AN: ATTENTION! I cut out a large part at the end of this chapter, because it was kicking my ass the hard way... It gave me a huge writersblock and I couldn't get past it, because i couldn't finnish what I started here in the next chapter. So i gave up after weeks of trying, because i felt bad for keeping you guys waiting this long. I truely hope I haven't lost most of you - my loyal readers and reviewers - but i'm working on that bloody chapter right now... ^^

Chapter 11

The silence is awfully painful for both of them; everyone's staring, not really waiting for them to answer, mostly assessing the situation. The men look like they're waiting for either Blair or Chuck to let some sort of emotion slip through their poker faces.

Inwardly Chuck curses himself and his behavior. He shouldn't have pushed it. He should have only kept her trapped for a few seconds, as it was his intention at first. Once he got close to her, though, he couldn't control himself any longer. The moment he stepped behind her and her signature scent filled his nostrils he was hopelessly lost. Now, he has to assess the situation and figure out how much trouble they are really in. But first he needs to find out if Blair's freaking out or not.

"Well," she starts all of a sudden, pushing Chuck away, "I'm afraid you're is right. Mr. Bass has made a lot of unsuccessful attempts to seduce me. Apparently, the rumors are right: he doesn't seem to take no for an answer. I only want our relationship to be platonic; strictly business, but he…" Looking down, she sighs a bit too dramatically, but no one other than Chuck seems to notice. "You all saw how he took advantage of today's situation. Usually, I can speak up for myself and put him in his place, but with you here…"

Chuck has to fight the urge to roll his eyes and at the same time to suppress his admiration for the woman next to him. With a few words, she has managed to present herself as the innocent girl, as his victim, while only minutes earlier she was flirting with these men. As she spoke, he watched the men's demeanor change. Some eye him skeptically, others understandable and only one speaks up: "What do you have to say for yourself?" Martin wonders.

He pouts and glares at Blair, before speaking up: "I'm Chuck Bass." He says like it explains it all, and in many ways, it does. The gentlemen relax into their seats, some rolling their eyes, some glaring at him- all very judgmental, like minutes earlier they weren't the ones attempting to make sexually based comments, playfully yet still in a demeaning and insulting way.

Blair seems to have decided that she had enough of those; immediately after Chuck speaks, she continues like nothing's ever happened, commenting on Mister Hastings – who has just finished changing- new suit very professionally, not allowing any more playful comments. If these men think they had a run for their money, they couldn't have been more wrong and Chuck knows it. That's probably why he keeps silent and simply listens to her explain every aspect of her company to them, making them agree with her so often that they look like bobble heads who keep nodding; a reaction so different to their previous ones. They seemed to think that Blair was just a girl they could do whatever they wanted with; that this was a meeting they came to only to laugh, but she has proven them wrong.

Chuck can now see that all these – even her behavior at start, and the chances for teasing it gave to the men – were part of her plan. They were her strategy; he's pretty sure that every movement she made, every step she took inside that room, was premeditated and very nicely played- he must admit. The only thing that keeps him wondering is: those little moments they had, were they also part of her plan?

He pushes the door to her office open without knocking. Blair is sitting in her executives chair behind her desk. "Hello, Chuck." Her sweet voice echoes through the room. She looks up at him with a smile.

"Isn't it Mister Bass to you?" he wonders playfully, while stepping inside. He closes the door behind him, before walking towards her with slow long strides. "We only know each other on a platonic level after all…"

"Only during office hours." She pushes herself and her chair back before standing up herself. She offers him a seat in one of the chairs in front of her desk. He ignores her and walks over to the left, towards the chesterfields. He can hear her move away from her desk and approach him, her high heels clicking with each step on the marble floor. While he's studying the large painting on the wall, she stops behind him. She moves her hands up his back towards his shoulders. "Are you upset?" she wonders.

"No."

"Good." She keeps one hand in contact with his jacket, while she steps around him so eventually she stands before him. She pushes herself up a bit more, she her lips come close to his ear, as she whispers: "I would have made it up to you, if you had said yes."

He clenches his jaw, wishing he had, but Chuck Bass never shows his feelings, much less admits to anyone that he has feelings and that they've been hurt. He wraps one arm around her waist, pulling her into his chest rather roughly. "You on the other hand, have been a very bad, bad girl." Blair, who didn't expect that move, slams into his chest, gripping onto his jacket in order keep standing as she almost trips.

"Are you going to punish me?" she wonders, a devious gleam in her eyes, before standing up straight again. She makes a quarter turn and pulls Chuck with her as she still holds on to his jacket.

"Is that an invitation?" Chuck smirks at the thought. He now realises she has turned him so his back is facing towards the glass wall and since he's taller than her, no-one can see her standing in front of him.

"There's only one way to find out…" he suggests huskily.

Blair bites her bottom lip in response, before grinning widely. If it weren't for those stupid glass walls, he would have pushed her down on that chesterfield about three sentences ago. His willpower to contain himself grows weaker by the second. They survived that board meeting, and blowing it now would be really,really, stupid.

