The Noise of the World by Adriana Spadoni — Read

Now that he had worded aloud the idea of leaving Anne, the thought was always with him.

Spiritual freedom. He wished for no other. The man in the street might talk as if sex were a devouring hunger, a ravening wolf ready to spring upon one unexpectedly at any moment. But sex without companionship nauseated him to visualize. There might be moments -- these he would deal with when they arose. Now, the wind of spiritual freedom carried no taint of lesser, fiercer need.