The Night I Finally Said No

I've always prided myself on being open and willing, but there's this one night that still haunts me. It was last month at a friend’s party, where everyone seemed to be celebrating in their own ways. I had a couple of drinks and found myself with someone I thought understood the unspoken rules, just have fun for now, no strings attached. But as we moved to his bedroom, there was something off. He kept pushing me, asking if he could go further than just holding hands and kissing. It felt like he wasn’t respecting my pace, not that usual gentle probing I usually enjoy. When it got to the point where he was insistent on more, despite my clear hesitation, I finally said no, and meant it. Not because of some grand moral stance but because in that moment, I realized how much being comfortable and respected mattered. I ended up leaving early, feeling conflicted. Partly, I worry about hurting his feelings since he seemed to genuinely want more from me than a quick fling. But mostly, I’m questioning what this means for my usual way of handling these situations. Has something changed? Should I be setting clearer boundaries even when they feel unnecessary? What do you think, was it time for that change?