splash around in the cool water like kids。They？d pull into small towns so he could stock up on
cigarettes and beer and Blair could buy magazines and whatever else she needed。 Then； when
they？d worked up an appetite from fishing or swimming or making love； he and Blair would raid
the fully stocked kitchen； eating artichoke hearts directly out of the jar with their fingers。
Forgetting about someone？
That was the summer he was supposed to be having； and at last； he was seizing the day。 The only
problem was； well 。 。 。 Serena。 Never mind that he and Blair weren？t quite a couple again。 They？d
had ups and downs for as long as they？d known each other； but they always came back to the
same point： they were supposed to be together。 And that point was ing again。 That point was
on theCharlotte 。Nate closed his eyes； trying desperately to think of a guy they could bring along
on their grand voyage to keep Serena occupied while he worked on winning back Blair。 Jeremy？
Anthony？ Nah； she was out of their league。
He flicked his cigarette out of the car and cleared his throat。 ？I？ve got it；？ he announced。 ？Let？s
get theCharlotte。 Then we？ll just； like； sail away。？
？Awesome！？ Serena took both hands off the wheel and clapped them together。 ？Natie； you？re a
genius！？
？I don？t know。？ Blair sat up。 ？I kind of just feel like taking a shower and going to bed。？
Blair fidgeted in her seat； her knee brushing against Nate？s。 Was she doing that on purpose？ It
sent a palpable surge of electricity through his body。 He felt more clear…headed and aware than he
had in months。 It was like everything that had happened to him lately？getting in trouble and
almost not graduating； getting shipped off to slave labor in the Hamptons； having that weird
short…lived romance with Tawny？had been leading him right here； to this moment。 Never mind
that he was going to bail on work in a matter of hours； never mind that he had stolen his father？s
prized possession； never mind that he might not get his diploma？he was with Blair； and when they
were together it was like everything else in the world was just 。 。 。right。
？There？s a shower on board；？ Serena reminded Blair； picking up her vibrating and blinking
Nokia from her lap。 ？Don？t be a baby；？ she called over her shoulder。 ？Hello？？ she answered her
cell phone。 Who the hell was calling at four in the morning？
？Hey Serena。 How are you？ It？s Jason。 You know； your downstairs neighbor at the town house
on Seventy…first Street？？
Serena smiled quietly at the road。 Blair was so not expecting this call。
？Hey！？ She responded in her friendliest； most upbeat voice。 Jason was cute but totally forgettable。
After theBreakfast at Fred？s wrap party； that？s exactly what both girls had done？forgotten about
him。 But Serena wasn？t the girl Jason had had the hots for； anyway。 ？I guess you want to talk to
Blair。？ She shifted into fourth gear around a tight curve in the road。
？Kind of；？ Jason admitted。
？Hold on。？ Serena tossed her phone behind her； accidentally hitting Blair in the nose。
Blair had been happily ensconced in one of her epic movielike reveries starring herself and Nate
naked on a beach in St。 Barts； kissing on the sand while the waves splashed over their bodies；
exactly like Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster inFrom Here to Eternity。 She took the phone。
Probably it was her mother； wondering why there was a 10；000 charge at Tod？s on her AmEx。
？Hello？？ she said with some annoyance。 Nate？s leg was so warm against hers。 She rested her
head on his shoulder； seeking fort while she prepared to have an extremely annoying
conversation。 ？What is it now； Mom？？
？No； it？s me； Jason；？ a boy？s voice responded gruffly on the other end。
Blair lifted her head from Nate？s shoulder and held the phone away from her face。Who？
She glanced at Nate？s profile。 He was beginning to nod off； and she wanted to grab him and slip
her hands under his shirt； just to feel his warm skin beneath her fingers。
？Hello？ Blair？？ Jason？s voice squawked out of Serena？s phone。 Blair snapped the phone shut
and tossed it into the passenger seat。
？Blair！？ Serena scolded。 The two girls giggled； sharing a glance through their reflections in the
rearview mirror。
Nate shifted in his seat。 ？What？s so funny？？ he mumbled； making them laugh even harder。
Then Blair turned； catching Nate staring right at her。 But before he could look away； embarrassed；
she let one eye…lid fall in the sexiest； most unexpected wink Nate had ever seen。 ？Can I have a
