** CHAPTER 34 **

Cuddy stood on tiptoes to reach his face better. If she could, she'd have enveloped House's whole body with her arms, enfolded him in her warmth and comforted him. And yet, she was the one who needed to be soothed and cherished. She was the one who needed his tender attention. But crazy as it might, she was feeling guilty because of his pained, begging pray and an onslaught of emotions tightened her chest as she pressed herself closer to him. He looked so sad. All she could think of to bring him some semblance of peace was to smile at him reassuringly.

She cupped his face in her hands, intensely staring into his lost blue eyes. He moaned and she stretched her neck to cover his lips with her lips, her hands still cradling his face. He grabbed her wrists and squeezed them tight in his hands as if they were the only lifebelts that he had left to save him from collapsing in a wreck. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers.

"Cuddy," he breathed just an inch away from her lips, "let me come inside. Please."

She suddenly realized they hadn't moved and were still standing at her entrance door. House let go of her wrists and she gently caressed his stubble. She took his hand and brought it up to her lips. She laid a soft kiss inside his palm before interlacing her fingers with his and pulled him with her toward her bedroom.

He followed her silently. At the end of the hallway, she turned around to face him with the sudden, renewed urge to kiss him. She just wanted to feel powerfully and unreasonably possessed by him again. She stared at him longingly and huddled up against him. They didn't need any words to understand each other.

Reading her body language, House placed his hands on her waist and picked her up the floor, just high enough to level her face with his. She rested her forearms on his shoulders and she came close to his lips, her mouth slightly open in yearning. He kissed her soothingly, but she demanded more of him with her tongue, sucking his bottom lip into her mouth.

He laid her down on the ground and she arched to him, pressing her body against his. His hands slid from her hips to the small of her back and he enveloped her in his arms. She felt his warm breath inside her mouth. He tasted like Bourbon malt, but she didn't care. She was aroused and she gripped him strongly and rubbed herself against his hips, in a sway that was clearly designed to turn him on and make him surrender to her.

But he seemed to resist to her yearning call and even at the climax of their lustful kiss, he pushed her away and set his lips. She cupped his face to draw him to her again, but she felt him clench his jaw under her touch and he let out a moan of frustration. Again, he seized her by the hips and gently but firmly pushed her pelvis away from his.

"We don't need to have sex, if you don't want to," he said, a little short of breath. "I know you want to talk but, Cuddy, we really need to do that now because if you keep pushing me down that road, you know how it'll end and, trust me, talk will be the last thing I'll want to do then… and I'm not sure I'll be able to say anything coherent afterward either."

She froze and stared at him, studying his face suspiciously.

"You're drunk." she stated provokingly, "But you want me. Don't deny it."

"No, I'm not and I don't... deny it," he replied with a deliberate pause meant to play with her nerves a little. "But what about Joanna? And Caitlin? And Sandra? And Julie? And-"

"Oh my god, stop it!" she exclaimed, smacking him on the shoulder. "You don't have to name them all… I don't want to know about them all," she added sheepishly, bowing her head, and staring at her feet.

House's mouth fell agape, but his lips immediately curled into a fond smile. He wrapped one arm around her waist and tugged her to him, all his senses awakening again.

"You little minx! You said-"

She looked up again, an adorable innocent pout pursing her lips and snuggled up to him even more. He puffed and squeezed her tighter against him.

"Women don't know what they want."

"You came here," she said, defending herself. "You sang. You told me about those girls-"

"I didn't tell you anything!" he contested.

"I never asked you to tell me everything all at once."

"You don't want to know how far I went with them?" he questioned with a mischievous smile "I thought you, of all women, would want to hear about how great the sex was with the other ones before."

Her eyes widened in shock.

"How would I? It…it's" she stammered.

"Don't worry," he whispered, pressing his lips against her ear. "Even back then, you were, by far, number one!" And he teasingly bit her earlobe.

"How would you know?" she said, trying, and failing, to sound upset, when she couldn't hide the little sparkle of pride that his confession had lit in her eyes. "You were drunk and called me Angie when you woke up "

House took a quick step back and frowned at her, amused.

"Nuh-uh. You were drunk. You were so damn loaded you almost passed out in my arms right after we did it! No, wait…" he said, waggling his eyebrows playfully. "Maybe there was another reason for that now that I think of it!"

"You know I wasn't drunk!" she said, pouting.

"I know," he said with a fond gaze, caressing her cheek gently. "And I wasn't drunk either."

She licked her bottom lip and cast her eyes down feeling suddenly overwhelmed at the evocation.

"And, truth is, I never called you Angie-"

"Yes, you did! You called me-"

"Angel," House rectified with a low, gravelly voice. "I called you Angel. But you had disappeared before I had time to phrase the last syllable correctly."

"That's not true! I... You-"

She stopped and let out a heavy sigh.

