Darkest Shadows

8) Therapy

"I am so very proud of you."--Jaxin

♡

One year later...

2979

Married life is freaking awesome, the Abstinence Cameras are out of their room and the Paddle no longer can be used on them, not to mention that bling that catches Ace's eye at night when Rhett lifts his hand to push his hair back. Rhett never liked the idea of sleeping naked, he said it's uncomfortable, while Ace would love for him to ditch the boxers he would never want to make his husband uncomfortable. Ace woke up an hour ago after his phone chimed, a message from Jaxin saying the family is going out to celebrate the birth of Jaci, Jay and Laci's son, later this afternoon. He replies with a simple okay and sets his phone down to cuddle with his husband again. Every night for over a year they have been like this, Ace waking up before Rhett and holding him, brushing his hair back and tracing the veins on his arms, his favorite thing to touch is the tattoo Rhett got on his ribs of a dove with 4/09/2978 written in cursive like a branch that the dove sits on.

A few days after their wedding they decided to get wedding tattoos on their forearms, Rhett's is a quote from Jane Austen, "Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine, are the same," as Ace's says, "But we love with a love that is more than love," by Edgar Allen Poe, both Pre-Forbidden Years' authors. Ace has been thinking of getting another tattoo, but he hasn't decided to get it yet.

Rhett stirs in his arms and turns to face him, his brows furrowed in sleep and lips puffed out, just begging to be kissed which Ace does happily. "G'morning," Rhett groans, stretching his back and wrapping his arms around Ace tightly, "You're so warm."

"You cold, love?"

"Freezing," his husband replies and shivers.

"I would've gotten you a blanket, do you want my sweatshirt?"

"Do you have to get out of bed to get it?"

"Yes."

"Then no, just wrap your arms around me and warm me up."

"I can think of other ways to warm you up..." he says suggestively, nipping Rhett's ear until he sighs and turns his head giving him more access. Instead Ace places a bunch of butterfly kisses on Rhett's face making him laugh and snort. "I love your laugh."

"It sucks."

"No, it is the cutest thing and I love it. Do you know what else I love? You. Hey, so everyone's going out tonight to celebrate Jaci's birth, but I thought we could go and after I could take you somewhere if you aren't too tired?" he notifies.

Rhett looks up at Ace who is hovering above him with a smile and brushes his cheek with his fingers. It's times like these when Rhett looks at him as if he hung the moon and stars that he has to pinch himself to make sure it's real, when people say it's too good to be true he never believed it but they're right, it is too good to be true yet here he is—here they are. "Sure, I'd love that. What are we going to do now?"

The family can tease Ace all they want about being frisky, but they have no clue how Rhett is behind locked doors—hell, sometimes they aren't even locked. So it's now that Rhett has that naughty grin and look in his eyes that Ace knows all-too-well, it's the look he loves and can never deny, no matter how tired he gets he will always open himself to his husband, giving himself up for his husband's happiness as it should be. Rhett answers his own question by hooking his leg around Ace's hips and pulling him down to run his hands up and down his chest and stomach. Ace had been going to the gym with the guys a lot more often and it paid off in more than one way, he was training as an Asheri now and Rhett loved to feel up his body, his now sculpted abs his favorite target for hickeys.