Just warning you this chapter won't end the way you may have thought. Enjoy.
Nate did not disappoint as he picked me up even early for his event.
"You look stunning." Nate can't stop checking me out as he helps me into the limo.
"Thank you, Nate. You don't look too bad yourself."
"I mean if there's one way to make someone jealous you definitely doing it in that dress."
"Nate, enough with the compliments. You need to save some of them for when we're in front of the woman you want to make jealous." Nate takes my hand and holds it the whole way. The moment we step out the cameras are in our faces asking for millions of photos. Some even asked if Nate and I are together. Nate's only response was placing a kiss on my cheek. I didn't stop him and I don't think I wanted to.
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Charlie's POV
"Have either of you seen Nate?"
"And if we did we wouldn't tell you." Penelope can always be so bitchy. Just then we turn to see all the photographers flashing their cameras at none other than Nate with Ella Bass at his side. I knew they were close friends but the way he held her and kissed her cheek made me think differently.
"How are we supposed to compete with Ella? She's already one of Blair's maid of honors!"
"It's game on." Penelope goes to work out her strategy to get a kiss from Nate. I decide the best way is to work the charm. I'm friends with both Ella and Nate so it won't be weird for me to hang around them for the night and when the times right I'll be the one kissing Nate and being a bridesmaid.
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Ella's POV
"Wow who knew these offices would be so huge." I admire Nate's place of work.
"I mean it's no Bass Industries, but it does the job."
"Now where is this woman you want to make jealous so badly?" I peer around wondering who the beautiful woman that caught Nate's eye.
"Um, this is where you're going to judge me a little, because..."
"Nate!" Nate and I are brought apart as Jessica from Columbia are jumping next to us with excitement and being all over Nate. "These offices are so big. You have to show me yours." Nate is one of the sweetest guys I've ever known. He reached for my hand as he leads Jessica and me to his office for a tour.
"Oh, I'd love to. Yeah, we got a lot of uh..."
"There you two are." Nate and I turn our heads to see Charlie. I hug her happy to see her since the fashion show. "I've been looking for you two everywhere."
"Well, you'll have to keep looking. Nate just promised me a tour."
"Oh! Of the office. I'll come with." Charlie grabs Nate's other hand and begins leading us but Jessica is upset for some reason because her already shrill voice keeps getting louder.
"No, I wanna see your Spectator, not hers. Sorry, Charlie." Jessica takes Nate's hand from Charlie and begins forcing him away from her. I laugh at their childish behavior. Nate keeps holding on my hand as Jessica leads us away. "Ooh, is that a Hellman-Chang table? Ahh! Hmph!" Nate and I are in shock as Jessica runs off clutching her hands to her chest to keep her dress from falling down.
"Well, this just got interesting."
"Come on I want to introduce you to some of my friends." I let Nate lead me over to some of his coworkers who couldn't believe Nate even knew me.
"Archibald, I know you said you knew some important people, but you never said you knew Ella Bass. You are beautiful and I'm not going to lie I loved your SI shoot." I've gotten used to people only thinking me as an object, but it doesn't' mean I'm okay with it.
"I hope you were more impressed with my business skills and charity work than my modeling." The two men grow silent. "I mean I know the Sport's Illustrated Swimsuit is more entreating for you than children's relief network or Domestic Violence Help centers, but I like to think I offer the world more than a great ass." Nate is beaming with joy.
"I told you guys she's different than what everyone says she is."
"You were right Archibald this one is a spitfire. The only thing that surprises me is that she agreed to be your date." Nate's friends tease him. They continue to tell me work jokes and the crazy things they've seen on the job.
"Nathanial what a surprise to see you with my sister of all people."
"Chuck, it's good to see you." I hug Chuck and he kisses my temple.
"What are you two doing here together?"
Well, um it's not what you think me..."
"Nate is dating a woman here and she doesn't want their relationship to go public and I agreed to help make her jealous by being his date."
"And that's all?" Chuck raises his eyebrow at the two of us.
"Chuck if you want to ask something go ahead and ask it." I tease.
"Okay. Nathanial, are you sleeping with my sister." Nate has to pat my back as I begin to choke. Chuck smirks at my reaction. "I rest my case."
"You rest nothing because other than that one kisses we haven't done anything."
"Yet sister. You two haven't done anything yet and..."
"Let's do this." Penelope shows up out of nowhere and gets all in Nate's face. He averts her actions and she falls into the arms of one of the waiters.
"Penelope! What did I tell you about consorting with the help? You're dismissed." I hear Blair order and I can't help but laugh at the weirdness of this night.
"What place do you work at Nate?" I joke.
"Apparently, a crazy place." A glass is clinked and we see a woman calling everyone to attention.
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"I know the night's still young and the bar's still open. But I wanted to take a moment to thank everybody for coming. It means so much to me to know that if a bomb went off right this second, New York media would be over." We all laughed at her joke.
"Thank you again for being my date. I've really enjoyed being out with you and having you meet my friends."
"Are you sure it has nothing to do with the woman you want to make jealous?"
