Hello, readers! Thank you all for joining me on this fun-filled journey to Stars Hollow. I just realized, as strange as this may seem, of the twelve stories I've written in a span of nearly six years, I have never once written Luke and Lorelai on a date. Somehow, I managed to get them together despite this. Don't ask me how…just read my other stories, and you'll find out. ;) Anyway, this is my first attempt at writing 'date Luke and Lorelai'. I hope you all enjoy!!

There was such a thing as first date jitters. Lorelai was very familiar with the feeling. It usually hit her the hardest after a particularly long dry spell. She'd witnessed it in Sookie last night; her friend was a mess of nerves. It was an exciting feeling, felt from the top of your head, to the tips of your toes. And it was a spirited feeling, occasionally punctuated by reckless abandon.

As she prepared herself for the evening ahead, Lorelai was experiencing something so unlike jitters, it astonished her. It wasn't that she was without nerves; the mountain of discarded clothing on her bed would quickly dispel that myth. What she was feeling, she could only describe as…safe. Everything in her gut was telling her that this was right, and for once, she was listening.

It should have been frightening, feeling so certain. It should have set off alarm bells, awakened wailing sirens, and pushed every last panic button in her body. Instead, this surprising surge of confidence only served to motivate her, and fuel her desire.

Contemplating her impending date with Luke brought a smile to her lips. She wouldn't deny that she'd thought about it all day. She'd thought about him all day. It was pretty hard to get the man out of her mind, especially considering they'd stayed up half the night talking, and laughing, and flirting shamelessly over the phone. Lorelai flushed, recalling the husky quality of his late-night voice. The sound of a much higher voice echoing from the stereo downstairs, momentarily broke her from her trance.

Her face lit up in appreciation. The Go-Go's were the perfect pre-date selection. "Ooh, good choice!" she shouted, loud enough for Rory and half of the neighbourhood to hear.

Instead of competing with the stereo, Rory climbed the stairs to converse with her mother. She poked her head in the doorway, shooting Lorelai a smile of approval. "You look nice," she told her mother as she stepped inside the room.

Lorelai gave her an appreciative hug. "Thanks, kid."

"And…you're early," Rory noted, her face wearing a stunned expression.

"I am?" Lorelai wondered, shifting her glance to the alarm clock on her bedside table. Her eyebrows rose, and she let out a soft chuckle. "I am," she conceded.

"Must be a special guy," Rory said knowingly.

Lorelai grinned. "Something like that."

"I'm happy for you…for both of you," Rory spoke genuinely. "Just don't screw it up," she unceremoniously added.

"Wasn't planning on it," Lorelai countered.

"Good." Rory nodded. "Now, go get 'em, tiger!"

Lorelai laughed. "That sounded way too weird coming out of your mouth."

Rory rolled her eyes. "Just go. And give Luke my sympathies," she teased.

"Don't wait up," Lorelai chimed, pressing a light kiss to Rory's cheek.

"Wasn't planning on it," Rory echoed her mother's earlier words. She gave Lorelai an encouraging nod, and watched as she danced her way into the hall and down the stairs, tripping on the final step. Belinda would have been so proud.

TDTDTDTDTDTDTD

Less than ten minutes later, Lorelai entered the diner, giving Luke a questioning smirk as she approached the counter.

"You're here," he said, pleased.

"You're working," she returned, confusion evident in her voice.

Luke shrugged guiltily. "Yeah, I sent Caesar home at lunch. He's got the flu or something. Anyway, I can close up early…if you don't mind waiting a few minutes."

"I don't mind," she quickly answered.

Luke smiled. "Good. You can, uh, wait upstairs if you want."

She shook her head. "Nah, I think I'll just hang out here. I like to watch you work."

"I'm not going to whistle for you."

"Oh, yeah? What else won't you do?" she challenged, casually dropping a napkin to the floor. 'Oops,' she mouthed, unable to hide her grin.

He chuckled. "I won't pick up things that are intentionally dropped."

"You're no fun," Lorelai pouted. She turned on her stool in protest and turned back just as quickly, pointing an accusing finger at Luke. "You were kidding last night when you talked about your plans with Gypsy, right?"

Luke gave her a puzzled look. "Yeah, why?"

"Uh, 'cause she's here," Lorelai stated the obvious.

It was true. Gypsy was sitting at a table in the back corner with her nose stuck in a 'Mighty Mechanics' magazine.

"What is she doing here?" Lorelai asked quietly.

"Um…eating? This is a diner."

"But she's the only one here."

"Ah, she can count," Luke responded dryly.

"Where's everybody else? It's barely six o'clock. Did Taylor enforce a new town curfew or something?"

