Chapter 23
"Thanks for coming in today Charles," Pete Holmberg waved his hand, gesturing toward the leather chair opposite his desk. "I trust you've been well."
"I'll be better once I'm back at Bass Industries," Chuck smirked, "But, otherwise, yes."
Holberg unbuttoned his suit jacket and lowered himself into his seat. He studied Chuck quietly for a moment, his lips pursed into a fine line, his expression unreadable. Lily had informed Chuck that the board was set to meet to discuss his business proposal and his future with the company, but he had yet to hear the specifics of that meeting. The elder man exhaled slowly through his nose and said, "As you surely know, I met with the board last week."
Chuck nodded impatiently. The last week had been one of the longest of his life. Each day was spent waiting: waiting for word from Holmberg and waiting for Blair to be ready for that discussion she'd promised him. Unsurprisingly, Blair had offered him a million excuses for her avoidance. Sunday, Eleanor Waldorf returned home for an unexpected visit and demanded Blair's undivided attention. On Monday, there was an emergency at the atelier, and she couldn't possibly spare a minute to meet him - she'd even canceled their weekly coffee date. Tuesday, she had a debilitating migraine and had to turn off her cell phone as it only exacerbated her pain. Wednesday and Thursday, Serena had an urgent personal crisis that she couldn't possibly handle on her own, and Blair was too good of a friend to allow her best friend to fall into a spiral. Chuck wanted to check the legitimacy of her excuses, specifically Serena's more-than-likely ridiculous and exaggerated problem, but he forced himself to give her space. She deserved time to think and sort through her feelings. Today was Friday, and his patience was growing thin. He was close to ambushing her at the atelier or, worse, at the Waldorf penthouse where he knew Louis was due to return any day.
When Holmberg called him, he jumped at the chance to meet – not only because he really wanted to get back to work and restore his legacy but because it would offer a much needed distraction from his impending conversation with Blair. He honestly didn't even know what the actual topic of conversation would be. She'd kissed him; he'd kissed her, but what did it mean? She's engaged, but they share a child. He's in love with her, but could she possibly return his feelings, or was her reaction more nostalgic than anything? At night, his mind played through hundreds of potential scenarios. His favorites ended with her in his bed, but the more practical side of him pictured a heated argument and an enraged slap to his face. It was certainly possible that Blair had been caught up in the moment, in the emotional toll of Chuck's scar and Cora's accident. After she had a chance to objectively consider the implications and recklessness of their actions, she might reject Chuck entirely. Blair wouldn't be selfish, not when Cora's feelings were at stake, and she would readily destroy any chance that they had at a real, lasting relationship if she thought that there was even the tiniest possibility of hurting Cora. Given their history, her reservations were valid, and each moment alone with his thoughts left him terrified that the sins of his past would prove to be too much to overcome.
"Charles, did you hear me?" Holmberg's gruff voice cut into his thoughts.
"Yes, sir, sorry," Chuck sat forward and concentrated on the man in front of him. Just as they had all week, thoughts of Blair had distracted him from focusing on anything else. This time, he'd completely missed what Holmberg had said. "You were saying?"
"I said," Holmberg's irritation was clear in his brash tone, "after much deliberation, the board unanimously agreed that your proposal has merit, and we would like to move forward with implementation on a trial basis."
Chuck straightened, ready to stand and offer his sincere gratitude in the form of a handshake. "That's wonder -"
"Just a minute," Holmberg raised his arm to stop Chuck, "There's a rather large caveat that we would need you to concede to before you're welcomed back. Of course, once you meet all of our terms, you will be brought back on a provisional basis."
Chuck sat back in his seat, trying to process the hidden message behind Holmberg's words: caveat, meet our terms, provisional. "Sir?"
"Your rash actions and irresponsible choices damaged this company," his frank tone grated on Chuck's nerves, but he knew it was the truth.
"And I'm fully prepared -"
"We hope so; that's why this reinstatement is conditional."
