Chapter 54

"Why did you do that?" House asked, as calmly as he could. He was angry: not only at Cameron for doing such an idiotic thing but because he kissed back. He knew he shouldn't have done it…he didn't even know WHY he did it…it just happened.

Cameron saw his blazing blues and instantly regretted what she did. She just had to kiss him, one last time. It had been building ever since she learned he was dying…deep down, she was actually hoping to be the one to take care of him. But SHE took that away from her. In some ways, Cameron hated Anne because Cameron was there first…but she hated herself because Anne was wonderful and didn't want to hate her. All in all, Cameron was confused.

House had been watching her and could see the struggle in her eyes. Sighing, he stepped away and began heading to the doorway, prepping for damage control.

"It should've been me…" her quiet voice stopped him at the doorway. He turned and looked at her.

"I'm sorry, what did you say? I'm old and I'm dying; my hearing isn't what it used to be but I think it sounded like 'It should've been me'."

She nodded and took a step closer to him, her courage suddenly bolstered. "It should've been me taking care of you; you've known me longer and I'm completely devoted to you."

House raised his eyebrow. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. We've already discussed this: I'm not an orphaned puppy. You're just upset someone else got me. Not only am I not a puppy but I'm not being picked to play kickball on the school playground; you don't get "first dibs" at me for your team because you're the oldest on the playground. But…" he paused and smirked, tilting his head. "…at least you were finally dealing with your feelings. I mean, I'm not surprised; I meet beautiful but needy girl-children wherever I go. It's sweet, really. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've gotta have hot monkey sex with my wife." He smirked, his head still tilted. "Perhaps I should be thanking you; if you hadn't kissed me I'd have waited until tonight to get lucky." He turned back to leave.

"But you kissed back."

He turned back. "You're cramping my exits. The longer you keep me, the longer I stay pissed at you…and the more you're gonna hate it. And I'm already mad at you." He paused and, seeing she'd never leave him alone, sighed and shrugged. "It was gonna happen anyway…" He lowered his voice then, moving quickly to the office door and looking both ways, House said, "…I'm a high-ranking official with the FBI: the Federal Bureau of Instigators. It's my job to make sure my duckies are creating trouble. I knew you were going to fail the "Insensitivity is My Name, Snarking is My Game" course so I had to plant a secret serum on your lips to help you pass the course. Good luck with that." House was determined to find his wife…and see if he could talk himself out of this one.

"But…." Cameron's word echoed in the empty room.

*****

Ten minutes later, after checking all the usual spots, House couldn't find Anne…and he had grown concerned. Stepping off the elevator at the fourth floor, he hadn't stepped two feet when he heard, "DR. GREGORY HOUSE, PLEASE PICK UP LINE 1. DR. GREGORY HOUSE, PLEASE PICK UP LINE 1." Normally he ignored pages but had a feeling he needed to respond to this one. Hobbling to the nurse's station, he picked up the phone. "House."

"Meet me at your office." CLICK. House hung up and almost ran back to the elevators, eager to find Anne.

Three minutes later, he pushed the door to the semi-darkened and shades-drawn office…

And what he saw made him do a double-take…and his pants tighten at the same time.

Anne was sitting on the desk, legs crossed. She looked…different…somehow: perhaps it was the straight-leg black pants…or the black stilettos with no nylons…or the white ruffled shirt. Or it coulda been the matching black vest, lab coat and long auburn hair straightened in a style similar to…Cameron's.

"Wha…?" House was speechless. He quickly swallowed and looked her up and down. Finding his voice, he pointed to her. "What is this?"

"Isn't this what you like? Maybe if I looked like her you'd kiss me instead." The bitterness in her voice was unmistakable.

He coughed as he locked all doors leading into that office. Making sure all blinds were closed, he hobbled over to her and, without a word, set his cane down. Pulling her off the desk to stand close to him, he pushed the lab coat off. Unbuttoning the vest, he slipped his hands underneath and moved his powerful instruments up and over her breasts (smiling as her eyes closed and her breath caught) then pushed the vest off. He next worked on the shirt, carefully but urgently slipping the pearl buttons through the buttonholes. In no time the shirt followed the vest to the floor. Anne finally found her voice. "What are you doing?"

