she whispered as she reached out to touch his smooth cheek.

"And, you know I care about Rory. I'd never do anything to hurt her," he continued, turning to stare straight through the windshield.

"I know."

"And, I just, I don't want to wait anymore," he said as he gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he fought the urge to reach for her. He turned to look at her. "I know that you probably don't feel the same way about me, but if you'd give it a chance…"

Lorelai cut him off, pressing her lips to his and kissing him tenderly. She pulled away, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "I thought that was why I was here," she said quietly.

Luke released the steering wheel and reached for her, burying one hand in her hair as he kissed her ardently. Lorelai moaned softly and parted her lips, and Luke's restraint snapped. His hand tightened on her waist, pulling her across the bench seat as he plundered her mouth. His tongue tangled with hers as his hand slipped from her waist to her thigh, his fingers tracing that tantalizing slit, gliding over her smooth skin. His hand fisted in her hair as he shifted, leaning into her and angling his head, desperate to get closer to her in any way he could.

Lorelai gripped his shoulder, her nails digging into his leather jacket as a flood of desire coursed through her veins. She fell back under his weight, trying to pull him down on top of her. She grunted in frustration as his coat caught on the gear shift and the momentum tore her mouth from his. "Luke," she whispered as he blinked and started to pull back.

Luke chuckled breathlessly and braced his hand on the seat as he said, "Dinner."

"Not hungry."

"Liar," he said as he shifted back into the driver's seat. He offered her his hand, and she sat up again.

Lorelai watched in disbelief as he released the parking brake and shifted the truck into first gear. "You're serious?"

"Lorelai, I just want to take you to dinner, and I'm beginning to think its never going to happen," he said, his frustration bubbling up a little. He pulled a u-turn and then stopped to check the traffic on the highway. He pulled into the lane, his jaw set firmly as he shifted, getting the old truck up to speed before reaching for her hand.

"Well, if you just want dinner, you shouldn't kiss me like that," she said petulantly.

Luke barked a laugh but kept his eyes fixed firmly on the road. "I'd better not kiss you at all then, because I can't not kiss you like that."

Lorelai blinked slowly as she stared at his profile. "So this is dating Luke," she commented mildly.

Luke smile was wry as he glanced over at her. "Not really. I don't usually go this far on the first date. I'm afraid that you might be getting the impression that I'm easy," he said, striving for a lighter tone.

"Are you?" she asked with a sassy smile.

"You may be a bad influence on me."

Lorelai's smile brightened. "I think I like that."

"Figured you would."

They lapsed into silence for a moment, and then Lorelai looked down at their clasped hands resting on the seat between them. "Is that Switzerland?" she asked.

Luke nodded and said, "Safer there."

"Funny, it feels like nothing should be safe right now, but it is," she murmured as she turned to look out the window.

"I'm not sure that I follow that," Luke said after digesting her words for a minute.

"It's all so new, so weird, but at the same time, not," Lorelai said with a shrug. "We're on a date, Luke. An hour or so ago, we were making out on my front lawn. Five minutes ago, we were making out in your truck. Doesn't that seem weird to you?" She flexed the fingers that he held firmly, and Luke loosened his grip slightly. Lorelai tightened hers again said, "This morning I systematically destroyed your special omelet and you asked me on a date. This afternoon I was signing off on an invoice for ten cases of toilet paper, and you told me, uh, what you told me," she said, glancing at him shyly.

Luke nodded, pressing his lips together. "How bad was the freak out?" he asked at last, peeking over at her nervously.

"Bad enough that Sookie had the paper bag out," she replied with a wan smile. When she saw the muscle in his jaw jump, she squeezed his hand. "Sookie talked me down. She pointed out that there were a few pros in your column. Turns out there were more pros than cons."

"There was a list?"

"Of course," Lorelai answered with a quick grin.

"Remind me not to mock the system again," he said as he smiled at her. Luke reluctantly released her hand and down shifted as he slowed for the turn off. "I guess I had a little more time to think it all out," he added gruffly.

"I was good for nothing for the rest of the day. I stood at the desk making that list, and I have to tell you, there was a little more of a freak out. The minute Tobin came in, I took off. I was going to call you and tell you that I couldn't come, not matter what this list said. Rory came home and started on her homework, I had the phone in my hand," she said as she watched his reaction carefully. "I sat down on the bed, and I heard the paper crinkle in my pocket. I just reread it over and over again, and I realized that I had to go," she said quietly.

"And then you fell asleep," he finished for her.

