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

and you're going to listen, Red ."
    His closeness made her body do crazy things, feel like she'd melt into a puddle of mush.   He gathered her in his arms, embraced her, while she surrendered temporarily to the power of his presence, his scent, his voice.
    His name came out in a breath. "Nico…"
    He cupped her face in his palms, forcing her to look up and meet his dark gaze.   "I don’t know if I want to kiss you or… I don’t know.   Tell me why you ended us?"
    "How many times do I have to tell you?   To make you understand?   We were young. You in California, I was halfway around the world. The accident happened. My parents were gone. Grace barely lived. And I wanted to die."
    The last was said in a choked voice Jenna barely recognized as her own. "There was nothing you could do for us. Nothing."
    "I would have found a way, Jen. You know I would have."
    She shook her head, frantically. "No, that’s not what I wanted for you. Playing baseball has been in your blood since you were a kid, Nico.   You don’t have any idea what I went through."
    "Because you never let me in! You tell me you're hurt, your legs are broken. Grace in a coma, your parents were dead, and you turn around and refuse my help, my support. My love."
    Jenna broke out of his embrace, afraid of how comfortable she found herself in his arms, shocked at how much she wanted to stay there.   Saddened by the fact that she never got over him.
    Why did she invite him in?   Why did she feed him and smile at him? Why was she so damned weak?
    "And how were you supposed to travel back and forth to Naples when your career was just getting off the ground? Did you think I would really ask you to give that all up for me?"
    His anger was apparent when he drew his fingers through his hair. "You never gave me the chance to make that choice!"
      Jenna didn’t want to discuss this any longer. So she turned on him. "You want to know why I ended 'us'?   Because I suffered a mental breakdown!” Her hands flew in the air to make her point. "I was in therapy for endless months, every day Nico, trying to deal with the fact that I virtually killed my parents and nearly killed my sister! Don't you get it?"
    Jenna was on a roll now, and couldn’t stop if she wanted to. "I couldn’t make heads or tails of anything in my life, if you want to call what I had, a life. I was ill, I couldn’t face anything for a long time. You were where you had to be, and I was not going to be the one to place more guilt on myself by making you sacrifice your life for me."
    He dropped down in a chair and covered his face with his large palms.   For moments the only sounds were the traffic outside, and the faint notes of a classic Italian melody playing on the café stereo.
    She hated herself for hurting him, but he had to know.
    Jenna walked over to him, the pain in her leg causing her limp to make an appearance. Taking a chair and pulling it closer to him, she sat, covering his hand with hers.
    "I'm sorry, but that's the truth. Let's face it, Nico, I'm damaged goods. All those years in Italy, I was in therapy, strengthening my legs, and learning to cook at the Naples Academy for Culinary Science. You deserved so much more than the burden of me and Gracie. But I'm proud that you received all that you deserved."
    He lifted his face, his eyes red rimmed, and she followed suit. Tears threatened to fall, but Jenna sniffed them back.
    "You wanted answers, Nico, well you got them. Please forget you came here, forget me and enjoy your wonderful career. I know your shoulder will heal, and you'll be ready and able to pitch again when spring training begins."
    Satisfied that she told him everything, Jenna surmised that he'd probably be leaving. They'd both live with her decision and for a split second, she wondered if she wanted him to go, to leave forever.
    Her leg cramped as she rose from the chair, causing her to stumble.
    Right into Nick's arms.
    He didn’t let her go, but, led her toward her