Chapter Three

Just a short chapter this time guys, I'm sorry. Promise I'll make it up to you, since you are the best readers ever. Seriously. Randa05- Somehow you've put the whole great complicated thing perfectly, in one single sentence. Thankyou; that's actually making the writing easier. CRae- Squee! Favourites list! Thankyouthankyouthankyou. Your tasteful comment is also very welcome, because I was a little worried... wynntay- And is that not the beauty of it? -grin- The Golden Stringbean- love your name, and really love your review. I'm blushing.

And to you all, because I really don't have time for anymore specific replies (for which my heart is breaking, believe me), your reviews make me ridiculously happy. Like, you would not believe how happy, so thankyou, oh beyond belief reviewers.

Cameron allowed her mind to wander as her fingers worked on the centrifuge. She'd decided to recalibrate it after it had nearly juddered off the desk the day before. It was a task that no one else ever bothered to do, but she didn't mind. It left her mind free for thinking about other things. Like House…

She could still practically feel his lips on hers, and it was nearly a day later. He was an amazingly good kisser, and she wandered why this didn't surprise her. He was, after all, brilliant at everything else he did. Including, apparently, withholding.

It was the Wednesday of the third week since he'd first accosted her in his office, and he was showing no signs of difficulty with meeting her challenge. She, on the other hand, was having distinct problems.

Lost in her thoughts, she jumped visibly when footsteps approached from behind. Immediately, she knew who it was, and cursed herself for her slip. She'd carefully made sure someone else was with her at all times up until now. Of course, he had discovered the one time she'd relaxed her policy. The situation was now very dangerous in terms of keeping her resolve.

Cameron choose not to acknowledge him, and kept working. A second later, he had stepped up very close behind her- close enough so she could feel his heat radiating up and down her back, yet not quite touching. She clamped down hard on her impulse to shy away, and kept her fingers going on the centrifuge. To let him see how he got to her would be to admit defeat.

'This is how you spend your lunch hour?' His murmured voice was deep, and his hot breath tickled over the back of her neck. She hoped he couldn't see the slight shiver that ran over her skin.

'It needed doing.' The reply seemed to come from far away, and she marvelled at how steady and cold it sounded.

'There are always things that need doing.'

Cameron wasn't sure exactly where the innuendo lay, but it was there. She felt far too hot, and wondered if she was blushing, and if he could see it.

'Unfortunately, no one ever bothers, so it never gets done otherwise.' Cameron turned her head to look back at him, summoning up all the memories of times he had been a bastard and using them to put pure ice into her eyes. His face was close to hers, an amused expression on its sexy features. She nearly caved right there, but he was speaking, and his words somehow pulled her back from halfway off the wagon.

'You're very sensitive.' He told her, looking at her lips as he spoke. Then, abruptly, he pulled back, turning and leaving the room without a backwards glance. Cameron nearly collapsed, wondering what the hell had just happened. His last words still rang ominously in the air, like a warning. Did he know? Did he know what the merest glance of those pure blue eyes did to her?

She leaned against the bench, hanging her head and sighing, willing her knees to stop shaking. He hadn't even touched her. This was proving far harder than she had ever imagined. But she would hold out. She had to. Just as soon as she could remember why.

Little did she know that, just outside the lab, House was leaning against the wall in a similar manner, eyes closed. His little experiment in pushing her had failed almost catastrophically. He could see her body reacting in primal ways to him, and yet she would look him in the eye and coldly refuse him. He tried to use the memory of that icy tone to remove the telling bulge in his pants, and succeeded to some extent. Still, there was no way he'd be fooling Wilson.

House went to hide in his office.

To be continued…