Chapter 3 - Winners

...


"Howse?"

"Hhmm?" He answered automatically, not looking up at her and still reading his newspaper.

"Who's Luca?"

He looked at her, lowering the newspaper and folding it on his knee.

Lucas?

"Didn't you remember him?" He asked as she shook her head, making her hair wave vigorously.

" If you don't remember him... why are you asking?"

A strange feeling closed his stomach as he glanced at Cuddy's back through the door, intent in cooking dinner and not paying attention at them.

"Where did you hear that name?"

She just shrugged.

"Gwandma" She innocently said "She said, 'I still wonder what was wrong with Luca. You dumped the only man who was gonna do an honowr-able woman of you'. She said a bad word too, but I can't say it" She pointed out in a serious tone shaking her head again.

"And your mother?"

"Mama said..." she looked at him with a thoughtful look "She said 'don't you dare Mom'"

He looked at the little finger pointed toward him in a very Cuddy way.

"He was..." He looked at Cuddy again as she bent to check the oven and then again at Rachel "Er... a friend of your mom"

"Not yours?"

"Ehm, he... he wanted your mom for himself. I wanted your mom for myself. So... no, not that much"

Her eyes widened and brightened.

"So...you won!" She almost shouted "You won Mom!"

She climbed on his knee so quickly he almost didn't see that coming except for the sharp pain that ran through his leg as her knee jabbed into his good thigh. He grimaced, letting out a 'ouch' and instinctively looking down as her foot dangerously swung near his groin, then looking up again as her arms wrapped his neck and a ear-to-ear smile came at one inch from his face.

"Rachel! Be careful! His leg!" Cuddy almost yelled, looking at them through the kitchen door and then entering the living room drying her hands in a kitchen rag, giving House a worried look.

He didn't look at her, too amused by Rachel's funny face as her big blue eyes locked with him.

"Yeah, be careful" He said as he looked beyond Rachel's head at Cuddy and his smile turned in a very mischievous one "That's mommy's favorite leg!"

Cuddy ran her tongue on her lips holding his gaze as a smile played on her lips.

"What's going on?" She asked, looking at both of them.

"Howse won us!" Rachel said proudly cocking her head and giving her mother a big smile as Cuddy gave House a questioning look.

"And Lucas is a loser!" She added as her big blue eyes shone again.

They both looked at her and then at each other as Cuddy's lips parted in a sort of 'O' and her eyebrow furrowed.

"I said nothing!" House said, chuckling and raising both his hands in a 'not my fault' way. "Not my fault if she's the smartest Cuddy!" He said, letting out a laugh as Cuddy glared at him.

She shook her head but couldn't help her lips from curling up in a smile, bending down to kiss him lightly on the lips as he cupped one of her buttock.

...


"So... did you win us?" She mischievously asked, moving his legs slightly to make room for herself on the bed and then sitting down next to him as he lowered the medical magazine he was reading and looked at her from above the rim of his reading glasses.

He placed the magazine on her pillow, putting an hand on her knee and moving it slowly along her thigh, still staring at her.

"Actually I won you" He pointed out, giving her a piercing look "The brat was included in the package"

She trapped her lower lip between her teeth, sucking on it as she held back a smile, and then freeing it.

"You should have warned me I was going to find a brat in my package too" She pointed out in turn still staring at him.

His lips curled up almost imperceptibly despite the firm tone of her voice and the way in which her grey eyes glared at him. His fingers moved up along her thigh grazing her skin and disappearing under the hem of the soft silk of her nightie, then stopping on her hip as his eyes didn't leave hers. She was the one looking down first, focusing on his lips while the feeling of his fingers teasing the elastic band of her panties was enough to make her inner muscles throb. Her hand found the stubble on his cheek and she bent her head looking for his mouth.

"You still wish you didn't but you can't help it, don't you?" He asked her, with a very mischievous look as soon as they eyes met again.

