Disclaimer: I still don't own Gossip Girl.

A/N: Sending love out to all my fabulous reviewers! You guys motivate me to keep writing!

Previously…

Chuck asked Blair to the Homecoming dance and she said yes. Chuck and Blair were finally together…or were they? One night at Chuck's suite, Blair asked, "What does this mean for us?" The notorious commitment–phobe couldn't answer her and Blair left, leaving them both heartbroken.

Wednesday…

"Jenny, chop chop. These drinks aren't going to fill themselves," Blair barked as she leaned back in her seat at a club on the Upper East Side. Serena sat to her left and a couple of her other friends sat across the table.

She felt her purse vibrate and reached in for her cell phone. Before she looked, she knew who it was. He had called her 20, now 21, times that day and each time she let it run to voice mail.

Call from Chuck Bass

She wanted to talk to him. Maybe he was finally ready to tell her what she wanted to hear. To tell her he only wanted to be with her. But she wasn't ready to listen to him. She was too scared of the uncertain. What if he didn't want to be with only her? What if she wasn't special to him? What if his prostitutes meant more to him than her? She didn't want to hear what he had to say, not yet.

Besides, a Waldorf never appears desperate.

Luckily for her, there wasn't that much work left for their English project and she didn't need to talk to him about that. He had been a great help when they got to the bulk of the work, but now they just needed to put on the finishing touches. She was going to finish it up tomorrow morning. Even if they hadn't been near the end, she would have just volunteered to do the rest herself. She wasn't sure she could bear to be in such close proximity to him without being able to touch him.

"B, are you okay? You seem…a little tense," Serena inquired, gently patting Blair's arm.

"I'm fine," Blair practically snarled. Her head turned sharply to stare at Serena. Blair's eyes bore into Serena's. Her smirk practically dared Serena to keep going.

Serena raised an eyebrow, knowing Blair well enough to doubt her instant rebuttal.

"Really, S. Nothing is wrong." A fake smile was plastered onto Blair's face.

Serena sighed, not believing Blair's phony attitude. She was worried about Blair but decided not to press the matter further. Serena knew Blair wouldn't open up in front of everyone else.

"Waldorf, can I speak to you?" Chuck spoke into Blair's ear, startling her, as she had not seen him slide up behind her. Without even waiting for an answer he grabbed her by the hand, pulled her out of her seat and across the crowded room. He stopped when they reached a secluded corner.

"Bass, I suggest you unhand me unless you want to walk around New York with one less appendage."

"Oh, feisty Waldorf. Why are you so uptight today? Miss me?" Chuck drawled, stalking towards her. She walked backwards until her back hit the wall softly.

"No. That's ridiculous," Blair said quickly, forcing a laugh. She turned her head to the side so she wouldn't have to look him so close in the eye. He reached out a hand and gently grabbed her chin, turning her face back towards his. Blair couldn't even muster the energy to pretend to resist. Instead, she leaned into his palm.

"I don't think so, Princess. You need me. You can't bear to go a day without feeling the touch of my hands on you," Chuck smirked.

"You must be talking about yourself, Bass." Blair blinked back innocently. But as Chuck leaned in closer, she gulped.

"Just admit it, Waldorf," Chuck whispered into her ear. His warm breath tickled her skin. "You want me." He pressed a faint kiss to the shell of her ear and then headed down. He left kisses on her neck as he moved. He reached the base of neck and nibbled on her skin, leaving behind a faint red mark.

"Chuck," she gasped. Distracted by the work of Chuck's lips, she leaned her head back against the wall. Chuck smirked, realizing he was getting better access to his favorite part of her body.

"Hmm," he mumbled against her skin. He trailed one hand across her waist to where the waistband of her skirt met her shirt. She moaned softly as he lifted his hand just a little under her shirt to tease the taut skin on her stomach. His other hand reached out for her hand. He guided her arm to rise slightly bent and above her head, where he continued to grasp her hand.

If it had been anybody but Chuck, Blair would have already said 'cool it.' There was something about him that made her throw all morals right out the window. With only his tongue, that boy could make her forget her name, her address, and every Audrey fact she ever knew.

Chuck reached up to her shoulder and slowly moved the top of her shirt away from her body. He kissed each new inch of exposed skin.

"Come back to my limo," he whispered, lips tickling the delicate skin of her shoulder. She mumbled some incoherent words, too dazed with lust to hear what he had said. He suddenly lifted his lips away from her skin, snaked his arm around her waist, tucking her close to his side, and pulled her along as he walked out of the club.

Blair's eyes widened but she let him guide her. Even if she couldn't admit it to him, she missed him. She wished she didn't, but she couldn't help the empty feeling in the pit of her stomach knowing he wasn't coming over, he wasn't going to make her blush, he wasn't going to hold her in his arms and he wasn't going to make her smile.

