After saying goodbye to Gabe’s family and promising to have lunch with Leslie later in the week, Melanie collapsed on the sofa. Her body still hadn’t fully recovered from her amazing ride on the Sex Stallion, but her mental exhaustion far surpassed her physical weariness.

“If I’m going to live here,” Melanie said to Gabe, turning her head with more effort than she’d willingly admit to watch him approach, “you have to promise me one thing.”

Gabe cringed. “I’m sorry they just showed up like that. I’ve told my parents at least a hundred times that they need to call before they stop in.”

“That’s not my concession.” Though she could see how them showing up whenever they felt like it might be a problem.

“Name it,” he said, sitting beside her on the sofa and wrapping an arm around her shoulders to draw her closer.

“We have to get a second dishwasher installed specifically for sex-gadget washing.” She’d almost died of embarrassment when she thought her future mother-in-law would see those Sex Stallion skins hanging out on the top rack of the dishwasher. “Is it possible to install it in the sex-gadget room?”

Gabe laughed and gave her a tight squeeze. “That’s a great idea. I’ll start working on the plumbing tomorrow.”

The tension drained out of Melanie’s body, and she relaxed against him, her eyes drifting shut. They popped open again when a sound that reminded her of air compressors on carnival rides came from near Gabe’s—and she supposed her—bedroom.

“Nikki, you’d better not be in there messing with my new toy,” Melanie shouted.

Nikki emerged from the hallway holding Gabe’s remote control. “You said you’d show me how it works.”

“I’m too tired to move at the moment,” Melanie said. “Let’s just watch some TV or something.”

“Gabe, are you too tired to show me?” Nikki asked.

Gabe perked up instantly. “Do you really want to know how it works?”

“I really want to ride it,” Nikki said. “And I don’t care if Mel got her cum all over it. I like Mel’s cum.”

Gabe stiffened, and Melanie slid a hand up his neck. “She doesn’t know that from experience,” Melanie assured him. “She thinks you’ll find that sexy enough to let her get her way.”

“I could know that from experience,” Nikki said. “If you’d give me the chance to show you that I know my way around a pussy.”

“Nikki, I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to get all worked up when you’re trying to break your sex addiction,” Gabe said.

“My doctor said it might help if I had a device to take the edge off. It could keep me from seeking another partner,” Nikki said.

“Sounds like strange advice,” Melanie said. “When you’re fighting alcohol addiction, you don’t drink wine to take the edge off.”

“I’m just repeating what he said.”

“I can give you a handheld vibrator,” Gabe said. “I’ve made dozens of prototypes over the years.”

Melanie snorted. “I can’t believe you just offered to give my friend a vibrator.”

“I wouldn’t mind letting her give the Stallion a go,” he whispered close to Melanie’s ear, so Nikki wouldn’t overhear. “See how another responds to it.”

“I’m not sharing it with her,” Melanie said. “It’s mine.” She already had a strange emotional attachment to the machine. Maybe because Gabe had invented it and put it together with such obvious care. Or maybe because it gave her amazing orgasms and her hormones had caused her to bond with the damned thing. Whatever the case, she did not want Nikki on it.

“I don’t have to ride it,” Nikki said in a sorrowful tone. “But you can still show me how it works, can’t you, Gabe?”

“If Melanie doesn’t mind.”

“Melanie just wants to take a nap,” Melanie said. “Show it to her, but you’re not riding it, Nik.”

Gabe kissed Melanie’s temple and then shifted away, allowing her to stretch out on the sofa. Not even the muffled sound of Gabe describing the functions of his machine, Nikki’s responses, or the mechanical sounds coming from the small bedroom kept Melanie awake long enough to contemplate why she was okay with her fiancé showing her sex-addict of a best friend the innermost workings of his greatest achievement in sex toy inventions.

