Kisses Here And There

The next week was alright. House and his team got three new patients and each time House managed to luckily pull out a diagnosis from his you-know-where and still end up being right. He wondered if anyone knew his secret to being right. He wondered if he knew his secret to always being right.

Wilson had been on his case about this secret Santa thing going around because it was the start of the Holiday season. Just to shut Wilson up, he decided to go down to where everyone was for a few moments. They did their thing. They each picked a name. They giggled secretly. Alright, well, not giggled but they were as close to it as you could get without looking like little children.

House had shook his head and almost grinned because he saw who his person was before he picked them out. He purposely went for that name. He knew what he could do for them. Goodness, who knew he would be good at cheating?

"I'm surprised you're doing this, House." Cuddy's voice came from behind him. He hated it when she snuck up on him. "I thought you didn't like the Holiday season."

"Really?" House replied, narrowing his eyes. "Maybe I just lied to you." He knew her next words would be---

Cuddy rolled her eyes. "House, I'm not in the mood."

Score! "Did you tell Wilson that? He has to know, right?" House was only taunting her but maybe not. Hmm. "You two have been grocery shopping and holding hands underneath dying patients' beds, right? How romantic."

Cuddy didn't come back at that. House shrugged. Maybe she really wasn't in the mood. He felt kind of disappointed. All week, he'd been around the two ducklings and Miss Thing. He'd snarked at them a few times but nothing really good. He could've made comments about Chase's inability to stay with one girl for more than an hour or Foreman's unique scent nowadays. Hell, if he was feeling really merciless this week, he could've had a go at Cameron. Ah, that's what he really wanted.

The whole week had been full of sappy phone calls and giggles on Cameron's part with her cop boyfriend that it had seriously put him off on eating the coma patient's sandwich one day. He had heard her outside of the door, giggling about something and making promises about something else. Hearing Cameron's voice get low and promising tightened something in House's gut. He had wondered if he could make her voice husky and her breath catch. He also had shrugged that idea off right away.

Working with Cameron was the same in a lot of aspects that it had been before she had left. It was different too. No longer did Cameron crack under his words but she stood firmly, looking right back at him and challenging him with her eyes. Where she would've just been exasperated about his ideas, she challenged them as well. It annoyed him. And turned him on like hell.

Twice this week had she stared at him with that determination and challenging look in her eyes and twice he had to make up some excuse to leave. He would go to the bathroom and jerk off there. It was ridiculous. Just looks of defiance and he was turned on by her. But, to be honest, they weren't just looks. I mean, they were but House knew that just a simple twist of events could change the meaning of that look into something hotter and sexier.

"Deep thoughts?" Wilson walked beside him.

House gave him a sideway glance. "Cuddy's rubbing off on you, isn't she?"

Wilson just looked at him.

House pressed the button to the elevator. "Calm down, Wilson. That's not what I mean."

Wilson looked doubtful. "Sure it isn't."

House narrowed his gaze at Wilson. "Or maybe it is."

"Cuddy and I aren't in a relationship, House." Wilson said, exasperated.

"Because going grocery shopping and having sex and calling each other at all hours of the night just means that you're friends?" House tilted his head at his friend. "Maybe I should try that…I've been looking for a no-strings attached relationship."

"House, you have no proof that Cuddy and I are in a relationship. You have nothing to base your theory off of." Wilson said in a typical fashion. All about earthly facts. That's why he was only just a great oncologist.

"Well," House said, stepping into the elevator at last. "I have feelings. Doesn't that mean anything to you, Wilson?"

"Cameron." Wilson said before the elevator door could close on him.

That did it. House swung his cane up in time to stop the door. The door opened fully and House looked at Wilson expectantly.

Wilson grinned. "I knew that would make you curious."

"Well, what is it?" House asked, his eyes wide like a kid wanting to know what he got for Christmas.

"Nothing." Wilson stated. "I just wanted to have things to base off of my theory."

House frowned and tilted his head. "And what is that?"

"You're interested in Cameron."

The elevator door closed, leaving House to huff about that out of Wilson's view.

House walked into his office to see Cameron sitting in his desk with her glasses on. He wondered if she really needed those or if she just used them because they were "stylish" or something. He stopped just inside his office and looked around. No one else was in there.

"I think the correct word here is… um?" House narrowed his eyes at Cameron.

She looked up at him with blankness. "House, where have you been?"

House slowly walked over to investigate his desk and found it cleaner than usual. "Where have you been other than messing up my desk?"

She frowned. "Messing?"

"Well, yeah." House scoffed, motioning to his desk. "How else would you describe this… this… whatever you call it?"

She sighed, taking off her glasses and sitting back in his chair. "I call it doing you a favor. How can you work at this desk when it's so messy?"