smoke？？ she finally asked； gently biting her glistening…pink bottom lip。
？Sure。？ He dug into his pockets for the pack。Anything for you。
Aw。
Sunrise must have happened during the four minutes it took them to speed through the Midtown
Tunnel and into the city： the sky was dark purple when Serena steered them into the gaping mouth
of the tunnel； and by the time the little roadster emerged on the streets of Manhattan； the sun was
up； the cars were honking； and it was already starting to get hot。
Nate tried not to be too obvious about watching Blair； which was hard because she was so close
he could smell her； could imagine the weight of her body against his if she happened to nod off to
sleep； could conjure the soft feeling of her lips and tongue against his on the off chance they just
started making out right there in the backseat。
Stop it。 Focus。？Just drive downtown。？ Nate locked eyes with Serena in the rearview mirror。Did
she know what he was thinking？ Did she see something？
Not that she was uncool enough to say anything。
？Aye； aye； captain。？ Serena made a wide right onto the FDR Drive that sent Nate and Blair
hurling to the left as she did。
？Don？t kill us。？ Blair tucked her wind…whipped hair behind her ears。
？Don？t worry。？ Nate gave her right knee a reassuring squeeze。
Blair looked up at him； her eyes glazed and sleepy but the same brilliant blue they？d always been。
She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder； still looking up at him。
Nate grinned back； feeling foolish and a little embarrassed； like he was fifteen again。 He lost
himself in the sensation of the wind in his hair； the thrum of the road beneath him； the smell of the
girl he loved leaning against him。 It took ten minutes for Serena to zip through the early morning
traffic on the highway； and five minutes of navigating the twisting downtown streets before they
reached the docks at Battery Park； where Captain Archibald kept theCharlotte docked。
？We？re here； kids；？ Serena announced； playing mommy as she guided the tiny car into a curbside
parking spot and turned off the ignition。 ？Ready to sail？？
Nate opened the door and clambered out of the back…seat。 He breathed in the mingling scent of
traffic and salt water and warm asphalt； it was a mix of everything he loved？the city； especially in
the early morning； and the sea…side； where he？d spent the happiest weeks of his life。 Maybe he？d
been cooped up in the tiny backseat for too long； or maybe he was just excited at the thought of
the illicit cruise he was about to undertake； but whatever the reason； Nate actually started to run；
dodging pedestrians and leaping over a low gate that separated the docks from the street。 The
rubber soles of his flip…flops thwacked noisily against the ashy wood slats of the dock。 His heart
was pounding in his ears： it was really； finally happening？the summer was beginning at last。 Once
he and Blair stepped on board that boat； every…thing would change。
？Sir？ Sir？？ A uniformed dockhand was running down the pier toward Nate； waving his hands in
the air above his head like bees were attacking him。 ？This is private property； sir； you？re going to
have to leave。？
？I？m looking for my boat；？ Nate explained； scanning the forest of masts for its familiar profile。
He？d helped his dad build the thing？he？d have known the boat anywhere。 ？TheCharlotte。 It？s
around here somewhere。 I want to take her out。？
？TheCharlotte？ ？ The dockhand？a college…age kid who seemed cool enough？stared at Nate；
clearly confused。 ？The Archibald boat？？
？Yeah。？ Nate nodded； glancing behind him： Blair and Serena were perched on the security gate；
swinging their legs in the air and laughing at something。 ？It？s my family？s boat。 Can you give me
the slip number？？
？Sorry； man。？ The dockhand shook his head； slowly。 ？She？s not here。 Captain Archibald sailed
up to Newport at the beginning of June？he told me he was planning on keeping her there for the
season。？
Shit。Nate frowned at the dockhand； then looked back at Blair once more。 She was kicking her
little tan legs up and down when a sudden gust of wind off the water caused her gauzy dress to
flutter up around her waist。 Underneath she was wearing pale pink cotton underwear。 He could
just make out little white polka dots decorating them。
Forget the boat： for now all he wanted was to lie down next to her； hold her hand； and never let
go。
the truth es out 。 。 。 and so does d
？Male。 Ball。 Male； ball。 Male balls。？
Dan groaned and flopped over in the soft； once…white； now coffee…and…nicotine…stained sheets of