I think I belong in Piecing...

[Painter]

It seems it was only that one night... It was an awkward pull my head towards his chest-move, and the next night there was nothing again, even though there was plenty of opportunity.

So today, after being not particularly respectful of me while we were working together, he thought it was 'time'. I didn't pick up on the invite, so he came over and tried to pull my shirt up. I held it down, and he tried to push my hands up (because he's stronger). This is his normal behavior. I got angry and told him it was not cool to fight me. He got upset and said it was not cool what I did, either. We've had this exchange before.

We have this cycle where he says that if we just ML, he'll feel closer and more affectionate, but then it doesn't happen - there's no affection afterwards. So I have been going along and going along for years, hoping to elicit affection, but I feel like in actuality, he's just checking it off his list so he can move on to other things he wants to do. I have voiced all of these concerns to him for years, but he just doesn't seem to get it.

There's been incidents where I tried to show him affection - like hold his hand - and he pulled it away. He says he feels uncomfortable showing affection in public. He also seem uncomfortable hugging, he gets very restless and has to move away very quickly, and pats me awkwardly during any hug I initiate.

The gestures he used to do years ago, were either sexually charged (patting my butt) or somewhat uncomfortable - he tends to use way too much physical force. He would do things like stroke my forehead and hair like I was a cat or dog, which flattens my hair (no woman wants their hair flattened!) And he did exactly the same with his mother and his daughter, which made it feel a little weird.

He says he has no need for affection. I don't understand how it is possible to live without it.

I'm at the end of my rope and out of ideas. The MC didn't really have any suggestions. I'd love some input here...