"I don't." House replied. "It's just here to look good."

She didn't say anything and House could've laughed. He was having fun. But, judging by the look on her face, he would have to wait until after he scared her off so that he could laugh and remember how ridiculous he sounded arguing with her.

"So, why are you here?" He asked after a few more moments passed. Sometimes, he found being alone with Cameron more awkward than it used to be and that used to be pretty damn awkward. Especially when he wasn't pressured to snark at her because she looked so good and the other ducklings weren't around for him to keep up an appearance.

"We were going to discuss my salary." Cameron said, sounding exasperated, like she used to sound a couple years ago when she knew he knew something about what they both knew.

"Oh. Right. Your salary is raised." He leaned forward. "Feel better?"

She sighed and stood up, walking around to lean against his desk. She folded her arms and crossed her feet beneath her at the ankles. She had gotten closer but he wasn't about to move away. She may have a boyfriend back at home and that boyfriend may be a cop but he got to Cameron first. Or so to speak.

"No." She said.

"No you don't feel better?" He asked, confused. Just when he thought she was readable…

"No." She stated simply.

"Most people who just have their bosses say yes to salary raises don't argue." He reached out a hand and touched her forehead. "Jeez, are you okay?"

She shook her head and moved away from him. "House, it's nice that you don't care enough to actually think about saying yes to giving me a raise but we were supposed to sit down and discuss it together. Like a real meeting."

"Oh?" He couldn't remember when he agreed to this but it was probably when he took a large number of Vicodin…

"Come on, that's what we agreed to. A professional work environment."

"Yeah, where I think about you naked," House muttered to himself, walking over to his table and pulling out a chair.

Cameron frowned. "What?"

"Nothing." House said innocently and looked at her. They looked at each other for a while before House motioned to the chair he pulled out. "Well?"

She stared at the chair before registering two and two together. She quickly sat down and reached over to pull a piece of paper out of a notebook sitting on the table. House took a seat right next to her and folded his hands together before looking at her. She glanced at him.

"So?" She asked.

House stared at her blankly. "Huh?"

"Are you paying attention?" She asked, her eyes going wide. She turned fully toward him. "Is this how we're going to have our meeting?"

"Is this too uncomfortable for you?" House asked back, a mocking tone in his voice. "It's too sexually charged, isn't it?"

Cameron laughed at that. "Yeah, right."

For some reason, he wasn't going to back down and let this go. "Oh, come on, Cameron. Even though you have your new boy toy speed dialed into your cell phone, you still have inkle bits of fantasies about me."

She swallowed, the smile fading from her lips. "I don't think this is professional."

House turned to her fully himself and Cameron shifted in her seat. "You know I don't do professional. I'm very personal."

She met his gaze evenly. "I want you."

The fire in his stomach came to life. He wasn't expecting that at all. His throat tightened and so did lower body parts. Her words were low but serious. He looked into her eyes and found no happiness in them in her telling him that. He wasn't surprised that his heart didn't go soaring either. But, he was definitely surprised at her forwardness despite the situation, her situation.

"That still doesn't change anything or the fact that I'm seeing Michael." Cameron stated her tone serious but calm.

"Of course not." House said. He looked down, away. He was disappointed but he didn't know why. It wasn't because he wanted to sweep Cameron off her feet or even that he thought he could. He wanted to kiss her like crazy. He couldn't do that though, for reasons that had nothing to do with her having a boyfriend. He was her boss! He was twice her age!

"Then why did---" Cameron started to say, shaking her head, looking straight at him still. She seemed to change her question though as her eyes became defiant and determined. "Do you?"

"Do I what?" House asked, looking at her.

"You know what I'm asking you. Don't play dumb, House."

Yes! He wanted her! He wanted her so bad, he could almost taste her. He could almost feel her skin beneath his fingertips trembling with want. He could feel her breath in his ear hitch as he… "Does it matter?"

The defiant Cameron broke at that question. He could see it so clearly and at once, he felt two warring emotions. Relief that he could still bring back the old Cameron and anger at himself for being able to do that. Why couldn't he just be honest with her like she was with him and then hastily get their meeting over with to get home to a cold shower? Why did he have to be difficult?

"You're right." Cameron said her voice cracking. She stood up from the chair and started to get her things ready. House stood up as well and watched as she did get everything of hers off of his desk and into her bag. "Why would you answer me honestly or at all when I answered you? I mean, how fair would that be?"

She turned and saw that he was right behind her. She gasped and took a step back, bumping into the edge of his desk.

"Would knowing that I want you bring you peace of mind?" House murmured, tilting his head, looking on her with interest.

She tipped her chin up. "Does it matter?"