"I am nothing if not an excellent avoider," she said dryly.

Luke turned again, heading for the restaurant. "So, were you avoiding the call or the date?" he asked soberly.

"I don't know. Both, maybe?" she said honestly.

Luke nodded and signaled his turn into an open parking space. Once he had maneuvered the truck into the spot, he turned off the engine and turned to look at her. "I could take you home," he offered.

Lorelai shook her head and said, "I really don't think it would matter much at this point, do you?"

"I don't know," he answered quietly, glancing down at the keys in his hand. "It's completely up to you, Lorelai. I want this. I think I've made that pretty clear."

"You have," she said with a nod. "I want this too. It scares me, but I do," she admitted softly.

Luke nodded once and then reached for the door handle as he said, "Let's get you fed."

By unspoken agreement, they kept the conversation light as they were seated and perused the menu. Lorelai admired the tiny restaurant's clichéd décor, and tried to convince Luke that the diner needed checked tablecloths and the drippy candles that indeed graced each table. Luke ignored her suggestions, and then proceeded to order a bottle of wine with a confidence that surprised her. When she commented on it, he simply shrugged and said a little defensively, "What? I can drink good wine with good food."

"I always thought you were more of a beer guy," she answered calmly.

"I am," Luke freely admitted. "But wine is okay, you know, with a meal. I wouldn't just open a bottle to drink at home, but I can drink wine," he said, a faint blush rising in his cheeks.

"You aren't just trying to seduce me?" she asked teasingly.

Luke looked up from the menu. When he met her eyes, he smiled slowly and said, "It could be that too."

"Wow," Lorelai breathed as he heart skipped a beat.

"What?" he asked, shifting in his seat self-consciously.

Lorelai blinked in surprise and said, "Uh, nothing, it's just. Wow," she said again as she busied herself with the menu options. "Everything looks good," she commented quickly.

Once their wine arrived and their orders were placed, Luke lifted his glass and said, "Well, we got here."

Lorelai touched her glass to his and answered, "Took a little finagling, but yes."

Luke's eyes stayed locked on hers as she took a sip of the wine. Lorelai set the glass carefully on the table in front of her, making the utmost effort not to knock it over under his steady gaze. "You're making me nervous," she said with a flash of a smile.

"You look beautiful," he said simply. A blush rose in her cheeks as her eyes fell to her hands clasped in her lap.

Luke cleared his throat softly and then began to tell her about the phone calls he had been fielding from his relatives all week. Lorelai laughed and made comments as to the usefulness of each of the items that he described, watching as he grew more animated with each story. She wondered how she could have failed to notice how devastating his smile was. She tried to remember if she knew how deep his voice was, or how graceful his hands were as he gestured along with his words. She tried in vain to recall a time when she had ever heard him talk so much, and concluded that she hadn't. She carefully refrained from commenting on it, afraid that it would turn him back into the mono-syllabic Luke she had always known just when she found herself so fascinated with this new Luke.

Luke basked in her undivided attention, determined to hold onto it now that he finally had it. He struggled against his natural reticence, afraid to lose the tenuous hold he had on her. He rambled on and on, knowing that he was probably talking too much, but unable to stem the stream of words that flowed forth. He saw her lips curve into an amused smile as she took another sip of her wine. "I'm babbling," he concluded gruffly.

"You're not, I'm loving this," she assured him quickly.

"I never talk this much," he muttered as he toyed with the stem of his wine glass, pushing it in tiny circles on the tablecloth.

"I know, that's why I love it," Lorelai answered with a grin. She leaned forward and said in a conspiratorial tone, "You don't have to keep me entertained. I'm happy to be here."

"I thought you needed constant entertainment," he said as he quirked an eyebrow at her.

Lorelai's smile grew as she sat back again and said, "I do, and you are working so hard."

Luke blushed slightly and said, "It's not work with you. I like talking to you."

"And I like it when you talk to me," she said gently. "Ooh! Food," she said with a breathtaking smile as the waiter appeared at their table.

The conversation grew easier as they started on their entrees. Lorelai grinned as she told him about Michel's mother. "It's so weird, they're like best friends. All giggly and gossipy. Completely freaky," she said as she waved her fork dismissively.

Luke smirked as he watched her attack the giant portion of lasagna and said, "Not at all like you and Rory."

Lorelai looked up, surprised at his observation. "I never thought about that. I guess it's just weird for me to see someone my age getting along with their parents so well. Lord knows, I don't," she mumbled.

Luke cocked his head slightly and said, "Well, you get along with yours a little better now, don't you?"

