Page 171 of The Fire We Make

“Good morning,” Joy replied, turning in his embrace and handing over the cup she’d made for him.

“Thank you, baby” he said as he took it from her, placing a kiss on her lips before bringing the cup to his mouth.

He backed up a bit, giving himself just enough space to drink comfortably and her just enough space to get an unobstructed view of the gray sweatpants sitting low on his hips and exposing the deep v that served as an arrow, pointing to the place that she couldn't seem to get enough of.

“You better stop looking at me like that, or we’re going back up to that bed,” Ace warned, staring at her over the rim of his mug.

Joy giggled, caught, but unashamed.

“What do you have planned today?” she asked, changing the subject from her ogling. It was Saturday and the firm was technically closed, but you were never truly off the clock when you charged $1,500 an hour. Especially when the building has your name on it.

“I have a few things to go over with Jrue, then I might go to the office for a few hours to catch up on some things,” he answered.

Joy could see the fatigue in his eyes, both old and new. She placed her mug down and stepped closer, falling into his arms and giving him an embrace that seemed to relax them both.

“Are you okay?” she asked, raking her nails lightly up and down his back.

Ace groaned a little, his eyes shutting as he surrendered to the soothing motion. “I'm good baby. Honestly, I'm more worried about Pops. Isaac’s grandad was like a brother to him. This will break his heart.”

Joy nodded. “I bet. But he knows the rules of this life and Isaac broke several.”

“Exactly.” Ace pulled back, just gazing down at her face. “What do you have planned for the day? You rolling with me?”

Joy shook her head. “No, I’m being kidnapped by another King today.”

Ace’s brow rose. “Who?”

“April,” Joy laughed.

Ace rolled his eyes. “Lord. What do you and my sister have up your sleeves?”

“Sushi and shopping,” Joy said, mimicking April’s bright tone.

Ace threw his head back and laughed. “Of course. Her two favorite things.”

Joy hummed in agreement.

“Well I’ll miss you today.”

Joy grinned. She and Ace had been attached at the hip for weeks. It was like now that they had each other, truly and fully, neither of them wanted to let the other out of their sight.

Ace pulled her back into his arms, like he couldn't bear to not be touching for too long.

“I’ll miss you too,” Joy said, sinking into his embrace easily.

She thought there would be an adjustment period when navigating this new relationship with Ace. She thought she would need to learn how to do it. How to embrace a side of herself that wasn't necessarily soft but warmer.

She’d fallen into it easily though. Naturally. Like it was in her all along and all her body and soul needed was someone to bring it out. Someone that made her feel safe enough to be tender with.

Ace made that easy. It was in the way he was just as obsessed with her as she was with him. The way he integrated her into his life, his world, without asking anything of her except to just be. The way he reassured her not just with his words but with his actions, with the possessiveness he had over her that made her feel wanted.

Ace watched Joy flit around the kitchen, cleaning their coffee mugs as he got started on breakfast.

It felt so domestic. So comfortable. So foreign having someone else in his home, but now that he knew what she looked like in his space, what it felt like to wake up to her every morning, he couldn't imagine his days without it. Without her.

“I’m really glad we’re doing this,” April said, spreading a thin layer of wasabi over her sushi before popping it into her mouth.

April’s security detail sat a table away, their various bags from their day of shopping nearly dwarfing the mountain sized men.