A/N: Chapter nine is here! A lot quicker than expected, but I had some time today and decided I want to get this story moving. By the end of the chapter, hopefully you'll see why... Enjoy! Things are getting lit.

Forbidden Fruit

'Do you believe in fate?'

Jenny eyed Carter over the forkful of waffle she was about to demolish. He wasn't looking back, merely perusing the morning paper as he sipped quietly from his coffee cup. Something must have caught his eye, Jenny decided, to prompt that kind of question. Carter wasn't normally one to indulge in such fantasies as that; he was very much down to earth, real, and had been since the day they'd started sleeping together. Something was up.

'That's not the kind of question I'd expect to come out of your mouth,' Jenny remarked, before chomping down her waffle. She finished off the strawberries on her plate as she waited for Carter's response, but he only smiled as he passed the paper to her over the table. Jenny narrowed her eyes briefly as he continued to grin. Her gaze then fell to the paper and she read aloud:

'J for Waldorf: How Jennifer Humphrey Scored THE Job and THAT Guy.'

Carter snorted into his coffee. Jenny pinned him with a stare that shut him up quickly, although the glint in his eye remained and it wasn't long before Jenny gave in and giggled about it herself.

'So you're the guy, huh?'

Carter nodded. 'I particularly enjoy the part where I'm labeled 'easily one of the best looking men in Manhattan'.'

'I'm just looking for the part where they mention your overwhelming modesty…' Jenny mocked, running her finger down the fine print of the paper. Carter laughed, and then shifted his chair closer so that he could point out something specific to her at the bottom of the article. Jenny frowned when she saw the line that had prompted his earlier question.

Jenny read aloud once more.

'It seems everything has fallen into place for the infamous Miss Humphrey, who continues to climb the career pole and appears to have found her Prince Charming. We're not one to believe in fate, but come on. She landed her man in London, England, and he followed her back across the pond. Disgraced son of an empire turned Frog Prince? That's a modern-day fairytale we can get on board with.'

Jenny looked up at Carter.

'Seriously? Who writes this crap?'

Carter put his hand across his heart. 'I'm hurt.'

'You are not,' Jenny chided him, batting his arm as she made to stand up.

Carter reached out and caught her hand, pulling her into his lap. Jenny breathed in the smell of him, all ready to head out to the first of four meetings today. He wore a midnight blue suit, though the jacket had yet to be put on. Jenny played with his collar, peeking at his chest beneath the fabric and undoing just a couple more buttons…

'You're going to need to take your hands off me if you want me to get to work on time,' Carter said, his voice low as he gripped her hard against him.

Jenny ghosted her lips over his, teasing him, dropping her own voice to a whisper.

'You're the one who seems to be getting excited…' Jenny replied, her eyes dropping to where she sat in his lap. She could feel him against the underside of her thigh. Jenny was taken back to the previous evening, when they'd arrived back to the hotel rather late after having been apartment hunting all day. Both exhausted, they'd collapsed on the bed. Carter's hands had begun roaming her legs, moving higher along her thighs and pushing her skirt up to her waist… He knew just the right place…

Nobody knew her like Carter.

He was just pressing a kiss to her jaw when their phones began vibrating on the table in the hall. Jenny groaned, and with a little push from Carter, she regretfully stood up and padded over to grab them both. Jenny saw Serena's name flash up on hers, calling to check in no doubt. Carter had received two text messages in succession, and despite trying her best, Jenny couldn't help but take a peek as she swiped the phone up with the intention of taking it back to him.

Raina, 9:34.

Everything is set for tonight. I can't wait to show you what I've got for you.

Jenny frowned at the screen, then read the second, more recent, text.

Raina, 9:35.

It's going to blow your mind. We just need to keep it to ourselves for a little longer. News goes out in an hour.

