I am able to hug Rosie. This was the issue that caused me the most fear after she agreed to live with me. I generally find body contact unpleasant, but sex is an obvious exception. Sex solved the body contact problem. We are now also able to hug without having sex, which is obviously convenient at times.
The narrator expresses his initial fear about how living with Rosie would change his relationship with physical contact. He reveals that he typically finds body contact unsettling, which made him anxious about sharing space with her. However, he acknowledges that sexual intimacy provided a solution to this discomfort, allowing for closeness in a way he could manage.
As their relationship develops, he discovers a new comfort level that enables them to...
