Page 91 of Saving the Rockstar

I surged forward, capturing his lips in a kiss that was both gentle and desperate, a seal and a vow and a promise all in one. He kissed me back just as deeply, just as tenderly, pouring all his love, all his devotion, into the press of his mouth against mine.

We were interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by the sound of Dylan and Mason bickering in the hallway.

"I'm telling you, Mase, flowers are the way to go. They're classic, they're thoughtful. You can't go wrong with a nice bouquet."

"And I'm telling you, Dyl, that's boring as hell. Jared's a man of action, he needs something with a little more oomph. Like a gift basket full of his favorite snacks and movies and those weird little puzzle books he likes so much."

"Gift baskets are for corporate events and elderly relatives. Flowers are timeless, romantic. They send a message."

"Yeah, the message that you're lazy and unoriginal. Face it, man. I'm the superior gift-giver here."

"Superior my ass. You wouldn't know romance if it bit you on the..."

The bickering was cut off as they entered the room, both of them freezing comically at the sight of me and Jared, awake and alert and grinning like idiots.

"Well, well, well," Jared drawled, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "If it isn't our favorite comedy duo. Please, don't stop on our account. I was just getting invested in this riveting debate."

Mason scowled, his ears turning an interesting shade of pink. "Shut up. We were just discussing our options. Trying to find the perfect way to show our support and affection in this trying time."

Dylan scoffed. "More like trying to one-up each other in the world's most pointless dick-measuring contest. Honestly, you'd think he'd have figured out by now that it's not the size of the gift that matters, it's how you use it."

Jared choked on a laugh, his eyes going wide. "Christ, Dylan. It's too early in the morning for sexual innuendos. At least let me have my coffee first."

I shook my head, feeling a warmth, a lightness, start to spread through my chest.

"Some things never change, do they?" I mused, leaning back against Jared's pillow with a contented sigh.

A comfortable silence settled over the room. But there was a tension, an anticipation, thrumming just beneath the surface. I could see it in the way Dylan fidgeted, the way his eyes kept darting to Mason's face and then away again.

Finally, with a deep breath and a blush staining his cheeks, Dylan spoke. "Actually, while we're all here, there's something Mase and I wanted to tell you."

Jared raised an eyebrow, a slow, knowing grin spreading across his face. "Oh? Do tell, Dyl. We're all ears."

Dylan shot him a glare, but it lacked any real heat. "Well, um. The thing is, Mason asked me to move in with him. And I said yes."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, like a dam breaking, the room erupted in a cacophony of whoops and cheers and congratulations.

"About damn time!" Jared crowed, pumping his fist in the air. "I was starting to think you two would dance around each other forever."

Mason, looking slightly shell-shocked but undeniably pleased, just shook his head. "It wasn't like I had much of a choice. Dylan was basically living at my place anyway, with the amount of stuff he kept leaving behind after each sleepover."

I laughed, feeling a warmth, a joy, bubbling up in my chest. "Damn, you two move fast. Must be true love, if you're already at the U-Haul stage."

At the wordlove, Dylan seemed to choke on air, his eyes going wide and slightly panicked. "Love? Who said anything about love? That's a big word. A really big word, saved for, like, way down the line. Like, retirement home down the line."

But Mason, to everyone's surprise, just reached out and took Dylan's hand, lacing their fingers together with tenderness. "But I love you, Dylan," he said simply, his voice low and earnest. "I have for a long time, even if I was too stubborn to admit it. And I'm done denying it, done pretending that what we have is anything less than the real thing."

Dylan stared at him, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly. For a moment, I thought he might bolt, might make a run for it and leave us all in the dust.

But then, slowly, a smile spread across his face, bright and blinding and full of joy. "I love you too, Mason," he whispered. "God, I love you so much."

And then they were kissing, right there in the middle of Jared's hospital room, and it was messy and awkward and absolutely perfect.

When they finally surfaced for air, both of them flushed and grinning like idiots, Dylan turned to me, his expression turning sly. "So, Ash. Speaking of big reveals, have you heard anything from the label? About your little coming out party at the press conference?"

I felt my stomach clench, the old fears, the old anxieties, rising up like bile in my throat. "Yeah, actually. They called me."

Jared's hand tightened around mine, his brow furrowing in concern. "What did they say, love? Do we need to lawyer up, start drafting a strongly worded email?"

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