Lorelai poked at her lasagna and said, "I guess, maybe." She smiled at him wanly and said, "Did I tell you that Rory is going to ask my dad to help her with this business project at school?"

Luke shook his head and said, "No, but that should be good. You mentioned that he isn't enjoying retirement as much as he thought he would."

"He's going crazy," Lorelai said as she took another sip of her wine.

Luke reached for the bottle and topped off her glass. "Well, they seem to be crazy about Rory."

"They are," Lorelai conceded.

"Hard not to be, she's a good kid. You've done well," he said as he toasted her with his glass.

"Thank you," she said softly. She smiled gratefully and said, "She makes it easy."

"She's still seeing that Dean kid?" Luke asked as he speared some penne with his fork.

"Yeah," Lorelai said with a slight frown.

Luke looked up sharply at her tone and quickly asked, "What? Is he being a jerk again?"

Lorelai shook her head vehemently and said, "No, no. Nothing like that. They're just going through one of those weird patches, you know?" She shrugged and said, "She's busy, and he's feeling a little neglected, I think."

Luke nodded and said, "Well, her school work is important to her. He should know that."

"Oh, he does," Lorelai said quickly, wondering if she should mention Jess and her suspicions about Rory's growing friendship with Luke's nephew.

"Jess messing with the guy can't help either," Luke said darkly.

Lorelai gaped at him for a moment. "You noticed that?" she asked, stunned.

Luke looked at her incredulously and said, "How could I not? He bought her basket."

"What do you think that's about?" she asked, leaning in with a worried frown.

Luke shook his head and said, "I don't know. Could have just been Jess wanting to stir up trouble."

"I think Jess had the bracelet that Rory lost. The one Dean gave her," Lorelai said in a rush.

"He took it?" Luke asked as he dropped his fork to his plate.

Lorelai shook her head and said, "I think maybe he found it, but I think he kept it. At least, he did until he saw how upset Rory was about it."

Luke rubbed his hands together, wringing his fingers lightly as he said, "I don't know what he's thinking. I don't know what to do with the kid."

"I'm not sure that there is much you can do at that age," Lorelai admitted reluctantly. "They're going to have to sort it out themselves."

"I'm not very good at this," Luke confessed in a low voice. "I'm trying, but I don't know what to do."

"You're doing the best you can, Luke," she assured him. "Jess is pretty much grown."

"I know. I just, I don't want him messing with Rory, but at the same time, I'm glad they're friends. Jess needs a friend, and I think Rory could be good for him, you know?" he said earnestly.

Lorelai saw the sincere concern on his face, and bit back her opinions on Jess and his attachment to Rory. "So, enough about them. How's your food? Good?" she asked a little too brightly as she returned her attention to her plate.

"I won't let him mess with her," Luke said quietly.

Lorelai looked up and smiled at him affectionately. "Oh Luke, I don't think that either of us gets a say in that."

Luke nodded and picked up his fork again. He speared another forkful of pasta and said, "Mine's good. Yours?"

"Delicious," Lorelai said as she tucked back into her food again.

Luke toyed with his pasta, pushing it around with his fork. After a moment he said, "I can't really blame him."

"Huh?" Lorelai asked as she chewed.

"He probably can't help it, liking Rory. I mean, you can't really help how you feel about people," Luke insisted as he set his fork down again. "All week long, I was trying to clear up all of this stuff with Louie, and all I could think about was that Taylor and Andrew and Bert. All of that stuff that they said was true. Louie was miserable. Surly and foul, the total opposite of my dad. Well, maybe not the total opposite, but you could tell that the guy had never had a happy day in his life," Luke said as he fidgeted with the handle of his fork. Lorelai watched him curiously, but stayed quiet when she saw him struggling to compose his thoughts.

"I asked you if you thought that I was turning out to be just like Louie, and you said no, but the reasons you gave…" Luke looked up meeting her bright blue eyes. "Lorelai those reasons mostly had to do with you. You and Rory. Hell, I don't even know if I would have said yes to Liz sending Jess here if I hadn't watched you with Rory for these past few years," he admitted with a chuckle. "You made it look easy."

"It's not," she said with a sympathetic smile. "Not even with Rory."

Luke smiled and said, "No, but you made it look like it was." He reached for his glass and took a fortifying sip. "You see, all I could think about all week was how I didn't want to be alone, how I wanted someone in my life, wanted to make room for someone. And whenever I tried to picture who that someone would be, all I could see was you," he said simply.

"Luke," Lorelai whispered.

