Lorelai threw herself into her job. She had always had an excellent work ethic but when it came to looking for a distraction there was nothing that worked better than a chaotic day at the inn. And recently to her utter joy, the inn was filled with chaos. She was quickly becoming aware of how involved the whole town was with everyone's lives. Through chatter in the kitchen and from the staff she had heard that Rachel was still at Luke's. They were seen together as a family and sometimes just with Luke. She heard how they were spotted out in Westbury at a bar, in Hartford at a restaurant, had taken a long weekend in New York, and one persistent maid insisted she had seen them hunting for a house out on Plum Street.
Everyone seemed to forget that her and Luke had been on a couple of dates. Everyone but her. In the three weeks since Rachel had come back to Stars Hollow, she had only been into the diner once. And that was just when she spotted him driving off in the truck. She slipped in, order a coffee and a burger to go then raced home before he had a chance to come home.
Tonight, leaving the inn just after seven she got out to her Jeep only to find the battery dead. She tried the engine again and again, but to no avail. She went back into the diner to look for the maintenance guy who would have jumper cables but she couldn't find him. She asked a few members of the staff but no one knew where the cables were. Lorelai resigned herself to walking home and pulled her coat closed then shoved her hands in her pockets. The walk back to town was on a deserted road, no footpath and very little traffic. She cursed her luck as she willed the streetlights to come closer and closer but instead they seemed to be even further away. By the time she reached the outskirts of the town she sighed with relief and her steps quickened to the welcoming light.
She slowed eventually as she crossed the square and let her eyes wander over to the diner but the lights were off and the blinds were down. She let her eyes look up at his apartment but only long enough to see the lights in his home then looked away.
She wandered along the street and came to the BWR. The sign on the street displayed they were showing The Towering Inferno and she halted beside it trying to decide if she would go in. Her alternative was walking home to her house alone and right now that did not seem appealing. She paid for her ticket, grabbed a box of popcorn and a coke and slipped in. The movie was just starting so she took the first empty seat she found and settled in to watch. Not realizing how tired she really was she let her head fall back and closed her eyes over just as the fire started in the movie.
Luke placed the now empty popcorn on the floor between his feet and looked over at Ellie sitting beside him and Rachel on her other side. They were curled up against one another, arms linked, Ellie's head on her mother's shoulder, Rachel's head was resting on top of Ellie's. Luke watched them for a moment and let his mind wander around the last few weeks.
Rachel had become comfortable in their flat. She was still sleeping on the couch but it was becoming easier and easier to have her around. Ellie was simply basking in her presence. They talked, hung out, went shopping, watched movies and spent a huge chunk of their time teasing him. They teased him about his grumpy demeanor. They teased him about his morning rituals, his monosyllabic responses, his flannel, his cap and most of all his constant blushing.
He cursed at his cheeks at how easily they showed his blush. He blushed when Rachel touched him, when she tried to rub his back, squeeze his shoulders, when she tried to kiss his cheek and he ducked away. Ellie joined in on the teasing but only because she thought he liked it. She thought it was him showing he liked her mother but it wasn't that. He was uncomfortable, annoyed and feeling trapped.
When he pulled his mind out of his memories he looked back over at them only to find Rachel watching him. She winked and smiled but he looked away. Soon when the movie was over he saw Ellie had fallen asleep against from his truck but decided against it.
Rachel looked up at him and smiled and he tore his eyes away to stir his daughter and slowly Ellie woke enough to stand up. Luke stood with them and Ellie wrapped her arms around her mother and leaned into her as they walked out. Luke strolled behind them carrying Ellie's coat. As he approached the back of the seats he spotted Lorelai asleep in a two seater, her near full popcorn in her lap. Rachel had spotted her too and looked around to see if Luke had seen her. When she saw him standing in the aisle, watching her Rachel chuckled. She shook her head and continued to walk Ellie home.
Luke stepped into the row of seats and bent down in front of Lorelai. He reached out and touched her arm to gently shake her awake. Her head rolled to the side and her eyes fluttered open. When she saw Luke crouched down beside her she couldn't help the smile that curled her lips and without thought she reached out and stroked his cheek. He tilted his head into the palm of her hand but as she woke up more fully, her smile faltered, her eyes widened and she withdrew her hand from his face. She swung her legs out from under her and stood up. He stood up with her and they stood toe to toe.
"What are you doing here?" she asked as she brushed down the front of her top and turned to grab her coat from the seat behind her.
"Movie." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the screen behind them.
"Oh." She slipped her jacket on and let her eyes stare at anything but his face.
"Busy at the inn?"
