Why… Just Another Letter In The Alphabet
Chapter 10: Benefits and Schematics
Cameron would never admit it to anyone, but she loved dressing up. Loved it in a way that would be a bit embarrassing if anyone found out.
The entire day, anytime she wasn't administering medication or running labs, she was thinking about what she was going to wear.
Lunch rolled around and she had just finished charting some information on their current patient. She rolled the door shut behind her and slapped the chart closed. Her stomach growled just as she started down the hall.
A moment later, just as she was passing House's darkened office, a hand snatched out and grabbed her arm. The strong hand quickly dragged her into the dark room.
"You could just ask me to stop in. You don't have to molest me." She told him once he let go of her arm and locked the door behind him.
"You're just saying that because you want me to molest you. That's for later. We have to talk about this banquet thing." He told her as he headed for his desk, Cameron following behind him.
"What's there to talk about? We have to go." She told him, settling down in the chair across from him, crossing her legs.
"I'm aware. Make sure you get our story straight. And wear something low cut." He suggested, his eyes boring holes into her, sending a little chill down her spine at being ogled so blatantly.
"Why just me? This was your idea. You have to help." She protested.
"I don't tell stories, especially not relationship stories. That's why." He told her, his eyebrows raised as he explained.
She rolled her eyes but couldn't deny that he was right, much as she hated to admit it.
"Fine, whatever, I'll figure it out." She said at last, the words coming out as she stood and headed to the door.
"I meant what I said about low cut!" He called to her, his voice following her into the hall.
Later that afternoon, Cameron was doing some charting at the back desk when loud rap on the desk nearly sent her flying out of her chair.
She looked up at her cranky boss with raised eyebrows. "I'm ready to go." He told her, his voice slightly whiny.
"I'm not done with YOUR charting." She told him, turning back to the files in front of her.
"So, bring them." He suggested, tapping his cane impatiently.
"I don't-" She started to protest but he interrupted.
"To my house. I'll do my share, and we'll eat and discuss strategy or schematics, or whatever other fancy word works. I like schematics, don't you?" He taunted.
She rolled her eyes. "Give me 5 minutes." She said, turning to her computer.
"I'll be impatiently waiting." He shot back and headed to his office to pack up his things.
The second he was out of eyeshot, she let the grin show. She couldn't help but think that maybe he didn't just want to help with charting or talk about their "big night"… She couldn't help but think maybe he just might not hate spending time with her. And truthfully, that's as far as she'd allow her thoughts to go, because any further and she risked setting herself up for a big disappointment.
She grabbed her bag and headed to his office. The door was open and The Who was playing at an obscene level. She had to grin. There was nothing quiet about the man.
His case was packed and sitting beside the desk. He was in his chair, feet up and head against the back of the chair. His eyes were closed as he listened.
She leaned her slender frame against the door and waited for him to realize he was being watched.
A moment later, he cracked an eye and saw her. "Stop ogling me. It's demeaning." He said as he leaned over and flicked his iPod off.
"Please, you'd pay a woman to ogle you." She retorted, impressed with herself for coming up with something as quickly as she did.
Apparently, so was he. "You've definitely been hanging out with me too long." He commented as he passed by her, not even bothering to hide the fact that he was looking down her shirt when she bent to grab his case.
"Hey! I can look. We're together remember? They expect me to look. I'm supposed to look. It would be weird if I didn't look." He defended, clearly enjoying the mixed look of shock and… Something else… He couldn't quite put his finger on it… And he wasn't entirely sure if he liked that.
They headed towards the door, him a step behind her. "Better get used to it, won't be too long and I'll be grabbing your ass." He told her just as they stepped out of the office.
He just barely caught the blush on her cheeks before Wilson appeared.
"She believes you. I don't believe it, but she does." Wilson said as he walked with them to the elevator.
"She's making us go to the benefit tomorrow night. She says she needs people but really, she just wants to expose us." House shot back sarcastically.
"You're self involvement has reached monumental levels." Wilson observed as they stepped into the empty elevator.
"Thank god I wasn't the only one who noticed." Cameron piped up with a small grin.
"Sassy not that you're dating me huh? Figures." House replied as he rolled his eyes, but he couldn't deny that her snappy comebacks weren't even a little appealing.
"We have to go, work to do." She told House as they reached the garage, Wilson and House lagging behind, chatting.
"I gotta go, she'll spank me if I don't hurry up." House told Wilson, crossing both fingers as he stepped away.
"I saw that!" Cameron yelled in a mock angry tone.
"God I love when she yells." House said with a tone in his voice Wilson hadn't heard in a long time.
He watched his friend and his fake girlfriend walk away. If I didn't know better… I'd say that wasn't so fake…
OK SO THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE THEIR SECOND EVENING ALONE
WHEN THINGS GET A LITTLE…. OUT OF HAND… AND THE BIG BENEFIT