Lauren Goodger is enjoying an "old-fashioned" romance with Joey Morrison.
Lauren Goodger
The 'Only Way is Essex' star is "really in love" with the 30-year-old jailbird - who is serving an 18-year sentence for offences including kidnap, blackmail and burglary - and is thankful his stint behind bars means they are having to take their relationship "slowly and soberly".
A source said: "Lauren is really in love and her life is completely centred around Joey. She says she's never been in a relationship like this before and she loves getting to know Joey the old-fashioned way - slowly and soberly... They speak all the time and she writes love letters to him twice a week. Lauren loves writing letters - she thinks it's sweet and old-fashioned and isn't something she would usually do. Joey sends her flowers, too, which he asks his dad to organise on his behalf."
The 30-year-old star cherishes her visits to Joey and they enjoy "normal" low-key dates when he is on day release from prison.
The source told Closer magazine: "She visits him at least once a week and they've fallen in love by getting to know each other as friends first. They have a huge amount of respect for each other. She's been seeing him for five months and can't wait for them to finally be together and have sex. On his day release, they might walk unaccompanied around the prison grounds or to the park. But usually they just sit in the prison canteen and have a cosy lunch. It's very normal - they hold hands and kiss. Lauren says they talk about the future, about what they want in life, and what they're feeling."
Joey - who was jailed in 2009 - isn't eligible for release for another 21 months.
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