Jennifer Lopez Gushes Over ‘Beautiful Love Story’ with Ben Affleck

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck rekindled their romance last year, and J.Lo tells People's Love Issue she couldn’t be happier.

The actress, who stars in the new movie “Marry Me,” gushes over their relationship in the mag’s new cover story.

Lopez says, "I've never been better. It's just that we're all in a very beautiful moment."

The 52-year-old goes on to gush about Ben, "I feel so lucky and happy and proud to be with him… It's a beautiful love story that we got a second chance."

The couple, known as Bennifer, dated from 2002-2004. They even got engaged, but called it off.

She said when they got back together they "had a little bit of fear," explaining, “Before we kind of put [our relationship] out there and we were naïve and it got a little trampled."

Jennifer said they approached the relationship differently this time around. "We both were like, 'Wow, we're so happy and we don't want any of that to come into play again.' We're older now, we're smarter, we have more experience, we're at different places in our lives, we have kids now, and we have to be very conscious of those things. We're so protective because it is such a beautiful time for all of us."

She continued, "I just feel very happy and lucky to be in a relationship that's happy and loving, and I want to do everything I can to protect that and keep it safe. It deserves that, it really does... We hold it sacred."

The love connection is different this time around. She says they have “more of an appreciation and celebration for it.” The star adds, "When you find somebody and you really, really love them and you get a second chance at that? That is a really rare, precious, beautiful thing and we don't take it for granted."

J.Lo and Ben both have children from previous marriages, and Lopez told the magazine that while bringing kids into the mix can be delicate, "I honestly believe that love rules all. Love always conquers everything — relationships, kids, work, work relationships. It's all about how loving, open and accepting you can be. Not having an ego about things and just embracing all the good, always looking at the positive."

She added, "When you're in a good, healthy relationship, everybody benefits from that. Everybody."

Jen is also “so proud” of the man Affleck has become over the years after putting in a lot of work to better himself.

“I'm so proud of the man he's become that I've watched from afar,” she said. “Being honest with each other, being loving, that's just the basis of everything. I feel like he's at a place in his life where — just like how I feel about myself — it's been a journey of learning yourself and figuring yourself out, getting to a place where you feel really good on your own and who you are so you can be in a happy, healthy relationship."

She added, "To see the person, the human being, the man that he is today, the father that he is today, the partner that he is — he is so everything I always knew he was and wanted to be."

Lopez acknowledged fairy tales are “tricky,” but said, "What I can teach my children is that real love exists. Some things can be forever, but it doesn't mean they just have a straight line."

What does the future hold for Ben and Jen? "I just want my future to be full of love and happiness, with my children and my partner. I think everybody just wants to be happy, with somebody to go on the journey with and grow old with, and I feel good about that right now."