Ch. 13:
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Cuddy looked into House's eyes and said what she feared might upset him.
"Taub came to see me today in my office and told me not to marry you."
"That sonuvabitch is soooo fired!" House swore.
"No, wait. Hear me out. Taub's actually got a point," Cuddy admitted biting her bottom lip. House stared with angry eyes, recognizing her "tell" was the sign of something bigger to come.
"He told me I should wait to marry you, Greg, until after I adopt Rachel."
House looked confused.
"His point is if I married you, I could lose Rachel." House began to protest.
"Wait!" Cuddy touched his lips with her index finger. "He's right. Your vicodin habit is documented and so is Mayfield."
House trembled with anger. "What? Now, Rachel isn't 'safe' around me? Is that it?"
Cuddy could tell his feelings were hurt more than his ego. "Greg, listen! I AM marrying you! Don't even THINK about getting out of marrying me!" She smiled a little. "The state adoption services will look for any reason to disqualify me and being a working single mother isn't exactly a strong case to start with."
House could feel himself sliding back inside his barrier, his fortress of solitude and safety. "Two doctors getting married isn't good enough?"
"I don't know, Greg." Cuddy said honestly. "Your past medical …issues are red flags."
"Are you ashamed of me?" House looked hurt, his face smarted to a shade of dark pink.
"I'm proud of you! I love you. You know that!" Cuddy's eyes began to moisten. "I don't want to lose you or lose "us." I just don't want to lose Rachel, either."
House closed his eyes momentarily reviewing the situation. "That midget doctor's got a point."
"You think?" She said playfully mocking him, trying to lighten the moment.
"When can you adopt her?" House asked softly.
"In three months," Cuddy answered breathlessly.
"Hmmm." House paused, glancing into her eyes. "So, you want to wait three months?"
"I don't want to wait, Greg." Lisa said tightly. "I just think we have to."
House felt his heart sinking.
"It's 90 days, give or take a week." Cuddy added hopefully. "What do you think?"
House tried not to fume but he wasn't known as a patient man. "What choice do we have?"
Cuddy waited for him to continue.
"We'll wait." House said firmly yet sadly.
Cuddy exhaled and grabbed him tightly. "I'm so going to make this up to you, tonight!"
"Oh yeah?" House felt himself smiling, eyebrows arched. "Technically it's already tonight."
Cuddy laughed and leaned into kiss him, falling against his chest. House's arms enveloped her. Cuddy nuzzled his neck and placed soft breathy kisses along his hairline and feeling his chest muscles relaxing against her. "How's this?" She cooed?
"Nice….just don't plan to stop there," House murmured into her hair.
"Greedy!" she accused.
House's hands slid across her back downward to the edge of her sweater and quickly dove underneath to feel her soft skin. His warm hands against her skin thrilled her. Ever the straightforward guy, House slid one hand to her bra clasp and flicked it open. Cuddy sighed with a chuckle. His other hand slipped beneath the waistband of her slacks, sliding lower across her hip hesitating above the curve of her cheek.
"Go on, you know you want to," Cuddy whispered. House grinned and his hand slid over the cool curve of her ass, her silky panties gliding over his knuckles. "Ah, the promised land!" He whispered back. It was her turn to grin.
Cuddy wasted no time and reached for the hem of his t-shirt sliding her hands over his stomach and chest, weaving her fingers through his soft chest hair. Their lips met feverishly and their tongues playfully touched. Cuddy bit his bottom lip lightly driving his passion higher.
House leaned forward suddenly sliding one hand under her knees and pulling her body tighter to his chest. "Are you ready?"
Cuddy looked into his eyes, "For….?"
"This!" House suddenly dipped her forward quickly and stood up with Cuddy in his arms. Her feet began flailing.
"House, your leg! Put me down!" Cuddy yelped.
"Okay, your ass weighs a ton!" he said. Cuddy smacked his chest.
"No, you idiot! Put me down right now--don't lift me!"
"Afraid of heights?"
"Your leg! I'm too heavy!" Cuddy retorted. "Enough with the short jokes!"
"Not that I'll ever admit this to anyone but (A) my leg is fine – it didn't hurt nearly as much as my giant erection did trapped in my lap!"
"…Giant, huh?" Cuddy raised an eyebrow. She clutched at his shirt, afraid to fall. "Is there a 'B'?"
"And (B)…" House continued, "You may think you can throw your weight around, but so can I!" House suddenly tossed her into the air slightly, catching her instantly. The effect was perfect. Cuddy panicked enough to grab him tightly and admonish him.
"You're a jerk!"
"There's also a (C )," House laughed at her startled reaction as he began walking out of the living room still carrying her in his arms. "We're going to have 'dessert' right now!"
Cuddy smiled finally and relaxed a little as House headed down the hall to her bedroom.
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I think our imaginations can fill in the next steps. Would you like a Ch. 14? Let me know in your reviews. Thanks to all who've sent more lately. Love'em!