"You're worse than a girl, Deke." Cait sighed, flopping down in the armchair next to the large king size bed. "I swear, meeting my parents is not a big deal. Any outfit will do."

He looked at her around the wall of the walk in closet. "So, boxers are acceptable?" He was flipping through hangers of clothing, looking for a shirt. He'd decided already on the slacks that were in his other hand. "I've never met anyone's parents, Cait...by anyone, I mean any woman that I'm dating. This is a first, and I've still got a feeling that I should impress." Not to mention he liked to look good.

"Okay, anything that covers your underwear will be acceptable. It'll be fine." The last word was drawn out in exasperation. "My dad'll get one look at your car and he'll think you're awesome. My mom has probably already done her research and is planning our wedding. I wouldn't be surprised if she drops hints about it at dinner." She sat up, suddenly looking serious...though it's not like he could see her from the closet. "Just ignore her. 'Cause I'm not kidding. She probably will."

Wedding? That was something new too. Sarah wasn't the marrying kind, he had to wonder if he was. "Well, I'm sure that if they knew all the shit King had done, they will be less than thrilled." He thought about the car, it was flashy, both of them were. "So maybe a cab?" He was concerned about showing off the money.

"We'll just remind them a zillion times that we've only been dating a couple months and we're taking it slow." She pursed her lips, brows pinching together above her nose. Pushing up from the chair, she crossed the room to hover in the doorway of the walk-in, hands gripping either side of the doorway. "We could always walk."

"They are that close?" He didn't have much modesty as he crossed in front of her. Black Armani boxers and black socks were all he wore as he stopped to look at her, then back at the shirts. He chose a Dove Grey with white pin striping.

"No," smiling at him, eyes carefully trained on his face. When Deacon turned away to choose a shirt, she let her gaze stray to the lines that cut along his shoulders and back. Her stomach tightened. Subconsciously, Caitlin found herself licking her lips. "But it's a little less tacky than a cab. Or we could have them drop us off a block away." Her head tipped to the side as she watched him. "But it's pointless. I guarantee my mom already knows who you are. She asked for your name when I told her you'd be coming."

"So we will stick to my car." He turned and looked at her then moved to pull on his slacks. "So she's doing or has done a background on me and pulled my financials?"

"I doubt she's got that kind of clout," making a face at him. "But she did see you at the gala last month. The average joe couldn't have gotten into that event. And I'm sure your name is connected to your business. Babe, are you seriously worried about this?"

"King didn't have a lot of friends, Cait." He stepped out as he was sliding his arms into the sleeves of his shirt. "Just don't want someone judging me, or maybe 'loving' me for what he was and had."

Cait took a step back as Deacon exited the closet, but pulled him to a stop a moment later, arms slipping around his waist. Her head tipped back as she gave him a very serious look. "Hey." When she was sure he was paying attention, Caitlin continued. "My parents aren't perfect. Money really is everything to them. I didn't come by my distaste for it for no reason. I hate how they act sometimes. So yeah, maybe they are going to see your money and judge you by it. But they're also going to see what a great guy you are. They'll see how happy I am and that will make them happy, too. All you have to remember is that I don't give a rats ass how much money you have."

"So, we don't need a prenup for our wedding that your mother is planning?" He wrapped arms around her, leaving bare chest exposed. He leaned down and pressed lips to hers, just because he felt that it had to be done, right then.

"Oh no, we'll definitely need one," Cait laughed after the kiss. "I have a huge trust fund. Wouldn't want you to have any of my money." Even joking like that made her skin practically crawl. So much so that the brunette actually wriggled in his arms. "Uhg, I can't even say that with a straight face." Up on tip toes, she kissed him again and then let him go. "Don't worry about impressing them. They'll love you."

He grinned at her and nodded before he started work on buttons. "Fine. They'll love me." Then eyes moved to hers. "We still have the Steak Escape Clause, right?" Shirt tucked in then he reached for this belt to slide through loops of his trousers.

"Of course!" Cait stood back, hands on her hips, watching him for a moment. Pearl white teeth bit down hard on her lower lip. She had half a mind to make him take the shirt back off and show up late to her own celebration dinner. Instead, Cait just grabbed her dress from off the end of the bed and hurried into the bathroom to change.

"Shy!" called to her back as he worked the cufflinks into the sleeves. "I dressed in front of you!" He chuckled and pulled the vest on to complete his wardrobe, then went to work on his hair.

