The day's meeting had gone longer than he expected. A tour of the places where the blood dolls were being kept off the radar, hardly any traffic and under the guise of storage warehouses. The men he was with were their own sort of scum, all laughing about how easily girls were to find in this town that had no one looking for them. He walked down the rows of holding cells to quiet sobs or girls with their backs to him, and one chocolate haired, fair skinned girl that looked like Caitlin from behind. That rattled him, thinking of her in the cages. Luckily he had to leave after making an approval, for shopping and things to make dinner. Anything to get his mind off of 'work' and that image. Deacon spent several hours prepping and cooking the meal, only stopping to call Cait to let her know when to be there.

Cait spent the entire evening getting ready, making sure she looked radiant for their date. Though fancy dresses weren't exactly her thing, she knew it was what Deacon was aiming for--a lavish night of looking classy. The Cab dropped her off at 7:00 and after paying her fare, she made her way up the long driveway to the house nestled back behind the treeline.

At the door, she hesitated. Would it be better to knock or just go in? After a few moments indecision, Cait simply pressed the doorbell and waited.

Deacon answered the door, still wearing that dark green apron over his light blue shirt and tie. He was half expecting her just to walk in and was wondering who would ring the bell. The big door was pulled open and he looked at her with a smile. "It was unlocked for you, and I put a key on your sunflower ring..." One arm reached out and his hand hooked her shoulder to pull her toward him.

"I dunno. It felt weird just walking in." The moment she saw him, a smile broke out and lit up her face. She went into his embrace willingly, head tilting to press a kiss to Deacon's jaw. Stepping back, brown eyes trailed slowly down his frame. "Have I told you how sexy you look in an apron?" All he'd be able to see of her was a charcoal grey sweater that went past her thighs, covering the strapless, teal, silk dress she wore. Nylons and a pair of nude colored heels completed the look.

He shook his head. "No, you haven't." The kiss brought another smile and he pressed one to her temple. He then pulled her inside to close and lock the door behind her. "Now I've got you." Trying to sound ominous.

"I still carry mace with me, you know." Chuckling, Cait moved further inside and unpinned her sweater, but didn't take it off. Hand on her hip as she turned back to look at him. "Dinner smells delicious, by the way. Did you really cook?"

"Yes, I really cooked." He reached for her sweater to help her take it off. "I've always thought it would be fun to be a chef, but it's also a lot of work." He smiled at her as he watched her eyes, knowing that she was having a hard time believing that he would cook. "My great grandfather was a chef."

"It is a lot of work. That's why I rarely do it when it's just for myself. I should start cooking for you. Thanks," she said as he took her sweater. The runic tattoo that protected her from a vampire bite, quite visible in the strapless dress, still looked a little puffy and red around the edges, but was healing as it should.

He watched her in the dress. Eyes found that tattoo, but the rest of her was looked over appreciatively. "Wow." He was quiet a moment, as he watched her. "You look beautiful."

The familiar flush appeared on her cheeks. "Thanks. I'm really not used to getting dressed up like this anymore. But work is slowly getting me back into it. And, as always, you look great too."

He looked down at the apron. "I look like a short order cook."

"Uh, no. You look like Adonis about to serve me dinner."

He grinned as he reached behind his back to untie the thing and remove it. After draping it over his arm, he took her hand and lead her toward the dining room, to the huge table within. Two place settings were at one end and he motioned for her to have a seat. "I hope you are hungry."

In the dining room, she squeezed his hand. "What'd you make? If I didn't know you liked cooking, I'd guess something out of a box." Releasing his hand, she sat down in one of the chairs and crossed her legs. "But since that's not the case...I wouldn't know what to guess."

"Salad first." He scooted her in a little closer and disappeared into the kitchen and returned with two plates with mixed greens, pan seared and seasoned tuna with quail eggs and a light oil based dressing. "I made this, a main course, and dessert." He placed the plates down, and looked at her, before he was heading back to the kitchen. "You aren't allergic to seafood are you?"