Jenny fumbled and dropped Carter's phone as he came up behind her. It landed face down on the carper. As he bent to pick it up, Jenny plastered a smile on her lips and shifted her weight onto one foot. Carter frowned at the screen as he came back up, as though he himself wasn't sure who Raina was, either. Jenny decided now wasn't the time. They never said they were exclusive. Sure, they'd left things uncertain in London, and he'd only followed her back to New York, and only claimed they were together when quizzed by Dan at Jenny's birthday party.

They never said they were exclusive.

Even though Jenny was essentially living with him at the Plaza now.

'I'd better get going,' Carter said. He pulled Jenny in by the waist and pressed a kiss to her lips. It was longer than a peck, and Jenny could taste the coffee on his tongue. She softened against him; she couldn't help it.

As they broke apart, Carter held up his cell for her to see.

'This,' he gestured to the messages on the screen. 'Is nothing you need to worry about. But you'll see exactly what's going on later tonight. I promise. I'll text you the details. Make sure you're free.'

It was several things to process at once, but Carter left her with a second kiss – this time on her temple – before he proceeded to grab his jacket and head out to the elevator. The car was waiting downstairs for him, according to his assistant. Jenny thought on his words as Serena's name lit up her cell screen once more. So Carter had a surprise for her. That was exciting. Whatever it may be, Jenny thought, at least he hadn't made some kind of ridiculous excuse. She could trust Carter. Of course she could.

'Hey sister,' Jenny said as she answered the call. Serena giggled on the other hand.

'I can still barely believe it,' she said. Jenny could hear the smile in her voice.

'So what's up?'

'Not much, but Carter left me a message last night asking me to keep you busy for the day. He said he doesn't care if you know there's a surprise, he just doesn't want you to find out what it is until the moment is right.'

Jenny scoffed. 'What on earth is he planning?'

'I have no idea. I just know there's a dress code.'

Jenny went over ideas in her mind after she said goodbye to Serena, with a promise to head over so they could spend the day shopping for the right outfit. Perhaps he'd found an apartment and was going to have a house warming? Maybe he was going to ask her to live with him.

Maybe it was something more serious again… Jenny didn't know what to make of that idea. She liked Carter – so much – but she wasn't sure she was ready for that kind of commitment. She knew she'd decided to take the job at Waldorf, and Blair had been thrilled when she'd found out. Did Carter think their deciding to stay meant they'd decided to stay – officially - together? They were dating steadily, and Jenny spent most nights at the Plaza with him. That was mainly because she didn't want to intrude on Dan and Serena for too long, and she had yet to find a place of her own.

Jenny stopped herself there.

Whatever Carter was planning, it was going to be small. There was no way he'd be thinking long term – he was Carter Baizen. He didn't do long term, not really. Even though they were together, Jenny never really thought about the idea of long term with him. She assumed they'd run their course.

She was happy as they were.

And if – as surprising as it would be – he decided he wanted to take it further, Jenny wasn't sure she'd be able to. If for no other reason, it was because there was something holding her back. Or rather… someone.

Disgruntled at the headline before him, Nate dropped his morning paper back onto the kitchen counter. He held a glass of orange juice in one hand, having just returned from his morning run around the Park. He toyed with the headline in his mind once more; Jenny Humphrey having found her Prince Charming. Nate felt ill at the very thought. Baizen was neither a prince, nor was he charming. He was a skeeze, and Nate just didn't want Jenny to have to find out the hard way. She seemed happy when they'd met in the diner a few days earlier, though things had taken a turn when she'd revealed that she'd received the birthday gift he'd left for her…

Nate remembered that evening as though it was yesterday. How exciting it had all been, how stunning Jenny had looked and how right it had felt when she threw herself into his arms and they'd kissed as though no one was watching. Like they hadn't a care in the world at all.

That night, perhaps more truly than any other time, they had fit. Sure there had been moments before and moments since that night, when there had been something between them. But there was always something in the way. Each and every time something sparked within Nate about Jenny, there was something in the way. First she'd been too young – a fourteen year-old with a crush, and he'd been well aware of the boundaries. Soon after she turned fifteen, and suddenly she was growing up and at seventeen, Nate couldn't quite contain himself. Then there was Damien, and Serena and, finally, Chuck.

