A few of them called out to Alex. Bess found herself being given the once-over by a group of teenage boys before they sent hoots and whistles and thumbs-up signs in Alex’s direction.
“Ah, the first stamp of approval.” But she rubbed her damp palm surreptitiously against her skirt before taking his hand. “Did you used to ride bikes along the sidewalk?”
“Sure.”
Battling nerves, she strolled with him toward the house. “And sit on the curb in the summer and lie about girls?”
“I didn’t have to lie,” he told her with a wicked grin. He glanced up the steps as the door opened and Mikhail came out, Griff on his hip.
“You’re late again.” He started down, jiggling Griff.
“She missed the turn.”
“He’s always late.” Mikhail smiled. “You’re Bess.”
“Yes. Hello.” She held out a hand and found that his was hard as rock. Griff had already leaned over to give Alex a kiss, and now, still puckered, he leaned toward Bess. Laughing, she pressed her mouth to his. “And hello to you, too, handsome.”
“Griff likes the ladies,” Mikhail told her. “Takes after his uncle.”
“Don’t start,” Alex muttered.
Mikhail ignored him and continued to study Bess until she was fighting the need to squirm. “Do I have dirt on my face, or what?”
“No, sorry.” He shifted his gaze to his brother. “You’re improving, Alexi,” he said in Ukrainian. “This one is well worth a few sweaty mornings in the gym.”
“Tak.”He skimmed a hand down to the nape of Bess’s neck. “If you tell her about that, I’ll strangle you in your sleep.”
Mikhail’s grin flashed. The resemblance was startling, Bess thought. Those wild, dark looks, that simmering sexuality. And the child had the looks, as well, she realized. Lord help the women of the twenty-first century.
“Guy talk?” she asked.
“Bad manners,” Mikhail said apologetically, deciding he liked not only her unusual looks, but the intelligence in her eyes, as well. Yes, indeed, he thought, Alex was definitely improving. “I was complimenting my brother on his taste. Take her in, Alex. Griff wants to watch the kids ride awhile.”
“Sydney?” he asked as he mounted the steps.
“She’s here, but she’s tired.”
“She works too hard.”
“There is that.” The grin spread again. “And she’s pregnant.”
Alex stopped, turned. “Yeah?” He went down the steps again to catch Mikhail and Griff in a bear hug. “It’s good?”
“It’s great. We want our children close, our family big.”
“You’re off to the right start.” He grabbed Bess’s hand as Mikhail lifted Griff onto his shoulders and crossed the street. Griff was clapping his hands and shouting toddler gibberish to the other kids. “I’m still trying to get used to him being a papa, and now he’s going to have another.”
She’d forgotten her nerves. Perhaps the child’s sweet, unaffected kiss had done it. She slipped an arm around Alex’s waist. “Come on, Uncle Alex. I want to meet the rest of them.”
“They’re loud,” he warned as they started back up the door.
“I like loud.”
“They can be nosy.”
“So can I.”
At the door, he took both of her hands. He’d brought women into his home before, but it had never been important. This was vital. “I love you, Bess.” Before she could speak, he kissed her, then pushed open the door.
