Chapter 16

"You know you have the potential to screw this up. Badly." Cuddy said before she took a sip of her soft drink.

"Thanks for the insight, Lisa," House jeered. He was sitting across from her and Wilson at a bistro that Thursday at lunch. "It's a dinner and dance. We're not even going together."

Wilson shot a look at his friend. "All we're trying to tell you is not to panic. If you do, you'll have to wait another year and get shot at again. That could get costly."

"I won't panic," House said, rolling his head upwards so that he looked at the ceiling. "Look, I don't understand why she'd choose me over anyone—let alone Chase, but I do know that I want her." He emphasized his point even more as he leaned over the table, saying, "I won't panic."

House noticed that Cuddy was scooping up bite after bite on her fork. She seemed like a hungry wreck. "Have you already impregnated her?" House asked Wilson loudly.

Wilson's fork stopped midway from his plate to his mouth while Cuddy choked on a portabella mushroom. Enjoying their reaction and the newfound way to torment his employer, he continued, "I guess I've lost my bet, Wilson. I always assumed you were sterile."

"House! For the love of my unborn and not yet conceived child, I beg you to shut up," Cuddy cried as she tried to retain some dignity.

Wilson interjected. "There's a reason why we brought you here today for lunch," he said, grabbing Cuddy's hand. "We know it's sudden, but we've decided to move in together."

House stared blankly at his friends for several seconds. "Wait a minute. I get a free meal because you two want to shack up? That was incredibly stupid on your part, and lucky on mine. Why should I care if you plan to live in sin?" he asked. Pausing, House sighed, his blue eyes losing that glint of mockery. He smiled a little, continuing, "I hope it works out for both of you. Congratulations."

They both smiled at House. Cuddy replied, "Thank you, House. That means something to us. We've all been friends for a long time."

House ate his last bite of food and then said, "Consider my not giving you a sperm donation as your house warming gift."

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The rest of the day and Friday went smoothly. Chase was a complete gentleman to both House and Cameron. House did not trust Chase, but let it go. Foreman minded his own business for once and stayed out of the way.

Cameron and House nervously avoided each other. They would smile from across the room, but seemed afraid that they would break the spell of calmness if they made any sudden movements.

Friday after lunch, House caught Cameron alone in an elevator. She could not hide her smile, but neither could he. As he turned towards her, he said referring to the elevator, "I'm feeling strange Grey's Anatomy déjà vu." He paused for effect. "Have I ever called you a whore and then killed your dog?"

Cameron chuckled. "No, but if you stop talking," she nearly purred, "you can live out an Aerosmith video."

He loved the fact that she could keep up with him. That attracted him more than how she looked. One of House's biggest enjoyments—and thrills—was to watch Cameron in the conference room, to see her brain tick and outsmart the boys. She could almost always do it, and it always made him proud—not to mention, hot under the collar.

House followed her advice, pinning her to one corner. He hit the emergency stop button with his cane. She looked up at him, putting her hands on his hips. His arms came up on either side of Cameron's head, bracing himself. They looked at each other, realizing that this would be their first real kiss. Cameron saw fear and anticipation in House's sky-blue eyes. With that look, she knew how much she loved him. She had been deeply in love with her husband, but this was different. Right then, right there, she felt safe with House. Cameron would have stayed in the elevator forever.

House thought he detected love in Cameron's features, which scared the hell out of every fiber of his being. But he too also felt safe at that moment with her. The thought of Stacy was a painful, distant memory. He leaned down to kiss her, and she closed her eyes to accept his lips, but he stopped before he reached her. "You should know something," he told her quietly.

They were still in the same close embrace. She tried to clear her mind in order to think. He continued, "Last year, you told me that you had thought I was too damaged to love anyone."

"House…" she tried to interrupt, but he shook his head to stay her.

"Then you thought I just couldn't love you. And you were right," he said. Seeing the hurt in her eyes, he rushed on. "At the time, I couldn't. My mind…my heart…hell, my everything was still so wrapped around Stacy. I liked you then, but I had to get past her in order to love anyone else. And I did get past her. I just thought you should know."

Cameron's heart almost jumped from her chest. The hands that were still on his hips pulled him toward her. He smiled as he knew what was about to happen. Their lips met, seemingly dancing with each other to a tune only their bodies were aware of. His hands came down and grabbed her back, pushing her even closer to him. They nipped and sipped at each other until they could take it no longer. One hand played with her hair as he put his forehead on hers so that they could catch their breath. "You're damn better than a dream," House whispered.

She laughed softly, tugging on his suit jacket while her fingers played with the buttons. "I kissed you while you were sleeping," she said in a hushed voice, embarrassed by the declaration.

"What?" House asked, shaking his head. "I thought you didn't come to see me."

Her striking green eyes hit his. "I stayed with you for three days. I told everyone not to tell you."

I had been right! He thought possessively. House bent his head down and kissed her again, tenderly and slowly.

The kiss left Cameron dizzy. And that's why older men are always better, she thought with a grin. She tickled his stomach with the knuckles of one of her hands.

House hit the button, and the elevator moved again. "By the way," he said as the elevator doors opened, "was I good?"

Cameron smiled, remembering that night at the hospital. "You were comatose."

House hit his cane on the ground with a manly thunk. Still referring to that night, he said with a smirk, "I rocked your world."

The elevator doors slid shut, leaving Cameron inside to agree that he always certainly had and probably still would at the charity ball that night.

TBC