Bookworm

"Don’t lie, only my fingers do." He teased back grinning.

"Ew," Lacey laughed quietly, shoving his side gently before shaking her head. 

Ace scrunched his face up at the cat. “It smells like pussy. It should be named pussy.”

Lacey snorted. "You smell like pussy. Should we rename you Pussy, too?" She teased. 

"Bloody ponce." He rolled his eyes and scratched the cat’s head. "Can we rename it pussy?"

"Not a chance," Lacey laughed softly and shook her head before tucking the cat against Ace's shoulder. "See. She loves you."

Ace pecked her lips gently. “By the way, your cat knows nothing of personal space. I woke up to it mistaking my neck for a pillow.”

Lacey smirked and shook her head. "Blame Ethan for that. He must have cuddled with her too much," She mumbled, holding the kiten close to her. 

"I love you as Lacey and I love you as Rose." He said simply. "Now stop thinking that I’m going to stop loving you."

Lacey sighed and nodded, a small smile cracking her lips before she leaned up and kissed hi slips. "I love you, too."

He shook his head. “You’re worth everything.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. “And if I was going to leave you, it would have happened ten years ago.”

Lacey looked up at him and pursed her lips. "Yeah? You're sure? No brain damage making me look good?"

"I know. I just don’t know if I’m ready." He murmured before he raised his eyebrows "Why would you ask that?" Ace asked, confused before he walked over and sat beside her. "No, I don’t."

Lacey shrugged and sighed. "I don't know. I just seem to be more trouble than I'm worth these days."

Ace bit his lip. “One day. Give me a couple of years.” He trailed his thumb across her cheek. “You’d make a great mum.”

Lacey nodded and sighed gently. "We aren't getting any younger, Ace," she mumbled with a pointed look. He was older than her. But, she was the one who lost her chances, no thim. She walked back to the sofa and sat down, pulling her kitten to her lap. "Do you ever regret paying me attention?" she questioned. "Be honest."

"Then maybe that’s something we should look into." He murmured quietly. "It’s not your fault though. Even if your body isn’t equipped, that’s not your fault."

Lacey sighed and shrugged before looking up at him. "What about you? Do you want kids with me...? I mean, I'm a wreck."

Ace reached down and cupped her cheeks, tilting her head up to look at him. “That could never be your fault. Sometimes shitty things just happen and you can’t explain them.”

Lacey sighed and put her hands over his. "But it could be my fault. Sometimes a body isn't correctly suited to have a baby."

Ace pursed his lips for a moment. “Do you really want to have kids with me?”

Lacey leaned her cheek to his chest and thought for a moment. "...Yes. I mean, of course I do... I'm just terrified it's my fault that Dakota died," she mumbled, letting him in further than she had Ethan on the subject. 

"You talk in your sleep." She murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

Lacey pursed her lips and sighed, leaning aginst his chest once more. "I'm sorry. You weren't supposed to hear that," She mumbled. 

"I love you." He mumbled against her lips before kissing her again. "Even though you have weird dreams about me and a baby." He murmured somewhat hesitantly before pressing another kiss to her lips.

Lacey was fast to break the kiss. "I what?" She mumbled. She hadn't told him what the dream was about.

"I don’t like swearing at women unless it’s in a sexual manner." He shrugged his shoulders. "Not whipped, I just have morals on occasion." 

"On occasion," she repeated with a small grin. "Well, thank you," she mumbled, leaning up and placing a kiss against his lips. 

"Me too. I’m here. Still an asshole, but I’m here." He murmured, pressing a kiss to her neck. "I’m sorry I swore at you. I was angry."

"You're sorry you swore at me?" She giggled slightly, pulling back to look at him. "Are you really so whipped?" She teased softly, trying to lighten both of their moods.

Ace nodded his head. “I’m sorry. No one should lose a child.” He murmured quietly before stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her in for a hug. “I want to be close to you and I want you to be  close to me. You’re already close than anyone else has ever been.” He mumbled into her neck. “I’m not good at it, but I love you.”

Lacey sighed and leaned against him, grateful they knew how to talk to each other. She slid her arms around his middle. "We still have a ways to go, Ace... But I'm right here, alright? Please know that. I'm here. Always have been, but at least now you know."