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

a few tables so they could finish painting the wall."
    "It's gorgeous, Jen. You’ve done a wonderful job. I'm proud of you."
    "I'm proud of you too, Nico." She placed the huge platters before him.
    "As I remember, you could eat your way through Brooklyn," she joked, placing a platter of lamb in the center of the table. A large bowl of ziti was placed in front of him, and another rather meaty platter of antipasto followed. She also added sliced garlic bread. The feast virtually covered the entire area of the round table, making Nick laugh.
    "Ok, I said I was hungry, but did you invite all of Carroll Gardens for lunch?"
    Jenna sat across from him and managed a smile. "I'm kind of hungry too. Dig in, I hope you enjoy it."
    "Looks and smells incredible, Red. Gosh I've missed this."
    He grabbed a flat plate and began to fill it with bits of cheeses, olives and Italian ham, then handed it to a grateful Jenna.
    They ate in silence, taking sips of wine, sampling the sumptuous faire, and listening to the background music on the stereo.
    Nick snuck looks at her while she ate. Although maintaining a perfect figure all these years, Jenna could sure pile it in. She pulled apart a swatch of hot Italian bread, enjoyed forkfuls of cheese and baked ziti and cut herself a generous bite of lamb and roasted potatoes.  Nick savored each morsel, taking his time, while stealing glances at the lovely woman across from him. Jen had always had a knack with food and her tomato sauce had been as good, if not better, than his mother's recipe. He could get used to this.
    Nick kept refilling their glasses until they were both relaxed, their stomachs full. They sat back, and sighed.
    "What, no dessert?" he teased.
    "After that meal? You're lucky you got what I gave you."
    He had a feeling she wanted to get down to business.
    "Nico…"
    Ok, here it comes. The 'why did you come back' speech.
    He couldn’t stop looking at her. Her hair shone from the sunlight coming through a window.   Her hands, clasped on the table, all business like. And her eyes, oh god, those beautiful expressive amber eyes, eyes that held his heart for many years.
    "Look, Nico it's been wonderful seeing you again."
    Nick loved that she'd called him Nico. Seemed the wine had gotten to her just enough to help her relax. He hoped that worked in his favor.
    "You have a life back in California. We just can't pick up where we left off.   We're divorced. You went your way, and I went mine. I stayed in Italy to heal and live my life. And you saw your dream come true. It's all as it should be."
    Nick dabbed his mouth with a linen napkin then dropped it on the table.
    "Is it really? What are you afraid of, Jen? Afraid that if I touch you like I did the other night that you'd allow that wall of defense drop and let yourself go?"
    She looked up at him and tears filled her eyes.
    "You don’t understand. When we parted, my heart broke. But you were destined to become a superstar."
    His shoulder was beginning to throb again. He flexed his fingers, and the pain worsened. Damn cortisone shot, when would it kick in and give him some relief?
    When would Jen realize that he was in more than physical pain and give him some relief? "Just talk to me Red, make me understand."
    She shook her head and threw her hands in the air. "This was a bad idea. You shouldn't have come here, and I shouldn’t have let you in. Too much water under the bridge, Nico, too much in the past, too much…"
    Her voice trailed off, and she stood and backed away from him. "Why do you have to ruin this beautiful meal we shared? Why won't you listen to me?"
    Now he stood, balancing himself with one arm, while the one in the sling protested.
    "The past is dead and gone, Nico."
    "No." He kicked the chair behind him so hard it crashed against the bar. "Well, I'm not dead and I'm sure as shit not gone."
    But she didn’t recoil or retreat. She stood there, gorgeous and sexy and making him ache with wanting her.
    "Now I'm going to talk,