Page 27 of Sniper

Nearly two months together and he’s stolen my heart and Autumn’s. He makes it easy to forget my past and my trauma, and even after all these weeks, he hasn’t pressured me into becoming intimate.

We’ll kiss and make out, but it hasn’t gone any further. If he stays over, he holds me close all night.

He makes me feel things I’ve never felt before, but letting him touch me intimately scares me.

What if I dirty him up?

What if he realizes I’m a rape victim?

I lean my head on the back of the couch, my meeting with Emily coming to mind.

“How are you feeling today, Aurora?” Emily asks, and I look away from the fish tank near me, the clown fish always getting my attention.

Her dark blonde hair is in a ponytail, and her kind green eyes look at me patiently.

I shrug, “It’s a good day today. Theo took Autumn and me to a play barn, and she loved it.”

She smiles. “And how are you and Theo?”

I return the smile. “We’re good. He….” I pause, trying to think about how to explain it before admitting, “I’m in love with him.”

She grins. “That’s not a bad thing, Aurora; it’s amazing to love someone.”

I play with the sleeve of my sweater.

After I was taken, I stopped wearing dresses, short skirts, and slinky tops, and I miss the old me so much.

Emily said it’ll just take time.

“But I’m scared,” I admit, and she leans back, waiting for me. I can feel my palms sweat. “Being in love would mean being intimate,” I whisper.

She nods in understanding, and asks, “Have you been intimate since leaving?”

I swallow hard. She uses the word “leaving” to help me heal.

I shake my head. “I haven’t.” I look back at the fish. “I’ve never had the all-consuming feeling with a male….” I look back at her. "Since leaving, my focus has been keeping Autumn safe. If a guy approached me, I’d walk the other way. No one has ever caught my heart the way Theo has, but I’m terrified if I sleep with him, then I’ll taint him….”

Emily cuts in, her eyes fierce, “You’re not dirty, Aurora, and I will tell you until I am blue in the face. What you went through was not your fault. You trusted him; your father trusted him. You are not dirty; you are clean; you are strong, and I will ensure you believe that one day.” My tears fall, and I quickly wipe away my tears as she continues, “I understand you are scared, and what I’m going to suggest is you take it one day at a time with Theo. I understand you're not ready to tell him; that’s something that will take time, but being intimate, feel it out, and when you’re ready, you’ll know…. Please don’t force it, don’t force yourself. Theo has already proven he’s willing to wait for you, so you have no pressure.”

“That girl has me wrapped around her little finger,” Theo says as he walks into the living room, and I smile, coming out of my head.

I look at him to see him stretching his arms over his head, groaning, causing his shirt to lift a little, a patch of hair peeking through. Dropping his arms, he sits next to me.

“It’s because she’s adorable,” I say with a smile, and he grins at me, grabbing my calves. I squeak when he pulls on them, places them on his legs, and then massages them.

Now, this is heaven….

“Are you ready to be a kept woman yet?” he asks after a few minutes of me enjoying his hands on me. I snort, raising a brow at him, making him sigh, “Yeah, thought not….”

“Why do you want me to rely on you so much?” I ask, leaning my head on the back of the couch, keeping my eyes on him.

He grins at me. “So you can never leave me.”

I chuckle despite knowing he’s dead serious.

“I need to be independent,” I whisper, and he nods.

“I know, Firecracker. I just hate that you keep driving that car, and I’m not putting you down, I fucking swear I’m not, because you are the strongest person I know, and a fucking badass.” I smile as his eyes drift over my face. “I just want to help you, to prove to you that I’m all in, Rory. All fucking in.”

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