She froze. Her lips just an inch from his.

"What-"

He couldn't help but smile at the look in her eyes and he just gave her a sly look. His fingers dug in her hair, preventing her from straighten her shoulders and keeping her right where she was.

"Jumping on me" He pointed out again, this time with a very naughty gaze "You can't help it" He said again as she bit on her lower lip and gave him an evil look.

Her lips found his mouth and she sucked on his bottom lip, teasing it with her tongue but not deepening the kiss, instead looking into his eyes again and tilting her head back, licking her own lips and freeing herself from the grip of his hands.

Of course she wasn't going to give in! Evil stubborn woman!

He held back a smile as he took off his glasses, resting them on his night stand and looking at her as she nonchalantly turned around the bed and lifted the sheets, then moving under them.

"Do you really think you won this one, don't you?" He asked in an amused tone as her eyes met his.

Her eyes moved from his gaze to the sheet covering his lap and again to his eyes, and she just raised both eyebrows giving him an implicit answer as a chuckle escaped his mouth.

"You didn't win, Cuddy" He said, rolling toward her and wrapping an arm around her body then moving on top of her, straddling her and preventing her from moving.

She gave him a half glare but she couldn't prevent her breath from hissing at the feeling of his partial erection against her. She swallowed, fighting to keep her eyes open as he purposely rubbed himself against her again.

"Didn't I? Sure, House?" She asked in turn "Because I'm pretty sure you're not gonna have what you want tonight" She said again, meeting his mischievous gaze.

"You don't know me that well" He replied, finding her wrists and holding them as his lips brushed hers, then moving on her cheek.

She couldn't help but hiss again in an attempt to avoid moaning as soon as he found her neck. His erection still rubbing against the fabric of her panties in such a way she actually just wanted to rip them off and let him find his way inside her. Shit! For sure he knew how to get what he wanted!

"House, no"

He just lifted his head to look into her dilated pupils. Was there something turning him on more than her grey eyes turning dark in pleasure?

"No?" He asked, staring straight into her eyes with a teasing gaze.

"You heard me" She replied trying to sound firm despite the way her voice shivered a little.

"You have to tell it at least 2 times in a row if you want to use it as safe word. That's how it works in my bondage dreams with you, Lisa" He teased her as the hint of a smile played on her lips "And it works better if your eyes don't scream a 'God, please, take me right now, House!' at the same time"

She closed her eyes and smiled, biting her lip as he freed her wrists from his grip, and putting her arm around his neck, finding his lips and kissing him lightly despite the way her tongue softly stroked his, not deepening the kiss though.

"It's still a no" She whispered on his mouth opening her eyes in time to see him rolling his.

"Fine. It's looks like we have a winner" He said in a not very convinced tone, propping on his elbow to look better at her as a smile played on his lips despite his frustration "Now, let me prove you're wrong" He added in a mischievous tone as her eyebrows raised.

He bend his head again kissing her lips slightly as she gave him a questioning look. She didn't move as his lips left hers focusing on her cheek and then moving on her neck. Her eyes closed at that feeling and she just lingered in that sensation and in the shivers running down her body just at the light touch of his rough stubble on her soft skin. She couldn't help but move under him, lightly stroking her most intimate part against him as the thought of him thrusting into her overwhelmed her again, just at that bare contact. He ignored her, just using his own weight to press her more against the mattress, preventing her from moving as his lips and tongue and teeth tortured the skin of her neck, focusing on that sensitive inch of skin behind her ear that always drove her crazy.

She moaned this time, unable to keep it more.

He raised his head meeting her gaze as her eyes opened and stared at her for a moment, mesmerized in the view of her flushed cheeks and of her red lips.