Nate's stomach twisted unpleasantly at the thought. It was long in the past now, but it wasn't something he thought he'd ever be okay with. The idea of Jenny with Chuck… the idea of Jenny with anybody but himself was just –

And therein lay the problem. Nate knew himself all too well. He fell way too fast, way too hard.

And here he was again, feeling like he did when he was seventeen for a girl that was just out of his grip. Just behind yet another obstacle. Baizen, thought Nate bitterly as he finished the last of his orange juice, did not deserve her.

The elevator into Nate's living room binged and then opened to reveal Sage, arms piled high with files and papers. She was talking into a headset about a backdated order at the printers. Apparently someone had made a mistake somewhere that she refused to take the blame for. Nate smirked. Sage had become rather good at arguing her case; she'd always been stubborn. He'd liked that about her.

She clicked off the phone and dropped the files onto the table in the kitchen.

'Crazy morning,' she informed him, leaning back against the table as she retrieved her cell. 'Alright; run down. Meeting at eleven that you needed to be ready for five minutes ago, lunch with Chuck and his friends on the Council at two to discuss a potential political leap. You have two investors coming in to renegotiate advertising at four, and then…' she trailed off as she scrolled through emails, biting her lips. Nate waited patiently.

'Then you have a restaurant opening tonight.'

Nate frowned. 'Whose?'

Sage shrugged. 'The email's from Chuck but the restaurant belongs to someone called Baizen?'

Nate's stomach clenched.

'The restaurant's name is J, and it's been top secret until today. The news is out and a lot of people are going. Chuck says it's mandatory that you show up.'

Nate was reeling. A restaurant owned by Baizen, and named J, no less. He felt something pent up inside him threatening to break. He grit his teeth. He clenched his jaw. Slowly, his eyes locked with Sage's. All he could think about was Baizen and Jenny, and how happy they must be, and how much Baizen must love her if he was opening a restaurant in her name.

Nate put his empty glass down on the counter harder than he'd anticipated. Sage took a step towards him.

Nate needed to be thinking about something else. About anyone else.

'Are you alright, Nate?' she asked. He nodded. 'Is there anything you want me to do?'

Nate closed the distance between them. As he did, he said:

'Cancel my eleven o'clock.'

Before he gave her the chance to question him, he took her in both arms and pressed their lips together, backing her up against the table and lifting her onto it. She felt startled under his touch to begin with, but soon settled into it and wrapped her legs around his waist. As he discarded his tee and felt Sage's nails rake up his back, all he could think about was Jenny, and how he imagined he'd feel if it were her hands roaming his back the way Sage was now…

Sage pulled back, breathless. 'What are you doing, Nate?'

He kissed her again.

Making it better, he thought to himself. He didn't give her an answer. Her blouse was soon on the floor and he braced an arm around her back to lower her onto the table. She responded in kind, pulling him down with her.

Chuck had never been one to mince words. Jenny knew this about him, and thus was prompted to go to him for some reassurance. She'd ducked away from Serena's company three stores in, promising to meet her back at her and Dan's apartment after they'd both found outfits for whatever surprise Carter had in store for the evening. It was for this reason that Jenny marched towards Chuck's office at his and Blair's home. If she knew Chuck – and she liked to think she did – then she knew he'd have something on Carter. There was no way he would have been able to return without the Bass' keeping a keen eye on him.

'Jenny, always a pleasure,' Chuck told her as kissed her on the cheek and let her into his study.

'I'll cut right to the chase, I know you're busy.' Jenny took the seat he lead her to opposite his desk. When he sat down, Jenny followed through on her promise.

'What do you have on Carter?'

Chuck stared back at her through narrowed eyes.

'Not exactly the conversation I'd been expecting to have with you. When you called ahead I was sure you'd want to discuss your other boyfriend.'

'My other boyfriend- you mean Nate? Don't be ridiculous.'