The next thing she knew, it was morning and she was sprawled naked across Gabe’s—and she supposed now her—king-size bed. Groaning, with no recollection of how she’d gotten to bed or where her clothes had gone, she rubbed her face and concentrated on the noise that must have woken her. From the small bedroom next door came a high-pitched whirring, like one produced by a drill, only louder. Melanie sat up, found Gabe’s side of the bed empty, and searched through a box of her clothes for something to cover her nakedness. She settled on an overlarge T-shirt since she couldn’t locate her robe and made sure she put it on right-side out. How mortifying had it been that her future mother-in-law had caught her with her shirt wrong-side out? Melanie had planned to unpack her stuff last night, but apparently she’d been completely down for the count. So much for spending her first official romantic night in her new home with the love of her life. Thanks to her utter exhaustion, she didn’t doubt that she’d even snored and drooled while she’d slept. All that noise coming from the small bedroom was probably Gabe building an escape hatch.

She walked extra slowly on sore and stiff legs as she went to investigate. She really did need to build up her strength, stamina, and flexibility. She found Gabe on his hands and knees drilling a hole through the floor in one corner of the room. Admiring his ass, Melanie crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe.

“Isn’t it a little early to be making all that noise?” she asked.

Gabe peeked at her over his shoulder. “Did I wake you?”

“I’m not sure. Probably.”

“Sorry about that. And it’s almost noon. Not exactly early.”

“You’re kidding!” She must have slept almost sixteen hours. Holy crap.

“I think maybe we should have started with one or two stimulators instead of all four at once. I made note of it.”

“Where’s Nikki? Did you have breakfast? What are your plans for the day?”

“Nikki is snuggling with the dogs. I had some coffee. Need to go to town today and try to get in touch with Amanda since she never bothered to call me, and while I’m out, I think I’ll purchase my lady’s requested new dishwasher.”

“Jacob’s Amanda?” Melanie asked, trying to wrap her head around all the answers he’d volleyed at her.

“Yeah, I figured she might know what’s going on in Jacob’s head, because I sure as hell can’t figure it out.” Gabe cleared his throat. “Also need to stop by Lindsey’s gynecologist to give my blood sample.”

Melanie blew out a breath. “Sounds like we have a busy day,” she said. “Assuming I’m invited to accompany you.”

“Fair assumption,” he said with a grin. “I’ve been twiddling my thumbs around here all morning waiting for you to find the strength to climb out of bed. I’d have harassed you about your laziness, but I feel sort of responsible.”

He looked so cute when he brushed his hair back sheepishly that her heart fluttered.

“You are entirely responsible,” she said with a laugh. “But I forgive you.” She walked over and gave the Sex Stallion a pat. “I’ll be seeing you later,” she said. “Do we have time for me to take a shower?” she asked Gabe.

Gabe sniffed in her direction, and his nose crinkled in disgust. “Yes, we definitely have time for you to shower.”

She swatted his ass before darting away and heading for the master bathroom. She’d forgotten how many shower heads the guy had installed. It took her a good twenty minutes to get the flow and temperature just right and then once she was in the soothing yet invigorating jets of water, she didn’t want to get out.

“What’s taking so long? Are you masturbating in there?” Gabe asked from somewhere beyond the steamed-up glass shower wall.

“No,” she said. Well, maybe a little. But then no matter how she turned, she had jets aimed at her ass and both tits. What did he expect?

“Nikki’s staying here with the dogs, so we have the entire day to ourselves.” The shower door opened, and Gabe stepped inside. He was perfectly naked, and his cock was already standing at rigid attention.

“Does plumbing turn you on?” she asked with a grin, moving closer to press up against him.

“You turn me on,” he said. “I’ve been in the other room thinking about you naked and alone in my shower for thirty minutes now.”

“Our shower,” she said, dropping a kiss on his collarbone.

“Yes,” he whispered. “Ours.”

By the time they’d gotten each other all messy and then clean again, it was well past lunchtime.

“Wear something nice,” Gabe requested, standing behind her as she stared into the empty half of his walk-in closet. The half he’d so thoughtfully cleared out for her to use.

She’d hung up a few dresses, but most of her clothes were still in suitcases, bags, and boxes. And her winter wardrobe was back at her apartment in Kansas. She wondered if she’d ever need winter clothes in Texas.

“I’m taking you out to dinner after we run our errands.”

