Everybody's Free
A/N: The gang go to the pharmaceutical conference mentioned in "Sports Medicine." Cameron needs a little help applying sunscreen. Interesting situations ensue. Set Pre-Stacy. House/Cam. In case anyone is wondering, the book featured is Johnathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Can't recommend it more for a good holiday read.
(Sunscreen)
Cameron had been surprised when House agreed they could go to the conference in Bermuda. She was even more astounded when he said he'd be coming along too.
Still, she wasn't going to let him spoil some well earned R&R.
The boys planned to go scuba diving just about the whole time they were there.
She, on the other hand, hoped to spend the whole time on the beach with a good book.
House didn't declare his plans.
Not that she cared.
She sauntered out to the beach in a black bikini with an almost opaque navy sarong around her waist, sunglasses perched on her nose and a small bag over her arm containing her chosen holiday read, a bottle of sunscreen, her iPod and a few notes.
She made a beeline for the bar, picking up some hydration in the form of a rum and coke and tipping the bartender so that her drink wouldn't be empty for the rest of the day. Another note ensured her temporary ownership of a sun lounger in prime location, a quiet spot in view of the beach bar and midway between the hotel and the waterline.
Arranging all her bits and pieces, removing her sarong, placing the parasol just so and taking a seat she began to coat her body in the second application of sunscreen for the day. She was nothing if not thorough.
She started with her toes, slowly working her away up her body coating every inch with the white cream. She was just working on her thighs when a pair of knee length boarder shorts came into view on the lounger next to her. Taking in the body attached to the shorts she reconsigned that it was House.
"Morning." she said softly.
His dark glass covered eyes turned in her direction, she felt only the slightest bit self-conscious as she applied sunscreen to her belly, feeling the sweep of his eyes up and down her body.
"Morning." he responded gruffly, then softly to himself. "There go my plans for the holiday."
"What?"
"Nothing." he growled, settling down on his lounger, pushing the buds from his iPod into his ears.
Cameron simply shrugged and continued her business of spreading lotion over her skin. It was very dignified until she was started to coat her back.
She heard a huff come from House's direction but paid little mind.
She struggled on for another half minute before she heard him mutter.
"Oh for crying out loud." getting to his feet. "Move." he said taking the bottle out of her hands.
She was surprised, not by the manner in which he offered to help but by the fact that he offered to help at all.
He tipped his head forward and looked over the rim of his sunglasses at her. "Do you want help or not?"
"Yes." she breathed and turned her back to him, pulling her hair to one side.
There was an embarrassing wet sound as he squeezed out a large blob of sunscreen onto his hand. But Cameron was too nervous to smile, let alone comment. Ever since they'd been on their non-date she had started developing a serious case of the butterflies whenever she was around him. And now, now he was going to touch her bare skin.
She bit her lip to keep from gasping as his warm hands spread the cool lotion over her skin. He worked with precision, sweeping his fingers over her back and down her sides. She couldn't help but shiver as his fingers moved beneath the thin band of her bikini to ensure the skin beneath was protected. There was no sound from him as he moved higher, smoothing his hands over her neck and shoulders until he was quite sure he'd coated every inch of skin she'd missed and a few more just for good measure.
"Thank you." she murmured.
His hands lingered just a few seconds longer than necessary.
He grunted in response returning to his sun lounger.
Bringing her drink to her lips she put away more than two thirds of it, before laying down her body and trying to settle her heart rate as she opened her book to the first page.
Consumed by the story pouring out in front of her she soon forgot about House, looking up only when the waiter brought her over a fresh drink, murmuring her thanks and then returning to the novel.
She slowly became aware of the intensity of the sun growing on her back and the parasol's shadow threatening to move from the page.
Noon.
She glanced over at House, seeing his already tan skin bronzing further under the Caribbean sun.
"You know," she said softly, seeing his head turn slightly she knew she had his attention despite the buds still in his ears. "You really should wear sunscreen." she said tossing him the bottle and heading back to the hotel, tying the sarong around her hips.
As she returned, two bottles of water under her arm and carrying two plates of food from the buffet table she saw him smoothing the cream over his skin. She smirked slightly, glad he was heading her advice.
"Hey." she said leaning down and setting a plate down and one bottle of water on the small table next to his sun lounger.
