The thin line between business and pleasure
Chuck Bass has it all: the money, the lifestyle and the women... What happens when he comes home after the summer and finds out his stepsister brought home a friend. Who appears to be a female version of himself... What happens when that particular stranger turns his Bass-world up side down... Is it possible for Chuck to have finally met his match...?
Disclaimer: I don't own anything! The characters and gossip girl are property of the CW and it's creators.
Chapter 10
Spotted:
The one and only Chuck Bass setting foot in the building that lately houses the European Fashion house, Waldorf Designs…
Would this visit be strictly for business?
Or is our notorious bad boy making house calls these days?
I presume S won't be around to leak the juicy details…
XOXO, Gossip Girl
In the morning everything went according to plan, just like Blair had said it would. He hid out in his en suite bathroom and waited for his father to knock, enter and call his name twice before he flushed the toilet, washed his hands and stepped outside while still drying off his hands with a towel. Only then, he asked: "Why are you shouting my name?"
"Why aren't you at the office?" Bart answered the question with a question like a true Bass, before he started to demand things: "I need you to attend the board meeting at Waldorf Designs. I have other meetings."
"My schedule is also full father…" Chuck countered…
"Change it. I need you to be there and I don't have time to discuss it Chuck!" Bart shouted back.
"Are you sure that your prior engagements are the only reason behind dragging me in there?"
"Why would there be any other reason?" Bart wondered sheepishly.
"I'm sure it's just one of your stupid ways to convince and show the board that there is nothing going on between Blair and I."
"Well there isn't anything going on, is there?" Bart wondered once more. "It was merely a coincidence that you both happened to still be here?"
"Who was here?"
"Blair…"
"I didn't even realised she was here…" Chuck continues to play dumb. Bart kept eyeing his son with suspicion. He knew something is off, but he wasn't impossible to put his finger on it: he was certain he'd find out more once he heard back from the board members in a few hours.
On his way up to Waldorf Designs, Chuck was still furious with his father for putting him in this situation: he had to sit there and listen to Blair talk for god knows how long, without raising any form of suspicion what so ever. The only positive thing about this whole situation was the fact that he would be able to avoid any form of continuation of the interrogation his father had probably planned for him.
Now, however that the elevator doors open, he looks around, acting as if he's here for the very first time. His eyes land on Blair for a second and his mind goes: don't stare, don't stare! Too late…
Why did she decide to wear a tight fitting dress today? One with a cleavage, none the less… He forces himself to look away from her, and focuses his attention on the blond behind the desk. Still, he can't stop himself from glancing towards her every few seconds: one moment she's talking to Jenny, the next she's walking towards him. At this point the blonde behind the desk is openly flirting with him, but all he notices is the sway of Blair's hips as she approaches him.
"Mister Bass, good morning…" Blair greets him, holding out her hand, a business smile gracing her pretty face and a confused look in her eyes.
"Good morning, Miss Waldorf." Chuck accepts her hand, before moving it up to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently, while eyeing her hungrily.
"What brings you here?" She wonders. All eyes are on them, she can feel them burning holes in her back.
"I'm here on my father's behalf." Chuck replies, smiling a crooked smile at her.
She doesn't pay much attention to his words: inwards,she's praying that he's here simply to see Bart or deliver a message. But then. She thinks again, and the meaning of his exact words finally sinks in. In any case, she needs to ask; just to be sure, still hoping that Chuck will tell her she's wrong. "He won't be attending the board meeting?" she asks. Unfortunately the answer she's about to get is the opposite of what she hoped it would be
"Unfortunately, he won't," he replies, before explaining: "He sends his regards and asks you to forgive him for not being able to come here today. He's asked me to attend the meeting, instead…" Chuck steps closer, his eyes roaming up and down her body.
'This cannot be happening.' She's freaking out. Chuck frowns at her, obviously understanding her discomfort. Blair looks away and addresses Alison: "When the other board members arrive, show them the way to the conference room. I have something to discuss with Mister Bass first…"
"Okay, I'll do that. I'll give you a sign once they have all arrived." Alison replies, before sliding a card Chuck's way.
"No, just let them wait in the conference room. This won't take long." Blair smiles a fake smile and takes a look at the note the blonde wrote down for Chuck along with her phone number. Seriously? "I'll take that."Blair throws and icy glare her way beforeshe rips the card to pieces and throws it in the nearest bin, while she leads him towards her office. She closes the door behind her and offers him a seat in one of her antique French chairs.
