Four plays later Mike wanted to give her the ball again. She almost refused, not wanting to take the chance Stefan might be able to catch her, but she changed her mind. There was no way he could get her, and this was the perfect opportunity to show him he was completely wrong. No one was going to break her, least of all him!
She flashed him a cocky grin as she waited for Mike's command. She bolted off the line, caught the ball, and put every ounce of energy she had into running. Her legs were burning, and her lungs were on fire as she neared the goal line. She was only ten feet from it when she felt his arms wrap around her waist. Despair washed over her. She hugged the ball against her chest as the ground rushed up to meet her.
Grunting from the force of the impact, she lay still beneath him, unable to believe he caught her! Then, his hands were on her shoulders, and he was hurriedly turning her over. His troubled eyes scanned her face worriedly.
"Are you okay?" he demanded harshly.
Isabelle was astounded to discover he was concerned about her. "Of course, you tackle like a girl," she couldn't help but tease.
Stefan searched her face again to see if she was lying. He knew her pride would keep her from admitting any pain. Her violet eyes twinkled as she grinned at him. That smile caused something to shift inside him as he realized he was afraid he'd injured her in his overzealous attempt to prove he could catch her and prove she couldn't avoid him. He’d never been worried about anyone in his life.
"Well, you would know," he retorted before he began to think about what that worry might mean.
Isabelle laughed as he grinned at her. Sweat matted his black hair to his forehead, and his skin glistened with it. Suddenly, she became aware of the heat of his arms and the way they felt around her. Their encounter in the bathroom flashed through her mind as her body tensed with anticipation.
He must have seen something in her face for his smile suddenly vanished. Isabelle's breath froze in her lungs as she felt him lengthen against her thigh. She shuddered in response to the hunger radiating from him.
"You caught her!" Aiden jogged up to stand behind Stefan’s shoulder as he ruined the moment.
He liked them, but Stefan was getting sick of all the interruptions her family caused. He was beginning to think he would never have a minute alone with her. Isabelle shifted beneath him, and he had to stifle a groan against the bolt of fire that caused his erect shaft to jump. He ground his teeth as he forced himself to his feet and pulled her up with him.
"I can't believe you caught her! No one's caught her since she was thirteen! This is great!" Aiden declared.
Aiden's team rushed up to gloat as her team walked over to stand behind her. Isabelle risked a glance at Stefan, expecting to see smug satisfaction in his eyes, but his jaw was locked firmly, and his eyes were troubled and distant.
Chapter Eleven
That night, Isabelle gave in to common sense and returned to the other house. She could no longer stand her mother and father's questioning looks. Nor could she stand her cowardice. She couldn't avoid Stefan forever, and hiding from him was proving to be a useless endeavor. He would find her; she just needed to make up her mind about what she would do when he did. She was becoming more eager just to cast all reason out the window. However, her concern about the consequences which might follow kept holding her back.
She could no longer deny the attraction she felt for him was something more than a simple, passing fancy. It was the possibility of what the something more might be scaring her. She would take her chances and see how the chips fell. There was still the hope he wasn't her soul mate, that maybe she was wrong, but every day her hope grew smaller. She wasn't even entirely sure she wanted to hold on to it anymore.
In the short time he’d been here, he’d managed to totally disrupt her life. She wasn't quite ready to concede defeat, but her determination was wavering. She needed time to sort through everything.
She stayed to help her parents clean up, but her mother shooed her away when only a few dishes were left, so the house was dark by the time she returned. She was grateful for that fact. She was completely exhausted, and she didn't want to deal with anyone tonight. Her muscles were sore from the football game, a game they’d managed to win by the skin of their teeth, and she longed for a comfortable bed instead of an uncomfortable couch at her parents’.
She pulled her shoes off and moaned in pleasure as she wiggled her cramped toes. Soundlessly opening the screen door, she picked up her shoes and crept into the hushed house. She tiptoed through the entryway and into the living room.
"You came back," Stefan murmured.
Isabelle almost shrieked as she jumped in surprise. Her shoes slipped from her numb fingers. She spun, her heart hammering and her breath coming in rapid pants.
"Didn't mean to scare you," he said.
Isabelle inhaled briskly as the adrenaline jolt she’d received dissipated. "Crap," she whispered her hand flying to her chest. "Don't do that!"
Stefan chuckled in amusement. "Sorry, I figured you would sense me."
Now that she wasn't shaking with terror, and her heart was returning to normal, she could think again. "I wasn't paying attention."
"So I noticed."
His onyx eyes gleamed predatorily in the moonlight streaming through the windows. He was sprawled out on the couch, his hands propped behind his head on one of the pillows. His long legs were crossed, his lower calves and feet dangled over the edge of the armrest. He looked relaxed, but she sensed
