19 April 2007
TICKETS TO A PLAY
Cuddy stared at House, speechless.
"Forget it. I was just trying to unload some tickets." House grumbled and looked down at the floor below.
"Like the ones you unloaded on Wilson?"
"He told you I gave him those tickets?" House was gonna kill him.
"He mentioned it."
"He lied." House didn't think before he spoke. He was usually much better at doing that.
"Why would he lie about that?" Cuddy would never understand men.
"He probably didn't want you to think it was a real date. Save face if you told him he was a loser." House wished that was how that date had gone.
Cuddy leaned over to look House in the face as she spoke. She wanted to see his reaction. "It wasn't a date House." Was that relief flickering across his eyes? "Were you worried that it was?"
"Nah. I just want the poor boy to get laid. He's had a rough few months, but then I remembered how needy you can get and..."
"I'm not needy." There was a chuckle in her voice.
House cleared his throat. "A little to the left, no, lower, that's it, now deeper, harder, harder! It was like being in boot camp."
"I don't recall you complaining at the time." Cuddy looked up and down the hall. They were still alone.
"I didn't want to be rude." He smiled.
"You didn't want to be stopped, or was that someone else shouting MORE, MORE!"
"No, that was me." House almost blushed.
"I'd be happy to go to the play with you House." Cuddy smiled before heading down the hall. She stopped and turned back. "I'm curious to see if Wilson was lying when he said you only take women to plays because you'll get to see them naked afterwards." She walked away before he had a chance to respond.
House came barging into Wilson's office. "You told Cuddy what I said about seeing her naked?" He looked at the crying woman on the couch beside Wilson, very close beside Wilson. "Hi." He nodded at her as she burst into more tears.
"Would you excuse me Mrs. Wallace?" Wilson got up and dragged House out into the hallway. "Her husband just died."
"Did you?" House ignored Wilson completely.
"I might have mentioned it." Wilson thought back over the evening. It was a nice time. Better than his first 'date' with Cuddy, even if they did spend most of it complaining about House.
"You idiot! Why did you do that?" House searched his friend's body language for answers he wouldn't get with words.
"I don't know. We were talking and it just came up. Wait, why do you care anyway?"
"I don't," House lied.
Wilson's Hous-dar was on maximum detection. "You're lying." He tried to think like House. "You didn't? Tell me you didn't."
"Didn't what?" House played dumb.
"Tell me you didn't ask Cuddy to a play."
"I didn't ask Cuddy to a play." House spoke like he was reading a teleprompter.
"Now tell me the truth."
"I asked her to a play." House grinned like an idiot.
"You want to see her naked," Wilson gloated.
"Duh! She's hot. Of course I want to see her naked, don't you?"
Wilson thought about it, and as soon as the image started appearing in his head, he shook it out. "She's a friend."
"You don't want to see her naked because she's your friend?" House would never understand women. "Does this mean you don't want to see me naked?"
"Ewe!" Wilson looked anywhere but at House, and tried to imagine anything but House's naked body.
"You're my friend, and I want to see you naked." House looked Wilson up and down, and imagined Cuddy standing in his place. He smiled.
"Bigger ewe!" Wilson hurried back into his office. House could hear the lock click into place. He grinned as he strolled down the hall.
Cuddy met House at the theatre. She had seen him drive before, and wasn't about to get in a car with him.
"It's about time." House looked at his watch. "If we hurry we can still grab some popcorn before the curtain goes up."
"This isn't a movie theater House." Cuddy handed her coat to the coat check while House checked her out. That shade of lavender really suited her.
"What am I supposed to throw at the stage?"
"Oh, come on." Cuddy grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to their seats.
The play was some dull revival of some play House had avoided seeing the first time around. "You're not actually enjoying this are you?" House asked as the curtain dropped for intermission.
"It's..." Cuddy searched for the right words.
"You hate it." House gloated. "Well, since I'm such a nice guy, I will forego the rest of the play, and we can go get something to eat."
"You're still not going to see me naked."
"McDonald's it is then." If he wasn't getting a return on his investment, why should he invest more than 5?
"No, you're taking me to a restaurant." He started to say something, but she stopped him. "A real restaurant, with tables and chairs and waiters and a wine list."
"It hardly seems worth it, if I'm not going to get to see a little something." House sulked.
"If the food is good, maybe I'll flash you a breast."
House smiled. She was cracking. "The Stone House it is then." The Stone House served the best seafood in the state.
House insisted on ordering for her. He made sure they had an oyster appetizer. He wasn't taking any chances. Then he ordered calamari, because he remembered it was her favorite.
