Convincing Alex by Nora Roberts Page B

walked over to slap Alex on the back. “How’s the meal?”
    â€œIt’s terrific.” Bess held out a hand. “You’re Zack? I’m Bess.”
    â€œNice to see you.” Zack kept a hand on Alex’s shoulder after giving Bess’s a quick squeeze. “You must be the Bess Rachel ran into down at the station.”
    â€œI must be. You have a great place here. Now that I’ve found it, I’ll be back.”
    â€œThat’s what we like to hear.” His blue eyes sparkled with friendly curiosity. “Alex doesn’t bring his ladies around very often. He likes to keep us guessing.”
    She couldn’t help but respond to the humor in Zack’s eyes. “Is that so?”
    â€œEase off, Muldoon,” Alex muttered.
    â€œHe’s still sore at me for stealing his baby sister.”
    Alex sent him an arched look. “I just figured she had better taste.” He lifted his beer. “Speaking of which.” He gestured with the mug.
    Bess saw Zack’s eyes change and, recognizing love, her heart sighed. It didn’t surprise her when Rachel came to the table.
    â€œWhat’s this?” Rachel demanded. “A party, and nobody invited me?”
    â€œSit,” Zack and Alex said in unison.
    â€œI’m tired of sitting.” Ignoring them both, she turned to Bess. “Nice to see you again.” She took a deep, appreciative sniff. “Rio’s paella. Incredible, isn’t it?”
    â€œYes, it is. Alex was just telling me how the two of you met.”
    â€œOh?” Rachel’s brow lifted.
    â€œWhy don’t you join us and give me your side of it?”
    Twenty minutes later, Alex was forced to admit that Bess’s casualfriendliness had gotten Rachel to sit down and relax in a way neither he nor Zack would have been able to with their demanding concern.
    For a woman who was so full of energy and verve, she had a knack for putting people at ease, he noted.
    A gift for listening to details and asking just the right question. And for entertaining, he mused—effortlessly.
    It didn’t surprise him that she was able to talk music with Nick when he was called over to join them, or food with Rio when she asked to go back into the kitchen to compliment him on the meal. He wasn’t surprised when she and Rachel made a date to meet for lunch the following week.
    â€œI like your family,” Bess stated as they settled into a cab.
    â€œYou’ve only met a fraction of it.”
    â€œWell, I like the ones I’ve met. How much more do you have?”
    â€œMy parents. Another sister, her husband, their three kids. A brother, his wife, and their kid. What about you?”
    â€œHmm?”
    â€œFamily.”
    â€œOh. I was an only child. Do they all live in New York?”
    â€œAll but Natasha.” He toyed with the curls at the nape of her neck. “You don’t talk about yourself.”
    â€œAre you kidding?” She laughed, though she wanted to curl like a cat into the fingers brushing her skin. “I never stop talking.”
    â€œYou ask questions. You talk about things, other people, your characters. But you don’t talk about Bess.”
    She should have known a cop would notice what most people didn’t. “We haven’t had that many conversations,” she pointed out. When she turned her head, her mouth was close to his. She wanted to kiss him, Bess thought. It wasn’t merely to distract him. After all,she had nothing to hide. But she didn’t speak, only moved her lips to his.
    The fingers at the back of her neck tensed as he changed the angle of the kiss and the mood of it. It was light and friendly only for an instant. Then it darkened, deepened, lengthened. Mixed with the taste, the texture, were hints of what was to come.
    There’s a storm brewing, Bess thought dizzily. And, oh, she’d never been able to resist a storm.
    Her heart was knocking by