Cuddy's first mistake was trying to squeeze between House and the Xerox machine.

Cuddy's second mistake was not to keep going once she felt his hand on her arm.

Cuddy's third mistake was turning to face him, the feel of his body against hers causing her to tremble with the long recognized need.

She reveled in the closeness, the touch, the anticipation, but her head told her not to enjoy the closeness and his touch. She was his boss; he was mostly a rude bastard, even if he was her friend.

House, whose incredible body now against hers, wanted to give her anything but pity, he didn't say anything, but he didn't need to, it was all in his eyes. The look he always gave her when she got close to him. But damn he basically had her pinned up against the machine, it's not her fault.

House's mind was racing, thinking about her in the outfit yesterday at the costume store. He was imagining her legs in the short tartan skirt sliding up his and around to pull him closer to her…

"House?" Cuddy tried to move away, but his hard body had her pressed against the machine giving her little room to maneuver.

"What is it Doctor Cuddy" a sudden surge of burning electricity igniting the resurfacing desire...clearly a feeling of arousal rather than friendship.

"Maybe you could move so I can get on with the work I have to do, no doubt you have some to do as well, 'Doctor House'" she said with raised eyebrows.

Damn she is hot when she pulls rank on me. For that matter she is hot when she is pressed up against me.

House wanted to physically pin her against the machine and undo the buttons on her sexy administrator jacket. He looked down at her breasts "Sorry, I would hate to get in the way of you and your important administrative duties." He said with sarcasm.

Cuddy pushed her hips towards him to physically push him out of her way. She could have used her hands, but she wanted to use her hips. It was probably something she would regret later, but too bad what's done is done. "Once you have finished with that, remember you have clinic in one hour" she gave him one of her trademark smirks. It was the 'I'm your boss and I love having power of you' smirk.

House watched as she sashayed back towards the clinic, and her office.

House couldn't get his mind of her, the way she pushed him with her hips. Their relationship was always way beyond friendship, a relationship that was being precipitated by the strongest physical attraction he had ever felt for a woman. A physical attraction that was trying to drive him to forget she was his boss.

It is difficult to hate someone, and want to screw them senseless as well. One of the things that really got at him though was the way she would flaunt herself around him.

The first time she knowingly did that was last Tuesday when he went into her office to demand yet another MRI for someone who already had had two, and he wanted to jump the queue. Nothing new really, but she was sitting down doing paperwork and eating lunch. That he could deal with, what he couldn't deal with was the way she sucked on her straw.

He watched her closely as she sucked the straw into her sensual mouth and sat back with the most content smile on her face. Oh god, he groaned inwardly.

She raised an eyebrow at him "House I already said no, so keep on moving, I'm sure a doctor as 'dedicated' as you can find another way to save this man's life.

She sucked on the straw again; he wanted to know what was in the glass it looked like something vanilla or banana. I bet she does that when she is out at a bar, all the men would melt and beg her for more. Is she doing it on purpose?

"You know what you better be careful what you're drinking or you'll probably have to find a new career. You'll never be able to wear an outfit like...uh...well...that and look quite as...as...good." he watched her suck on the straw again. Damn her, she has to know what this is doing to me.

"Oh? So you think I look good do you House? Just how good?" she smirked at him, enjoying the discomfort he was not bothering to hide.

"Never mind, I have to go do some 'work'" he turned and walked out of her office before he lost any more of his pride, and Cuddy sat at her desk finishing her lunch with a satisfied smile on her face.

He had his fantastic grim reaper costume for the ball and she had something which he wasn't allowed to see. I wonder if it is a schoolgirl outfit, if she ended up in something that little I would have to cover her up with something. But surely she wouldn't do something like that.

He couldn't help but wonder what she would wear to this damn ball, what was this ball for anyway he wondered.