?Yeah, but I?ve seen you naked before, remember?" Teasing when she finally emerged from the bathroom. It had only taken her a few minutes to slip into the one-shoulder black dress.

He just grinned then stared at her in the dress. "Beautiful." One word descriptions work best in some situations. "We are ready then?"

"Thanks! Just have to put on the death traps." And by death traps, she meant the black stilettos by his bed. Caitlin stepped into her shoes and brushed her fingers over the bottom half of her short dress. "Okay, now I'm ready. Get a good look tonight, because I refuse to wear anything fancy again for a month."

"We have a party in a couple days....formal." Teasing of course. He watched her in the shoes, the way she moved. "I don't see why you call those death traps."

Caitlin faked a cough. "Oh, I think I'm coming down with something. I'll probably be deathly ill in a couple days." She slinked to the door, every intention of driving him wild with the way her body moved. "I can walk fine in here, but outside on the wet ground? I mean, there's still some melting snow out there. I'll probably slip and fall and break something."

"Only falling is for me." He grinned at her then. "I won't let ya get too far. I have a sidewalk, so we don't worry about wet ground, in which you could break an ankle...." He reached for her hand ready to move for the car.

Practically head over heels already, Cait thought, flashing a smile at Deacon as she took his hand. "Thanks. What would I do without ya?"

"Fall and break something, duh." He pulled open the door to his room, moving for the stairs and down.

The coat she'd brought with her didn't go with the fancy dress at all, but it wasn't cold enough for the mink today. She grabbed it from the coat stand by the door on their way out, quickly slipping it onto her lithe frame as they stepped outside. "You ever going to introduce me to your mom?"

Lips pursed slightly. "You've met him." His attempt at humor to avoid talking about his mother.

Brows furrowed for a moment, confused, but then she understood the joke. Kyle did take pretty good care of Deacon. "Hilarious. I'm serious though!"

"She will try to convert you." He opened the front door of the house, and the car was there, waiting and running so it was warm. Kyle struck again.

"Convert me? Like...vampire? Really? Does she want you to become one?"

He nodded. "King really sold her on eternal life. When he was killed, she wasn't sure how to handle or take that. He was supposed to live forever. She didn't know they are just harder to kill, not immortal." He watched her, wondering if she was accepting this, or thinking him a freak, but continued anyway. "Last time I talked to her, she wanted me to become a vampire because she already buried one man she loved, she didn't know if she could bury two."

Cait was frowning. It sounded really sad to her. "Your poor mom. I'm sure it's really hard to deal with." Her hand paused on the car door handle. Her mind had wandered to the horrible wench that ripped King away from Deacon's mother. What a heartless b*tch. She probably wasn't doing a very good job of keeping her emotions off her face.

Deacon glanced back at her and noticed that she was indeed doing a poor job. "She made her choices, really." He was wondering though, what was bothering her. The door to the car was opened for her. "Your chariot."

"Thanks," Cait muttered, still thinking about the ex-girlfriend when she got into the car. She was already buckled when Deacon got in the drivers seat. There was a question she wanted to ask, but it involved information she wasn't allowed to know. How could she get around that? "Can I ask a question?"

He slid in and adjusted the mirror, then glanced at her. "You realize that you don't have to ask me that, right?"

She ignored him. "How did King die?"

"Hunter killed him." He kept it vague for now. "He was at rest, and killed."

So she'd been right about her being a hunter. "That's terrible. I'm sorry." Cait reached over and touched his arm. "Did they ever catch who did it?"

He shook his head. "No, not yet. Mother hired all sorts to find the person that did it." Careful to avoid any identifiers.

This was going nowhere. Cait frowned again. "Hopefully your family will get the justice you deserve, someday."

"Oh I am sure we will," He sounded a bit malicious.

Brown eyes cut over to stare at his face, just a little concerned about his tone. "Maybe if your mom sees how happy you are now, she won't want eternity for you anymore. Oh God, I hope she likes me." Yep, worrying about a meeting that isn't even happening right now.

"Well, you'll meet her and that could be the case." He never thought about bringing anyone to meet his mother before her change, the only one that had met her and only briefly was the one that killed Kingsley. If his mother knew that, Mack would be dead and bleeding out into a crystal bowl. "I am pretty happy."

That made her smile. "I'm glad. I'm pretty damn happy, too. I even got an awesome, better paying job because of you." The brunette snickered, reaching for his hand.

He curled fingers around hers as she took his hand. "Well, sure...that was a hard sell." He grinned then, glad to be moving from that subject.

