All of the sex featured thus far has been penetrative, but for the first time, Mellors explores a different kind of physical contact, one that is more about appreciating the “beauty” of Connie’s body. Again, Connie’s feelings about sex have shifted dramatically; she now resents being “separate,” blaming herself for the detachment she once prided herself on. Connie’s refusal to pursue her own orgasm shows how much more submissive she is with Mellors (perhaps the result, at least in part, of Michaelis’s cruel comments).