CHAPTER SEVEN – Part 3

"HA! Take that!" House screams as he throws three 10s on the coffee table. "TAKE THE SHIRT OFF!"

After several hands of 6-card draw, House is down to his pants and shirt. Cameron, on the other hand, is in her braless shirt and underwear.

She stares at him and calmly lays down a 7. House doesn't say a word but smiles confidently at her.

Cameron lays out a 6 with a smack of the card hitting the glass table. Again, he is silent and his face is growing bored.

Cameron then scoffs and lays down a 5. House's expression grows from boredom to a mixture of trepidation and fear, his eyebrow rises a bit.

"Do I have it or not?" Cameron asks, teasing him.

"There's no way you do! Just save us a lot of time and take off your shirt! You know I've won."

"You're pretty cocky, aren't you?"

"Why, thank you, but that's awfully forward of you."

Without a word Cameron lays out a 4.

Cameron: 7-6-5-4

House: three 10sThe game: Six-card draw and nothing wild.

Except for House.

Cameron can see sweat building up on House's forehead and she loves that; just like she sweated when she was left tied to his bed.

She locks eyes with him as she displays a 2.

"Ha! I knew you didn't have it."

"I never said I did."

With that comment, she lays out a 3 and quickly ends that hand.

"Shit!!!"

Cameron busts out laughing as she leans back, supports herself with her arms and watches House as he gruntingly removes his t-shirt.

"Nope, that doesn't do anything for me yet," Cameron said with a half-grin on her face.

House throws his t-shirt on the floor, grabs the deck of cards, shuffles, says, "Seven-card, nothing wild." He then deals out the fourteen cards and smiles when he sees his cards.

"Oh! Your shirt is soooo off now! I wanna see your breasts!! How many do you want? House asks.

Cameron shakes her head and throws one card on the table; House hands her the replacement.

"Playing dangerously, aren't you? I'd at least go for a pair if I were you." House taunts her. "I wanna go after your pair but you won't let me!"

He lays the deck down looking directly into Cameron's eyes.

"No cards?" she asks.

"Nope."

"Hmm, you're just trying to scare me now, House. But let me tell you this…" She leans up and puts her elbow on the table, purposefully exposing her ample breasts for House to drool over, which he does. "…you don't scare me."

"Well, I'd ask you to show me what'cha got but I already see them! So, let me just show you these."

House lays out two pairs – 3s and 7s.

Cameron heckles at him and lays down two pairs – 3s and 8s.

"Let's just get this over with, Dr. House. Will you kindly display one of your cards?"

"Why, Dr. Cameron?"

"Because – I've just changed the rules."

"Fine! Hard ass!" He throws out a queen.

"Useless. But this isn't…" Cameron lays out a 7. "Hmm, that's useful to you, isn't it?" she asks seductively.

"Now, I may have a boat, or I may have four 8s. But I'll sell…" Cameron hooked her fingers for the quote sign. "…you my 7 for your pants. If you think you have the winning hand, you won't need the 7."

"Wha'…WHAT? No way!"

"My god, House! It's not like I've never seen you naked before. Besides, your full house trumps my piddly-assed two pair – IF that's what I have."

"You don't have it, but…but I'm shy! Besides, we're playing for what I want!" he insists.

"No, you just don't like to LOSE!"

"No. I don't need your 7. What else do you have?" House asks.

Cameron narrows his eyes at him then busts out laughing.

"Crap! I was trying to bluff!"

"No, shit, Sherlock! Now take it off! Take it off!" House starts to chant.