I am not suggesting that you are/were. You may have intended that all of what I am talking about is included in the idea of 'intimacy'; however, there is such a thing as "a close intimate friend" that is purely platonic. So, the question becomes "Where do you draw the line?"...
The word 'intimate' is like the word 'intercourse'. There is actually a broad range of definition for both words including "honest innocent wholesome non-sexual" contexts.
And, I believe there are "honest innocent wholesome non-sexual" contexts for love and affection to be shared with someone who is not your spouse. But, to illustrate my point more clearly -- how you hug someone - and, how long you hug someone - may be interpreted by the person you are hugging - and society at large - in a broad spectrum of ways. And, this is largely because - at some point, you cross over from the realm of 'friends' into something more "intimate" that is still not overtly sexual but has a deeper 'emotional' content. (I am quite sure that women understand this even more than men. Perhaps a few of them will explain this further from a woman's perspective.)