“You don’t have to wine and dine me, Mr. Banner. You already got into my pants.”

“Prepared to be wined and dined for life.”

He kissed her bare shoulder, and she shivered.

“Also prepare for me to be in your pants for life.”

She laughed. “There is no way to prepare for that.”

“I guess you’ll just have to wing it, then.”

He helped her pick out underwear—a sexy black lace set—and she chose a tight pair of black boxer briefs for him that made his ass look good enough to bite. She’d never had a man tell her what he wanted her to wear under her clothes. She wasn’t sure why she found that simple request so sexy, so intimate. Her heart was literally throbbing as she watched him dress. She’d thought she’d been in love before, but it had never been like this.

“What are you grinning about?” he asked as he struggled to button his sleeves. She took over the task, still standing in her bra and panties, because who could think about putting on clothes when Gabe Banner was in the same room?

“I was thinking I was wrong about being in love.”

The pained gasp he emitted made her heart twist.

“Not with you,” she amended hurriedly. “I could never be wrong about you. I meant the men I dated in the past. I thought I loved them, but now . . .” She shook her head. “That wasn’t love. Affection maybe. Attraction, to some degree. But this? What I feel for you? This is what love is supposed to feel like.”

“Mel,” he whispered, and the next thing she knew, she was in his arms and being kissed until her knees went weak. When he drew away, he pressed her head against his chest, holding her there with one large hand. His breath came in ragged gasps, and his heart thudded to a powerful beat beneath her ear. “I am so in love with you, I can hardly breathe.”

“I have an inhaler in my purse.” When he said things like that, the emotions inside her swelled until she couldn’t breathe either, so she had to joke or she’d die.

He laughed and lowered his hands to squeeze her ass. “Get dressed or we’re never going to leave this room today.”

“Promise?”

He groaned and pulled away from her, kissing her lightly. “I’ll wait for you in the truck,” he said.

“I’ll try to hurry, but it takes me forever to do my hair,” she said. But then she remembered Nikki was there. Nikki was amazingly proficient at calming Melanie’s waist-length curls. Usually Melanie put her hair up in a sloppy bun or twist, but she knew Gabe liked it down—just not in the raccoon-nest fashion it ended up being when she styled it herself. “Could you send Nikki in here to help me?”

“After you put your clothes on,” he said. “I see the way she looks at you.”

“She didn’t sleep with us last night, did she?” Melanie didn’t know if she had or not. She didn’t even remember going to bed and had slept half the day away.

“No. She fell asleep on the sofa as the filling in a Labrador sandwich.”

Melanie chuckled, wishing she’d seen that. She reached for her go-to little black dress and slipped it over her head. “There,” she said. “Though honestly, Gabe, it doesn’t really matter. She’s seen me naked a thousand times.”

“Now that you’re mine, no one gets to see you naked but me.”

She rolled her eyes at his posturing, but didn’t argue. She sort of liked when he was possessive of her. It gave her the right to be just as possessive of him.

Gabe left her to find her shoes. She was placing her most expensive pairs of heels on her half of the shoe rack in the closet when Nikki came into the room, still in her pajamas, the two dogs trailing her.

“Gabe said you needed help,” Nikki said, examining Melanie’s elegant attire with one eyebrow raised. “Are you going somewhere fancy? I thought you were shopping for dishwashers or something equally boring.”

“Gabe’s taking me out to dinner after we run a few errands. I was going to wear my hair down, but you know I can’t get it to look decent without your help.”

“I’m on it,” she said.

She found the bathroom box and searched for the various products and tools—hair dryer, curling brush—she’d need. Melanie slipped on a pair of black high heels and sat in front of the vanity mirror, applying her make-up while Nikki worked wonders with Melanie’s stupid hair.

“I see you’ve made some new friends,” Melanie said as Beau and Lady found comfortable spots on the bathroom rug to watch Nikki worshipfully.

“They’re sweethearts,” she said. “Both of them. If I ever run into the kid that hit Lady with his truck, I’ll . . . I’ll . . .” She gritted her teeth and brandished a hairbrush menacingly.

“He might still be out in the cornfield across the road looking for his keys.”