The cool night air hit Blair's skin and she shivered, but kept walking. When she spotted the familiar Bass limo, Blair scowled, realizing what Chuck really had in mind.

"You've got to be kidding. If you think I'm going to give you one final 'ride' then you must have tied your ascot too tight," Blair protested loudly, keeping her feet routed to the ground and dramatically crossing her arms over her chest.

Chuck smirked, clearly expecting her to bitch about his intentions. "Waldorf, are you sure this isn't what you want? Would you really deny yourself something you desire?"

Blair pursed her lips. Stupid Basshole. He dangled in front of her the chance to be with him again. They hadn't slept together since the night she drunkenly decided to lose her virginity to Chuck Bass, but that didn't mean they didn't fool around…a lot. But that was before everything changed. So why was he bringing this up now?

"Why are you doing this to me, Chuck?"

"I'm not doing anything to you, princess," Chuck leered.

She sighed. "I don't understand why you're bothering with me. Don't you have some prostitute to visit?"

"Touché, Waldorf." Chuck walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Chuck," she grimaced. It took all her strength to pull herself away. "You can't just do this. I know this isn't how you operate. I get that. It's okay if monogamy isn't your thing. But it's mine. And I need a boyfriend, not just a lover."

"Blair," Chuck sighed, running his hands through his thick hair. "It's just this is new. Can't we take it slower?"

"Slower as is only you and me? Or slower as in you can still keep some girls on the side. Chuck, this can't work. We're too different. Unless you're ready to make a commitment, I'm leaving. My friends are probably wondering where I am."

"Can't we find some sort of middle ground to make an arrangement?"

"Chuck! This isn't a drug trade or a business deal. It's a relationship. Or at least it could be. I…I have to go." Blair took a deep breath, afraid she was going to lose it in front of him. She slowly turned on her heel and began to walk into the restaurant.

"Will you at least answer my calls?" Chuck called, voice cracking slightly. Blair hurt him more than she knew and more than he wanted to admit to her or even himself.

She wiped a lone tear from her cheek and turned back to face him. She simply nodded, never breaking eye contact.

"And what about the project?"

She paused, until she figured out what he was talking about. Working with him on their English project, felt like years ago. "It's almost done. Don't worry about it. I know we'll both get an A+."

After, she walked back inside, leaving a lonely Bass to sip a scotch in his limo.

Thursday evening...

All Chuck really wanted to do was mope around his suite, but his father insisted he attend his dinner party.

On his way out of the hotel, he heard a distinctive laugh from a voice he could never forget. He briskly walked into the lobby, forgetting his normally cool demeanor, to find the source of the sweet laughter.

Chuck spotted her and stopped dead in his tracks, completely shocked. Blair was walking alongside a tall, muscular blond man. The blond's arms were snaked around her back and Blair was leaning slightly into his shoulder, laughing heartily. Chuck couldn't hear what they were saying, but their laughter came through loud and clear, piercing his eardrums.

Chuck clenched his fists and began to stalk toward her.

When he reached a few feet away, facing their backs, he snapped, "What the hell is going on here?"

Blair recognized his voice instantly. Her back tensed and she turned around sharply to face him. "Chuck?" she screeched.

The blond man, she had been previously clinging to, turned as well. He sent Chuck and Blair confused glares, but neither tore their eyes away from each other to notice Blair's friend.

"Excuse me, who are you?" the blonde asked. Chuck was too angry to notice the way the blond's words slurred slightly.

"I'm Chuck Bass," he smirked.

"Well it's nice to meet you Chuck. I'm Kevin Hollis," he smiled, flashing his perfect pearly whites. Chuck's lip curled. Kevin held his hand out to shake Chuck's, but Chuck ignored it.

"Kevin," Chuck sneered. "I think you should remove your hands from Blair."

"Chuck," Blair hissed. "Go away before your most precious asset meets my Christian Louboutins." She lifted one hand towards Chuck's forearm and tried to steer Chuck away from her and Kevin.

"Not so fast, Waldorf. I want to know why this nitwit is with you."

"Chuck, please leave!" Blair pleaded. She nervously glanced around the lobby, checking to make sure nobody noticed the scene Chuck was making.

"You know I can't do that," Chuck replied. He turned away from her and faced Kevin." I suggest you leave before I have my security escort your Abercrombie wannabe ass out of here."

"Are you kidding?" Kevin laughed lowly. "Your security? Can't even fight your own battle in your purple suit?"

Chuck stepped towards him. His jaw was clenched tightly and his eyes stared coldly into those of Blair's companion.

"Chuck, don't do this!" Blair implored.

