No...Rory doesn't 'have' to tell Lorelai anything. She's trying to be open with her and figure things out.

Rory walked home through the last of the light. It was Tuesday evening and she'd just completed her second shift at Stars Hollow Books. It was curious, working at the store and going home for dinner with her mother, as though she'd gone back in time. Rory felt as though she ought to be packing for Yale. It was not an entirely happy thought but Rory couldn't help feeling happy as she walked home in her childhood town. As she passed the gazebo she saw Jess, reading as he walked, face frowned and jumping as she called his name.

"Hey," he said shyly as Rory smiled at him. "I was going to call you when I got back."

"Same," Rory said. "I just finished work."

"Yeah? How's it going?"

"Good," Rory said, nodding. "Really well."

"Good," Jess said. Rory returned his smile and asked,

"How was Philadelphia?"

"Fine. Same old."

"Good."

"Yes."

They paused and Rory's eyes rested on Jess's book. "Hangasman. Is it any good?"

"Very underrated," Jess said. "I'll loan it when I'm done."

"I'd like that," Rory said and Jess added,

"I've only got a few chapters left. Why don't you come over after dinner?"

"Okay," Rory said, making his mouth curve into a smile. "We can talk, too."

"About stuff," Jess agreed. He touched her arm and said, "See you later."

Rory smiled too, watching him walk away. It was a warm evening but the sudden heat coating her skin was of a different kind. She hurried home and was glad Lorelai had already ordered Chinese for dinner. They ate mostly in silence, talking a little about work and the inn, Rory's mind elsewhere. Lorelai looked at her oddly, guessing something was on Rory's mind but didn't ask anything. Rory finished her food and took a deep breath.

"I'm going to Jess's," Rory announced. Lorelai looked up from the last of her noodles.

"You are? How come?"

"We're going to look at a book," Rory said, blushing at how it sounded like her old teenage excuse. "And talk some things out."

"Oh," Lorelai said, sounding quizzical and Rory added,

"I might head over now."

"Okay," Lorelai said. "I won't wait up."

Rory looked at her and hesitated. Lorelai picked up her plate.

"Have a good time," she said. "I'll see you later."

Rory headed out, a little embarrassed, but she had no reason to contradict her mother and no need, she told herself, to feel that way. She was an adult and Rory walked more purposefully over to Jess's apartment. It was so hot she hadn't needed a sweater and the fabric of her purse stuck to her arm, making her sweat unpleasantly. Rory shifted it, buzzed the intercom and gratefully hurried up the stairs. She dropped it by the door and greeted Jess, who was also only wearing a T-shirt over his jeans. He handed her a glass of iced water from a jug on the table and she followed him into the living room. Even the books looked uncomfortable, sweltering in the wooden shelves.

"Sorry it's so hot in here," Jess said, wiping a hand over his brow. "I can't really afford air con."

"It's fine. I'm used to it, or I should be, anyway."

He looked at her curiously and Rory explained,

"It was always this hot in California. It never stopped feeling weird, even after living there for two years."

"I guess you lived here most of your life. I was there for six months and it felt crazy."

"You get it then," Rory said and Jess nodded. "I think I missed the foliage most, after the snow."

"Neither of that right now," Jess remarked and Rory shook her head. More beads of sweat dripped down her arms and a glance at Jess showed his were the same.

Rory had dug out a skirt and blouse she used to wear to combat the heat. It was white with fancy embroidering, suitable for work but the most casual from her California clothes and Rory hadn't bothered to change. She straightened it slightly, from where it had ridden up, and Jess remarked,

"I like it."

"Huh?"

"Your blouse – I like it," Jess said sheepishly. "It's nice."

"Thanks." Rory had a sudden impulse to quote one of the old movies she and Lorelai used to watch and exclaim What, this old thing? but she felt shy, not wanting to explain the reference. The moment passed and she concentrated on drinking her water. Jess hesitated and then got up abruptly.

"The book," he said shortly. He picked it up from a coffee table in the corner and held it out to Rory who took it from him, turning it over in her hands.

"It looks interesting," she said as Jess sat back down beside her. "Shirley Jackson. I've never read anything by her."

"You should," Jess said. "She's worth checking out."

Rory looked up and made to hand the book back. Jess caught her hand.

"Keep it," he said. Rory nodded but he didn't release her hand.

"Jess..."

"What?" he asked, his voice husky. "What is it?"

"We shouldn't," Rory said, unable to help feeling disappointed as Jess let go of her hand. "It's not the right time..."

"It's never been the right time for us," Jess said, his eyes heavy. "Why isn't it?"

"It's too soon, Jess. It's too soon for us to...I don't want to be in a relationship now."

"I'm not asking to be in a relationship with you," Jess said. "I just want to be kissing you right now."

Rory looked at him, taking his hand back. She let him run his over it, leaving kisses on it and whispered,

"I want that too."

