A/N: Wow! You guys are impatient :) You love your smex, don't you? :) That's good. I hope the wait will be worth it. *wicked grin*

Chapter 17

The fire was slowly dying, so House got up and tossed another log in and stoked it until it came back to life. Then he returned to the couch, albeit a little closer to Angela than before.

"So," House said as he took a long sip of beer. "What do you want to do? It's your show."

"Really?"

He shrugged. "You seem to know what you want. So tell me."

"I just need to take things slow. The guys I've been with...I wasn't in love with them. Needless to say, they weren't all that good at making sure I was enjoying myself."

"Unfortunately that happens when you date guys in your age group. It's all about quantity, not quality."

"Thank you!" she laughed. "It's true though. I get the feeling that some guys just want to fuck whoever they can just so they can brag to their buddies about it."

House simply shrugged, admitting his own guilt in the matter. "It's what we do."

"Apparently."

"So...taking it slow. I can handle that. How slow is slow? I mean, you're obviously not a virgin, but from the sounds of it you've never really dated anyone, right?"

She shook her head. "I dated one guy for about two months, but my first time was sort of a one night stand. I was in RCMP training and there was a guy. We liked each other and he was nice to me. I guess I just wanted to get it over with."

"Was it hot?"

"Hot? It was over in less than a minute!"

House smirked. "I get it." Then he looked away from her and glanced at the fire. What with the low lighting, roaring fire and the music, she had set quite a scene. "Well, this is romantic. But where are the candles?"

Angela giggled. "I haven't unpacked them yet. Besides, I didn't want to scare you off. You're not a hopeless romantic like me."

"Sorry, no. But I have my moments."

"Like at the top of Ferris wheels?" She grinned, suddenly noticing that his fingers had been tracing an invisible pattern on her knee for the last few minutes. How she didn't realize it until then was what amazed her. She liked it. It was subtle without being too forward.

"Yeah," he said softly as he grinned back at her. "You liked that, didn't you?"

"It was nice," she nodded, inching a bit closer to him as her hand covered his. "So is this."

His hand was warm and smooth and Angela gently stroked his long fingers as they continued to touch her.

He looked up at her, his eyes dark with lust and his lips looked softer than usual. His tongue even darted out to moisten them and she did the same on reflex.

Then he leaned over and began to softly kiss her neck, letting his whiskers lightly scratch her skin as his lips worked their magic. "Mm, you smell really...really...good," he whispered as his tongue ran down along the shell of her ear.

Angela felt a tingle down her spine and rolled her head back to give him full access to her neck. "It's...white musk...from the Body Shop."

"I like it." His hand slid over her knee and rested on her thigh as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the touch of his lips on her skin. He was kissing the base of her throat, doing some amazing things with his tongue when his cell phone began vibrating in his pocket.

"Do you have to answer that?"

He reached for his phone, not taking his lips away from her neck as he glanced at the caller ID.

"If I don't, they'll keep calling."

"They?"

"My team." He sat up straight and flipped the phone open with annoyance. "Okay, someone better be dying or I'm hanging up in three seconds."

"The patient is dead," Foreman told him flat out.

"And how did that happen? Who was monitoring him?"

"I was. He went into convulsions and..."

"I'll be in later." He flipped his phone shut and rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Son of a..."

Angela looked regretful as she gently stroked his hand. "Sorry."

He looked at her like she had grown two heads. "What are you sorry about?"

"I heard."

"Oh. Occupational hazard. People die." He sat back against the couch and groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

"Do you have to go?"

House nodded. "The sooner I go, the sooner I can get to the bottom of it. Or I won't get any sleep tonight for thinking about it."

Angela nodded, but he noticed that she still looked sad. He took her chin in his hand and rested his forehead against hers so they were looking eye to eye. "I'll make it up to you."

"Oh yeah?" she grinned.

"Yeah. I was actually looking forward to tonight."

"I was too. But it wasn't all that bad. We got some stuff out in the open."

"That's true. Next time will be better."

"Will there be a next time?"

"Do you want there to be?" he asked, arching his eyebrow.