Chuck heard her sweet voice, but he was so angry that he couldn't make out the words she said. Blair watched wide-eyed as Chuck lifted his arms and pushed roughly on Kevin's chest. Kevin fell back slightly, surprised that Chuck had actually shoved him. Nevertheless Kevin steadied himself upright.

"Chuck! Chuck! Look at me!" Blair yelled. He turned to face her. His expression instantly softened at the sight of her, worried and biting her lip. But before she could even speak, a fist came flying at Chuck's jaw line.

Blair gasped and ran over to Chuck, leaving Kevin to nurse his bruised knuckles.

"Chuck, you enormously stubborn, pain in the ass," she said as she checked his face for cuts and bruises. When she found none, she sighed with relief, but kept her hands there to gently rub his cheek.

"I didn't realize you moved on so fast," he muttered bitterly, looking down.

"I didn't!"

"What?" he looked up into her golden brown eyes.

"Kevin is my cousin! And he's practically like a brother to me. He's from California and staying here at your hotel…god only knows why. He had too much to drink at my mother's party and I had to help him get back to his suite. Poor guy was too trashed to catch a cab much less find his room."

Chuck simply nodded, absorbing what she was telling him.

"But even if I really was on a date," she continued. "You had absolutely no right to interrupt, especially in such a barbaric manner. Can you try not to act like a Neanderthal next time?"

"Next time? So you are planning on dating someone else?" Chuck murmured sadly.

"I could. If we're not…"

"We're not?"

"Don't make me go through this again. You know the situation, Bass."

"Blair," Chuck whined.

"Blair?" Kevin questioned walking towards the couple.

"Oh, Kevin, I think you've sobered up a little right? Can I meet you at the elevators? I need to speak with Chuck for a few more minutes," Blair spoke sweetly. She nudged Kevin in the direction of the elevators. "You can sit in those nice soft leather chairs! I'll be right over." Kevin stumbled towards the elevators. She turned back to Chuck. "Now where were we?"

"You want to date someone else," Chuck muttered.

"I didn't say that. I don't want to be with someone else. But I could. I got plenty of suitable men lined up."

"Oh, please. None of them can make your toes curl out of sheer pleasure. None of them can transform your tears to laughter. None of them can make you feel cherished like the queen you truly are. None of them are me, Blair."

"Chuck, you know what I want to hear. And I can't wait around until you're ready to make a commitment. I need to be more to you than just a thing to fool around with."

"Blair…it's just…this is new to me!"

"I'm not going to fool around with a guy I'm not dating. I'm not that girl!"

"What girl?"

"I like monogamy and relationships. Here I'll walk you through it. Am I a friend to you, Chuck?"

"Yeah, of course," he answered slowly, making sure she wasn't tricking him.

"Am I more than a friend to you?"

"Yes."

"So, what am I?"

"You're my…g…uh," he cleared his throat. He wanted to say it, but deep down the big bad Chuck Bass was scared. "Well, I mean, I like you. But monogamy has never been one of my strengths. What if I mess up? I don't want to hurt you, Blair. I wouldn't ever want to hurt you."

"You already have," Blair began to choke up, but she tried to smile anyway. The tears started to rush down. Chuck instinctively wiped them away and pulled her into a tight hug. Her head leaned against his chest. His chin rested on top of her head. He kissed her head lightly and held his lips there a little longer. Her tears left warm stains on his silk dress shirt, but he didn't even care.

"Blair?" Kevin called out from the elevators, still too intoxicated to understand what he was interrupting. "I really gotta piss."

Blair leaned her face into Chuck's chest and wiped away her tears, before turning around to face Kevin. "I'm coming, Kevin."

She picked up Chuck's hand and squeezed it, looking up into his tired eyes. Finally, she used all her willpower to tear herself from him and walk away.

A/N: Alright so, I'm sorry I've been so slow with updates…but now that school is over I have MUCH more free time and the personal issue I mentioned in the last chapter's A/N is getting better, so I have been able to find time to write again. It's GREAT to be back.

There's only a couple of chapters left of this story and then I'll be starting NEW STORIES! Yay! In my time off from posting, I've been thinking and writing A LOT! Seriously, I have tons of napkins and scraps of paper scribbled on with ideas and snipits of stories so I'm super excited to share them with you guys. If you want to hear more from me, I suggest you add me to author's alert…or even better, favorite authors (hey! It's worth a shot!)

Another piece of news…I'M IN SEARCH OF A BETA. So if you're a beta and you wouldn't mind helping me out, send me a message :) I don't think I'll be too horrendous to beta for…I'm pretty flexible!

Finally and most importantly, Please keep up the reviewing! I'll be finishing writing the next chapter in the next couple of days and the more I hear from you, the faster I'll type. Seriously, even if it's just an 'I'm still reading!' That'd be nice to know too.

I love hearing from you guys and I want to make sure you all are still interested!

Have a fabulous day and don't forget to review! :)