"That picnic was nice. I probably would have stayed even if I had to choke down a stale Pop Tart and half of a Slim Jim. I like spending time with you. I like arguing with you," he said with a chuckle. "I like that when I need your help, with Jess, with the diner, with closing a casket with one too many footballs in it, I can call you."

"I like that too," Lorelai said softly. "All of that."

"I don't want to pressure you into this. I just want to be honest," he said sincerely.

"I honestly am very happy to be here right now," she told him.

Luke smiled his relief and nodded. "Good."

Lorelai picked at the remains of her lasagna with the tines of her fork. "Would you really have eaten the Pop Tart?" she asked without looking up.

"Yes."

Lorelai placed her fork gently on her plate and said, "I'm about to break one of the cardinal rules of first dates, but since we already know each other pretty well, and were doing the whole honesty thing, bear with me, okay?" When Luke nodded, Lorelai took a deep breath. "When I said yes to Max, I thought that he was the one I had been looking for. The guy who could give me all that stuff I wanted; love, comfort, safety," she said softly. "And then, one day I realized that he didn't quite fit into my life, my space, you know?" Luke nodded again, and held his breath as he waited for her to go on. "I knew it wasn't quite right," she said in a rush. "I knew, and I did it anyway. You shouldn't have to think that much. You shouldn't have to wonder if this person really gets you."

Luke exhaled softly and said, "No."

"And all these months, you know, after, I was wondering why it should be so hard. Finding that person, knowing that it is right," she said as she twisted her napkin in her lap. "And today, now, I'm sitting here thinking, it's not so hard," she said as she lifted her eyes to meet his. "When you open your eyes and see the person who might be right."

"No, it's not," he answered in a low soft voice.

Lorelai stared at him intently and asked, "Can we go now?"

"Go?"

Lorelai nodded and gestured to her half eaten meal as she said, "I'll take this home."

"Don't you want dessert? I thought you said you were happy to be here," he asked, confused and worried that he had said something wrong.

"I'm happy to be with you," she said softly. She leaned in and fixed him with a meaningful look as she whispered, "I'd just rather be somewhere where I can kiss you. A lot."

Luke swallowed hard and said, "Lorelai, as much as I'm all for the, uh, kissing thing, you know that this," he paused, gesturing between them, "isn't about that."

Lorelai cocked her head and feigned innocence as she asked, "You mean that you're planning on making room for me in your life, but not in your ridiculously small bed?"

Luke's eyes widened as he stammered, "Uh no, I mean yes. No, that's not what that means."

"Because, as long as we're being, um, blunt here, I think it's kind of a package deal," she said frankly.

"Lorelai," Luke said in a warning tone.

"Luke," she answered in a soft husky voice.

Luke swiveled in his seat and looked around for their waiter. When he couldn't spot him, he chuckled softly at himself and turned back to her. "You're killing me, here. We have no where to go. Rory is at your house and Jess is at mine," he pointed out.

"And half of the town is probably lying in wait," she conceded with a pout.

Luke smiled ruefully and said, "Might as well finish your dinner."

Lorelai reached across the table and ran her fingers gently over the back of his hand. When Luke turned his hand over and captured them, she smiled and said, "Or, you could take me parkin', Butch."

Their waiter magically appeared to check on them at that moment, and without taking his eyes off of Lorelai, Luke said, "I think we're done. Could you box the lasagna, and throw in two orders of tiramisu to go?"

"Two," Lorelai asked after the waiter had cleared her plate.

"One for Rory," Luke said as he gave her hand a squeeze and then released it to reach for his wallet.

****

Not far from Stars Hollow, a lone bottle green truck sat nestled among the overgrown brush on the side of a dark country road.

"This is ridiculous," Luke grumbled as Lorelai jammed her knee against the gear shift.

"Shut up," Lorelai murmured as she grasped the back of his head and pulled his back to her, kissing him heatedly.

"We're too old for this," Luke complained when they broke for air.

"Speak for yourself, Butch," Lorelai said as she shifted around on the bench seat until she was reclining against her door.

"Stop calling me that," Luke growled.

"Luke, kiss me," Lorelai said as she beaconed to him.

Unable to resist, Luke leaned over, twisting his body until he pressed against her and his lips met hers again. He drank her in, inhaling deeply and savoring the scent of her perfume and the taste of her lips. Their tongues swirled and danced as his hand found the silken skin of her thigh. "Lorelai," he breathed as he pressed hot wet kisses to her jaw and nipped at the tender skin of her neck. "God, I want you," he ground out breathlessly.