"Where is this all going?" she asked all of a sudden, her tone slightly unsure.

He ran his fingertip on the pulp of her bottom lip and smiled.

"In your bed?" he suggested tantalizingly.

She stared at him, and a glimpse of sadness briefly clouded her face over, soon disappearing behind a fond smile.

"You never get enough of this game, do you?" she observed quietly.

There was no trace of anger or dejection in her eyes anymore. She just stated it as a fact: An indisputable fact she couldn't fight against, one that'd ruled every single moment of their relationship so far.

"Wrong! We can keep going with that little Q and A if you like."

He was trying. There was no doubt about that. She felt touched and was caught off guard by what came next.

"Because maybe I want to know things about you that you never told me."

Her heart started to race in anticipation and excitement.

"Really? Like what?"

She wasn't really aware of the power she'd just given him with her question, but she was genuinely curious to know what he'd want to ask her.

"Like, do you have feelings for me?" he rasped, out of the blue.

Trapped at her own game, caught off guard by what his question demanded her to confess, Cuddy felt her breath accelerate and cowardly chose to ignore the use of the present tense.

"You mean, back in Med School?" she said casually.

She was trying hard to work a way out of it. House perfectly registered her unease but, instead of pushing her too far, he silently nodded in confirmation. He noticed the relief on her face, and it slightly hurt him.

"Before or after our one night?" she asked, looking a bit abashed.

After Angel… Tell me how you feel now…

She tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes at him, scrutinizing his face.

"What?" she said boldly. "What have I said?"

Nothing Angel… you've said nothing…

She was not going to tell. House saw it in her eyes. And it was only fair that he didn't insist. Because he wasn't going to tell either. They both stared intensely at each other in silence for a long while, trying to convey all the words that wouldn't come out of their mouths through their piercing gazes.

Slow steps.

Maybe the day when it'd be the right moment would never come. Maybe they'd never have the strength to confess their feelings aloud. And yet, right then, it was there, between them, in the middle of the night, as they stood in her hallway, in front of her bedroom. They were both seeing it, feeling it. And, in that precise moment, they needed nothing more.

"Relax," House said. "Limping cop here says you're off the hook for now… but you must expect to be re-interrogated later-"

"But-" she exclaimed in mock surprise, "I've done nothing wrong!"

He stared into her light-blue eyes.

"No. You've done nothing wrong," he replied evenly, without the slightest trace of banter in his tone.

Silence settled between them again and for no reason, Cuddy suddenly shuddered. House instinctively embraced her to warm her. The sensation of her body next to his sent yearning messages to his brain and this time he couldn't control it. He didn't want to. He pressed her firmly against his chest and started to kiss her, more and more avidly each time his lips touched her skin. Desire was coming from deep inside of him like a huge wave commanding to burst out.

"And now?" he blew against her cheekbone. "Can we go to your room, or do I have to take you against the wall?"

The evocation of his raw desire to have her, and the hoarse sound of his voice as he said it sent a pleasuring spasm through her body that gathered in her core and made her arch in anticipation.

"I don't know. You're a 'natural born lover'. You should know what to do," she teased.

She had barely finished her sentence that House pushed her against the wall. When her back hit the plaster, she gasped and threw her arms around his neck. He leaned down and claimed her lips avidly. While he was thirstily kissing her, his hands seized the hem of her nightgown and, without a warning, he torn the cloth in two. She froze and he drew back to look at her. She rested her palms on the wall on both sides of her hips and stared back at him, awestruck, her breasts exposed to his sight.

"Did you just rip off my nightie?" she asked, breathless.

"I haven't seen you in three days," he apologized unconvincingly, betraying his bliss within a childish beam.

"Asking me to take it off would have worked just as fine."

"Yes, but where's the fun in that?"

She smiled fondly at him. He reached out his hand and delicately placed his palm on her bare midriff. She gaped and he locked eyes with hers, slowly stroking her skin up to her left breast, cupping it in his hand.

"I missed seeing these," he added, looking down at his hand gently massaging the perfectly plump flesh of her breast.

"How's that possible? I thought we had sex this morning in my office-"

"Yes, but you had almost all your clothes on," he said, tickling her nipple with the tip of his thumb.

"Oh-ho," she chuckled. "Are you saying half-dressed sex doesn't count as sex?"

"Are you kidding me?" he exclaimed. "Never underestimate the benefits of a quickie!"

He leaned down to her neck and rubbed his nose in the hollow of her collarbone.

"But we're not in a rush anymore," he whispered seriously. "Now, we got plenty of time."

"Do we?" she answered hoarsely, tipping her head back against the wall.

He wrapped his arms around her waist possessively, pulling her into him.

"I want to see you naked."

"You already are," she said, combing his hair with her fingers and arching her back toward him.