"Hmm?" she concentrated on closing her coat up.
"You were asleep at the movie house. I'm guessing you are tired from being so busy at the inn. And I'm guessing you are so busy at the inn because I haven't seen you in a few weeks." He watched her squirm under his scrutiny then added, "You haven't been into the diner."
"Oh right, yeah, really busy. I better get going home."
He walked out with her to the street and looked up and down for her Jeep. When she waved at him and started to walk home he called out after her.
"Hey, where is your Jeep?"
"Oh, I'm walking home."
"Are you mad? Its freezing out here!"
"It's two minutes. I'll be fine."
"I'll walk you."
"Don't worry about it Luke." She turned to walk away from him and called over her shoulder. "See you around."
"I'll walk you home." He repeated then hurried after her and fell into step next to her. They walked a few blocks in silence. She tried to hurry her pace but he kept it infuriatingly slowly.
"So...how is Ellie?"
"She's great."
"How did her date go?"
"Which one?" Luke said with a chuckle.
"Oh wow there have been a few?"
"Yeah, four in total."
"All with the same guy?" she asked with a laugh and Luke looked at her with his eyebrows arched.
"Yeah! Geez."
"So she is officially dating now."
"Actually I think they are going steady."
"Wow!" Lorelai nudged him with his elbow. "That's pretty big."
"I know," he grumbled.
Lorelai let him stew with his thoughts for a few moments longer then when they turned into her drive he slowed his pace even more when he noticed her Jeep was not there and turned to see if it was in the street behind them.
"Hey, where is the Jeep?"
"Oh, I left it at work."
"You walked home from the inn?"
"No I walked home from the BWR."
"And how did you get to the BWR from the inn?"
"I, um, I walked."
"Lorelai! Geez!" he stood at the bottom of the stairs to her porch with his hands on his hips. "Don't you know how dangerous that is? Hell that road isn't even lit? I don't even think it has a pavement in most parts."
"It's fine. I'm fine." She climbed the steps and he followed her.
"Why did you leave your Jeep at the inn?"
"Oh, the battery died." She pulled the keys out of her coat pocket and opened the door. When she stepped in she turned and was surprised to see him on her heels entering behind her.
"And no one was there with jumper cables?"
"No." She backed away and let her jacket slide off her shoulders and hung it up on the rack by the wall then turned and walked towards the kitchen. He put Ellie's coat next to hers on the rack and followed her.
"I'll go by and jump start it tonight."
"No Luke, don't, it's fine." She carried the kettle to the sink and filled it with water then switched it on and turned to see him standing in the archway.
"It's no problem."
"No, leave it, it's fine." She turned her back to the counter and folded her arms across her chest. She scuffed her toe on the linoleum floor and avoided his eyes.
"How about I swing by and bring you to work in the morning, then I can take a look at the car while I'm there."
"Really, it's fine. you don't need to."
"Right, and how are you planning to get to work tomorrow?"
"I can walk Luke, it's fine."
"Stop saying "it's fine!" It's anything but fine!" He scoffed and stepped in closer to her. He rested one hand on the counter beside her. "I'll be by in the morning. What time do you need to be in at?"
She mumbled something but he couldn't hear. He leaned forward and bent his head in front of hers, his ear close enough to her mouth that he could feel her breath on his skin.
"Sorry?"
"8. I need to be in by 8."
"Great." He straightened up and looked down at her. She was still avoiding his eyes but he couldn't help himself. He reached up and curled her hair behind her ear, making her look up at him. His hand trailed down her neck and rested on her shoulder. He watched her eyes darken, her brow furrowed and before he could stop himself he tugged her closer so her shoulder pressed to his chest then leaned forward enough to press his lips against hers.
It was a different kiss to every other one they had shared before. This one was tentative and scared, filled with trepidation and nervousness. He wanted to pull her even closer, kiss her deeper but he felt like she was waiting for him to finish so she could ask him to leave. He started to pull back but before he could disengage their lips, she whimpered, turned to face him fully, pulled on his other shoulder and deepened the kiss. He slid his arms around her, one cupped the back of her head, the other pressed the small of her back, pressing her against him. He tilted his head, parted his lips and slipped his tongue into her mouth.
She moaned when she felt his tongue caressing hers. Her hands dug into his hair and she tried everything to pull him closer even though their bodies were already touching from lips to hips. The hand he held on her back was suddenly touching her skin, as the blouse she was wearing crept up from her ministrations. He wasted no time in slipping it in further, and drew soft circles on her skin from her shoulder blades to the top of her ass.
