"What's he done now?" he asked, pulling the blanket down and drying her eyes.

"Oh, Nick!" she wailed. "I can't, I can't.." Aileen took a deep breath. "He, he raped me Nick! He dragged me up here and raped me!" Nick tried to hide his horrified expression. He hugged her close and kissed her hair.

"It's okay, I'm here and I won't let him do this to you anymore."

Her chest heaved with gasping breaths. "It's so clear to me now." she cried. "I never should have come back to him, he'll never understand!" Aileen clung to Nick and continued sobbing on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I bothered you Nick, I just couldn't stay here alone."

He rocked her back and forth and hushed her. "It's okay. I told you I'd be here for you and I'm here to stay now. I'm not leaving here without you."

Nick found himself wanting to kiss her so badly but he didn't want to frighten her. He was unsure of how she might react after what she had just been through. He decided to give it a try and lifted her chin so that their eyes met. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. She offered no resistance, so he continued, his tongue probing her lips and mouth. "Oh Nick!" she moaned and returned his kiss with equal passion. "Do I really want to do this?" she asked herself. She thought she wanted it, thought she needed someone to erase the painful memory of what she had just experienced. She didn't know anymore and, right now, she didn't care. This just felt so good.

Nick ran his hands up and down her sides. He hadn't yet pushed her clothing aside, not yet daring to touch her bare skin. When his hands reached her swollen belly she pulled her shirt up. Nick moved his head down and kissed her stomach and slowly traced kisses up her chest, to her neck and back to her lips. Aileen reached to lift his shirt over his head when Nick stopped dead.

"What's the matter?" she asked, slightly frustrated.

"Is this okay? I mean, I never... I... I... I don't want to hurt the baby." he finished lamely. She smiled and pulled him back down to her.

"It's okay, really!" Nick still looked unsure. "It's perfectly fine!" He finished removing his shirt, she helped him out of his jeans. Nick lifted her up to him and nuzzled her neck.

"Are you sure you want to do this, really, after what Kevin did to you?" Her answer was a hungry, probing kiss. He lay on top of her and looked into her eyes.

"I never want to hurt you like he has, I love you so much." Nick slowly entered her and her back arched to meet him. She gasped out, she had forgotten how well-endowed he was. He continued thrusting into her gently, keeping a steady pace. The last thing he wanted to do was cause her any more pain. She moaned and urged him to go faster, but he kept up the slow and easy rhythm. As he neared his climax, he opened his eyes and gazed at her. "I truly love you, 'Leen, I hope you know that now." She called out his name and let herself go to her orgasm. As she felt his release, she held him tight and bestowed tiny kisses along his neck and jawline. This felt so good, so perfect. Why had she been so hesitant to embrace his love for her?

When she awoke a short while later, Nick still had his arms wrapped tight around her. Aileen moved her head off his chest to look at his face. "He's a special man." she told herself. "And so handsome. When did this happen? How come I never noticed? And when did I start to feel this way?" She kissed him lightly on the chin and trailed kisses down his neck to his chest. Nick awoke and kissed the top of her head.

"That's a nice way to wake up from a nap!" he beamed one of his trademark smiles at her. She lifted her head back up to meet his.

"Thank you, Nick." she murmured.

"What for?"

"For what you just did for me. You made me feel special and wanted. I haven't felt that way for awhile."

Nick hugged her close to him. "I want to make you feel that special every day." Aileen was just about to kiss him again when she heard the front door slam.

"Oh God, it's Kevin. I didn't think he'd dare come back tonight!" She sat up in a panic. "Nick, you've got to get out of here, now!"