Chapter 3

Casey alternated between watching the soccer game and looking at her watch. It was at least fifteen minutes into the game and Greg House still had not arrived. She could see Tiffany stealing glances towards the spectators as well.

God, if he didn't show up, she would do some serious damage to the man, sexy blue eyes and amazing kisses notwithstanding.

And she really had to stop thinking about that kiss.

It was almost three weeks since he'd been to their house and the kiss had happened. Since then, her head was in a constant swirl of confusion. A stupid smile had appeared on her face when he left that night and it hadn't really disappeared since. The only time she was able to wipe it off was when she was berating herself for thinking about him.

And it was totally absurd to recall how much she had been looking forward to seeing him at this game. She had let Tiffany call him, afraid she'd make a fool of herself if she talked to him. She might have asked him to come their house again.

She might have asked him… well, she knew what she might have asked him and she really didn't want to think about that.

It was better to let Tif talk to him and Casey could just sit back and anticipate seeing him.

But now the infernal man wasn't coming!

She decided to stop looking at her watch and concentrate on the game. Tiffany's team just missed a goal and she yelled her disappointment.

"What's the score?" a male voice said from behind her.

She turned quickly. The blue eyes that met hers held so much heat, she thought she might melt.

"You made it!" she heard a voice say that should have been hers, but sounded like a prepubescent teenager, then mentally kicked herself at how stupid and desperate that sounded.

"Apparently."

"Well, Tiffany will be happy." She said hastily, trying to cover up her stupid comment. "Um, no score yet."

Tiffany looked again towards the spectators. He raised his hand briefly in greeting and a smile lit up her face.

And the stupid smile was back on Casey's face. Okay, so she was happy that Tiffany was happy. It had nothing to do with her libido.

She glanced at him. He quickly turned his eyes back to the game. He had been looking at her too.

Of course he had. House had spent the last few weeks trying very hard not to think about the totally hot, totally infuriating woman now standing beside him.

But a certain part of his anatomy kept reminding him how hot that kiss was and how he had driven home that night with a stiffie.

Tiffany made a goal and they both shouted their cheers. For the rest of the game, they stood there side by side, pretending not to care that the other was there, but sneaking glances at each other every now and then.

Finally, it was over. Tiffany's team had won and the kids were ecstatic. When she gathered her things and joined them, they both congratulated her.

Eyes shining, she said to House, "Did you see my goal, Dr. House?"

"Sure did. Well-played."

She beamed. Casey forced herself to wipe the stupid smile off her face.

House looked away, then down at his cane. "So you guys wanna get some pizza or something?"

"Sure!" Tiffany said excitedly.

Casey hesitated. "You don't have to…I mean, it was nice of you to come, but…" She was so afraid of sounding too eager. In reality, she almost acted as excited as her niece.

"No big deal." House said, looking away. "If you don't want to, it's cool."

"Please, Aunt Casey?" Tiffany pleaded.

Ok, she thought, she could make it be for Tiffany, not for her.

"Well, if you really want to, I guess we can."

"Yay!"

House wondered why he had invited them. Casey seemed reluctant to spend time with him, only doing it because her niece wanted to. Maybe he'd read it wrong. Maybe she wasn't into him.

Oh, well, it was just pizza.

They found a nearby pizza restaurant and were soon settled into a booth. Tiffany had arranged for House to sit next to her, so Casey found herself staring into blue eyes throughout the meal.

Luckily Tiffany dominated the conversation because Casey could never have managed to speak intelligently with the man across from her. Just concentrating on getting her slice of pizza to her mouth without dribbling melted cheese onto the table and thereby making a complete fool of herself was hard enough.

Finally, she took herself in hand. After all, she was a performer. She could pretend this was just another performance. She joined into the conversation and even found herself enjoying it, laughing at the things he said.

The restaurant was popular with the other players as well and soon kids from her team arrived with their parents. Tiffany wanted to go over to talk with them, but she didn't want to leave the table and House.

Casey didn't want her niece to leave her alone with the sexy doctor either, but she knew it was important for the girl to reconnect with her friends.

"Go ahead." She told her. "Dr. House will still be here when you're finished."

House nodded and Tiffany took off happily.

Left alone, Casey and House stole some more furtive glances at each other. Casey decided to break the silence.

"You know, she has a crush on you."

"What?" House looked alarmed.

"She really likes you and she doesn't quite know what to do with it."

"I'm a little old for her to be crushing on."

"I know. I think she does too. But you're not at all like her father, so she can't put you in that role. For now, crush is the best that she can do."

"What about you? Any crushes?"

"On you?"

"Actually, I was thinking about the Jonas Brothers. I hear they're really hot. Or anyone else that you want to talk about."

Casey looked down at the table to avoid his eyes. "No, no crushes."

He smirked. "I don't believe you."

She looked up at him sharply. "What are you talking about?"

"You can barely look me in the eye. Tell me you're not feeling the same as K Mart, just with embellishments."

"You sure have a high opinion of your charm. Unfortunately I've yet to see it."

He smiled at her, and she knew her words were just that. He may not have conventional charm, but he was sexy as hell. And he knew how to read her. She sighed. She was never good at playing flirting games.

"What do you want me to say? That I find you attractive? We were both present at that kiss, you know that I do. But the situation is the same as it was that night. Actually, it's gotten worse. Because Tiffany is so enamored of you. If we got together and then broke up, she'd be heartbroken.

"So, I can lie in my bed at night and dream of you being beside me, but what good are those dreams going to be? We can't do anything about it."

He was encouraged by the fact that she was dreaming about him beside her in bed. "Well, I could make all your dreams come true. After all, sex is just sex. We don't have to let the kid know about it."

She was amazed. "Do you really think we could do that?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Because…because…oh, you are impossible! "

"Come on. You just admitted that you want me as much as I want you. And I agree with you that K Mart doesn't need any more disappointment in her life. So I stay her friend. But privately you and I become friends with benefits."

She wasn't quite sure how to respond. On the one hand she should be outraged at his suggestion. But on the other hand, she sort of agreed with him. And it had been so long since she'd been with a man. And she really wanted this man.

She stared at the blue eyes that were boring into her. Then she sighed. "I'll think about it."

He opened his mouth to say more, but then Tiffany returned to the table, full of happy talk about what her friends did and invitations made. He decided to do a wait and see.