Luke sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly. Following Lorelai's train of thought was an exhausting task. "Everyone else is gone. I kicked them out."

"And yet, Gypsy remains," Lorelai continued to press.

"She was quiet, and she wasn't bugging the crap out of me. So I let her stay."

Lorelai drummed her fingernails against the countertop. "Mmhmm. Uh huh. Well, I'm still going to investigate," she said defiantly as she slid off her stool and headed straight for Gypsy. Luke smiled in response. At least she had something to keep her busy while he tended to his closing chores.

Lorelai's pace slowed as she neared Gypsy, and she waved her hand awkwardly in greeting. Gypsy looked up from her magazine with a slightly perturbed expression.

"Hiya, Gyps. Whatcha doin'?"

Gypsy narrowed her eyes. "What did you call me?"

"Oh, right, you don't like to be called Gyps, do you?"

"No."

Lorelai swallowed and said, "Got it." She cautiously pulled out a chair at the table and sat down opposite the mechanic. With a nervous smile, she broke right into conversation, "So, that was a pretty great thing you did last night for Sookie and Jackson. And for me. Please tell me that you slaughtered Rune at bowling."

Gypsy's posture immediately improved and the corners of her mouth turned up. The ice had been broken. "I had both him and Beau near tears by the end of the game," she gloated proudly.

Lorelai beamed. "Gypsy, if loving you is wrong, then I don't want to be right."

Gypsy appeared to stiffen a little at the 'L' word, so Lorelai quickly switched topics. "So, what's on the agenda for tonight, Gyps…uh, Gypsy," she amended.

"I'm babysitting," Gypsy answered plainly. Lorelai nodded, encouraging her to continue. "Jackson and Sookie have another date, so I'm on deck."

"You're on…oh! Oh, no!" Lorelai sympathized when realization dawned on her. "You mean-"

"Yep," Gypsy interrupted. "I'm stuck chaperoning the Belleville freaks. They should be here any minute."

"Okay, but you're not staying here, are you?" Lorelai asked, worried that her date with Luke might be forced even later into the evening.

"Nope. This is just the meet-up spot. Why? Got plans this evening?" Gypsy wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Lorelai chuckled. "Maybe," she replied softly, the twinkle in her eyes giving away her secret.

"It's about time," Gypsy muttered. The two women exchanged a smile.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to your, uh…reading material here," Lorelai offered Gypsy, tapping the magazine for effect. "You keep a good eye on those boys tonight."

"I have pepper spray in my purse," Gypsy said without missing a beat.

Lorelai shook her head incredulously. "You are a marvel, Gypsy." She couldn't help but grin, picturing Beau and Rune at the mercy of the malevolent mechanic. Her eyes soon wandered in Luke's direction, and she noticed that he was waving her towards him. She quickly obliged, circling around the counter and joining him behind the register. "Ooh, are we doing a little role reversal?" she asked playfully.

"No," Luke said calmly. He turned her head so that she was facing the front door.

"Oh, crap," she gasped. "Hide me!"

Luke chuckled. "That was the plan," he told her as he guided her into the kitchen. Once Lorelai was safely concealed, he gave her a hard look and said, "Don't touch anything," in a foreboding tone. After receiving her nod of compliance, he spun around and headed back into the diner.

"I'm saving that for later," Lorelai whispered, just before Luke was out of earshot. Even with his back to her, she could tell that he was smiling.

Rune and Beau entered the diner just as Luke had returned to his position behind the counter. Miraculously, it took less than five minutes for the three; Gypsy, Beau and Rune, to vacate the premises. That was due in large part to Gypsy's forceful pushes, and Luke's menacing stares.

With the diner finally clear of patrons, Luke breathed a sigh of relief and gave Lorelai the thumbs up, signalling that the coast was clear. When a minute had passed, and Lorelai still hadn't budged, Luke gave her an impatient glance, eventually trudging back into the kitchen. "What are you still doing in here? I gave you the signal," he told her.

"Oh?" Lorelai asked. "I wasn't aware that we had a signal."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Are your feet glued to the floor?"

She smirked. "No, Luke," she replied in a 'duh' voice. "I've never had a backstage pass to the kitchen. I'm just soaking it all in."

He couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, yeah, it's really fascinating. There's a stove…and a fridge…and a dishwasher. Oh, and don't get me started on the sink," he responded dryly.

Lorelai chuckled, lifting her eyes to meet his. "Luke?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"We're on a date."

He smiled, acknowledging her with another, "Yeah."

She shrugged, glancing at the floor. "It's just nice hearing it out loud," she admitted shyly.

Luke nodded in agreement. "Absolutely," he said. With renewed confidence, he gently lifted her chin with his hand. "Tour's over," he told her softly.

