A/N: Sorry I haven't had a chance to reply to reviews. I have seen them, but work has been very demanding so I haven't had time. But I have seen them, and we do appreciate them, so thank you to those who are still reading/commenting.
Chapter Eight
House moved to stand in front of the mirror. He smirked as he ruffled his thinning hair. It wasn't too bad yet, but he figured in another few years he'd definitely need to start wearing hats. He found a T-shirt, pair of jeans and his Nikes, got dressed and went out onto the back patio where Mundell had a huge stainless steel BBQ grill, and was tossing steaks and burgers onto it.
"There's beer in the bar fridge over there, House," he told him. "Help yourself."
"Great."
Cameron noticed he was leaning heavily on his cane more than usual and he picked the chair across from her, collapsing in it as he cracked open the can of beer.
"How's your leg?"
"It's been better."
Hilary brought out the fixings and condiments for the burgers and House cringed when he saw the pickles.
"What's wrong?"
"He doesn't like pickles," Cameron said with a smirk. "Says they're of the devil."
"Oh, well that's okay," Hilary said as she sat down next to him. "I'll eat your pickle."
House spat out his beer and Hilary, realizing what she just said, merely smiled and looked embarrassed.
Cameron laughed and tossed a handful of napkins toward House so he could wipe off the table.
"How about going down to the wine cellar and grabbing a couple of bottles to go with dinner, Princess?" Mundell asked.
"Sure."
Once she was gone, House got up. "I'll be right back." Knowing Cameron opted for the stairs, he took the elevator down to the lower level.
When she heard the doors close behind her, she whirled around to see House standing there, leaning against them.
"You're avoiding me. Why?" he asked her.
"No, I'm not."
He nodded. "Right, then would you mind explaining what I said or did to make you practically run from my room today?"
"I…"
He stepped closer. "If we can't be honest with each other, it's never going to work. I thought you wanted it to work."
"I do, it's just…"
"What? Talk to me, Cameron."
"It was when you said I loved you. You were right. I guess I just wasn't ready to admit it."
He grinned and pointed at her. "I knew it! I knew you still had feelings for me. Love, lust, infatuation, adoration...it doesn't matter. You can call it whatever you want, but feelings are feelings."
Greyson heard voices when he emerged from the sauna and quietly made his way closer to the wine cellar. From where he stood, he could see them, and make out what they were saying, even with the doors closed.
"I haven't felt this way about anyone since Andrew, but it was different with him."
"Because he was dying?"
Cameron leaned against the wall and folded her arms across her chest. "I did love him, just not the same way. And I still miss him," she sniffed.
House went over to her and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck when his lips found hers in a hard, feverish kiss. His hands slid down her sides and squeezed her ass, causing her to gasp and wrap one leg around his waist. He pressed his body against hers, their pelvises ground against each other as his kisses moved down her neck, devouring it. He slipped a hand inside her top to feel her breast encased in a soft lace bra.
"House…" she sighed as his thumb teased her nipple through the lace.
His hand buried in her hair, grabbed a fistful and tugged her head back to give him access to her throat. His tongue slid over the sensitive cord of her neck and up to her ear, grazing it with his teeth, his whiskers scratching her skin as he left his mark.
It was hot, sexy and primal as hell. Her head was full with thoughts that he could have taken her right there and she would have allowed it. Without question. Her hands slipped underneath his T-shirt to rake her nails over his chest, causing him to growl softly in her ear as she kissed the base of his throat.
Greyson groaned softly as he watched them, and in his haste, bumped against the grandfather clock in the hallway.
Cameron heard the noise and gently pushed House back. Her lips and face were pink from whisker burn. "Did you hear that?"
"Yeah. Grab some wine and let's get out of here."
Greyson made sure he was out of sight when they left. He went to his room and booted up his laptop. With what he heard, he had some research to do. His head was spinning with the possibilities. He was going to expose both of them for the liars they were. House would be ostracized by the family and cast out and Allison would be pressured to be with him. Eventually she'd buckle. He knew her well enough. Greg House was no match for him in wealth or community standing. And when Allison was forced to choose between an old, misanthropic cripple and Greyson's perfection, how could perfection not win? He just had to find a way to get rid of Greg so he could convince Allison what a big mistake she was making. That would take some serious planning. He'd enlist Hilary to help him with that.
House tossed and turned but it was no use. Sleep wasn't in the cards. At least not for the time being. He got up and limped out into the hall. Everyone had turned in for the night. Even those who were getting the ballroom ready for the party had all left. The shiny black grand piano sat in the corner of the room, top propped open. It was as if it beckoned him to be played. Figuring it couldn't hurt, as everyone else's rooms were upstairs, nobody would hear him play just a couple of songs. He went to the library, helped himself to a glass of Scotch and took it with him to the ballroom, leaving the door open just a little.
The weather had changed throughout the evening and had gotten quite humid. He could almost smell the electricity in the air as he opened some of the windows, since it was quite stuffy. Taking a long sip of the Scotch, he let it slide down his throat, warming him up all over as he sat down on the bench and let his fingers touch the pristine white ivory keys. It was perfectly in tune and had very nice range. He could almost see himself playing at the party. He didn't know what he'd play, but figured one couldn't go wrong with jazz or classical.
Remembering something Cameron said made him settle in and start playing the theme from the movie Pearl Harbor. He didn't need the sheet music. He could hear it in his head so he just went with it. It was pretty rusty the first time so he started over again.
