Free Game For Love: All The Right Moves (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Marquita Valentine Page A

off the television , pulling her to her feet before leading her into his bedroom.
    Then , he made his fantasy a reality.
     
    ***
     
    Ryan couldn’t sleep.
    The rumors about him going to Dallas were on this side of true. As in, it was true he was seriously considering it, but J.R. was forcing his hand. The man had signed Dean Clark.
    Even if Ryan weren’t dating Ashley, he would view that move as a deal breaker.
    He ran a hand over her back, marveling at the soft, pale skin that glowed in the moonlight. Unlike most redheads, she didn’t have a single freckle on her.
    Something he was kind of disappointed about because he would have taken the time to connect the dots with his tongue. She sighed in her sleep and scooted closer to him.
    He sat up and then left the b ed, careful not to disturb her, and made his way to his home office. Booting up his laptop, he switched on a light and sat down.
    The email from Dallas practically glowed neon yellow and then green. He wanted to go. He wanted to say yes. Not only that, he wanted to be honest with Ashley and share what he wanted with her.
    But, according to Dean, one of the reasons why he’d broken up with her was because she had refused to move. She had refused to accept his lifestyle and wanted him to give it all up.
    And, although he didn’t trust Dean as far as he could punt him, he knew Ashley loved living here. She loved being near her family and having Sunday dinners with them. She loved being able to pop over to her brother’s house for supper and host book club meetings for snotty women who finally came around to her way of thinking about romance novels.
    He scrubbed his hand across his face.
    There had to be truth in there somewhere. Ashley had never given the specifics about her relationship with Dean, but he knew she’d been hurt. He knew she’d loved Dean.
    But did she love him? Was he in love with her?
    Ryan exhaled.
    Those were the million-dollar questions keeping him up at night, when he should be in bed with Ashley.
    Gunner padded to him, laying his big head on Ryan’s knee.
    “Hey, boy. What’s the matter?” When Ryan first adopted the pit bull from Second Chances Rescue, Gunner was shy and a bit growly. Not that Ryan could blame the pup. He’d been abused by his former owners. Now, after patience and time—and puppy-parenting classes with Ashley—Gunner had come a long way. He loved to meet people and growled less and less every day.
    Gunner whined , his big, brown eyes pleading as he stared up at Ryan.
    “I told you, no sleeping in the bed when Ashley’s here. There’s not enough room for everyone.”
    Gunner blew out air through his nose, as if to say, women .
    “Let’s go to bed, buddy.” Ryan turned off his computer and the light, then moved to his bedroom. Gunner was hot on his heels.
    When he climbed in, he encountered a warm, wriggly bundle of dog. “Bluebelle,” he whisper-shouted, but she paid him no mind.
    “I don’t care, Ryan,” Ashley murmured sleepily. “Tell Gunner to get in bed with us, too.”
    Gunner didn’t have to be told twice. He jumped on the bed, circled a spot three times, and promptly fell on one side. Within seconds, the dogs were snoring, Ashley was tugging on his arm, and he was joining her, laying in the smallest amount of bed available.
    “A hell of a life,” he muttered with a grin. He would wait for the perfect time to talk to Ashley about Dallas.
    No matter what, she’d believe him over anyone else, because she’d made a promise to him.

Chapter Thirteen
             Four days later, Ashley pulled her car into her driveway, frowning at the expensive sports car already sitting there. It couldn’t be Ryan’s; he drove a huge pickup truck. She parked behind the car and got out.
    The door opened, and her world closed in. “Dean?”
    “Ash,” Dean said, moving to her and taking her in his arms before she could shove him away.
    “What are you doing here?” she asked, finally pushing away and