Well, what does intimacy mean to you apart from the most obvious, sexual elements? What is exactly the attraction in being intimate with another person? As I said above, for me close friendships can quite easily provide a great deal of the kind of intimacy and connection that I like. A good friend or two that I have a lot in common with, including mutual trust, openness and willingness to be personal, people who also have similar interests so that we have plenty of areas for conversation and shared activities. I had a few friendships like that in my life that were far more fulfilling than the average romance.