She playfully slapped his arm. "Stop deflecting. Didn't we agree that we were going to date? That would require us seeing one another again. Preferably sooner than later."

"Are you going to tell Wilson?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Now who's deflecting?" he grinned as she helped him to his feet. "I think...maybe we should keep this on the down low for a while. If it doesn't work out, I don't need him breathing down my neck all the time, or giving me his brand of advice. Or doing the same to you. I know you two are close but..."

"We're not that close. He's my uncle, not my father. And it's none of his business."

"Wilson has a way of believing anything that has to do with you or me is his business. He's a little protective of you."

"Well he'll have to get over it. I'll date who I want, when I want."

House smiled down at her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her up against him. "That's my girl."

Angela nodded. "Damn right. Now get outta here before they call you again."

He lowered his head and let his lips hover over hers for a second, breathing in her air. "No kiss?"

"Duh, I thought that was a given." She slid her hands up his chest and wrapped them around his neck to pull him closer. When they kissed, her eyes fluttered closed and she felt like she was melting. It was reminiscent of the kiss he'd given her on the Ferris Wheel except there was much more passion. His tongue flicked against hers and caused a low moan somewhere in the back of her throat.

"Mmm, don't want to go," he murmured between kisses down her neck.

"I...don't want you to go, either," she replied, rolling her head back. She was beginning to love it when he kissed her neck. The softness of his lips with the scraping of his teeth against her sensitive skin made her weak and she would have done anything he asked.

"We'll go out again soon. I'll call you tomorrow," he whispered between nibbles to her ear.

"Okay."

His eyes were literally black with lust and as they stood close to each other, she could feel his heart beating in his chest.

He gave her one more kiss before he backed away and grabbed his helmet. "G'night."

"G'night," she smiled as she opened the door for him. When he disappeared down the hall, she closed her door and leaned heavily against it. "I'm a dead woman."

House limped into his office where his three fellows sat waiting. "The board of inquiry is now in session."

The three fellows shifted uncomfortably in their seats as House hooked his cane against the white board and stood there. "So? Tell me what happened."

X X X

Days went by and when Angela didn't hear from House, she began to panic a little. Maybe he was having second thoughts. Maybe their sixteen year age difference was bothering him, or maybe he came to his senses and realized he didn't want to be in a relationship at all. All those questions swirled around in her head until it made her sick to her stomach.

So it came as a shock to her when House showed up at her loft on a Friday night.

"I thought you had a cell. Makes it kind of hard to communicate," he smirked as he expertly twirled his cane out in the hall.

Angela blinked twice. "What?"

"I tried calling."

"I never got any messages."

"I didn't leave any."

"Then how in the hell am I supposed to know you're calling me? I don't have your cell number, by the way," she said as she stepped aside to let him in.

"Don't you have caller ID on that piece of crap phone?"

"No. I got a new phone when I was being harassed by O'Reilly and didn't bother with the extras for the time being. Speaking of being harassed, how did you even get up here? All visitors need to be announced."

House shrugged. "Flashed my ID and told them I had a medical emergency."

Angela arched an eyebrow as she stepped closer to him and closed the door. "And what emergency would that be, Dr. House?"

He stepped closer, narrowing the gap between them and reached for her wrist as if he were checking for a pulse. "Hmm...heart rate is a little fast. Possible heart condition, for one."

She laughed out loud. "And you say you're not a romantic."

"I said I have my moments. I came to take you out. We're going down the street to this new pub that opened last month. They apparently have some good acts that play there every Friday night."

"That sounds good. Let me just change first."

House looked her up and down with interest and she felt like a specimen under a microscope. "What you're wearing is fine. Let's go before the good seats are taken."

He grabbed her hand and led her out in front of him as he closed the door. Once she locked it, they headed to the elevator and got in.

"I can't believe you're here," she said, as she leaned against the railing. "I thought...never mind what I thought."

"That I was having second thoughts about the whole dating thing? That our age difference would bother me?"

"To be honest, yeah. How did you know?"

"Because you're a worrier," he grinned as the elevator doors reopened. "What else would you have to worry about?"

