Lies You Tell (DE)

57.

Grace shot up out of her sleep gasping and clutching her chest as she looked around with tearful eyes. As normal, Joseph had woken up way before her but stayed in bed and cuddled with her until she woke up. Joseph furrowed his brows, putting his phone down. " What's wrong?" He asked gently grabbing her arm.

She turned and looked at him, her face puffy and her hair all over the place as she wiped her eyes. " I had a bad dream again," She mumbled, her voice a little hoarse. Joseph clenched his jaw seeing the fearful expression on her face pulling her back down onto his bare chest. He knew how it felt to have those repetitive night terrors that felt so real you questioned reality when you woke up. Joseph was just used to them by now having experienced them his whole life.

Grace exhaled finding comfort in his hold as she listened to his heart thump in his chest— it was strong and steady. Joseph ran his fingers through Graces hair soothingly as they watched TV, kissing her head from time to time. Even though it was noon, the thick heavy black-out curtains covering their windows blocked out almost all the light except for a few rays that managed to peak through in between each curtain.

If it was up to Joseph he would've gotten his day started before the sun even came up. Having served time in prison he programmed his body to be able to be productive so early in the day because there was nothing else to do in there but be productive, it made time go by faster. Grace on the other hand loved to lounge around and lay in bed all day if she could. Joseph would be doing the same thing though if he didn't have to lift a finger to make money. He loved giving her the luxury of being able to do so though and he cherished the days when he could lay in bed with her a little longer.

" I gotta get up in a minute," He said, kissing the top of her head once more, checking the time on his phone.

Grace groaned looking up at him. " Why? Can't you just stay in bed with me? I don't want you to leave,"

Joseph rubbed her head in circular motions admiring her glowing beauty. Even though she'd just woken up she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on.

" I got money to make bae. I'm finna meet wit the owner of my old housing projects to talk business,"

" That sound like spending money to me," She pouted, burying her face into his tattooed chest.

" Gotta spend money to make money mama," He said, rubbing her bare thigh under the fluffy covers. " Gimmie them lips so I can get up,"

Grace pecked Joseph's lips making him scrunch his face up. " Yo, yo breath stink,"

" I just woke up you dick head!" She protested, pulling the covers over her head tiredly and turning over as Joseph laughed at his own self.

Kicking his feet from under the covers, he stretched before getting up and getting ready for the day. After doing a lot of research into how to properly take care of and maintain a housing complex and putting a lot of thought into deciding if he really wanted to make an offer or not, Joseph contacted his realtor and got her to set up a meeting with the current owner of the building where he planned to make an offer on his childhood housing projects.

Grace came stumbling into the bathroom after him rubbing her eyes and yawning. Clad in only a fitted cropped white tee and a black pair of lace panties, she mugged him grabbing her toothbrush out of the holder aggressively and putting toothpaste on it.

" Make sure you put extra on there cause yo shit is kickin," Joseph jested.

Grace rolled her eyes putting the toothbrush in her mouth and began brushing her teeth. Joseph smiled, looking at her through the mirror before coming behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, craning his head down to her level and kissing the side of her face. You'd think Joseph would be the grumpy one when he first woke up but it was really her.