"Okay, so," she began after squeezing Deacon's hand. "Anything you want to know about my parents before we get there? Need a cheat sheet?"

"Dad's been making a rapid rise through his company. Mother likes to stay home, spend time with 'friends', and attend the brightest, biggest galas to show that she's got the clout, and is up and coming in social circles and status." He had been doing his own bit of research. "What else should I know?"

And he listens, too? What a catch! Caitlin beamed at him. "Their names are David and Evelyn. They still act like I'm twelve sometimes. Flattery will get you everywhere with my mom. Dad likes to hide it, but he's really into hockey. Used to play in college, but he blew his knee out."

He nodded, listening. "So, I should tell him that I played?"

She shrugged. "Wouldn't hurt. I can't remember what teams he likes, so you're on your own there. A little warning, though. My mom does think you're too old for me. That will probably come up."

He shook his head. "I don't keep up that much, so I'll hope it doesn't come up." He turned toward her parents house and smiled as he squeezed her fingers.

"But for the most part, I really don't think you have anything to be nervous about. Like I said, they're going to love you. The last boy I brought home was....well, they kicked him out and I wasn't allowed to ever see him again. But I was 16 then, not days away from 20."

"What sort of boy was he?" He forgot their age difference, and wondered if that was going to matter.

"Typical teenage boy. He got thrown out because of what my dad caught us doing." Her cheeks flushed bright red at the memory.

He blinked then chuckled. "See? Not boring." He then turned into the drive to their home and followed it up toward the front. "Nice place they have." Still chuckling.

"Alright, alright. Not boring. That's probably the wildest thing I've ever done in my life. Sex with my boyfriend during a dinner party and then getting caught by my father mid-act? Scarred for life." She laughed, looking out the window at the house she'd been avoiding for almost two years. "Maybe that's why I don't do anything fun anymore. I'm afraid I'll get caught."

"Wanna re-live it? I am sure we can find somewhere in that big old house." Waggle of brows.

"I thought you wanted my dad to like you!"

He just cracked up laughing then. "Okay, okay... I'll be good." Hands up defensively. "Shall we?" He opened his door, but watched her.

She was looking a little hesitant to get out of the car, just staring up at the large house through the window. Part of her wanted to tell him why, but she didn't want things to be awkward. After a moment, Cait nodded and pushed her door open. "Let's get this party started."

"Wish I had that song on track for that statement." He walked around after closing his door to be her support and keep his promise of not letting her go tumbling. "It's not long and we can go back to my place, or out for a drink."

"Dine and dash," she nodded, squeezing his hand a little too tightly for simply being worried about slipping. They mounted the porch steps and Cait reached for the doorbell, pressing it twice.

Her father chuckled. "Oh I think she had one before that, Will.?

Deke's eyes moved to her wine glass that was emptied when William popped off. He looked over there and confirmed what she said. "Just a quiet pub actually," he lied almost too easily. "There was a local band playing, and I saw her as she walked in. Friend of mine stood me up, like he always does when he's got a girlfriend, so I invited her to sit with me, it's been great since. Theater, Art Galleries," he took the time to wrap an arm around her. "Nearly inseparable since. Saw her mother at the Fashion Show, and we've been to three other shows since." He smiled as he talked, though it was a different sort than she saw when he spoke to her. It was as fake as a three dollar bill, but he played the game like a professional. "We've been to two new openings, and plan on doing many more. We like to be out and about, and with people I know, it's rare that we have to wait in a line."

David looked impressed. ?It sounds like she's finally grown up. You must be a good influence on her." He switched tracks, addressing Deacon now after being reminded that he came from good money. "You said Toulson earlier. Toulson Global, I assume. Family business then? How long have you been involved with things?"

Cait, though annoyed that everyone kept talking about her like she wasn't even there, was glad to sit in silence while her father chatted with Deacon. Slender fingers toyed with the stem of her empty glass, brown eyes staring at a spot on the wall and seeing nothing.

"I've had a hand in things since I was a kid. King...sley let me handle a few small things around the office, then eventually started in a mailroom slot, and moved up from that. I was a spoiled playboy for a few years, but now I am one of the youngest CEOs in the area I believe." He squeezed Cait just slightly as he played the adult game, and told them everything they could ever, possibly want to hear. "I recently took full ownership and while there are partners and a board of directors, there's no way I could possibly come close to losing controlling interest. I own fifty two percent of the stock, My mother owns forty-six. That leaves very little in the way of any sort of control." He laid it on thick, as if trying to sell them a car that wouldn't cross the street. He thought of the underbelly of what was now his business. People that were never going to be heard from again, and there was a thought of seeing the Ross's company in one of those places. There was something that affected Cait and he didn't like William, just from that unease.