Chuck smirked, but Jenny didn't go on. He took this as a sign and folded his arms across his lap. Jenny waited expectantly. Part of her knew Chuck would make her wait; he'd always delighted in torturing people. The other part was fidgeting, waiting for any information that might help her figure out what Carter was planning. She didn't know what to expect, and she hated it.

'I had my private eye trail Carter as soon as I discovered he was my direct competition for a building in the city. As it turned out, he won the auction. If I hadn't been so curious myself to find out what he was planning, I would have bid higher.'

Jenny straightened in her seat. 'What did you find out?'

Chuck watched her curiously. 'Why so suspicious? Don't you trust him?'

'Of course I do. We wouldn't be together if I didn't.'

'You're definitely together then.'

Jenny pursed her lips at him. Chuck only smirked harder as he leaned back in his chair.

'Little J, as much as I despise the man, you have nothing to fear tonight. Baizen's opening a restaurant, that's all. I'm guessing he wanted to keep it a surprise for a certain reason; are you sure you want me to spoil that for you?'

Jenny drew her lips into a thin line. She wondered silently why Carter would keep this to himself; surely if this was such an exciting opportunity for him he'd want to share it with her. So why the secrecy? Curiosity killed the cat, she thought to herself, and yet she didn't care much for the idea that she didn't know what was going on. She raised her eyebrows at Chuck.

'Tell me.'

'Relationships are supposed to be built on mutual respect –'

'Are you serious?' Jenny groaned. 'Come on Chuck.'

He baited her just a little longer. Finally, after what Jenny was sure was a lifetime, he gave in.

'His new restaurant is a gift for you.'

Jenny's breath caught in her throat.

'He's naming it J.'

The evening was far grander than Jenny had expected. Having shopped with Serena, she'd settled on a navy blue Donna Karen floor-length number with a V-neck that plunged between her breasts. Serena had convinced her to get it; she claimed Carter would adore her in it. And he did.

'Hey beautiful,' he said gently as he met her outside. He kissed her gently on the lips, and she smiled into it despite the flashes that went off around them. Photographers clambered for a quote from one or both of them, but Carter only took her hand in his – lacing their fingers together – and led her inside.

It was decorated romantically, with twinkling lights in the ceiling and dark mood lighting that set things together just perfectly. Jenny couldn't help but smile as her boyfriend led her through to the centre of the room, wherein there was a delicate chandelier hanging from the ceiling. For the opening, there were no tables and chairs. Instead waiters carried canapés and champagne on trays, giving guests just a glimpse of the delicious food J's would be serving. There was an open bar, where Jenny spotted Chuck and Blair chatting easily with some sharply dressed businessmen. Dan and Serena grinned at her from off to the side, where they sat in alcove and chatted quietly amongst themselves.

'So, how do you like it?' Carter asked her, twirling her back to him so that her palms came to rest on his chest. He wove his arms around her back and pulled her close. Jenny pecked him on the lips.

'It's gorgeous,' she told him.

His lovely lips broke into a smile.

'It's for you. J is for you.'

Jenny blinked several times at him, unsure of what to say. She'd tried to prepare herself all day; in truth, she was glad the surprise had been spoiled for her. She'd done the right thing in seeking Chuck out.

Even still, she wasn't sure what to say to him now. She couldn't just say thank you – it didn't seem like enough – and she couldn't say something else, like I love you, because she wasn't sure she felt it. She didn't want to lie to him. Carter was watching her expectantly, but when no words came, his expression became soft and he didn't push.

Because he knew her, Jenny realized.

He really knew her.

'I do love it,' she assured him.

He touched the side of her face. 'I know, beautiful.'

His hands slid away from her back and he retrieved two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter. Handing one to her, he turned around and gestured at a blonde woman – in her mid-forties, Jenny would guess – who was speaking to guests near the door.

'That's Janet Pierce. She's writing a piece on me for the Post. She wanted to know if my girlfriend would be willing to offer a quote, and maybe partake in an interview with me?'