"Well Dr. House," he smirked. He really did love hearing those words from his lips to this woman, "I'm showing you what I like." His hands traveled down, stopping at the button of her trousers. Pulling her torso to his, he pressed against her. She moaned softly, unknowingly driving him insane. "I don't want Cameron…" Anne opened her mouth to speak when he pressed his mouth to hers, effectively shutting her up. "Shut…up…" he commanded between nips. Breathing against her lips, he tickled hers with his upper lip. "…tell me what you want."

Her breath caught at his words; her insides tightened with anticipation; and warm sensations coursed through every part of her. She opened her mouth but the metallic clanking of the teeth of her zipper filled the room, followed by the faint THUNK of her trousers to the floor. Stepping out of the pants, she moved to toe off her stilettos but House grunted. "Leave them on." She did look quite fetching in the black satin bra and panty set with the stilettos. House trailed his prickly mouth down her neck to the shiny softness of the bra strap. "Tell me what you want," he repeated.

Her head cleared enough from the delicious haze he was creating to move her hands across his chest, pushing the sport jacket off. It was her turn to quickly remove his clothes, leaving nothing but his boxers (she made him take off his shoes and socks). House was getting desperate; she still hadn't answered his question… "What do you…"

"I don't care; just make me forget what I saw, if only for a moment."

Her words cooled his ardor…until she pulled the elastic of his boxers as she stepped back to his desk. Despite all the sexual experience he had, he'd never actually had sex on his desk before. It just never came up. Feeling bold, Anne sat on the desk and leaned back on her hands, her legs spread wide in front of her and still wearing the stilettos.

He stepped between her legs and caressed the outside of her thighs, lightly tasting her shoulders with his tongue. "I can do that…" he whispered.

*****

"Why did you…"

"She kissed me first." They lay on the desk, his toys and papers scattered every which way. Neither had had sex like that before: it was wild; it was aggressive; it was retaliatory; it was angry…and it ended beautifully, each forgiving the other for whatever misunderstandings (or understandings that weren't quite so pleasant) stood between them. Using his mint-condition Gray's Anatomy textbook for a pillow, his nerve endings burnt where her hair caressed his chest. Bringing a handful to his nose, he smelled the sweet pineapple of her shampoo.

"You kissed back."

He paused. "That I did." He paused again, trying to find the right words. "She imagines herself in love with me. She was upset you got me, said she knew me first and was, therefore, entitled to me. Then she practically attacked me…and I didn't stop her. But I didn't encourage her." He could tell she wasn't going to accept that. "I don't know why I kissed back and I won't lie and say I didn't like it; it was a good kiss." She stiffened at this and he moved his hand to the small of her back, keeping her pinned to him. "We have three years of history between us…and I'm dying. There's nothing more to say."

She'd already forgiven him the moment he pushed the lab coat off her shoulders…but wasn't about to tell him that. "Ok Greg. I believe you."

He sat up in surprise and looked down at the beautiful, amazing woman lying on his desk. "You do?" He was shocked, given her response earlier. She nodded. "Why? How?"

"I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone, including Jimmy." She left it at that. An unexpected feeling made his chest contract: gratitude and appreciation for the beautiful woman spread out beside him. He knew she showed him kindness and mercy…and he decided to make it up to her. Knowing he could use sex, he dismissed that; he was going to do something for his wife he'd never done with another woman…he'd honestly tell her things he'd never spoken about.

House lay back down and gathered her closer to him. With her ear to his heart and her hair spilt all around him, he asked, "How are you doing on the desk?"

She grinned against his chest, moving her hand to his sensitive stomach. He flinched a bit when her hand touched the sore spots. "I'm with you; I couldn't be better." She paused and he continued flinching. "Shh…let me touch you. If it hurts, stop me…" her hand gently rubbed, attempting to soothe his painful abdomen.

House began relaxing as she soothed, lulling him into a nice place… "Anne," he breathed, his voice hitching from the amazing sensations her hand caused as she touched. When she moved her head from his chest and kissed her way down, using her lips on his diseased stomach, he moaned painfully.

"Does this hurt?"

He growled. "You have no idea…" she looked up and saw his agonized look. Smirking, she got off the table and grabbed their clothes. Throwing them on the table beside them, she started getting dressed.

"Greg, you look like you're going to say something important and I don't want to be distracted."

And thus House made up with his wife, knowing full well he'd finally found the woman he secretly desired all his life. It was just a shame he only had…

a few months…

*****