Chuck swallowed his pride and nodded in agreement, "Of course. Any terms that the board deems necessary, I will happily adhere to."
"I hope that's still true after you hear what I have to say."
XOXO
She wasn't avoiding Chuck. Her reasons were legitimate; she couldn't focus on a conversation with him about her idiotic and careless actions when so many other issues needed her attention. Okay, if she was honest, Serena's unflattering photos of her in the New York tabloids under the caption "van der Woodsen Baby Bump Watch" probably didn't require two full days of digging up dirt on the photographer to force a bogus confession that the picture was photoshopped, but she had a moral obligation as a master schemer to protect her friend from unscrupulous paparazzi hounds trying to make a quick buck, didn't she?
She'd spent the better part of the week reliving both the night in the bathroom and the morning after in Chuck's study. In true Blair form, she resorted to detailed charts outlining exactly how she had allowed this to happen. At first, she had rationalized that her kiss was an emotional response to the fear that she'd felt at losing Cora. Chuck had saved her life, and that immediately drew her closer to him. There was a certain familiarity and safety being around Chuck that brought her a sense of peace, but she knew it wasn't just that. Seeing him as a father changed something inside of her, something dormant awakened, but in a different way than she'd experienced before. His love for Cora - the way he spoke to her and encouraged her; his patience and understanding; his desire to be the best parent he could be - brought out new feelings for Chuck that she couldn't name. It was different from the passionate love she'd felt for him years ago; it went beyond respect and admiration. It was powerful and real, that much she knew.
She recalled how her throat had tightened with the realization that she was seeing Chuck's bullet wound for the first time. Something inside of her snapped, and instead of the sadness that she expected, she felt the intense need to show him all of the tenderness that he'd shown to her. She had so much she wanted to say to him, but she was at a loss for words. The only way she could communicate with him was through soft, reverent butterfly kisses that spoke the words she couldn't find: You matter, your life matters. Those kisses were symbolic of the truth she'd tried to deny for so long: I need you.
But where that need stems from was proving to be a source of confusion for Blair. Needing someone, needing Chuck specifically, wasn't a foreign concept to her. She'd needed him at Victrola, she'd needed him in the back of his limo, she'd needed him after her rejection from Yale and again when she couldn't find her place at NYU, but she'd also needed him when she was utterly alone at 4 a.m. with a squalling newborn and when a small bottle of pills seemed to be the only solution to her pain. She had needed him so many times when he wasn't there, and no amount of father/daughter dates could change that fact.
Her kiss had been careful, gentle. It was filled with adoration and affection, but it lacked passion and desire. It was certainly more of an emotional reaction than a physical one. If it had ended there, she could justify it. The events of the day had clearly influenced her actions, but the next morning was entirely different; her response was different.
When Chuck pushed her against the wall, she could see the blatant desire in his eyes; she'd seen that look of lust on numerous occasions. His touch burned straight through her silk chemise as though his handprint was seared into her flesh beneath the material. Each touch, each caress made her body sing with anticipation. She wanted him to touch her; she needed him to kiss her. His lips were warm and electric against her skin, and it had taken everything she had not to moan when his mouth finally made contact with her neck. She found herself pulling him closer, melting into his body, wanting nothing more than to return the kiss with fervor. It had taken every ounce of willpower she possessed to push him away; she still wasn't even sure how she'd managed it.
No, that wasn't true; she knew exactly what led her to extract herself from Chuck's arms. Cora was always on her mind, and for the briefest moment, she imagined what it would mean if Cora found them entangled together - how much irreparable damage that image could cause her daughter. Nothing could come of those kisses, but if Cora saw them, she would immediately entertain fantasies about their happily ever after. It would crush her, and that was something that Blair just couldn't risk.
She was ashamed to admit that it wasn't until some time later that the reality of the situation hit her: she'd cheated on her fiance. Louis always felt like an afterthought. Her mind was so focused on Cora and Chuck that she had little brainpower left for Louis, yet she was set to marry him in two month's time. She should feel guilty - and maybe that's what the dull aching in her chest actually was - but the complexity of her current emotional spiral felt heavier than obligatory guilt or even shame for betraying her vow.