'She wants to do a spread on us?' Jenny asked.

Carter nodded.

Jenny sipped her champagne. She wasn't so sure she could get on board with that. Spilling about their relationship to a journalist she didn't even know? Although it wasn't as if she could ask the only journalist she did know. Jenny was pretty certain that hell would freeze over before the Spectator ran a piece on her and her relationship with Carter.

'Think about it, why don't you?' he murmured in her ear. 'I want to show you off to the world as my girl.'

Jenny smiled. 'I am your girl. I don't need a magazine to tell me that.'

He shrugged at her, then turned away as someone came up him with a voice recorder and some questions. Jenny's attention was drawn immediately to the doorway.

Nate appeared, looking dapper in a gunmetal grey suit.

His eyes fell on her immediately and she began to smile, only for a moment though, as Sage Spence appeared on his arm seconds later and pressed a kiss to his cheek. So they were definitely dating, Jenny gathered. Nevertheless, Nate began towards her as Sage skipped off to talk with a friend. As Nate drew ever closer, Jenny finished the rest of her champagne, then wove her arm through Carter's. Interrupting his interview, she kissed him twice on the lips and turned to the woman holding the recorder.

'I just want to let you know how proud I am of Carter.' The woman moved the recorded closer with a smile. Jenny could feel Carter beaming beside her. He moved his arm around her waist. Jenny glanced over to where Nate had stopped; just close enough to hear everything.

As she looked at him, Jenny went on:

'He's not only my boyfriend; he's my partner. I'm so honoured to be receiving this incredible gift from him, and I know that together, we can do anything.'

Sage arrived back at Nate's side and kissed his cheek again. Something caught fire in Jenny's stomach. She wasn't sure what it was exactly; she only knew it was completely unwelcome and the hot feeling crawling up her spine had absolutely everything to do with the fact that Sage was hanging on Nate's arm.

She didn't belong there.

Carter squeezed her hip. Jenny turned her attention back to the woman. She could feel Nate's eyes burning into her.

'I'm the luckiest girl in the world. I have someone who loves me, and I love him too.' She turned to Carter, who was gazing at her as though she'd hung the moon itself. He moved in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

The woman with the recorder moved off, leaving Jenny and Carter to revel in the air around them. Pulling his lips from her skin, Carter moved them down to her ear.

'I love you,' he whispered.

Jenny grabbed the lapel of his suit in one hand and gripped it tight.

What on earth had she done?

Did she love Carter? She didn't even know.

All she did know was that she couldn't stand the image of Nate and Sage together, and the thought of them together was enough to make her feel ill. The fiery heat in her stomach began to dissipate as she curled into Carter's chest. Nate and Sage moved off the bar, and Jenny lost sight of them in the crowd.

Carter had been grinning throughout the evening, ever since Jenny had given that quote to the woman from some random tabloid. Nate clenched his jaw each time he laid eyes on the prick. Thankfully he'd managed to avoid crossing paths with him, as Nate wasn't entirely sure he'd be able to keep from saying something he wouldn't necessarily regret, but that would get back to Jenny. He didn't want that.

Chuck had kept him company.

'What is she doing here?' his friend asked, eyeing Sage from across the room. She was talking with a woman from the Post, if Nate remembered her right, a gleaming smile on her face.

'We had sex.'

Chuck turned to him, a raised eyebrow in place as he judged him. Hard.

'Oh please, like you never slept with the wrong girl?'

'So you're saying she's the wrong girl for you?'

Nate fixed Chuck with a glare.

'You insisted to my wife and I that you weren't seeing the girl, and yet you turn up to arguably one of the more high profile events of the season with her on your arm? You're sending mixed messages not only to your friends, but to the press too, and now is not the time to look – to put it casually – flaky. The voters need to see someone consistent; someone they can trust. Not someone with a different girl on his arm every week.'

Nate rolled his eyes.

'Enough about the voters, Chuck. I never said I wanted to be mayor.'

