She nodded as her eyes searched his face. "But—"
"There are no buts," he said forcefully. "That's the way it is. You may not have wanted it, hell I didn't want it." Heartache flashed through her eyes. He silently cursed himself. He was supposed to be easing her troubles and doubts, not adding to them. "But I wouldn't change any of it. If I knew you were here, I would have come for you sooner. I was growing tired of traveling, tired of living alone. When I came here and saw how happy everyone was, I wanted the same thing. When I first met you, I wanted you with an intensity so consuming it bordered on obsession. When I left here, I couldn’t control myself or what I was doing. I have thought of nothing but you since the instant we met."
"What about Jess?"
His eyes flashed with rage. "Shit, Isabelle, why can't you ever listen to what I'm saying to you! Must you always fight me?"
She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. "I don't mean to, I just... I'm jealous," she confessed, her lids lowered to shadow her eyes again as a blush crept into her cheeks.
The confession shot a bolt of pure male satisfaction through him. He was glad she was jealous, even if it did upset her. It helped to assure him she truly did care for him, and he was happy to realize he wasn't the only one in this relationship who became easily jealous. He smiled as he brushed her hair from her cheek and pushed it behind her ear.
"I can't change my past, but the minute I met you, I didn't want anyone else," he said.
He was lying to her, and if he would lie to her about this, he would lie to her about anything. Her eyes flew back to his. "Don't lie to me. I smelled her on you!"
His jaw clenched, and a vein popped out on his forehead. She glared defiantly back at him, refusing to back down.
"I am not lying to you," he grated.
Isabelle fought to break free of his grasp. He pulled her back; his hands on her were rigid as he clung to her. She ceased struggling as she turned toward him, her eyes burning a brilliant shade of red. It was the first time he’d ever seen her completely lose control of the demon within her, and it jolted the anger out of him.
"If you would lie about this, then what else are you lying about?" she yelled.
It took him a second to realize it was more fear than anger riling her up. He reached up to brush her cheek with his finger.
She slapped his hand away as tears filled her eyes. "Don't!"
He took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm. She was upset, and angry, and scared he didn't care for her. The only thing he could do to put her mind at ease was tell her the truth. That was the last thing he wanted to do. She already wielded enough power over him without handing her another weapon.
"I went to bed that night with Jess, but I didn't finish. I barely started. I couldn't get you out of my head. I got no satisfaction that night, or any afterward, until you. That is the truth."
She sat silently; her head bowed as she thought over his words. The burning jealousy made her want to lash out at him, but she held her tongue. She didn't want to argue with him, but there were so many women in his past, how could he possibly be happy to settle down with just her for the rest of his existence? A tear slid down her cheek; he wiped it away as he turned her head to face him.
She lifted her lashes to meet his tender, loving gaze. It melted her to the tips of her toes. "Besides, what about all the men in your past, maybe you'll run off with one of them?"
He tried to keep his tone light and teasing, but the thought damn near drove him to the brink of sanity as a rush of possessiveness tore through him. He would kill anyone who ever thought of taking her from him, of touching her. All the color drained from her face. He frowned at her in perplexity as she tore her chin from his grasp.
"There are no men in my past!" she snapped, her eyes flashing violently. "You are it!"
He sighed when he realized she’d completely misunderstood. "I know you were a virgin, but you're a beautiful woman I'm sure you had boyfriends in high school," he soothed. "Isabelle—"
"There was no one else," she whispered so quietly he barely heard her. The tips of her lashes were wet against her skin as another tear slid free.
He frowned as he stared at her. "What are you saying?"
Her face flooded with color, and she shifted uncomfortably in his lap. She was certain she’d never been this humiliated in her life. This whole situation was so unfair! She fervently wished she’d flung herself at every boy in high school, and every guy she’d met since then, so she could be on somewhat of a level playing field with him. Then again, even if she slept with every guy in high school, his side of the field would still be a lot fuller than hers.
"Isabelle," he prompted. He hadn't thought it was possible, but her face turned even redder as she stubbornly refused to meet his gaze.
"You're the first everything, Stefan."
Again, he strained to hear what she was saying, but when the words sank in, they knocked the breath out of him. He stared at her in awe, as supreme conquest flooded him. No one but him, had ever touched her. His satisfaction was short lived as another tear slid down her scarlet face. It was then he understood what she was going through, why she was so unsure of
