Free Winner Takes All by Erin Kern

put these kids in jeopardy. My only concern is making sure they heal properly. Even if that takes an entire season.”
    Something flashed in his eyes, but it was gone too quick for Annabelle to label it. Not only that but the shadow cast by his cap made his expression difficult to read. Whatever it was had softened his expression enough for Annabelle to know she’d cracked him. That he understood she wasn’t here to work against him.
    “I understand that,” he told her. “I know you would never do anything to hurt my players.”
    “Because I’m not like the trainers you knew,” she went on. “I don’t put my own desire for winning above my patients. I care about those kids.”
    That muscle in his jaw kicked in again, contradicting the softening of his blue eyes. She’d gotten so used to seeing them hard with determination and resistance that she almost missed it. But once she realized she’d gotten through to him, Annabelle wondered how she’d ever see him the other way again.
    “I appreciate that,” he finally said, as though he’d been searching for the words. Had she really managed to stump him?
    “Just for the record,” he told her, “I never pegged you for that type.”
    Annabelle nodded. “But you’ve made your distrust of me pretty clear.”
    “Only because I take this job personally. Those are my players out there,” he said with a nod toward the locker room. “And I’ve learned the hard way not to give too much control to anyone else.”
    “I understand that,” she assured him. “I’m not trying to take over. I’m trying to help.”
    He waited a moment, staring back at her out of those clear blue eyes and sending a shiver down the center of her back.
    He nodded. “Go on.”
    “Scott Porter has a tight hamstring that he keeps pulling.”
    Blake swiveled back and forth in his chair. “I’m aware of that.”
    “I’m doing what I can for him, and I think the stretching is helping,” she assured him.
    Blake was silent a moment, as though sensing she had more to say, which she did but she knew he wasn’t going to like it. “But?” he asked.
    Annabelle held her breath for a moment, then slowly expelled it. “I think it would help Scott if he didn’t participate in the practices. At least in any kind of full contact.” She waited for him to snarl at her or tell her she’d lost her mind. He didn’t. Instead he did something she’d yet to witness from him.
    He laughed.
    The heat that sat low in her belly spread throughout her body and settled in all her girly parts. Parts that hadn’t been used in way too long. So long she’d almost forgotten how to use them. But more than that she’d forgotten how alive they made her feel. How aware of herself she became. Itchy. Uncomfortable.
    And so unbearably hot.
    The man had a deviously sexy laugh. So much sexier than she’d imagined. Not that she’d been thinking about what his laugh would sound like.
    “That’s not happening, Ms. Turner,” he finally said after he’d stopped chuckling.
    “Players are just as at risk of injury during practices as they are during games. I just think until his hamstring loosens some more, he needs to take it easy. If it suffers one more good pull, he’ll be unable to play the rest of the season.” When he didn’t respond, Annabelle continued. “Surely you have a backup you can use for a little while.”
    “Of course we do,” he answered. “But he’s not nearly good enough. Scott’s one of the few good players we have and we need him on the field.”
    Annabelle blinked at him. “All the more reason for him to focus on his leg. So he’s ready to play when the season starts.”
    Blake leaned forward in his chair and folded his burly forearms across the desk. They were covered in a soft dusting of dark hair. Funny how soft would be used to describe arms that looked like corded steel. “Ms. Turner,” he said. “I can take it easy on him during practices, until the leg heals, but I can’t