"Don't play with words. I want you naked on your bed. I'm not fucking you against the wall in your hallway."

"Nice," she replied rolling her eyes. "You make me feel so special-"

"You're a pain in the ass, you know?"

"Shut up!" she protested, gripping his belt, and unbuckling it.

"You really have no clue what you want, do you?" he teased, seizing her hands, and moving them away from his pants. "And I said, I want you naked on your bed."

She stopped fidgeting in his arms and leaned her back against the wall to study him. He smiled roguishly at her, and she squinted at him, intrigued. He freed her hands and as soon as he did, she turned on her heel and sashayed toward her bedroom. He followed her with his eyes, locked on the swinging movement of her ass.

When he entered the room, she'd already gotten rid of her shredded nightdress and was lying on her bed, naked, and waiting for him. House approached the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress, before bending down to take his shoes and socks off. He straightened up and turned to face her, while she rolled to the side and propped herself up on her elbow. He peered at her intently, drinking her in and she shamelessly let him enjoy every inch of her naked skin in front of him.

"You're beautiful," he whispered, reaching out a hand to touch her hip, his fingers softly brushing her silky skin down her thigh.

"Why aren't you getting undressed?" she said sulkily.

"Because-" The word got caught in his throat and he gulped, feeling overwhelmed, "I want to see you naked. I want to look at you."

She stared intensely at him, without saying a word. His hand went from her thigh up to her hip again and then followed the curve of her waist. He griped her and gently pulled her next to him. She scooted over to him and sat up straight, snuggling up to him. She nuzzled his neck and breathed in deeply to fill her nostrils with his male scent.

He smoothly grabbed her by the shoulders and made her move apart. She cupped his cheek in her hand and brought his face next to hers. He leaned in and kissed her, lightly pressing his lips on hers, delicately tasting her, almost chastely. When he broke away from their kiss, she eased back onto the mattress, and he stood up and remained still, silently looking down at her.

His primal need commanded him to take her, right there and then, and fuck her hard, but he struggled against his urge to give in to his male instincts and took his time. He wanted to enjoy the sight of her body lying here, waiting for him. He wanted to imprint the image in his memory, remember every detail: the grain of her ivory skin under the smooth light, the perfect round curves of her breasts, the delicate pulp of her parted lips, the quiet up and down movement of her belly, the dark, velvety hair hiding the spellbinding promise of her sex.

The silence in her room was absolute, scarcely disturbed by the regular sound of their breathing. They were staring at each other and asking each other for more with no word. House slowly opened his shirt, one button after the other, his eyes riveted to her. Then he took it off and tossed it on the floor behind him.

Her breath faintly accelerated, and she inhaled deeply, and then arched her back to welcome the wave of pleasure that hit her deep in her womb. She moaned languorously and slid her hand on her right breast. She tentatively stroked it with her fingertips, causing her nipple to erect under her caress. Still staring at her, House got rid of his pants. She glanced at his boxers and smiled, acknowledging his desire for her and she closed her eyes.

Her hand slowly trailed from her breast to her belly and down to her pubic bone. As soon as her fingers slid between her legs, she bucked her hips and squeezed her thighs shut to capture her hand against her slit. He was watching her, as she was carried away by the irrepressible need to pleasure herself in front of him, and his yearning suddenly became impossible to contain.

House took his boxers off and fell on his knees next to her. Then he firmly grabbed her wrist and yanked her hand away from her sex. She opened her eyes and smiled, inviting him to give her the pleasure she was craving.

"I'll take it from here," he grunted, short of breath.

She opened her thighs a little and he let go of her wrist to cup her sex with his hand. He teased her at first, only brushing her slit with his fingertips, hardly pressing against the soft folds. She groaned in frustration and splayed her legs wider to entice him to take her deeper.

Leisurely, he pushed his middle finger inside her wet core. She moaned lasciviously at the sensation and arched the small of her back. He pressed her swollen nub with his thumb, drawing small circles on it, and she bit her bottom lip, throwing her head back onto the pillow. Then he pushed another digit into her core and kept pumping in and out of her slowly, while his gentle rub on her clit became more pressing.

They locked eyes and he shamelessly drank in each and every one of her reactions to his strokes. At some point, the sensation became too intoxicating, and she felt the need to cling on to his wrist to control his rhythm. He let her slow down his hand but kept pleasuring her, and she came closer to him and wrapped her hand around his erection.

She instantly felt the rush of blood that made it swell inside her palm at the touch and she tightened her grip around his shaft, feeling it pound under her fingers. House let out a throaty moan and she started stroking up and down the silky skin of his length slowly. The rhythm of his caresses on her sex quickened, matching his growing desire and in response, she sped up her pumping tempo as well. She started rubbing his shaft faster, and moved her other hand to his balls, smoothly massaging them between her fingers.