"Hous-"

His mouth covered hers before she could speak, and she gasped as he sucked her bottom lip. His name replaced by a long moan as he whispered a ssshhh on her now swollen wet lips. She didn't move as his lips found her neck again, this time moving a little down. He didn't use his hand to caress her, and instead used his teeth to lower the strap of her nightie, letting it hang around her arm and exposing just part of her breast. His mouth found her skin again, reserving her breast a devotional treatment and lingering on every inch of skin he could reach.

If anyone would have told him that sometimes she could be even sexier when she was still partially dressed, he wouldn't have believed it. But... fuck!

The way in which her chest raised and fell together with her laboured breathing... her flashed skin... and the way in which her hard nipples tried to caught his attention even from under the layer of silk still covering them... it was enough to drive him crazy.

He tried to move the fabric apart using his lips but he didn't succeeded in it and he just couldn't take it anymore. His lips brushed against the soft fabric and his teeth sank in it, finding her nipple. She raised her head to look at him but she couldn't stand that sensation, closing her eyes and tilting her head back again as he sucked on her.

"House, please..."

Her words came like a lament as the back of her head hit the pillow again. Her back arching in an attempt of escape that feeling and having more of it at the same time.

"Please, what?" He asked teasing her, as this time his hands caressed her side then lifting her nightie exposing her breast and belly.

Again she didn't answer and just hissed at the contact of his tongue with her skin.

Please, I want you. I need you. Inside me. God, House, please... plea-

Her back arched more as she felt his warm breath on her most intimate part, despite the panties she still wore. His hands held her hips, preventing her from moving and he just stayed there, inhaling her scent. She lifted her head again to look at him and just let it fell back again, moaning at the feeling of his breath on her.

How could him? Almost giving her an orgasm without really touching her?

Another 'please' exited her mouth together with a long moan and he smiled, this time slipping his fingers under the elastic band of her panties and lowering them, then tossing them somewhere on the floor. She met his gaze while he parted her legs, kissing her inner thigh as her inner muscles throbbed just at that contact.

She almost screamed as soon as his fingers touched her, her back arched and her head fell back. He resisted the urge to thrust his fingers inside her and just caressed her with the tip of his fingers. She felt like she was burning. She wanted him. She needed him. Deep down inside her. She wanted to feel him filling her. Thrusting into her. His fingers. Every inch of him. She wasn't thinking straight anymore. She just wanted him. She wanted to feel him. She wanted him everywhere. She wanted to stroke him. To suck him. She wanted him to come with her and inside her.

She lifted her head again, looking at his head sunk between her legs. She couldn't stand that view. Not with his mouth working relentlessly on her. Her head tilted back again, but no sound exited her mouth. She was just a mess of moaning and gasping and hissing in an attempt not to scream her orgasm, awakening the little one in the room next to hers.

House smiled and kissed her belly, resting his head on her abdomen as he let her caught her breath. Her fingers absently moving among his hair as she went back on Earth. He kissed her belly again and moved on top of her, then kissing her mouth as her hands stroked his stubble deepening the kiss. She wrapped one leg around his waist and then the other one, savouring again the sensation of his erection against her. How could he do that? Despite the overwhelming pleasure he had just given her she just wanted him more. She'd never wanted a man more. She craved him. She craved for feeling him inside her. On top of her. For hearing her name together with his moans.

He kissed her one more time and caressed her thigh then rolling at her side, propping on one elbow to look at her as she just turned her head to meet his eyes with a questioning look.

"Where are you going?"

"I need a shower" He said, moving the sheet apart and standing up.

"What-?" She sat up, giving him a puzzled and a somehow annoyed look at the same time.

He bend down just to kiss her slightly on the lips, giving her a teasing look.

"I had exactly what I wanted" He whispered on her lips "What about you, Cuddy?"

She didn't answered but the way in which her lips parted was exactly the answer he already knew. He just gave her a piercing look as he stood up again, then bending down just to pick up her panties from the floor, tossing them to her with a smirk as she caught them.

