Nate peered over her shoulder。 ？Do you want to take it or should I？？
Jenny didn？t want it； and he obviously did。 ？You take it。？ She held out her palm and Nate
pinched the tab between his thumb and forefinger。 He opened his mouth； closed his eyes； and
stuck out his tongue； pressing the tab onto it before opening his eyes and closing his mouth again。
Like that； he didn？t look very hot； but Jenny was still intent on hooking up with him。 This was her
swan song； her last chance to forge her own memories and be remembered。
Oh； she？d be remembered all right。
？Does it taste like anything？？ she asked； genuinely curious。
？Nope。？ Nate smiled。 The more time he spent alone with Jennifer； the more he felt like his old
self again。 All she wanted was a little no…obligation； no…expectations end…of…the…year fun before
she took off for boarding school or wherever the hell she was going this summer； and that was his
specialty。 He bent down and kissed her carefully on the lips； like he was biting into something that
was still too hot to eat。 ？But you do。？
Jenny loved the idea that she was using Nate； and the fact that hewanted her to use him gave her
even more of a thrill。 He stroked her curly brown hair and she tilted her chin up and gazed into his
stunning green eyes。 ？Remember when I fell so in love with you？？
Nate smiled again and kissed her again。 He did that for a while； smiling and kissing； smiling and
kissing； like he was lapping up a delicious ice cream cone。
？You？ve got skin like ？ like ？petals ；？ Nate remarked as the E began to take effect。 He rubbed the
tip of his nose against her temple。 ？Grr。？
Jenny giggled。 It felt pletely amazing to be this close and fortable with Nate again。 He
was absurdly handsome； and being kissed by him felt really； really；really good。 But Nate was
beginning to trip； and she didn？t want to lose her virginity to a boy who thought he was a
Labrador puppy。 She wouldn？t。
Well； at least she has that much integrity。
Still； this was her last crazy night out before she flew to Prague for the summer。 She wasn？t quite
ready for it to end。
Nate rubbed his chin against her carefully plucked dark brown eyebrows； and she lifted her chin
to catch him in another long； hungry kiss。 Her brother was always moaning about how much his
life sucked。 But she couldn？t have disagreed more。 It wasn？t like she？d planned for life to be this
thrilling。 It just was； it really was。
Nothing like a little mystery
？Marcus； darling？？ Blair called tentatively through the molded white wooden door to Marcus？s
suite。 She？d never actually called him ？darling？ out loud before； but it was being her favorite
endearment。 ？Are you in there？？
She considered stripping down to only her Bvlgari pearls right there in the hallway； but the Yale
Club was booked solid； and what if some bow…tie…wearing Yale professor saw her naked tonight
and then she wound up having him in Intro to Law or another one of her freshman classes next
year？
Well； it would certainly make the class more interesting。
？Marcus？？ Blair pressed her ear against the door； listening for him。 Nothing。 She tried the knob。
The door was unlocked。 She pushed it open a few inches and stuck her head inside。 ？Marcus？？
Still nothing。 She pushed the door open all the way。
The drawers of the suite？s antique oak armoire had been pulled open and a damp towel lay
strewn on the bed。 The air was heavy with steam and the scent of Marcus？s Carolina Herrera for
Men cologne。 The closet door stood open。 The cedar suit hangers were all bare。 Marcus was gone。
Whoops。
Blair sat down heavily on the bed； feeling very much like the jilted but beautiful heroine in one
of the epic films in her head that she？d temporarily stopped watching。 She？d forgone her
enormous Jackie O sunglasses； her signature Herm？s head scarf； and her Burberry tea…length
trench coat； because the heroine who was in love and part of a couple didn？t need them。 Now she
wanted them back。
How had this happened？ Was her only purpose in life to serve as a fuck…over mat for boys like
Nate and Lord Marcus to wipe the soles of their lying； cheating Church？s of London shoes on？
Her stomach churning； she stood up and rushed next door to her own suite； fully intending to
make herself sick as soon as she reached the toilet。 Propped up on the bureau was a large
cream…colored envelope with the wordsMy Darling B scrawled on it in Marcus？s swirly script；
and a small black velvet box with the word BVLGARIprinted on it in gold。 Blair resisted opening
the box and tore open the envelope。 Inside was a note from Marcus written on a matching
cream…colored Crane？s note card with LORDMARCUSBEATON…RHODESprinted on it in Yale
blue ink； along with a British Airways plane ticket。
Blair remained standing as she devoured the note； trying to ignore the small explosions in her
stomach； like soap bubbles popping。
Dearest darling Blair； Bee； my bumblebee；
How could I have known when I planned a brief visit to New York after I finished up at Yale that
I would meet a girl and fall in love？ And not just any girl？you。 It would be impossible to describe
my feelings； so I dashed out and bought you two little somethings to go with the necklace。
Promise me you？ll wear them all when I see you next； which should be only a few weeks away if
you？d be so kind as to get your gorgeousness on the flight I so presumptuously booked a ticket
for？first class； of course。 It？s in two weeks； which gives you ample time to buy a whole new
wardrobe； have a series of facials or tanning treatments； or whatever you do to keep yourself
looking as stunning as you always do。 Sorry for running out on you like this； but it？s your
graduation…from…high…school party； the only one you？ll ever have； and I didn？t want to put a
damper on it by saying good…bye。 All right； I？m off。 Please e to England。 I shall miss you。
Love for always；
Marcus
Blair snatched the black velvet box off the white…painted bureau and pried it open。 Two perfect；
enormous round pearls glowed back at her； each dangling from a gold cursiveB ？the earrings to
match the necklace。 She ripped out her boring pearl studs and put in the Bvlgaris。
Bee。 My bumblebee。
It seemed highly doubtful that Marcus was engaged to some overweight； big…nosed； blue…blooded
duchess if he？d bought Blair a plane ticket to travel to England to meet his mum。 Judging from his
impeccable stationery； Lord Marcus was a bona fide lord； too。 And judging from the note and the
plane ticket and the pearls； he truly loved her。
Opening the top drawer of the bureau； she tucked the plane ticket alongside her favorite black La
Perla demicup bra。
Contrary to popular belief； there？s nothing like a mysterious departure to pique a girl？s interest。
You know you love me
Serena？s pale blond hair was matted with sweat and her yellow Tocca dress clung to her skin like
wet tissue paper。 She？d been dancing for an hour and she could barely stand up。 Vanessa was
leaning against the wall； chugging from a bottle of Perrier； her cheeks red with exertion。 Serena