collect my thoughts。We？ll discuss what？s to be done about your misbehavior at dinner。？
？Right。？ Vanessa frowned。 Was hereally sending her to her room？ That hadn？t happened to
her 。 。 。 well； ever。 No one had ever sent Vanessa Abrams to her room！ She？d go to her room all
right； she？d go to her room and pack。 Documentary or no； she？d had about enough of the
Hamptons and Bailey？s absurdities to last her a lifetime。 As for dinner； well； if all went well； by
that time she？d be safely on a train headed back to the city and the only place she really felt at
home anymore： Dan Humphrey？s apartment。
Home is where the heart is！
those three little words
？How about a refill？？
Blair shook her head and pointed at her ears to indicate that she couldn？t really hear Nate over
the roar of the party； which had gotten considerably livelier as the day wound down。 The afternoon
sun was still high overhead； but the revelers were hot and hungry and drunk。 Erik had
thought…fully ignited the enormous gas grill and dispatched those guests still sober enough to drive
to the grocery store。 That distinctly summertime smell of barbecue wafted through the air； giving
Blair a head rush。
Or maybe it was the four Bloody Marys。
Nate leaned down and whispered in her ear。 ？I said； I？m going in for a refill。You want
something？？
His hot breath tickled her neck； and she closed her eyes to keep the room steady。 ？I？ll take a
glass of water。？
？Easy。？ Nate took her arm； led her into the library； and sat her down on the worn brown suede
sofa before heading into the kitchen for a drink。
Blair yawned。 Long car rides always made her sleepy； and last night hadn？t exactly been restful；
even if they had basically slept for twenty…four hours。 How could she sleep with Nate breathing
right next to her all night？ Every time she？d wanted to turn over or rearrange her pillows； she just
couldn？t； not if it meant letting go of Nate？s hand。 She closed her eyes thinking about it。
？Hey there； sleeping beauty。？ Blair felt a pair of soft lips graze her forehead。 She smiled； keeping
her eyes shut tight。 It felt like forever since she？d felt those lips on her face。 But when she finally
let her heavy lids flutter open she gasped。 The lips belonged not to Nate； but to Erik van der
Woodsen。 His grinning face loomed over her。 A handsome prince； but not theright handsome
prince。
Too many princes； too little time。。。。
？Hey Erik。？ Blair grabbed a nearby throw cushion and hugged it to her chest。 He looked just like
Serena； except a boy。 From his blond hair to his casual； all…is…right…with…the…world stride； to the
way he held his broad； tennis…toned shoulders； to the funny little wrinkle that formed at the corners
of his almost？navy blue eyes when he smiled。 It seemed like a million years ago when they？d sort
of had a thing。
Been there； done that。
？Scoot over。？ Erik plopped down next to her； draping his arm along the back of the couch。 He
sighed deeply。 ？This party is so out of hand I haven？t even had a chance to talk to anyone。？
？That？s the sign of a good party；？ Blair observed sleepily。 She peeked out the open door； looking
for Nate； but he？d been swallowed up by all the partygoers waiting for refills at the bar。
？Dude； I mean； I haven？t even seen you since； what； was it that time in Sun Valley？？ Blair
noticed that his words were starting to run together。 He was even more wasted than she was。
？I guess；？ Blair responded distractedly； even though they？d seen each other in passing at her and
Serena？s Constance Billard graduation only a few weeks prior。 It didn？t seem worth bringing up
right now？in fact； all she could think about was getting out of this conversation； not prolonging it。
My； how times have changed。
？You look so beautiful。？ He stroked Blair？s hair with his tanned hand and grinned at her
drunkenly and a little suggestively。
？Here？s your water。？ Nate appeared seemingly out of nowhere； proffering an ice…cold bottle of
Pellegrino。
Blair sat up a little straighter。 Her knight in shining armor。 Or faded khaki。
？？Sup； Nate？？ Erik slurred； leaning against Blair。 ？You having a good time？？
？Yeah； totally；？ Nate agreed。 ？But I think everyone？s getting kind of hungry。 Those guys just got
back from the store but they can？t figure out how to turn up the grill。？
？I？m the grill master； man。？ Erik stood and yawned； stretching his arms out wide。 ？Blair； find me
later？？ He clapped Nate on the shoulder and then disappeared out the door and into the crowd。
？Thanks for that。？ Blair sipped greedily at the cold water。
Nate grinned。 ？He？s wasted。 It looked like you needed saving。？
Will you always be the one to save me？She almost said it out loud as she thought it。 It was a line
fromBreakfast at Fred？s。 She？d run lines with Serena so many times that she？d mitted the
entire script to memory。 In the movie that was her life； Nate was the gorgeous leading man who
would always be there to swoop in and rescue her。
Nate settled onto the couch？still warm from the weight of Erik？s body？and dug into his pockets
for his lighter； which he flicked idly。 He narrowed his gold…flecked green eyes in concentration； a
gesture Blair knew meant he was either deep in thought or spaced out in a marijuana…induced haze。
Finally； he looked up； meeting her gaze。 Blair was surprised to feel her breath catch in her throat。
？Do you think maybe we could go upstairs 。 。 。 and 。 。 。？ He trailed off。
？Upstairs？？ She took a gulp of water。 She？d been with Nate a million times； talked to him a
million times； kissed him a million times。 There was nothing new here； yet something felt
pletely different。
？Yeah；？ he muttered； flicking his lighter nervously。 ？I thought maybe we could go upstairs
and 。 。 。 talk？？
？Talk；？ she repeated。 The song changed from something by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to ？Hey
Ya。？ Even though the song was totally old； the floor started to shake with every…body dancing
outside and in the van der Woodsens？ living room。
？I just 。 。 。？ he started； flicking his lighter again。 ？I？？
Blair suddenly stood and grabbed Nate？s hand； pulling him off of the couch。 She wanted to listen
to whatever it was that he was trying so seriously to say； and she wanted to be able to hear it。 She
pulled Nate out of the library and through the crowded living room； holding his hand so she
wouldn？t lose him in the crowd。 Blair slipped by Serena at the bottom of the stairs without saying
anything to her。 She of all people would understand。 Blair was halfway up the wide； polished
mahogany staircase when she felt Nate stop behind her。
？What？s wrong？？ she asked； turning around。
？I 。。。I 。。。have to tell you something；？ Nate stammered。
？Upstairs；？ she urged； pulling on his arm。 He didn？t budge； so she turned around again； looking
down at him from the step above。They were almost the same height。
？It？s just that 。 。 。？ Nate stuttered。Then he looked up and met her gaze。 ？I love you；？ he finally
whispered。
At last。
wait till the midnight hour
？I love you。？
The voice was unmistakably Nate？s and the