"Hey." He responded glancing over at her, but double taking almost immediately, his gaze fixed on her cleavage bent in his direction.
She cleared her throat, knowing where his gaze was.
His eyes flicked up, looking at her over the rim of his sunglasses once more with those piecing blue eyes. "Thanks."
She stood up. "You're welcome. Want a hand with that?" She said nodding down at the bottle of sunscreen.
He didn't answer her, other than to hold out the bottle. She set down her own plate and water on her own little table before turning back to him. It was clear where his gaze had been in the moments her attentions were diverted.
She sighed and pulled the bottle from his outstretched hand.
He grunted slightly as he turned on the lounger.
The hours of inactivity must have hurt his leg. Still that was his choice so she choose not to pity him.
She sat behind him and loaded her hands up with sunscreen before spreading her hands across his back. It seemed like all of him was warm, his shimmering bronze skin a fire beneath her fingers reminding her that she shouldn't be touching him like this. She smoothed her hands over his back and sighed softly. She were surprised when a little gooseflesh rippled across the skin his back as her hands moved over his sides as he had done for her. A smirk graced her lips, he must be quite sensitive there. She filed the information away, though there was a distinct possibility of never getting the opportunity to use it. She finished coating every facet of flesh she would let her self touch.
"Done." she said softly, quickly retreating to the safety of her lounger and starting to tuck in her meal.
The bartender brought her over a fresh drink.
She smiled a with thanks as he set it down and left.
"How did you manage that?" sounded House's gruff voice.
"What?"
"The bartender bring over drinks for you."
"I gave him a fifty this morning."
"Ha." he laughed mirthlessly, picking up a slice of cheese and ham, rolling it and thrusting it into his mouth.
"What?" she asked incredulously.
"Well," he garbled between chews. "Looking like that..." chew, "...all you had to do was lean over the bar and smile." More chewing. "Coulda saved yourself fifty bucks."
"Didn't you hire me because I don't choose the easy way?"
"This isn't even a choice. You decided to tip him even though you didn't need to, I mean everything here is comp'ed."
"I'm asking him to go out of his way... it seemed fair."
"Life isn't fair."
"Tell me about it." she muttered to herself, she stood up having had enough of the conversation. She slid off her sarong and sunglasses then padded down towards the shoreline feeling House's eyes on her the whole time.
House let loose a low hiss as she dived into the clear blue water.
When he came on to the beach that morning he had a plan; sit next to the most gorgeous body he could find and try and get it in his bed before the end of the conference.
It was only after she spoke that he realised it was Cameron. His Cameron. Well, maybe not his.
He'd thought she was beautiful fully clothed, but walking around in a bikini he knew she was a goddess.
He flexed his hand, still able to feel her soft, unblemished, alabaster skin beneath his palm.
There was no doubt he was attracted to her, and if he was reading her behavior correctly she had certainly taken an interest in him too. Would it be so bad if he slept with her? To have a chance to explore those hidden crevasses, to feel her body soft and pliant beneath his.
But what would she want in return? And is there anything he'd be prepared to give up for that pleasure?
Cameron slowly made her way back up the beach, unsure what mood House would be in when she returned.
She grew indignant when she saw her book in his hands resting on his crotch.
"If you've lost my page, I will kill you." she said picking up a towel.
"Wizards. In York. What is this? Harry Potter for grown ups?" he teased.
"And yet, you're still reading."
"I didn't say it was bad."
Cameron just smirked as she finished drying off her body.
"Thank you for finishing off my ham." she said sarcastically.
"You're welcome. I left you the salad you insisted on putting on both our plates."
"I see that, maybe I'll just stick with my liquid lunch." she said downing the rest of her rum and coke.
"Hmm."
It was clear she'd lost his attention, she stood over him holding the bottle of sun lotion right in front of his face obscuring his view of the words on the page.
"What do you say?" he said looking up at her.
"Do my back or I'll take my book off you?"
"So I can keep it?"
"For now."
He nodded and set the book down, pages pressed against the sand, before moving his left leg over the side of the lounger giving her space to sit between his legs as he took the bottle from her hand. But she didn't sit. Not immediately, anyway. She bent down, turning the book upright and folding down the page corner before closing it and setting it on the table.
House watched her complete the action with a frown, it lingered as she sat in front of him.