"Is this room sound proof?" he wonders as he unbuttons his suit jacket and takes a seat.
"Of course." Blair answers a bit offended.
"Good." He smiles, while leaning back into the chair. He raises his eyebrows with surprise, when the chair actually sits comfortable, he wasn't expecting that because they sure don't look like they would feel so pleasurably to sit in. "That might come in handy when we Christian your office." Chuck wiggles his eyebrows at her suggestively.
"Are you on a suicide mission?" Blair wonders as she sits down herself.
"Bart told me to come here. There was no way I could get out of it without raising any more suspicion on his part." Chuck answers while taking in her office: "It's his way to show the board that there is nothing going on between us."
"Why didn't he tell me this morning, when I ran into him?" She wonders aloud, talking to herself.
"Because that would ruin his element of surprise." Chuck answers, before he continues with a shrug: "he'll probably cross exam the board members after the meeting. I was as annoyed about it as you are now, but from the looks of it I might have fun today. You look fucking hot, Blair."
"Focus, Chuck…" Blair responds annoyed.
"Oh, I'm focused." Chuck raises his eyebrows, while eyeing her hungrily.
"Keep your eyes on my face and not my chest, please…" Blair snaps her fingers in front of his face.
"You should know by now that I'm more into your neck and mouth then your chest." Chuck grins: "And boy am I going to have fun watching you talk, knowing that your little mouth and lips were wrapped around my dick at some point last night…"
"Behave yourself, Chuck…" she continues icy.
His facial expression goes from playful to honestly surprised within seconds. When did the playful Blair run out the door?
"Business always wins over pleasure, remember that, Chuck. No matter how much fun it is…" Blair growls. "If you mess this up, I'll make your life a living hell…"
"Is that a promise or a threat?"
"Both."
"Don't forget who you're talking to, Waldorf… I'm Chuck Bass. Nobody controls me…" he answers her with a rather dominant growl.
Blair raises one eyebrow as she looks at him, pouting her mouth rather arrogantly: "How sure are you about that?" Blair takes off her shoe and moves her foot, under the table, over to his groin area, making him swallow hard when he feels his blood stream to one certain part of his body at her touch.
"I have no doubt about it…"
She moves her toes a few times up and down along the fabric of his pants and smiles mischievously at him, pleased with the obvious signs of his arousal. Chuck gasps when she pushes her toes down on it, adding more pressure: "I think it's the other way around, don't you agree?" She smiles victoriously.
Chuck pushes his chair back in an attempt to escape her dominating action, making Blair's foot fall off his lap. She grins at his action that looks much like a retreat on his part, and stands up from her chair.
The moment Chuck steps out of her office Blair releases a sigh she didn't know she had been holding from the moment he appeared from behind those elevator doors. She has to maintain a fully professional focus in there. This morning, she had some nervous feelings in her stomach, but those feelings passed the moment she entered the building about an hour ago and everyone started asking her questions about sizes, patterns and fabrics, she forgot she even had those small butterflies flying around her abdomen. Her original plan to run through her practiced monologue - she had written out for the meeting – for a last time, was soon forgotten along with those nervous feelings. When she saw him arrive, they were instantly back and had tripled somewhere along the way. She wishes she could strangle them and him for that matter. It must be Karma, playing her, there is no other way to explain the current event. She has done nothing wrong, other than lying, sneaking around and having a bit out of the oh-so-forbidden-fruit that is Chuck Bass. It was her intention to woo Bart and the rest of the Bass industry board members with her extra-long monologue and now she's looking at a 2 hour rollercoaster ride through hell. She knows she can't control Chuck most of the time, but hopefully the little show she performed in here made him realise just how serious she is about this meeting and her job. She doesn't mind playing games for fun, whether it's with people, cards of feelings for that matter, but she doesn't allow anyone to play with her mother's legacy. It's all she has left.
Eleanor and Blair were never close. From the day she was born she was left in the care of her nanny. It's not surprising that Blair has always had more maternal feelings towards her nanny then towards her own mother. That's because Dorota was always there when her mother wasn't. She can't remember her mother feeding her, changing her or pushing her stroller around the park so Blair could watch the ducks. Eleanor was too busy with her company to even think about spending time with her family. Blair expected her father to have a mistress or mistresses for that matter, she never expected him to divorce her mother and remarry a French male underwear model. Blair snaps herself out of her strain of thoughts, she doesn't have time for a trip down history lane right now. She has a room full of middle aged men and one very young and attractive one waiting for her next door.
