Her breath froze in her chest as her eyes locked on a pair of perturbed onyx ones. Stefan’s jaw was locked; dirt, sawdust, and sweat coated his strong-boned, handsome face. His shirt was off, revealing his broad chest and wide shoulders. Muscle and sinew rippled beneath the layers of dirt and sweat coating him. More muscle ridged his stomach, and Isabelle instantly understood the term washboard abs as her mouth went dry.
She swallowed nervously as her gaze traveled over his tapered waist before moving further down. The dirty jeans he wore hugged his well-muscled thighs and the noticeable bulge between his legs. She jerked her gaze away and back to his chest. Thick black hair curled over his chest, circling his nipples before traveling down in a V which would have drawn her attention lower again if she hadn't adamantly refused to look. She couldn't glance down there again; it did odd things to her body she didn't understand, or appreciate.
Her gaze returned to his face. It was magnificent. His square jaw had dark bristles just beginning to form a five o'clock shadow. His cheekbones were high and sharp, his nose finely chiseled. His lips were full and compressed in a firm line. Isabelle shuddered as the sudden desire to kiss those lips tore through her. It took all she had to stop her knees from shaking.
He was lethal looking, and the aura of power he radiated shook her. She wished Julian was still in her grasp so she could use him as a barrier against Stefan.
"You okay?" Stefan asked.
His deep voice sent small shivers of delight zipping through her. Isabelle nodded, but she didn’t trust herself to speak. She’d thought, hoped, prayed her reaction to him last night was a fluke. It disconcerted her to realize it wasn't. She wanted to flee into the woods and hide until he was long gone.
She didn't want to be anywhere near him, and she fervently wished he would stop staring at her like he wanted to devour her. Stop staring at her as if he could see straight into her soul. It was a look she’d often seen on her father's face when he’d gazed at her mother, and she didn't want it directed at her. Resentment and resolve straightened her spine.
"Thank you," she said coldly.
Humor flickered through his eyes as his gaze traveled over her, and he seemed to undress her with his eyes. She scowled at him as he finally met her gaze again.
"No problem," he said.
Isabelle forcefully turned away from him and draped her arm around Julian's shoulder. "Let's get you cleaned up."
Julian shrugged her arm off and straightened his shoulders. "I'm good."
When he’d needed her help, she'd been there for him, but now, when she desperately needed his, he was abandoning her.
"Fine," she grated.
"Thank you," Julian said to Stefan as he strode by, showing no sign of the immediate death he’d just faced.
Willow burst out of the woods, slamming into him, and knocking them both to the ground. "Hey!" Julian yelled angrily.
"Oh, sorry!" she cried as she jumped to her feet.
Isabelle ran a tired and achy hand through her still wet hair. If any of her younger siblings survived to maturity, she would be truly amazed. Vicky and Abby suddenly appeared behind them. Isabelle glowered at them as they came forward, openly admiring Stefan, before stepping to the edge of the hole. "And where were you two?" she demanded.
"We were tired!" they both cried in unison.
"How were we supposed to know they were in trouble again?" Abby demanded.
"Yeah!" Vicky yelled.
Isabelle took a deep breath as she attempted to control her frustration. It wasn't only them she was annoyed with, but also herself, and Stefan, and the whole freaking world for playing this cruel joke on her.
"By Willow's tone," she retorted.
They both gave her identical looks of disbelief as they propped their hands on their hips. "Willow always freaks when they do something wrong! We just thought they had dared the twins to do something stupid again!" Abby protested as she gazed between Isabelle and Stefan.
"I do not!" Willow denied vehemently.
"Wow, that is deadly!" Vicky breathed as she gazed into the hole.
"No kidding!" Isabelle retorted.
Vicky frowned as she looked at her; she wasn’t used to catching Isabelle in a bad mood or having Isabelle yell at them. "What's got you in such a mood?" Vicky asked.
Isabelle's jaw clenched as she bit her bottom lip to keep from exploding. "He could have been killed."
"So could you."
Isabelle's eyes snapped to Stefan. He stood in the same spot, his arms folded casually over his chest. The amused gleam in his eyes set her teeth on edge. It was as if he knew he was the reason she was perturbed, and he thoroughly enjoyed it.
She realized with a jolt he did enjoy it; just as she’d known what the hungry gleam in his eyes meant. He was a handsome man, after all. Of course, he knew what he did to women. Pride stiffened her spine as she tilted her chin defiantly. It didn't matter what he knew; she intended to stay as far away from him as possible.
A small smile curved his full mouth as his hungry gaze traveled leisurely back over her. A small tremor began to rack through her as his gaze burned into her, causing her skin to warm everywhere it landed.
When it lingered on her heaving chest, Isabelle was horrified at the prickling sensation causing her nipples to tingle. She forced herself to shove the new sensations he awoke within her aside as she glowered at him. She didn't know what he found so amusing about this situation, but she didn't find anything at all funny about it.
"Yeah, Issy!" Vicky cried grabbing her arm. "You are so lucky Stefan was coming back to the house!"
Yeah, she was
