maf (@therealmaf_)

My husband stopped initiating sex after I turned him down three times in one week. At first, I thought he was finally understanding that I couldn’t always be in the mood whenever he was. Then I noticed he had stopped touching me altogether. No random kisses in the kitchen. No pulling me closer when we watched television. No morning hugs before leaving for work. I actually preferred it that way until one evening I asked why he was behaving like a stranger. He looked at me and said, “I figured you wanted me to stop making advances.” I laughed. “There’s a difference between not wanting sex and not wanting you to touch me.” He nodded slowly. “That’s the part I’m struggling to understand. Because lately, every time I reach for you, I have to calculate whether you’re going to feel loved or pressured.”