He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he tried to absorb, andsort through everything. “Shit,” he whispered.
“I’m surprised you didn’t recognize it sooner,” David said, the amusement in his voice only aggravating Stefan more.
He remembered the way that they had all behaved around him the night that she had gotten hurt, and it suddenly made sense. They had known what was going on, and that was why they had left him be, why they hadn’t tried to separate him from Isabelle. He knew now why he had been so crazed about them touching her, or trying to take her from him.
He opened his eyes and looked down at her. She looked so innocent, and angelic, but he knew how much looks could be deceiving. She was a damn irritating, infuriating, hellion, and for better or worse, he was stuck with her. He smiled softly as she nuzzled closer to him, burying her face against his chest. He had to admit that no matter how much she may aggravate him, he really didn’t mind the idea of being stuck with her for eternity. It was actually a rather appealing concept.
“So am I,” he muttered. “How long have you guys known?”
“Since the night at the club,” Jack answered.
He glanced up at them. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he demanded.
“You left before we had the chance,” Mike reminded him. “And once you came back, wejust assumedthat youhad figured it out.”
Stefan frowned as he glanced back at Isabelle. David started to laugh as he turned and walked toward the house. “You look like someone just punched you in the gut!” he called over his shoulder.
He felt like someone had just punched him in the gut. He started walking again, marveling over what he had just learned, what he had just realized. He saw the way thatLiamand Sera were together, their constant need to communicate with each other, their need to touch, and the deep love that they shared.
He frowned as he thought about that. He didn’t love Isabelle. He liked her, he admired her, he cared for her, but he didn’t love her. Did he?
He glanced back down at her;a deep, unknown emotion began to well up inside of him. It was something that he had never felt before, and he didn’t understand what it was. He wanted to keep her sheltered, protected, and safe. He wanted to see her laugh,wanted to see herhappy. He needed to be with her, and around her. Today, in town, he had felt like he was crawling out of his skinwithout her. He knew now that it was because heneededto be near her, to touch her, to hold her at all times. Was that what love was? he wondered.
He slipped into the house behind everyone else and carried her swiftly down the basement stairs. He pushed the door open and kicked it closed behind him. Isabelle stirred slightly as he put her on the bed, but she didn’t awaken. He undressed her slowly, careful not torouseher as he pulled off his shirt and the baggy pants.
He stood for a moment, admiring her long, sleek body, and gentle curves. In the moonlight she glistened with a silverylight that highlighted her creamy skin. He tore his gaze from her as he hardened painfully and quickly stripped out of his own clothes. He crawled into bed beside her, gritting his teeth against his carnal urges as he drew her into his arms. She murmured softly but didn’t awaken asshe rested her head in his shoulder. It took all he had not to wake her to make love to her, but he knew how badly she needed sleep, how exhausted she was. He was not going todisturbherin orderto satisfy his own needs.
It was a long time before he finally fell asleep.
CHAPTER 18
“What are you doing?” Isabelle demanded laughingly as Stefan guided her easily along.
“You’ll see,” he whispered huskily in her ear.
Chills shuddered down her spine as she moved closer to him, relishing in the feel of his hard, warm body against hers. She didn’t think she would ever get used to the way that he made her feel. She cried out suddenly as he bent and swept her up. Her hands instinctively clung to his broad shoulders as he chuckled softly in her ear. “I won’t drop you,” he promised.
She smiled brightly at him as he carried her swiftly along. She knew that they were going to the new house, but he had insisted on blindfolding her for it. Her heart beat wildly with anticipation as he climbed the porch steps. She was dying to see the house,asthey had refused to let her near itthecloseritgot to being completed, but being this close to Stefan was causing another desire to awaken in her. One that she hadn’t been able to satisfy enough over the past few days. She snuggled closer to him, pressing her breasts provocatively against his chest as her hands lightly stroked the back of his neck.
“Unless you want me to take you in front of your brothers, you had better stop,” he growled.
Isabelle smiled up at him. “Stop what?” she asked innocently.
“You know what.”
She chuckled softly as the door opened and closed. “Can I see yet?” she asked eagerly.
“Not yet.”
She sighed impatiently as he climbed the stairs and moved briskly down the hallway. She frowned as she lifted her head from his shoulder. “I think we’re missing most of the house.” A door banged shut. Isabelle’sforeheadfurrowed,andthen cleared as a delicious shiver swept through her. “Where are my brothers?”
“Packing their stuff.” Isabelle laughed happily as he set her on her feet and turned her to untie the blindfold. “Keep your eyes closed.”
Shebit on her bottom lip, nearly jumping up and down with excitement as the blindfold fell away. “Okay,” he whispered in her ear. “Open them.”
She gasped in surprise, and delight, as the room was revealed to her. It had been painted in the soft cream color that she had chosen.The wood trim surrounding the room was stained alightoak that gleamed in the sunlight spilling through the windows. Beaming happily, her gaze settled upon the fourposter, king size bed, with its beautiful jade green, white, and yellow quilt. She clearly remembered telling her mother that was the quilt that she wanted for her bed, but this bed was definitely not hers. She didn’t know where it had come from, but she loved it instantly.
An antique nightstand stood beside the bed, her tiffany lamp, with its multi colored, stained glass shade had been placed on it. At the foot of the bed was the old cedar chest that she’d owned since she was a little girl. Her bureau had been placed against the leftwall;beneath two large windows that overlooked the woods. On the right hand side was a large bay window with an emeraldgreen window seat that over looked the sparkling lake. She knew that she would spend many wonderful hours there, curled up on that seat, daydreaming or reading.