When Chuck had brushed his lips across her collarbone and her eyes fluttered closed, she saw the future she had hoped for – a future where they were husband and wife still hopelessly in love years after their vows, sneaking into corners to steal kisses hidden from the view of their daughter. She imagined that as Cora entered into her tween years, she would roll her eyes at the affectionate nature of her parents' relationship, maybe even make a silly gagging noise. Behind the playful disgust, though, would be an elation for the fact that her parents expressed their love with each other so freely.
She knew that he was waiting for her to contact him, but she was terrified of what she would say to him - and what he might say to her. No matter the outcome of their conversation, this discussion would surely change their relationship, and she was scared of what that might mean. They'd finally found a comfortable routine where Cora got to see Chuck several times a week. He was as welcome at her penthouse as she was at his suite. They could enjoy each other's company without any awkward tension, but, now, there would always be an underlying question, a quiet pressure to define their time together beyond co-parenting.
She drew a ragged breath as she stepped out of her town car and onto the sidewalk in front of the Empire hotel. The door man greeted her with a welcoming, "Good evening, Ms. Waldorf. Would you like me to let Mr. Bass know you're here?"
"No, Rudolpho, that won't be necessary, but thank you." She gave him a tight-lipped smile. She felt a little guilty for ambushing Chuck without giving him ample time to prepare, but somehow she felt like this evened the playing field. She could think better if he was caught off guard. Chuck was so naturally business-minded that if he knew she was coming, he might rehearse his words. She knew he wouldn't be deceptive, but he might be more guarded in his response. She wanted honesty, a genuine discussion that came from both of their hearts, so she'd made the impulsive decision to drive straight to the Empire after her morning meeting with the design staff.
As she headed toward the elevator bank reserved for the private residences, she stopped short when she recognized a sleek and elegant figure heading in her direction. "Lily," she inquired, "what are you doing here?"
"Oh, Blair, darling," she greeted, leaning forward to kiss the brunette on the cheek. "I was just visiting Charles. Is that where you're headed now?"
"Yes," she looked away sheepishly, hoping that Chuck hadn't informed his adoptive mother of their impending discussion. "How is he?"
"Oh, you know Charles," she rolled her eyes playfully, "He doesn't say much, but turning down Holmberg's proposition is most certainly weighing on him."
Blair scrunched her nose in confusion, "Wait, what proposition?"
"He hasn't told you?" Blair shook her head, and Lily continued. "The board approved Charles's proposal to expand Bass Industries overseas, specifically with a focus in Japan, but only if he would agree to personally oversee negotiations."
"That's wonderful," Blair said quietly, feeling a twinge of pride in her chest. "Why would he reject Holmberg's offer?"
Lily frowned slightly, "Perhaps you should speak to Charles."
Blair nodded, "Of course."
Lily reached out to touch Blair gently on the shoulder, "You and Cora have brought him back to life, Blair. He's been back for almost five months, but it's been just recently that he's been himself. His spark is back, and I don't think it's any coincidence, considering how he's spent most of his time."
"It's all Cora," Blair waved her hand. "He's wrapped around her finger, just like the rest of us."
"While that's certainly true," Lily smiled knowingly, "It's not just Cora."
Blair cleared her throat impatiently, "I should be going."
Lily nodded, squeezing her hand before turning to leave. Blair shook her head of Lily's words, and pressed the 'up' button before her nerves could get the best of her. She was close to running back to her chauffeur as the door opened, beckoning her inside. She couldn't hide from Chuck; it would only complicate the situation further to keep putting it off. Louis was set to return tomorrow, and she wouldn't have as much opportunity to speak freely with Chuck. She had to do this now.
She stepped off the elevator to be greeted by the soft click-clack of Monkey's nails against the floor. She bent down to rub his ear affectionately, having already grown attached to the mutt that Cora loved so much.
