“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.
Chapter Seven
Gabe wasn’t sure why Melanie was walking so stiffly beside him. Was she worried that someone would recognize her with him? Had she spotted a tattoo that freaked her out? Had he done something wrong? He was at a complete loss as to how he could have messed up between the limo and the building. He wracked his brain for things he might have said that she could have taken the wrong way. All he’d done was tell the driver what to do with her luggage. Why would that anger her? Maybe she didn’t like him speaking on her behalf.
At the back entrance, a security guard let his small entourage enter the backstage area of the stadium. The guard offered Gabe a wink and Melanie and Nikki an appreciative grin as he checked them both out with interest and envy. Half an hour ago, Gabe would have said the dude was welcome to take Nikki off his hands, but God help him, he was starting to understand Melanie’s proclivity for keeping the woman out of trouble. His own protective instinct was starting to show. He wasn’t particularly fond of Nikki, but she seemed so, well… helpless. Something that Melanie was not, for which he was immensely thankful. Neediness quickly grated on his nerves. He knew some guys loved Nikki’s type—Shade for example. His ex-wife was needy, so he must like something about it. But Gabe would rather have an equal at his side than a pretty puppet at his feet.
Melanie grew stiffer with each step. As soon as they could be alone, he’d ask her what was wrong, but this was not the place for a falling out. Strangers watched him very closely backstage. Halfway to the dressing rooms at the end of the hall, Melanie stopped abruptly, sending their trio into an angled trajectory toward a wall. Melanie jerked out of his grasp and stared up at him with sparks of anger snapping in her hazel eyes.
Okay, so he wasn’t imagining things. She was pissed. Fuck him if he had any idea why.
“What’s the matter?” he asked, deciding they were going to have to have it out after all, whether strangers were watching them or not.
She glared at his left hand, which was draped casually at Nikki’s shoulder.
“Are you going to hang all over her for the rest of the evening?” Melanie asked bluntly.
“Hang all over her?” He wasn’t hanging all over her. Much.
Nikki shrank from beneath his arm to stand beside Melanie, and he dropped the apparently offensive appendage to his side. He’d only wrapped his arm around her so that she could get through security with less of a hassle. And he told Melanie exactly that.
“I don’t see any security here in the corridor,” she said.
Nikki clutched at Melanie’s sleeve. “I would have told him to stop touching me, Mel, but—”
Melanie slashed out a hand to stifle Nikki’s words.
“You’re jealous?” Gabe asked as the realization dawned on him. On closer inspection, Melanie was practically green. And he had the lack of sense to laugh at her misguided emotion.
“I’m not jealous,” she sputtered, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head to glare at the nearest wall.
“Good, because you have no reason to be. Next time, I’ll leave her to her own methods of getting backstage.” He moved a fist back and forth in front of his mouth while poking the inside of his cheek rhythmically with his tongue. Apparently, Melanie did not find his pantomimed blowjob humorous.
Her mouth dropped open and she glared up at him. “You wouldn’t.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” He dropped his hand and shrugged. “I’m not interested in her. I’m interested in you. I only brought her along because you want her here.”
The slight flutter of Melanie’s eyelashes made it clear that she didn’t really want Nikki there either, but she evidently saw reason in his words, and she dropped her crossed arms to her waist and then relaxed them at her sides.
Nikki gasped, drawing Gabe’s attention. Her eyes were wide as she stared at something or someone just behind Gabe. She shifted Melanie before her and did her best to hide, her forehead pressed against the back of Melanie’s shoulder as she feigned invisibility.
“Did he see me?” Nikki whispered.
“Who?” Melanie said and then a look of recognition spread across her face. “Yeah, he looks pissed. I’d say he saw you.”
“Why is she here?” Jacob said to Gabe in greeting.
“If Amanda can come to our shows, then so can Melanie,” Gabe said, his ire rising so quickly it surprised him.
“Not Melanie. If you have a thing for her, of course, she’s welcome.” Jacob reached behind Melanie and yanked Nikki out by one arm. “Her! What is she doing here?”