gossip girl 4 英文- 第21部分

Elise　picked　up　her　dumpling　with　her　fingers　and　bit　it　in　half。　？That？s　just　in　the　lunchroom　at　
school；？　she　said　with　her　mouth　full。　？I　can？t　eat　with　all　those　skinny　girls　looking　at　my　fat。？　

？You？re　not　fat；？　Jenny　responded；　even　though　being　around　Elise　actually　gave　her　an　appetite　
because　she　felt　so　tiny　in　parison。　Still；　it　was　kind　of　a　relief　to　see　that　Elise　didn？t　have　a　
real　eating　disorder；　she　was　just　insecure。　

That　was　the　thing　about　making　a　new　friend？you　were　never　quite　sure　if　you　totallyknew　them　
or　not。　

？Did　you　paint　that？？　Elise　asked；　pointing　to　the　oil　portrait　Jenny　had　painted　of　her　father；　
which　was　hanging　over　the　mantel。　Rufus　was　wearing　a　white　V…neck　undershirt　with　cigarette　
burns　in　it；　and　he　hadn？t　shaved　in　days。　His　wiry　gray　hair　stuck　out　in　all　directions；　and　his　
hazel　eyes　were　wild　with　caffeine…induced　excitement　and　from　doing　too　much　acid　in　the　
sixties。　It　was　a　pretty　accurate　portrait。　

？Yup。？　Jenny　wound　more　noodles　around　her　chopsticks。　She　hadn？t　painted　anything　since　the　
portraits　she？d　done　of　Nate　in　December。　She？d　painted　his　face　in　every　style　she？d　studied。　
There　was　Picasso　Nate；　Monet　Nate；　Dali　Nate；　Warhol　Nate；　and　Pollock　Nate。　But　when　Nate　
had　broken　her　heart；　she？d　burned　them　all　in　a　metal　trash　can　out　on　West　Ninety…ninth　Street。　
It　had　been　a　moment　of　catharsis？their　love　turned　to　ashes。　Actually；　now　that　she　thought　about　
it；　she　should　have　saved　the　ashes　and　made　something　with　them？a　self…portrait　or　a　calming　
seascape？but　it　was　too　late　now。　

Elise　reached　for　yet　another　dumpling。　？Will　you　paint　me？？　she　asked。　

Jenny　glanced　out　the　smudged　living　room　window。　The　snow　was　so　thick；　it　looked　like　
someone　was　exploding　giant　down　pillows　in　the　sky。　？Sure；？　she　said；　standing　up　to　get　her　
paints。　It　wasn？t　like　she　had　anything　better　to　do。　

？Cool！？　Elise　tossed　the　remains　of　the　dumpling　back　into　the　container　and　unbuttoned　her　
too…tight　Seven　jeans。　Then　she　pulled　her　pink　Gap　turtleneck　over　her　head；　taking　her　pull…on　
crop…top　bra　with　it。　When　Jenny　returned　with　a　clean　white　canvas　and　her　palette　of　oils；　Elise　
was　sprawled　out　on　the　couch；　her　wiry　blonde　hair　dusting　her　freckled　shoulders；　pletely　
naked。　

？What　are　you　doing？？　Jenny　demanded；　mystified。　

Elise　stretched　her　arms　over　her　head　and　settled　her　head　back　against　the　throw　pillows。　？I？ve　


always　wanted　to　pose　nude；？　she　said。　？You　know；　like　that　scene　in　the　movieTitanic　。？　

Jenny　sat　down　cross…legged　on　the　floor　opposite　her　and　wetted　her　brush。　？Whatever；？　she　
remarked；　frowning　at　her　eager；　voluptuous　subject。　

Maybe　her　new　friend　was　less　insecure　than　she？d　first　thought。　And　a　lot　crazier；　too。　

some　like　it　hot　

Blair　sat　at　a　corner　table　in　the　downstairs　bar　of　Red；　the　new　cozily　romantic　Perry　Street　
boutique　hotel；　drinking　Absolut　and　tonic　and　trying　not　to　watch　the　coverage　of　Fashion　Week　
on　the　Metro　Channel。　It　seemed　like　every　time　she　looked　up　they　were　showing　the　same　clip　
of　Serena　prancing　around　the　runway　at　the　Les　Best　show　wearing　her　school　uniform　and　that　
stupid　I　LOVEAARONT…shirt。　Even　in　the　bar；　she　could　hear　people　murmuring；　？Who　is　she？？　
and　？Who？s　Aaron？？　It　was　enough　to　drive　Blair　right　up　the　red　velvet？covered　wall。　