Probably something stupid, but he owed Cuddy, and thank god she wasn't making him do any more clinic hours than he usually had to. Just a few balls or parties which had free booze, and a couple of lectures to students that he could at least manipulate a little and teach them better than most professors.

He was distracted by Wilson knocking lightly at his door, walking in without waiting for any confirmation.

"Hey House, like always your working hard?" he said sarcastically while picking at a salad that he bought with him for lunch.

"Wilson, hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?" eyeing off the salad even though he wouldn't really want it, too boring, not real food. "You still eating rabbit food for lunch…can't you bring me something good for once?"

"House at least you don't steal my rabbit food, that is one of the great perks of eating it…I get to finish it myself not find it half eaten or stolen out of my fridge." He said half jokingly.

House just grunted and kept fiddling with his psp. "So Wilson, what are you wearing to the ball this weekend?"

"It's tomorrow night House. What day did you think it was?" he looked a little surprised that he didn't know.

"Meh, they all fall into one when you work as hard as I do" he smiled

"Yeah sure…so I know Cuddy has forced you to go…what are you going as?"

"The angel of death!" he said realizing that Wilson will probably think he is kidding and not take it seriously. Then be surprised when he puts the two together….grim reaper angel of death.

Rolls his eyes, "Okay, well what is Cuddy going as?"

"I don't know, why do you think I would?" he was interested if she mentioned their little shopping trip to anyone, even in passing.

"Well you pride yourself on knowing far too much about her, and I figured since you have been forced to go, you might have some sort of insight into what she is wearing to the ball."

"I'm afraid not Jimmy…so are you going to spill the beans on your costume?"

Unsure of what House's reaction will be he mumbled "Elvis" and looked mighty uncomfortable doing so.

It was almost too easy for House to take advantage of, but he decided he would wait for the night to really take it out on him.

"Nice Jimmy, I hope you will be doing some karaoke as well on the night, I would hate to miss the fantastic performance that we all know you could make" he smiled "Don't worry, I will make sure they have set the microphone up for you." He smirked and Wilson just rolled his eyes.

He was expecting House to be a bastard, but he wasn't as bad as his usual self.

"Okay well before you decide to mock me more, I have to get going. See you at the ball tomorrow night House."

"Later Wilson."

House had sat in his office for a few hours messing around with his psp and letting the kids try to search for a new case for them. With no such luck he let them go home for the day, no doubt they would waste it figuring out what to wear for the ball tomorrow night.

House decided to go home and have a drink or two…maybe even a whole bottle. Who was going to count? He took the elevator down and walked through the clinic noticing that Cuddy's office light was still on and she was finishing off her paperwork.

It really bothered him that she hadn't mentioned what her costume was, he really did want to know. He had to wonder if there was some particular reason why she had not told him what it was.

He forced his eyes away from her and concentrated his energies on going home. He would not think about her at home, and no doubt stop thinking about what her damn costume was. At least that is what he hoped. He stole one last glance into Cuddy's office and noticed that she was asleep or at least looked like she was asleep.

He was not really sure so he shuffled over as fast as his cane could take him while still being quite and peered into the room. She was asleep and she looked like she needed to go home.

He stomped his cane down really hard on the floor and it shook her a little, she wasn't awake though. House went around to her and grabbed her shoulders and shook her a little bit, liking the way the silk of her shirt felt under his fingers.

She woke up a little and looked at him, confusion registering on her face. Then she realized she must have fallen asleep.

"House…um, what's the time?" she said still a little groggy.

"Its…" he tried to reach around her desk to find a clock as he didn't have his watch on. But he accidently knocked a plate over which had some tomato sauce left on it from what he assumed was her dinner. It landed directly on her lap and she just let out a sigh and picked it up.

"Sorry, I was looking for the time. I think its about 7pm…not entirely sure"

"Doesn't matter I have some clothes that I can change into" she walked over to her bathroom…one of the perks of being the dean of medicine.

