This girl (26) just got out of a very restrictive situation with her family, who was slut-shaming to ensure that she stayed a virgin. She has never had a boyfriend. We vibe well, and she is fun. But her concept of what a relationship was is warped. I told her that a relationship without sex is just a friendship. At first she didn't agree, but after talking her through some scenarios, it was like a lightbulb went off: she would not be able to get married without first dating someone. And she would not be able to date someone without sex.

We talked about a number of scenarios around sex. She keeps saying that she really likes me, and that she would be open to considering it. She wants it to feel special though. Has anyone gone through this, to completion, and have some advice on how to navigate everything? Escalation, comforting, etc.