Cameron lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling. She wondered if House would try to sneak into her room like Greyson did the night before. She thought back to their talk in the wine cellar and what happened after that. Kissing him seemed like the right thing to do, so she did it. She touched her neck where he kissed and nibbled, almost able to feel where his teeth nipped at her skin. Before she went to bed she noticed he left a tiny mark just below her ear but she didn't care. She actually hoped Greyson saw it. While she would be furious if Chase did that, somehow she didn't mind that House had. Her other hand slid up over her breast and she closed her eyes, imagining it was House's hand.
The love theme from Pearl Harbor played in her head as she thought of House making love to her.
But it wasn't her imagination. She opened her eyes and sat up, listening carefully. The storm outside was close, and lightning lit up the room when it flashed and thunder rumbled in its wake. She grabbed her robe and quietly slipped out of her room and padded down the stairs. The music got louder as she got closer to the ballroom and when she poked her head around the door, she saw House sitting at the piano.
His long fingers moved effortlessly over the keys and his eyes were closed as he let the music pour out of him. She stood and watched, mesmerized by him. She'd never heard him play before. At least, not this kind of music. Was he playing that song for her? She wanted to believe that. Who else would he play it for? She told him just the other day that she liked it. It was flawless and she stood there, watching and listening with her eyes closed, until he was finished. She heard him pick up the glass of Scotch and take another sip.
"That was...amazing," she whispered as she approached him. He moved over on the bench so she could sit next to him.
He looked at her. "Did I wake you?"
"No, I couldn't sleep. I guess you couldn't either."
House shook his head. "It's too warm."
She placed her fingers on the keys and began to play a light tune, one half of a duet that House was all too familiar with, having played it with his mom many times. He took over the other part and it was as if they'd played together many times before.
"That was nice," she smiled at him. "Is there anything you can't play?"
He shrugged, looking a little embarrassed and began to play Claire de Lune.
Cameron smiled. "You play that and GG might fall in love with you."
House chuckled. "GG is a cougar."
A long bolt of fork lightning lit up the sky and a loud crack of thunder made Cameron wince.
"Don't like storms?" he asked her.
"Not loud ones."
House emptied his glass and got up. "Come on, before we wake up anyone else."
She didn't know what was going to happen next but she followed him across the hall into his room.
"Aren't we rushing things a little?" she asked as he closed and locked the door and leaned against it, giving her a predatory look. It made her whole body quiver.
"I don't think so but if you want to leave, go ahead," he said with a casual shrug.
She placed her hands on his chest as she looked up at him. "I really want to kiss you again. But I'm afraid that once I start kissing you, I won't be able to stop."
He smirked. "I fail to see a problem here."
"The problem is that you're too good at it," she said with a shy smile.
His hands slid around her waist, pulling her closer. "Again, I fail to see a problem with that," he said before he leaned over and gave her a soft, gentle kiss, brushing his lips against hers. She seemed to melt in his arms, and her hands slid up and around his neck as she leaned against him.
"Do you really wanna leave?" he asked her.
She cocked her head to one side. "It seems we've had this conversation before."
"Different circumstances. You're not going to stick me with a needle this time I hope."
Cameron laughed and shook her head. "Where would I hide one?"
He slid his hands down over the satin fabric of her robe and reached into the pockets only to find them empty. "I like this," he whispered as he untied the knot that kept the robe closed and slid his hands up under her satin tank top to feel her warm skin.
"Mhm," she murmured as she rested her cheek against his chest and just let him hold her. He smelled good. A mixture of whatever body wash he used, the cigar he smoked earlier and something else that was uniquely him and that she was becoming addicted to. "What else do you like?"
"I like the smell of your hair, how soft your skin is. I like that you're not wearing a bra right now."
She giggled. "It's not very comfortable sleeping in one."
"Sleeping naked is always preferred," he grinned as he let his hands continue to explore.
His leg started to twinge, warning him to take it easy so he took her hand and pulled her toward the large bed in the corner of the room.
"Maybe I should go," she said, but she looked torn.
He slid his hands up and down her back as he kissed her neck, knowing how much she liked it, but also to freshen up the love bite he'd given her earlier. "It's up to you. I'm not going to make you stay."
"I want to stay, House. It's just too soon for this."
He nodded and released her. "So what's the plan tomorrow?"
"Well, I'll be helping with preparations for the party but you can do whatever you want. Guests will be arriving around six so you're pretty much on your own until then. Or you could help me," she smiled sweetly at him.
"Depends on what you need me to do. If they need someone to test the food, I'm your guy."
"Your stomach is a bottomless pit," she giggled. Then she gave him one more quick kiss. "Thanks, House. G'night."
"Gnight," he said and watched her quietly slip out of the room. He glanced down at the obvious tent in his pajama pants and sighed. "Down, boy."
The soundtrack score from Pearl Harbor is one of the most beautiful scores I've heard in a long time. If you want to check it out, use the link but remove the spaces. I could totally see House playing this for Cameron. This is the same audio I listened to while writing the scene.
youtu. be / KbZA3BUeqc8?list = PLC4D194B8720796B5
Also, the duet that Cameron and House play is called the Dolly suite, and is the first song played in the video called Berceuse.
youtu .be /oKHHT1YD22A?list = PLC4D194B8720796B5
