Beautiful Mess: Chapter 3

AN: Yes, an update, you thought it never would happen. BUT IT DID! Surly you are AMAZED! Thank you times a million for all the reviews. You all continue to rock my socks. Sorry for the long wait but I was busy slaying vampires and saving the world from countless other undead hordes. You know how it is.

The lyrics at the end are still from Diamond Rio - What a Beautiful Mess. TALLY HO!

M

D

Allison pulled for the umpteenth time on her dress; trying position it exactly right on her body. The dress was made of a black, lace like fabric and in the right light some might say it was sheer. It looked like it had been poured over her body and it hugged, tugged, plunged and pushed in all the right places.

She'd had the dress for a while now, hiding in the corner of her closet. Every once and a while she would catch a glimpse of the sinful scrap of materiel in amongst her pantsuits and other work attire and she would just roll her eyes and push it aside.

Her sister had bought it for her as a birthday gift a few years after her husband had died. She had told Allison that she needed to start living again and that a dress like this was sure to do the trick. Allison had sworn she was never going to wear it. But the dress was too expensive to get rid of so it had hung, unused, tag still dangling, in her closet.

Until House had come along

House had told her that she was to "really dress up." She wasn't quite sure how to judge "really" but she had come home tonight and decided that this was the perfect opportunity to do something a bit crazy and bring out The Dress. Her sister would be proud.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. House would be here at any moment. She quickly pushed down a couple new butterflies in her stomach as well as several impulses to change quickly into something more sensible.

She made her way into the bathroom and looked herself over in the mirror with shock and admiration. God lord, is that how she looked? She had straightened her hair, darkened up her eye makeup, making her eyes look impossibly green and bright, glossed her lips and added a shimmery glow to her skin.

Add in the black scrap of a dress and she was hot.

Allison felt an inane urge to laugh building up in her. She was really hot. Her sister would be so proud.

She was reaching for a pair of gold dangly earrings as the doorbell rang. "It's open!"

As she slid in the first earring, admiring the way it fell against her neck and complimented her dark hair she heard the door open and a familiar gruff voice call out.

"You know, It's unsafe for you to have your door unlocked like that. All sorts of crazies could get in."

Allison felt that familiar giddiness build back up in her, as his voice filled her ears. She grinned. "Well that was sort of the point."

She heard him chuckle. "Funny."

As she put in the last earring, she made her way out to him. Her breath caught as she took in his suit-clad form in. Dark and rich charcoal pants and jacket encased his broad shoulders and long limbs, over a white shirt and a wide, deep burgundy tie. Though he still hadn't shaved, his recent haircut gave him some leeway in that department. Allison's heart pounded and her mouth went dry. He looked really good. Then she looked into his face and grinned.

His mouth was slightly agape as his eyes did a languorous sweep over her body. She took a few steps closer before stopping and doing a slow spin with a bit more sway in her hips than was needed. She was rewarded with his eyes widening. "Like it?" She asked coyly, with a laugh in her voice.

House's dark eyes never left her form as he shook his head. "Hell no. Actually, I'll be embarrassed to be seen with someone wearing a dress like that in public. I think we should just stay here and I'll get you out of that awful thing." His voice was a low rumble and Allison was taken aback, her heart suddenly booming in her ears.

House drug his eyes away from her body and looked up into her stunned eyes. "Too strong?"

Allison shook her head as she fought for her voice. "Unexpected," she managed to rasp out.

House laughed huskily. "You wear a dress like that and you think my reaction is unexpected?"

Allison just smiled slightly. "Think you could give me a hand?"

House looked at her stunned for a moment. "With what?"

She held out a necklace too him.

He chuckled throatily again. "I don't think it will go with what I am wearing but the gesture is nice."

She rolled her eyes slightly. "Could you help me put it on?"

House's eyes narrowed as a smile teased his lips. "I think I've seen this movie."

Allison moved towards him and she could feel her skin starts to hum as she drew closer. She handed off the necklace and turned her back to him. Allison could feel his warmth cascading off of him and she had to use all of her self restraint not to fall against his chest.

His hands moved in front of her, the necklace between them and she swept her hair aside giving him better access to her neck.

- - - -

House paused momentarily at the sight of her suddenly visible neck. His heart kicked into overdrive and he had to stop himself from leaning forward and tasting that sleek column.

His eyes traveled down the sleek curve of her bare back. The dress stop just short of being indecent as it dipped just above her tailbone. He brought his attention back to the gold necklace (that matched her earrings, he noticed. Wilson would be proud). He brought the clasps to the back of her neck and her skin trembled beneath his light touch as he locked the two ends together; House felt a hot tug in his lower abdomen.

