A/N: Argh! FFnet gives me a pain! I uploaded this chapter, edited it and when I clicked "save" it told me I wasn't logged in. How is that possible. Needless to say, my changes weren't saved. *sigh* Anyway, here's a short chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 14

It was one of the hottest days on record for July. From the moment Angela woke up she was sweating. East coast summers weren't what she was used to, and she hated the feeling of her clothes sticking to her.

However, it was the day of the BBQ and she was looking forward to seeing House. She hadn't seen him since the night of the hockey game over a week ago. He'd had a patient that took up a lot of his time and devoted all his time and energies on saving him.

Of course, he found his diagnosis and the patient was fine, which meant that House was riding the proverbial high in solving that case.

He arrived with Wilson to the BBQ and immediately helped himself to a beer from the cooler. That's when he saw her.

Angela was dressed in a pair of very short cut off jeans, a white tank top and a button down Hawaiian shirt that flowed as she walked. She'd recently had a haircut and had her blonde highlights touched up a little, making her tanned skin stand out even more so. He let his eyes travel down to her long, smooth legs and tennis shoes, and felt a stirring in his jeans that he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Chips?" she asked him, holding out a bowl of potato chips and dip.

"Thanks," he said as he grabbed a handful and stuffed them in his mouth to stop himself from saying something stupid that would embarrass both of them.

"Having fun?" she asked.

"Yeah. Great."

"How's your patient?"

"Alive and well thanks to me."

"Good."

"What have you been up to?"

"Apartment hunting. I decided to take your advice and find a place in town."

"Good. Find anything yet?"

"A couple of places look promising. I'm going to go check them out next week. When I do find a place, I'm planning on having a housewarming party. Would you come?"

House nodded. "Probably. Have you heard anything from...you know..." House made the gesture of a crazy person and Angela giggled.

"No. And I don't know whether to be scared or relieved. When they're quiet like that it usually means they're planning something."

"Or they moved on to someone else."

"I can dream."

"Hey Angela, come play with us!" A couple of cops she knew and invited to the party had shown up with their guitars.

"You play?" House asked her, looking surprised.

"Not much. I sing with them and they play."

"Who are they?"

"Friends from L.A. that got transferred out here. Come on, you'll like them."

House followed her across the yard towards the two young guys who sat with guitars on their laps.

"Guys, this is Dr. Greg House. Greg, this is Ian and Rob. They look out for me."

"What kind of stuff do you guys play?"

They shrugged. "Whatever. Anything and everything. Any requests?"

"I need to warm up," Angela said as she took a long swig of beer. "Somewhere over the rainbow?"

Ian laughed. "You always warm up with that."

"It's easy."

"Okay you're the boss."

House stood back and drank his beer while he listened to them. Angela had a very nice voice and the guys complimented it nicely. The three of them harmonized well together.

After a few songs, she excused herself and went into the house to get the food Dave was going to be BBQ'ing.

"You have a nice voice," he said from behind, startling her. She whirled around and backed herself up against the fridge, clutching a bottle of ketchup.

"Thanks."

"What's with you?"

"Huh? Nothing."

"Are you afraid of me?" he grinned, coming closer until the wooden island stood between them.

"What? No! What makes you think that?"

"Because of the way you're trying to distance yourself. Look, if it's about the other night..."

She cocked her head to one side. "It was just a kiss, House."

He nodded and tapped his cane on the floor, trying not to show that he was hurt. Did that kiss truly mean nothing to her? "Yeah, it was just a kiss."

"Incidentally, why did you kiss me?"

"You seemed...I don't know, like you needed it. I wanted to make you feel better. That's all."

"You could have just given me a hug," she giggled nervously. "Friends hug each other."

"Yes they do. They even kiss sometimes. As friends."

Angela felt her heart race. That kiss had been amazing, as simple as it was. She couldn't even begin to imagine what a real kiss from House would be like.

Actually, yes, she could imagine. It would be everything she dared to dream. Passionate, erotic and downright sexy as hell. She had no question that he'd be able to make her feel very good indeed.

It was then she realized she was in big trouble. Thinking about House as more than a friend could end up being a trip into dangerous territory.

"House, I..."

"Hey, Angela, are you bringing out those burgers or are you killin' the cow?" her father called to her from outside.

"I'll be right out," she shouted back and gave House an apologetic smile. "I hope you're hungry."

"Starving. Feed me, woman. Feed me now," he grinned as he followed her outside.

"I love a man with an appetite."

"Depends on what kind of appetite you're referring to," he mocked, giving her an over-exaggerated wink.

Angela sat with Rob and Ian while House sat with Wilson. Everyone was quiet for awhile as they feasted on hamburgers, hot dogs and different kinds of salads.

"Did you know that Angela is looking for an apartment?"

Wilson nodded. "Bonnie is doing her best."

House laughed. "The best of the worst?"

"Hey, just because you and Bonnie don't get along doesn't mean you have to be like that."

"She's the worst realtor I've ever seen. When was the last time she sold a house?"

"Last month."

"Pitiful."

"Whatever, House. Anyway, what do you care?"

"She asked me if I'd come to her house warming party. When she has one."

"What's so weird about that?"

"I didn't say it was weird."

"Then why bring it up?"

"Meeeoww," House groaned.

"Frankly I don't want to know what's going on with you two. It's not my business. She's an adult. She can do what she wants."

"That's the spirit, Jimmy!" House grinned, and he pumped his fist in the air for victory. "So you won't mind if I take her to the upcoming state fair and not you. I got me some sweet tickets to the Monster Truck show."

"Enjoy," Wilson muttered under his breath.

Once the food had been eaten, and the beer had been drunk, people started leaving and Wilson stayed behind to help clean up. Once the mess was taken care of, Wilson offered to give House a ride, but he wasn't ready to leave yet.

"You can go. I'll drive House home later," Angela volunteered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah it's fine. Go."

Wilson seemed hesitant, but House gave him a look that he knew all too well so he said his goodbyes and left.

David excused himself to his study and left House and Angela to entertain themselves. For the first time in a long time, she felt awkward and nervous around him.

House couldn't take the silence any longer and thumped his cane on the floor. "So. Do you like Monster Trucks?" he asked her.

"Those..big trucks with the huge tires that crush everything in their path?"

"Exactly."

"I've seen them on TV."

"I have two tickets next weekend. Wilson doesn't seem too interested so if you want to go, the invite's open."

She smiled coyly at him. "Are you asking me out?"

"You could look at it like that, sure. Or you could look at it as me not wanting a ticket to go to waste. You pick."

"It's funny you ask because here I was trying to get up the nerve to ask if you wanted to go to the fair with me."

"Well then, it's a win-win."

"What day?"

"Next Saturday."

"Cool. It's a date then."