Later on in the week, there was a noted awkwardness between House and Cameron. They avoided each other as much as possible, each for their own reasons. House avoided Cameron so that he didn't pin her to his desk. Cameron avoided House so that she wouldn't blush furiously around him and pin him to her desk. When they did see each other, they muttered what had to be said and left soon afterwards.

All would have been fine if it hadn't been for Richard, who decided that he just needed to visit Allison once more at work. She was sitting in House's office, going over his recent case, when Richard walked in as if he owned the entire hospital.

House looked up and glared. Cameron looked up and tried not to groan. "Richard?" she asked with a frown as she stood. "What brings you here?"

"You aren't answering my calls again," he stated flatly. "I can't begin to work out this settlement if you don't answer my calls."

Cameron frowned and House quirked an eyebrow. "I thought your lawyers were taking care of this, Allison," he said from his desk. After all, he was still playing the part of her lover in front of Richard, wasn't he?

"They're supposed to be," Cameron replied slowly. She turned to Richard and cocked her head to the side. "Why are you here instead of having your lawyer call mine?"

Richard sighed and gave Cameron a sweet, charming smile that almost made House gag. Suddenly, House could start seeing why Cameron fell for this guy. "Allison, darling, can't we just make this nice? It will take less time if we just work this out between the two of us."

"Richard, I just don't think that's for the best," Cameron replied quietly. "It's best if we both stay away from each other while we go through this settlement."

House watched as Richard reached out and brushed a strand of Cameron's hair out of her eyes. "I didn't want this to hurt either of us to this extent," he murmured to her. "Look at us; arguing like children every chance we get. It can't be good for either of us, darling."

Cameron's eyes turned soft and House's hand tightened around his cane. Who the hell did Richard think he was, coming in here and trying to seduce Cameron into doing what he wanted? And what the hell was wrong with House's new, bitchy Cameron? She was smiling at that rich, manipulative idiot. She was smiling at him and when he reached out to brush his hand against her cheek, she leaned into it.

Enough was enough, House thought with a snarl as he gripped his cane and pushed himself out of his chair. He moved to Cameron and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. "I think you should go," he said slowly to Richard, his voice threatening.

Richard turned that same charming smile to House. "I think Allison can speak for herself," he said calmly before turning back to Cameron. "Can't we just sit down over dinner one night and discuss this?" he coaxed.

Frowning severely, House tightened his grasp on Cameron, giving up his cane to stand behind her and wrap both arms around her. Perhaps he was being a bit territorial, but damn it. He wasn't going to watch Cameron fall for Richie McRichy-Rich all over again; that was ridiculous. He leaned down and whispered into her ear, loudly enough for Richard to overhear, "We have plans this week, remember? My birthday."

When she felt his breath flowing down her neck, she shivered. House must have caught the shiver, she figured, because he nibbled at her earlobe. "Your birthday…" she murmured, eyes fluttering with the intent to close as she leaned lightly into his embrace.

"Yes. Remember?" he asked her, dropping the pitch of his voice and running his hands lightly over her stomach. "We'd planned on going out to that little cottage for the weekend." He let his tongue flick out to catch the outer shell of her ear.

"Oh… The cottage…"

Richard watched with an angry flush. "Allison," he said snappishly. "Dinner?"

"I'm…" House's hands moved to settle on her hips and he pressed a series of kisses along her neck. "…busy…"

"I'm relatively certain that the two of you aren't engaging in work-appropriate activities right now," Richard said coolly.

House smirked against Cameron's neck and nipped at it. "We usually don't," he commented easily. "But as long as it doesn't interfere with work, no one minds. Right, Allison?"

"Uh-huh," was all Cameron could manage, and even that was difficult. His hands were burning into her skin, even though they were just sitting on her hips. And his breath against her skin made her shiver.

"Tell Richard here that your lawyer will contact his, pet," House murmured into her ear. His lips brushed the sensitive skin beneath her ear as he spoke.

Cameron looked at Richard with glazed-over eyes. "My lawyer will contact yours," she said softly.

Fuming, Richard turned on his heel and stomped out. House smirked, watching the man storm away. He brushed another kiss across her skin before slowly letting her go.

She gulped. "You called me your pet," she whispered.

"I am supposed to be your lover when Richard comes around, right?" he asked innocently. "Lovers have pet names for each other. Right, pet?"

"You don't… You didn't have to…"

"I find that I'm amazed by how responsive you are just to a few kisses and touches," he told her with a small smirk. "There a reason for that?"

Again, she gulped. This time, she moved to sit in the chair she'd been in before Richard had surprised them. "I haven't had sex in two years," she admitted sadly. "I haven't had good sex in five years."

House's eyes widened. "Good. Lord."

Cameron nodded. "It… Richard was great in bed at first. And then things just got systematic. Three times per week, forty-five minutes each time."

He was stunned. "Why did you stay in the marriage with him?" he asked curiously. "If the sex was so bad…"

She sighed and rubbed a hand tiredly over her eyes. "Relationships aren't all about sex," she said quietly. "Richard and I got along well and he was very sweet. I had my reasons for staying."

