What an excellent question. First of all let me say that your friends are quite wrong.
While it is true that young men especially tend to have big sex drives and a natural urge to play the field and sleep with as many women as they can, this is not true for all men.
In any case, sex is not what binds a man to a woman. If that were so, men would be asking prostitutes to marry them! Plenty of women make the mistake of thinking that sex will tie a man to them. Good sex is not what makes a man want to stay with and/or commit to a woman.
Most men are just like women in the sense that they too crave emotional
intimacyAn intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship. It can be defined by these characteristics: enduring behavioral interdependence, repeated interactions, emotional...(Click for full definition.) and connection. Because many men can separate sex from intimacy, they can sleep with a woman yet have no emotional intimacy with her. That's why a man can have sex and walk away from the woman and not look back when emotional intimacy is lacking.
I'm not saying sex isn't important in a relationship, but it is not what makes a man love you and/or want to stay with you.
I know your friends are putting pressure on you. Don't listen to them. Listen to your boyfriend. Do you sense that your boyfriend is also becoming frustrated? You didn't mention this to me. On the contrary, I had the sense that you both are comfortable with the pace you're following.
To ease your own mind, it might be a good idea to talk to your boyfriend about sex. Ask him if he's comfortable with the pace you're both taking? Is he becoming frustrated? Is he willing to wait until you both feel the time is right?
If a man loves you, he is generally willing to take his time and wait till you feel ready.
Please let me know how your talk turns out.