Interesting read. Thanks. Though I think, more often than not, people are afraid to ask because they're afraid it will ruin the mood rather than because they're afraid the answer is no. And yes, stopping to ask "Is this okay?" does ruin the mood for a lot of people. In fact, I usually say "if you have to ask, the answer is no." Obviously ruining the mood is better than a potential rape situation, but there are nonverbal ways to ask for clear consent that keep the mood intact. They should teach that in high school or something.