"Thank you." Cuddy was impressed. She had wanted the lobster, but she loved calamari, and House probably didn't want to spend the money on lobster, though he did get himself a surf and turf dish.
"So, House, why are you suddenly determined to get my clothes off?" She leaned across the table.
"I'm worried about you." House leaned in too.
"Worried about me?" Cuddy backed away. House was getting too close.
"Yes. You can't possibly be getting good blood circulation with those constricting outfits of yours. I'm worried you might drop dead any moment."
"Funny." She wasn't amused.
"Just doing my job." House stuffed his mouth with steak.
They fell into a comfortable silence filled mostly with chewing and small comments about how good the food was. House ordered another round of drinks.
"Is that creepy old donor still trying to get in your pants?" House spoke with his mouth full.
"Which one?" Cuddy was used to House's twisted mind, the question didn't faze her at all.
"Oh, right, I forgot, you've got legions of men trying to get you undressed."
"At least two." She smiled and her face lit up. She looked beautiful in the low light of the restaurant.
"The one with the Mets tickets." House fumbled with his drink.
"Yes."
"Good, can you score me and Wilson some tickets? I promised I'd take him to a game." House watched her face fall a little.
"Sure." She tried to hide her disappointment. She gave herself a mental kick. Don't fall for him again!
They talked about baseball for a while. Spring break was over and the season had officially begun. The Yankees had just lost one of their star pitchers, which was cause for them to share a toast.
"What's going on with Chase and Cameron?" The baseball talk had slowed, so Cuddy changed into a new subject.
"Why? Still hoping to catch them in the act?"
"Of course not." Cuddy protested. "I had a little chat with Cameron. I was just wondering if it did any good."
"She broke his heart, so if that's what you were going for, then yeah, your little chat did a world of good."
"She broke his heart?" Cuddy found that a little hard to believe. She only saw the pair in small doses and had things quite the wrong way round.
"Yep. She used him, then tossed him away like a snot covered tissue."
"Nice visual." Cuddy put down her fork. She suddenly wasn't quite as hungry as she was.
"You know, if I hadn't blown it, she would have gone all nympho on me instead of Dr. Studmuffin."
"You're loss." Cuddy tried to hide her glee. She couldn't even imagine walking in on House and Cameron getting down and dirty in a storage closet. A shiver of horror ran through her spine.
"Cold?" House looked at her blankly.
"No." She didn't care who House got friendly with. Really, she didn't. She had no right to. She didn't care at all. It was his business. Not hers. "What?" House had called her name again.
"Ready to go?" House was standing up, looking down at her. He could almost see down the front of her dress.
Cuddy got up. She could feel his eyes burning into her bare flesh. "Thanks for dinner." For a brief moment she thought she should kiss him on the cheek. She fought the urge, instead walking past him and toward the door.
They waited outside for their cars.
"Are you okay to drive?" House looked at her. She'd had more than one amaretto sour during dinner.
"I'm fine."
"Well, I'm not too sure that I am." House swayed into her, and enjoyed the feeling of her catching him before he fell. "Can you give me a lift?"
Cuddy knew exactly what he was up to, but he had had quite a few drinks. "Fine," she answered against her better judgment.
When they reached his apartment, he pretended to be really out of it. It was the surest way to get her into his apartment. She got out of the car and walked over to his door. She wrapped one arm around his waist and pulled him out of the car. House stumbled dramatically as she led him down the path.
"I need your key."
"Is inmy pocket," House slurred.
"You can drop the slurring." Cuddy sighed, and began digging in his coat pocket.
"Not coat. Pants." House grinned as he felt Cuddy's slender hand slide into his front pants pocket. "Other pocket." House smelled her hair as she leaned across him to check his other pocket.
"House," Cuddy used her stern, administrator tone, "where is the key?"
House reached into one of his coat pockets, the one she hadn't gotten to yet, and pulled out a keychain. Cuddy grabbed it out of his hand. "I am going to kill you one of these days."
"I look forward to it." House mumbled.
Cuddy sighed heavily, shook her head, and opened the door. She walked House in and practically threw him on the couch.
"Hey! Careful. This couch is expensive." Of course he'd gotten it free. It was Wilson's old couch. Wilson had a rule, new wife, new furniture. House got first pick of the outgoing items.
"You're home safe and sound. I'm leaving now." Cuddy turned to go. House grabbed her arm.
"I need help getting to bed."
"No you don't." She pulled her arm free. House grabbed it again.
"How about a night cap then?"