She picks the binder off her desk, checks her appearance one last time in the full-length mirror: you can't talk fashion if you don't look fashionable. The moment she enters the conference room, six heads turn towards her. The 5 middle aged men give her a head to toe look: her sleeveless skin-tight navy dress that reaches just above her knees, with the deep red shoes that match her deeply red painted lips. There's only one pair of eyes that linger longer than necessary. She throws a quick stern look his way, before greeting the other gentlemen with a smile: "Good morning gentlemen."
"We don't appreciate being kept waiting." The blond one with blue eyes speaks up.
"It was not my intention, Mister…" Blair continues with a smile, fishing for his name.
"Hastings, Roger Hastings." The man continues with a sour pout.
"I had a few fashion emergencies to attend first." Blair explains, still with a smile.
"I don't care about the fashion side of this company." He mumbles annoyed.
"That I saw the moment I walked in." Blair smiles, making Mister Hastings raise an eyebrow and also making Mister Bass smile a pleased smile. Chuck, who is at the head of the table, right opposite of her, is clearly enjoying the show, along with the other member of the board.
"Is that so?" He wonders astonished.
"I'll start with apologizing again for keeping you all waiting, I know time equals money for all of you, but you won't make any money if I don't take the time to select the right fabric for the right pattern in order to make the perfect dress, blouse or skirt." Blair explains to them all, before addressing Mister Hastings personally: "As for you Sir. I don't want to sound rude, but this season's fashion is all about bright colours clashing and wearing three types of grey it's what they meant. Not only does it make you look really pale, it also makes you look weak and sick!"
"Excuse me…?!" Mister Hastings roars, not pleased with her.
"If you allow me…?" Blair wonders. The other five gentlemen answer for him, with a nod. Chuck, who is still smirking, leans back to enjoy the show. Blair turns around and takes a look at the rack of sample fabrics behind her. While she noses around in the many samples, she continues to explain herself: "Blue would look so much better on you."
"I didn't come here to have a make-over, miss Waldorf!"
"Oh, I know." She smiles while looking back at him: "You don't have to worry, I won't charge you. This one's on the house."
"Charge me?" Mister Hastings jumps up from his seat.
Blair looks back at him: "Now that you're standing. Would you come over here?"
The man points at himself, a confused look on his face because somewhere along the way he lost control of the situation and he knows it.
"Yes." Blair addresses him: "I'm talking to you Roger. This can work one way or another: you can come up here, or I'm coming over there."
"I'd do as she says, Roger." Chuck pitches in with a smirk, before adding: "If she wants, she can be really gentle. I learned that first hand." He finishes off with a wink.
Mister Hastings narrows his eyes at Chuck, processing what he just told him. You can see him wonder when ether or not Chuck just confessed and if he did, to what exactly ?
Blair noticed Chuck's lips move and Mister Hastings with a sudden wondering look on his face; not knowing when ether he had just won the jackpot or not. Blair interrupts the moment between the two gentlemen immediately: "I won't ask again, Mister Hastings." She warns, in a stern tone like she's addresses a child. Roger sighs while standing up, he buttons up his jacket and steps towards her.
"Take of your jacket please." She asks.
"Pardon me?"
"Take off your jacket." She repeats, ordering him this time around.
"Why?"
"Because I ask…" Blair smiles sweetly at him, batting her eyelashes. The other men are watching the show from their seat in enjoyment, but there's only enjoying it all a bit too much. Mister Hastings sighs in defeat before unbuttoning his jacket once more. Blair steps l behind him and holds his jacket so it won't fall to the ground. "Now, that wasn't so hard after all, was it?" She whispers with a smile so only mister Hastings hears it. He looks behind him, a small smile on his lips. She eyes Chuck over mister Hastings shoulder. His demeanour changed, his lips now form a thin line and she can read the jealousy in his eyes. He probably witnessed the innocent, yet silent exchange between the two of them. Blair smiles at him, a devious look in her eyes when she licks her bottom lip with the tip of her tongue. His eyes are almost immediately drawn to it. She pouts her lips when the thought of teasing Chuck flashes through her mind, it would be so much fun to see him squirm in his seat, but she would have to be careful not to push his buttons too much for him to be able to control himself.
"Your shirt too please." She asks Mister Hastings, while still standing behind him, nearly whispering it into his ear. The man blushes at her proximity and she smiles when he does so. Blair's surprised with how quickly he gives in.