"What did you do that for?" he said putting lotion on his hands, before smoothing it over her back.
"My grandmother. She said that books have souls, and if you lay them with pages down then the soul pours out of it." She felt his hand pause over her shoulder. "Superstitious nonsense I know, but every book she gave me I loved, they felt special to me, as if they really did have souls." She shrugged, and his hand began to move again. "It became a habit. And after she passed it became a way to respect and remember her."
Cameron wished she could see he face, to know what he thought of her confession but a comfortable silence was all the response that she received.
She tilted her head and groaned softly as his fingers splayed up over her neck.
They both froze.
In telling her story she'd forgotten herself; forgotten that she wasn't supposed to be enjoying his hands on her body, forgotten that she wasn't supposed to be attracted to him. She became very aware of her proximity to him; the heat radiating across her back, the press of his thigh on her wrist as she gripped the edge of the lounger.
It seemed like an eternity had passed before his fingers began to move, kneading her flesh and working the lotion into her skin.
She dropped her head forward and gave in, letting herself enjoy his touch and pulling her lip between her teeth to keep from moaning again.
His hands felt exquisite, the pressure, the heat, smooth skin and rough callouses. It was all too easy to imagine them in more intimate areas, sending her to dizzying highs with absolute precision.
She could tell he was leaning forwards slightly as heat radiated from his chest to her back. His breath tickled her skin sending ripples of gooseflesh cascading over her back.
She sighed softly knowing it was going to be over soon.
"Thank you." she murmured.
"You can manage the rest, right?" he said his hands resting on her hips, thumbs sweeping over her skin.
"I think so." Cameron said standing, moving away from him. Despite the heat of the Caribbean sun she shivered missing the heat that radiated from him, from inside her own body at being so close to him. She bent to retrieve the bottle of sun lotion and retreat to her lounger not daring to look at him. She made quick work of reapplying the sunscreen before lowering the lounger and laying down on her stomach.
"Don't you want your book?" House asked watching her.
"No. You can hang on to it for now." she said closing her eyes, settling down for an afternoon doze in the sun.
Waves lapped the shore and the sun beat down. Time drifted by, she didn't fall into a deep sleep instead, she had moments of consciousness interspersed with delicious day dreams most of them involving House's hands in someplace or another.
She didn't hear anything, but she was aware of a shadow over her.
"Hey." House grunted.
"What is it, House?" she asked not moving.
There was a short pause before she felt something cold drip on her back.
"Jesus Christ!" she said starting, getting up off the lounger in double quick time.
"I brought you ice cream."
She stared at him incredulously, glancing very briefly at the offered confection.
"You've licked both of them." she said seeing the trails left by his tongue.
"They were melting but if you don't want one..." he said bringing them closer, wrapping his tongue around one mound of ice cream.
"Gimme."
"Not saying please again? What would your mother think of your manners?"
"You don't respond to social niceties so why bother?"
His mouth spread into a smirk, before he held his hand out to her. She carefully removed one cone from his grip and quickly brought it to her lips, sweeping her tongue around the ice cream. She hummed softly.
"Enjoying that?" he asked staring at her.
"Obviously." she said, taking a seat on her lounger once more facing him.
"You're welcome." he said dropping back into his lounger.
"How's the book coming along?" she said waving her cone in his direction.
"Good."
She smiled. "I think I'll head in and get ready for dinner." she said packing away her things.
"You want to take my book away from me?" he said hugging it to his chest.
"It's my book."
He huffed childishly.
"You can borrow it again later. Perhaps during the lecture tomorrow."
The corners of his mouth turned upwards and he held the book out to her.
"I'll hold you to that."
She smiled softly and took the book from him, packing it way with the rest of her things.
"See you later." she said standing. "And thank you. For the ice cream."
She wandered back up to the hotel all the while lapping at the dripping cone.
House sighed deeply watching her go.
What the hell was he doing?
Bag of cookies. Check. Diet coke. Check. Book. Check.
Cameron sat in the middle of the bed in girl boxers and large t-shirt, slowly devouring the novel and working her way through the bag of cookies. The perfect way to spend an evening.
She didn't hear the first knock at the door, too lost in fantasy, but she did hear the sharp rap of a cane against the door leaving no doubt as to who was on the other side.