Two minutes later she walked out in a mini skirt and the same top she had on before. She obviously didn't have anything more covering because he thought she would have wanted to be as comfortable as possible.

"I only had one skirt, not a work skirt obviously." She walked towards the door in her high heels, legs that went on forever…

House had to stop looking, he knew it was a bad idea…but he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"House do you think you could drive my car home. Then maybe pick me up in the morning on the way to work. I am way too tired to drive."

He was a little unsure, but decided it wouldn't be bad to drive her big fancy car anyway, even if he had to go in a little early tomorrow, he could always leave early as well.

"Sure"

They walked silently towards the car after turning off all the lights and Cuddy just fell into the car and curled up on the seat with her legs tucked under herself a little and her hand resting on the seat with her face against it facing House.

He started the engine and headed for Cuddy's place.

House heard Cuddy's even breathing and realized that she had fallen asleep. Stealing a discrete glance at her, he audibly groaned imagining what it would be like to have this incredible woman pleasure him.

He knew he shouldn't be thinking about that, but he couldn't help it when he saw her creamy legs in the very short black mini skirt and her delicious breasts almost falling out of the silk top that was unbuttoned maybe two buttons too low for a normal administrator.

What it would be like to watch her slowly and sensually strip for him, while he admired all that would be his. What she would feel like naked in his arms. And oh what he could then do to her. What they could do to each other.

Was it infatuation, love or lust that he felt for her? Definitely lust, but love? Hell did he even know how to love any woman, let alone a woman like Cuddy?

His past track record proved that he certainly had the ability to please a woman but have a lasting relationship? At the point of commitment he went running like a scared little boy. Focus on the road House! He berated himself.

He forced his eyes away from her and concentrated his energies on the road and work and anything other than her.

He saw a school on the way past and couldn't help but think about how she looked in the schoolgirl costume. The thought made him flinch as the car swerved slightly.

The abrupt movement of the car caused Cuddy to slip further towards him, as she stretched her legs out from under her and her arm came to rest on his leg, her fingers curving sensuously and gently inside his upper thigh.

As he heard the sensual sign escape her lips, he tensed so rigidly that he thought he was going to crack into a million pieces.

House tried desperately to separate the upper part of his body from the lower half and focus on the road that was starting to blur in front of him. Breathe Greg! Move her damn hand! If you don't stop her, you're a dead man if she remembers any of this!

Instead of listening to the right 'head' his body continued to rapidly react to her heated touch.

He felt her move her hand further until her palm rested on his hardened sex stimulating his erection with slow and oh so deliberate strokes.

A groan of sheer pleasure escaped them simultaneously as she increased the pressure and he arched into her hand. "Oh God...Cuddy." He groaned through his clouded desire, the ache for release grew heatedly against her continued pressure filled stokes.

House was reaching the breaking point faster than he thought possible. His only thoughts were of pulling to the side of the road, waking her up and hoping she would complete consciously what she started unconsciously!

He slowed to a crawl just as the crass neon sign of the Cuddy's place knocked him back to reality like a blast of cold air.

He got out of the car quickly and just stood silently in the dark, regulating his breathing and bringing his arousal under control. She was going to kill him!

"What the hell are you doing?" Cuddy stumbled from the car and looked through sleep-laden eyes at House over the roof of the car.

"Nothing why? What do you mean what did I do...I mean what am I doing. Getting some air. Come on lets get you inside its late." Keep it together, he thought as he took her keys and led her to the door.

"Other than you standing around looking like you got caught with your hand in the...Oh never mind." Cuddy shuddered as she felt her own arousal pool around her inner thighs in the cool night air. "You know I had the most incredible dream...it was so real. It was like..."

"Dream." House froze. Oh, shit here it comes. She was going to kill him!

"Oh hell forget it...it was just a dream!" He watched as she unlocked the door and went inside.

He walked off to her car and drove home.

This ball was going to be horrible; he hoped to god that she didn't realize what had just happened in the car.