"Just one." She knew it was a bad idea. She also knew he wouldn't take no for an answer, so she sat down and decided to ride out the one drink.
"You want soda with yours?" He asked over his shoulder.
"Please."
House poured a drop of soda in the glass, then filled the rest with his best Irish whiskey. He picked up the two glasses then looked at his cane, leaning against the counter. Crap. He put down one glass and picked up his cane. Now he looked down at the rejected glass. Crap. He put his cane against the counter again and went to pick up the glass but a slender arm reach out from behind him and pick up it up first.
They walked back to the couch slowly. House made sure to be a few steps behind her so he could enjoy the view. "I hope it's not too strong." He knew she had a competitive streak. If he played his cards right, he could get her into a drinking contest.
"Of course it's too strong. You're trying to get me drunk." She took a sip and made a face.
"Is it working?" He asked hopefully.
"I think so." Her head was spinning. She told herself there was nothing to worry about. She knew better. She couldn't trust House. Even if she could, she wasn't sure she could trust herself.
"Good." House leaned back on the couch, slipping one arm around over her shoulders. This was going to be easier than he thought.
They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes. Both their minds were playing out the scenario in their heads, the pros and cons of what was about to happen. "It really wasn't so bad," House commented randomly.
"What?" Cuddy turned to look at him, puzzled.
"Us. Together. It wasn't the worst night of your life, was it?" House felt confident that it wasn't.
"No," she smiled at the memory.
"Then why did you end it?" House made a 'drink up' sign at her, and she drained her glass.
"I'm your boss. I can't go around sleeping with employees." She watched him get up and walk into the kitchen.
"Well no, not ALL of them." He came back holding the whiskey bottle. "Just me." He grinned.
"It's not that simple House." She watched him fill both glasses. He hadn't bothered pretending to put soda in hers this time.
"Only because you won't let it be." She frustrated the hell out of him sometimes.
"That's why I don't have a boyfriend." She said regretfully.
He looked at her. "You could have any man you want, but you keep pushing them all away."
She thought about this. "Why do you think that is?"
"Because you want me," House answered with drunken honesty.
"Could I have you if I wanted you?" Her words fell out of her mouth like clumsy children.
"Of course." He put his arm back around her.
She was looking at him with deep concentration. He had changed so much in the past ten years. He was a little older, but he had aged well. He was a little scruffier, but it suited him. The only bad change was that he was a lot more bitter than he was then, too bitter. She couldn't let that kind of energy in her life, not anymore than she already had.
House noticed the change in her face. The glow was gone. "What are you thinking now?" He furrowed his brow. Whatever it was, it wasn't working in his favor.
"I want you to kiss me, right now." She never would have said that had she been sober, and she wasn't drunk enough to make the first move.
"Whatever you want boss." House leaned in. He hesitated for a moment before pressing his lips to hers. This was a bad idea, but it felt sooo good.
Cuddy was momentarily confused. She felt like she was supposed to be doing something, pushing him away, protesting, something. Instead, she sank into his arms and allowed her tongue to slide between his parted lips. He tasted good, despite the strong flavor of whiskey, he tasted very good.
House wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. She felt good in his arms; warm and soft, and very comfortable. He could really get used to holding her like this.
Cuddy closed her eyes. She wanted to concentrate on the feeling of his tongue dancing around in her mouth, his hands exploring her body, fumbling with the zipper of her dress. She ran her hands across his chest. It was a strong chest. She could feel his muscles twitching under her gentile touch. Suddenly she tore at his shirt, ripping it wide open and sending several buttons flying across the room.
"Hey!" House protested. Wilson was not going to like it when he returned the shirt with half the buttons missing.
Cuddy started to giggle. The alcohol and the effects of his kiss were going to her head. "I'll buy you a new one." She continued to pull the shirt off him. He didn't protest any more.
"You certainly will. Now, mind helping me with this thing?" House tugged on the zipper. He'd been quite unsuccessful in unzipping it. He must have had more to drink than he thought.
Cuddy got to her feet. She stood in front of him, looking down with a little smile. Her arms wrapped around her back and slowly unzipped the dress. House could see the dress loosening as the zipper went further and further down. Then, like a woman who has done this many times before, she let the dress slowly slide off her arms, down over her hips and onto a pile on the floor. She stepped out of it easily and paused for a moment, for him to enjoy the view.
He would have been lying if he said he wasn't fully appreciating her efforts. He couldn't have denied it if he wanted to. The growing bulge in his pants gave him away.
