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第31部分（第2页）

“So；　I　guess　this　is　Blair’s　mom’s　dress；　right？”　Jenny　asked；　shrugging　her　milky　white　shoulders。

He　reached　up　and　brushed　an　errant　curl　off　Jenny’s　shoulders；　then　quickly　yanked　his　hand　back　to　his　side。

So　much　for　staying　strong。

Jenny　giggled　and　tilted　her　face　toward　his。　He　pressed　his　lips　against　hers；　slowly　at　first；　then　more　urgently。

“Nate；”　Jenny　murmured。　She　felt　his　hand　on　her　bare　upper　back；　right　above　where　the　zipper　had　stopped　on　the　dress。　She　wondered　if　he　could　feel　how　quickly　her　heart　was　beating　in　her　chest。　The　stubble　from　his　chin　tickled　her　face。　Her　fingers　fluttered　up　behind　his　head；　to　pull　him　closer。

Suddenly；　Nate　pulled　away。　“Do　you　hear　that？”　He　cocked　his　hand　in　a　way　that　reminded　Jenny　of　a　golden　retriever。　Jenny　listened。　She　could　hear　the　twins’　wavering　toddler　voices　singing　an　off…key　rendition　of　“Frère　Jacques”　from　downstairs。

“Sounds　like　the　twins　are　up。　We　should…”　Nate　trailed　off；　shrugging。

“Yeah；”　Jenny　agreed；　disappointed。　“I　should　change；”　she　added　sheepishly。　She　reached　behind　her；　fumbling　for　the　zipper。

“Can　I　help？”　Nate　reached　for　the　zipper　and　eased　it　down；　gently　allowing　his　fingers　to　brush　against　the　soft　skin　of　her　bare　back。　He’d　forgotten　how　soft　girls’　skin　was。

“Thanks。”　Jenny　crossed　her　arms　tightly　over　her　chest　to　make　sure　the　dress　didn’t　fall　down。　She　suddenly　felt　shy。

“I’ll　give　you　some　privacy；”　he　offered；　and　stepped　back　into　the　bathroom。　He　closed　the　door　and　she　quickly　stepped　out　of　the　dress。　She　made　her　way　over　to　the　wardrobe；　but　before　she　could　set　the　heavy　dress　inside；　her　foot　caught　on　the　leg　of　the　mirror。　It　toppled　to　the　ground　with　a　crash。　Fuck。

“You　okay？”　Nate　called；　popping　his　head　around　the　door。

“Everything’s　fine！”　She　yelped。　The　mirror　hadn’t　broken；　but　it　was　lying　on　its　side。　She　hastily　set　it　upright；　threw　the　dress　back　on　the　bed；　then　sprinted　down　the　attic　stairs　and　back　to　the　tiny　guest　room；　her　heart　pounding　from　adrenaline。

Not　to　mention　infatuation。

crushes　cover　for　each　other

Blair　heard　a　loud　crash　from　the　attic　and　woke　up　with　a　start。　Sun　was　streaming　through　the　east…facing　windows　of　the　guest　bedroom　and　Chuck　was　breathing　easily　beside　her；　oblivious　to　the　noise。

Blair　cocked　her　head　and　heard　the　sound　of　loud　footsteps　right　above　her。　Immediately；　she　remembered　how　many　houseguests　were　under　the　roof。　How　Serena　and　Nate　had　crashed　what　was　supposed　to　be　a　normal；　sane　holiday　vacation。

Doesn’t　she　know　by　now　that　doesn’t　exist？

She　threw　on　a　silky　peach　Cosabella　robe；　double…knotted　it　over　her　cami　and　boy　shorts；　and　stomped　toward　the　attic　stairs。

“Hello？”　she　called；　an　edge　to　her　voice　as　she　stomped　up　the　rickety　attic　stairs。　If　Nate　was　up　here　with　Serena…　well；　Blair　didn’t　even　know　what　the　fuck　she’d　do　if　she　found　them　together。　And　if　Serena　and　her　gross　pseudo…intellectual　boyfriend　were　doing　anything　up　here；　she’d　still　be　annoyed。　Just　the　fact　that　Serena　was　in　the　house　pissed　her　off。　What　part　of　her　speech　last　winter　had　made　Serena　think　it　was　a　good　idea　to　follow　her　to　Newport？

Blair　swung　open　the　door；　ready　to　tell　whoever　was　up　there　to　get　the　fuck　out。　But　it　was　just　Nate；　standing　near　the　large　antique　wardrobe　in　the　corner；　holding　what　looked　like　her　mom’s　wedding　dress　out　in　front　of　him。

“Oh；　hey；”　Nate　said；　turning　around　to　face　Blair。

“What　the　hell？”　Blair　demanded　angrily。　This　was　one　scenario　she　hadn’t　anticipated。　Had　Nate　been　trying　on　her　mom’s　dress？

“Sorry；　I　was　just　looking　around。　Remember　how　we　used　to　play　hide…and…seek　up　here？”　Nate　asked　innocently。

Blair　softened　slightly。　Nate　might　be　insensitive　and　have　idiotic　lapses　of　judgment；　but　he　definitely　wasn’t　a　cross…dresser。　“I　thought　I　heard　a　noise。”　She　folded　her　arms　over　her　chest。

“I　accidentally　bumped　into　the　mirror。　It’s　fine；　though。”　He　gestured　toward　her　great…grandmother　Cornelia’s　gold　mirror　in　the　corner。

“What　are　you　doing　with　my　mom’s　wedding　dress？”　Blair　asked　pointedly。

“Sorry。”　Nate　racked　his　brain；　trying　to　e　up　with　an　excuse　that　didn’t　sound　too　idiotic。　He’d　wanted　to　clean　up　after　Jenny。　Blair　would　rip　Jenny’s　sweet　little　curls　from　her　head　if　she　knew　she’d　been　up　here；　snooping　and　trying　on　Blair’s　mom’s　old　stuff。

And　kissing　him？

“I　was　just…　reminiscing；”　Nate　said　finally。　“This　house　brings　up　a　lot　of　memories。”

“It　does　for　me；　too；”　Blair　admitted。　She　sat　down　on　one　of　the　large　steamer　trunks；　hugged　her　legs　to　her　chest；　and　stared　at　the　dress；　which　Nate　had　placed　over　his　rumpled　sheets。　She　used　to　play　dress…up　with　her　mom’s　clothes　until　well　into　high　school。　She’d　even　worn　this　very　dress　and　imagined　walking