CHAPTER 3

THE RECLINING NUDE

House wore his navy blue microfiber slacks, a light blue shirt and a tan sports coat. He trimmed his beard and splashed on just enough Safari cologne to give him a faint, but pleasant smell. He opted for the black cane with the silver head as his companion for the evening. By 7:00pm House was knocking on Sheila's door. She opened it, standing in a red latex dress with thin, almost spaghetti, straps. House gave her an appreciative smile, "Wow. Is that dress sprayed on?"

She smiled back, her green eyes twinkling, "Yes, you see I'm really nude and the dress is just a painted illusion. Are you ready for dinner?"

"I say we go to Home Depot for paint remover."

She giggled, "You're funny. Are you ready to go?"

He held out his arm to indicate for her to walk in front of him. They walked to his car, House stealing a good look at the long back and Jennifer Lopez butt that Sheila sported. They talked through dinner, exchanging the requisite information that people on first dates exchange. He was forced to talk about Stacy, while she discussed her last boyfriend.

House noticed that Sheila didn't use her good looks to their full potential. She didn't have a real appreciation of just how sexy her body was or could be. He felt that someone like Stacy or Cuddy had more sex appeal because they believed they were sexy. They were self-assured. Being self-assured was sexy in itself. But being self-assured usually came with age. House sensed that Sheila's facade of sensuality was just that, a facade. She didn't believe it deep down. She dressed like she believed it, moved like she believed it, but it was the self-conscious looks in mirrors and windows and the superficial worry about minutia that gave her doubtful nature away.

They finished dinner and, although House enjoyed talking to Sheila about economics and the Masters program she was in, they had very little in common. He did pick up plenty of signals that the evening would be successful in one area. It had been a few months since House had shared a bed with a woman, so he was looking forward to the evening ending well.

They arrived at the Gallery and started walking up the steps to go inside when House heard a voice behind him, "House! Wait up." House and Sheila turned to see Wilson and Cuddy scurrying to join them.

Cuddy eyed the young Sheila and chuckled to Wilson, "She's so young, what is it with him? You'd think he'd learn, the best relationship he ever had was with Stacey and she was a couple years older than him."

"What can I say? It's House."

They saddled up next to House and Sheila. Wilson smiled, not waiting for House to make introductions, "Good evening, I'm Jim, this is Lisa."

Sheila reached out to shake his hand and looked to House to make the introductions. House sighed, "This is Sheila. Shall we all go inside?"

They walked first into the foyer and looked around. There were apparently three artists showing their work including Jack Flannery's paintings, which were paintings of common, every day scenes. The other two artists were more abstract and a little bizarre. One worked in plastic, the other in papier-mâché.

They were each provided programs and Lisa suggested they begin in the back, "If we go first to the back of the exhibit, we can work our way to the front and out. Besides, the drinks table is in the back."

They all made their way to the back, stopping to talk to the occasional acquaintance. House slipped his arm around Sheila's waist and they paused occasionally before they reached the Flannery exhibit to look at an odd exhibit or two. As they entered the Flannery room, House was engaged in some banter with Wilson. He turned to look forward and immediately spotted a prominent painting of a nude woman. He was mesmerized. The painting showed a very beautiful blonde woman, laying in bed, her breasts exposed, but her hips covered with the bedspread. It almost looked like a slightly blurred photo, the image was so peaceful and inviting.

Several people were in front of the painting, obscuring House's view. House smiled as he pushed the crowd away with his cane so that he could see. He knew the woman in the painting. It was the delicious Mercy Darling. Sheila, Wilson and Lisa moved on to other works of art, but House stayed to admire the beautiful breasts of the woman who tempted him with Bourbon tarts. He felt someone move in the crowd next to him.

"What do you think?"

House turned to see Mercy Darling standing next to him. He smiled and looked down at the cleavage that was exposed in her summer floral dress. He managed to stop gaping at her breasts and look in her eyes, "I think you need to see my apartment."