"Roger?!" Another man, slightly greyer and older than Mister Hastings wonders out loud: "You are aware that we are still in the room right? I know the lady is gorgeous, but aren't you overreacting a bit?"
"Oh, shut it, Andrew." Roger laughs, while he keeps unbuttoning: "I'm not trying to show off, it's at the pretty girl's request."
All men, except for one look at Blair with raised eyebrows. "It's true." She smiles. There's only one with his brows furrowed, not really enjoying this situation.
"We would much rather enjoy a striptease from you, Miss Waldorf." Andrew laughs, but she knows he means every word that just left his mouth.
"I know you would." She smiles while taking Roger's shirt off his shoulders. She folds it before putting it aside while she continues with a sweet smile and naughty gleam: "Isn't this a business meeting?"
"I'm sorry for being so rude earlier." Roger apologises.
"All is forgiven…" Blair smiles, while she comes to stand before him. She looks at him, taking in his shape and measuring his shoulders, waist and the lengths of his arms. "I must compliment you sir." She continues: "You are very well in shape. Do you work out?" Out of the corners of her eyes she can see Chuck cringe at her words, this just keeps getting better and better.
"Yes I do. Thank you for noticing." Roger blushes, while standing there in his upper undergarment.
"The shirt and jacket you wore just a minute ago are both a size too big, did you know that?" Blair wonders.
"I don't like my clothes to be too tight fitting."
"They were neither tight or fitting."
"I'll give you a size smaller and you will see that it will not only fit you better, but it will make you look more sophisticated." Blair smiles while she hands him a white dress shirt: "Put that on please?"
"Isn't that a bit plain?" Chuck wonders all of a sudden, pointing towards the white shirt.
Blair smiles at his attempt to get some attention from her. All eyes are instantly on him. "Not all of these gentlemen are as bold as you in their clothing, Mister Bass."
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Chuck retorts with a smirk.
"I never said it was." Blair narrows her eyes at him. She keeps the smile up so the other board members wouldn't notice something is up, but she knows something is up.
"I thought you liked bold." Chuck smirks devious.
"I'm always happy to see a man who feels comfortable to dress boldly, yes." Blair corrects him. Meanwhile she take the bright blue vest off the rack, holds a white, bright and dark blue checked tie against it and takes a dark blue pocket square to finish it off. "And if you are wondering, if i consider you one of those men, then the answer is yes. But I am a true believer that all men must be thought how to dress." The board members accept her answer with a smile, unaware of what could have happened.
She can tell by the look on his face that he's upset about the fact that he was unable to catch and corner her in front of the whole board. He should have known by now she's smarter than that. Blair helps Mister Hastings into his jacket. She stands in front of him to tie his tie for him.
"You know when I heard Bart tell us that Bass industries had invested into a European Fashion House, I didn't imagine the CEO to be someone like you." Mister Hastings speaks up.
"I'll take that as a compliment Sir." Blair smiles when she straightens out his tie, before handing him matching trousers:
"You can change behind the rack or in my office if you'd like a more private setting."
"The rack is fine. Thank you." He smiles as he takes the trousers out of her hands.
"Does anyone want a cup of coffee?" She wonders, when she notices one of the men, not Chuck take a glance at his watch, she immediately adds: "I can offer you something else too."
"Scotch perhaps?" Andres wonders.
Blair pulls open one of the cabinets and pulls the wooden tray forward, with a smile she presents them a wide range of alcoholic beverages.
"Now, that's more like it." The more southern looking man, sitting next to Andrew, speaks up for the first time. He then turns towards Chuck and adds with a wink: "That's what I like about those board meetings."
Chuck responds with a small raise of one of the corners of his mouth.
"Bart always hosts the best meetings." Roger adds, while putting on the trousers.
"The scotch, cigars and women…" The southern man adds, laughing loudly.
"Only when he's in between wives of course." Andrew adds eyeing Chuck, before glancing madly towards his companion who then realises his mistake.
"Some thing can not be changed, appereantly. Once envious, always envious so it seems." Chuck grins at the man, leaving Andrew speechless for a few seconds. The men all look around, anywhere but at Chuck.
"Miss Waldorf here knows a thing or two about cigars." Chuck adds with another devious smile, thrown Blair's way this time.
For a second Blair doesn't know what to say. All eyes are on her, while she's pouring scotch for everyone, including herself. Her original plan was to pass, but that changed merely seconds ago. "Yes, I must admit. I enjoy a cigar occasionally." She walks over smiling at the men, while carrying their drinks. She places all 4 men a glass in front of them and keeps Chuck's glass as the last one. She throws back the finger of scotch, she had originally poured for him and places the empty glass in front of him.