“We’re going to go bite him, aren’t we, Beau?”

Beau barked, his tongue lolling to one side.

Nikki worked curl relaxer into Melanie’s hair with both hands. “So will you and Gabe be out late?” she asked, her attention on Melanie’s head.

“Probably. There should be some leftover lasagna in the fridge. You can heat it up for dinner.” Melanie hoped Nikki didn’t expect to accompany them. “Or we can bring you back something from the restaurant if you want.”

“I’ll be fine here with the dogs,” Nikki said. “Gabe showed me how to massage Lady’s shoulder so she doesn’t get too stiff. It’s not good to leave her alone so much. And she needs help off the porch so she doesn’t have an accident in the house.”

Melanie was glad that Nikki felt responsibility for the dog’s well-being. She needed something to keep her occupied.

“Have you been massaging her shoulder this morning? I think she’s walking better today,” Melanie said, pausing in applying her mascara to look at Nikki in the mirror.

Nikki grinned. “She loves it. And so does Beau. I can’t leave him out.”

“It’s a good thing you’re here to take care of them when Gabe and I have to be gone.”

“Happy to be of assistance,” Nikki said, dropping a little curtsy.

Melanie almost hated to ask her next question, but she was curious. “How were your nightmares last night?”

Nikki’s smile widened, and she met Melanie’s eyes in the mirror. “The only nightmare I had last night was when Beau passed lasagna gas in my face.”

Melanie laughed and reached up to squeeze Nikki’s hand. “That’s fantastic. Well, not the doggie stink bombs, but that you didn’t have nightmares.”

Nikki licked her lips and lowered her gaze. “I feel . . . safe here.”

Before Melanie could respond, Nikki switched on the hairdryer. That was all Melanie had ever wanted for Nikki, for her to feel safe. And useful. Needed and loved. She hoped Gabe was okay with their living situation becoming permanent, because Melanie wouldn’t have the heart to send Nikki away.

When Nikki finally set the hairdryer aside, Melanie checked out her hair in the mirror. “You work miracles,” Melanie said, turning her head this way and that.

“Thanks,” Nikki said. She hugged Melanie’s head to her belly. “For never turning your back on me. Never giving up on me. Just . . . Thanks.”

“Don’t make me cry,” Melanie pleaded. “My mascara isn’t waterproof.”

Beau’s snout was suddenly under Nikki’s elbow, nudging her for attention.

“You want a hug too?” Nikki asked, releasing Melanie and dropping to her knees to hug the big black dog. He slobbered down the back of her shoulder as he panted happily, but Nikki didn’t seem to mind.

“I have to say,” Gabe said from the doorway, his eyes trained on his dog, “I’m a little jealous. You traitor.”

“Oh,” Nikki said. “Gabe needs a hug too.”

Nikki jumped to her feet and leapt against Gabe’s chest, both arms circling his neck. She squeezed him until he protested. “I can’t breathe.”

“Thanks for loving my Melanie the way she deserves to be loved,” Nikki said.

Gabe met Melanie’s eyes over Nikki’s shoulder. “It’s a privilege.”

Nikki leaned away from Gabe, and his eyes widened. “Hey,” he said. “Hands off the merchandise.”

“I’ve always wanted to know if your ass feels as good as it looks,” she said.

“Nikki!” Melanie bellowed.

“It does.” She laughed and dashed out of the bathroom with Beau on her heels. Lady took a little longer to follow as she had to get her legs under her, but once she was standing, she trotted after her two exasperating friends.

“Can’t blame her, I guess,” Melanie said, rising from the bench in front of the vanity and squeezing Gabe’s ass herself. “It is a nice ass.”

“You look amazing,” he said, nuzzling the side of her neck. “You do know we’re just going shopping for a dishwasher, right?”

“I thought you were taking me out to dinner.”

“You didn’t have to go all out for the Taco Bell drive-through.”

She poked him in the ribs, but played along. “I do love their quesadillas.”

