Black Rose

Just talk.

I nodded numbly and let him pull me out of bed. I felt relieved that I had avoided his 'affection' but couldn't help but feel nervous to shower with him again.

He led me out of the bedroom and down the hall to the bathroom. I swallowed the lump in my throat as he led me to the shower and switched on the water, his hand gently resting on my wrist as the water warmed up.

"Are you getting in with me?" I asked, nervously. He rolled his eyes at me.

"No, my rose. I assume you can shower on your own?" He teased.

I nodded, feeling relieved.

Blake tested the water and nodded, then looked across at me and let go of my wrist. "Well, my rose? What are you waiting for?"

I blinked away tears and looked across at the water, taking a shaky breath. I knew I had to wash myself. I had to shower. But looking at the water, I was suddenly hesitant.

"For Christ's sake, Rose, get in the damn shower." Blake muttered angrily. He grabbed at my wrist again and yanked me under the water.

I shut off. I froze up, and suddenly it was as though it was happening all over again. My head was being forced up and down again and again, never getting the chance to breathe.

I was trapped.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my arm, pulling me, and I wasn't under the flow of water anymore. Blake was staring at me, confused.

"What the hell was that?" He asked, clearly annoyed.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what had happened. So I just stared at him blankly, trying to catch my breath.

He frowned, his features morphing into a look that almost resembled concern. After a long moment, he shook his head, and reached out to grab some soap from the bottle sitting beside the shower. "Here. I'll help you."

So, just like he had before, he began to wash me, outside of the flow of water, just wetting his hands when he needed to and lathering the soap onto my skin. I didn't want him to touch me, but I also didn't have much of a choice. I was too anxious to even speak.

When he had lathered me from head to toe in soap, he offered me a small smile. "Do you think you can get back under the water so I can wash it off? I'll be right here if it happens again." He said, and his voice was almost caring.

I nodded mutely, and stepped back under the water. This time, the images threatened to come back, but I pushed them away. I focused on the tiles and slate in front of me, and didn't think about the water around me.

Carefully, Blake rinsed off my body. When he was done, he gently pulled me out and turned off the water, then grabbed a towel and started to dry me off.

When he was done, he wrapped my shoulders in the towel and pat my back.

"Wait here, my rose. I'll be right back," he said, then ducked out of the bathroom and disappeared for a second. I stood there, numb, and turned to look at myself in the mirror. I looked like a ghost, pale and sickly, with bags under my big, scared eyes.

Then Blake came back, with something black in his hand.

"Here, my rose. For you." He said, handing me the fabric. I took it off him and lifted up, to find that it was a thin slip dress, with lacy trim across the top.

He smiled at me softly. "We don't have to make love tonight, my rose. We can just cuddle. How does that sound?"

I nodded, still mute, then dropped the towel and slipped on the dress. He gently tugged on a wet tendril of hair with one hand, smiling, then grabbed my hand with the other and pulled me in to his embrace. He took a deep breath in, smelling my wet hair, then pulled away.