the huge bar windows to where a volleyball net had been set up outside on the snowy sidewalk。
In a matter of seconds the entire roomful of writhing； sweaty bodies attacked the coat closet；
pulling on the nearest Fendi sheepskin or goose…down Gucci parka to protect their skinny bodies
from the cold before they dashed outside to frolic in the snow。
Serena giggled as she slipped into a beige fleece…lined down parka with a beaver fur？trimmed
hood that would have fit a giant Eskimo。 In the last two hours she？d drunk more champagne than
she had on New Year？s Eve and she felt giddy and warm all over。 Before she could even zip up
her coat； someone grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door with him。
Outside the snow had enveloped everything and the streetlights glowed gold on the downy white
blanket。 Without the constant honk and roar of traffic； there was a pleasant calm about the city； as
if it had finally gone to sleep。 Shrieking in merriment； the gang of models； stylists； and
photographers plowed through the thigh…deep drifts and began spiking balls over the volleyball net
with total disregard for the peaceful scene。
？Isn？t it beautiful？？ Serena breathed。 She wished Aaron were there so she could kiss him and tell
him how much she loved him while stuffing a great big snowball down the back of his shirt。 But
he wasn？t？the party pooper？so she would just have to make do。 She turned to the guy holding her
hand。 It was the guy in the black ski suit； and he was tall； blond； and gorgeous。 Everyone there
was。 She let go of his hand and scooped up a handful of snow。 ？e here；？ she beckoned him。 ？I
want to tell you a secret。？
He took a step toward her； his breath filling the air with steamy clouds。 ？What？？
Serena stood on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck。 Then she kissed his cold； smooth
cheek。 ？I love Aaron！？ she squealed； stuffing the snowball down the back of his black ski suit and
tearing off through the snow to join the others。
The guy chased after her； grabbing her legs and knocking her down just as they reached the
volleyball net。 The game was halted as the crowd of gorgeous revelers began to hurl snowballs at
the frolicking pair； stopping now and then to light cigarettes or reapply their lip gloss before
joining in again。 Serena howled with laughter as snow went down the back of her jeans。 That was
the great thing about being so beautiful and so carefree。 It didn？t matter who you were with or
what silly thing you were doing？you always had a fabulous time。 In fact； you didn？t even have to
be in love with just one person when the world was already so in love with you。
experimentation may be overrated
Jenny and Elise were still kissing when Rufus called。
Ring； ring！
？Shit！？ Jenny threw Elise off of her； leaped off the couch； and sprinted into the kitchen。 It wasn？t
like anyone could see them； but she still felt like she？d been caught doing something incredibly
embarrassing。
？Everything okay？？ Rufus growled cheerfully into the phone。 ？I？m stuck down here with Max
and Lyle and the rest of these losers。 The snow？s a bitch。？ Rufus spent most Friday nights down in
the East Village at an old bar with his munist writer friends。 He sounded jolly； the way he
always sounded when he？d had two or three glasses of red wine。 ？You girls staying out of
trouble？？
Jenny blushed。 ？Uh…huh。？
？Well； tell that friend of yours to stay put。 No one in their right mind should try to get anywhere
tonight。？
Jenny nodded。 ？Okay。？ She？d been kind of hoping Elise would go home so she could take a hot
bath and collect her thoughts； but she couldn？t very well ask her to leave when there were four
feet of snow on the ground and it was still ing down。 ？I？ll see you later； Daddy；？ she said；
almost wishing she could tell him how confused she was about what had just happened。 She might
have been a budding artist but that didn？t mean she had to experimentall the time。
Jenny hung up the phone。 ？So what should we do now？？ Elise asked； wandering into the kitchen
with her jeans still unbuttoned。 She separated an Oreo and licked the cream out of the inside。
Elise seemed to be hinting that she was ready to move on to the next chapter inThis Is My Body
for Women ； but noway was Jenny going to find out what that entailed。 She faked a yawn。 ？Dad
says he？s ing home soon；？ she lied。 ？I？m kind of tired anyway。？ She glanced out the kitchen
window。 Everything was white and the snow was still falling。 It looked like the end of the world。
？e on。？ She led the way to her bedroom。 ？Dad wants you to stay over。？ All she had was a
single bed that she was definitely not sharing with Elise。 Not when Elise was so 。 。 。horny and
unpredictable。 ？You can sleep on my bed and I？ll sleep on the sofa。？
？Okay；？ Elise replied dubiously。 ？I better call my mom。 You？re not mad at me are you？？
？Mad？？ Jenny repeated casually。 ？Why would I be mad？？ She pulled open her dresser drawer
and handed Elise an oversized T…shirt and a pair of sweatpants。 ？Sleep in these；？ she directed。
Otherwise Elise might decide to sleep in the nude； which would be very uncool； especially if
Rufus came home later that night and barged into Jenny？s room to give a senseless sermon on the
meaning of life； as he was sometimes known to do when he？d drunk too much wine。 She pulled
out some pajamas for herself and closed the drawer。 ？I？m going to take a shower。 You can use my
cell phone if you want to call your mom。？
Elise took the clothes and gazed up at the paintings on Jenny？s wall。 Over the bed was one of the
Humphreys？ cat； Marx； dozing on the stove； painted in thick oils。 Marx was a deep turquoise color；
and the stove was red。 Near the window was a self…portrait of Jenny？s feet； with her toenails
painted orange and the bones in her feet painted blue。
？You？re really good。？ Elise slipped her jeans down over her knees。 ？Don？t you want to finish my
portrait？？
Jenny grabbed her pink terrycloth bathrobe from the hook on the back of her door。 ？Not tonight；？
she responded； quickly heading down the hall to the bathroom。 She？d take a long； hot shower； and
hopefully by the time she came out Elise would be asleep。 Tomorrow they would eat their Eggos
and go sledding in the park and goof around like normal girls。 No more experimentation。 As far as
Jenny was concerned； experimentation was pletely overrated。
nfacilitates recovery of messed…up orphan heiress
？Hold the reins in one hand and the whip in the other；？ Georgie instructed Nate。 They were up in
Georgie？s attic； but instead of hanging out inside the gorgeous antique carriage and smoking dope
and kissing and being mellow； Georgie was acting all hyperactive and making Natedrive the
carriage。
The attic itself was incredible。 It was full of beautiful old things from days gone by； but kept in
perfect order as if at any time someone was going to carry them downstairs and put them to use
again。 The carriage was painted gold and lined with purple velvet； and under the seat inside； in a
little leather chest； were fur rugs and muffs to keep your hands warm while you we