"Blair," Chuck's raspy voice called from the bar top, where he held a scotch glass between his fingers. He stood, returning the glass to the surface in front of him, and her eyes were immediately drawn to the collar of his button down shirt hanging loosely around his neck, offering her a peek at the indentations of his pectoral muscles. He moved slowly toward her, and she forced her eyes back to his face as he questioned, "What are you doing here?"
"I said we would talk," she answered dumbly as she stood clutching her bag tightly in her hands. He motioned to the couch and she followed him quietly as tension filled the air between them. She felt even more awkward now than she had anticipated. "I'm sorry that I didn't call before -" Her voice trailed off into silence.
"You're always welcome here," he smirked softly, "Any time. I hope you know that." He sat on the opposite side of the couch, leaving an empty seat between them. They already felt distant from each other, and they hadn't even talked. Physical intimacy of any kind changed things between them, and now neither one seemed to know where to start.
"I do," the corners of her mouth raised a fraction of an inch in an attempted smile, but it fell short. "Chuck -"
"Blair," he sighed when she left his name hanging in mid-air. "I'm not going to pretend -"
"Why did you turn down Holmberg's offer?" She cursed herself for cutting him off when she knew he had been so close to opening up.
His head shot up, and his shoulders visibly stiffened. He narrowed his eyes at her. "How did you know about that?"
She angled her body toward his, sensing that he was close to shutting her out, searching for a reason to retreat into himself. "I ran into Lily in the lobby. Chuck, this is exactly what we talked about. You belong at Bass -"
"I belong with Cora," he snapped a little more harshly than he meant to. When Blair flinched at his words, he reached across the cushion to rest his hand on top of hers. "I'm sorry," he spoke quietly, smoothing his thumb over her knuckles. Something as simple as touching her soft skin helped calm his nerves.
"What do you mean you 'belong with Cora'? What does that have to do with -"
He exhaled, "His offer came with concessions that I'm not willing to make."
"Chuck," she sighed quietly, imploring him to lower his defenses, "I'm not following. I don't understand what you're saying."
His jaw locked tightly and he looked away from her. His voice was gruff as he answered, "He pretty much offered me a path back to the CEO seat, but the sacrifice is too great. He and the board decided that I need to prove myself capable of leading the company by spearheading the project that I proposed last month."
"Chuck," she turned her hand so that her fingers could lace with his. Somehow she could talk more openly when they were connected. "It's your work; you deserve -"
"The project is in Tokyo," he shot his eyes back to hers, and she could see the conflicting emotions outlining his features.
"Oh," she tensed slightly, "Holmberg must know that you can't leave Cora to move to the other side of the globe."
"He does," he growled, dropping her hand so that he could make his way over to the bar. He finished the rest of his scotch and explained, "The board initially wanted me to move to Tokyo for the duration of the project, which could last years, but Holmberg was adamant that that was an unreasonable request given my…situation." She didn't like him describing their daughter as a 'situation', but she let it go, assuming that he was too stressed to come up with the appropriate phrasing.
"Okay, so what's the problem if Holmberg sees the ridiculousness in asking you to leave your daughter?"
"He convinced the board that I couldn't relocate indefinitely, but they still want me to go to Japan for the initial phase of development." She watched him pour another glass, and she knew that he'd chosen their daughter over business, but it was a pricey sacrifice. All these years later, he still lived in his father's shadow; he still desperately wanted to be the man that Bart deemed him too irresponsible to become. The scars that he suffered nearly a decade earlier were just as real as the one she'd kissed on his abdomen last week.
"For how long?" She stood to join him at the bar, watching his fingers tightened around his glass until his knuckles whitened.
"Does it matter?" he scoffed.
She touched his arm, squeezing gently, willing him to relax. With her other hand, she pulled the whiskey glass from his grasp and turned his body toward her. "Yes, it does. How long?"
"Three months to start, and then I would have to return quarterly until the project is fully fleshed out."