David looked rightly impressed and was happy that his daughter had chosen someone so dedicated to his work. The other women in the room ooh'd and ahh'd at Deacon's achievements.

William shifted in his seat, leaning forward. "Well aren't you quite the business mogul. You've got great taste, Caitie."

The urge to sling her glass at the slimy creature across from her was nearly overpowering. Caitlin gave a half smile, not really looking at William at all. "Not to be a pain in the ass, but we really should be heading out." They'd barely just sat down. But Caitlin was going to explode if she had to sit here any longer. The smug bastard with his little comments were just too much to handle. "I really don't want to be late." She was on the verge of coming off as rude, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Deacon checked his watch again, not giving any sort of acknowledgment or answer to William. "Oh, you are right. We should be going along. I'm sorry to have to steal her away from what was supposed to be her party, but I wish to celebrate with her as well. Maybe we can have you and your wife over to my place for dinner one night." Said to David as he stood and offered a hand to Cait.

Amelia appeared to be a little taken aback by Cait's demeanor, her expression a little confused but she just nodded at the girl. "It's not a problem, sweetheart. Go enjoy your date."

Caitlin's mother stood, looking a little flustered. Her gaze flickered from her daughter, over to her husband and then to Deacon. David frowned at his daughter minutely, but nodded cordially at her boyfriend. "That sounds like a fine idea. That'll give us a little more time to get to know one another. Nice meeting you, Deacon."

"And you, Mister and Mrs. Ross." Deacon bowed just slightly, then nodded to the other couple. "Maybe see you again...soon." He started with Cait toward the door, keeping the arm around her as a sign of strength and protection, but also feeling for any sort of tremble.

The other couple joined the rest of the group, standing as Caitlin and Deacon prepared to leave. She was pulled away from Deacon briefly as both parents wrapped her in a chaste farewell hug. Then Amelia reached for her, squeezing her hand and saying goodbye. William didn't hug her, thank God, but he did rub his hand over her shoulder. It was all she could do to keep from shrinking away. Everything was starting to press in around her. She had to get out. Now.

"Bye, everyone," she spoke quietly, meekly, walking as calmly as possible to the front door where she retrieved her jacket.

Deke moved to keep himself between the pack and Cait. "Farewell." He reached out and opened the door for her and the car was already running to be warm for them thanks to remote start in his pocket. The lights flashed as he unlocked the door from that distance as well. "Almost free." Whispered to her as he leaned close to help her with her jacket.

Nothing was said in response. Her movements were simply robotic now, allowing him to help her with the jacket. David joined them at the door and said goodbye again, closing the door after the two were off the porch.

The sound of the two spaces being separated--those inside and those outside--roused a strangled sob from the brunette. She clamped her hand over her mouth, silently begging herself to shut the hell up and not do this right now in front of Deacon. Caitlin hurried to the car and didn't wait for Deacon to get her door. She wrenched it open and fell onto the seat, mortified that she'd have to start answering questions very shortly.

Deacon pushed the door closed and walked around to lift a hand at the foursome watching from the window, before he slid into the safety of tinted windows that all but blocked them from view. Cait got a look, but nothing was said. The car was put into gear and they were moving, and leaving the house in the rear-view mirrors. Instead of asking questions he only reached out to catch an errant tear that spilled down her cheek, with a soft touch. He fell into silence and started the drive back to his place. She wasn't staying alone tonight, and she'd talk when ready.

Too many things were going through her mind to focus on any one. Other than telling herself to be quiet, to stop crying. Her gaze was trained out the side window, turned away from Deacon completely. Hot tears poured down her face the entire for the entire ride home, but save for a few breathy sighs and the occasional sniffle, she was silent.

It wasn't but a ten minute drive back to Deacon's house. And in those ten minutes, Caitlin experienced several different frames of mind. When they pulled up to the house, she was currently exploring Anger. The tears had finally stopped, though their impressions were left along her cheeks.

He pulled the car past the house to the garage, and still hadn't said one word. The car engine was turned off and the door slid down closed behind them, cutting them off from anything except silence. Deke reached for the door handle and popped open the door to step out. A glance her way, then he was out and around to her side and pulling open the door for her and held his hand toward her. Still the silence.