"But you're not going to tell me them."

"No."

He smirked. "I could seduce them out of you."

She laughed. "You couldn't," she said before yawning and covering her mouth with her hand. "No matter how sexually deprived I may be." She checked her watch and gave in. "I'm going home for the evening," she informed House. "You can stay here and finish up whatever it is you have left to-"

"Why don't I come with you?" he asked nonchalantly. "You're too tired to be driving on your own and you've gone through an emotional rollercoaster in the past hour. I'd hate for you to crash."

Cameron quirked her eyebrow. "I think not," she replied in a drawl. "I'd rather you didn't know where I was living, actually. Thank you kindly for the offer."

"Afraid I might stalk you?" he snarked.

"Yes, actually. Knowing you, you'd stand outside my window at night and call for me until I answered the door. Then, being you, you'd tell me you wanted a beer."

"Oh, please. If I were going to stand outside your window at night, I'd want hot, angry, torrid sex. Not a beer."

She blinked and took in a quick breath. "Yeah. I'm leaving. I'll see you tomorrow, Dr. House."

He reached out and took her wrist gently in his hand. "How have you been sleeping with all of the stress?" he asked, sounding concerned.

The concern in his voice made Cameron slightly suspicious, but she went along with it. He probably had a ploy in there somewhere, but she was just too worn out to bother being on guard about it. "Not really well. I've been taking some Tylenol PM if I can't get to sleep by one in the morning."

His thumb caressed the inside of her wrist, and he could hear her slight intake of breath. "I could make sure you get to sleep early," he offered with a small smirk.

She gave him a small, catlike grin. "If I were to take you up on that offer, you would be stunned."

"Not stunned so much as very, very thankful."

With a smirk, she decided to turn the tables. She took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips, sucking lightly on the tip of his middle finger. "I could seduce you instead," she told him, her voice dropping to a sultry tone. When she was sure she had his attention, she smirked at him and dropped his hand. "But I'm a woman of status, and I don't do such things." She turned and left his office, tossing a, "Goodbye, Doctor House," behind her.

He watched her go with a thoughtful glare. The game was on, now. And he had a very good feeling that he'd be coming out the victor.

Three days later, House hadn't made a move. Cameron was starting to get a bit worried, thinking that he'd decided to back down from her challenge. Of course, what else could she expect? It wasn't as though he was actually attracted to her, right? He was putting on a façade for when Richard came. The rest of his comments were just made to make her uncomfortable; that was how House worked. It was how he'd always worked.

She sat at her desk, reading through piles of paperwork and wishing that she could just go home for the day. Richard had called her last night concerning something or other… She couldn't even remember, it had been so insignificant. She'd been up into the early hours of the morning arguing with him about it, too. She'd grabbed a hot coffee on the way to work and chugged it in the car before she was even halfway there. Now, she was waiting for more coffee to brew; she'd already had an entire pot.

She didn't feel so bad, though, as the door to her office opened. It was nearing one in the afternoon, after all, so polishing off a pot of coffee wasn't horrible… She looked up as House entered her office.

He plopped a file down on her desk and frowned, dropping into the seat across from her. "Sign that."

She glanced at the file before pushing it back toward him. "Not if I don't know what it is, House."

"It's a release for me to do a procedure on a patient."

Cameron snatched up the file and skimmed it before frowning at him. "You want to give a new heart to a woman with lung cancer? I know that you went to med school and I'm pretty sure you're aware that the heart is not the organ affected by lung cancer."

House rolled his eyes and tapped his cane irritably on the floor. "She needs a new heart so that she can be strong enough for us to treat the tumors."

"This is all very fascinating, but it sounds suspiciously like something for oncology," Cameron drawled, sitting back in her seat. "Why do you have the case?"

"It was referred to me," he said simply.

"House."

"What? You asked why I have the case, and I-"

"Stop being a smartass," she snapped. "What's wrong with the woman that she needs a new heart? And don't try to play me with your bull about it being about the tumors. You forget that I once worked for you; I know your game."

He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "She needs a heart. What more do you want?"

"A reason to give her one?" Cameron asked with an annoyed frown. "House, you know I can't sign off on this just because she needs it. I have to take into consideration a multitude of variables and-"

"I know the jig," he drawled. "Even if I can't dance it. You know … bum leg and all."

She gave a sigh and pulled the file back to her, looking through it for the information that she wanted. What she saw stunned her; it almost appalled her. "This woman is in her latter sixties and you want me to approve a heart transplant?" she asked. "She's suffered from not only her current lung cancer, but breast cancer and a brain tumor, as well."

"Those two were cleared," House pointed out. "Besides, the heart has nothing to do with the cancer. It's got a lot to do with the heart worms that she has."

"Heart worms?" Cameron asked, obviously not believing him. "Put her on anti-"

"Won't work," House cut in. "Heart's not strong enough to take them anymore. We tried."

"I can't approve this transplant, House. I can't."

"She's got a life, Cameron," House said with a severe frown. "She's got a damned good life and by refusing her that heart, you're ruining the whole thing."