She blushed, but maintained eye contact. "Tour's over," she relinquished.

TDTDTDTDTDTDTD

Lorelai laughed, the sounds of her pleasure bouncing off the walls of the empty diner. Ten minutes earlier, Luke had excused himself upstairs, promising his quick return. Finally, he emerged from behind the curtain, smirking at Lorelai's obvious amusement. As he approached the table she occupied, he witnessed the cause of her delight, and shook his head in disbelief.

Lorelai looked up at Luke and exposed a brilliant smile. "You like?" she asked, proudly posing the menu she had so artistically defaced.

"What the hell am I looking at?" Luke asked as he picked up the menu, wrinkling his nose in distaste.

"It's a picture of Steve Guttenberg." Luke stared at her with a blank expression. "You know, Eddie. From Diner."

"There's a first class ticket to the loony bin with your name on it," Luke muttered, triggering Lorelai's laughter. "Where did you get all these pens?" he asked a second later, noticing the hideously bright coloured objects for the first time.

Lorelai pointed to her over-stuffed purse. "This purse would make Mary Poppins green with envy." When her eyes returned to Luke, she took in his appearance. "You changed," she noted.

Luke shrugged. "Yeah, I didn't think that flannel was exactly date-appropriate."

She grinned. "How many more wardrobe changes do you have planned? Is this a bit that you do? When do you bring the flannel back? Dessert?"

He chuckled, moving behind her chair and helping her to her feet. "C'mon, crazy lady. Let's get you fed."

She smiled, allowing Luke to steer her forward with his hand resting gently on her back. They disappeared through the back curtain.

TDTDTDTDTDTDTD

Following an extraordinary Italian feast that Luke had prepared, Lorelai demonstrated her appreciation by using Bert, (the toolbox) to re-enact the entire 'Jolly Holiday' scene from Mary Poppins.

"Is there a reason you chose tonight, of all nights, to torture me?" Luke asked when the performance had ended.

Lorelai continued to bow and curtsy, still waiting for her much deserved applause. "Oh, you loved it."

Luke smirked. "It wasn't half bad," he admitted.

"Your lasagna wasn't half bad, either. Actually," she corrected herself, "it was quite incredible."

"I think the fact that you ate three platefuls is a good indication."

"Well, I didn't want you to think that I became an annoyingly peckish woman on a date."

"Yeah, a woman that eats only one plate is a real turnoff," Luke responded lightly.

"Exactly."

Luke slowly rose from the kitchen table, his front row seat to the show, and met Lorelai at the couch. With a smile and a sigh, they relaxed into the cushions leaving about a foot of space between them.

Lorelai turned to him after a moment, and with a teasing grin she asked, "What, no dessert?"

Luke rolled his eyes. "We just finished dinner. I'm too stuffed."

"I'm not stuffed," she pouted.

"Later," he promised. "We'll have dessert later."

"What are we having now?" she asked leadingly.

Luke chuckled. "We're having quiet time."

Lorelai shifted a little closer to him on the couch, giving him a challenging look. Luke maintained his composure. Instead of making the move she so desperately wanted him to make, he chose instead to reach for her hand and clasp it in his own. Never in her life had she felt such a level of intimacy from the simple gesture.

Luke rested their joined hands on his thigh. He breathed softly, and spoke to her in a voice filled with surprise, "I'm so glad that you called me last night."

Lorelai squeezed his hand affectionately. "What if I hadn't?" she wondered. "Would you still have asked me out?"

Luke pondered the question, unsure of his answer. "I…I don't know. I hope so. You have no idea how many times I've thought about it," he told her honestly.

She smiled. "Why didn't you?"

"I just, I guess I wanted it to be right. I wanted everything to be…right."

She nodded in understanding, sliding even closer to him. "Is this right?" she whispered into his ear, her warm breath awakening parts of his being that needed no introduction.

He took a deep breath, bringing the back of her hand to his mouth, dusting gentle kisses across her knuckles. "Yes," he said. And the way he said it, the way his husky voice sent vibrations through her hand, she already knew the answer to his question before he even asked it. "Lorelai," he began. "Can you stay?"

"Yes, Luke. I can stay."

With those five words uttered, all road blocks were down.

TDTDTDTDTDTDTD

There was a trail of clothing leading to the bed. The first item on the tour was Lorelai's blouse, then came Luke's belt, Luke's pants, Luke's shirt, Luke's boxers…Luke's dignity. It was no secret who the aggressor was.

"Take off your clothes," Luke pleaded with Lorelai, tugging impatiently at her jeans from his position, pinned beneath her weight on the mattress.

