I just finished rereading this one, and I must say, I love it. I know, I wrote it, I should love it, but this is one of my favorites. It's both playful and kind of angsty at the same time. I'm not too sure it's clear but they're at an event at the hospital when this takes place. Enjoy.

THE BALCONY

Cuddy laughed gaily. Dr. Chase had said something to her, but House was too far away to hear it. All he could hear was that laugh, a warm, pleasant laugh.

"House?" Wilson waved a hand in front of his face.

"What?" House didn't stop staring at her. She looked amazing. Her red dress fit her perfectly, like it was painted on. As always it wasn't short, but made up for that with a plunging neckline that, if she bent over, would show just enough to stir his libido.

"You wore a tie." Wilson was not used to seeing his friend dressed up. At least he hadn't shaved. Wilson would have been very worried if House had shaved.

"She likes me in a tie." House didn't think about his words. He was still watching her. Every once in a while, she would look over; she would smile, and quickly look away.

"Who?" Wilson looked around the room. House had moved his eyes to the nearest available female, to throw him off the scent. "Not Nurse Brenda?" Nurse Brenda Previn was known for her desire to punch House in the face.

"Uh, why not?" House shrugged. He hadn't heard her come over, but as soon as he felt the hand on his shoulder, and smelled the faint scent of orchids, he knew it was her.

"Hi Wilson, hi House." Cuddy gave Wilson a quick smile before turning to House. "You look nice." She reached out and adjusted his tie.

"Thank you. So do you." He was nervous. He hated being nervous.

"I'll talk to you later." Wilson made a hasty exit. He hated being around when those two got started. He was pretty sure his friend had a thing for their boss, and he didn't want to be witness to House's humiliation.

"What's with Wilson?" Cuddy was surprised by his hasty exit. She usually had to pry him away from House if she needed to speak with her most badly behaved doctor alone.

"He's got a nurse waiting for him in his office, and another one on the way. He's running a little behind schedule." She laughed gently. That was a good sign.

"I'm going to go get some air." She looked flushed. He had been keeping track. She'd had three drinks, which was not a problem for her. He'd seen her drink a lot more than that and remain sharp and in control. He was intrigued.

House followed her out. He was fidgeting with his tie. He hated the damned things. "We can go to my office. I have a balcony." I have a balcony? He was mentally kicking himself. How lame was that? House couldn't profess to be a lady's man, but he thought he'd outgrown that high school awkwardness that made him say things like 'I have a balcony' long ago.

"Just take it off." House looked at her with confusion. He'd been so busy chastising himself that he had lost track of the conversation. She sighed and began to undo his tie. He had to catch his breath as her delicate hands reached up toward his throat. For a moment he thought she was going to kiss him, but she simply unknotted his tie and slowly slid it off his neck. House took it from her and shoved it in his pocket. Quickly unbuttoning the top button of his dress shirt. He felt better already.

He unlocked his door and stepped aside, holding it for her. It seemed a gallant gesture, but he really only did it so he could watch her ass sashay past. He closed his eyes for a moment as she brushed past him. He memorized how she smelled. He felt a blazing hot patch where her bare shoulder brushed against his arm.

"How about something to drink?" He knew he was pushing it now, but he hadn't hit on a woman in years. He was way out of his element.

"I should be angry with you for having a liquor cabinet in your office." She smiled and watched him pour her a drink. He had the most beautiful hands. His long, slender fingers hugged the bottle of bourbon as he poured a rather hearty amount into a glass.

"You're not?" House turned and found her right behind him. He knew she'd be there, but the sudden sight of her so close to him made him gasp audibly.

"Not tonight." She took the glass with a smile. She knew the effect she had on him. She'd known it for years and it scared the hell out of her, but tonight, tonight she was lonely, and she needed to feel good about herself.

"Shall we?" House extended one long, muscular arm toward the balcony door. He slid the door open smoothly, like Fred Astaire beginning the beguine. Finally he'd done something right, not made some stupid adolescent comment to turn her off.

"Thank you." She smiled as she walked past him, again brushing her shoulder against his. This time, however, it seemed purposeful. She'd had plenty of room to avoid him if she'd wanted to.

House followed her out onto the small balcony.

"Nice night." God he hated small talk.

"It is." She spoke with hesitation. It wasn't like House to say things like 'nice night'. It wasn't like House to wear a tie, and open doors for anyone. He was up to something, and she was determined to figure out what.

House stood beside her. She was holding the brick wall that bordered his private balcony, well, his and Wilson's, but Wilson was downstairs flirting with nurses. For a moment House panicked as he thought that Wilson could show up at any moment with a siliconed nurse on his arm. House hurried over to Wilson's office and wedged his cane under the door handle.

Cuddy was leaning on the wall, watching him with a bemused expression. "Expecting company?"

"This is Wilson's make out point. If you catch him propositioning naive young nurses you'll feel obligated to do something about it, and this is your night off."

"Just thinking of me?" Her smile warmed him.

"Always." He bit his tongue as he walked over to her. Pain was shooting up his leg as he struggled not to limp. He didn't want her pity, not tonight. There was time enough to make her feel guilty later, but only if he needed to.