“If you’re hungry for Mexican food, I’ll take you to Fonda San Miguel. Their food is . . .” He rolled his eyes in bliss. “Or if you’d rather have a great view of Lake Travis, we can go to the Oasis. But decide quick; I’ll need to make reservations for Fonda.”

“A Mexican restaurant that requires a reservation?” Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food. “Sign me up. You’re more gorgeous a view than I can handle as it is.”

He actually blushed at her compliment and leaned in to steal a kiss. “I’ll take you to the Oasis next time. Maybe Nikki would like to join us.”

Melanie grabbed a banana to tide her over until dinner. Gabe followed her out of the house and down the driveway, wolf whistling and making suggestive comments as she concentrated on walking on gravel in heels. If any other man had been as obnoxiously obsessed with staring at her ass while she navigated the uneven terrain, she’d have told him to suck her banana, but when Gabe ogled her, it merely incited her to swing her hips a bit more.

He helped her up into the truck, his hands lingering on her waist longer than necessary.

“I should take you out more often,” he said. “Show off my prize.”

“For that,” she said, tapping him on the shoulder with her yet unopened banana. “I’m going to eat this banana just for you.” She massaged her lips with her teeth to plump them up and draw his attention to her mouth.

He released a long slow breath. “Then again, keeping you at home has certain advantages.”

He shut her inside the truck and hurried around to the driver’s side while she peeled the banana. Melanie took delicate nibbles from the tip of the sweet fruit, drawing bites into her mouth with overexaggerated licks and sucks.

“I can’t watch,” Gabe said, shaking his head and squeezing his eyes shut. “I’ll never be able to drive if I do.”

“I’ll behave,” she said. “In public. But the next time I get you alone in private, I’ll be repaying you for inventing that Sex Stallion.”

He chuckled and started the truck. “I’ll be counting the seconds.”

“You’ll be getting more than seconds, Banner. I’m talking thirds and fourths here.”

“I meant seconds of time, but I can go for thirds. Not sure about fourths.”

He backed out of the driveway, and they were finally off to run their errands. Because they’d left late, they had to go to the OB/GYN clinic first so he could give his blood sample. Part of Melanie didn’t want to know if he was about to become the father of some other woman’s child, but she knew she’d need a couple of months to wrap her head around the idea and get her jealousy in check. She promised herself that if Gabe was to become a father, she’d be nothing but supportive and would never burden him with any hurt or negative feelings she continued to harbor. What had happened with Lindsey had occurred before they met, and while she didn’t like the idea of him having had orgies with groupies, it wasn’t her place to make him feel bad about it.

“Do you want to go inside or wait here?” Gabe said. “I’ll leave the truck’s AC running so you don’t melt.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded and opened the door, struggling not to face plant out of the huge truck as she tried to get her spiky heels safely to the ground without having her skirt fly up over her head. Gabe hurried around the truck to help her, and once they were walking toward the entrance, she noticed his hands were trembling as he clutched her fingers.

“Are you nervous?”

“I don’t want this baby to be mine,” he said quietly. “Happy, healthy and loved, but not mine.”

She squeezed his hand because she felt exactly the same way, but said, “But if it is yours, I know it will be happy and loved.” She leaned into his arm, her heart full to bursting as she imagined the children they’d have together in the future. She hoped he didn’t make her wait too long to start a family. She couldn’t think of anything grander than watching him hold their child for the first time.

At the reception desk, Gabe gave his name and informed the woman that he was supposed to give a sample for a paternity test. They sat among a room of women, a few obviously pregnant, while he waited to be called back. A few minutes later, Owen and Caitlyn emerged from the back of the office. Gabe was so busy staring at the floor that he didn’t notice, so Melanie elbowed him and then called out, “Owen.” She lifted her arm and waved.

Owen smiled and hurried over to meet them, towing Caitlyn behind him by one hand.

“Here for the paternity test?” Owen asked.

“Why else?” Gabe replied.

“You look queasy,” he said to Gabe. “Lindsey had to give blood, but they just rubbed the inside of my cheek with a cotton swab.”

“That’s a relief,” Gabe said, though he didn’t look any less queasy. “Has everyone else already tested?”

“Tex was here earlier, and I’ll let Kellen know later.”

