and she kissed his cheek； snuggling in close。
“I was just over at Blair’s；” Nate said。
But Serena didn’t answer。 She was breathing steadily。 Maybe she
was already asleep。
Nate lay still； with his eyes open wide； his mind racing。 He
wondered if he and Blair were officially broken up now。 He wondered
if he kissed Serena right now； full on the lips and told her he loved
her； how she’d respond。 He wondered if he’d just gone ahead and
had sex with Blair if everything would have been all right。
Nate cast his eyes around the room； taking in all the familiar well…
loved objects that he’d grown up seeing and forgotten all about。
The kilt…wearing teddy bear from Scotland that sat aristocratically
on Serena’s little dressing table。 The big mahogany armoire with its
drawers half open and all her clothes spilling out of it。 The little
brown burn mark he’d made in ninth grade on the white canopy
hanging from her bed。
On the floor by the door was Serena’s red velvet bag。 The contents
had spilled out of it。 A blue pack of Gauloise cigarettes。 A twenty…
dollar bill。 An Amex card。 And a navy blue scarf with the letters C。B。
stitched on it in gold。
Why had she needed to borrow money from him when she had
twenty dollars with her？ Nate wondered。 And what the hell was she
doing with Chuck Bass’s scarf？
Nate turned over on his side and Serena moaned softly as her head
rolled back on the pillow。 He studied her critically。 She was so
beautiful and sexy and trusting； and so full of surprises。 It was hard
to believe she was actually for real。
Serena reached up and put her arms around Nate’s neck； pulling