Marking her place she got up from the bed and came over to the door and opened it to reveal House standing a pair of shorts and a tee, his feet in his trade mark sneakers.
"Yes?" she answered leaning against the door. She didn't miss his gaze flicking taking in her state of undress. Still, it was more than she was wearing on the beach that day so she didn't let herself feel uncomfortable.
"I want the book." House demanded.
"I reading it."
"Right now?"
"Yeah."
He grunted and thumped his cane on the floor, obviously unhappy with the answer.
"We could read together." she suggested after a moment.
"What?"
"I'm about 10 pages ahead of you now, you catch up and then we sit and read it together."
"Are you a fast reader?" he enquired.
"When I need to be, but I'm enjoying this. We do this at my pace or not at all."
He seemed to consider this very seriously before stepping close, staring down at her. "Fine." he muttered before passing into the room.
Cameron closed the door behind him, more than a little apprehensive.
"You've got cookies?! Why didn't you say?"
Cameron grinned instantly feeling relaxed by his excitement.
"Didn't want you agreeing just because you want my cookies." she said turning and heading over to the bed.
"It wouldn't just be about the cookies." he said his hand already deep in the bag as he toed of his shoes and got comfortable on the bed. "But it does help. Snacks are essential to a good night in."
"Couldn't agree more." she said sitting next to him, holding out the book and an empty hand for the bag of cookies.
They traded. Cameron waited patiently as he caught up to her place. She followed the story over again finding that their reading speed didn't differ too much, as she put a cookie in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully.
How did she end up in this situation?
Lying on a bed half naked next to her boss, who she had a crush on, pressed together shoulder to thigh, sharing cookies and a novel. In fact, she'd practically spent the whole day with him come to think of it. The day had started out with such familiarity and now it had ended up like this.
House held out an empty hand, she put a cookie in it with out him having to verbally ask for it. He shoved it in his mouth ungracefully before uncurling the tab on the page.
They read carefully.
House glanced at her, 3 seconds later she nodded.
They read again.
House glanced at her, maybe 5 seconds this time she nodded.
They read on.
House didn't bother looking over at her, he allowed 5 seconds before flipping the page. With no protest from Cameron he assumed he had adopted an appropriate pace.
Hours disappeared like this with only a few interruptions; passing cookies, sipping diet coke, taking pills and visiting the bathroom.
House held his hand out for a cookie and nothing happened.
Glancing over he noticed that Cameron had snuggled down and fallen asleep, the bag of cookies lying between them. He watched her for a long moment, considering deeply the puzzle as to how he'd managed to get into this situation.
Here he was, lying in bed with his much younger fellow sleeping soundly beside him. The plan for the his holiday was well and truly out of the window. For one thing he wasn't in his own bed, he was in hers, and despite her naked legs stretching down the bed just out of reach, there were plenty of clothes shielding other body parts from view. He was just in two minds as to whether he'd prefer they were gone or not.
Turning his attention back to the book, flicking back a few pages and marking a place for her. He tapped his fingers against the page gently as he considered what to do. He could leave, but he would risk disturbing her and some part of him really didn't want to do that.
He picked up the bag of cookies carefully, trying not to make a noise. She stirred briefly and moved closer. He set the bag carefully on the bedside table and withdrew a cookie popping it into his mouth as he returned to the previous page and continued on.
House stirred, blinking in the light.
The book lay pages down on his chest, he smiling slightly he thought of what Cameron had said earlier that day, if the book had a soul then it was pouring into him. Speaking of whom, looking past the book on his chest, there was a crop of auburn hair across his belly. He would also guess that an arm and a leg and snaked their way across his body too. One of the most surprising aspects of his current situation was his right arm around her shoulders returning the embrace.
It wasn't necessarily an uncomfortable position to be in but he had to move, his bladder demanded it.
He started by removing the book, carefully keeping his place. Now he just had to move Cameron, but there was no way to do that without waking her.
House sighed softly.
"Cameron." he muttered.
She moaned softly and shifted closer.
"Cameron." he said in a more authoritative voice.
She jerked awake, instantly aware that she was somewhere she shouldn't be.
"Sorry." she mumbled still half asleep, carefully extracting herself from his body.