She giggled, taking great pleasure in Luke's struggle. "That's your job, Luke. C'mon, you're not even trying," she egged him on.

He narrowed his eyes, and in one swift motion, he had their positions reversed, leaving Lorelai with a completely stunned expression, not to mention a racing heart. She was very turned on.

"You okay?" Luke asked, concerned that he might have hurt her.

She licked her lips and nodded several times. "I'm, uh…quite a bit turned on, actually," she divulged.

Luke chuckled and placed an open-mouthed kiss to her exposed collarbone, drinking in the scent of her perfume. He kissed her chin, and both her cheekbones, moving his assault to her lips. Lorelai moaned and arched her back as he kissed her mouth with unbridled passion. She greedily clung to his body, seeking the warmth of his tongue, rolling it between her teeth and biting it hungrily.

Luke grunted in response, taking things to another level when he stretched his palms over her lace-covered breasts and took possession of them. "Luke," she whispered sharply. "Take it off."

The lacey black bra soon found a home next to Luke's boxers on the floor. He shifted his weight and traversed the length of her body, his shallow breaths cascading down her stomach causing her lower body twitch in response. "Pants," she rasped in a voice filled with need. "Off." Luke smirked and obediently fulfilled her request. His knees supported his weight as he slid one hand beneath the denim around her hip, using his other to pull down her zipper. A few tugs later and she was free of the restricting material. She smiled her appreciation, opening her legs in invitation. Luke needed no such invitation.

He quickly found her centre, and pressed his lips against the damp lace that separated him from complete serenity. Lorelai cried out his name, becoming disoriented under the heat of his ministrations. When his tongue darted out, she frantically clenched his head, gasping for air. "Luke," she breathed. "So close."

Without a word, he cast aside her panties and positioned his throbbing appendage at her entrance. His hands drifted along her ribs and came to a rest next to her face. He looked at her adoringly, memorizing the flush of her cheeks and her tumbling curls. "So beautiful," he whispered, sinking into her wetness in the same moment. They both shook from the contact, taking a second to adjust to one another, delighting in the feeling of becoming one.

They established a relaxed rhythm, letting their bodies rock gently back and forth. But this pace wasn't to last in their thoroughly aroused states, and soon, Luke's patient descents became ones of desperation, sending Lorelai completely over the edge. She wrapped her legs around him, and rode the waves of pleasure until she felt his release, shocking her body into a second orgasm. When their movements finally slowed, their lips found each other, and they kissed. Luke shifted from Lorelai and rested on his side next to her. They continued to kiss, mouths fused together. When air was required, they pulled apart, never losing eye contact. Minutes passed; minutes of blissful silence.

Lorelai was the first to speak, "I can't believe we just…"

"I know," Luke said in amazement.

She felt the need to clarify, "I don't usually…I mean, I don't want you to think-"

He cupped her face and brushed a kiss against her cheek. "Lorelai, it's me."

She nodded, relaxing her head against his chest. "It's you."

He circled his hands around her body and pulled her closer. "Lorelai, I want you to know that I want this. I want you."

She smiled. "But you've already had me," she returned playfully.

Luke continued, undeterred, "I want every part of you, every facet of you. I want the complete you.

She lifted her head and gave him a look he could only describe as...certain. "I want the complete you, too," she told him.

As they snuggled deeper into sheets, Luke thought he heard a faint knock sounding from the door. Initially, he chose to ignore it, but when the sound persisted, even causing a concerned glance from Lorelai, he called out in an annoyed voice, "Who is it?"

"You better get down here!" came the worried reply. "Beau and Rune are really going at it."

"Gypsy," Luke and Lorelai muttered simultaneously.

Luke rolled out of bed, plucking his clothing from the floor, and putting himself together again. Lorelai followed suit, a look of amusement on her face.

"How did she even get in here?" Luke grumbled as he adjusted his belt.

"I jimmied the lock," Gypsy shouted through the door.

Lorelai chuckled. "She has many hidden talents."

"Oh crap," Gypsy groaned. "I left my purse downstairs."

Luke looked to Lorelai for an explanation. She shrugged her shoulders in confusion.

"Pepper spray," Gypsy clarified. As if on cue, a man's screams of pain echoed from below. "The idiots found my pepper spray."

Luke and Lorelai, now fully clothed, paused before they reached the door. "We'll continue this later," Luke promised her.

"You bet we will," Lorelai agreed. "And for a little longer than that, I hope."

Luke smiled, kissing her tenderly on the lips. "I'm in it for the long haul."

A yelp, followed by a loud thud, shook them from their reverie. "You ready?" Luke asked, moving to the door.

"Completely," she told him, and he caught every meaning of the word.

The End