Into the Wild

15. Guilt Trip

Four hours later

Jared sat on the edge of the bed, hair still damp from the wash. He checked his phone to see three missed calls from Luca. He rose a brow as he swore under his breath. Jared redialed Luca and waited as it rang, but there was no answer, making his heart skip slightly. He dialed Luca back.

"Jared?" Luca answered on the first ring.

"Luca!" Jared pressed, trying not to panic.

Luca swore. "Baby, you can calm down. I'll be up in a few. I'm in the stairwell, and the elevators are out of service. I tried calling." Luca panted.

Jared exhaled a sigh of relief and nodded. "Alright, okay." He wiped off the sweat from his forehead, fingering a hand back through his hair. Luca had to leave the house once they arrived to head out to the office to check on some last-minute issues with one of the shipping companies. He hadn't checked in as usual, so the missed phone calls had nearly made Jared sick. "You scared me. Why'd you call so much?"

Luca chuckled breathlessly. "I wanted to tell you about what happened so you wouldn't freak out like you're doing now. My service was acting up. Sorry." He said.

Jared scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I'm not that much of a worrywart. Don't apologize for anything."

"Aren't you the one who just called me in a frantic panic?" Luca asked.

Heat spread over Jared's face, and he was too stunned and flustered to speak. Urgh! He was a lawyer, so why was Luca's simple question making him act so frazzled? "Uh, I didn't. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay and not in need of my immediate assistance."

"Uh-huh, sure, sure." He said, brushing off his lover's lie.

Jared sighed. "Shut it. Anyways, did you ask maintenance when the elevators will be repaired?" He asked, changing the topic.

Luca huffed as he adjusted his bag on his shoulder. "Uh, yeah, they said, it should be up and running in the morning. It was just a minor issue, so they're ensuring that it doesn't give that problem again."

Jared smiled. "Thank God, I can't imagine the tiresome trek up the stairs after coming from work."

Luca snickered. "Tell me about it. I'm almost here."

"Aren't you happy that we just live on the third floor?" Jared smirked, grabbing up the towel the dry his hair.

"Yeah, yeah," Luca sighed. When yet were moving in together, Luca and Jared had been tied on whether they wanted the apartment on the 3rd floor or one on the 12th, he was happy now for the unanimous choice of the 3rd floor, but he'd never let Jared know that. "Baby, could... could you open the door for me, please?" He huffed.

"Of course, sweetheart," Jared left the room and did as he was asked, opening the door to lean against it as Luca huffed out on the phone. The exit door opened, and Jared caught the tall figure of his lover coming out. "You alright there, love?"

"I'm dying." Luca exhaled as he stood up, hands on his hips as he caught his breath.

Jared chuckled and turned off the call, pocketing the phone. He strode over to Luca, smiling. "You were running, weren't you? Should I fetch an inhaler?" He asked.

Luca laughed at him, then reached out and caught his waist. "No, but you could quit being a cocky ass. How about that? "

"Hmm, I rather not," Jared muttered.

"Oh, hmm, rather not, huh?" Luca mumbled, bending to press his lips to Jared's. He hummed against them, happy to finally be home after a long day.

"Long day?" He asked with a hand on Luca's chest.