？I　wore　my　Yale　tie　this　time；？　Owen　announced　with　a　sly　grin　as　he　strode　through　the　door　
wearing　a　tan　Burberry　trench　coat　and　a　black　wool　fedora　hat　that　made　him　look　even　more　
manly　and　dashing　than　when　she？d　first　met　him。　He　slid　into　the　red　velvet？covered　bench　next　
to　Blair　and　kissed　her　on　the　cheek。　His　face　was　damp　and　cold　from　the　storm；　and　the　feel　of　it　
against　her　face　made　her　whole　body　tingle。　？Hello；　gorgeous。？　

Instantly　Blair　forgot　all　about　Serena。　She　was　with　a　sexy　older　man　who　called　
her　？gorgeous。？So　there。　

？Hi。？　She　twisted　her　ruby　ring　around　and　around　on　her　ring　finger。　？I？m　sorry　I　dragged　you　
out　on　a　night　like　this。　I　was　just　so　。　。　。bored　。？　

The　cocktail　waitress　came　over　and　Owen　ordered　a　Bombay　Sapphire　martini　straight　up。　He　
pulled　a　pack　of　Marlboro　Lights　from　his　pocket；　put　two　cigarettes　in　his　mouth；　lit　them　both　
and　passed　one　to　Blair。　His　black　eyebrows　furrowed　with　brooding　concern　as　he　gazed　at　her　
with　his　piercingly　bright　blue　eyes。　？You？re　not　in　any　trouble；　are　you？？　

Trouble？Blair　took　a　drag　off　her　cigarette　and　considered　her　answer。　If　you　could　call　having　a　
crush　on　your　older；　married　Yale　alum　interviewer　trouble；　then　yes；　she　was　interrible　
trouble。　？Maybe；？　she　replied　coyly。　？Are　you？？　

The　waitress　brought　Owen　his　martini。　He　ate　the　green　olive　floating　inside　it　and　then　wiped　
his　mouth　with　a　cocktail　napkin。　A　trace　of　dark　five　o？clock　shadow　cloaked　his　sharply　defined　
chin。　？I　was　in　a　breakfast　meeting　this　morning；　eating　Cheerios　with　five　other　lawyers；　and　I　
was　thinking　about　you；？　he　admitted。　


Blair　ran　her　fingernail　over　her　fishnet…stockinged　knee。　？Really？？　she　asked；　immediately　
wishing　her　voice　didn？t　sound　quite　so　eager　and　hopeful。　

Owen　raised　his　glass　to　his　lips；　his　blue　eyes　smoldering。　？Yeah。　I？ve　been　so　crazy　busy　this　
week；　but　I　promise　I？ll　get　that　report　over　to　the　guys　at　Yale　ASAP。？　

？Oh；？　Blair　responded　disappointedly。　She　twirled　her　little　brown　cocktail　straw　around　in　her　
drink。　For　once　she　hadn？t　even　been　thinking　about　Yale。　Being　with　Owen　made　her　feel　like　she　
wasbeyond　Yale。　She　was　his　？gorgeous；？　the　star　of　his　show。　Or　maybe　she　was　only　deluding　
herself。　

Glancing　through　the　paned　glass　window　behind　them；　Blair　could　barely　see　the　cars　parked　
out　on　the　street。　They　were　just　masses　of　white；　like　big；　dumb　sleeping　elephants。　

She　could　feel　Owen　watching　her　as　she　puffed　on　her　cigarette　and　blew　a　stream　of　gray　
smoke　into　the　air　above　their　heads。　He？d　asked　to　see　her　again；　hadn？t　he？　And　he　wouldn？t　
have　done　that　if　he　wasn？t　attracted　to　her。　He　was　just　nervous；　that　was　all。　Inside　Blair？s　head；　
the　cameras　were　starting　to　roll。　She　was　the　femme　fatale　seducing　the　handsome；　good；　older　
lawyer。　Yale　was　the　last　thing　she　wanted　to　talk　about　right　now。　

She　took　one　last　puff　on　her　cigarette　and　then　stubbed　it　out　in　the　chrome　ashtray　in　the　center　
of　the　table。　？I　almost　went　to　jail　once；？　she　announced；　trying　to　sound　intriguing。　

This　wasn？t　exactly　true。　A　few　months　ago　she？d　stolen　a　pair　of　cashmere　pajamas　from　
Barneys？　men？s　department　to　give　to　Nate　as　a　surprise　gift　when　they　were　having　problems。　
But　when　they？d　broken　up　for　real；　Serena　had　convinced　Blair　to　put　the　pajamas　back。　She？d　
never　even　gotten　caught。　

Owen　chuckled　and　picked　up　his　drink。　He　was　wearing　gold　cuff　links　with　a　blueY　stamped　
on　them　to　match　his　blue…and…gold　Yale　tie。　？See；　you？re　just　the　kind　of　girl　Yale　needs；？　he　
joked。　

？And　I？m　a　virgin；？　Blair　blurted　out；　fluttering　her　eyelashes　at　the　randomness　of　her　remark。　It　
was　strange。　Even　though　Owen　was　extremely　dashing　and　she　really　wante