He dropped his hand lightly on her shoulders, watching with fascination as she both drew away from the touch yet melted against it. He drug his finger tips inward, meeting at her spine, and then trailed downward. He was rewarded with her skin visibly trembling beneath his touch. He drew himself closer and whispered into her ear, "Ticklish?"

Instead of an answer he got a breathless question. "Shouldn't we be leaving now?"

House grinned and stepped back. "Indeed we should."

Cameron gave a slightly shuddering breath before turning around to give him an embarrassed smile.

After a moment she cocked an eyebrow and smiled. "Since I figured that unless you had found an 80's themed dance club with mandatory era-dress code, the spandex was again optional."

The mentioning of their first disastrous date struck a cord with House and before he could stop it, he opened his mouth. "And you spent the whole day today trying to formulate exactly how to say that with the most poise and wit. Did it work? Did it come out how you planned?"

As House silently cursed his automotive defensive retorts Allison surprised him by smiling slightly. "I don't know, did it? I thought it went pretty well. I rehearsed it with Wilson today and he laughed."

As reliefe flooded him he studied her for a moment. "Usually this would be the time where you would look like your best friend just died."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Would you prefer that response?"

House continued to regard her and said nothing.

She moved towards him slowly. "I don't have to worry anymore. I know you like me, remember?"

His eyebrows turned into an almost indiscernible frown though he had to really fight to keep a smile off his lips. "I have never said any such thing."

She grinned as she now stood before him. "But if you didn't like me I wouldn't be able to do this." She step up close to him and placed her hands on his arms that were crossed lightly over his chest. With a gentle tug she pulled them down to his sides. She then slid her hands down his forearms and slowly laced her fingers with his. They now stood so that her nose was just inches from his chin.

House stared down into her sparkling green eyes for a moment. He gave her fingers a squeeze between his before speaking softly, "nonsense, Cuddy and I do this all the time."

Cameron laughed and House had to shake off a daze when he realized that she was smiling like that because of him.

She took a look of challenge and seriousness on her face, but he could see a smile still threatening to spill out over her lips. "And if you didn't like me, you wouldn't kiss me within the next…" she made a show of peering over his shoulder, towards a clock on the wall, "ten seconds." Her head cocked slightly.

Cameron's newfound courage was contagious. He pulled softly on her hands, drawing her flush against him. "Is that so?" A faint grin played on his lips.

She merely cocked an eyebrow. "ten…nine…"

House unlaced his fingers from hers and slid his hands up her bare arms as she continued to countdown.

Cameron's voice started to drop off as his hands moved slowly and deliberately up her arms. "…seven…six…"

His hands swept over her shoulders, stopping momentarily to finger the thin lace straps of her dress.

Cameron's eyes fluttered closed. "…four…three…"

House's hands slid up her throat and he felt her tremble beneath his fingertips. With one hand behind her head, he pulled her closer.

Cameron's voice was now just a hint above a whisper. "…Two…" her breaths were taunting his lips.

She paused waiting. When House's hovering mouth did not reach hers, her eyes slid open.

A small smile played on House's lips. "One?" he breathed out, his voice teasing. A mock scowl covered his features. "I never was one for countdowns."

Cameron opened her mouth to speak and that was when he captured it in a kiss. He felt her initial surprise dissipate and she sighed happily as he quickly deepened it.

After a few breathless moments, they pulled apart. Cameron's arms around his neck felt far too amazing. He swore he just heard her giggle quietly.

"So does this mean," slowly she drew her eyes up to his, a coy smile on her lips, "that you are willing to finally admit that you like…" Her eyes started to twinkle mischievously, "…my dress?"

House couldn't stop the smile from forming. "Despite all my attempts not to like your dress, I think it has definitely grown on me."

She pulled away. "Is that so?"

He nodded. "Though I have to admit, I am still open to that spandex number you were talking about."

Cameron laughed. "Next time I suppose."

He felt a warm twinge fill his stomach and he grabbed her hand. "Next time. Definitely."

Cameron smiled sweetly at him. "Let's go. I am dying to see what could possibly be better than an 80's themed dance club."

House scoffed as they made their way to the door. 'Nothing is better than an 80's themed dance club. But I don't take girls there till the fourth or fifth date. You know, when it gets serious."

Cameron laughed again and House found himself thinking that the sound was something else that had definitely grown on him.

"What a sweet addiction that I'm caught up in."
Next up: Witty Blonds who like poking cold dead guys with sharp pieces of wood. Or perhaps not. Perhaps it will be just a Date where Buffy doesn't show up. WHO KNOWS? Not I! Except I do. REVIEW NOW!