House wracked his very large brain all day in search of some devious plan that would get Cameron in his arms tonight but the more he thought about it the more he knew she'd see though everyone of his well fabricated lies. He watched her through the glass wall between his office and the conference room as she packed away her things.

House stood and moved towards her.

For the first time in a long time it seemed like honesty would be the best policy for him.

"What sort of things do you have to do at your apartment?" he said softly

"Boring things, balance my check book, dusting, get the bills sorted and do my laundry."

"The last one sounds kind of interesting if you're doing your delicates." he said half-heartedly then sighed. "I really want you to stay with me."

Cameron stared at him with her eyebrows raised.

House's eyes bulged as he realised what he'd said. "Tonight! I really want you to stay with me tonight." he said correcting his mistake nervously.

She smiled softly at him. "I'll be over as soon as I'm done, 7 at the latest."

Cameron moved around the desk to stand in front of him feeling no embarrassment or uncertainty as she reached up and cupped his cheek gently. House sighed leaning into her touch and covering her hand with his.

"I'll have dinner ready." he murmured.

"Let me guess." she said as he slid his arm around her. "Pizza?"

"We had that last night so I was thinking Chinese." House replied with a smirk, his mouth close to hers.

"I'll pick something up on the way home." she muttered lost in him.

His eyes flickered for a moment.

Home.

Her eyes looked fearfully into his as she realised her mistake quickly and tensed in his arms.

He smiled and held her closer still as he kissed her softly.

"Okay then. Nothing too healthy though."

"Okay." she whispered.

"So I'll see you at 7?" he murmured as he kissed her again.

"Uh huh." she said still distracted by the touch of his lips.

He turned his head and kissed her palm gently as stood back. "Well have fun with your laundry then."

She smiled. "I'll see you later."

It seemed like her plans to go slow were going to be severely hampered by her desire to go as fast as possible. Home. She'd called his apartment home for crying out loud. She did feel at home there, surrounded by him and the things he treasured. It felt good to imagine that she was something he treasured. Something he loved. She smiled as she got into her car as she realised he hadn't corrected her merely continued. Maybe he wanted her there... really.

House was waiting in his apartment trying not to look at the clock.

It was past 7.30 and House had convinced himself that he wasn't worrying, but not very convincingly.

His mind kept wandering maybe she wasn't coming? Maybe she was lying dead in a ditch somewhere bleeding out calling his name with her last breath...

Knock! Knock!

House was at the door in a second.

"What the hell kinda time do you call this?" he snapped opening the door to her.

"Um... late?" she said timidly stepping into his apartment dropping a hold-all in the corner before heading over to kitchen and reaching up to grab some plates to dish out the pasta.

House cocked his head to one side and watched her stretch. He didn't think he'd ever really seen her dressed casually before so he took a moment to absorb the way those jeans hugged her ass, the way her shirt rode up as she reached into the top cupboard and plucked plates from the cupboard for dinner exposing a hint of the black panties that lay beneath the denim.

She was exquisite.

He'd forgotten that he'd been worried out of his mind for the past 20 minutes and neglected to notice the large bag she'd brought with her as he slid behind her and pressed his body to hers, wrapping his arms around her and pressing his mouth to her neck.

"So you're not angry with me for being late?"

"How often am I late?" he answered her question with his own.

She giggled lightly. "I'll know to wear these jeans next time I want you to forget about something." She could feel his approval of her attire pressing lightly to her ass.

He rested his hands low on her jean clad hips and squeezed gently.

"It might help." he murmured. "What kind of pasta is that?"

"Tomato chicken." she said as she poured out one container.

"Looks good."

"Me or the pasta?" she asked cheekily as she tipped out the second.

"Both."

"Pasta first."

"Does that mean I get you for dessert?" he said nibbling her skin gently.

"I got ice cream." she said by way of a diversion. She didn't really want to remind him that she wanted to go slow when she wasn't exactly sure herself.

House grunted slightly in acquiescence as he retrieved a couple of beers from the fridge. "What's with the bag?" he said turning back and looking at Cameron.

She blushed wildly, red creeping over her cheeks and down her neck over her chest.

"I needed some things for the morning so I can get to work on time hopefully." she said with a slightly accusing glare in his direction.

House frowned lightly. It made sense, logical sense and matched the illogical sense that was behind their Freudian slips earlier. So he shrugged and shuffled around to slump into the couch and turned the TV down a little. Cameron watched him apprehensively and followed with dinner and cutlery then sat almost at the other end of the couch.

He turned and stared at her as she extended her hand offering him his food.

"What are you doing all the way over there?!" he said incredulously as he took his plate. "I didn't ask you to stay with me just so I could watch you from the other side of the room. Over here. Now." he demanded softly.

She smiled and shifted closer to him so that they were practically touching and their skin became covered with goose bumps at the feel of each others body heat.

House smiled triumphantly and rested back with his feet up on the coffee table and ate feeling wonderfully content and happy.

Cameron relaxed slowly, her body seeming to absorb his mood with ease and found herself curled against him after their bellies were full and empty plates lay near House's feet. She didn't pay attention to the quiet TV too lost in being close to him, enchanted by the feeling of being surrounded by him. She reached her hand beneath his shirt and began tracing circles over his stomach and up to his nipples and hair covered chest.

House moaned softly and tipped his head back giving into her sweet touch. "You know for some one who wants to take things slow you sure are doing some oddly fast things."

She kissed his neck gently. "I like being with you. Feeling you." She murmured. "I...I love it."

She ducked her head slightly laying it against his shoulder and kissing it through the thin material of his shirt."

"You love me." House stated.

Her hand stilled.

"Yes." She answered truthfully, confirming his statement.

"Come here." he said softly, helping her to straddle him, their bodies melded together almost as one but for the few layers of clothing between them. "Tell me." His fingers brushed her cheek gently encouraging her chin to lift and her eyes to meet his.

"I love you." she replied looking into his eyes.

He looked back into her, as his hands smoothed up and down her thighs before leaning forward and kissing her gently. "I love you too."

She grinned and kissed him back equally softly. "You know that doesn't mean you're going to get laid tonight."

"Aw shoot you saw through my plan." he teased. "Its fine, just stay."

"I will; even if you try to get rid of me." she said knowing his tendency to sometimes push the people he loved. She'd seen it often enough with Wilson.

"Not gonna happen." he whispered.

Then one of their mammoth make-out sessions ensued, leaving them both hot and exhausted and thoroughly ready for bed.