Jess started kissing her arm, all the way from the base to the tip and all the things Rory planned to say about thinking things through flew from her mind. She closed her eyes as waves of desire began spreading through her. Jess pulled Rory towards him and she slipped out of her chair and pressed her lips against his, straddling his lap. They kissed more and more frantically and Jess undid the buttons of her blouse, pushing it back and burying his face in the space between her breasts. Rory threw her head back, small gasps escaping her mouth, and didn't protest as Jess unfastened the rest of the buttons and slid her blouse from her shoulders where it fluttered to the floor. Rory let Jess unclasp her plain cotton bra before taking his shirt and peeling it from his chest. They threw it behind them and Jess took Rory's breasts in his hands, fondling the nipples and covering them with kisses. Rory moaned, feeling him grow hard against her, the small piece of material between her and Jess already soaked. He grew harder and harder, straining against her and Rory took Jess's hands from her waist, stepped off his lap and out of her underwear.

"What?" Jess asked, surprised as she knelt down and unbuttoned his pants. "What are you doing?"

"Do you want me to stop?" Rory asked, looking up. Understanding filled Jess's eyes and he shook his head wordlessly as she pulled his underwear off and took his penis in her mouth. Jess groaned and closed his eyes as she ran her tongue lightly around the tip, using her hand to stroke the rest.

"Rory..."

Rory stopped and looked up. Jess had a glazed expression in his eyes and he said,

"Don't stop."

Rory leaned back down. She took him in her mouth and slid her tongue around the shaft, enjoying the stifled gasps Jess was emitting. She kissed and kissed and then Jess was taking her hands and saying,

"Stop, I'm going to –" and then pulled her up and onto him. He entered her roughly and moments later came, his hands hot against Rory's chest. For a moment Rory sat still, feeling his pulse beat against hers and then got up as Jess opened his eyes.

"That was amazing."

"I wanted to," Rory said and he grinned at her.

"Come on."

He got up from the chair, took her hand and led her into the bedroom, shutting the door and kissing her again. He kissed her hard, rubbing his hands across her breasts and then lay her down on the bed. Rory stretched out, parting her legs and, though they had never done this as teenagers, was taken back to days at the diner where they would make out on Jess's bed, the cheap sheets tangling around them.

Jess pulled Rory's skirt off so she was completely bare and he leaned over her, kissing where the material had been. Rory sighed happily and then her breaths became ragged as Jess slipped his fingers inside her, coaxing her to come. It did not take long as he moved his fingers back and forth, kissing her breasts and Rory erupted against him, her body shaking. She barely had time to regain herself as Jess moved his head so it was between her legs and started to kiss there.

"Jess," Rory panted. "You don't have to..."

"I know," Jess said, stopping to look up. "Do you want me to?"

"Yes," Rory gasped and, as he started again, "God, yes."

Jess didn't say anything. He was slipping his tongue inside and moving it in agonising slow circles around her clitoris, making her lose control. Rory clenched the sheet as he sucked at it, rubbing his fingers around her entrance and tried not to cry out. Dean had offered to do this once and Rory had refused, feeling shy, and she'd done so with Logan but it had never been this intense. Logan was always too quick, wanting to see how soon he could make her come, but Jess was taking care, going slow and Rory repressed a scream as she started to come. Jess continued and Rory lay back, helpless as her orgasm overcame her. Jess kept his mouth there until she'd finished and then Rory looked up to see he'd gotten hard again. Wordlessly, she opened her legs, pulling him onto her and Jess pushed in with a sigh, pumping into her with his lips on her neck. Rory stroked the back of his head, locking her legs around him as he held her waist, running his fingers around her hips. They moved together, their bodies in rough rhythm until Rory came. Jess thrust and thrust, opening his mouth and closing his eyes as Rory squeezed her muscles against him, making him come too. They lay silently, their breaths uneven and then Jess rolled over to face Rory, taking her hand in his.

"You okay?" he asked. Rory nodded and smiled. "Well," he said. "If anything else, we know that works."

They looked at each other and started to laugh. Rory held Jess's hand tight and, just then, it was hard to worry about this meant either for her, him or both of them. She snuggled against his chest and Jess ran his hands through her hair.

"Rory," he hesitated. "I love..."

Rory looked up in shock but he simply said carefully,

"I love this. But I'll understand if you want to stop."

"Me too," Rory said quietly. "It's crazy but I don't want to."

"Before you came over here," Jess continued. "I had this whole speech planned out. I was going to talk to you about how Luke probably had a point. That maybe we should slow down."

"I'm glad you didn't," Rory joked. "I wouldn't want Luke's image in my mind."

"Can't say I would either," Jess laughed but Rory said seriously,

"I did too. Not about Luke but I was going to say this isn't the smartest plan. I should be taking space from a relationship."

"This isn't that."

"Okay, a space from sex," Rory clarified. "No matter how great is."

Jess grinned at her.

"Great, huh?"

"Don't get cocky, Mariano," Rory teased. "But yes, it was pretty great."

"I'd say you had a lot to do with that."

"It was both of us. But," Rory said, serious again. "This isn't what I should be doing. I shouldn't be feeling like this."

"You feel what you feel," Jess said, his voice gentle. "Should doesn't always come into it."

Rory nodded but didn't say anything and, though it was a warm night, she buried her head into Jess's chest and pulled the covers over them. She never wanted to leave and go back to reality.