She looked at him as he headed to the bathroom without looking back, and just sighed, letting her head fall back again against the pillow and then tossing her panties again on the floor. She looked at the ceiling for what seemed an eternity. Her hair spread on the pillow and her hands resting on her stomach. She sighed, closing her eyes and moving the sheet away, standing up and heading to the bathroom in turn.

She looked at him through the fogged shower glass. Drops running from his hair to his chin as he stood close-eyed under the hot water, his head slightly tilted back against the shower wall, apparently unaware of her. Her eyes couldn't help but focus on his neck, lingering on his Adam's apple and then moving down on his sternum and abdomen and even down. Damn stubbornness!

She pulled off her nightie anyway, tossing it on the floor, shivering a little as she entered the shower and the warm mist wrapped her skin.

House didn't open his eyes but his hand reached for her arm pulling her to himself. His arms wrapped her small waist and he looked down at her as his lips met the tip of her nose then finding her lips.

"You won a bitch" She whispered on his lips with a half smile, staring at him as his lips curled in turn.

"The hottest" He replied brushing her lips again as his hands smoothed her wet hair then moving to her shoulders and her lower back.

She couldn't help but hiss as soon as his hands pulled her even close to him. She closed her eyes at that sensation then locking eyes with him with a questioning look.

"Didn't you -?"

She met his smile. A mischievous, teasing smile. And she just ran her tongue on her lips giving him the same smile as they lips found each other. Tentatively at first, still looking into each other's eyes. They both closed their eyes as the kiss deepened and their tongue fought for dominance. Lips and tongues and skin. They savoured each other. Every sensation emphasized by the hot water running on her bodies. He moaned as her mouth left his finding the skin of his neck and his hand dug in her wet curls as she sucked on his jugular. He tilted his head back finding the shower wall again and she just smiled against his skin, then moving down along his sternum as her hand moved even down between their bodies. He gasped and tightened the grip of his fingers on her hair as soon her teeth grazed his nipple and her hand wrapped his erection.

Fuck woman!

He opened his eyes but didn't looked down. His lip parted a little and he just stared at the fogged glass in front of him for a second before his eyes rolled back at the feeling of her mouth on his most sensitive spot.

Fuck-

It wasn't exactly what was in his mind when she had joined him in the shower, but... damn, it was too good to stop her!

Every thoughts left his mind leaving him just in that rush of sensations.

He grasped her hair even more in an attempt to warn her she was sending him too far or maybe just to tell her to not stop... actually he didn't know. His mind wasn't thinking straight or better... it wasn't thinking at all. His senses just focused on her mouth and tongue as he felt his orgasm growing.

He opened his eyes just to take a glance of her, knelt in front of him, at that was enough. A hoarse moan left his mouth as he tilted his head back again.

His hand found her cheek, stroking it as she placed a soft kiss on his thigh before looking up. Their eyes locked in a mix of lust and pleasure and love and both their lips curled up in a satisfied smile. His hands found her elbows, helping her to stand up, before wrapping her body again. She was all he wanted. All he needed. "Winning" her had been the best thing happened to him. His best winning. Even if, well, if it were up to him he still probably would be sitting on his bathroom floor in an hangover instead than in an afterglow. It scared him how much he depended on her... how much he needed her... how much he loved her. He chucked as a 'I wish I didn't but I can't help it' came again into his mind. He still teased her for her choice of words on that night, but the truth was that he just thanked her for having be there for him on that night.

He found her lips again lingering in a soft kiss.

"My woman always comes to take what it's hers" He whispered on her lips raising an eyebrow as she smiled.

She just stared at him with a look which was a silent 'I love you', brushing his lips with hers. Her hands found his stubble, caressing it as her mouth found his again.

...


He caressed her naked arm and kissed the side of her forehead as soon as she lied down near him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You should wear something" He said as she raised her head to look at him and he couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm not sick" He laughed again kissing her forehead again "I already told Rachel why I have a penis and she hasn't. I have no intention of telling her why sometimes it grows double its size." He said with a mock glare wrapping the sheet more around her still naked body as she gave him a teasing look.

