Chapter Six
Austin knew that knockingon Caleb’s door was a risk.Caleb hadn’t been answering any of his phone calls or his texts, even though Austin knew he’d seen them.Caleb was angry, which was understandable, but Austin was floundering, and he wanted Caleb back in his life.He wanted a lot of things, but that was number one on his list.
He raised his hands as soon as the door opened to reveal his boyfriend.“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what I was doing.I should have because it’s what we agreed on.I also shouldn’t have been investigating on my own, but you were working, and I wasn’t sure of anything.I should’ve told you my suspicions, and if anything like this ever happens again, I will.”
Caleb stared at him for a moment.Austin couldn’t tell if he was still angry, but he suspected the answer to that question was yes.He truly did understand why.He hoped that Caleb would understand why he’d kept this from him, though.
Caleb sighed, and his shoulders slumped.“Fine.I accept your apology.”He stepped to the side.“You can come in.”
Austin had to resist the urge to pull Caleb into his arms and kiss him.He desperately wanted to, but the fact that they were seemingly making peace didn’t mean Caleb would want him to.He didn’t want to risk getting his boyfriend angry again, especially before they could talk things out.
The door closed behind Austin.He looked around the apartment, curious.He’d gotten the address from Jonathan, who’d told him to fix things before he kicked his ass.That was what he’d been planning to try doing, anyway.
“I’m listening,” Caleb said.
He wanted Austin to grovel, then.Austin could do that.“I was just trying to protect you, I swear.Honestly, finding out that the arsonist is a firefighter freaked me out.I know there are bad people in this world, but for this to be a firefighter?It’s not right.”
Caleb nodded.“I agree.I also understand why you reacted the way you did, but we talked about this, Austin.I don’t want to be kept in the dark.What did you think I was going to do, go after this firefighter as soon as you gave me his name?I might want this to be over, but I’m not that stupid.”
Caleb rubbed his face.He looked tired, which made Austin feel guilty.Was Caleb tired because of him?
“I know,” he told Caleb.“I never thought you were stupid.I just panicked.”
“And since your job is to protect people, you tried to protect me.”
“Not only because it’s my job.Between one thing and the other, I didn’t do it in the best way, but I promise I wasn’t intentionally trying to keep you out of this.”
Caleb snorted.“I’d say that what you did was pretty intentional, but I get it.”He sighed.“I’m not going to hold this against you.I don’t want to fight with you.”
“Does that mean that we’re back together?”
Caleb narrowed his eyes at Austin.“It means we were never broken up.Please don’t tell me that you thought I’d left you because of this.”
“Not really, but I wondered.We haven’t been together that long, and you don’t really trust me yet.”
Caleb was already shaking his head.“That’s not true.I do trust you, but I felt likeyoudidn’t trustme, and it hurt.Us fighting doesn’t change the fact that I want to be with you, though.”
Caleb reached a hand toward Austin, and Austin took it, relieved down to his bones.He pulled Caleb into his arms, and Caleb came easily.They slotted together like this was how they were meant to be.Austin thought it was, and he was eager for them to be done with this mess and get back to a good place.He wanted to explore their relationship and see where things could go.He wouldn’t be able to relax until Tate was behind bars, though.He still wasn’t sure how to make that happen, unfortunately.
He gently pulled on the hair on the back of Caleb’s head, enough that Caleb looked up at him.When he leaned down to kiss Caleb, Caleb met him halfway, a sure sign that Austin was forgiven.
“We need to take care of Tate,” Austin murmured, even though he wanted nothing more than to drag Caleb to his bedroom and spend the rest of the afternoon in bed, convincing him to forgive him.