"I can name a few other things," she said as they walked side by side down the street.

"Well don't worry. You should get a new phone though."

"I will. It was just a cheap one anyway. I'm getting a landline installed next week. But you need to give me your number," she teased, poking him lightly in the ribs.

They entered the pub and found a booth near the back where they could see the stage. They ordered drinks and a large plate of nachos to share.

"Don't like jalapenos?" he chuckled as he watched her pick them off.

"Not so much."

"You're missing out."

"I'm spicy enough already," she grinned wickedly.

"That remains to be seen," House smirked.

"You don't believe me." It was more of a statement than a question and she looked like she was pouting.

"Not yet." He finished his beer and got up. "I'll be right back. Order me another."

"Sure."

He was only gone a few minutes and then he slipped into the both beside her rather than across. When she gave him a look, he shrugged. "I can't see the band when I'm sitting over there."

Angela had to giggle. He was like a little kid at times and she couldn't help but laugh in spite of herself.

"Those are some nice guitars," he pointed out to the ones sitting off to the side of the stage.

"Do you play?" she asked.

"A little," he nodded. "I play the piano more, but I have a couple of guitars."

"Will you play for me one day?"

"If you're good," he grinned back as his hand slid down and reached for hers. Their fingers interlaced and they looked at each other. "Do you play anything?"

She shook her head. "As much as I love music, I've never picked up an instrument. I prefer to just sing."

The band came out on stage and began their first song. It was fast and very catchy. Several couples took to the dance floor and Angela found herself watching them. House couldn't miss the wistful look on her face.

"I suppose you'll be wanting me to get out there and dance with you," he smirked.

She looked at him. "That would be awesome, but you don't have to," she said quietly as she glanced down at his leg.

House was relieved to see not pity in her eyes, but genuine concern and maybe a little sympathy as well.

"If they play a slower one, I could be persuaded," he said softly as he reached into his pocket and popped a couple of Vicodin into his mouth. "That is, if you behave yourself."

"Oh yeah?" she challenged. "What would you consider to be good behavior?"

He began whispering in her ear and she blushed a deep shade of crimson. Then, if that wasn't enough, he made his point clear by placing her hand over the very obvious bulge in his jeans. "House!"

"Shhhh! You don't want to draw people's attention to what you're doing, do you?"

Angela looked completely scandalized, but really, she was turned on beyond belief. The things that man was able to do to her was making it very hard to resist him. However, did she really want to?

Her prayers were answered when one song ended, and a new one began, much slower than the last.

"Can we dance first?" she asked him with pleading eyes. "Just one dance? I love this song."

House rolled his eyes and pretended to be put out, but let her drag him out of the booth and out onto the dance floor anyway. He was glad he was wearing his button down shirt and that she was standing in front of him because his erection was still very noticeable. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and she laid her cheek against his chest as his chin rested on top of her head. He was annoyed that he couldn't do more than simply sway side to side but it seemed to please her so he was happy to do that. Still, sometimes he couldn't help feeling like less of a man because of his leg and he never forgave Stacy for that.

It was one thing to have his leg butchered, but it was quite another to rob him of being able to do the things he used to love doing, and for that he remained truly bitter.

Angela was lost in her own thoughts as she inhaled his masculine scent and held him close to her as they swayed back and forth in a circle. It was all he was able to do, but she was more than happy with that. Even if he was partly using her as his support, she was strong enough to keep him balanced.

However, when his grip on her seemed to loosen up, she sensed some tension radiating off of him and wondered what he was thinking about. When she glanced up, he looked like he was lost in thought, like when he had one of his revelations about a patient.

She placed her hand on his chest and a kiss on his cheek, bringing him out of his thoughts so suddenly that he seemed to "snap out of it" and looked down at her in question. He didn't look happy and she hoped it had nothing to do with her. Angela decided that she was on a mission to find out what had him go from playful and sexy to quiet and guarded in just a couple of minutes. Even if it took all night.

A/N: Keep in mind that this was a NaNoWriMo fic, therefore I was going for wordage more than anything else. That would account for the lack of smex in this fic. It's coming though..I promise :)