This question of "the right amount of time" brings up pretty fundamental issues about how you might want to structure a relationship. The modern person is supposed to be able act pretty freely, we hear, but I think this depends a lot on who you are trying to date. If guys in your crowd talk like Doug, then this is a reality you will have to deal with, even if it is not representative of other men. If you are interested in finding a partner who is classically religiously conservative, or uses words like "family values" then you will probably have to play along with a certain kind of script which is restrictive to everyone but an accepted part of the pageantry. Keep in mind, however, that 8 months into an intense emotional relationship is not a convenient time to find out that your partner's kisses turn your stomach. It's a wise idea to establish that there is some physical rapport while it's still early enough to steer this off towards friendship.
On the other hand, freedom (i.e. the situation where there is no fixed script) is much more difficult to do well. Try very hard to make sure that you are not "jumping into bed" for the wrong reasons yourself, for instance wanting the person to like you, wanting to take the relationship to the next level, etc. Try thinking of sex (and having sex) as a very deep kind of communication between you and your partner. Try to ease it in at a point in the relationship when other deep kinds of communication are already well in place, and can anchor the new kinds of emotions and reactions which the physical closeness will release.