"Nope! All good here," she called after him, then glanced down to the plate. Wow. It looked like she'd ordered it from a restaurant. Gingerly, she pulled her cloth napkin from beneath the silverware and laid it across her lap. "You seriously made this? Jesus, I didn't know you were Gordon Ramsay. Maybe I shouldn't cook for you. I'll stick to baking."

"Gordon." he snorted as he returned with her iced tea and lemon as well as his own wine. The tea was placed before her and he grinned. "It's my hobby, and I don't care what it looks like, as long as it tastes good." Deke stepped over to the chair at the head of the table closest to her and sat down with his own salad. "I was going to make an etouffee, but I really don't think the crayfish are in season yet."

"Well good food I can make. You'll have to teach me how to make it pretty like yours." And now for a taste test. From the look on her face, she was more than satisfied. "Wow," Cait told him after she'd swallowed. "My compliments to the chef." Winking over at him.

He grinned and went after his own plate. She was happy and that helped him to relax even more. "How was your day?" asked between bites. "I wasn't sure what to say to your friend earlier today, but at least they both know I'm real now.?

Caitlin chuckled, thinking of his encounter with Alex several hours earlier. "It's not a big deal, I swear. She just wants to get to know you. We've become really good friends these last couple months and you're important to me, so you're important to her. Alex is the wild, crazy friend. Cris is broody and introspective. I'm the quiet killjoy." A roll of her eyes, smirking around a forkful of tuna. "But no, seriously," she continued after swallowing. "You don't have to worry. I'm sure they'll both like you. And as for my day...I found out they're going to stick my picture on a billboard."

"A billboard?" He paused mid lift to his mouth. "For what? I mean that's cool, but modeling for someone?"

"I guess so. I've been modeling the fall stuff for the next show so they can have the pictures and everything ready by then. Last week Jeremy wanted to see what I looked like in one of his bathing suits. They had me try on what felt like a hundred of them, but I guess one of the pictures turned out really nice. Marketing snatched it up and they told me the billboard is going up next month."

"So, my girl is flaunting a bikini on a billboard?" He took that bite then, watching her. There was no hint of a smile, for a few long moments but then that smile started to pull at the corners of his mouth. "I'll drive my friends by there and say "Yeah, that's MY girl! and be all pointing like some crazed guy."

"That was kind of my reaction at first, too." Nose crinkled. "Honestly, I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. I mean, I'm not a prude, but I don't know how I feel about people possibly recognizing my face...and then picturing me in a bikini every time they see me." She shook her head, spearing another piece of tuna with her fork.

He thought about her words and saw that look on her face. "So, if you aren't sure don't let them."

"I've already signed consent forms. When I took the job with Jeremy. He can do whatever he wants with the pictures." Fork set down on the side of her plate while she reached for her tea, sipping it a few times and then licking her lips. "I just have to warm up to the idea is all. I bet it turns out great and I'll love it. I'm worrying over nothing. And the money I'll get from it is no little thing."

His lips pursed a bit. "That could be, but next time lets take the forms to my lawyer, be sure there's nothing crazy in those contracts." He glanced at her plate, his own empty one, and started to rise again. "Stuffed, or ready to go for the gusto?"

She wasn't finished, but didn't want to fill up on salad and miss out on the next courses. Cait took one last bite and gave her plate a little push away. "Ready to see what else you cooked up. I'm mostly curious about dessert, actually."

Her plate was taken as was his. "Molten." Was all he said as he disappeared again.

"You know the way to my heart!"

"Of course." he butted the door open carrying two plates. A smaller portion was hers. The grilled mahi was over a small bed of wild rice and fresh green beans. He'd made a marinade from chives, parsley and a few other things that he'd not give away sa it was his secret recipe. Again he took a seat and grinned at her. "It's cooling, so you have to eat some of this first. Don't want those kissable lips burned."