She let her hand linger on his arm, sensing that her touch brought him comfort. Swallowing hard, she considered her next words carefully. Selfishly, she wanted him in New York, not only for Cora, but for herself, but she also knew that he couldn't live the rest of his life with no other aspirations than to be a good father. She recalled the conversation that they'd had outside of the club when she confessed that she wanted to be more than a mother, and, despite the guilt that she felt at such an admission, Chuck's eyes hadn't held an ounce of judgment, only support and encouragement. He needed the same from her now. "Three months isn't that long, Chuck. This is your future -"
"Cora is my future, Blair." His voice was sharp, but it wasn't angry. It was clear to Blair that he had already thought through every possible scenario and came up with the same conclusion each time: he wouldn't leave Cora. "Three months is a lifetime when we just found each other. She wouldn't understand."
"Chuck," she pressed her lips together, "I know that you want to be here, but you can't put your whole life on hold." The truth was that she wouldn't leave if she was in his position, either, and, honestly, she would probably be angry with him if he was willing to leave Cora so easily.
"Blair, Cora is my life. She's all I have. I am not going to do anything to jeopardize my relationship with her, to cause her to doubt me or lose trust in me. I've already done enough damage…" he stopped and sighed heavily. "It's not worth it. A business, a company - it's not worth sacrificing the person I love the most in the entire world."
She nodded, understanding dawning on her. He needed to prove to himself that nothing comes before his love for his daughter - not her, not his legacy, nothing. It was his one chance to prove that he was a changed man, a man worthy of being Cora's father. "It's okay. I get it, Chuck," she murmured softly, reaching her hand up to stroke against his temple. He closed his eyes, the day's burden wearing heavily around them. He reached his hand up to wrap around hers and brought it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss into her palm.
"Blair," he husked, his brown eyes melting into caramel pools as he fixed his gaze on hers.
She exhaled a shaky breath, "Chuck."
"Tell me to stop," he muttered, closing the distance between them, pulling her so that her body was trapped between his and the counter top. He moved his hands to trail slowly from her hips up her sides until he was cupping either side of her face in his palms. Leaning in slowly, he pressed a kiss below her ear and whispered, "Just say the words, and I'll back away." His thumb ghosted over her collarbone, causing her to unwittingly arch into him.
"I can't." Her breasts heaved beneath her silky blouse, and her entire body grew warm, heat radiating from every piece of flesh he touched.
"And why's that?" he teased, grasping her softly by the back of the neck. She didn't answer, instead she let her eyes fall shut as his hands brushed her hair over her shoulder to reveal the smooth column of her throat. He pressed an open mouth kiss to the divot between her shoulder and her neck, and smiled as she whimpered at the contact. "This sensitive spot right here," his voice was so quiet, but the vibration against her skin caused her to shiver. He laved his tongue against her prickled flesh, relishing the way she melted into him. "It drives me mad."
She tried to shake her head; she tried to tell him to stop. They needed to talk. He was being too impulsive; he was reacting to his amped up emotions from his meeting with Holmberg, and he wasn't thinking clearly. The words were lodged in her throat, though. All she could force out was a hoarse, "Chuck, please."
He stiffened for a moment before dropping his hands away from her body and taking a slight step back. "I'm sorry," he muttered, and she knew that he could read the desperation in her tone. To anyone else, it would've sounded like a plea for more contact, but Chuck could read her so well that those two words were enough to communicate her thoughts.
"It's okay; it's just -" She was cut short by a sharp ringing coming from Chuck's cell phone. He removed the device from his pocket and growled when he saw the name flashing across the screen. Blair tried to peek over his shoulder curiously. "Who is it?"
"It's Holmberg. He didn't take too kindly to my rejection."
"Answer it," she prompted softly. "Maybe he convinced the board that you don't need to go to Japan."
He gave her a look that said that that would never happen, but he accepted the phone call anyway. "Mr. Holmberg, what can I do for you?"
"Charles, I would really like for you to reconsider our offer -"
Chuck cut the older man off, unwilling to go through the whole discussion again, "I already told you, sir. I'm not interested."