He'd moved in close beside her. She was looking out over the campus again. He placed his hand next to hers on the wall, their fingers nearly touching. He was watching them carefully, and for a moment he thought he saw her move her pinky toward his, but it must have been wishful thinking, or a trick of the light.

They stood, staring off into the night sky, saying nothing. She hadn't felt this nervous in a long time. She could feel the electricity in the air. It was as though the word sex was lit up in the night sky like fireworks. It was on her mind, and it was almost always on his.

She glanced down at his hands. She longed to feel them against her skin. She wanted to grab him and pull him up against her, but she couldn't. Years of being an administrator had made her too cautious. There were too many cons on her check list. Too many reasons why sleeping with House again would be a bad idea.

"You look beautiful tonight." House was watching her, but looked away as soon as she turned her sparkling blue eyes his way. Damn! He should have held her gaze. Why was he so afraid of her tonight?

"Thank you." She smiled and though House wasn't looking at her, he knew it. He could feel that smile radiating a warm heat his way. He had to look. His eyes rose from her chest to her face. She was stunning. Her cheeks were flush from the double bourbon he'd given her to cap off what she'd already consumed downstairs. Her eyes glittered in the lights coming from the streetlamps below them. Her skin was shivering slightly. She was cold.

House took off his jacket and pulled it around her shoulders. "You're cold."

"I'm barely dressed." She took a deep breath as she played that horribly sentence over and over in her head.

"Yes, I know." House grinned.

Cuddy watched him. She was waiting for the wisecrack. She was waiting for some reference to hookers, or her night job, or something. None came.

"House?" She wanted to know why he was acting so strange.

"Yes?" He looked at her, his bright blue eyes piercing into hers.

"Thanks for the jacket." She wimped out. She wasn't sure she really wanted to know. The truth might ruin the moment. She rather liked House being a gentleman. It reminded her that he was, indeed human.

House moved in close to her. She could feel him, pressing against her side. His arm slowly slipped around her shoulders, knocking the coat off of her. She shivered involuntarily. "Oh, sorry, I..." House bent over to pick up the coat at the same time she did. He happened to look up just in time to see down the front of her dress. "Nice."

Cuddy noticed where he was looking and didn't bother to try to cover herself. She just smiled and stood up again. "Forget the coat." She draped it over the side of the balcony, then grabbed the front of House's shirt and pulled him very close to her.

She looked up into his eyes. They were burning back at her. With her heels on she didn't have to raise herself much to reach his mouth with hers. She slid her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him toward her.

House paused, their lips practically touching, their breath intertwining in the small space between them. "You're not doing this just because you're drunk are you?" He inquired. He had too much riding on this to mess it up.

"Shut up and kiss me." She filled in the small space between them and pressed her lips firmly against his. House moaned slightly as her lips parted and brushed against his own.

He didn't need to be told twice. House pulled her into his arms and pressed her against the balcony wall. His tongue probed her mouth with expert precision. He tasted every inch of her, sucking in air as he plunged deeper inside her mouth.

Cuddy shut her eyes, her head tilted back, and melted into his arms. She felt surprisingly safe in his embrace, warm and protected. He was a strong, virile man despite his disability. She wished he would realize that. She had always pushed him to get back out in the world, to rejoin the dating scene. Now she was glad he didn't. The thought of him in someone else's arms was...unthinkable.

She felt his hand sliding up her thigh, pulling her dress up as it moved swiftly along her stockinged leg. He was sucking on her neck, kissing and sucking and licking her flesh, sending ripples of pleasure through her body. It was her turn to moan, and she just knew he was smiling proudly as she did so.

House pulled her skirt up around her waist and began fumbling with his fly. She was busy tearing at his shirt, her fingers nimbly working each button. He shivered with pleasure when she finally threw his shirt open and let her fingers slide across his skin.

Moments later he'd gotten his pants undone and they fell down along his long, lean legs. The autumn breeze caught him off guard, and if it weren't for the stunning and half naked woman pressed up against him, he might have lost a few inches to the cold night. Instead he felt himself groaning harder between her legs.

Cuddy had grabbed the back of his head and pulled him into another long, passionate kiss. He felt her body undulating with the anticipation of what was to come.

In a quick, powerful move, he grabbed her waist and pulled her up onto the ledge. He grinned to himself when he realized that she had foreseen what was going to happen and had laid out his jacket in anticipation. That Cuddy, always planning ahead. He dropped her bare bottom against the laid out jacket.

"A little too hard," she complained, feeling a dull pain permeate her backside.

"There's no such thing as too hard," House teased, as he pulled his shaft out of his boxers.

Cuddy had her hands on his bare shoulders, fear of falling off the balcony onto the hard concrete below was bubbling at the surface of her mind. It only added to her already heightened sexual excitement. "Impressive." She looked down between them and saw his long, hard dick thrust straight into the night.

"You act like you've never seen it before." House sounded slightly wounded.