Lorelai moaned softly, the sound filling the cab of his truck as she ran her fingers through his hair. "This is nuts, this is nuts," she panted.

"I know," Luke murmured as he started to pull away again.

"No," Lorelai said as she clung to his shoulders, pulling him back down to her. "I mean, it's crazy that I want, I see you every day," she panted as his lips found the spot where her pulse throbbed. "Oh Luke," she sighed as he traced the spot with his tongue. "How am I gonna do it?" she breathed.

"What?" he asked his voice muffled as he kissed his way down to her collarbone.

"See you, not touch you," she whispered as she cradled the back of his head. "Oh!" she cried as his tongue slid over the hollow of her throat.

"Who said you shouldn't touch me?" he growled.

Lorelai's hand burrowed frantically under his coat, and sought the taut muscles of his back. She caressed him fervently, rubbing the crisp cotton of his shirt over his warm skin. "Can I have extra jack cheese if I kiss you here?" she asked breathlessly, nipping at his ear as she began to tug the tail of the shirt from his pants, desperate to feel the heat of him. She slid one hand down and brushed her fingers over his ass as she asked, "Can I do this when you refuse to give me a refill on my coffee?"

"Yes," he said and then drew softly on her neck.

"Really? Can I paw you as you lecture me about the evils of bacon?' she whispered. Luke's hand slid up, grazing the side of her breast, and she arched up into him. "Touch me, please touch me," she murmured in a throaty voice.

Luke raised his head and kissed her hard and hot as he covered her breast with the palm of his hand. Lorelai yanked the tail is his shirt out of his waistband and groaned into his mouth as she ran her hand up his back. He pulled back abruptly, his lips parted, his chest heaving as he forced precious oxygen down into his lungs. Lorelai's lids fluttered and she stared up at him with eyes dazed with desire. "I want you," she whispered.

The air rushed from his lungs once more and Luke groaned loudly as he reluctantly removed his hand from her breast, his thumb grazing the nipple that had pressed so insistently against his palm. "You have no idea," he said in a choked voice.

"Kiss me," she whispered temptingly.

"I can't," he rasped, pushing himself up and away from her.

"What? You don't put out on the first date?" Lorelai asked snidely, giving voice to her frustration.

"Lorelai," Luke growled as he ran his hands through his hair. "I am not going to do that in this stupid old truck," he said through clenched teeth.

Lorelai blushed as she struggled to sit upright. "Oh, are you worried about the upholstery?"

"You think I don't want to?" he asked incredulously. "Jesus, Lorelai, the things that are going through my head right now! Even if I thought it was alright, the logistics of it are mind boggling!"

"Okay, okay," Lorelai conceded as she tried to get her breathing under control.

Luke wrapped his hands around the steering wheel, gripping it tightly to keep from reaching for her. "We're never gonna be alone," he murmured, thinking out loud.

"We could go to the inn, or a motel or something," she suggested, a note of desperation creeping into her voice.

Luke slowly turned to look at her, his mouth agape. "Seriously?"

Lorelai shrugged, wondering if he could see her cheeks flaming in the darkened cab of the truck. "We could," was all she said lamely.

Luke shook his head and said, "No, I don't want that. I'm a grown man, I shouldn't be making out in your front yard, necking like a teenager in my truck or sneaking off to motels. This isn't like that," he insisted.

"You just said that we'd never be alone," Lorelai retorted indignantly.

Luke blew out a gusty breath, shaking his head in frustration. "No," he said softly but firmly. He reached out, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead as she leaned into him. "We'll figure it out," he promised gruffly. "It's just new." He placed a finger under her chin and tipped her face up toward his. He kissed her gently, his lips lingering on hers for a moment, and then whispered, "We'll figure it out. Come on, I'll take you home."

Lorelai settled back into her seat and smirked as she saw Luke shift around in his, trying to get his bearings again. "A little uncomfortable, Butch?" she asked with a grin.

Luke twisted the key and the slowly turned to look at her. "Wait until I get you alone," he said in a deep voice.

Lorelai sucked in a sharp breath, and then let it out with a laugh. "Why do I feel the urge to sing old Heart songs?" she asked as she scooted a little closer to him on the seat.

"Please don't," Luke grumbled as he put the truck in gear and began to make a precise three point turn on the darkened country lane.

"How do I get you alooooone," Lorelai sang loudly.

"Ah, geez," Luke groaned as gravel sprayed from under his tires and they headed back to Stars Hollow.