Chapter Four

OK everyone. Crunch time. I couldn't wait to write and post this, so that's why it's up so soon. Hope y'all like it. SimpleNClean92: That's OK, I forgive you. On the condition that you review at least three of the other chapters... Ok, one of the other chapters. Aw hell, I'd settle for you just reading them. Thanks anyway. Randa05: Guess... Actually, don't bother, you're about to find out.

'Something's up with House,' commented Foreman, frowning at the scene in the corridor outside the meeting room. Chase looked up from his crossword in puzzlement, tapping his pencil on the desk.

'Something's always up with House,' Chase replied, but followed Foreman's gaze out to where Wilson and House had stopped in the corridor to argue.

'No…well yes, but not that. He's unusually irritable.'

'Again, I say, he's House. He's always unusually irritable.'

Foreman shrugged, pretending to return to his work as Wilson and House broke it up and House made for the conference room.

Their boss simply grunted in response to their greetings, pausing only to grab some of the coffee that Cameron always prepared before stalking straight into his office. Foreman gave Chase a meaningful look, who nodded, accepting the statement. They didn't say anything though. House had a nasty habit, if he wasn't in plain view, of walking in on conversations like that and hearing things he shouldn't.

In his office, House was contemplating how bad it really would be if he just gave in. Holding hands, making each other breakfast, acting in a disgustingly sappy manner…

Thoughts that he had used to keep himself strong so far were starting to loose their power. If it meant one night with Cameron, he was beginning to decide that he was prepared to put up with any amount of disgusting sappiness. House was barely even sure why he was resiting any more.

He only made it through that day because Cameron was thankfully making herself scarce. If he'd been forced to watch her rub the soft pale skin of one ankle with her toes of the other foot one more time, he would have jumped her there and then.

At the eventual end of the exceedingly long day (Friday, thankfully) he caned briskly towards the lift, trying to work off some of his sexual tension with exercise. He nearly groaned when, as he waited for the lift, Cameron approached. Even two days before, he would have brightened at the opportunity to corrupt her, but other than the weakness she displayed the moment his hands connected with her skin, she had a will of steel, and was much better at teasing.

Strangely, she didn't say a word as she came to stand beside him, waiting for the lift down to the car park. The ding as it arrive sounded unusually loud. House allowed her to enter first, playing the gentleman, and secretly taking the opportunity to admire her ass.

Cameron chose to stand in the back corner of the small lift. House pushed the button for them both, then couldn't resist standing just slightly too close to her. He could practically hear her heartbeat. The silence was almost deafening as the lift began to descend. House had long since learnt that the best policy was silence, as it left room for people to say things they would otherwise manage to hide. It wasn't working on Cameron though.

House kept his eyes fixed on the small numbers as they counted downwards. As they reached the ground level, Cameron took a half step sideways and took the hand that hung by his side in hers. He turned his head to look at her, in part surprise, part question. She answered him by moving smoothly in front of him, reaching up to kiss him hungrily.

Eyes fluttering closed, House returned the kiss, barely able to register the swirl of emotions flooding him. One hand still tightly clutching hers, the other slid up to cup the back of her neck as she feasted off his lips.

The lift loudly announced their arrival and Cameron jumped away from him like a scalded cat, but thankfully, the car park was empty. She turned back from scanning it, and their eyes met with an almost physical shock. Right in front of him he could read what three weeks of slow torture had done to her, and the relief she felt at finally giving in. It was almost as arousing as the recent feel of her lips on his.

'Your place or mine?' He asked, backing her out of the lift before the doors could close. She kept her eyes on his as she tangoed backwards, trusting him not to run her into anything.

'Yours' she murmured, her voice thick and breathy. He swallowed at the sound of it as the lift doors slid shut behind him. Shifting past her, he led the way to his car, opening the door for her

How they made it his home, he was never sure. Her presence in the car was more distracting than her low cut tops.

Somehow, they managed to walk sedately to his front door, and Cameron waited patiently as he unlocked it and entered, dumping his bag in the hall. He headed for the bedroom, hearing her shut the door behind them before following.

They rapidly divested each other of clothes and tumbled into bed in a blaze of heated moans and exploring fingers. Urging him with her hands and her eyes, Cameron made him feel, forced him not to hold back, and felt him loose control dimly through a haze of her own pleasure.

