Love Means_. Freedom - Andrew Grey

Preston."
"Shh. Don't wanna hurt you." He was trying to be as careful as he could.
    Propping himself up on his hands, Stone arched his back and angled for a kiss. Their lips met, and Preston rubbed the special spot again. Stone cried out into the kiss. Positioning himself as best he could, Preston rolled on a condom. The heat of his lover's body threatened to burn his as he breached the outer muscle. "Stone." The smooth heat threatened to fry his brain. This was Stone, the man he loved.
    Sinking deeper, he heard Stone cry out and thrust against him, stealing his breath in a flash of tight heat. Sinking deep, he stopped and waited. "Preston, please...." Taking the plea as permission, he began to move slightly.
    "Love you, Stone." He thought his head was going to explode. Thoughts of what this meant flooded through Preston. The level of trust and love it took for Stone to give himself like this reached deep into Preston's heart. Moving carefully, he concentrated on Stone's pleasure, listening to the small noises and cries. Stone's last experience had been traumatic, and it warmed Preston's heart every time Stone moaned softly and pushed against him. He could feel small ripples running through the younger man with each movement they made. Leaning forward, he nuzzled Stone's neck, thrusting deep and stilling. "You, Stone Hillyard, are the sexiest man I've ever met."
    Preston could hear Stone's deep breathing as he began thrusting deeper. Stone's groans continued and built, unintelligible cries of encouragement and passion that communicated all Preston needed to know. "Preston, love you!!!!" Stone cried out as his body gripped Preston like a vice. He knew Stone was coming, and the image was enough to send him over the edge as well.
    "Stone." Preston opened his eyes again, realizing he was splayed on top of his lover. "Am I hurting you?" He didn't want to move. Their bodies were still joined, and he wanted to stay that way as long as he could.
    Stone wriggled against him. "No. You feel good." Preston began nibbling on Stone's ear, and he began to giggle a little. "You're tickling." Preston felt their bodies separate with a small mutual moan. "It's so good to hear you laugh." Preston rolled gently onto the bed. "I like the sound of your laugh."
    "I have lots to be happy about: you, a new family, a home, and I feel free. Free of a bastard father and free of the...." Stone's voice fell away, but Preston knew exactly what he meant and how he felt.

    Preston put his arms around Stone's chest, hugging Stone's back to his chest. "It's wonderful, isn't it? Being free." They could both live their lives and build one together.
    "Free to love." Stone rolled over in Preston's embrace. "Free to love you forever."

    "STONE." He heard Preston's excited voice from inside Geoff's office. "I found something."
He walked inside and saw Preston sitting in Geoff's chair, with Geoff peering over his shoulder.
    "Are you two still at it? I thought we'd given up on that already." Preston looked down his nose at him, and Stone chuckled softly. He should have known that he wasn't about to give up.

    Walking into the room, he stood in front of the desk. "Did you find something?"

    "Better." Preston looked up, a grin on his face. "I sent an e-mail to the Marines. It seems they've been looking for you." Preston turned the monitor around.

    "They want me to contact them." He looked up, confused, which only increased when he saw the goofy smiles on their faces. "I take it you have an idea why."
    "On a hunch based upon the letter in the box from your mother, I looked further. It seems your father died under fire, saving the lives of seven other men. So I contacted the Marine Corps and told them about you and that you were his son and so on. I sent them copies of the letters and the letter telling your mother about his death." Preston looked up from the screen. "It seems that your father was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, and the Marine Corps has been looking for a relative to present it to all these years."
    "You mean me?" Stone could hardly believe it.

    "Yes. They need proof, and we'll find it." Preston got up and walked around the desk, still a little unsteady, but definitely walking on his own. "You don't have anything of your father, but you will. Look...."
    "Is that him?" Stone found himself staring at the picture on the computer screen. He recognized the eyes and chin.
"Yes. You look like him." Preston and Geoff both grinned like