Page 62 of Saving the Rockstar

Mason chuckled, shaking his head in a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"You're impossible," he said, but there was no heat behind the words, only a fond sort of resignation.

Dylan preened, fluttering his lashes in a ridiculous display of false modesty.

"I prefer the termirresistible, actually," he said, his hand coming up to rest on Mason's chest, his fingers playing idly with the collar of his shirt. "But impossible works too, I suppose. In fact, some might even say it's part of my charm."

Mason raised an eyebrow, his gaze dropping pointedly to the hand on his chest.

"Is that what they call it these days?" he asked dryly. "Charm? Because where I come from, we have another word for it entirely."

"Oh?" Dylan asked, his voice pitched low and sultry. "And what word might that be, pray tell?"

Mason leaned in close, his breath ghosting over the shell of Dylan's ear as he whispered a single, filthy word that made my cheeks flame and my eyes widen in shock.

Dylan let out a squeak of surprise, his hand flying up to cover his mouth as he stared at Mason in a mixture of delight and outrage.

"Why, Mason," he said, his voice breathless with laughter. "I had no idea you had such a dirty mouth on you. I'm scandalized, truly."

Mason smirked, his eyes glinting with a wicked sort of humor.

"You ain't seen nothing yet, darlin'," he drawled, his accent thickening with every word. "Stick around long enough, and I'll show you just how dirty this mouth can get."

I laughed at their antics, my heart lightening with every teasing jab and flirtatious remark. It was clear to anyone with eyes that there was something brewing between them.

But of course, they continued denying it, both too stubborn and too proud to be the first to blink, to lay their cards on the table and take that leap of faith.

It wasn't until a few days later that I began to suspect that one of them had finally found the courage to make a move.

It started with little things at first - a favorite candy bar left on Mason's bunk, a funny meme taped to the mirror in his dressing room, a silly hat perched atop his head before concerts, much to Dylan's delight and amusement.

At first, Mason seemed to take it all in stride, his eyes rolling heavenward with every new discovery, his lips twitching with the barest hint of a smile. But as the gifts kept coming, each one more than the last, I could see the wheels turning in his head, the suspicion blooming behind his eyes like a flower in the desert.

Finally, after a particularly garish bouquet of balloons appeared in his hotel room one night, Mason turned to Dylan with a raised brow and a pointed look.

"Alright, out with it," he said, his voice gruff but not unkind. "What's with all the gifts, Dyl? You trying to butter me up for something?"

Dylan's eyes widened, his hand coming up to rest on his chest in a gesture of mock offense.

"Why, Mason," he gasped, his voice pitched high and dramatic. "I'm shocked and appalled that you would accuse me of such underhanded tactics. Shocked and appalled, I tell you!"

Mason smiled, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the wall, his gaze never wavering from Dylan's face.

"Cut the crap," he said, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice, a glimmer of something that might have been fondness in his eyes. "We both know you're behind all these surprise gifts. The only question is why."

For a moment, Dylan's bravado seemed to falter, his cheeks flushing a delicate shade of pink as he dropped his gaze to the floor, his fingers twisting nervously in the hem of his shirt.

But then, just as quickly, he rallied, his head snapping up and his eyes flashing with a defiant sort of pride.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, his voice firm and unwavering. "I am a paragon of innocence and virtue, a shining beacon of purity in a world of sin and debauchery. I would never stoop to such tactics."

Mason's lips twitched, his eyes crinkling at the corners with a hint of genuine mirth.

"Is that so?" he asked, his voice dry as dust. "Because I seem to recall a certain someone promising to, and I quote,'rock my world from here to eternity'if I agreed to be his personal bodyguard for the day."

Dylan's blush deepened, his mouth falling open in a moment of stunned silence.

"That was taken entirely out of context!" he sputtered, his hands waving wildly in the air as if to ward off Mason's words. "I was merely expressing my appreciation for your dedication and professionalism, nothing more."

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