A/N: Here's another chapter because you've all been awesome with your comments :)
Chapter Twelve
After another hour at the funeral reception, people began to leave. Nicola, Joe Kendall and Dan Blake had another conversation and then she came to find House. "Ready to go?"
"Yep. Are you?"
"Yeah, let's go. Seeing you in that black suit and blue shirt…" she said, and then leaned closer to whisper. "I could make love to you right here."
House grinned at her. "I could let you, however I think we might overwhelm the other guests. Let's get outta here. Is Mike coming?"
"He's got his own ride. Come on."
"Cool."
They climbed into the limo and settled in for the drive back to the house. "So what were you talking to those guys about?" House asked her as she snuggled up to him, curling her legs under her.
"Coming back to CSPD as head of Homicide. The Lieutenant who took over after I left is leaving. Not sure what that's about, but they want me to come back."
"I see."
"What about you? Are you going to talk to Dr. Parkins?"
"I'm on the fence," House admitted.
"It can't hurt to at least hear what he has to say."
House shrugged and looked out the window for a few minutes. "You're going to stay here, aren't you?"
Nicola sighed and reached for his hand. His fingers interlaced with hers but he still didn't look at her.
"Greg? Greg, look at me."
He glanced over at her and she gently caressed his cheek. "I'd like to stay. I love the CSPD. It's the best place I've ever worked. I'm meeting Dan and Joe for lunch tomorrow."
"You like Joe, don't you?" he asked softly.
"I do. And before you ask, no, I never liked him like that. His wife, Kathy, is an amazing woman, and I wouldn't want to be on her bad side. Joe claims she has a wicked temper."
House nodded. He'd been thinking about what Chris Parkins said and Nicola was right. It couldn't hurt to hear him out. PPTH was toxic. House knew it and the chance to break free of that would most likely be a good move. Patients would follow him anywhere.
"Greg?" Nicola whispered, giving his hand a squeeze.
"Hmm?"
"We're home," she said as the door opened for them and they got out. Home, he thought to himself as he stood there and stared at the sprawling estate and the mountain range behind it. Yeah, he could certainly consider Colorado Springs as home; even more so with Nicola.
He followed her inside to the parlour where she went straight to the bar. "I don't know about you, but I need a drink," she said.
"Sounds good. Whatever you're having."
She poured them each a tumbler of scotch, leaving the ice out of his because she knew he drank it neat, and brought it to him.
"Some day, huh?" she asked him.
"Yeah. How're you holding up?"
"I'm fine. Mike did an excellent job with the Eulogy."
"Greek for the good word," House nodded. "There were some good stories told. Your dad was quite a character."
"He was," she sighed and blinked away the tears.
"Hey," House said as he wrapped his arm around her and drew her close.
"I hate crying. Especially in front of people," she sniffed and then took another long sip.
They sat in a companionable silence as they enjoyed their scotch. When she finished hers, she put it down on the table and climbed into House's lap, kissing a trail from his neck up to his lips.
House put his glass aside and returned the kisses. His arms wrapped around her and things heated up very quickly.
"Greg..I need you," she whispered as she started unbuttoning his shirt.
"You can have me," he whispered back as he worked at the buttons on her blouse and then expertly unhooked her bra. His mouth immediately fastened on one of her breasts and she cried out.
"Yes!"
His hands slid down and unbuttoned her pants so she stood up quickly and kicked them off before returning to his lap, being careful to put her weight on his good leg.
"I want you…right here…" she growled as she unbuckled his belt and slipped her hand inside his pants. When her hand closed around him in a firm grip, he almost lost it right then and there.
"Naughty girl," he teased. Then he pulled her off his lap, kicked off his pants, flipped her onto her back and kissed her passionately as he moved on top of her.
Is he really going to take me right here on the couch? she wondered as they kissed and groped each other. It certainly seemed that way, which only served to make her more excited.
They'd only made love once and she craved him ever since. It seemed he felt the same as he nudged his cock against her thigh.
She didn't know what was wrong with her. The need to have him was overwhelming and when he finally took her, she was more than ready.
"Oh Greg," she cried out. "Yes!"
He knew he wasn't going to last long at all. She felt so wet and so tight that he was already feeling like the end was near.
He returned his attention to her nipples, kissing and flicking his tongue over each one as he pounded into her. His leg was giving him no trouble at all and he took advantage of it.
"Fuck!" she cried out as her orgasm ripped through her and she gripped his hair. "Fuck me! Harder…"
She was completely unhinged and that was his undoing. He couldn't help but wonder if she would be like this more often, or if it was simply the result of the death of her father. Either way, he liked this side of Nicola and he would definitely do what he could to bring that side of her out again.
Finally, he went over the edge and collapsed on her as they both caught their breath.
"That was…wow," she sighed as she gently stroked his sweaty hair at the nape of his neck.
House chuckled as he rolled off of her, grabbed the throw blanket and pulled it over them.
"I don't know what came over me," she said. "I just…needed to have you."
"It's normal to feel that way after someone dies. It's the mind and body's way of propagating the species."
"I've heard of that happening but I had no idea it was a real thing. Or how powerful it could be."
"It can be very overwhelming. Glad I was here," he smiled at her.
"Mmm yeah."
