Changing the Rules

by Erin Kern

  “I wanted to come and introduce myself before we started working together,” she answered.

  His brow twitched in confusion. “Working together?” he repeated.

  “With the players,” she clarified with a wave of her hand toward the field.

  “I’m not following you, Ms. Turner.”

  “I’m the physical therapist,” she explained. Her teeth stabbed into her full lower lip when he didn’t respond to her announcement. “Drew Spalding hired me to work with the kids,” she went on. “Do you know Drew? He’s the athletic director—”

  “I know who Drew is,” he interrupted. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cameron walk onto the field to speak to the players.

  Annabelle smiled, creating a shallow dimple in her right cheek. “Sorry, but you were looking at me like you didn’t know what I was talking about.”

  He turned to face her, noting how her long thick hair kept teasing her jawline when the wind blew. The strands were dark on top, the color of a rich Tennessee whiskey, which slowly faded to a brighter blond on the ends, curling slightly into a perfect outward flip.

  “That’s because I don’t, Ms. Turner,” he explained.

  Her brow crinkled at his abrupt tone. Excuse him for being an asshole, but he had a team to coach and this woman, with her provocative scent and legs for days, was pulling his thoughts off of play calling and onto lazy afternoon sex.

  “Drew hired me last season to work with the players,” she explained, which still wasn’t much of an explanation. “Since the team doesn’t have an official doctor, he thought I could help them.”

  “Help them with what?” Yeah, he knew what physical therapists could do for football players. As a professional, he’d been treated by some of the top PTs in the country. What he didn’t know was why she was here, with a high school football team. He’d never heard of a high school football program hiring their own therapists and doctors, unless it was a wealthy 5A school, which Blanco Valley wasn’t.

  “Stretching,” she answered. “Conditioning. Treating old injuries that might hinder their abilities.”

  Blake hadn’t been made aware of a physical therapist working with the team. That sort of practice was unorthodox and unnecessary in Blake’s mind. Professional football teams had all sorts of trainers and doctors to make sure the players were kept in the best shape possible.

  But this was high school, for crying out loud. What the hell did they need a physical therapist for?

  “Talent is what these kids need, Ms. Turner. Not stretching exercises.”

  Her mouth opened to say something, then shut again. “Drew thinks I can—”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Last I checked, Drew Spalding wasn’t this team’s head coach. I am. I don’t know you from Adam, so I’m not about to let you walk in here and step on my toes.” He turned from her and walked onto the field, determined to get his mind back on his players and off this woman.

  But the tenacious little thing had other plans because she grabbed his forearm, digging her sharp fingernails into his flesh, giving him an impression of delicate, soft skin, which was odd given the firm grasp she had on his arm.

  “Are you dismissing me, Mr. Carpenter?” she demanded.

  He spared the hand on his arm a quick glance, noting how trim and neat her fingernails were. Unpainted. Practical. Then quirked a brow at her. “Beautiful and insightful. Quite a combination.”

  She stared at him for a moment, drilling her greenish-brown eyes into his and touching a place deep inside that hadn’t been touched in a long time. The one that had to do with arousal and reacting to a beautiful woman. Then the angelic look on her face was replaced with a firm set of her full mouth, a look she no doubt mastered.

  “You can’t just shrug me off, Mr. Carpenter. Even though you didn’t hire me, I can be helpful to your players.” She took a step toward him. “You haven’t even seen what I can do yet.”

  He allowed his gaze to drift over her lithe body, touching on her flat stomach, then skimming down her toned legs. As a football player, Blake had mastered the art of intimidation, often being able to get inside his opponent’s head with a simple searing look.

  But he had to give this five-foot-nothing sprite some credit. She held her ground almost as well as some of the fiercest players he’d gone up against.

  “I don’t need to see what you can do, Ms. Turner.” He ended the conversation by turning his back on her and walking the rest of the way to the center of the football field. Whether or not she actually left, he had no idea. But he could have sworn he heard the words impossible asshole.

  Yeah, he was that.

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