Free Destined (Vampire Awakenings) by Brenda K. Davies Page B

she stretched her arms before her .
       “How long have you been together for?” Vicky inquired.
       “Three months.”
       “So it’s serious then?” Abby asked happily, her eyes taking on a dreamy look.
       Isabelle felt her tension growing again as she grit her teeth, trying to remain relaxed, and calm. She had been determined to try and forget about him, she did not want to hear about him now, when she had been seeking an escape from her own mind. “I guess so,” Jess replied absently. “I mean he did c o me up here with us.”
       “He is so hot!” Vicky gushed.
       Isabelle shifted uncomfortably as a flash of black, piercing eyes swept through her mind, bringing with them a wave of heat that far exceeded the warmth of the day. “He’s even hotter in bed,” Jess replied slyly.
       Isabelle’s eyes flew open as her mouth went dry and her heart leapt into her throat. A fierce wave of something like jealousy swept through her. Never before had she felt jealous of anything, but she was fairly certain that was the emotion that was clutching at her chest right now. It scared the hell out of her, at the same time that it made her want to rip her hair out in aggravation and disgust. What the hell was the matter with her? S he thought angrily. She wanted nothing to do with him; she had nothing to be jealous of.
       Delia laughed softly as Abby and Vicky stared at Jess in disbelief. Their eyes darted to Isabelle as their mouths gaped open. They weren’t used to hearing such blunt statements, and by the blushes creeping up their cheeks they weren’t comfortable with them either. “Uh yeah,” Vicky muttered shyly.
       Jess and Delia laughed. Isabelle’s eyes darted back to them, narrowing angrily at the obvious enjoyment they took in her sister ’ s discomfort. Isabelle opened her mouth to let loose with her anger, but Abby seized hold of her shoulder. Gritting her teeth she turned to look at Abby, who shook her head slightly, her green eyes pleading with Isabelle to keep her mouth shut. It took all she had to remain silent, but in the face of Abby’s obvious pleading, she managed to do so. They were Kathleen’s daughters, and her mother wouldn’t be at all happy if she started a war with them.
       Even though she didn’t say a word, her moment of relaxation had been completely ruined. “The laundry should be done,” she mumbled.
       “Did I make you uncomfortable Isabelle?” Jess asked with false sweetness.
       Isabelle’s temper flash boiled as her gaze locked fiercely on Jess’s. A soft, mocking smile curled Jess’s mouth as she stared down at Isabelle with malicious amusement in her eyes. She was about to let her temper fly, to hell with the consequences, when a shadow fell over her. Isabelle’s mouth instantly went dry as fear seized hold of her. Instinctively she knew who it was, knew that he was there without even having to look at him.
       “Stefan!” Jess said sweetly. “We were just talking about you.”
       “I know, I heard, ” he replied coldly.
       Isabelle’s face flooded with color at the thought of what he had just overheard. She realized then that the sounds of the saws, and hammering, had stopped. Her face grew even redder as she wondered if everyone at the building site had heard too . Swallowing heavily, she forced herself to look up at him.
       His shoulders were so broad that they blocked out the sun behind him, throwing him into sharp relief against it s bright rays. His hair was damp, and tussled as it fell boyishly across his dirt streaked forehead. For a moment Isabelle couldn’t breathe from the force of his enticing dishevel, and the hungry gleam in his onyx eyes.
       “Good thing it was nothing bad then,” Jess said laughingly.
       Stefan forced his gaze away from Isabelle’s wide violet eyes, and beautifully blushing face. He folded his arms over his chest as he turned his attention to Jess. She smiled slyly at him, a