Here's part four! Thank you to everyone who has given a review. I really appreciate them. Enjoy!
Cuddy flipped her menu closed and handed it to the waiter. The waiter took it graciously and reached for House's as well. House handed it to him and sighed with relief as the waiter took off for the kitchen.
House frowned. "As if he couldn't be any more annoying..."
The waiter popped up alongside of the table, causing Cuddy to jump. She gave him a smile and then looked to House, widening her eyes a bit in an attempt to tell him to behave.
"Not to whine and bother, but I forgot which wine you ordered," the waiter flamboyantly proclaimed, placing a too white smile on his face.
House tilted his head back and let out a loud, fake laugh at the waiter's play on words. Cuddy couldn't stop herself from laughing at House's crudeness to the waiter who stood unknowing and smirking at his well thought out sentence.
"Do you get it, Cuddy?" House asked, acting genuinely excited and not lowering his voice, causing a few couples to stare. "This fine gentleman is underpaid! Did youhear him? Did you see the way in which he used two words that sounded exactly the same, but had completely different meanings in the same sentence? Brilliance! Utter genius."
Cuddy figured she should have probably been embarrassed, but seeing House smiling, even if it was through sarcasm and an ill deed, was enough to banish any form of embarrassment from her. Even if she tried, Cuddy knew she couldn't remove the smile from her face.
"It was the Travaglini Gattinara." Cuddy looked at the waiter, who nodded before walking away as if he was a million bucks.
House dropped his act. "How moronic."
"You're cruel." Cuddy shook her head, disapprovingly.
"But, you're smiling," House pointed out.
Cuddy nodded. "Yeah."
House picked up his water glass and took a sip in order to distract himself as he noted he was now seeing Cuddy in that way that always made him regret the fact that she was not his. Every now and then he saw her in that way. Tonight, he blamed it on the lighting.
However, it didn't help when House set down his water glass and suddenly blurted, "The men you date don't deserve you."
Cuddy blinked. "What?"
House knew he couldn't take back what he just said or cover it up. "You always date men who disappoint you, Cuddy. They never deserve you."
"Oh?" Cuddy raised her eyebrows. "And what kind of man deserves me, House? You?"
"No... not at all... you're too good for me," House replied seriously.
The honesty in his voice threw her off. Cuddy pulled back slightly. "House, I didn't mean- I thought we were only joking and- I didn't mean to insinuate that-"
"You're rambling." He smirked.
There was that shine of excitement in his eyes. He wasn't offended and she smiled, slightly embarrassed, but otherwise glad.
The waiter walked back to their table and set down an ice bucket resting on a stand. He popped the cork and carefully poured the red wine into the two empty wine glasses on the table. He didn't speak, not wanting to undo the cleverness he had displayed moments ago. When he finished pouring, he set the wine in the ice bucket and walked away.
Cuddy picked up her glass and raised it slightly. "Should we toast?"
"Always." House narrowed his eyes and picked up his wine glass.
"To... a nice night." Cuddy shrugged, silently wishing she was better at giving impromptu words that actually meant something.
"To Wilson," House added and clanked his glass against Cuddy's.
They both sipped their wine and returned their glasses to the table. Cuddy cleared her throat, scared there would be an awkward silence coming between them next. She didn't have to worry for long, however, because House began talking.
"Honestly now, Cuddy," House started, "are you really that bad at relationships that you never make it past the first blind date?"
Cuddy sighed with a roll of her eyes, but decided that she would be honest with him. After all, he promised her he would be nice. She folded her arms across her chest. "I keep trying to tell myself that it isn't me... I'm starting to think I'm wrong."
"Well, when you go out with the scum from the bottom of Jersey's finest oil refineries-" House began, pointedly.
"Oil refineries?" Cuddy repeated, eyebrows drawn together, "House-"
"Oh, don't act so surprised," House replied, "You know the men you date suck."
"Wow, House, I didn't know you cared." Cuddy glared, sarcasm lacing her words.
House leaned back in his chair. "I don't. If you want to date Crooked Toupee or Lying Asshole, be my guest."
"Lying Asshole?" Cuddy couldn't remember why she thought she was having a good time.
"He said he was a doctor." House reached for his wine and took a sip. "That man was definitely not a doctor. He probably didn't even graduate from college."
"Who are you talking about?" Cuddy asked, completely lost.
"Stephan something." House set his glass down. "One eye was bigger than the other."
Cuddy shook her head. "I haven't the slightest idea who you're talking about, House."
"He had a lisp that always got worse when he was nervous." House was sure she couldn't forget this guy. "He was almost incomprehensible whenever I spoke to him."
"Stephan Weiss?" Cuddy couldn't remember his face, but she remembered his name and lisp.
"How could you forget him, Cuddy?" House asked, picking up on Stephan's last name. "He's one ofyour people."
"You seem to remember him well enough for the both of us," Cuddy hissed across the table, uncrossing her arms.
"Well, he is chosen of God." House rolled his eyes.
Cuddy leaned back, squinting through dark eyes of suspicion. "And I chose him."
"Are you saying you're God?" House cocked his head to the side. "I was pretty sure you were Satan. It would make things interesting if you were both entities."
Cuddy stayed on topic, not allowing House to hide behind his comments. "I'm saying you remember him because I dated him. You seem to remember a lot of the men I date."
"Why would I care?" House knew she was right and it bothered him that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't rid himself of the jealousy.
"That's what I was wondering." Cuddy gave an innocent, knowing shrug.
"Don't flatter yourself, Cuddy." House had to defend himself the only way he knew how. "I just like to keep a tally of how many men you turn gay. Did you happen to date the waiter?"
"You're not being nice." Cuddy deflated before House's eyes. "Wilson said the date goes doorstep to doorstep. If you aren't going to be considerate of my feelings, House, I'll end it and tell him you lost."
"I thought you wanted the money," House pointed out.
"Some thing aren't worth money." Cuddy shook her head, not bringing up the fact that she was returning the money to Wilson.
House shrugged. "Well, that goes against Jew credo."
Cuddy sighed in annoyance. "Starting now, we are going on a strike system. That was one. You've only got three. And to make sure I'm completely clear, you have two left. Understood?"
"Clear as day." House replied, forcing a kindness in his voice and a fake smile on his face that made Cuddy look away from him.
