Even as Paul D finds himself falling in love with Sethe, he feels inexplicably compelled to distance himself from her. Without knowing why, he stops sleeping in Sethe's bed — moving first to a rocking chair for a few nights, then to Baby Suggs's double bed, and then to the storeroom. Finally, he stops sleeping in the house completely and creates a meager nest for himself in the cold house behind the main house. During this time, he and Sethe continue to have sex and maintain their deepening relationship. However, Paul D believes that Beloved is somehow preventing him from being able to sleep in Sethe's bed. One autumn night, Beloved seeks him out and demands that he "touch [her] on the inside part and call me my name." Although she promises to leave after he repeats her name, she instead forces herself on him.
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