Here is a summary of my situation, up to now:

Ok, here is what has happened. I met her about 6 months ago. I am 23, she is 26. She has a 1 1/2 year old baby, the baby's father is 20. She used to work as a housekeeper, but then the kid's father treated her badly - and cheated on her, so she started get tired of that type of work. Soon enough, she went into dancing at a go-go bar. I met her at a party, and soon after got her number.

In the beginning, it was difficult - it did not seem that her interest level was that high. My biggest pull was that I am single, and have a good job so I have a good amount of money to spend - and she obviously needed someone to help with her expenses. I went into the relationship knowing this.

In the beginning, it was mostly just sex - I think she felt like it was her obligation or else I would not help her out financially. About 3 months ago, I started to change this, and started to take her out. I took her to the movies, mall, etc. She told me no one had done that for her before. She mentions that most of her past boyfriends have been ignorant and treated her badly - so when someone like me came along, she was not even sure how to handle it.

Fast forward to the present time. She lives about 50 minutes away, so I see her 3 times a week or so. She told me she had broken things off with the father of her kid a long time ago, before we even met - but I found out they were still involved up to September, which was already a few months into our thing. So she was double timing both of us. They broke up in September, and I never told her I knew - I just thought it was the natural progression of things.

What concerns me is her behavior. She is cold emotionally. I complained about it, but she said it's because she has trust issues, and has had so many bad relationships and disappointments. Her job as a go-go dancer may have affected her as well.

She won't hold my hand in public, she usually sits farther away from me if she can - and she is not very affectionate. All I get is a 10-20 second kiss at the end of our date. We used to have sex regularly up until August, but when I started to take her out more and focus the relationship on more important things, it seems like a lot of excuses came up that prohibited us from having sex. (i.e she had to move a few times, or she's on her period, or there are people at her house, etc)

The only affectionate thing she does is show concern for me. She does call me often, we talk everyday on the phone. When I leave her place and go home, if I don't call her she will call me to check if I got home alright.

Let me mention the financial help I give her once again - she started working this week as a housekeeper once again, but when she stopped working - for almost a month, I was giving her anywhere from $500 to $1,000 a week. I paid her rent, phone, bought her groceries. Most of this money was all essential things. I did buy her a few gifts, take her to the salon, etc - but most of that money was in basics. For the last 6 months, I have always given her at least a few hundred a week. ($200 to $1,000 when it was its highest.) Also take note that she is aware of my family, even if she's embarrassed to meet them. She thinks I will be able to provide her with a lot of money in the future. Also...she may want a green card, as I am not sure what her legal status is. But she never talked to me about it, it's only an assumption and I can't assume that's her only interest.

Those are her obvious interests above.

She started working again this week - as a house cleaner. She wants me to spend less, and wants her own independence - i.e not to depend on me as much. In terms of how she feels, when she feels I am backing away, she reaffirms that she likes me very much - that I've treated her better than any person, etc.

Knowing this, here are my questions and concerns, plus you may add any observations as you see fit:

1.) Obviously she is a single mother, and needs some help financially. But how much of her being with me is that, and how much is her actual interest in me? How can I tell?

2.) Going with the above, how can her cold behavior be explained? Is it possible she really is like this, due to past bad experiences? Her father separated from her mother when she was 12, and her father cheated on her mother as well. Or is more likely she is just not interested in me, so she is cold - but she does not let go because she needs the money and security? She has had a lot of bad experiences with men as well.

3.) Her job now has long hours - Monday to Saturday, 7am to 7pm - so I may only be able to see her once during the week, and then on Sunday. She'll be tired and not give me that much attention. This worries me a bit. Even when she was off, it seems like her kid occupied a lot of her time, and she would often invite her sister to go out with us. She feels sorry for her sister who does not get out too much - but is she avoiding spending time with me?

4.) Let me know what I can do to make this work. I know the obvious answer is to move on and find someone who will be better for me, but I want a way to make it work if possible.

Help if you can, I'd really appreciate it.