"Why did you bother getting glass walls?" he wonders with a frustrated groan.

"Because I like to watch…" she responds, and he can tell she's waiting to see which triggers that sentence sets off inside his mind. He tries to swallow the thought, but feels his body respond within seconds to the image that particular thought creates in his mind. She pushes her own body into his, before adding: "…everything that happens out there. It leaves me in control all the time." He's pretty sure that she's sending the mixed message on purpose, and that it isn't just his mind playing tricks on him.

A knock on the door startles him, or them perhaps- he's not entirely sure. "Yes?" Blair calls out, stepping aside, so she can she who's knocking. "It's just Jenny," she whispers as if she southing, relaxing him, while she clips his tie back onto his shirt.

"Jenny, you remember Mister Bass?" Blair introduces him, forcing him to turn and face Jenny. He sends a polite nod her way.

"We've met before." Jenny smiles politely at him, before turning her attention back to Blair and continuing to speak: "The modeling agency just called, they would like to move the screening up to today."

"That's great!" Blair smiles. "When are they expecting us?"

"In fifteen minutes."

"Be ready in five and make sure that everyone has work until we are back." Blair walks away from Chuck and steps behind her desk.

The moment Jenny has closed the door Chuck looks back at Blair: "If you want I could accompany you. So Jenny can stay here and control the office until you are back

"That's really kind of you to offer." Blair smiles, looking up from her computer screen straight into his amber eyes: "But I prefer another female opinion for this particular screening."

Chuck furrows his eyebrows at her, not fully comprehending the situation.

"We are screening for male models today," she explains further; he clearly didn't hide his confusion well. Blair takes her handbag from underneath her desk and grabs her summer coat from the hanger by the door.

"Male?" he wonders, the moment the word leaves his lips, he connects the dots and realises that it's for the secret project. The thought of her going to look at all those perfect looking guys, with their fake brown tans, over the top muscles… She could easily be tempted to take one for a test-drive and if he's not there with her, there is nothing he can do to control the situation, or her for that matter.

"Shouldn't a board member be attending too? To make sure Bass industries agrees with the look you're creating?" He wonders while she waits for him to step into the hallway, so she can lock the door to her office behind him.

"Well played, Chuck. But no." Blair smiles at his attempt, before whispering: "Bass industries doesn't know about that yet. Remember?"

"But I do and I'm a board member." He grins at her.

"I'll let you know who I've decided to use after I screened him myself. Don't worry, I'll be very thorough."

Chuck pouts his lips in annoyance and without realising she has lead him outside her office and has put him in inside the elevator, making him leave.

"Ugh!" Blair groans, stretching her back. The chairs at the modeling agency are hip, modern and good-looking, but they're far from comfortable. Blair, accompanied by Jenny, has been looking through one portfolio after another.

"Have you seen one you like so far?" Jenny wonders with a tired sigh.

"Nope." Blair looks around, trying to locate a coffee machine: "I need coffee."

Immediately the girl that's sitting behind the reception desk jumps up and walks over, wondering what kind of coffee they would like.

"We need someone like her," Blair tells Jenny after ordering a Latte Macchiato, gesturing towards the brunette running off to get them their desired cup of coffee, "Instead of that dumb bimbo we have."

"What do you have against Alison?"

"I think she's unprofessional, ignorant, and the moment I see her my blood starts to boil," Blair answers with a huff.

"Perhaps her flirting with Mister Bass has something to do with it?" Jenny wonders with a smile.

"No. Why would you think that?"

"No reason," Jenny answers sarcasticly.

"Is there something you want to get off your chest, Miss Jenny?" Blair wonders very seriously all of a sudden, pouting her lips as she crosses her arms.

"You act as if I'm attacking you, which I'm not…" Jenny responds, holding her hands up in a surrendering position.

Blair eyes her suspiciously.

"I was just wondering what your motives where behind you ripping that card she tried to pass him."

"You saw that?" Blair wonders.

"Yes, I did." Jenny nods. "The whole office did."

"I did that because it was totally unprofessional of her!" Blair fumes, all worked up all of a sudden. "Am I really the only one bothered by that whole situation?"

"Parentally." Jenny confirms with a small smile, before adding: "I must agree; that action was totally unprofessional of her to do."

"Thank you!" Blair throws her arms up dramatically, yet relieved. The assistant returns with their coffees. Blair sniffs the aroma of her Starbucks coffee, before taking a long sip.

Mmm…

"But I'm not as frustrated about it as you are. Which leaves me to wonder… Are you dating him?"

Blair almost chokes on a sip of her delicious coffee, utterly surprised by Jenny's question. She coughs loudly. What's wrong with everybody today? It feels like they are all placing them into the spotlight. She glares at Jenny, before answering coldly: "My relationship with him is strictly professional, not that it's any of your business. Perhaps it'd be better for me to continue this search alone."

Jenny takes her purse and jacket quietly. "I'll see you back at the office then," she says before heading out. Blair simply nods, without looking up, as she continues to turn pages in the large photo books endlessly.