第9部分(第6/7 頁)

。

Blair　leaned　in　and　kissed　him；　hard。　“I　love　you；”　she　said　again。

Together；　they　lay　down　so　they　were　facing　each　other。　The　strap　of　Blair’s　dress　was　falling　down　her　shoulder。　He　reached　out　and　eased　it　down；　so　Blair’s　skin　was　exposed。　They　didn’t　need　to　talk　anymore。　All　they　needed　was　each　other。

Just　then；　a　loud　buzz　emanated　from　Blair’s　Chloé　clutch　where　it　had　been　hastily　tossed　on　the　wood　floor。

“Let’s　ignore　that；”　Blair　said；　reaching　toward　the　waistband　of　Nate’s　khakis。　She　wasn’t　mad　at　him　anymore。　What　he’d　done　last　summer　didn’t　even　matter　anymore。　All　that　mattered　was　this—them；　together。

breakfast　of　champions

Please　answer　the　phone；　Serena　whispered　as　she　dialed　Blair’s　number　on　New　Year’s　morning。　It　was　10　a。m。　and　she’d　been　up　since　seven；　feeling　guilty　about　abandoning　Blair　last　night。　She　wasn’t　sure　how　to　interpret　Blair’s　e…mail。　It　wasn’t　bitchy；　exactly。

Not　exactly。

But　what　could　she　have　done？　It　wasn’t　like　she　could　leave　Thaddeus　alone　with　his　homophobic　ditz　of　a　date。　She’d　only　been　able　to　leave　after　Carilee　passed　out　on　Thaddeus’s　bed　after　one　too　many　amaretto　sours。　It　had　proved　impossible　to　get　a　cab；　so　she’d　gone　back　up　to　the　party　and　begged　Ira　to　let　her　use　his　town　car。　Finally；　she’d　gotten　to　Chuck’s　party。　It　was　crawling　with　L’école　and　Seaton　Arms　underclassmen　she’d　never　met　before；　all　eager　to　hang　out　with　her。　But　no　sign　of　Blair。

Knowing　Blair；　she’d　probably　gotten　a　suite　and　was　watching　an　Audrey　Hepburn　marathon　and　hating　her　life—and　maybe　even　Serena。　She　felt　guiltier　each　time　she　thought　about　it。

Hi；　you’ve　reached　Blair　Waldorf…。　Serena　threw　the　phone　on　her　bed　in　frustration。

Just　t