Without a warning, he removed his hand from her sex and took hers to pull them away from his member. He leaned down, and decisively grabbed her by the shoulders to lift her up and make her sit straight.

"Enough foreplay!" he said throatily, sitting at the edge of the bed and pulling her into him.

"You don't like what I'm doing?" she simpered, faking to be offended, while she positioned herself on top of him to straddle him.

"I like what you're doing too much," he clarified, with accusing eyes. "You're an enthralling, dangerous witch, Dr. Cuddy. Sex with you should be forbidden."

"Oh. Ok, then," she said deadpan, and she started to move apart.

The second he felt her lift herself and away from his lap, he firmly grabbed her ass and compellingly drew her back against his groin.

"Don't you dare!" he warned, turned-on beyond reason by her sexy, teasing banter. "You're not going anywhere. You have to hump me first."

"Do I, now?"

"Yes," he said with unmistakable impatience.

She put her hands on his shoulders and positioned herself above him, before slowly sinking down until she felt the tip of his hard shaft nudge her wet folds. He clutched her hips and nuzzled her breasts, while he compellingly guided her lower to take him into her core. She arched her back to find the perfect angle and she slowly eased down to welcome him inside her in one steady, deliberate thrust.

At the sensation of his length stretching her completely, she gaped and then stilled, and they locked eyes, just staring at each other with a steering gaze for a fleeting while, their ragged breathing betraying the overpowering lust they were feeling for each other in that instant.

Then his hands pressed on the small of her back to prompt her to move, and she started swaying her hips back and forth, deliberately grinding his groin and undulating her belly in sensual ripples that left him mesmerized and moaning in appreciation at the vision.

Gradually, the heady sensation elicited by their carnal connection took hold of him, and he tightened his grip on her hips, half-pulling her out of him, then pushing her down again, until she took her cue from him and followed his silent command to give him exactly what his body ached for. She clutched the round shape of his shoulders, and she quenched his need of her, taking him, relentlessly, in and out of her, her hips bouncing against his hips, her slick core rubbing his length with each of her intoxicating thrusts.

He started panting and he buried his face between her breasts to muffle the sound of his rapture against the plumpness of her flesh, latching on her nipples and then grazing the sensitive flesh with his teeth. Her head fell back and she dug her nails in his skull, tugging at his hair at the back of his neck and pressing his face closer to her chest. She moaned his name, and the vibration of her smoky voice inside her ribcage and the lust contained in her plea sent a shiver down his spine.

He straightened up and cupped the round curves of her ass in his palms to pin her deep into him, and then he jerked his hips upward to thrust hard into her, once, then again, and again. She gasped and the sound of her pleasure escape her lips in a cry. She leaned back, resting her hands on his kneecaps to stabilize her, and she let him take her. With his hands on her ass and the force of his arms, he created a powerful pendulum sway of her hips against his and he pounded into her hard, and deep, reaching that spot inside her that made her shiver as tiny jolts started shaking the small of her back.

"Oh God, you feel so good!" she moaned lustfully, her eyes fluttering closed.

He beamed and possessively brought her back against him, squeezing her tight and rubbing his nose against the skin of her neck. She kept riding him, speeding up her rocking hip sways, and he met her every move with a powerful shove until she felt the wave pervade her and little electric impulses coursed through her nerves, contracting her muscles, and jerking her body, giving her, them, more pleasure with the erratic rhythm that it created.

"House, I'm close," she panted, biting her bottom lip, and gripping his shoulders to keep her balance.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and guided her there, unremittingly thrusting into her, until the seismic sensation took hold of her body, then his, and they both cried out, curse words, and their names, and incoherent sounds and more curse words. He held her in a tight embrace, laying soft kisses on every part of her skin he had access to, and cradled her against his chest until the very last shiver of orgasm left her body. When the sound of her peacefully breathing told him she was finally fulfilled and tranquil, he gently seized her by the waist to pull out of her.

House watched her stretch out on the bed, then. She slid under the sheets and adorably curled up in a ball. He stared at her with glittering eyes and grabbed his injured leg to help him slide into bed next to her. And then he spooned her, enveloping her inside his arms and nuzzling her nape. Cuddy sighed in content and let his warmth enfold her, until she fell into a peaceful and stress-free sleep.

A/N

I'm sorry for the wait between this chapter and the previous one... I've had one hell of a crazy week... luckily for me the much-awaited weekend is finally here!

thank you for reading and commenting and thank you to be here! :-)

Enjoy life ~ maya

ps: (to huddles777, about the airing rhythm of House in France) Oh my! we're far from being at season 6. season 5 hasn't even aired yet! and the version they broadcast is dubbed which is a true nightmare! original version is so much better (much sexier voices! yummy for HL's little lisp and LE's hoarse voice) anyway, luckily, there're other solutions to watch as it airs... so, I'm perfectly up-to-date ;)