After cuddling for a while, House's stomach growled.
"Worked up an appetite, did you?" she laughed.
"I suppose I did," he said as they gathered their clothes, got dressed and headed to the kitchen to see what there was to eat.
XXX
While House met with Dr. Parkins, Nicola had lunch with Dan and Joe at a cafe down the street from the hospital.
When they were done, House still wasn't back yet, so Nicola browsed the shops as she waited for him.
"Hey sexy," a familiar voice said from behind her. It didn't sound like House, and he never would have called her that. Only one man was bold enough to do that and that was Buck. She turned around and faced him.
"What do you want, Buck?"
"I just wanted to say how upset I was not to be invited to your father's funeral."
She merely shrugged. "It wasn't by invitation only. You could have showed up, but you wouldn't have stayed long before Mike threw your ass out."
"Oh come on, I worked for your dad for years."
"And you repaid him by getting me into porn. Was he supposed to be grateful?"
"I didn't hear you complaining when you were bringing in the money."
"Which you took half of for a 'finder's fee'," she said with disgust.
House made his way down the street and saw Nicola in a heated discussion with someone. He'd never seen him before but knew he had to be the elusive Buck. He hung back for a few minutes, not wanting to intrude, but then he saw Joe and Dan nearby, also watching. It was as if they were waiting for something. What, exactly, House didn't know, but something was going to go down.
"So is your pussy still nice and tight? It's been a long time," Buck asked with a slight smile.
"Go home, Buck," she said and brushed past him, but he grabbed her arm and she whirled around. "Let go of me. Now."
"Come on, baby, don't be like that. Why don't we bury the hatchet, huh?"
She grabbed his hand and removed it from her arm. Now House was quickening his step and it seemed Dan and Joe were doing the same.
"Is there a problem here, Nicola?" Joe asked her.
"Well, if it isn't the good, albeit retired, Lieutenant and the Chief of Police," Buck laughed. "Came back in town for a piece of her, too? Can't blame ya." Then he saw House and frowned. "What're you looking at, old man? Move along, or that cane will find its way up your ass."
"I don't think so," Dan said as he grabbed Buck and handcuffed him.
"What the...you arresting me?" he asked with a laugh of disbelief.
"I will if you don't move along. You have no business with the Lieutenant."
Buck laughed even harder and inclined his head toward Nicola. "Her? A Lieutenant? Please. How many cocks did you have to suck to get that gig?"
"See, now we have a problem," Joe said as he shoved Buck against the wall and began frisking him. "Still on probation?"
"What's it to you? You've got nothing on me, Kendall. I was just talking to her."
"That's not what it looked like. If I see you bothering the Lieutenant again, there's going to be trouble," Dan said as he removed the cuffs. "Now move along."
Buck put his hands up in a mock surrender and backed away. "Fine, whatever." He looked at Nicola and gave her a smirk. "Say hi to your Mom for me. At least she liked me."
Nicola shook her head as she watched him walk away and Joe placed a friendly hand on her shoulder. "You okay, kiddo?"
"Yep, I'm fine. Thanks, Joe, Dan." She nodded to both of them and then turned to House. "Ready to go?"
"Yep."
On the drive back to the ranch, she didn't say much. She was still quiet when they entered the house.
"I'm guessing lunch went well?" House finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Huh? Oh, yeah. It was good. How about your meeting with the good doctor?"
House nodded. "It was good. I have some serious thinking to do."
"Oh yeah? Did he give you an offer you couldn't refuse?"
"Anyone would be a fool to turn down an offer like that. I'm more concerned about the clapback I'm going to get from Cuddy. He's no doubt going to call her and when he does, the shit's gonna hit the fan."
"Oh come on. It can't be that bad."
"Working at PPTH is like being in a cult. They're all too happy to accept you into the fold, but can make life hell if you choose to leave. I might need to call your father's lawyer. Just in case."
Nicola nodded. "Of course. But maybe it won't be as bad as you think."
"Oh, no, it will be bad. And ten to one she'll send Wilson over here to bring me back. Of course, once he sees your house, he won't want to leave, either."
Nicola giggled. "Good! My evil plan worked!"
House smirked at her. "So you want me to stay?"
She rolled her eyes. "Obviously. And I knew Dr. Parkins would offer you something worth your while. It's one of the best hospitals in the state. Joe's wife used to be a nurse there."
"Is that so?"
"Yep. So what did he offer you?"
"A much bigger salary, the freedom to pick my own team, a personal assistant, all my accumulated sick days and vacation time from PPTH transferred and added to each year I work there, my own handicapped parking space in front of the entrance and the icing on the cake, no clinic duty."
Nicola cocked her head to one side. "They don't have a clinic."
House grinned. "Exactly. That alone was worth saying yes to."
She practically jumped into his arms and started kissing his face, making him laugh.
"So I guess now I gotta find a place to live," he said, watching her reaction. She didn't disappoint, as her face fell. "Why...why would you do that? I thought you liked the ranch."
"I do, I just didn't want to presume that you'd want me there full time."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Really, Greg?"
He grinned. "Gotcha."
"Oh, you are a dead man," she laughed as she pulled him to her for a long kiss. "You're mine, pal."
"Sounds hot."
"Oh, it will be."