"You didn't let me finish," Holmberg scolded, "Lily called each board member personally to appeal on your behalf. She must be much more convincing than I am because they have revised the stipulations to your reinstatement."
"What do you mean 'revised'?" Chuck asked skeptically.
"They're not relenting on you going to Japan, if that's what you're asking, but if you'll commit to getting the team started, heading the initial meetings, then they are willing to let you come home sooner with the expectation that you will still return to Tokyo once a quarter for no longer than a week at a time for progress monitoring." There was a momentary pause on the other end of the receiver, and then, "That's the best I can do, Charles, and I know that you have plenty of reasons to stay in New York, but I think this is a reasonable offer. Please consider it carefully."
"How long would the initial trip be?"
"It depends on how those planning meetings go, how long it takes to schedule contractors and meet with developers, but a conservative estimate is 4-6 weeks. You'll be back in time for Christmas."
"I'll have to think about it, sir," Chuck sighed, "It's a generous offer, but it's still a substantial amount of time away from my daughter."
"Of course," Holmberg agreed, "But we'll need your answer by Monday morning."
When Chuck hung up and returned his phone to his jacket pocket, Blair was teeming with curiosity. "What did he say?" she pushed impatiently.
"I still have to go to Tokyo, Blair, if I want to lead my own damn company," he was bitter, and she couldn't blame him. "But they changed the requirements to 4-6 weeks instead of three months."
"You need to do this, Chuck." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Remember last month when you insisted that I return to school because I was complacent. You were right. I applied for readmission last week. If accepted, I'll pick up evening classes in the spring. I did that because you pushed me, because you knew that I needed goals and ambition to be fulfilled. I know that the same is true about you. It's a month, Chuck. It'll be hard, sure, but we've been through much tougher times. Please do this - not just for yourself but for Cora, too. As she gets older, she'll blame herself for you giving up your legacy. She'll understand. Besides, the holidays, my birthday," she smiled, "are all coming up. We will be in France for two of those four weeks, so you wouldn't have seen Cora then anyway. So when you look at it logically, it's really only two additional weeks that you'll be away from her."
He watched her with amusement as her mind worked faster than her lips to produce all of the reasons that he needed to board a plane to Asia. He was still reluctant to leave, but Blair was right: he needed this to happen, and so did Cora. "If I do this, you have to help me come up with a way to keep Cora from hating me. I don't want her to think that I'm abandoning her all over again. The thought makes me sick to my stomach."
"You know I will," she smiled. "I will keep her occupied, and there will be daily FaceTime check-ins so that you can reassure her yourself. Of course, you'll have to adjust your schedule because of the time difference so that it doesn't mess with hers."
"And you," he poked her abdomen playfully, "Don't go getting married while I'm away."
Her entire demeanor changed with that statement; the smile fell from her face, her body stiffened. The glint in her eyes dulled as her brows furrowed together. She caught her lower lip between her teeth and looked up at him pleadingly. "Chuck -"
He grasped her hand and studied the garish ring resting atop her finger. It sparkled against the bright rays of sunshine streaming from the large window behind them as though it was mocking him: She's not yours anymore; she never will be again. She belongs to someone else now. You're fooling yourself. He released her hand, raking his own through his coiffed hair. "Don't marry him," he whispered, his voice so desperate she had to close her eyes to maintain her composure.
"Please don't do this," she shook her head, tears welling in her eyes as she felt him take her hands in his once again.
He brushed his thumb over the canary diamond, and said, "This is all wrong, Blair. You know it. This doesn't belong here."
"It's not that simple," she argued weakly, her voice breaking at the end.
He released her hands and cupped her face. "Look at me, Blair." When she acquiesced to his request, he tilted his head down so that she could see the truth hidden in his eyes. "If I thought you were truly happy with him, I would let it go. I would be content to just be in your life again, but I can see it – you're only with him because you're not with me."