"It's been a while. I think it's grown." She smirked a laugh and quickly tried to bury it in a kiss. House let it go as he slipped the top of her dress off her shoulders. He needed to get his hands on those sweet, round breasts. He needed to feel her nipples growing hard beneath his touch. He was a breast man. Always had been.

"I hope you can handle it." House moved in a little closer, his penis now nestled against her thigh.

"I'll do my best." She tilted her head back as he cupped her breasts in his hand and began sucking on her right nipple. She groaned excitedly. She had to stop doing that. His ego was big enough.

House slid one hand between them, sliding it up and down against the silky hair of her pussy. She was breathing heavy and twisting her body slowly, her hips rotating as though she were slowly turning a hula hoop. He felt her getting wet from his touch.

"Right pocket," House groaned out.

"What?" Cuddy opened her eyes and saw him staring at his right jacket pocket beneath her. She slid her hand into the pocket and her fingers closed around a small packet. She pulled it out, knowing what it was. "You are sure of yourself aren't you." She handed him the condom.

House tore the packet open with a vigorous tug, trying to look as manly as possible. "I was a boy scout."

"No you weren't." Her eye caught the abandoned package. "Extra long? Now you've got my hopes up."

"That's not all that's up." He rolled the condom up his shaft. He took the package out of her hand and tossed it over the balcony.

"What are you doing?" Cuddy had a mental image of the security guard patrolling and finding an empty condom wrapper below the balcony. It was like college all over again. She laughed.

"What's so funny?" House felt a momentary pang of self doubt.

"Nothing." She felt him pressing against her and spread her legs father apart. She slipped her hand between them and guided him in slowly, lingering on each inch as it pushed its way inside her.

"Damn right, nothing." House gave one finally thrust to fill her completely. She let out a loud, pleasurable gasp. "No more laughing or I'll go find someone else to pleasure."

She bit her lip. "Shut up and fuck me." She pulled him hard against her. Their groins collided, his dick pressed far into her.

House did as he was told. He grabbed hold of the top of her ass; the part not pressed against a thin dress jacket on hard concrete and pushed her toward him. He felt her body rippling in a way he didn't think was possible.

Her breasts pressed against his chest, flesh on flesh. Both of them were sticky with sweat, cold and hot all at once. The cool night air was all that kept them from spontaneously combusting from the explosion of heat they shared between them.

House's thrusts became more erratic as he got closer and closer to his goal. Cuddy moved her body in ways that sent him further inside her, closer to that spot that would send her to heaven and back.

She gripped the edge of the balcony wall, arching her back and throwing back her head. She was barely sitting on the wall anymore, her ass half on it and half hanging between the wall and House. His hands had moved to the bottom of her ass, holding her up. Her legs were wrapped tightly around his waste.

There was desperation in their movements. Each was racing the other to the finish line. Each making sure they were getting what they wanted. It was selfish, and hot and dirty. It was passionate and hurried.

In the back of his mind House heard a light switch come on. Cuddy could see a line of light coming from under Wilson's door. It was now or never. She thrust her pelvis hard against him, nearly knocking him down. He pushed back, shoving her hard against the wall. She cried out.

House couldn't see, he couldn't hear. The blood was rushing through his veins, his heart pounding in his ears, the sweat blurring his vision. Cuddy was gasping shallowly, trying to find enough air to keep her from overheating. She was starving for House's sweet flesh. She kissed deeply his chest, his neck, his shoulder, trying to devour him in every way.

House exploded inside the condom. Cuddy could feel it. She pulled against him, and twisted her body faster and faster. She wasn't letting him go until....she felt an explosion in her head, her body, her mind. Every nerve in her body burst at once.

She was suddenly aware of the pain in her ass, the weariness in her arms and legs, the sweat that created a sheen over her body. House pulled out of her, holding onto the wall for support. He looked exhausted, weary but not old. He pulled the condom off and tossed it down into the trashcan that sat just below his balcony.

"House!" She hadn't realized what he was aiming for.

"I threw it in the trash. Relax." He ran a hand over her moist arm. She was already getting dressed.

"You don't think he heard do you?" She was looking at Wilson's door.

"Probably." House grinned and pulled up his pants. "But I'll just tell him I hired a hooker to make you jealous."

"You...what?" Cuddy pulled the straps of her dress up over her arms.

"Hooker? To make you jealous?" House was searching for his shirt. Cuddy handed it to him.

"Does he think I like you?"

"If you don't like me, then what the hell was all that?" He leaned across her and grabbed his jacket. "Do you mind?" She'd leaned against the wall for support, trapping his jacket as a consequence. He had to yank it out from under her.

There was a rattling of the glass door to Wilson's office. "Hey, this thing is stuck." He heard Wilson's voice call out.

"You'd better get in my office." House pushed Cuddy through the door a little more aggressively than intended. "And don't think you're getting away with not answering my question." He called behind her.

He bent over and pulled his cane out from Wilson's door. Before Wilson realized the door was free, House had scurried back into his office to confront Cuddy. He didn't mind if she was just using him for sex. If that were the case, use away, but he wanted to know if there was a chance that it could be more.

"Damn!" He called out as he slammed his cane against the wall. The office was empty. She had gone.

6