Catching some of his weight on top of his hands as he collapsed, breathing heavily, House risked a glance at her face, and found her eyes closed, a blissful expression on her features. It was possibly the most beautiful he had ever seen her, still flushed from their exertions. He rolled off her with a contented sigh, and she instantly moved over to snuggle into his chest. House stared at the ceiling, considering his position. This was exactly the thing he had been protesting; yet thinking about it, he decided it really felt quite good.

Her head just under his chin, her soft brown hair was spread across his chest, and her warm breath feathered across his skin, drying sweat worked up moments before. Tentatively, he wrapped one arm around her, letting his hand rest on the smooth skin of her back. She murmured something and brought her own hand up to smooth over his chest, before stilling and seeming to fall straight to sleep.

Letting out a quiet huff of amusement, House watched her angelic features, peaceful in sleep. Three weeks of almost painful abstinence, and all she had to do was curl up against him. He was completely gone. 'I think you've won, love,' he murmured, before closing his own eyes.

They slept soundly through the night, lying entangled on the covers. Normally House found he didn't sleep well with another person in his bed, every move his partner made jerking him awake. He was almost surprised when he woke to discover sun shining in through the curtains. Judging the angle of the light, it looked to be about nine o'clock. It was possibly the first time he'd slept in since his infarction. His alarm clock confirmed that and he smiled, feeling the warmth where he was connected to Cameron.

Although he'd hardly moved, she raised her head, blinking at him with bleary eyes.

'Good morning,' he greeted her mildly; deciding that waking up with a naked woman in his bed was one of life's better pleasures. Cameron didn't say a word; just let her head drop back onto his chest, closing her eyes with an 'mmpf.'

House smiled, trickling light fingers across her back. She shivered deliciously. 'There are, mm, advantages to sleeping with another doctor.' She murmured, not bothering to raise her head. Her breath was warm on his chest.

'Well there has to be something to make up for the loss of supreme mental and moral superiority.'

'You've never had moral superiority.'

'Only for a given value of morals. And what were these advantages you were speaking of?'

Now she did lift her head, a wicked smile on her features as one hand drifted downwards. 'Doctor's hands. Get a girl hot quicker than anything.'

'Do tell.' Murmured House, continuing caressing her back, almost daring her to continue with the hand that had made it to his hip. His whole body tensed when she readily took up the dare, and obligingly a stab of pain abruptly made itself known in his leg. 'Damn,' he said softly, wondering how to detangle himself.

'What is it?' she asked without moving.

'One second,' he replied, wrapping his arms around her and gently picking her up and shifting her until she was lying on her back, watching him in confusion. Reluctantly releasing her, he slid over the covers, reaching the end of the bed and dropping his legs over the side. Standing with a wince, he searched around on the floor for a moment for his pants, and stiffly picked them up, completely unselfconscious in his nakedness. Cameron decided he had good reason not to be- she was very impressed by his form.

She realised what he was doing as he reached into the pocket, extracting the pill bottle and dropping the clothing. She gave him a bemused look as he downed one tablet dry then limped back over to the bed. Naked, she could see the wasting in his thigh, contrasting sharply with the lean muscles on the rest of his frame.

He flipped the covers up before hopping back into bed, finally sliding underneath them, after sleeping the whole night on top. Cameron struggled to sit upright for a moment, sitting on the pillows so she too could slip underneath. Lying back down, she instantly sought him out, rubbing up against him and finding his mouth with hers.

They stayed in bed until early in the afternoon, although sleeping was not on the agenda.

In the end, it was Cameron who rose first, deciding she was hungry. House lazily watched her dress, admiring the smooth, taut skin that flowed over her perfectly toned body. She smiled at his intense gaze, but didn't linger, leaving in search of food. With nothing to amuse him once she was gone, House also heaved himself out of bed, moving to gather his clothes, although she'd stolen his shirt, and he definitely wouldn't fit into hers. Limping in, he found her in the kitchen, looking through his cupboards. He leant on the doorway, watching her and remembering his thoughts about making breakfast. When he realised he honestly didn't care, he decided he'd been domesticated. He shrugged as he decided he didn't care about that either and moved to help her.

To be continued…