In Part 10, Sharlene feels like she’s desperate for him to touch her more even after he’s given her great pleasure and those feelings disturb her because she doesn’t understand them. In spite of that, she requests more of his touch and that helps distract her as the trainers go through the detailed processes of the Project which makes it clear how much work and uncertainty the new company faces.
A peek inside:
“So, why do we both feel the drive to make love?”
“Because the purpose of sexual activity is the drive to mate. Nature doesn’t care whether we enjoy the process or not, just so long as we reproduce the species. Not only that, but society inundates us with the idea that we really haven’t succeeded with a partner until we’ve mated. Society is even worse about that than nature because society claims to know there should be pleasure to be enjoyed by both partners, but denies there is any real pleasure without mating.”
“You’ve clearly demonstrated to me there can be immense pleasure without mating.”
“That’s what I had hoped to accomplish.”
“. . . why do you care so much that a woman experiences pleasure during intimacy and that the man make an effort to help her to do so? . . . what factors might have led to you developing your position regarding women and intimacy?”
“. . . As interested as I was after puberty in experiencing affection with a female, I always felt it should be gentle and pleasant and I was often disgusted by the other male students when they bragged about their sexual conquests.
“As I grew older, I heard about the problems which some women experience during intimate encounters such as abuse, rape, disease, unwanted pregnancies, and the lack of concern by the males involved. I felt sorry for the women and shame at having been born a male and thus associated with such males. Again, I don’t know why I had those feelings or how I came to have them. As I’ve gone through life, those feelings have only been reinforced as I’ve heard of other women and their unpleasant experiences, whether here or around the world.”
. . .
“Although I still feel that intimate pleasure should mean pleasure for both partners, including the woman, in mutual agreement, I also strongly feel that a person, I’m sorry to say it’s usually women, shouldn’t falsely use intimacy to gain something other than mutual pleasure. I can be accused of stereotyping, but too often women will use their attractiveness to males to physically entice them into a relationship not because they’re so interested in physical affection or in the individual male, but because they see it as a way to gain financial security or social status or who knows what else. I suppose that explains one of the reasons I’m against the typical marriage. There are so many ulterior motives on the part of one or both marriage partners that it makes a farce of what marriage should be.”
“Do you feel that way about me or us?”
He shakes his head then answers, “No love, not at all. First of all, you don’t need me for financial security or social status or any of those sorts of things. Even before I knew you had your own money, I knew you were a doctor and thus were quite capable of supporting yourself. . . . That’s been a large part of my struggle with understanding your interest in having a relationship with me. You have nothing to gain. Even if I do give you a safe environment, not being with me would be even safer.
“Our relationship has obviously been very physical, but you’ve made it clear you want the intimacy, not for some ulterior motive, but simply because you like it. And you’ve gone way out of your way to convince me that you want me, as I am, for who I am, and without trying to change me. . . . I know I’ve made a big deal about making sure that you maintain your freedom in regards to our relationship and doing all I can to not coerce you, but you’ve also done nothing to coerce me or to tie me to you, other than to show me sincere affection. . . .”