"Not my fault if you brought her in men's restroom, Dr. House" She said with a smirk.

"Not my fault if it's the only part of me standing at full attention in your presence, Dr. Cuddy" He replied as she rolled her eyes, moving the sheet and standing up, then reaching for the first wearable thing and slipping into it, not bothering to put on a pair of panties too.

"Happy?" She asked as her body disappeared into his own grey T-shirt and she slipped under the sheet again meeting his mischievous smile.

"No panties?"

"You never know" She replied giving him a sly look.

He smiled and just wrapped his arm around her again as she rested her head on his shoulder, finding exactly the same spot she always liked. He distractedly caressed her arm as her fingers fidgeted with the hair on his chest.

"So... what's the matter with your mother?" He asked as her hand stopped and she looked up at him.

"Er... nothing. What did Rachel tell you?"

He didn't answer just staring at her as she rolled her eyes.

"My mother is my mother, House" She said sighing "She just... met some old friends of hers and... you know how those things work. Jewish meddlers not interested in her Dean of Medicine daughter as soon as she's not married and with at least three kids. So she went out with one of her complaints and called me 'a moron' because I dumped the only man who proposed me." She rolled her eyes, then meeting House's eyes again "Rachel was so focused on playing with her dolls I really didn't think she was listening to us"

He didn't reply, looking at her as his fingers kept grazing her skin, slowly moving from her shoulder to her elbow.

"I'm not the marrying kind, Cuddy" He said all of a sudden, staring at her and stopping the hand which was caressing her arm as her lips clenched.

"And I'm not asking you to be that kind of man, House" She replied in a soft tone "I just want you being you... I love you being you" She pointed out with a half smile as the corner of his lips curled too.

He kissed her forehead again, holding her as she rested her head on his chest again. If she would have been an inch farer she wouldn't have heard the barely audible 'I love you' he whispered on her skin. But she heard it... and that was enough for her. She clung more to him, closing her eyes and just getting lost in his scent and in his caresses.

...


"Howse! Rachel's eyes brightened as she caught sight of him walking into the kitchen "Look what I've found in the cereal box"

He furrowed his eyebrows giving her a sort of glare.

"Hey, that's mine!" He said pointing to the cereal box "You had that bee-shaped eraser last week"

He kept back a smile as soon as she suddenly closed her fist, hiding the cereal surprise from his view glaring at him with a Cuddy look.

She shook her head so vigorously that her pigtails almost slapped her cheeks.

"Mine" she repeated looking at the object on her palm "It's too small for you" she said again watching that shining golden plastic ring. A heart-shaped blue plastic stone on top.

She pouted as soon as he quickly stole it from her hand slipping it into his pinkie tip then stretching his arm to look at it in a very girlish way.

"See. It's perfect and it brings out the blue of my eyes" He said as she glared at him again.

They both looked at Cuddy as she quickly entered the kitchen, obviously late and in a rush, taking her keys and giving Rachel a hurried kiss on her head. She approached House and took his jaw, then kissing him on the lips lightly.

"Marina's gonna be right here to take Rach to school. Try to behave a few minutes, my big boy"

"Or mama is gonna spank my ass?" He whispered in a mischievous tone in her ear.

She just stared at him with a sly look, kissing him again and grabbing her purse, then almost running out of the room.

They both heard the door shutting closed and their eyes met again. His lips couldn't help but curl up and hers too.

"You look funny with that" she said smiling.

"Too girlish?"

She nodded vigorously.

"You can give it to mommy" She nonchalantly said putting a too full spoonful of cereal in her mouth as milk dropped from the corners of her mouth "A gadget ring" She said with her mouth full.

"What?"

"A gadget-men ring" She repeated looking at him "Like the one of Olivia's mom" she said shrugging and putting another spoonful on her mouth as House's mouth opened too.