"No, Chuck," she choked out as a tear slid down her cheek, "You and I had our chance. I'm with Louis now. I love Louis."
"Maybe so," he stroked his thumb gently across her cheek, wiping away the free falling tears, "Or maybe you're just comfortable with him because he's the safe choice, but he's not the right choice, Blair, not anymore."
"How can you be so sure of that, Chuck?" she challenged, her tone strong, renewed with the resolve to walk away from the mess they had created.
"Because I love you." He didn't whisper it; it was a steady, unwavering proclamation, and she couldn't help but believe him. She wanted honesty, and that was exactly what he was giving her. "I'm in love with you, Blair. That is the only thing that has remained constant in my life for the past eight years. We can make this work."
"It's too late," she denied. "If we screw up again, Cora will be the one to pay the price. I can't do that to her."
"We won't screw up again," his face contorted with emotion. "Blair -"
"Yes, we will, Chuck," she pushed away from him to distance herself from the intensity of his gaze, "It's in our blood; it's just who we are. We are better off apart."
"You can't actually believe that," his voice rose as he grew exasperated with her stubbornness, "Blair, I wasn't the only one there for those kisses."
She threw her arms up in frustration, "I kissed you back. So what? We have history, Chuck. Our bodies are naturally drawn together; it doesn't mean we should be in a relationship."
"That's exactly what it means!" He drew a deep breath to keep his voice calm. "You kissed me first, and it's because we are always drawn together - and not just physically. If I believe in soulmates, it's because of the way everything inside of me craves you. When you walk into a room, the air changes, and I know you're there. My heart beats differently when you're around, as if there's a rhythm that only yours can hear. We were made for each other." With each declaration, he stepped closer to her until he could rest his hands on her shoulders and force her to look at him once again. "I know you feel it, too."
"It doesn't matter if I do or not," she shrugged her shoulders, visibly defeated. "We can't do anything about it."
"Tell me you don't love me," he lifted her chin with his forefinger, bringing their faces inches from each other as he whispered his next words, "Tell me that you don't come alive when you're with me, that you haven't thought about what our life together could be. Tell me that I'm just another ex-lover, and I'll never mention it again."
Her silence was enough of an admission for him, so he lowered his head and captured her lips with his own. It was a hungry kiss, meant to devour her, to pour all of his emotions into this one act. She kissed him back for a moment, letting her tongue glide against his. He moaned into her mouth and pulled her body flush against his, gripping her hips so tightly it almost hurt.
Anger surged through her as her mind replayed each of his words. How dare he interfere with her life now - now that she's mere months away from marriage, now that she's finally found her path in life. She pushed him away and narrowed her eyes at him. Her icy gaze and sharp tone communicated her irritation. "No, you don't get to do this. You don't get to profess your love and turn my life upside down yet again. Cora is finally accepting the fact that we will never be together, and I suggest that you do the same."
Chuck let out an exaggerated sigh, and said, "Blair, you're scared. You're running away because you're afraid to face the future you want instead of the one you've carefully constructed."
"I'm leaving," she yanked her Lady Dior onto her shoulder, "We will tell Cora together next week. Please get these fantasies out of your head for all of our sakes."
As Chuck watched the elevator door close, he picked up the empty tumbler that was resting on the bar top in front of him and lobbed it at the wall, causing it to shatter into a million tiny fragments. He was so close; he could feel her resolve wavering, but he wasn't sure how to break through her defenses. Now, he had to try to get through to her from halfway across the world because there was no way he was letting her walk down the aisle toward another man without fighting like hell to make her realize that he should be the one standing up there instead. He knew with every fiber of his being that they belonged together, and now he just had to convince her.
A/N: It seems that my new normal is an update about once a month. Things are just extra busy, and writing takes time. I can't do it if I'm not inspired. Your reviews have made me laugh and cry. Some of them are hilarious, and I genuinely love receiving each one of them. It's still so amazing to me how invested you all are in this story. I'm so humbled. Thank you all for sticking with me during this journey.