"If I'm being honest I gave up on making her jealous the moment I picked you up." Nate holds my hand and I can't stop but think how good it feels to hold his.
"Are you saying you still wouldn't want to make her jealous now?" I ask innocently.
"I mean I..."
"There's one thing we haven't' done that will defiantly make her head turn and I'm okay crossing that line if you are?" Nate doesn't even nod his head before his mouth swoops down to capture my lips in a kiss that I remember greatly. This kiss was filled with such passion more than I ever felt with anyone. I couldn't help but cup his face maneuvering his head to change the angle of our kiss. We didn't go for a full out make out, but it defiantly wasn't a peck.
"So, with apologies to my other esteemed editors, starting tonight, I'm gonna be poaching your best reporter's ad stealing all your best stories."
"I have a story for you." We all turn to see Chuck walking through the middle of the room.
"So, let's hear it, Mr. Bass."
"My therapist, Dr. Eliza Barnes, has been using hypnosis to coerce me into performing unspeakable acts." This is the first I've heard about Chuck seeking professional help.
"I am Dr. Barnes, and I promise you that none of this is true." A lady appears from the crowd and approaches Chuck carefully. "it's okay, Chuck. You're in a very vulnerable psychological state right now."
"I wonder why. Maybe because I just found out you were taking money to reveal confidential information about me."
"Now that's a story I can't print. If you have proof."
"Chuck, stop. Why are you doing this?" Blair is asking Chuck.
"If you don't believe me, you should ask your fiancé. He's the one who paid her."
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"Can either of you believe what just happened?" Charlie joins us.
"I honestly had no idea this was going on. Let alone that my brother was speaking to a professional about his problems."
"Yeah, and Louis paying for all of it to happen is..."
"Sorry, Charlie you didn't win Blair's completion." Nate's boss comes over to us.
"What competition?" I ask Charlie.
"Oh, they don't know. Charlie was competing to kiss you to win a chance to be one of Blair's bridesmaids and report it for the spectator. She just didn't expect you to be kissing a supermodel."
"Charlie is this true?" I ask in disbelief. Why would she do something like this?
"Believe me it's true."
"Why would you want to use Charlie like this anyway? Don't you have better things to gossip about?" Diana smirks at me.
"I've heard about you, Ella Bass. Headstrong, beautiful and intelligent."
"And your point is."
"I'll let Nate here say the rest. Don't you want to show your friend the rest of office, honey?" I quickly turn to Nate who is raking his fingers through his hair.
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"You're seeing your boss?" I ask quietly.
"I bet you didn't see that coming Ella. Well, Nate keep enjoying the party and Charlie better luck next time.
"Ella, let me explain."
"Then explain. You wanted me to come here after I basically said I left a long-term relationship to give us a shot just so you could parade me at your work to make your boss jealous!"
"You didn't seem to mind when I told you I was seeing someone ! Just because I didn't tell you she was my boss doesn't change anything."
"No, it changes everything, Nate."
"But it doesn't have to."
"This is you and Catherine all over again and Diana is just using you for your contacts and for sex. What else do you see with her?"
"She was the perfect distraction to get over you."
"I bet she is, but how long am I supposed to wait while you have fun with your boss."
"Like you said it's your turn to wait for me."
"I meant for you to have mature adult relationship not get lost in child's play!"
"Ella, you can't drag me around all these years and just expect me to drop everything for you. You're sounding a lot like Serena thinking that the world revolves around you!"
"I'm perfectly aware that the world doesn't revolve around me! But what I want you to get through your stubborn head is no. I don't expect you to drop everything for me, but I do expect for once just use your freaking head Nate and not let your dick guide you through life. Maybe if you woke up once an a while and realized we're adults, then you wouldn't be getting involved with another cougar who is your freaking boss!"
"Well, anything's better being a girl her dumps a guy as he proposes to her. Who in their right mind does that?" I slap Nate across the face and I'm not sorry for doing so.
"The same girl who was wrong for opening her heart to someone who's still a child."
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I haven't spoken to Nate since the Spector launch party. I know I shouldn't have expected him to move on with his boss, but I feel like it would have hurt less if he moved on to someone more appropriate and right for him. Not saying it had to be me, but someone who wasn't another older powerful woman who was just using him for sex. I've known women from working in modeling who always have younger boyfriends and that's fine. They're happy then I'm happy. I'm not okay with women of power who exploited their younger employees to have sex with them and toys with their feelings. The only thing I thought when I officially met Diana was she was another Catherine, right down to the British accent. Couldn't Nate change it up a bit and actually date someone who is good for him and not just dick around. It makes me question opening up to him about my feelings in the first place. I wonder if I made a mistake believe Nate could be ready. I left a safe relationship with Val to give Nate a chance and here he is showing me that I was wrong. He hasn't grown up in the way he should pursue a serious relationship, he's still acting like he did when he was seventeen.
Don't worry Nate and Ella aren't over just yet. There will be more of them to come and for the Val and Ella shippers just stay tuned. He and possible Carter will make an appearance before this book is completed.