"Oh, stop trying to make me feel bad," she snapped in return, pushing her chair back from her desk and standing angrily. "You seem to be under the false impression that I continue to be the same person that I was ten years ago. I'll kindly inform you, Dr. House, that I've grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade or so, and trying to guilt me into giving this woman a heart isn't going to work." She paused long enough to move to the front of her desk and perch herself on the edge of it. "If you honestly think that I'd give a heart to a woman dying of terminal cancer when it could go to a young man who happens to be perfectly healthy, your view of me is seriously skewed."

"And the princess comes out to play again," he drawled slowly, watching her as she quirked an eyebrow at him. "Feel good to tell me no?" he asked innocently.

"Feels wonderful," she said sweetly, crossing her arms over her chest. "As a matter of fact, I think I'll even say it more than once. No, I'm not consenting for this procedure to take place. No, I'm not going to deliver the news to your patient. And no, you're not getting out of clinic duty this week." She smirked and stood, pacing around his chair slowly. She reminded him of a vulture. "You know, this does feel rather nice… No, you can't do any more MRI or CAT scans for your current patient. No, you can't have extra time for lunch. No, you can't make your Fellows do your grunt-work."

House's jaw tightened and his fists clenched as Cameron continued on her little tirade. He'd let her have her fun before he brought her off of her high horse.

"You can't speak to the nurses, you can't use Wilson's office for your hideaway spot, and you can't eat in coma patients' rooms."

"Any other restrictions, boss?" he asked through gritted teeth.

She stopped in front of his chair and placed her hands on the arms, leaning in so that her face was mere inches from his. "You can't touch me."

Good. She'd taken the bait. He didn't care if she was speaking metaphorically or literally; he was going to prove her wrong. "See … that's where you're wrong, Princess." His arm shot out and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her so that she landed hard on his left leg. Didn't bother him; his right leg was injured, not his left. When she opened her mouth to yell at him, he gripped the back of her neck hard and slammed his lips to hers for a bruising kiss. She struggled against him, but his arms clenched around her and held her close until, ever-so-hesitantly, he felt her tongue moving to entwine with his.

She couldn't deny him. It was something she was becoming more and more aware of. She could shoot him down when it came to treatments for his patients. She could tell him he wasn't allowed to do something and feel just fine with herself afterwards. But to deny him her body, to deny him her lips and her tongue and her taste, and to deny herself the reciprocal, was something that she couldn't bear to do. It was a mortal sin, punishable by burning in Hell. Of course, she was already burning as it was with his hands on her body, his lips on her neck, his pants for breath in her ear. And she realized at that moment that, while she still refused to give up information regarding her sham of a marriage and increasingly difficult divorce, she would never refuse these hot moments of passion between them.

Damn Greg House to hell and back for the things he was doing to her. She growled low in her throat and shifted so that she straddled him, hands cradling his face as she switched the angle of the kiss. "I hate you," she hissed at him, nipping hard on his bottom lip and drawing a moan out of him. "I hate you for this."

"You hate me and you love this," he growled in return, hands gripping her hips to be sure she didn't jar his thigh and ruin this passionate moment. "I make you feel like a woman again."

"You make me feel like a hussy."

"Hussy?" he asked with a snicker, teeth scraping down her throat and pulling a whimper from her. "I make you hot."

She let out another whimper as her eyes slid shut. Her head dropped back to give him better access and he attacked the tender skin he found by biting, nipping, kissing, rubbing the rough stubble on his chin over it. Angry red marks were left in place.

"I make you wet, Princess," he growled into her ear. "Admit it."

"Fuck you."

"Gladly," he retorted, one hand moving to her lower back and yanking her closer so that her pelvis lined up with his. "Tell me something, Allison. Tell me why you fell for Richard."

She gave a soft moan with a strangled cry when he rubbed his pelvis against hers. Her pants were so damned thin that she felt everything. Every little movement he made. Damn him. "Forget it," she gasped. "I'm not telling."

"I can get you to tell," House whispered into her ear, nipping on the lobe. His hands gripped her ass and pulled her hard against him, causing her to gasp. "Tell me."

"He was…" She hung her head so that her forehead rested on House's shoulder as he assaulted her neck once more. "He was…"

"He was what?"

"He was…"

The door to the office opened and Cameron shot up, practically leaping off of House's lap. He was impressed that she'd managed to do it without hitting his bad leg too hard. Hell, he was impressed that she'd managed to do it at all. Behind him, he heard a man clearing his throat.

"Um … sorry to … ah … interrupt…" Wilson's voice resounded. House could hear the grin in it.

Cameron blushed and straightened her hair. "You're not interrupting anything," she said after clearing her throat.

"Right…" House added slowly, turning to give Wilson a smirk. "Nothing at all."

Wilson gave in and grinned, winking at Cameron. "Just stopped by to let you know that St. Jude's called to confirm your reservation at their charity dinner next month. They called to ask me, and when I told them that you worked here, they asked if I could pass on the message that you call them."

"Right," she responded, bending over her desk to write herself a note. "Thank you."

"Welcome," Wilson said with a knowing smile. "Oh, and by the way? The pool's up that you two are going to screw by the end of the year. Just letting you know."