Robin's Way 12

That," Anna grinned, "can be rectified."

I smiled back.

"I can't," I said, "see sex as being divorced from other feelings. I need a connection at a deeper level," I admitted. "Call me romantic and unrealistic, but I don't want just to have sex."

"Is that to do with being religious?"

Anna was asking all the right questions, but I had no idea whether my answers would be what she wanted to hear. But that did not matter, what did was telling her my thoughts as honestly as I could.

"Maybe. Love is the deepest expression of our connection with another person. We let them into us in unguarded ways, we open ourselves intimately. I don't want to do that unless I can feel that connection. As you know, I love being with others, that is a part of my ministry, God made us to be with others, and there are many levels to that. For me, sex is one of the deeper ones, it is part of a real relationship where it adds depth to something more."

"You are a romantic, Robin, but I like that."

"You do?"

"Yes," she said, reaching out to hold my hand. I think you are very sweet. Thank you for being so open."

Maybe that was the problem, I thought. But I'd rather stay as I was than compromise.

We both decided to skip dessert, and as I asked for the bill, the question arose of what next?