“Avoiding him is not going to solve your problem,” Caitlyn said, giving Melanie a pointed look that she didn’t understand.

Owen continued as if Caitlyn hadn’t spoken. “I still can’t get ahold of Jacob, and Adam’s supposed to get his sample taken up in Dallas.”

“How’s your brother?” Gabe asked, and Melanie’s heart twisted.

“Conscious,” Owen said, but he didn’t elaborate.

A nurse peeked out the door that led to the back of the office, and called Gabe’s name. Melanie started to rise with him, but he pressed her back into the seat. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Melanie watched Gabe follow the nurse, wondering why he didn’t want her to go with him.

“Is there a bathroom around here?” Caitlyn asked.

Owen pointed toward the far corner of the room, and Caitlyn grabbed Melanie’s wrist.

“Come with me,” Caitlyn said. Girl code for I need to talk to you without my man listening.

Melanie excused herself and followed Caitlyn to the single unisex bathroom. Sharing it was not the least bit suspicious. Right . . . 

Caitlyn switched on the light, and they both entered the fairly large bathroom. Melanie frowned at the exposed toilet while Caitlyn locked the door.

“I’m so glad I ran into you,” Caitlyn said. “I don’t have your number.”

“What’s this about?” Melanie asked. She scarcely knew Caitlyn and wasn’t sure why Caitlyn wanted to talk to her.

“These men have made an absolute mess of their lives. Dawn and I are trying to figure out how to get them all back together. We were thinking of throwing a party, but don’t think Jacob and Adam will come. What about Gabe? Is he as pissed off at them all as Owen is?”

Melanie scowled. “I don’t think he’s pissed at all. A bit lost and not sure what to do, but not angry. Well, maybe a little mad at Jacob, but we saw Adam yesterday and they got along just fine.”

“You saw Adam?” Caitlyn sounded disbelieving, as if Melanie had said she’d met the pope.

“He’s in Dallas with Madison. The poor woman is stuck in a plaster cast from her waist to her wrist. I guess that horse really messed up her shoulder.”

“Has Adam made up with Jacob?”

Melanie snorted. “He said he’d talk to Jacob, but I honestly don’t see that happening.”

“The guys have to get this band back together. Or we have to get this band back together.” Caitlyn waved one hand back and forth between them.

Melanie rather liked having Gabe all to herself and was in no rush to send him back on the road with all his fangirls trying to get a piece of her pie. She scratched her nose, trying to decide how best to explain her position to Caitlyn.

“Is that an engagement ring?” Caitlyn sputtered, grabbing Melanie’s hand and staring down at her new rock.

“Oh. Yeah. Gabe proposed.”

“That’s it!” Caitlyn shouted, making Melanie’s heart thump in surprise. “We’ll throw an engagement party for you two. Kellen, Jacob, and Adam will have to come.”

“Well, to be fair, you’d better throw one for Madison and Adam as well. He also popped the question.”

Caitlyn’s eyes went wide. “Shut up!”

Melanie pressed her lips together and drew her chin back. “Excuse me?”

“Here.” Caitlyn handed her cellphone to Melanie. “We don’t have time to sort this out right now. Give me your number. I’ll hash out some details with Dawn and keep you in the loop.”

“I’m not sure what you want from me.” But Melanie obediently added her number to Caitlyn’s contacts.

The door handle jiggled, and Caitlyn called out, “Occupied!” To Melanie, she said, “I’ll explain better when we have more time to talk.”

Still not sure what the woman was up to, Melanie returned Caitlyn’s phone and followed her out of the bathroom. The woman waiting to use the facilities gave them an odd look but didn’t say anything about the two of them hanging out in a unisex bathroom designed for one occupant.

Owen had taken a seat and was staring down at his phone, a troubled crease in his brow.

Caitlyn sat in the chair beside him and took his hand. “Any news?”

“Chad will be stateside on Wednesday,” he said.

“That soon? That has to be good news, doesn’t it?” Caitlyn rubbed his back and nodded encouragingly.

Melanie was glad he had someone to depend on. The poor guy had been through a lot in the past week.