"Like that would stop me from kissing you." Fork in hand once more, she didn't know where to begin. It all looked amazing. "So. Tell me. Do you truly enjoy healthy food like this? Or would you, if given the choice, choose something like pizza or pasta instead?"

"I eat everything, Caitlin." Deke grinned as he picked up his knife to cut a piece of that fish away for a bite. "I like a good burger, steak, pasta, pizza and beer..." He finally took that bite and sighed. He found it wonderful, thinking he'd outdone himself.

"Oh my God," exclaimed after the first bite. "You know, I never thought anything could top Shin's. It's why I eat there so often. But this?" Pointing at her plate with the fork. "This is so good. You should make this more than a hobby. Open a restaurant or something."

He snorted then laughed. "Wrath's Grill? Deke's Place? Chateau de Deacon?" He took another bite, still laughing then reached for the wine to wash it back. "Then I'd have to be cooking all the time, you'd get all fat coming to see me all the time and sample new dishes. Then you'd need two billboards..." He was still chuckling.

She laughed, too. "My metabolism is great, thank you very much! I'd be good for a couple more years...after that though, it would all catch up to me. But I'm not sure I dig ya working the hours that Chef's do. I'd hardly ever see you. On second thought, it's probably better that you just cook for me. You can be my private chef."

"Yes, Milady." He even bowed a bit toward her. He watched her with the food, and the way she was enjoying herself, all of it just made him smile before he took another bite. Thoughts of a future for the first time with anyone going through his mind. "I'll still love you, even if the metabolism catches up to you."

For a fraction of a second, Caitlin froze. Fork paused in mid air on it's way to her mouth. But recovering quickly, she chewed thoughtfully and slid her gaze over to his face. "Still? As in...you already do?" Nevermind her cheeks, they were just on fire a little bit. He could probably hear her heart beating too.

He realized what he said after the fact, then she was watching him, and wondering if she heard right. "Why do you think I'm a little protective?"

"Because you're crazy?"

"That too." He took another bite.

It was suddenly warm. Cait took this time to drain half her glass of iced tea, very slowly. He still hadn't come out and said it, not really. Maybe he was just talking about the future. "Crazy is fine, as long as you trust me."

"So yes, I do." he lifted his wine glass again, and emptied it into his mouth. A swallow then. "Not exactly how I planned to tell you, but I was trying to show you and work up to that point."

Brown eyes met his. She didn't really know how to respond. She wasn't even sure of her own feelings yet. Could a person truly be in love after such a short amount of time together? "Tell me...what? You haven't said anything yet." Bit of a smirk.

"Oh my God. Don't be a goof, you know I did... yes, it's fast, but other than insanity why would I want you around all the time and want you safe, be jealous of Cris and his motives want to beat someone's ass for messing with you?"

Cait?s smirk grew, though she tried to hide it. The chair creaked as she pushed away from the table and stood up from her seat. Moments later, Deacon would find her sitting on his thigh, twisting to put her arms around his neck. "Say it."

"It."

She narrowed her eyes at him and pursed her lips.

Deke wrapped his arms around her waist then and leaned closer to her. "I love you."

Those three little words made her stomach flip-flop. And suddenly the realization hit that he'd be expecting to hear them in return. Panic settled in her chest, making it momentarily impossible to breathe. To buy herself a little time, Cait leaned forward to press a kiss to Deacon's lips. Their kiss was long, but not so long as to be indecent for the dinner table. When she pulled away, Cait's eyes met his. "I love you, too."

He watched her face after that kiss and her listened to her words. "I know it's soon, it's only been a few months, but I like you in my life...and enjoy our time."

Caitlin sighed. "Love changes. It grows. What we feel for each other now isn't what we'll feel next month. Or next year. But it doesn't mean that right now isn't real."

He nodded as he listened to her. "More than yesterday, less than tomorrow."