"Seeing a woman smoke a cigar is very arousing." The southern man mixes himself into the conversation once more, before Chuck stands up from his seat as he walks past Blair, who is still standing at his chair, on his way to the liquor cabinet he bumps into her and his jacket brushes against her arm. Blair looks up into his amber eyes and gives him a small glare, that he returns with a little smirk. She watches him as he pours himself a generous two fingers of scotch. She turns her attention back to the conversation at hand.
"I think it's all about the visual image it creates when a woman wraps her lips around those big cigars." Martin smiles at the thought.
She stiffens when she feels a body make contact with her backside, when the mix of his cologne and his natural musk scent fill her nostrils she can't help but relax into his chest. She hears him hum into her ear, real low and huskily: "Perhaps I should share with them how you can make figures with the smoke."
At the thought of what damage that could bring she immediately stiffens again. "You wouldn't." She answers harsh, without turning to look at them, not wanting to draw attention to them.
"You're right. I couldn't. But knowing that you are under my control now, makes it even better." He sips his drink before continuing: "Don't look so scared. You're only going to draw attention and you don't want that, or do you?"
Blair swallows hard. She wants to break the contact between their bodies, but she's trapped. The chair in front of her can't be moved any further forward and Chuck is blocking her back. The only way out is a really unnatural move sideways and she knows that's going to draw attention with one of the men in the room.
"You look like you are in need of a drink." Chuck states all calm and in control. He offers her his glass while he brings his lips close to her ear, making them brush against it when he speak: "I know you like to share." Blair takes the glass out of his hand, trying so their skin won't touch, but fails miserably as Chuck attempts to make the opposite happen.
"Ok, Martin. That's enough." Andrew pitches in, before pointing out Blair's still in the room: "There is a lady present."
Blair just took the glass out of Chuck's hands and is midway into taking a sip. "Don't hesitate on my account." Blair smiles cheeky at Martin, before taking a rather big sip. Stupid men…
"See." He gestures at her when she place the glass down on the table: "She doesn't mind. It's not one of those prude UES wives we know and sometimes love. She's French…" Martin finishes off with wiggling eyebrows.
"First off, speak for yourself. Not all the women on the UES are prude, mine isn't anyway."
"You must admit that your wife, Alexis, is an exceptional and rare species around here." Roger pitches in.
"I guess I'm lucky then." Andrew smiles.
"But she does cheat on him every chance she gets." Chuck whispers into Blair's ear, making her giggle quietly. He then continues seriously: "I like it when you giggle."
"What are you two whispering about over there anyway?" Martin puts them into the spotlight, when all heads turn towards them at his comment. Her back is still in full contact with his front and it doesn't appear that he's moving back any time soon.
"Mister Bass here was just telling me that these board meetings are usually a lot duller." Blair answers charmingly, no visual signs of her discomfort and fear.
"He's right about that." Roger adds, only now Blair notices that he's fully changed into the new suit. But Martin immediately interferes with her attempt by speaking up: "As if you two aren't on first name basis…"
"Who?" Blair plays dumb. "Us?" She wonders while pointing between herself and Chuck.
"Yes, you two. Who are standing awfully close, if you ask me." Martin continues.
"They are, aren't they?" Andrew adds.
"Gentlemen, you are behaving like teenagers in front of the beautiful lady." Another voice adds. The dark haired man has been on his IPhone the entire meeting so far. "That there is chemistry between the two was obvious from the moment she stepped into the room, by the way his eyes have been lingering on her body." He continues while pointing at Blair: "It's up to them to keep business and pleasure separated, now they obviously are very comfortable around each other, but you three have been hitting on her the moment the meeting started."
An awkward silence fills the conference room.
AN: Too all Chair fans out there, it looks like our dream is about to come true. Are the writers really going to give our beloved couple the fairytale ending they deserve? Let's hope so. Anyway they are getting all hot and heavy the first episode of the final season…
And now about this chapter: I would LOVE to get your thought on this extra long chapter, a lot is happening here after all.
A scene with Chuck and Bart, then the encounter between C and B in her office prior to the meeting.
And then the meeting, the tension between them and the cliff-hanger at the end. I know it's bad of me to do that, to keep you waiting for another week to find out what will happen next… But I couldn't resist… So tell me, what do you think should happen?
Until next week!
D.