'That doesn't mean it's not in your blood. You're a Vanderbilt, whether you choose ti identify as one or not. Your future is in politics.'

Nate chuckled. As much as she hated what Chuck was saying, he couldn't deny the irony.

'The fact that Chuck Bass is telling me to follow a set path in my life is hilarious.'

Chuck clapped him on the shoulder; he knew better than to take it as an insult. They were brothers in everything but blood, after all.

'I just want you to bare in mind the image you project –'

'Bass,' the distinct tone of Carter Baizen rang out.

'Archibald.'

He stopped in front of them, a glass of champagne in one hand, while the other was safely in his pocket. He looked the picture of smugness, and there was a smudge of faint pink on his collar. Immediately, Nate felt a rush of heat in his veins. He forced any ideas of Jenny kissing Carter's neck out of his mind.

'Congratulations Baizen,' Chuck said, shaking hands with him. If Nate didn't know his friend so well, he'd think he was being sincere. He knew Carter certainly wasn't either.

'So you're back,' Nate said suddenly, placing his own glass on a passing waiter's tray. 'For good?'

Carter smirked. 'Well, I don't know if you've heard, but my girlfriend recently accepted a new job here and seeing as I've opened up this place… Yeah. I'd say it's pretty permanent.'

'So she's happy?' Nate couldn't stop himself, despite the fact that Chuck had cleared his throat. 'With you?'

Carter's smirk remained as he gazed around the room, looking for Jenny. When his eyes settled on her, they remained there for a moment. Then he turned back to Nate, licking his lips.

'She's perfect.'

Nate stood a little straighter. He felt a dam building up in his mind; one that was about to break. He couldn't fight it.

'Yeah, she is. And she's way too good for you.'

'Nate.' Chuck's tone was short.

Carter chuckled. He gestured between himself and Nate with his champagne glass.

'I know what's going on here, Archibald. I might have kept myself off the grid when you were still in high school and college, but I kept up with news. I know there was something between the two of you, and maybe you're still hung up on her. But the truth is she loves me,' Nate curled his fist. The thought was too much.

'And I love her too.'

Carter took a step towards him. Nate didn't move.

'And to be honest, it seems like you need something of a reality check.'

He took another step.

'To you, Jenny Humphrey has always been forbidden fruit, and now she's outgrown you and it eats at you because you can't have her. Because she doesn't want you.'

It was Nate's turn to take a step closer. He felt Chuck put a hand on his shoulder, but he didn't care. Carter was pushing all the right buttons, and Nate's lip was curling.

'She wants me. Every day, and every night.'

Carter smirked. Nate's other hand clenched into a fist, too. He was ready to knock Carter on his ass, if not for Chuck's hand pulling him back.

'And let me tell you,' Carter began the final, crushing words.

'She is exquisite.'

Nate saw red. He pulled his arm back, not enough to draw attention, but just enough that Chuck was able to catch him and put himself between them.

'This is exactly what he wants, Nathaniel,' Chuck said quietly. 'A public display. A fight; anything to make you look bad. He's threatened.'

Chuck looked over his shoulder and sneered. 'Because he should be.' He turned back to Nate. 'Go get Sage and go home. We'll talk in the morning.'

Nate pulled his arm free of Chuck's grip. He knew his friend was right, and he didn't want to spoil Jenny's night. But if Chuck hadn't been there Nate was sure Carter would be on his ass right now.

He straightened his jacket and held his head high as he moved around them. Passing Carter, Nate said:

'You better hope Chuck's around the next time we see each other, Baizen.'

Carter smiled as he watched him go.

On his way home, having dropped Sage back at her place, Nate pondered the reason he'd become so fired up. He knew it wasn't just because he loathed Carter; he did, granted, but that wasn't all of it. When he'd laid eyes on Jenny that night, he knew right away. He was a goner.

He fell hard, fast and completely.

And right now, he was falling for Jenny Humphrey.

In fact, he was pretty sure he was already all the way there.

It's starting to kick off... x