“I could sure use some good news,” Owen said.

“Gabe has a little,” Caitlyn said, pointing at Melanie’s left hand with an ear-to-ear grin on her face.

Owen stared at Melanie’s hand and then his eyes lifted to meet hers. “You’re getting married?”

She grinned and nodded.

Owen jumped to his feet, hugging her as if she’d just told him he’d won the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. “That’s fantastic,” he said. “Does Gabe know?”

Melanie laughed. “Well, I hope so. He’s the one I’m marrying.”

Caitlyn winked repeatedly at Melanie as if she had something in her eye. “I was just telling Melanie that we should throw an engagement party for them. What do you think?”

“Will Kellen be there?” Owen asked, giving Caitlyn the evil eye, which stopped her spastic winking.

“We’d have to invite him, Owen. He’s one of Gabe’s best friends.”

“Then I’m not coming.”

Melanie tried to read Owen’s and Caitlyn’s minds, but she had no idea why Owen wouldn’t want to see his best friend. Owen and Kellen were inseparable whenever she was around them. She didn’t understand how that could have changed so quickly.

“Did Kellen . . . do something?” she asked, her curiosity sending politeness packing.

“Yeah,” Owen said, his expression dark. “He kissed me. On the fucking lips.” He pointed to his mouth as if Melanie would be able to see the evidence still there.

“Oh,” Melanie said, and then she laughed. “I had a friend—a female friend—do that to me not long ago. It is rather upsetting.”

“I’m assuming you told her to take a hike and to never speak to you again,” Owen said, crossing his arms over his chest and nodding smugly at Caitlyn.

“Well, no.” Melanie wasn’t sure how much she should reveal about Nikki’s psychological problems, so settled on telling her half of the truth. “She’s currently living with me and Gabe. She was confused and knows she crossed a line. But people make mistakes. I’d hate to lose something as precious as a friendship over something as trivial as a little kiss.”

“Thank you!” Caitlyn said emphatically, throwing her hands toward the ceiling.

“It wasn’t trivial,” Owen said between clenched teeth.

“Why?” Caitlyn said. “Because he made you feel something you aren’t prepared to admit?”

People were starting to stare. Melanie touched Owen’s arm to try to calm him—he was obviously very upset—but he pulled away. “I’m leaving,” he said. “Tell Gabe I’ll talk to him soon.” And he stalked off.

“I’ll call you,” Caitlyn said quickly to Melanie and then hurried after Owen. “Don’t walk away mad. Let’s talk about this.”

“I’ve already talked about it, but you don’t seem to understand . . .”

Melanie didn’t catch the end of his complaint as he exited through the first set of glass double doors that led outside.

Melanie smiled at the women staring at her—seeing as they could no longer stare at Owen and Caitlyn—then plopped down in the nearest chair and picked up a magazine. She was so glad Gabe’s life wasn’t in turmoil. He had a few problems, but nothing in comparison to Owen’s—unless that baby ended up being Gabe’s. She realized she was reading an article about breast pumps and dropped the magazine on the seat next to her.

Gabe came out a moment later, looking no less grim than he had when he’d gone back to give his DNA sample.

“Did Owen leave?” he asked. “I wanted to talk to him.”

“He and Caitlyn were having a little argument,” Melanie said with a shrug.

“Owen was arguing?” Gabe asked, turning toward the exit.

“Is that unusual for him?”

“Yeah.” Gabe released a heavy sigh. “I guess I’m not the only one whose life has fallen to pieces.”

Melanie reached up and took his hand. “I don’t think your life is going so bad,” she said. “You are engaged to a pretty hot babe.” She gave him the sexy come-hither look she sometimes practiced in the mirror.

“My one lifeboat in a sea of shit.” He smiled, the light of happiness replacing his troubled gaze. “Let’s go get your automatic dildo washer.”

A nearby woman snorted, and then scrunched down in her chair, as if that would make her invisible.

“Okay,” Melanie said with a scowl, “yeah, thanks for that. Let’s tell the whole world I need one, why don’t we?” But her Gabe was too wonderful to stay cross with for more than a millisecond.