She cocked her head and chuckled. Leaning into him and Mercy whispered, "You have a gorgeous brunette on your arm tonight Dr. House, you don't need an old baker." She lifted up her champagne in a toast to him, slipping into the crowd. He watched her slink off with the confidence of a tigress. She walked up to a younger man with a dark beard and dark eyes. The man reached over and gave her a gentle kiss on her lips. House wasn't sure if this was the kiss of a friend or a lover. He looked around and saw Sheila, Cuddy and Wilson walking towards Mercy and the bearded guy. He walked cautiously over to join them.

Sheila bent forward to give the same bearded man a kiss on his cheek and a smile. They obviously knew each other. She turned to see House approaching, "Jack Flannery, this is Dr. Gregory House, Jim and Lisa. Sorry I don't know your full names."

Wilson stepped up, "James Wilson and Lisa Cuddy, we're very glad to meet you Jack. Your work is incredible."

House watched Mercy as she stood and listened to Jack and Sheila discuss the opening. Mercy glanced over at House and saw that he was watching her. She smiled. Jack put his arm around Mercy as he continued to discuss his paintings. Mercy started to pull away, but Jack gently pulled around her waist, lazily kissed her neck and then let her go.

She walked off, House watching her as she went over to one of the champagne tables. He could see that there were pastries on the table next to the champagne. He realized that they were the bourbon tarts. He left Sheila, who was still engaged in her banal conversation with Jack, and followed Mercy.

He came up on her left side, "Your aphrodisiac tarts?"

She turned, staring up into his eyes and grinned, "Dr. House. You have a young girl hanging on your every word. Why aren't you with her?"

"Actually, she's hanging on your young boyfriend's every word."

"Boyfriend?" She chuckled, "I'd call him a 'friend with benefits.'" She turned to the table, picked up a tart and held it up once again for him to bite. He smiled down at her and took a bite. The flavors burst again! House closed his lips over her fingers and licked the tips of them. She didn't pull her fingers out. After House pulled back, she put her fingers in her mouth and licked them, sending House's libido into overdrive.

"Dr. House, you need to go back to your date and I need to bring out some more tarts."

Mercy turned and disappeared into a side room. He followed her. She turned and shook her head, nodding sternly, "Your girlfriend is going to get worried."

"She seems to be happy. Come on, just take a few minutes off and talk to me. Do you like his work?" House leaned up against a table.

Mercy looked at him, her face blank, leaving House unable to read her. She took a deep breath and leaned up against the table too. She gave him a sexy smile,"Yes, I do. A lot."

The ice was broken and they talked, debated and joked back and forth for the next twenty minutes. House was surprised as to how witty she was and how much she knew about the history of the pandemic flu and its influence on World War I. As they talked, he tried to remember how the conversation had turned to influenza. He couldn't remember how it started, but the discussion ended with her claiming that bird flu would be Stephen King's 'Captain Trips.'

"I really have to get back to the tarts."

House looked out the door at Flannery and Sheila, "Speaking of tarts, I better go back to mine too."

House walked back to the small crowd now gathered around Flannery. He was still giving a lecture on his painting technique and it appeared to House that Sheila and several others were still hanging on his every word. He walked to the painting of Mercy and stared. Flannery seemed to have captured what made her so sensual, the curves, the smile, the curls and the confidence in her eyes. If he caught all of that, then those breasts must be pretty good reproductions. They're perky, ride high on her chest and are perfectly round. I love the nipples, their proud little pink gum drops, just waiting to be played with... I think I picked the wrong bakery babe.

Sheila finally joined him, followed by Wilson and Cuddy. They all looked up at the painting. Sheila cocked her head to the side. "Isn't that the woman you were talking to? The one with Jack?"

"Yes, she's a baker. She bakes cakes for me."

Wilson took another look at the painting, "Aren't you special? So that's the mystery baker?"

House nodded.

Lisa was amazed, "The one who bakes your surprise cakes?"

"That's the one."

Sheila looked confused. "Jack's girlfriend bakes cakes for you?"

"She bakes the cakes that are ordered by some anonymous donor."

Sheila said softly, "Aren't you lucky."

"Speaking of lucky. How lucky am I going to get tonight?"

"I'd say we're going to back and bake you a cake tonight at my apartment..." She hooked her arm through his left arm.

"You mean I can use your oven?"

She wiggled her eyebrows and they said goodnight to Wilson and Cuddy.