She was wearing a red lacy push up bra and matching thong. He could see a hint of her dark curls through the lace. She also had those thigh high stockings on, the kind that stayed up on their own, which was a pity, because House had a soft spot for garter belts. They were just so sexy. Not that he was complaining.
Cuddy moved in closer. He yearned to touch her, he reached out his hands but she pinned them down. This forced her body to bend toward him, giving him a nice view of her cleavage as it hung inches from his face.
In one graceful move, she was on top of him, her long, lean legs straddled his hips. She released his arms and kissed him deeply. His freed hands instinctively grabbed at the clasp on her bra. Once her breasts were free from the confines of her bra, House covered them once more with his own large hands. They fit perfectly, and he had a good time squeezing them and pushing them together. Cuddy didn't try to stop him. She was too busy sucking on his neck like a hungry vampire.
"Are you sure?" He asked, hoping she said yes.
"Shut up House." She shoved her tongue into his mouth to make sure he didn't speak again, and groaned contentedly.
Eventually House broke free from her kisses, and let his own mouth work its way down her neck, and across her chest. His tongue danced across her nipples, first one, then the other, as he felt her respond to his every move.
He felt her hands sliding across his chest, and he moaned. How embarrassing. Real men didn't moan. He tried to think of something unpleasant. He had to, to avoid an explosion. That would have been even more embarrassing.
Cuddy undid his pants with ease. Had she been practicing? House shook the thought off. It was too unpleasant. She leaned into him and began to slide off her panties without getting up. That was a neat trick. He smiled in admiration. The woman had mad skills.
She slide down off his lap and onto her knees. Oh Boy! House tried to imagine drowning puppies. Drowning puppies without throbbing hard-ons. Drowning puppies being bludgeoned over the head with…was she pulling off his boxers? House's attention was completely diverted from the drowning puppies. The puppies were very happy about that.
House helped by raising his bottom up an inch as she tugged on his boxers. He'd worn the good ones, just in case; blue, to bring out his eyes. She didn't seem to notice. He now found himself sitting naked on the leather couch. That was going to get uncomfortable. He tried not to think about the time he made Wilson pee on that very same couch. Trying not to think about it only made him think about it more.
"Follow me." House got up and took Cuddy's hand. He'd had enough to drink that the pain in his leg was almost completely numbed. This was good, given the amount of exertion it was going to be making tonight. Still, he couldn't manage to abandon his limp. Yeah, that was real sexy House, naked man with a big old scar and a limp. The chicks really dug that.
Cuddy saw his fallen face and walked a little ahead of him, turning to face him. She pulled him along, until their bodies collided and she kissed him the rest of the way into the bedroom. This worked. The last thing House was now thinking about was limping.
He pushed her down onto the bed. "Now, isn't that more comfortable?" He asked her, sliding the shoes and stockings off her.
"Much." She purred.
Once she was completely naked, House slid onto the bed beside her. He began kissing his way up her body, along her smooth legs, across her flat stomach, over the swell of her breasts…
"You know I'm going to hate you in the morning," she smiled sweetly at him.
"That's a risk I'm willing to take." He sunk into her, pressing his weight against her body. He felt her arms wrap around him, her hands slid down his back until each hand was cupping one of his surprisingly firm cheeks. She gave them a good, hard squeeze and House thought he might just die, right then and there.
She felt him brush against her leg. He was hard. "Impressive," she smiled, letting one hand slowly wrap around his shaft.
"Why thank you, I do what I can." He smirked. God he loved this woman. Oh, shit, had he said that out loud? No. Whew, that was close.
House was propped up on one elbow. In the light from the open door he could see her milky white skin glowing. He ran a finger along her leg. She shivered at his light touch. "Don't tease me House."
He smiled as his fingers slid into the tangle of hair between her legs. He saw her legs slowly separate without a word. He leaned in and kissed her inner thigh gently as his finger slipped inside her. She arched her back as his fingers explored her deeper. She opened her legs even more. She wanted him. It was time to make his move.
House climbed carefully on top of her, hesitant to put pressure on his bad leg, but determined to fuck her like a real man. He was thankful to see she'd closed her eyes. She couldn't see the shot of pain run across his face.
He felt himself grow even harder as he nestled gently between her parted legs. He sat up, his hard cock now pressing hard against her hot, moist pussy. He looked down at her perfect body, waiting for his touch. She was his. He could see it in her eyes. He could feel it in her touch as her hands ran up and down his thighs.
"Do you want me?" He asked seductively.
"Yes," she breathed longingly.
"Do you love me?" He…CRAP! What the fuck was that?