House didn't answer and she shook her head and started to walk past him. He, however, reached out a hand and stopped her by holding her back with his hand against her stomach. He could hear her breathing halt in the back of her throat. She looked at him with confusion but didn't step away from his hand which started to do small circles around the sensitive part of her belly button through the thin black cotton.

"I want you…" House started and met her eyes with his vibrant blue eyes. Her mouth opened slightly and it was clear that she was shocked. "I've thought about having sex with you at least a hundred times this week. Five of them being in the last two minutes." He was shocked with his honesty but he wondered how far he could take both of them with his words before one of them cracked. He seemed to have swept her up with his eyes and his words were just topping it off. "On Tuesday, when you wore that button down navy blue shirt and that black skirt with those high heels you wear when you're trying to be professional, all I could think about was my hand creeping up your----"

She cut him off by suddenly leaning up and brushing her lips with his. She meant to kiss him to shut him up so that she wouldn't have to listen anymore but kissing him proved to be a mistake. He tasted like coffee and chocolate. His lips were firm but soft, surprisingly. She brushed her lips across his again, deeper, and found that she already loved the feeling of his coarse fuzzies against her chin.

He had been surprised but after she deepened the kiss, he slowly dragged his hand from her stomach up to her shoulder while lightly brushing her breast. She gave a little sound in the back of her throat when he did this and he couldn't help but smile a little into her lips as his hand traveled back down and around to her back where he held the small of her back, anchoring her so that she was leaning back slightly.

The thought of someone seeing them through the glass went in and out of his mind when he felt her fingernails lightly scraping at the front of his button down shirt. Her tongue ran along his lips before he opened them and then, their tongues were playing with each other. She stepped closer to him and his hand traveled lower to grip her butt and pull her right up against him.

She gasped into his mouth as she felt the rigid length of him pressing into her lower abdomen. She wrapped her arms around his neck and giggled a little when he swung her to lean against his desk. Her hands played with the small hairs of his neck as his lips traveled down her lips, her chin to her neck. She turned her head to the side so that he could have full access. He sucked there for a few seconds before trailing his lips back up her chin to her lips again.

He couldn't believe he was kissing Cameron all over her face and neck. It just couldn't have been happening. She tasted amazing. Plus, her being a great kisser was a big bonus. Who had started kissing who? He knew he had gone on to tell her that he thought about having sex with her but had he been the one to reach out and kiss her? Nope, he remembered her leaning up and kissing him. He smiled. Good, when they were done, he wouldn't be blamed.

She felt him smile and she smiled back into his lips. House was an extraordinary doctor but this groping/kissing thing… he had definite ability in this area as well. She could tell though that he just couldn't decide what he wanted to kiss more or what he most wanted to touch because he kept going back and forth between the options before him. He finally settled on rubbing himself against her while she leaned against the desk and kissing her deeply on her lips.

Liquid poured into her belly as he rubbed his crotch against hers. Her legs automatically opened and one leg actually came up a bit to rest on his hip as he started to grind himself against her more fully. She moaned into his mouth as she started to unbutton some of his shirt. She wanted to feel his skin. But, for some reason, her unbuttoning his shirt signaled something in him to stop what he was doing to her altogether. She regretted wanting to feel his skin only for that reason.

"Cameron…" House said his voice husky and low.

"I'm sorry." Cameron said, side stepping him and running a hand over her forehead.

House stepped back. "Don't apologize to me."

She looked at him. "I don't know why I kissed you."

He gave her a duh look. "I even know that one."

"House, now's not the time to be sarcastic."

He looked surprised. "Woo, look at Cameron taking the lead."

"Someone has to." She made hand motions. "Look what just happened."

House smiled a little. "Yeah. That was nice, huh?"

"Oh my god. I can't believe I…" A look of regret came over her face. "Why did I do… that?"

House only stared at her.

She looked at him, annoyed. "Aren't you regretting any of this?"

"Why would I have anything to regret? I kissed a hot, younger woman and almost had my way with her." He shrugged. "I have nothing to regret."

"Then why did you stop?" She felt very frustrated right now.

"Complaints?" House's eyebrows shot up.

"Yes." Cameron said immediately before closing her mouth and then opening it again. She looked down. "I mean, no."

House nodded. "You enjoyed it."

Cameron gave him a duh look.

"Well, don't bite off my head for that statement. You could've hated it."

She frowned at him.

"You could've lied." He offered weakly. He shifted a bit. "Although moaning and scraping your nails against my chest while I grinded against you could've offered me reasons to think otherwise."

"What am I going to do?" Cameron groaned, burying her head in her hands.

"It was a kiss." House stated simply. "People slip."

Cameron looked at him through her hands against her face. "You're not going to tell me it's not going to happen again, are you?"

House's eyes darkened.

Cameron could feel her insides throbbing with want. She groaned, her facial expression guilty but wanting. What have I gotten myself into?