What was that? Was it in female DNA? Well, probably yes!

He just shook his head just to come back to reality, limping toward the coffee machine in an attempt of ignoring the subject, and possibly changing it.

"Howse?"

"Hhhmmm?" He just answered pouring some hot coffee in his cup and taking a sip that almost burned his tongue.

"What's an honowr-able woman?"

"What your Grandma isn't!" He replied, immediately biting his tongue as soon as he realized he had said it out loud, anyway taking a mental note of killing Arlene at the first occasion, if Cuddy was going to let him live enough.

He looked at Rachel as she stared at him, not upset at all by his words and probably just still considering what the meaning of that word was.

"I suppose it's because she's sad" She replied as House's eyes widened. Since when did a three-year-old use to 'suppose' anything?

"Grandma" She pointed out at his puzzled look, looking at him as that look turned in a pissed-off one.

Your grandma just needs to get laid and stop being a pain in the ass!

He shook his head at the disgusting image that had appeared in his mind and just looked at the door 'Where the fuck was Marina?'

"Er... why do you think she's sad, kiddo?"

She just shrugged, giving him a smile.

"Because Mommy doesn't care about that honowr-thing and Grandma does"

He couldn't help his eyebrows from raising, trying to follow the train of thought of that little brain.

"Mommy don't care because she's happy" She said again.

"Did she say that?"

"Nope" She answered as her pigtail swung again "She is!" She pointed out like a statement of facts "You make her laugh"

His lips parted at that simple and at the same time strong deduction. Was she really not even a 3-year-old? Well, actually, sometimes adults could made simple things difficult. 0-1 for the little one! The ring of the doorbell awaken him from that thought and he just looked at Rachel then limping out of the kitchen.

He watched Marina as she moved completely at ease in the kitchen despite his presence. Probably she was another of the women who preferred a Lucas kind of man to a guy like him. Not that he couldn't give a damn about it anyway.

"Say bye, Rachel" She said, taking her backpack and nodding toward House, still sit at the table.

He looked at Rachel as she waved him goodbye and just stared at her, allowing just the corner of his lips to curl up almost imperceptibly while Marina's gaze travelled from one of them to the other one. He watched the little girl disappearing beyond the door just to reappear a few seconds later. A 'Rachel c'mon, we're late' echoed from the hallway.

"If you don't need it, may I -?"

He rolled his eyes handing her the plastic ring as her smile grew bigger. She climbed quickly on his knees and hugged him as he gave her a quick hug in turn.

"C'mon," he whispered "or Marina's gonna freak out" he smirked as she kisses his cheek before he could see that coming.

She ran toward the door, waving him a warm goodbye as he smiled too this time.

'Rachel! Why you put on different shoes' He heard Marina asking Rachel as he could figure her rolling her eyes and Rachel probably shrugging.

'Oh, yes Honey, it's a very nice ring' He heard Marina again.

'It's an gadget-men ring'

'Engagment?' Marina corrected her as Rachel probably nodded vigorously with that look of her which was a clear "and what have I just said?"

'Aren't you too young for marriage, Honey?' Marina laughed as House heard the door opening.

'When I'm a big girl' he heard Rachel saying with her usual funny tone.

'¡Ay que mi niña se me ha enamorado!'*

He could figure Marina's eyes lighting up. The tone of her voice so surprised and amazed at the same time that she probably hadn't even noticed she had used her tongue language.

"A special guy, then?" She asked, not hiding the curiosity in her voice.

Their voices came from far as they exited the door, but not so far for him not to hear them.

His hand froze midair. His cup of coffee a few inch from his mouth as that only word echoed in the hallway together with the sound of the door getting shut closed.

'Howse'


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Hi to everyone! Sorry for the delay... I hope you liked it. See you soon!

Is there a little girl who doesn't want to marry her daddy? ;)

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*Oh! My little girl is in love!