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

him, he’d tell her he was in love , and then ask her to marry him.
    It was foolproof.
    The doors opened, and he stepped inside his apartment, but the lovely, happy woman he was used to seeing stood there with determination in her eyes.
    “I don’t want to date you anymore,” she said.
    “Me either,” he replied, and her blue eyes widened.
    “Good. I’ve had a nice time getting to know you, but… but it’s over.”
    He blinked. “Excuse me?”
    “You knew from the start that I didn’t date football players, but I made an exception for you.”
    Gunner wandered in and sat down beside her. Automatically, she stroked his head. “I realize that, and I know how hard it was for you,” he said, choosing his words with care.
    She nodded, biting her bottom lip. There were tears in her eyes, and he had no idea why… unless, she had already heard about Dallas. “Then I hope you can understand why I can no longer see you. Being with you was—is more than I can handle right now.”
    “No, I can’t understand. I don’t understand a damn thing,” he shouted, losing his composure. “Did someone tell you about Dallas?”
    “Is it true?”
    “Yes, it’s true. Dallas is my dream.” And so was she. All he had to do was recite the stupid speech he’d prepared and show her the ring. His mind went blank. Reaching into his pocket, he went to grab it, but she brushed past him before he knew what was happening.
    He turned, reaching for her, but Gunner thought it was a game and got all tangled up in his legs. Ryan had to grab the nearest piece of furniture to keep from falling on his ass.
    “Don’t call or text me. I told you I don’t date football players and you—you reminded me why I should never break my own rule.” The doors to the elevator doors closed, but not before he saw the tears running down her splotchy face.
    “What the hell just happened?” he asked Gunner.
    Ryan immediately called Ashley, but she sent his call to voice mail. The second call was to her brother, Rhett, to let him know what had happened.
    “What did you do to her?” Rhett growled into the phone.
    “I have no idea. I had the flowers, the ring, and the speech.”
    “And?”
    “And the flowers went to Mrs. Larry, while the ring stayed in my pocket, and I completely blanked on the speech,” Ryan admitted.
    “That’s your problem, right there,” another voice said. “You gave our sister’s flowers to another woman.”
    “Hey, Will,” he intoned.
    “What’s up, buddy? Rhett’s got you on speaker,” he said pleasantly. “Ready for us to kick your ass?”
    Ryan would like to see them try. “I’d rather look my best when I ask your sister to marry me.”
    “That’s really thoughtful of you,” Will said.
    “But it still doesn’t get you out of it,” Rhett pointed out.
    Ryan exhaled. “Look, I just wanted to give you guys a head’s up and to ask if y’all can find out what went wrong. She was waiting for me, and she knew about Dallas.” Oh hell. “Did either one of you tell her? Or anyone else?”
    “No,” Rhett said.
    Silence from Will.
    “Who did you tell, Will?” Ryan asked.
    “No one important.”
    “Oh shit. You did not tell that asshole after I kicked him out of my apartment,” Rhett shouted.
    Will snorted. “Of course not.”
    “Oh, sorry.”
    “I told Dean before you kicked him out.”
    “ Damn it, Will,” Ryan bit out. “It was supposed to be a secret.”
    “I wanted to rub it into Dean’s face,” Will said, his voice all apologetic. “ It felt damn good to let him know you were dating Ash, and that she was still waiting around on him to come back, like he thought.”
    Ryan exhaled , rubbing the back of his neck. “That explains it.”
    “Sorry, bro.”
    “Don’t worry about. I’ll go talk to Ashley.” He ended their call and started for the parking garage.
    “Turner.”
    Ryan blinked at the blond-haired man limping toward him. “What the hell happened to you?”
    “Crazy