I (58M) have been in a relationship with my DP for a little over a year. I'm very much attached to her, but she struggles because I come with baggage: a long abusive marriage, and now the carer of two dds with traumatic memories (mine too, therapy and all that), and house keeper of a messy ex-family home.
My problem is this: I am drawn to my dp, and I think this is mutual, but she needs some distance from the... wreck... that is managing and recovering from the trauma.
How do I at once keep the distance that she needs, but express the connection I feel?