Read Love Means_. Freedom - Andrew Grey for Free Online

stairs, expecting to get hit as he stepped past Geoff and went back into the office. It surprised Stone when Geoff pulled up one of the other chairs and sat next to him. "Just tell me what happened."

    Stone told Geoff the story, feeling stupid and ashamed. "I'm sorry I got mad at him, but he kept calling me 'Stable Boy' even after I told him my name. I shouldn't have said the things I did.

    I'm sorry."
    "Yeah, well, he shouldn't have been baiting you, either." Stone waited for Geoff to tell him to leave or at least yell at him for costing the farm a client. "Go on upstairs and get cleaned up for dinner." Stone looked up from the floor, totally confused. "Stone, I offered you a job, and if I'm not happy, I'll tell you. You did great today with Sherry, and the barn hasn't looked that good in months." Stone stood up slowly. "And clients do not have the right to treat you the way he did today." Geoff stood up and went to his desk. "I'll call and tell him he doesn't need to come back."
    "No, please don't." Geoff was already dialing the phone. "I don't want you to lose a paying client over me."

    Geoff slowly set down the phone. "We don't need clients like that. We don't mistreat anyone, and I won't let anyone on my farm be mistreated, either." Geoff eyes became hard.
    Geoff wanted him and was willing to give up a paying client for him. Stone was stunned. No one wanted him. His father had tolerated him and used him as a workhorse after his mother had died. "I think we can help him. He may be a bit of an ass," Stone said, and Geoff's expression changed to a hint of a smile. "Okay, a lot of an ass," he amended, "but we can help him, and maybe that's more important." Stone couldn't hold back a smile.
    Geoff sat down slowly, smiling right back. "Okay, but if he says anything to you, I want you to tell me or Joey. We'll throw him and his wheelchair out on his ear."
    "Mr. Geoff and Mr. Stone, dinner is ready." Adelle's voice carried in from the kitchen.
Geoff walked around the desk. "Go get cleaned up."
    Stone nodded and left the office before turning and heading up the stairs, hardly able to believe his luck. This had to be too good to be true. These people were just too damned nice.
    Reaching the top of the stairs, he stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. No one had been that nice to him, well, not since his mama, anyway. It was almost hard for him to understand. Looking in the mirror, he smiled. If Mr. Sparkly Jeans wanted to say something, let him go ahead. He'd put up with just about anything from that arrogant ass if it meant he could stay here--at least until they found out, and then no one would want him. Pushing the thought from his mind, Stone washed up and left the bathroom, bounding down the stairs and into the kitchen.

    PRESTON jumped at the knock on the front door. Parting the curtains, he peered out and saw Jasper standing on the front porch. "Come in." He'd just managed to get himself out of the wheelchair and comfortable on the sofa. At times like this, alone in the house, he felt both free and vulnerable at the same time--but he desperately wanted to be out of the chair for a little while, even though it meant leaving the front door unlocked. Preston turned down the television as he heard energetic stomping in the hall before his guest strode into the room. "I wasn't...."
    Preston's voice trailed off when he saw the expression on Jasper's face and he did a quick check, instantly trying to figure out what he'd done.
    "What were you thinking? I work with those people, and you behaved like a complete and total ass!" Jasper stood next to the sofa glaring down at him, and if looks could kill, Preston knew he'd be shriveled to nothing in about three seconds. "They're some of the best people you will ever meet in your miserable, self-absorbed life, and you insulted one of them."
    Preston felt his temper rising fast. "Who in hell are you talking about?"

    "Stable Boy. Does that ring a bell? You pompous ass." Jasper