As soon as he'd gotten out, Caitlin was wiping her face furiously. Calm down, she kept telling herself, trying to shape her features into something of a normal expression. By the time Deacon held out his hand, Cait was able to take it and emerge from the car looking halfway decent. An incredibly fake smile was flashed in thanks. Maybe they could just pretend like nothing had happened. "Guess we ducked out before we got to eat. Want to order Chinese or something?" She had her back to him, fingers busy smoothing out the bottom half of her dress.

"If you?re in the mood for an egg roll." He started to get his phone from his pocket, still saying nothing else about what happened. The other hand moved to wrap around her as he started to speak in a dialect of Cantonese since it was one of his favorite places for take out.

His touch ignited something deep in her belly and Caitlin exhaled the breath she didn?t know she?d been holding. "Deacon? Unless you want someone interrupting us, you should hang up now."

He flicked a glance at her and didn't even finish the order, the phone was put back into his pocket. "Interrupting?" He thought that maybe she was going to explain what happened.

Fingers brushed over his hand briefly before Caitlin spun around and lifted a hand to cup the back of Deacon's neck. She pulled him down for a kiss--a hard kiss. The kind of kiss that you know is going to lead to something more.

That wasn't what he was expecting, especially next to his car that was still popping and creaking as the heated metal cooled. There wasn't a bit of hesitation though as the kiss was returned, and one hand went to the small of her back, and pulled her closer as the other came to rest against her neck and allowed fingertips to brush her cheek.

Was she really about to do this? After all her talk of waiting and having meaning? But this did have meaning. It signified a choice. Approval. Consent. However...out here....on the hood of a car? That was an Alex move. Not Caitlin.

Her tongue lashed out against his once, and a little more slowly the second time. And then she broke the kiss. "We should probably go inside..."

Everything was spinning, but that broken kiss and quietly spoken words snapped him back. He tugged the tie free from his neck and nodded. "Inside is better."

"But so far away." She sucked her lower lip between her teeth, puffy red eyes lifting to stare at his handsome features. Cait loved when he had his hair slicked back like this and that cocky little half-smile thing that he did drove her wild. Her gaze flickered to the ground and then back up to his face. "Think we'll make it?"

"Try?" he was watching her, not looking at the distance right away. He was thinking that it was time, and if they didn't start moving she was going to be placed on the back of his car. There would be time for something slower, more tender when they got upstairs, eventually.

Cait grabbed fistfuls of his shirt on either side of his waist and pulled him close again. Right hand slipped up along his ribcage and then over his chest and curled over his shoulder so she could pull him down enough to get her lips on his neck. Several hot kisses were pressed to his exposed skin before she whispered hotly in his ear. "But I need you right now."

The change from quiet girl, to this was enough to drive him crazy. The way her hand moved over his body, and around to pull him to her level made his knees buckle briefly. He used the toe of his shoe to close the garage door as he turned his head and claimed her lips in a feverish kiss. His own hands moved to pull her jacket away, then trailed down her back to the soft curve of her hips.

The jacket fell to the floor around their feet and as soon as her hands were free again, they were pulling at Deacon's shirt to untuck it from his slacks. Was it the cool air in the garage or the anticipation that made her shiver? They kissed again and this time she rocked her hips against him, slipping her hand under his shirt to press her palm against his lower back.

There was no pause as she was picked up and pulled against his body. Hands moved to cradle the backs of her thighs and that kiss was broken for a quick breath, before he pressed in again. Deke turned and placed her on the back of the long, low car, and once she was held there, fingers were working to raise the hem of her black lace dress.

Once he'd set her down, Cait reached for his belt and started fumbling with the clasp. His hands on her thighs made her start breathing a little funny, like she couldn't quite breathe in all the way. A funny thought struck her just then, about her conversation with Alex earlier--never in a million years did Caitlin believe she'd ever find herself having sex on top of a car. A quiet but deeply amused chuckle filled the nearly silent room. Brown eyes took one look at his shirt before deciding it would take too long to unbutton. But she wanted to touch his skin, to feel the heat coming off his body. Reaching up to his collar, she pulled the fabric in opposite directions. The buttons popped off and plinked to the floor all around them.

"You sure, here?" he asked against her mouth as he pressed more kisses to her lips. His breath was heavy, as his chest rose and fell.

"Yes," she hissed, sounding impatient. Caitlin's fingernails bit into his shoulders through the shirt. Multiple kisses were claimed, drawn out, stolen, tongues colliding.