"S'fine, I fell asleep too." He said swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
Cameron rolled over to face away from him as she pulled the sheets around her body. She could still feel his body heat warming her cheek, but it was nothing to compared to the burn of embarrassment that spread over every inch of skin.
She listened as he used the restroom, hoping that he wouldn't say anything about her falling asleep on him. The click of the bathroom light going off seemed to echo around the room. A rustling sound reached her ears then the click of the bedside table lamp followed by darkness.
Then the bed sunk behind her.
House was actually getting into bed with her.
"What are you doing?" she asked incredulously.
"Sleeping."
"House..."
"Cameron, it's 2am. I wanna go to sleep and this bed is designed to sleep two people."
"But..."
The bed crunched softly as he leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Go to sleep, Cameron."
"Okay." she whispered. She made herself comfortable, her bare foot coming into contact with his shin. She didn't move away, it was her bed after all. "G'night."
"Night." he said softly, shifting a little, somehow getting closer without touching.
Cameron knew she should be worrying about what was happening, trying to figure out what was going on between them but sleep beckoned; she was deliciously warm and the sound of House's slow, deep breathing invited her into slumber.
Sleep fell away slowly. First she became of the gentle ebb of daylight though the curtains, so that she didn't see black behind closed lids but darkness with the slightest of warm hues. Sound came next, her breathing but echoed somehow. That was strange. Next was warmth. However it wasn't evenly spread as if she were smothered by a duvet, it seemed localised at her back, down her legs and around her waist. Sensation followed. Very swiftly with realisation and remembrance.
House had shared her bed last night. And through the night his body had become entangled with hers. Their legs were twisted together, his arm beneath her shirt, his grip tight around her waist, his crotch was nestled against her ass and a hardness that could only be attributed to one hell of a morning erection pressed against that soft flesh of her behind.
She felt her chest begin to rise and fall at a more rapid pace, her heart beating out of her chest and body beginning to burn with desire.
This was by far the most intimate position she'd been in for some time, and it was with a man she longed for and yet not kissed, a man she'd touched but not caressed.
She exhaled slowly trying to calm herself down, but once all the breath was gone from her body and her chest entirely deflated it shifted down and down until her breast came into contact with his thumb.
She gasped, almost inaudibly, but the air that filled her lungs brought her away from that glorious illicit contact.
A sigh escaped her. She was completely torn, lying here with him was exquisite torture. It was wonderful, delicious and yet she craved so much more. The hard length against her bottom teasing her mercilessly.
She tried to move, to end her torment but his arm tightened around her, his hand pressed hard against her warm belly.
"Where do you think you're going?" his voice rumbled low, reverberating though her chest.
"No where." she sighed, resigned to her fate.
She considered briefly, who was taking advantage of who, but soon became lost in a tangle of advantages and upper hands and yet nothing of this seemed fair. Why couldn't she just tell him she liked him? Why couldn't she just kiss him?
What's the worst that could happen if she rolled over and pressed her lips to his, pulled her body over his and...
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Bit early for housekeeping." House murmured.
"I ordered breakfast for 8 so I'd be up in time for the lecture."
"Great, I could use some coffee."
"Should I get the..."
"Come in!" he yelled.
"Ow." she said reaching up to cover her ear.
A woman came in with a trolley. She glanced over at them and didn't even bother to raise her eyebrows before setting about the business of laying out the ordered breakfast items on the table and enough crockery for two.
"I hope you enjoy your meal." she said as she backed out of the room.
"Thank you." Cameron said softly, still rubbing her ear.
The door shut and they were left alone again.
"Now what?" she asked.
"Breakfast. I would have thought that was obvious."
She nodded, so they were just going to forget that his erection was pressing into her ass, that she had gasped when his thumb grazed her breast.
"It's all the way over there." she said nodding to the table. "And I need to use the bathroom."
"Fine." he growled removing his arm from around her, his hand smoothing over her skin.
She slipped out of bed and disappeared into the adjoining bathroom closing the door swiftly behind her. The last thing House saw of her was the swell of her ass covered by thin cotton girl boxers which did nothing to help alleviate his erection. It had been a long while since his morning wood had actually been coupled with any kind of sexual desire, but instead of alleviating itself after a few minutes of being awake it grew exponentially as he felt Cameron wake in his arms, her body fractionally squirming and straining for the slightest bit more sensation and the sweet sound of her gasp as she brought her breast into contact with his thumb.
