The Most Heated Exchanges Between Luke & Lorelai

Like cups of coffee and the bonds of feminism, the slow-growing relationship between Luke Danes and Lorelai Gilmore was an essential ingredient to Gilmore Girls. It’s why, with the upcoming four-episode Gilmore Girls Netflix revival coming up, we’re all at odds about who Rory will end up with but pleased that Luke and Lorelai are together, possibly engaged, and definitely engaging in a very healthy sex life. It’s something that the fan base has earned over the year, since the series has long teased us with will-they, won’t-they back and forths and intense sparkage, even in the darkest of times.

Yes, you don’t have to look very far to find moments when it got heated between Luke and Lorelai, but it helps to have them all carefully organized, doesn’t it? In anticipation of Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, I did just that for you. Between the playful banters across the counter, the heart-to-hearts late into the night, and the fiery kisses, I collected all your favorite intense moments between the Stars Hollow OTP. Hopefully it’ll be enough to satiate you into November 25, but I’ll understand if you’ll have to do a deep dive into fanfiction afterwards.

1. The Junkie-Angel Exchange

This is our first cup of Luke and Lorelai (and Lorelai's fifth... sixth cup of coffee that day). That intro to the world of Stars Hollow makes it clear that Luke and Lorelai have a thing going on, even if that thing is simply a ritualistic bartering of caffeine. Luke calls Lorelai a junkie, Lorelai says he's "got wings, baby," and a new 'shipper name is born.

2. The Paint Job That Would Never Be

Actually, Lorelai later finishes painting the diner later on, but, despite picking up shades for the walls and the trimming, Luke and Lorelai never take on that project together. Still, they have a crazy bonding moment in the diner after hours and a really intense eye lock hiding from the Stars Hollow citizens before Lorelai decides to bounce.

3. The Hate-Off

Luke and Lorelai are throwing shade at the annual Firelight Festival, which Lorelai is inexplicably sour about and Luke is predictably bitter about; a bad taste in their mouths overall. Lorelai quips that she's loving Luke's hate today, and he smolders, legit smolders, with, "Oh, it's so good to have someone to share this hate with." Guys, can somebody turn the temperature down? It's getting steamy in this diner. But, then, of course, Rachel walks in with a "Hey, how's it going?" like a cold gust of reality.

4. Luke Makes A Chuppah

He makes this beautiful structure for Lorelai's wedding to another man. And then notices that Max doesn't mow her lawn. And then offers to mow her lawn. And then they talk about marriage, and it's glaringly clear to us viewers that that stunning chuppah is not going going to be used, Thank God.

5. The Blow-Up About Their Ward’s Well-Being

This isn't super sexually charged, but it's certainly heated: Jess crashes Rory's car, Rory gets a minor arm injury, Jess goes missing, and tensions are predictably high. Despite their constant flirty bickering, this is one of the first few times that we see a real blow-up between the pair. After Luke asserts that he cares about Rory more than himself (awwww), he snaps at Lorelai, "Now, I have to find Jess and I have to make sure that he’s OK, and, if that cuts into your screaming time, well that’s just too damn bad!" Oof.

6. The Time That Luke Could Waltz

Liz's wedding was a whole test run of what a Luke and Lorelai relationship could be, and even the most fervent javajunkie fans were blown away by how Luke dialed up the romance to 11. When Lorelai tells Rory about how they had such a nice time the other night and that she was so surprised Luke can waltz, Rory notes "That sounded more like 'I'm surprised I still have my clothes on.'" I mean...

7. That First Kiss

Both startled by their affections and snipping until they both lean in ("Will you just stand still?"), Luke and Lorelai have their long-awaited first kiss at the close of the forth season. Worth it? So worth it. And then Kirk runs out mid-night terror to effectively ruin the moment (although, it somehow seems oddly appropriate).

8. When Luke Declares He's "All In"

The fandom heaved a collective sigh of relief during Luke and Lorelai's first date when Luke declares (smoldering, smoldering once again) that he is 110 percent in for this thing happening between them. It's only going to lead to...

9. The Bedroom Banter

In which the couple (post-coital and looking very satisfied) talk about how Luke pined for Lorelai these long eight years (she's his Ava Gardner), and Luke has Lorelai recommend all her favorite '80s bands. Again, the scene is effectively ruined when Lorelai walks down in Luke's flannel the next day and alerts the entire town about their relationship. Woops.

10. When Luke, Previously Deterred By Lorelai's Family, Rushes To The Gilmore House To Kiss Lorelai

Emily begrudgingly gives Luke and Lorelai's relationship her blessing and Luke wastes no time to mend that relationship. Lorelai, still broken from their weird non-break-up, is watching A Star Is Born when he shows up on her door stop and wraps her into an Old School Hollywood kiss. Swooning forever.

11. The Impromptu Proposal

I'm going to give this one a nod mainly because of the hysterics Luke flies into when he hears Rory is dropping out of Yale. It reinforces what he said during the Rory-Jess argument back in Season 2 when Rory hurt her arm, that he cares more about Lorelai's daughter than he does about himself (and certainly more than that deadbeat Christopher). And it completely melts Lorelai to see that radiate from him, leading to the unexpected, "Luke, will you marry me?"

12. The Prolonged Kiss

Season 7 took us through a lot of plot twists and turns, but there is one shining spot on the finale: Luke and Lorelai's romantic reunion. Why, pray tell, did Luke help organize all this fanfare for Rory's going away? "I just like to see you happy," he tells her. Smooch City, population Luke and Lorelai.

And there you have it. It's just a sampling of the Stars Hollow-crossed lovers' best moments, but hopefully more are to come November 25.

Images: Warner Bros. Television/Netflix (2); Giphy (3)