“We need to get going,” Gabe said, tapping his nonexistent wristwatch. He had a reddened ring around his wrist from his glove device. Melanie hoped he hadn’t injured himself just to get her off. She stroked his chafed skin, fighting the urge to kiss it all better. She was pretty sure he wouldn’t appreciate the gesture in front of Nikki and her latest lackey.

Nikki climbed into the back of the limo and handed Gabe the bag of sandwiches. She then took the drink cups from Michael one at a time. She passed one to Melanie, another to Gabe, and knocked on the driver’s window so that Parker would lower the glass and she could hand one to him.

“Aren’t you going to sit up here with me, Nik?” Parker asked.

“She’s staying back here with me and Mel,” Gabe said.

Gabe pulled sandwiches from the bag and determined which belonged to whom while Nikki gave her phone number to her very nice-looking drink caddy. Unfortunately, fast-food restaurants didn’t hand those out through the drive-thru window. If they had, Melanie might be tempted to always order her beverages in fours.

“I gotta get me a limo,” Michael said as his gaze flicked from Melanie to Nikki and back to Melanie. “Dude’s got two hotties all to himself.”

Nikki giggled and took her cup from Michael’s hand. “You better call me,” she said, and closed the door in his face.

“Did you give him your real number or your fake standby?” Mel asked.

“Real one.” Nikki popped a straw into her drink and took a long draw. “He was a gentleman. They’re not easy to find these days.”

It didn’t take much to impress Nikki, but she was right about the difficulty in finding a gentleman. Melanie wasn’t sure if it was because men no longer wanted to protect and care for women or if women brought it upon themselves by insisting they were strong and independent. There had to be a middle ground somewhere.

Melanie removed the wrapper from her six-inch turkey club and scarfed down her sandwich. She hadn’t realized how truly hungry she was until she started stuffing her face.

“I love a woman with an appetite,” Gabe said, winking at her.

“Screw you, Banner,” she said with her mouth full.

“Especially one with that particular appetite.”

Nikki giggled. If she started flirting with Gabe, Melanie was going to throttle her. Nikki didn’t require all the masculine attention for herself, did she? Couldn’t she just let Melanie have this one without interference?

“Thanks for letting me hang out with you and Melanie back here,” Nikki said. “I was starting to feel left out.” She sighed happily. “I can’t wait to see Shade again.”

“About that…” Gabe said before pausing to glance at Melanie.

She had no idea what his questioning look meant, so she shrugged, and he turned back to Nikki.

“He’s sort of seeing someone special right now. It’s probably best that you keep your distance.”

Oh, so that’s why he’d been asking for her silent approval. Prepared for a meltdown, Melanie swiveled her attention to Nikki.

Eyes downcast, Nikki took a delicate bite of her veggie sub and shrugged. “You win some, you lose some,” she said after a long tense moment.

Okay, who had stolen her best friend and replaced her with this docile facsimile?

“I can still hang out backstage with Melanie while you’re onstage, right?” she asked, her blue eyes large and beguiling as she gazed at Gabe.

Oh, there she is. Holding her cards close to her chest.

“I guess so,” Gabe said while Melanie tried not to cringe. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Nikki to be with her while she felt all awkward and alone watching the show from the wings, but she knew how this woman operated. She’d use every card in her hand to get what she wanted and she wanted Shade, whether Shade wanted her or not. Melanie would just have to keep Nikki away from the man if she could. It would be easy enough to keep them separate when Shade was onstage, but what about before the concert? And after?

“So what are we doing after the show?” Melanie asked as nonchalantly as possible. Gabe had already told her, but she wanted Nikki to hear.

“We’re heading directly to an airstrip and taking a private plane back to Austin. We won’t make it back to my place until really late.” He stroked Melanie’s back soothingly. “You can nap on the plane if you get tired. I won’t be offended. In fact, I’ll likely join you.”

She took a sip of her drink, trying to form the most tactful version of her next question. “And Nikki…” was the best she came up with.

“Oh,” he said, glancing at Nikki’s hopeful face. “Well, uh…”

Yeah, awkward. Melanie was sorry she had to put him on the spot like this, but Nikki would figure out a way to weasel herself into all of Melanie’s plans if she didn’t have Gabe’s backing. It wasn’t because Melanie was spineless. Nikki was just that skilled at getting what she wanted.

“There’s only room on the plane for five passengers,” Gabe said.

“So Melanie can’t fit on there with the band either,” Nikki said.

“Well, Adam and Kellen aren’t going back this trip.”

Melanie’s math brain cringed. It took Nikki a few seconds longer to do her adding and subtracting. “That leaves a spot for me.”

“Sorry, but no. Lindsey’s flying back with Owen,” he said.

“Who’s Lindsey?” Melanie asked. “His girlfriend?”

Gabe visibly paled. “Uh, fuck, I hope not.”

“Who is she then?” Melanie pressed, wondering why Gabe seemed so flustered.

“Just some chick he’s taking home with him.”

“So, then, what am I supposed to do?” Nikki asked, that little lost puppy look on her face. Perhaps Melanie should encourage her to go into acting. Lord.

“You can spend the weekend in New Orleans,” Gabe suggested. “I have a room at the hotel I won’t be using until Sunday night. You’re welcome to use it for free until Mel and I return.”

Nikki ducked her head and stared at the sandwich in her lap.

“That sounds like fun,” Melanie said brightly, hoping Nikki didn’t mope for the rest of the night and wishing more than ever that she’d shoved Nikki out onto the tarmac back in Wichita. It would have saved them both some grief.

By the time they got to the venue, Nikki seemed to be okay with their plan to dump her in New Orleans for the weekend. By focusing on the positive (lush, free hotel room in the heart of New Orleans), Gabe was almost as skilled at manipulating Nikki’s mood as Nikki was at bending men to her will. Melanie had to admit that she was both impressed and grateful that Gabe had handled Nikki so well.

Melanie did a lot of gawking when they got out of the limo. There were so many people lined up outside the arena’s doors that the lines stretched out into the parking lots. There was a loud cheer as Gabe stepped from the vehicle. She guessed his mohawk made him instantly recognizable, even at a distance. He offered the folks waiting in line a friendly wave and instructed the driver to make sure Melanie’s bag made it to the plane heading for Austin after the show and that Nikki’s luggage was taken to his hotel room. Parker grinned at this. Either he thought that Gabe was banging both women separately, but equally, or he felt privileged to know where Nikki would be staying. Alone. For the entire weekend. Melanie gnawed on her lip, wondering if employing Parker to distribute their luggage had been the best idea. She didn’t want the guy hanging around Nikki. She got a bad vibe from him.

Gabe’s arm went around Melanie’s lower back, and he held her securely against his side as they were ushered through barriers. After the third time Nikki got stopped for not having a backstage pass, Gabe wrapped his free arm around Nikki’s waist as well, and he guided them both toward the doors.

Melanie understood why Gabe was touching Nikki in that easy, familiar way of his, but it didn’t stop her from seething. He was hers, and she was not in the mood to share him. Not even a little. And especially not with her best friend.