His other hand moved down her neck, over her back to the curve of her ass where he was able to grip her thigh and lift her leg to circle his waist. With the extra leverage he was able to turn fully and press her back into the counter.
He pulled his lips away from hers long enough to utter a single word. "Up." He helped her onto the edge of the counter with one hand on her waist the other under her ass then stepped closer and pulled her to the edge so she was pressing against him in the most delicious way. Her arms were locked behind his neck but all too soon she needed more. She brought them to his front and started to undo his shirt. One button led to another and soon she was opening them at a frantic speed as he inched her skirt up higher. When she got to the bottom of his shirt and it hung open she raked her nails along his chest and delighted in the sensation of his breath catching in his throat. She broke their kiss and let her lips trail soft kisses along his jaw to his chest as far as she could reach.
His hands ran up and down her thighs, over the curve of her ass and roamed up her ribs where his thumbs brushed the underside of her breasts making her moan with anticipation. She leaned back enough for him to access the buttons on her blouse and when it hung open he brushed it down her arms. Then with only a second's hesitation he covered her breasts with his hands at the same time he captured her lips with his own. Her gasp was caught in his kiss and he leaned forward enough to brush her breasts against his chest but he wasn't satisfied to still be blocked by the red lacy material of her bra. He reached behind her and opened the clasp then pulled it off her and dropped it to the floor. This time, her skin, brushed his and a whole new sensation rippled through him.
He groaned into her mouth, his arms wrapped around her back to press her into him as his onslaught of kisses continued. Her hands pushed him back and for one horrifying moment he thought she was trying to stop them but when he felt her tugging on his belt he sighed with relief. Her eyes were fixated on her hands as they struggled to pull the leather belt open. He watched as they opened in delight when she finally managed it, then tugged on the button fasteners to open his jeans. She didn't even hesitate for the courteous second he did before plunging her hand into his boxers and grasping him in a tight grip.
"Jesus…" he uttered as he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her hungrily. She stroked him in time with his tongue and he slowed the movements on his tongue to see if she would reciprocate. When she did, he slowed his tongue even more then flicked the tip of her tongue and waited to see what she would to. She ran her thumb over the tip of his cock making him gasp and release her from his kiss. He stared down at her for a moment, his thumbs stroking her cheeks. She tried to kiss him again but he held her back. She frowned and looked up to his eyes, almost for the first time since he kissed her that night.
Thoughts, words, emotions all swirled around his head, vying for supremacy but nothing could actually formulate long enough for him to translate it into speech. So he tried to show her with actions. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly. Let one of his hands brush down her front, over her breasts, her torso, over the bunched up material of her skirt to her thigh then up to the apex of her legs where he found her cotton panties already damp.
He moaned into her kiss, and pulled her even closer to the edge. The grip she had on his cock loosened when she realized what he was doing. She waited for him to lift her up to remove her panties but when he simply pulled them aside and stroked her with two fingers her hips bucked towards him. His thumb stroked her nub, making her squirm and he slid two fingers into her as his tongue darted into her mouth.
She broke the kiss and tossed her head back to moan aloud so Luke took the moment to drop his boxers completely and push his tip to her entrance. His lips found the pulse beating rapidly in her neck and she gripped her shoulders ready for the sensation to wash over her. She sucked in a deep breath and waited for him to make his move then with a guttural moan he pushed into her. He held her still with one hand on her waist and the other wrapped up her back to grip her shoulder.
Her hands gripped him, held him to her, his chest pressing against hers, the rough hair scraping on her breasts causing her nipples to peak even further. When he pulled out and pushed back into her she couldn't control the noises that came out of her throat. She moaned, whimpered, mewled and squirmed and he met every single one of them with a powerful thrust of his hips. His lips burned kisses on her neck, the soft spot below her ears. His teeth raked across her jaw, bit her lips and his tongue plunged into her mouth in a hungry onslaught.
He wasn't sure how long he could last but he wanted to stay here forever. He needed to. He pumped her hips along with his own, his fingers digging into her, leaving white crescent marks on her skin but she didn't seem to mind. He felt a soft tingle bubble up in his balls and he realized he was going to come to an end all too soon.
He tipped her forward a little, increasing the pressure in all the right spots so her clit dragged up and down his cock as she moved and her moans became gasps of pleasure with every thrust.
"Lorelai…" he whispered, not in an attempt to sound seductive but more because it was the only control he had of his voice right now. He pulled her closer to the edge, she wrapped her legs around him and held onto his shoulders but he parted them enough to be able to grasp her breast and squeeze it in his hand, brush her nipple with the centre of his palm. Her gasps faded as she neared the edge and she screwed her eyes shut in an attempt to prolong the sensation.