He could have let her go when she tried to escape his hold, could have pretended he'd been asleep through the whole thing but she felt so good against him. He wanted her, there was no denying that and he had no doubts that their coupling would be sensational but what about the fallout? The plan for this holiday had been to sleep with someone anonymous, a hot bodied stranger he'd never meet again and yet he'd spent all his time with Cameron so far. Getting closer to her in more ways than one. He had to put a stop to this.
Sitting with his legs over the edge of the bed he pulled his shorts up around his knees.
The bathroom door opened.
He saw her gaze rest on his scar a moment before he stood and did up the fastenings on his shorts.
She held out a toothbrush to him, it looked brand new.
"A spare toothbrush. You weren't planning on getting laid this week were you?" he teased taking it from her.
"I got it on the plane yesterday morning."
"It was a short haul flight."
"I asked for earplugs so I could have a nap whilst you were arguing with Foreman. And she brought me one of those little bags you get on a long haul flight."
"And you kept the toothbrush."
"They're handy. I keep one in my purse too."
"For when you're getting laid stateside."
"In case I pull all-nighters at the hospital so I don't need to go around with coffee breath for two days." she shot back.
He observed her a moment before nodding. "Thank you." he said stepping past her into the bathroom closing the door behind him.
"And since when did you become so interested in my sex life?!" she shouted through the door.
"Can't hear you!" he called back.
He thought he was going to leave. Now he was standing in a bathroom about to brush his teeth before sharing a rather intimate breakfast with the woman he'd decided to avoid after spending most of the past 24 hours with. Glancing at himself in the mirror, he caught sight of the still enormous bulge in his pants. He groaned loudly and started thinking of various gruesome images stored in his mind from medical textbooks so that he'd be able to pee without coating the walls and ceiling.
"Or lack there of." she muttered to herself as she moved over to the table, took a seat and poured coffee for them both preparing it just the way they both liked.
She smothered a slice of toast in butter, humming with pleasure at the salty flavour spreading over her tongue. She thought about another salt flavoured that could be spreading over her tongue and it made her squirm.
Sitting a little sideways on her seat, bringing a foot onto the cushion, she leaned forward and got on with the serious business of breakfast rather than thinking about the man behind the bathroom door.
She found a small empty plate and started picking at the various dishes in front of her.
House emerged a few minutes later.
"There's enough food here to feed four people let alone two." House said sitting across from her, grabbing the plate of sausages, pancakes and bacon with maple syrup, setting it directly in front of him.
"It all looked so good on the menu." she said with a shrug. "I wanted to try everything." Stretching over she stuck her fork into the top pancake and plopped it onto her plate.
He glared at her.
"Don't give me that look. This is my breakfast. You're more than welcome to head down to the restaurant and sit with Chase and Foreman if you'd prefer." she said cutting a piece off the pancake and placing it in her mouth.
House took a sip of his coffee and reached for the maple syrup drenching the dry pancake that was now on top.
The meal passed in silence but for the sound of the ocean coming through the open balcony doors. House pulling dishes in front of him one at a time until he fancied something else, Cameron picking and choosing from the plates regardless of whether it was the one that House was currently eating from.
It was almost domestic.
House poured himself another cup of coffee and topped up her cup at the same time. She nodded her thanks before leaning back in her chair satiated and full, coffee cupped between her hands as she stared out of the window admiring the view.
"This place is beautiful." she said to herself.
"Yeah," he said with a mouthful of pancake. House admired the view too, but he didn't need to look out of the window to see it.
He was so screwed.
"I'd better go get ready for this thing." he said shoveling in another half pancake into his mouth.
Cameron looked over at him and smiled softly.
House found himself smiling back as he stood.
"See you later." he said picking up his shoes and cane and limping to the door. "And..."
"I'll bring the book."
He nodded back at her then left.
House stepped into the corridor, his bare feet settling into the carpet as he closed the door behind him.
"House?" a thick Australian voice sounded.
He sighed and rested his head against the cool wood before turning towards the voice and striking out a confidant pace down the hall.
"Good morning." He said with a wide grin.
Chase just stared.
"Well, I certainly had one." House continued, wagging his eyebrows suggestively.