Chapter 2: Kiss and Caught

In one swift movement, she shot up and placed her lips on Greg House's slightly open mouth, only to make him open his eyes wider. But that lasted only a moment. In no time he had closed his eyes completely and opened his mouth more to welcome his boss's sudden kiss. She hesitated with her tongue, tickling his lips hopefully; so he let her in to explore his mouth, just as his tongue did the same with hers.

House leaned on his good leg and dropped his cane, pulling Cuddy's body towards his by her waist. She lifted her hands to his face, stroking his cheeks, grappling his jaw, tangling them in his hair. Their bodies ground against each other, asking, no, pleading, for more.

It was just then that Dr. Chase decided to walk into the office, head down, reading a file, oblivious of what he had just walked in on. That is, until he brought his head up and found himself face to face with his boss and his boss's boss, entangled in a loving and passionate embrace, apparently clawing at each other and connected mouth to mouth.

He jumped what felt like ten feet and a short, falsetto noise of alarm escaped his throat. Cuddy and House broke apart in less time than seemed possible and ended up about two feet apart from each other, both looking extremely embarrassed and at a loss for words. Cuddy regained her composure first, straightening her always smooth skirt and jacket.

"Dr. Chase," she acknowledged. "What is it?" Chase was still lost for words, as was House, and he floundered, pointing vaguely and turning from Cuddy to House from House to Cuddy again and again. But Cuddy glared at him. "Well?" she asked, losing patience, while House bent down and picked up his cane to lean on.

"Nothing," he admitted. And turned to leave.

"Chase," House called as he opened the door. Chase looked back. House's eyes were as cold and glaring as ice and he warned dangerously, "not a word." Chase nodded and left in a hurry.

Cuddy turned to House. House turned to Cuddy.

"Awkward," she said.

"Unexpected," he said. "Why …?" he asked.

"I don't know," Cuddy said. She knew what he was talking about. Why did you do that? "I've always liked you," she admitted. "Even though you were insane."

"Were?" he asked.

"Are," she corrected. "And," she added. "I've always been attracted to you." They grew close again. House leaned in towards her, but this time she put a hand on his chest to stop him. "We better not," she warned. "After all, the walls are made of glass."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I'd better be going then." But before he left he swooped down a planted one more short kiss on Cuddy's lips. Then, before she knew it, he was gone from the office.