Sorry this took a while to get posted. Thanksgiving break swamped me and excuses, so anyway, here's the next part! Thank you for waiting patiently. And as a little sidenote, each day of the bet will be noted in the chapter title. Enjoy, guys!

Cuddy was smart. The moment House entered the hospital, she was on his tail, trailing him while she spoke of clinic hours. However, her one sole plan was to shove her low cut shirt in his face, lightly graze a hand along his arm, and make sure she was close enough to him so he could smell the perfume he had always liked on her.

He stopped talking mid sentence three times. Cuddy was convinced she had him wrapped around her finger. As far as she was concerned, this bet was hers.

House admittedly was distracted by her chest, by her scent, and by the fact that her hand always found its way back onto his arm after he shrugged it off. However, he had a plan as well. So, he let himself become distracted with her. After all, she was practically throwing herself at him, why wouldn't he revel in it?

"I know your game," he told her when she finally shut up as he pushed the button for the elevator.

Cuddy played up her innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about, House."

"That's all right." He shrugged. "Just wait until the afternoon."

Cuddy's face immediately fell, her suspicions coming up front. "What are you going to do?"

"Guess you'll just have to wait to find out."

The elevator doors slid open and House stepped in. Cuddy stared after him, a look of concern etched across her face. House gave her a smile as the doors slid closed.

"Right, this way! Hurry up! No lagging behind, we're almost there!"

Cuddy stopped in her tracks, her mouth falling open as she crossed the hospital lobby. House was leading a group of roughly twenty young men in lab coats to the elevators. He raised a hand to stop them as Cuddy angrily made her way to House.

"What is this?" she asked him.

"Lackeys," House answered.

Cuddy looked around at all the men intently watching her. She turned back to House and lowered her voice. "Office. Now."

House addressed the group, a smirk on his face. "She wants to give me a special treat."

"Now." Cuddy glared at him before taking off for her office.

"Lisa Cuddy, everyone!" House exclaimed, "Head of the hospital, single, and all about quid pro quo!"

"No, I'm not," Cuddy stopped and turned, addressing the group who snickered, before she looked to House. "Now."

House left the entourage in the lobby and followed Cuddy to her office. He had a hard time keeping up with his limp and she made sure he knew she was walking that fast on purpose. When he finally reached her office, she was standing in front of her desk, arms folded across her chest.

House shut the door behind him and then looked to her. "I think soon-to-be-combover guy was eyeing you-"

"What do you think you're doing?" Cuddy cut him off, clearly not pleased.

"Hiring someone for my team."

Cuddy gave him a look. He knew he couldn't randomly hire another person without her permission. "Your budget allows you three."

"Your budget allows me three," House corrected.

She narrowed her eyes. "My budget is your budget."

"Internship," House tried. "They're all med students anyway. We don't need to pay them."

"House." Cuddy sighed. "What are you trying to do?"

"I interviewed some med students." He shrugged and moved towards her. "Those selected implied they'd gladly give you some for a job."

"They all go." Cuddy pulled back as House grew dangerously close to her. "Right now."

"You haven't even had a good look at all of them!" House exclaimed and moved back from her.

"I don't want that eye candy in my hospital."

Cuddy moved around her desk and sat down in her chair. House stood by the door again.

"You're discriminating against them because of their appearance?" House asked, personally offended as he spoke on behalf of the group he selected. "If that's the case, fire yourself for-"

"House," Cuddy focused on the papers on her desk, "we're not offering any internships at this time, so you will sincerely apologize for making them come here for no reason and send them on their way." She lifted her head. "Do you understand?"

House smiled and lifted a pointed finger. "Ah, Cuddy, that is where you're wrong."

Her eyebrows drew together. "We're not offering intern-"

"I didn't mean the internship," House cut her off and limped towards her desk. "They're here for another reason."

Cuddy leaned back in her chair, a knowing smile spreading across her face. This was House's plan of attack and she wasn't falling for it. House stopped in front of her desk, his eyes locked with hers.

"I'm not going for your strategy, House." Cuddy shook her head.

"They're all willing to do you, Cuddy, and you're not giving any of them a chance?" House asked. This was still part of his plan. He needed to get her right where he wanted her.

"No, I'm not, House." Cuddy was almost offended that he would think she'd have a one night stand with some twenty year old he brought into the hospital. "Unlike you, I have self control."

"Right." House gave her smirk.

Cuddy sat up straighter, confused by House's agreement. House turned and gave a wave in the direction of the office door. Cuddy tried to see around him as her office door opened. House stepped aside and Cuddy's mouth fell open.

Standing just inside the doorway was Joe Pinnacoli, a man Cuddy had dated two years ago for a couple of months. House knew the extent of the relationship. He knew the relationship was based on lust and passion, and not so much of anything else, thusly causing Cuddy to eventually see it couldn't last and ending it. House had called Joe here to tease her. And it was already working.

Cuddy stood from her chair and looked to House, her mouth still hanging partially open. House smiled, hoping the look on Cuddy's face would burn itself in his brain.

"Lisa, it's good to see you." Joe crossed the room.

Cuddy moved around her desk. "You, too, Joe." She embraced him and ignored a tingling feeling as she stared over his shoulder at House. "What are you doing here?"

Joe pulled away from the hug and gave her a smile. "Your secretary gave me a call asking if I was free to come see you. I figured it was something pretty important if you were too busy to call yourself, you know?"

"My male secretary?" Cuddy asked, her eyes still on House.

"Well, I'll leave you two kids alone," House said brightly and made his way to the door.

If looks could kill, House would've dropped to the floor like a ton of lead in that very instant. But, he ignored Cuddy's stare and exited her office, a smile still on his face. Cuddy turned to Joe, who was watching her expectantly. She gave him a small smile, wondering how she could work her way out of this without growing weak in his presence.