Author's Note: Sorry about the late update, I admit I was kind of blocked when it came to writing this chapter and so I wrote some scenes that I'll probably use in future chapters, which means that hopefully I'll be getting them up quicker.

Also, thank you to everyone who has reviewed this fic so far, it is what inspires me to keep writing. I have plans for another dozen or so longer chapters, but I would greatly appreciate feedback on where you think the story should go, as well as aspects that I can improve on (punctuation, pace, etc.).

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Chuck woke up late that morning to be greeted with a throbbing headache and a loneliness that had become all too familiar. Ever since that fateful night at Victrola, Chuck hadn't been with anyone except Blair, nor had he even wanted to. He was used to string-less sex, and even took pride in it, but one night with that last girl he would have expected changed everything. Ordinarily Chuck would often wake up with at least one girl in his bed, and he couldn't remember the last time he had gone this long without.

He knew that after being with Blair Waldorf, and allowing himself to become immersed to all of the new feelings that went along with it, that no girl would ever measure up in comparison. He might as well become accustomed to waking up to an empty bed.

Chuck tried to tell himself that he regretting being with Blair, that it had all been a mistake. Not only had she possibly screwed up any future sexual experiences, but she was also his best friend's girlfriend up until less than an hour prior to their first sexual encounter. How could he have done that to Nathaniel? He tried telling Nate about Blair when he first came to him about finding out who she was seeing, but he didn't seem to notice. Nate was sure to find out sooner or later, and he knew that he could never really be forgiven. After all, he was the one who tried to convince Nate that he should be done with Blair, and intervened when he wanted to get back together with her.

Maybe he should have been honest from the beginning. Nate would have gotten over it eventually, right? And then he could be waking up with Blair in his arms right now, and everything would be how it should be. But he wasn't honest, and Blair wasn't with him.

He told himself how wrong it was to start things with Blair in the first place, how she had screwed up everything good he had going for him. His best friend, his playboy lifestyle, and even his friendship with Blair which he had taken for granted. He didn't know how he would even manage to get over her. As long as he remained best friends with Nate she would always be there. Chuck didn't know what happened the previous night behind the closed doors of their hotel room, but knew it was only a matter of time before Nate once again came to his senses. Trying to keep them apart was useless, look at how his last attempt turned out.

Chuck eventually decided to avoid both Blair and Nate for the time being, and that he would head over to Victrola that evening to check on his business venture. Maybe that would finally get his mind off of Blair. After all, he remembered her describing it as an escape.

Argh! What was he doing? He needed to stop thinking about her!

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Chuck answered the door to his suite with a towel around his waist and another hung over his shoulders. His hair was scruffier than usual and hadn't had time to dry himself properly before Blair knocked on his door. Blair couldn't help but stare as a droplet of water streaked down his abs. She contemplated to herself whether or not he often answered this door like this – no wonder he had so many conquests. Chuck was certainly charismatic but she had never taken in the full extent of his sex appeal. Nate who?

Chuck new he wouldn't be able to avoid Blair forever but he certainly didn't expect it to be her knocking on his door, otherwise he would have thought twice before answering wearing no more than a towel.

It was rare for her to see Chuck in anything other than a suit or a St Jude's uniform and Blair certainly didn't regret her decision to stop by. It was now noon and Blair had already gone home to shower and get changed into something more appropriate before going out to breakfast with Serena and returning to the Palace to knock on Chuck's door. Things hadn't exactly gone to plan the night before and instead of her movie script ending with her new leading man, she had foolishly screwed everything up and was back where she was, standing in that same doorway to make things right again. Blair had always considered persistence to be her greatest strength, she never gave up and she certainly wouldn't give up on Chuck.

"Blair I really don't –" Chuck began before Blair lunged forward, cutting him off mid sentence with a passionate embrace. She had had enough of playing the innocent girl, taken advantage by Chuck Bass and it was her turn to take control and show Chuck how she felt. After all, she was always better at show than tell and so she let her tongue take a different approach in the talking.