Tingles of pleasure erupted from the base of her spine and electrified every nerve ending in her body in a matter of seconds. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as her toes curled in pleasure until the final explosion in her very core made her muscles spasm and seize. He held on to ride through her orgasm, loving how her inner muscles encouraged him to release and when he thought he might be able to hold on just a little bit longer, her eyes fluttered open and she looked directly at him, a wicked curving smile on her lips and he lost it.
He moaned aloud. A single long throaty moan as his hips pumped wildly into her. his cock twitched and released, filling her with warmth but he kept moving until his hips couldn't take it any longer. Eventually he stilled. He bowed his forehead to rest on her shoulder as he tried to catch his breath. She placed her palms flat on the counter behind her and let her head fall back as she tried to catch her breath. Neither of them spoke and in the moments that passed the only sound was their ragged breaths, filling the room and holding their words hostage.
He lifted his head enough to kiss her cheek but when she didn't respond, didn't turn towards him he stood up straighter and looked down at her. Her head was still lying back, her hair cascading over her bare back. Her chest was no longer heaving but still made an overwhelming sight. He looked lower, her stomach moving slowly as her breathing calmed and then to the point where they were still connected. His crotch glistening from her juices, his cock, still buried inside her, holding on to the warmth for as long as it could as he realized now that once he stepped away, he might not get back.
He wanted to stay there. He didn't want to pull out though he wasn't sure how practical it was to remain connected like this. He wasn't sure he would do a full day in the diner with Lorelai wrapped around him like this he thought with a chuckle. So slowly, painfully slowly and watching her face for any reaction, he pulled his hips back and broke their connection. She remained still. No movement or reaction until he took a further step back and bent down to pull up his boxers and jeans in one fluid motion.
When he had his belt closed and started working on his shirt buttons she finally lifted her head and looked at him.
"Hey…" he said with a slight smile and a shrug of one of his shoulders.
"Hi."
"That was…" he looked at her again then back to his fingers as they struggled to close the buttons on his shirt. "Incredible." he said.
But at the same time she uttered a single word. "Mistake."
He did a double take. Forgot about the buttons he was trying to fasten and stared at her with a frown. "What?"
"You heard me Luke." She hopped off the counter and fixed her panties and her skirt. She bent down to pick up her blouse and bra but made no move to put them back on, instead he watched, his mouth agape as she crossed the kitchen to the laundry room, tossed both items into the machine and pulled a tee out of the basket beside it. She turned and walked back into the kitchen as she pulled her top on, giving him a tauntingly delicious view of her breasts bouncing as she walked.
"Why?" he asked, trying desperately to keep the thunder out of his voice. "Why do you think it was a mistake?"
"Luke I don't know what impression I may have given you, and the last five minutes notwithstanding. I'm not now, nor have I ever been, or ever will be...the other woman."
"What?"
"This was a mistake. You are with Rachel now. I shouldn't have let you in, I shouldn't have let you walk me home. I'm more than capable of making it home myself. I think you should leave."
Her words came flying out of her mouth faster than he could follow and as each one registered with him he felt a new wave of anger crush him.
"Lorelai." he reached for her arm as she brushed past him but she shrugged him off with a glare.
"Please." she uttered the word with a strong voice but he could tell there was more emotion stirring underneath. "Leave. Please leave Luke." Her voice broke just on the last word. She stared at him for a moment then turned and walked away. By the time she was at the bottom of the stairs she was racing and hurried up to her room, taking the steps in twos to get there as fast as she could.
Luke listened to her running and stood frozen in the kitchen for a moment before he found the power to move. He grabbed Ellie's coat from the rack in the hall then closed the front door softly behind him. He glanced up to her room as he walked down her drive but the lights were off and it made his heart ache. He imagined her lying on her bed in the dark, her head on the pillow, her knees to her chest. No way was that reaction anything other than bravado.
He walked home in despair each step ingraining his anger and confusion deeper until finally he reached the diner. He opened the door and locked it behind him then turned to see Rachel sitting on one of the stools by the counter.
"Where have you been?" Luke rolled his eyes and made to walk by her but she grabbed his arm. "Luke."
"What Rachel...what do you want from me?"
The grip she had on his arm tightened and she tugged him closer. Before he could react her lips were crushed to his, her tongue plunged into his mouth and her hand was on his ass. When he realized what she was doing he pushed her away and took a step back. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and shook his head in disgust.
"Luke…"
Luke pulled his eyes away from her, and hurried up to the apartment. Ellie was in bed and with a quick check on her to make sure she was ok he went into his own room and shut the door behind him.