Read Playing for Keeps/Body Check (Rules of the Game) for Free Online

a gorgeous woman seemed just about right.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER SEVEN
     
     
     
    Jenna saw the silhouette shaded against the glass door and knew it was him.
    Nick, returning to the scene of the crime, as it were.  
    She sat at one of the tables, doing the books, and hoped he'd see the sign that said the café was closed on Mondays and go away.
    Wishful thinking. He knocked.
    "Go away," she whispered, throwing the pen across the room, and covering her face with her hands.
    Knock, knock.   He'd seen her through the glass.   Too late, he wasn’t going away.
    Ok, let's have this out right here and now.   There's no one here but me, I will tell him in no uncertain terms that there is nothing between us, and he'll go back to California and that, will be that.
    She swung open the door impatiently, and was just about to tell him to go away, when she saw his grimace and his arm in a sling.
    His injured shoulder; Jenna's temper noticeably cooled when she looked at his expression. He was a little pale, and looked to be in pain.
    "Oh gosh, Nick, come on in, are you ok?"
    Nick stepped into the café and closed the door behind him.
    "Just came from the ortho; need surgery; shoulder hurts like a bitch.   Anyway, I'm starving."
    Now he gave her that puppy dog eyed look and curvy smile that said, "Please feed me."
    Jenna had to stop from laughing and actually thought his ruse was kind of sweet.   I'll give him a break, and then toss him out on his ass.
    "Why didn’t you get a hot dog from the street vendor?"
    "Come on Jen, have a heart, please?   I'm in considerable pain here. Maybe a crust of bread and a glass of water?"
    She tried to suppress a laugh. "Gosh, you are pathetic. Sit down.   How about some baked ziti and roast leg of lamb leftover from last night?"
    Nick slid his jacket off so fast and sat at the nearest table, Jenna thought he'd fall over. "Don’t go to any trouble."
    "Believe me, I won't."
    Leaving Nick in the dining room, she went into the kitchen and dug into the industrial sized fridge for the food she wanted.
    Making a man-sized plate of ziti and lamb for Nick, she heated it up, then, grabbed some grated Romano cheese, silverware and linen napkin, and stepped back into the dining room, where Nick actually was wincing and obviously making an attempt to settle his shoulder more comfortably in his sling.
    Jenna felt bad for teasing him, and knew the food would perk him up.   In the meantime, they had to talk about why he shouldn’t come back.
    If she allowed him back in her life, disaster would soon follow.
     
    ***
     
    Making himself comfortable, Nick allowed himself to look around, really look and see what Jen had created.
    The café was warm, homey and smelled like his mom's kitchen.
    Even though the eatery was closed, he could still pick up the aromas of garlic, tomatoes and bread. His mouth began to water.
    She looked gorgeous today. He caught a nice view of leg when she let him in. Wearing a lavender dress, and tall impossibly high heels, Nick wanted to devour her on the spot.
    Her hair was worn loose and wavy, swinging over her shoulder in mass waves. She wore no jewelry except a small gold crucifix around her neck, and a dainty gold watch. Her beautifully manicured fingernails aroused him.   He wanted her hands on him, touching him, making him hot and hard.
    Slow down, he forced himself, as he heard pots and pans sounds coming from the kitchen.
    Well, he was at least in the door. Now to talk to her, without anyone interfering.
    Looking toward a far wall, it was obvious repairs were in progress. The floor boards were cordoned off near her office, looking like some damage took place there.
    "We had a little flood the other night when that thunderstorm passed over."
    She was balancing three trays in her arms and hands, easily and gracefully, as if she'd been doing so all her life.
    "The carpenters are coming back in the morning to finish the job. They left a mess, so I kind of blocked off