"Yes," she whispered, her eyes moistening with the threat of tears.
Smooth, House, he thought to himself. His body fell onto hers in defeat. He couldn't do this now.
"What do you mean you can't do this?" She yelled when he admitted the horrible fact to her.
"You're drunk." He brushed his hand against her smooth cheek. She pulled her head away from his touch.
"That didn't stop you last time."
"That was different." He hadn't gone and opened his big mouth and inserted his bigger foot last time.
"Because I said I love you?" She challenged him to deny it. "Well, I don't care. I want you to take me, right now." She grabbed his penis a little more tightly than she should have. "And if you ever want to use this thing again, you're going to use it right NOW!"
House didn't know what to do. On the one hand, a beautiful woman was threatening to cut off his dick if he didn't have sex with her, on the other hand, he was in love with her.
House swallowed nervously, closed his eyes and said, "do it."
"What?" She wasn't expecting that answer.
"Cut it off; feed it to the dogs, exact whatever twisted revenge you have running through your perverse little mind, because I'm not having sex with you. Not tonight." He reached out to touch her then pulled away. He wanted her so bad it hurt. Being noble was highly overrated.
"Not tonight, not ever." She threatened.
She started to get up. House grabbed her hand. He couldn't accept never. Noble just wasn't his thing. He pulled her back down onto the bed and kissed her hard. "Just for the record, I love you too."
Cuddy woke the next morning. Her head was pounding. She reached an arm out to check the alarm clock. It wasn't there. Something wasn't right. She opened her eyes and looked down. That wasn't her comforter. This wasn't her bed. "Shit."
"Morning to you too." House reached over and kissed her cheek.
"Morning." Cuddy looked under the covers. She was naked. She looked over at House. So was he.
"Do you mind?" House pulled the covers down around him.
"Suddenly you're modest?" She tried to smile, but it hurt too much.
"Is there anything you want to ask me?" He was pretty sure she didn't remember what had happened last night. She was trying to hide her confusion, but wasn't doing a very good job.
"No." She snapped. She was not going to be one of those women who woke up next to a strange man, and they didn't get much stranger than House, and asked if they'd had sex. She just couldn't; especially not with House. He would never let her live it down.
"Do you want breakfast?" He did feel a little bad about her condition. He'd given her a LOT to drink.
She suddenly realized she was very hungry. "Yes, please."
"Good, the kitchen is down the end of the hall. I'll have…" he got a punch in the stomach. "I'll make you some eggs. It's the least I can do." He smiled down at her, kissed her forehead, and sauntered his bare ass down the hall.
Cuddy waited until she was sure he wasn't lurking behind the door then got up to find her clothes. All she could find where her stockings and shoes. She improvised.
House turned when he heard her walking into the kitchen. She was wearing one of his tee shirt, the Rolling Stones concert tee. She'd better not get it dirty. He got that at a particularly memorable Stones concert back in '69. She was also in a pair of his boxer shorts. That was hot.
"Here." She shoved a robe at him.
"I'm fine." House turned away. He liked being naked around her. It kept her off balance.
"Put it on House." She grabbed his arm and began shoving him into the robe. "Turn around." She tugged at him.
"Busy." He flipped her omelet.
"I have to tie the belt." She tugged again.
"Go ahead." He held his arms up a little. She wanted to tie his belt, he was more than happy to let her.
She sighed that 'House is an annoying idiot' sigh of hers then wrapped her arms around his waist.
House was surprisingly agile as he spun around in her arms and planted a long, passionate kiss on her. He was surprised when she kissed back. He was really expecting a slap.
"House, I…" House pressed his finger to her lips. "Shhh," he commanded.
"Do you remember what we said last night?" He looked at her, searching her face for a clue.
"I remember everything, now." She did, too. When she first woke up she was disoriented, but now it was coming back to her in bits and pieces.
"I meant it." He turned back to the omelet. The blasted thing had chosen that moment to set off the smoke detector. He quickly shut off the stove.
Cuddy laughed. "I think you burned it." She coughed through the smoke, and cracked open a window.
"Apparently." He walked over to her and grabbed her in his arms. "I love you Lisa Cuddy." He boldly kissed her, sending her back against the counter.
House's leg might be all but useless, but he had amazing upper body strength. He lifted her off her feet and dropped her on the countertop. Their lips didn't part the entire time.
"I know," she managed to confirm between kisses.
"And?" He pulled away and glared at her.
She glared back before breaking into the most radiant smile he'd ever seen. "I love you too, you idiot." She pulled him into her arms and the resumed making out.
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