Love Means_. Freedom - Andrew Grey

sending another shiver through him.
    A cloth softly wiped him clean, and then Stone was next to him, curling close. "'Night, Pres." He curled closer, legs entwining, hips meshing, Stone's head against his shoulder, the rich musky scent of his lover combining with what was fast becoming to him the homey scent of the farm and earth that seemed to have seeped into Stone's being.
    Something wet slid down his arm, just a drop. "Are you crying?" Stone didn't answer, just shook his head and kissed him, and eventually he drifted off to sleep.

    Preston woke feeling chilled. "Stone." He saw him standing by the window, a silhouette against the dark and the snow falling outside. Stone turned, a blanket draped over his shoulders.
    "I was wondering where my cuddly furnace had gotten to."
"I'm not very sleepy right now." His voice sounded rough, like he was trying hard to hold something back.
"Did you have a nightmare?" After what had happened to his lover, Preston was sort of surprised he didn't wake screaming. "You could call it that, I guess."
Preston watched him turn away from the window and slowly step toward the bed.
"Something is wrong." It wasn't a question--Preston was vocalizing what he could almost feel in the air. "Can I help?"
    "Not with this, I'm afraid." The blanket slipped from Stone's back, and his tall, slender form shone in the light that stole in from beneath the door. The covers lifted, and Stone rejoined him.
    Preston wondered what was wrong, and he turned on his side, pulling Stone close. At first, Stone seemed to resist, and Preston didn't know why, but eventually he cuddled back, his butt resting against Preston's hips. Something definitely wasn't right, and Preston wondered silently to himself why Stone was closing himself off. He had been so animated, so forceful in their lovemaking, and now this change puzzled him.
    Soon, through his ruminations, he heard Stone's breathing even out and knew he was asleep.
Now it was Preston's turn to lie awake.
He must have dozed off, because Preston woke with a start as Stone got out of bed again.
"I'm sorry. I'll be back in a while."
    Stone pulled on his clothes and disappeared through the door, leaving Preston alone again, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't figure out what could be bothering his lover and started to wonder if he'd inadvertently done something to hurt him, but he could think of nothing.
    Unable to stay in bed any longer, Preston swung his legs over the edge of the mattress and reached for his bag near the bed. He almost overbalanced and nearly tumbled off before snagging it, and began getting dressed. By the time Stone returned, he was dressed, ready, and waiting.
    "You're up." Stone looked flushed as he closed the door.
Preston patted the mattress beside him. "You want to tell me what's going on?"
    Stone didn't accept the invitation; instead he paced around the room like a caged cat. Finally, he stopped, his expression hard. "I think it's best if you take the job in Kansas City."
    At first Preston wasn't sure he'd heard right. Then his mind caught up, and he felt like he'd been kicked in the nuts. "What? Why?" "I just think it's for the best, Preston." The harsh tone hurt as much as the words. "We both need to get on with our lives. You need to walk, and I need to figure out how to be on my own."
    Stone turned away from him. "It's for the best." Before Preston could reply, Stone had the door open. "I'm sorry." Then he was gone, the door chinking closed.

    It felt as though someone sucked all the air out of the room. The insecurity and hurt he'd felt after Kent dumped him came rushing back tenfold. I was a fool. He really thought Stone....

    What? Loved him? Looking at the back of the closed door, he realized he had thought that, just like he thought Kent might have loved him too. Maybe he was the biggest fool on the face of the earth to think that he could be loved. Fuck, he couldn't even walk.

    The door opened slowly, and for a second his heart jumped, hoping it was Stone returning to tell him it was a joke or that this was just a nightmare and he was going to wake up any second.
    It was Geoff, and Preston closed his eyes and suffered what he now saw as complete helpless indignity, allowing himself to be carried downstairs. This is the last time I allow anything like this. He stiffened as Geoff set him in the chair and went into the kitchen. Preston followed and looked around. Everyone looked at him quizzically, but he just shrugged and shook his